Once you’ve made the decision to move,  the first step is choosing an agent. Making that decision should be based on your own research. Talk to friends and family members, other real estate professionals in the market to purchase or sell a home, and any other contacts you have who are familiar with other agents in the area. Ask them for references or referrals of individuals they trust to provide good service and get results.  While some of these factors may seem like an afterthought, they are very important.  For instance, your choice of title company can make a huge impact in how smoothly the transaction goes, and if your tax forms such as the TP 584 will be handled effectively.  You always want to work with professionals like MacGregor Abstract.

You’ll want to ask about their experience, education, professional affiliations, success rates; what kind of strategy they use when working with clients; how much time they will be able to devote to your transaction; whether they work by themselves or with a team (which can include assistants, mortgage brokers, title officers).

.  After you have decided on a team to help sell your home, it’s important that you do your part in marketing your home.

If you market your home effectively, it will sell more quickly and for a higher price.

The first step in getting your home ready to sell is:

A/C: This would be the air conditioning unit. Ideally, while the A/C is not completely necessary, it does make it much easier on any potential buyers who come to look at your house when it is warm outside (and hence an uncomfortable temperature).

This refers to inspecting whether there are any problems with this appliance such as if the filters need changing or the coil needs cleaning; having these things fixed before you put your house up for sale can end up saving you money by allowing your house to sell within a shorter period of time. If something about your furnace needs fixing, fix it.  The same goes for all of your appliances.

Curb appeal is also key when it comes to attracting buyers.  You need to make sure your landscaping is well maintained and that your house is power washed/cleaned.   Be sure to also make your house look presentable by putting away any toys or clutter that might make it look like you don’t live there anymore (and avoid posting too many online photos of your pets, as well).

You’re not required to but if you do decide to include a seller’s disclosure form in the sales contract then the potential buyer will be obliged to disclose all problems with the house that they know about. This is especially important when it comes to disclosing issues with foundations and pipes.  If buyers fail to disclose these kinds of things, this legal obligation on them could mean that you can ask for their deposit back or sue them for damages later on down the road. So keep an eye out for water seeping through cracks in your foundation, leaky roofs,  windows that let the cold air in, windows that don’t open or close properly or any other structural problems. This legal obligation to disclose does not apply to items such as appliances and other personal effects .

Be cautious of terms like “As Is” when it comes to property sales. If you agree to a contract with this term then you are agreeing to sell your house without disclosing information about its condition which could later be used against you if something goes wrong. Furthermore, if for example a pipe bursts and there is water damage after the buyer has already signed a contract saying they will buy your house ‘as is’, then technically you have no recourse against them because it is their responsibility for taking care of anything that might go wrong anyway.

James Montano