Taking the Stress Out of Selling your Home

For some people, the thought of listing their home for sale is stressful. They worry about all the things they have to do — and all the things that might go wrong. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way. Here are some tips for making your home sale go smoothly: · Give yourself time to prepare. If you're thinking of selling six months from now, start preparing your property now. Do any necessary staging, and get it looking its best. Avoid doing these tasks at the last minute. · Set the right price. Pricing your property too high will likely result in few, if any, buyers coming to see it. You might end up having to lower your price later, causing your home to linger even longer on the market. That's stress you don't need! · Have a flexible viewing schedule. If you make it too difficult for buyers to see your property, they might lose interest or simply choose to buy another home. Be as flexible as possible when a buyer wants to view your property. · Plan get-away activities. When a buyer comes for a scheduled viewing, don't be home. Instead, plan some fun activities for your family. Think: playground, shopping, cycling, the zoo, etc. · Accept the ups and downs. Prospective buyers might say they love your home and plan to make an offer. Then you don't hear from them again! It happens! Accept the inevitable ups and downs of selling your home. · Get help with repairs. You'll probably have things that need to be fixed around the home, like a dripping faucet that needs repair or a room that needs painting. If possible, hire a professional to do some of that work. · Finally, work with a great real estate agent. That will make the biggest difference in ensuring your move goes smoothly and stress-free.

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9 Steps to Finding your Next Dream Home

If you're thinking ahead to your next dream home, the road you need to take to get there may seem confusing. Do you search for listings online? Drop by Open Houses on the weekends? Call the number on For Sale signs? Let's break it all down! Here are the specific steps you need to take to ensure you find a home that fits your wants, needs and budget.

1. Find out how much your current property will likely sell for on today’s market.

2. Arrange for financing, so you know what you can afford.

3. Select neighbourhoods you'd love to live in. (That may involve some fun exploring!)

4. Decide on the type of home you want to buy. (For example: detached, three-bedroom, etc.)

5. Prioritize the property features you want most, so you can be flexible if a feature is missing from a home listed on the market that is otherwise ideal.

6. View properties on the market that closely fit your criteria, particularly new listings that may not yet be posted online. (Tip: Arrange to be immediately notified of new listings that are a good fit for you.)

7. When you find a home you want, make an offer designed to get the property — without overpaying.

8. Negotiate until you secure the deal. This may involve counter-offers.

9. If the negotiation is skillfully done and all goes well, the home is yours. As you can see, there isn't a lot of mystery in finding your next dream home. You just need to take the steps and get the professional help you need along the way.

Looking for a real estate agent that can get you to the finish line? Call Mary today!