what you should know before selling your home prepared for [client name] 10 beaufort road agent name...

What you Should KnowBefore Selling Your Home

Prepared for [Client Name]

10 Beaufort Road

Agent Name • Sales Representative

Agent Name[Company Address]

[email protected]

www.agentwebsite.com

What You Should KnowBefore Selling Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, you’ve got your priorities.After all, this is one of the biggest investments you own!

Selling your home involves much more than just placing a For Sale sign in youryard. Making a mistake in selling your home can cost you hundreds orthousands of dollars in lost profit. However, avoiding mistakes is easy and takesless time and effort on your part when you hire a professional real estate salesrepresentative to handle the details.

You want ALL the facts on the current housing market. You need experienced, street-smart guidance as you consider your

options. You’re entitled to enthusiastic, timely attention and frequent fe edback from

your Realtor®, whether you’re moving next week or next year. And you deserve a real estate professional working for you with friendly,

solution-oriented experience, ever-present ingenuity, and hands-on know-how to cut through all the legal speak and paperwork.

Let me help you!

This booklet has been designed to help you understand the basics of the homeselling process. Understanding what is involved and how I will help you, willassist you in making the right decision when choosing the best salesrepresentative to help you sell your home.

When we meet, we will

Establish a proper asking price for your home Determine how to get every dollar you deserve Create an effective plan of action for selling your home as quickly as

possible.

Agent Name123-456-7891

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Establishing a proper askingprice

No matter how attractive and polished your house may be, buyers will becomparing its price with everything else on the market. Your best guide to properpricing is a record of what buyers have been willing to pay in the past few monthsfor properties comparable to yours in your area.

I will provide you with a thorough comparative market analysis (CMA) with thedata of all comparable homes in your area. Based on these results, we will havea good idea of what the market value of your house is.

Improper pricing is the most common mistake that costs homesellers thousands of dollars.

It’s simple. Overpriced homes are not as competitive as those that are wellpriced. In most cases, the higher the asking price, the longer it takes for thehome to sell (and in many cases, the lower the final selling price). On the otherhand, price it too low and you may give away thousand in profits to a totalstranger.

The value of a home is determined by supply and demand. If there are a lot ofsellers and few buyers, prices tend to go down and homes take longer to sell.This is referred to as a Buyer’s Market. When the opposite is true, and there

are many buyers but few homes for sale, prices will rise and homes will sellquickly. This is a Seller’s Market. A Balanced Market is self-explanatory but it’s

also important to recognize the effect a Changing Market will have on pricing,whether the transition is to an Up Market or Down Market.


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Establishing a proper askingprice

The ultimate decision regarding how much to ask is strictly yours. But Istrongly encourage you to not fall into the temptation of overpricing the property,as this will only cost you thousands of dollars in the long run.

Realtors® don’t establish value, the market does. I mention this becausemany real estate sales representatives may try to “buy” your listing by sayingthey can get you more for your home. These attempts are done in hopes ofsecuring the listing at a price they know to be unrealistic and knowing that theywill be coming back at a later date with a significant price reduction request.

Proper pricing sets the stage for the entire selling process. Be objective andremember that selling your home is a business transaction. Keep in mind thatpotential buyers are not looking to buy your home – they are looking to find ahouse that they can make their home.

Insert Testimonial

[testimonial copy goes here]


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Getting Every Dollar YouDeserve

Of all the things homeowners control when selling their home,the condition of the property is one of the most important.

First impressions make all the difference in selling your home. When viewingproperties, buyers make up their minds within the first ten minutes! Your

home’s condition is vital to a sale and a clean, well-maintained home enjoys acompetitive edge over other homes on the market.

The ability to reap the full profit potential on the sale of your home can beaccomplished easily enough, if you make the right improvements. Spending$3,000 on new carpet and/or paint might add another $10,000 to the price of yourhome. Basic, simple and inexpensive improvements can provide an improvedemotional response in a potential buyer.

It’s important to get an objective point of view from a real estateprofessional to ensure that needed cosmetic improvements areidentified.

According to the National Association of Realtors®, the average purchaser looksat 10 to 20 properties prior to purchasing a home. They are looking for the bestpriced property in the best condition. The majority of buyer activity on a newlisting occurs in the early period of marketing. For these reasons it is importantthat you have your home in the best condition at first exposure to the market.

When we meet, I will guide you in making the best decisions onpreparing your home for sale so that you get every dollar youdeserve.

[Insert Testimonial]


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Getting Every Dollar YouDeserve

You deserve special attention in every detail ofyour real estate transaction!

Average Realtor® [insert your name]

No support staff Full time office staff

No system, unpredictable Systematic approach for consistent results

Slow response time to requests Reputation for quick response time

Infrequent client contact Provides regular feedback reports to sellers

Limited buyer contacts Daily contact with pool of qualified buyers

Sales strategy often undefined Provides a structured marketing plan to get you topdollar

Relies on company advertising Markets your home 24/7 on multiple websites, socialmedia and mobile apps

No name recognition Local name recognition and brand power

Often lack expertise/experience Negotiation skills that can save and earn youthousands $$

Average* 7 sales per year Over twice the sales of the average Realtor®

*Based on Canadian Real Estate Association statistics

A Real Estate Service Professional that cares

It is my mission to make a difference in people’s lives. It is my aim to assist younot just in a single transaction but in all of your real estate needs in future years. Iwant every sale or purchase I handle to be a pleasant experience for you and willcheerfully answer all questions you ask to ensure you have the information youneed to make your decisions. I do not employ high-pressure sales techniques atany time. I work toward your total satisfaction and believe that you deserve mybest efforts.


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A Detailed MarketingProgram

Since my main objective is to sell your home for you, I make sure that it ispresented to as many qualified buyers as quickly and directly as possible. This

is achieved by using all appropriate venues to market your home to not one butthree tiers – Realtors®, neighbours, and, of course, purchasers! To ensure youget the highest possible dollar value for your property, I use the tried and true

methods of home marketing as well as the best of today’s technology to giveyour home exposure to more potential buyers than ever.

My marketing program for your home includes:

1. For Sale Sign

Working for you 24/7, the most noticeable and immediate method of showing thatyour property is available to purchase is the For Sale sign. It identifies yourhome as being listed with Royal LePage, the most recognized Canadian realestate brand, and provides contact information so prospective buyers can call forinformation.

2. Flyers & Brochures

Flyers show interior and exterior photos of your property and provide thehighlights of your house. The flyers provide contact numbers and a call to actionso buyers can contact me directly for additional information. Full colour brochuresof your home provide full details and show of the special features of your house.Brochures are for display in a prominent place in your home.

3. Multiple Websites & Social Networking

The Internet allows people to get information about your house in the comfort oftheir home 24/7. I will market your property through multiple websites includingRealtor.ca, royallepage.ca, rlpgta.ca, my personal website [insert websiteaddress] as well as through Facebook and Twitter.


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A Detailed MarketingProgram

4. Mobile Marketing

Today’s consumers are using mobile devices to find information on everythingfrom finding a restaurant to buying a house. The RLP Mobile App connectsmotivated buyers to properties for sale on their mobile phone from any location.Its GPS property locator shows buyers homes for sale within the distance of theirchoice from their location. By including the RLP test signage to your lawn sign,your listing is instantly viewable by a huge audience.

5. Open Houses

Open Houses are an invitation for the public to come in and get a feel for whatyour home has to offer. It allows them to view your house and mentally fit theirfamily with your property.

6. Professional Network

I have a large network of buyers that I am presently working with. My automatedsystem provides buyers with information on listings that match their criteria assoon as the listing hits the market. As we enter your home into the system, it willautomatically search for buyer matches. Likewise, my professional networkincludes Realtors® I speak with every day, the over 1,300 sales representativesin my brokerage, over 14,000 Royal LePage sales representatives acrossCanada, and over 160,000 Realtors® worldwide through our affiliation withLeading Real Estate Companies.


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Services to help your moverun smoothly

Getting a house ready for sale may require or benefit from the services ofprofessionals in addition to your Realtor. As I work with these providers on aregular basis, I’m able to confidently refer you to them knowing they will providethe same level of care and professionalism to my clients. My list of serviceprofessionals includes:

Mortgage Specialists Lawyers Stagers Home Inspectors Appraisers Storage services Cleaning services Electricians Plumbers Carpenters HVAC Painters Landscapers Moving companies

A full list of names, contact information, and testimonials from others who haveused these services is provided to my clients, allowing them to make directcontact and choose the provider that best fits their needs.


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About Me

[insert name]

Your Unique Selling Proposition – Insert your personal bio information here. Besure to include things like why you became a Realtor® and what sets you apart from

the competition.

Awards:

[insert award with year]

Experience:

[insert date] - Present: Real Estate Agent specializing in single family, multi-family, condominiums, and land sales[insert date] – [insert date]: Insert pre-real estate position

Areas of Expertise:

[insert specifics of your practice including property types, locations, nichemarkets, special client needs etc.]

Affiliations:

Canadian Real Estate Association Ontario Real Estate Association Toronto Real Estate Board [insert other real estate related affiliations]


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About Me

Education:

UniversityHigh SchoolOREARoyal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd. – Dynamic Agent ProfessionalDevelopment Program

Community:

Charitable OrganizationsCommunity AssociationsPersonal interest organizations or associationsVolunteering

Personal:

Married toChildrenHobbies

Mission Statement:

[insert your personal mission statement]


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About Me

What Successful Home Sellers Are SayingAbout My Service…

“________ sold our home in 8 days!”Your marketing strategies such as the phone hotline, full coloured, detailedhome info sheets, and unique open houses were very effective. Weappreciated the daily feedback we received from you regarding showingsof our home. Due to all of the above, our home sold in 8 days at 98% of theevaluated price![insert full name of client]

“_______________ has the experience we were looking for.”It was obvious that we needed a real estate agent with an expertise in sellinghomes in this special housing area. We also wanted someone who knew thevalue of properties being sold here and had a long-standing, good track

record in real estate sales right here. Both my wife and I agree that you werethe agent most able to live up to our expectations and it resulted in a quick saleof our home. [insert full name of client]

“Your service and care goes far beyond the call of duty.”We would like to tell you just how much we appreciate everything you have donefor us, but there are no words expressive enough to do justice to our feelings.The effort you extend goes far beyond the "call of duty,” and we wonder justwhere you get all of your energy. You were wonderful to work with, and we thankyou so much for the work on our behalf. [insert full name of client]

Note to agent: It is best to use the full first and last name of your clients to demonstrate theauthenticity of the testimonial. Always get written authorization from your client to use

their full names. Including a photo of you with the client can be very powerful and is also agreat addition to Facebook postings you may do.


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About Royal LePage

Helping You Is What We Do

Royal LePage is the oldest and largest Canadian owned full service real estatecompany in the country, with over 14,000 sales representatives in over 600offices coast to coast.

Since 1913, Royal LePage has been committed to helping Canadians buy andsell homes. We helped found the Toronto Real Estate Board and Ontario RealEstate Association, and set the standards for all other real estate companies tofollow. Today as a leader in technology and customer satisfaction, royallepage.cadominates in both the on line and mobile searches of motivated buyers.

Royal LePage is the exclusive national Canadian partner of Leading Real EstateCompanies of the World, the world’s largest real estate referral network with over170,000 associates worldwide. For relocations, Brookfield Global RelocationServices is the country’s largest national relocation company servicing over50,000 corporate and government transfers annually worldwide.

Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about real estate and how to provide the bestpossible service for our clients. Our service-based culture and comprehensivesuite of services set us apart from the competition and enable us to attract thebest people in the business.

Throughout our successes, we remain dedicated to helping you through the realestate process. Our commitment to innovation and customer service is as strongas ever.


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About Royal LePage RealEstate Services Ltd.,Brokerage

You’re In Good Company

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd. is the largest residential real estatebrokerage in the Greater Toronto Area.* All 15 offices of our brokerage are anestablished and recognized presence in Oakville, Mississauga, West Torontoand Central Toronto and beyond with collectively over 1,300 professionalREALTORS® helping people buy or sell real estate across the GTA and beyond.

As the best people with the best training and the best tools available in realestate today, our REALTORS® know how to make the complex process ofbuying or selling property a positive experience for you.

We're devoted to helping you make the most of your real estate opportunities.

* Based on combined 2011 dollar sales volume of homes sold from TREB MLS.

About the ___[insert your branch name]_________ Branch

Include information about your branch that helps to position it in thecommunity. This could include market share information, special activitiesof the branch, as well as location and hours.


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Tell Me About Your Home

What are the 10 favourite features of your home andneighbourhood?

*Please complete this page in preparation for our meeting*

1.______________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________

4.______________________________________________________________

5.______________________________________________________________

6.______________________________________________________________

7.______________________________________________________________

8.______________________________________________________________

9.______________________________________________________________

10._____________________________________________________________

What price range are you thinking your home should sell for?

___________________


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Information About YourProperty

What improvements have you made to your home?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Type of heating: __________________________________________________

Average cost of heating per month: _________________________________

Average Hydro cost per month: _____________________________________

What is the age of the: Roof _________________

Windows _____________

Hot Water Tank ________ Air Conditioner _________ Furnace ______________

Do you have a floor plan of the property? Yes No

(if yes, please have a copy available)

Do you have a survey of the property? Yes No

(if yes, please have a copy available)

Do you have an extra set of keys for a lockbox? Yes No

(if yes, please have them available)


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Commission & Fees

In real estate, the sale of a property usually involves the payment of acommission to the listing brokerage. What most people don’t know is how acommission is distributed; often assuming that it all goes to the salesrepresentative. In fact, the sales representative’s fee is only a portion of the totalcommission.

This chart illustrates how a typical commission is distributed to all the partiesinvolved in a purchase and sale, based on a 5% commission rate. Thebrokerage representing the buyer receives the largest portion with the balancebeing split between the listing brokerage and the sales representative. All

marketing and administrative expenses for the property are paid from the salesrepresentative’s portion as well as all the professional and regulatory fees thatare applied to the sales representative. It is the remaining balance, once allthese expenses are paid, that represents the sales representative’s take homepay before taxes.


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Tips for Preparing YourHouse for Sale

Curb Appeal

First impressions really do count. If the impact of your curb appeal is strong,people will want to see what is inside.

Cut and trim the shrubs.

Remove dead tree limbs and other yard debris.

Brighten up the garden with fresh shrubs and flowers.

Get rid of the clutter. Put away toys and gardening equipment.

Touch up peeling paint on doors, siding, and trim.

Repair and paint the fence.

Fix damaged roof shingles and flashing.

Clean windows, replace broken panes, and fix torn screens.

Clean gutters and downspouts.

Wash the driveway and sidewalk. Patch cracks or holes.

Clean up the garage and shed.

Have the gas grill ready for use.

Make sure outside lights and doorbells work.


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Interior Preparation

Every room should look as spacious, bright, and warm as possible.

Wash walls, ceilings, and trim. Consider painting with light, neutral colours.

Repair cracks.

Tighten loose knobs, towel racks, switch plates, and outlet covers.

Fix tight doors and windows, squeaky floorboards, and loose stair

banisters.

Clean and repair caulking around tubs and sinks. Fix leaky faucets;

remove water stains.

Clean and organize the basement and attic. (This is a good opportunity to

throw out all the bits and pieces you don't want to move.)

Organize closets. Get rid of the clutter. Limit the number of items stored

overhead or on the floor.

Clean out kitchen cabinets, and remove clutter from countertops.

Clean drapes, blinds, and curtains. Shampoo carpets, polish floors.

Arrange furniture to make rooms appear as spacious as possible.

Remove any items you're taking with you, such as chandeliers and

mirrors.


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Showing Your Home

Your house should be ready to show at all times. Make sure it is kept clean andclutter-free. And, those last minute touches before someone comes to look atyour home can make all the difference:

Turn on all the lights, even during the daytime, including outside entrance,

closet, basement, and attic lights. Open all the drapes and blinds.

Turn off the television, stereo, and radio (easy listening music is OK).

Open all the doors between rooms to give an inviting feeling.

On cold days, light a fire. If not in season, make sure the fireplace is clean.

Put pets in a fenced yard. Better still, ask friends to look after them. Some

people may be allergic, others may be afraid of animals. Clear any pet

odours.

Clean the kitchen and bathrooms. Leave windows and mirrors sparkling.

All jewelry and small valuables should be stored in a safety deposit box or

in a locked closet.

Set out fresh flowers, hang decorative hand towels in the bathroom, and

place an attractive tablecloth on the dining room table.

If possible, leave! Some buyers are uncomfortable when the owner is in

the house. In their hurry to get away, they may miss important features, or

fail to ask important questions. If you must remain, be courteous, but try

not to make conversation. The buyer's Realtor knows what the buyer is

looking for. He or she can discuss features and answer questions.


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Receiving an Offer

A buyer interested in purchasing your property will make an Offer and, as an actof good faith, put down a deposit. The buyer's REALTOR® communicates theOffer, also known as an Agreement of Purchase & Sale (a legal documentspecifying the offers terms and conditions) to you or your representative. TheOffer states how much the buyer is willing to pay and details the conditions.The Offer can be firm or conditional. The seller can accept the Offer, reject theOffer, or make a counter Offer.

Firm Offer to Purchase: Usually preferable to the seller, because it means thatthe buyer will purchase the home without any conditions. If the Offer is accepted,the house is sold.

Conditional Offer to Purchase: Means the buyer has placed one or moreconditions on the purchase, such as subject to home inspection, subject tofinancing, or subject to the sale of buyer's existing home. The home is not solduntil all the conditions have been met.

Acceptance: The seller agrees to all the terms and conditions exactly as setforth in the Offer to Purchase.

Rejection: The seller does not agree with any of the terms and conditions setforth in the Offer to Purchase.

Counter offer: The seller agrees with some of the terms and conditions of theOffer, but not all of them. The seller then makes a counter Offer. The counterOffer may change the price, the closing date, or add or delete conditions. Whenthe buyer receives the counter Offer, he or she can accept the new terms andconditions or reject them.

A signed Offer is a binding contract. Make sure you understand and agree toall of the terms before you sign. You may want to have a lawyer review the offerfirst.


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Closing the Sale

As your Royal LePage REALTOR® I will supervise every step of the closingprocess to make sure that closing is as smooth as possible.

Closing may require: Professional home inspection to assess the condition of the property. Professional appraisal by the buyer’s mortgage company to determine the

true value of the property. Search of the title by the buyer's lawyer.

On or before closing day, lawyers for the seller and the buyer will set up a trustaccount for the money coming from the sale. This money will be used to pay offany mortgages you owe on the property, after which you receive the balance.

Your lawyer should also ensure that you receive compensation for pre-paidexpenses, such as property taxes, electrical or gas bills, or, if applicable, heatingoil left in your tank.

You will give the property deed or transfer documents, mortgage details, andkeys to your lawyer. Your lawyer will register the mortgage discharge andtransfer the deed at closing. You will also pay the listing brokerage company theircompensation (your lawyer can arrange the payment from the proceeds of thesale).


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Recent NeighbourhoodActivity

The following pages provide a “snapshot” of recent activity in yourneighbourhood and includes properties that have Sold, Expired and are currentlyListed. This is not a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) but is included to give ageneral idea of the selling activity over the past few months. I will be presentinga customized CMA for your property at our meeting.


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what you should know before selling your home prepared for [client name] 10 beaufort road agent name...

Documents

home selling process

buyers market

sellers market

market value

final selling price

changing market

balanced market

proper asking price