Selling Your Home

There are a million different reasons why people sell their homes, but every seller has one thing in common: the desire to get as much money as possible from their existing residence as quickly and as hassle-free as possible. (If your home is your principal residence, you won’t have to pay capital gains tax on any profits from the sale. If, on the other hand, it is an investment property, prepare for the tax man!) Before you begin the selling process, really evaluate why you’re moving. Do you have too few rooms, or too many? Has your job moved to another city and you’re relocating? Are the neighbours driving you away? Or are you simply looking for a change? A complete analysis of your current position will set a good foundation for your next home hunt.

Should You Go With a Non-Exclusive or Exclusive Listing Arrangement?

If you enter into this type of arrangement with your sales representative, you are giving him or her the exclusive right to find a purchaser for your home. With this type of agreement, no other sales representative will bring potential buyers to your home, because only the listing sales representative is entitled to the commission. You may consider this type of arrangement in a Sellers’ Market during which time there are more people interested in purchasing a home than there are homes available.

Understand Market Conditions

The real estate market is in constant flux, not only as a whole but in particular areas as well. Knowing what is going on in the overall and local real estate markets will help you understand how these conditions can affect the sale of your home. We’ve designed the following comparison to help give you an overview of the three significant market positions. When you meet with your sales representative, ask about the current state of the market.

Buyers’ Market:

The supply of homes on the market exceeds demand.Characteristics: High inventory of homes. Few buyers compared to availability. Homes usually stay on the market longer. Prices are stable or perhaps dropping. Implications: Buyers spend more time looking for a home, and when they negotiate, they usually have more leverage.

Sellers’ Market:

The number of potential buyers exceeds the supply of homes on the market. Characteristics: There is a smaller inventory of homes with many buyers. Homes sell quickly. Prices usually increase. Implications: Prices may be higher or perhaps climbing. Buying decisions must be made quickly. Conditional offers may be rejected.

Balanced Market:

The number of homes on the market is roughly equal to the demand. Characteristics: Demand equals supply. Sellers accept reasonable offers. Homes sell within a reasonable time period. Prices generally remain stable. Implications: There is less tension among buyers and sellers. There is a reasonable number of homes to choose from.