Home Selling In Toronto
Franca Capano, Rick McGuigan & Robert Holbrook -
HomeLife/Cimerman Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage -
© 2002 -
OTHER WEBSITES WE OPERATE:
House Hunting In Toronto: The home buyers guide to Toronto real estate.
Condo’s and Lofts In Toronto: Welcome to Toronto condo living.
Luxury Homes In Toronto: Discover a world of exceptional real estate opportunities.
Home Buyers Online Seminar: Always available, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Also In This Section
Marketing Your Home
When selling your home you want to make sure as many potential buyers as possible are aware of your property. The best way to ensure that maximum exposure is through the services of a REALTOR®.
All REALTORS® and almost every home seller does understand the importance of marketing. Unfortunately, too often people confuse marketing with promotion. While both components are important they are very different. There are many ways to market your home sale, and promotion is only one way to do it. For a successful sale you need to take a look at the other components as well. Successful advertising may bring prospective buyers to your door, but whether they decide to make a reasonable offer is another matter.
Next to promotion and advertising (MLS Listing, Internet, yard sign, newspaper ads, flyers, et cetera), you first need to address the other components of the marketing mix.
1. Price
By setting your sale price too high or too low, your promotion and advertising efforts will address the wrong audience and be a waste of time and money.
2. Product
If the product, your home, does not meet the expectations you create, prospective home buyers will not make a (reasonable) offer.
3. Presentation
Do not expect to receive (great) offers when your home is not presented to perfection. If it is dirty, cluttered or smells, it probably will not sell (at a price you hoped for).
Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
The MLS is a central registry of properties used by REALTORS® to match buyers with homes on the market. MLS is described as a "cooperative marketing system" to ensure maximum exposure of properties for sale. The MLS is very effective. Almost 100% of all Internet buyers are using the online listings of the MLS. A total of 456,749 homes traded hands via Canadian MLS Systems in 2011.
Online Advertising
Internet has become increasingly important for real estate. Close to 90% of Canadians
say they will use the world wide web for their next real estate transaction. We will
not only place your home in the REALTORS®-
For Sale Sign
The search for homes does not have to involve driving around neighbourhoods looking for "for sale" signs anymore, but this good old tool remains surprisingly effective.
Traditional Media
Ranging from classified ads in the newspaper (often with a photo), and ads in REALTOR® magazines, to neighbourhood flyers and high quality feature sheets.
Social Media
The total minutes spent on social networking sites has increased 83 percent year-
Open Houses
To further maximize exposure, we may recommend that you hold an open house for REALTORS®
only. If your home is attractive and well-
We may also recommend one or more open houses for the general public. Although this
type of open house tends to attract a lot of "browsers," if your home is clean, attractive,
well-
Networking
We are part of an extensive community of REALTORS® who collectively represent hundreds
of eager buyers. REALTORS® will call their friends, who call their friends, who call
their friends. The power of word-
How To Prepare For Open Houses
If you have pets, we suggest you remove them from the home during the open house. We recommend you and your family to be away from the home during the open house as well. If you remain home, prospective buyers may feel compelled to rush their visit to avoid disturbing you. You want them to feel relaxed and to take the time to really see the features of your property. Potential buyers may also feel uncomfortable commenting on your home in your presence.
Here are some general tips to help you prepare for the big day:
- Attend to any potential hazards — electrical wires crossing open areas, sharp table or counter top corners, slippery stairs and walkways, fragile items that can be easily damaged.
- Lock away or remove valuables such as jewelry, cameras, compact discs, coins and currency.
- Avoid cooking food with strong odours such as fish. The scent of fresh-
brewed coffee, home- made bread and cookies can be very welcoming. - In poor weather, provide a place for overshoes, boots, umbrellas and coats.
Lock box
If you are selling your home, you should try not be present when a REALTOR® brings a potential buyer to view the property. Buyers need to be able to imagine the house as their future home. Nothing puts a damper on that more than having the current owners hanging around. A “lock box” is a small, sturdy metal box that is affixed to your front doorknob. It’s a mini safe with a key to your house inside. REALTORS® are given a combination to the lock box, so they can show your home to interested buyers.
Our Marketing Strategy
The REALTORS® of Home Selling In Toronto do not have a “standard” marketing plan, although each strategy does include paying close attention to each component of the marketing mix. Based on a free home evaluation and a Comparative Market Analysis, we will be happy to present you our personalized marketing plan, including recommendations, and a suggestion for a fair market value of your property.