Initial Meeting Mark will meet with you to discuss selling your home. It will be important to establish a general timeline for listing, selling, and moving. Mark will familiarize himself with your property and note lot size, interior square footage, and key selling features. As well, he will discuss staging presentation of your home. Together you will decide on any improvements or renovations that may be needed to optimize your property’s value and presentation.
Determining Price Mark prepares an extensive Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) specific to your property. Mark’s CMA involves detailed market research which includes at least three methodologies to examine market value. These research methodologies consist of a Market Comparison Approach, Price Index Approach, and B.C. Assessment Ratio Analysis. In determining price, Mark accounts for recent sales, active listings, current market conditions, and your personal perspective. In order to ensure the maximum value of your property, he always visits the city to check zoning for alternate development possibilities.
Preparing Your Home for Sale To achieve maximum value for your home it is necessary to present it for sale in the best possible condition. This will include a thorough clean and de-cluttering of your home. It can be important to de-personalize your home so that your home appeals to the widest number of prospective purchasers. Often with new Home construction, Mark will recommend a professional Home Staging service.
List Your Home You will receive a complete copy of the listing contract for your records. Mark will put a highly visible Re/Max “For Sale” sign on your property. Your home will be photographed and measured for marketing material. An MLS wide agent’s open house will be scheduled to showcase your property to real estate professionals. As well, open houses to the general public will be scheduled on weekends.
Realtors and the public will contact Mark to request a showing of your property. Mark and his team will contact you with requests from realtors and the public to view your home. Occasionally, you may have an enthusiastic Buyer knock on your door requesting a viewing. In this instance, it’s best to kindly decline and give them Mark’s contact information.
Marketing Your Home A significant component of Marketing your home is a custom designed Multimedia Program. This includes advertising your home in specific publications such as Homes and Land Magazine, The North Shore News, Real Estate Weekly, and The Vancouver Sun. As well, a special designed mail out card featuring your property will be sent to over 3,000 – 5,000 homes in surrounding neighbourhoods.
Your home will be extensively advertised and featured through a variety of Internet Marketing Mediums. Importantly, your property will be prominently displayed on Mark’s exclusive website, www.markballard.ca, and other sites including www.remax.ca, www.realtylink.org, www.westvancouver.com, www.northvancouver.com, and www.metrovancouverproperties.com.
Once your property has been listed, it will be immediately entered into the realtor wide Multiple Listing Service (MLS), showcasing your property to the attention of over 8,000 regional real estate professionals. Your listing is assigned a reference number (MLS#) and is accessible online to all realtors and the public.
Offer to Purchase Mark meets with you to carefully discuss the terms of the contract and price. Mark’s knowledge of the market, contract expertise, negotiating skills and excellent reputation are critical in closing your deal at an acceptable price. Dates of closing, possession and completion are determined.
Offer Acceptance Once the terms of the contract have been agreed and signed by you and the Buyer, the offer is accepted. Usually, there is a subject removal period of about a week to give the Buyer time to arrange for items such as inspection, financing, bank appraisal, and title search.
Once subjects have been removed, you have a firm offer and a deposit is required.
Purchase Completion There are a number of important legal and administrative items needed to complete your sale. About a week before completion, you will meet with your lawyer or notary for the final sale completion which includes the transfer of funds and title, closing costs and insurance.
The date of Possession is your moving day. Mark will arrange to have keys exchanged to the new owners. Extra keys, garage door openers and appliance manuals will be left for the new owner. Your home must be left clean and in good order for moving day.
