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Sellers

Selling a home can be a time consuming and confusing process if you don’t have the right REALTOR® by your side. CENTURY 21® sells tens of thousands of homes every year in Canada and we bring the power of the CENTURY 21 system to each of our clients.

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As your REALTOR, I will advise you on pricing, preparing, and promoting your home so that you achieve your goals. Contact me to start exploring this process with my free Market Evaluation that lets you see similar homes on the market as well as an estimated value range for your home.

Once you are ready to sell, I will develop a pricing strategy for your home and identify the most important steps to prepare your home for the market. Once you go on the market, we will create a customized marketing plan for you using state-of-the-art technology tools to get your property in front of more potential buyers, so you can get the best offer.

For example:

  • chrisalbert.ca - My personal website highlights listings so they are more likely to be viewed. It supports high resolution photography and video to create the best impression of your home. Each listing gets its own property page, so we can efficiently market all the important details of your home.

  • Maximum Internet Exposure – I work with a variety of website partners to market your property both to the neighborhood next door and to the other side of the world. I put the marketing exposure of your home as a top priority, so you get the maximum sales price for your property.

  • Social Media Marketing - Your listing is posted on popular social media channels. Through social media advertising, I provide even more visibility to your property and targets specific home buyers that are looking for a home just like yours.

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Once we have secured an offer on your property, leverage the experience I have received to your benefit, and secure the best possible sale for your property. I’ll handle all of the negotiation, paperwork and details, and make the sale as easy as possible. I look forward to assisting you with selling your property. Start the process with a free online home valuation or contact me for your copy of our Home Selling Guide.

1. Decide when to sell

In real estate, timing influences your home's selling price.

Working with a REALTOR® can help make timing work for you.

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A buyer's versus a seller's market?

When lots of people are looking for homes but not many are for

sale, it's a 'seller's market', because the seller has something

everybody wants. When there are lots of homes for sale and not

many people buying them, it's called a 'buyer's market' because

buyers have more power of choice.

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How quickly do you need to sell your home?

In a seller's market, top price and a fast sale can go hand-in-hand.

In a buyer's market, more sellers are competing for your

potential buyer. If you have to sell right now, consider lowering

your asking price a bit to speed up the sale. A REALTOR® can

help you figure out the right price-to-speed ratio.

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Seasonality. Do home sales get frostbite?

It's true. Winter sales tend to be slower, and spring sales are more brisk. Regardless, there are always people looking to buy, and seasonality is only one of many factors to consider.

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What if you're also buying a home?

If you sell your existing home for a 'low' price, you're probably also buying at a low price. If you are upgrading to a larger home, this actually works to your advantage. If you're downsizing from a bigger home to a smaller home or a condo, you need to pay a bit more attention to the market.

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To buy first or sell first? The eternal question

Many people are able to time their sale and purchase so they happen on the same "closing date". As a buyer, you can make your offer "conditional" on the sale of your existing home to make sure you're not left paying for two homes. As a seller, you can try to extend the "closing period" to give yourself more time to find your next home. A REALTOR® can provide advice and counsel during these kind of negotiations.

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What if you find your new dream home before you've started to sell your old one?

Talk to your existing mortgage lender about "Bridge Financing". This is when your lender (the bank) agrees to lend you the down payment for your new dream home, while you still cover the mortgage on your existing property.

 

 

2. Prepare your finances

Before the offers start rolling in, you should prepare for the

massive amounts of money that will pass through your hands.

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Still have a way to go paying off your mortgage? Here are

some things to consider.

 

"Discharging" your mortgage

Many people use the proceeds from the sale of their home to

"discharge" or pay off their mortgage. If you have what is known

as an "open" mortgage, you can pay it all off without any

penalties. If you have a "closed" mortgage, be prepared to pay a

penalty. The penalty amount will depend on a number of

factors, including how much time is left on the term of the

mortgage.

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If you're buying a new home, is your mortgage "portable"?

A "portable" mortgage means you can take your mortgage money with you and buy a new home, without penalty. This can be a real bonus if the interest rate on your mortgage is lower than existing rates! If your new home is more expensive, and requires more mortgage, you'll have to borrow the extra money at the current market rate.

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If you find your new dream home before you've started to sell your old one

Talk to your existing mortgage lender. You may be able to arrange "Bridge Financing". This is when your lender (the bank) is confident your existing home will sell quickly, and they agree to lend you the down payment for your new dream home.

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Capital gains tax

If the home was your primary residence, you will not have to pay taxes on any capital gain (the increase in the value of your home). If you had tenants living in part of your home, such as the basement, you will pay capital gains tax on a portion of your profits. You may also owe capital gains tax if you're selling a vacation or investment property. Talk with an accountant to find out what you'll have to pay.

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GST for professional services

Your lawyer and REALTOR® are providing services that are subject to GST/HST.

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