There’s an old African proverb that says: “It takes a village to raise a child.” After more than three decades of helping families buy and sell homes in Montreal’s West Island, we have realized that this saying is also very relevant when it comes time to sell your home. When you're ready to sell, or just in the early planning stages of listing your property, it is important to understand that there are many individuals involved in making your real estate transaction seamless. Several key people contribute to getting you the best price for your property, so it is best to know who is who, and what they do.

 
Where to Get Started with Selling Your Home

When you’re thinking of selling your property, a real estate broker should be the first person you call. A good realtor will not only help you determine the right price and best way to market your property, but also what steps you’ll need to take in order to prepare. They should have a list of all the people who will be required, and the experience to connect you with these various professionals. There is a tremendous amount of coordination required so that steps are taken in the correct priority sequence, which will contribute to making your house look its best for potential buyers and enable your sale to progress as smoothly as possible.

Land Surveyor (Certificate of Location)

One of the first steps to take, and one that is often overlooked, is to analyze the certificate of location for the property, and if necessary, contact a land surveyor to prepare a new one. A certificate is typically valid for up to ten years, but may need to be replaced sooner if certain changes have been made to the property. The process of ordering a new one can now take several months, which is why consulting with a realtor early on is key. 

Home Inspectors

We can’t stress enough how important it is to have your home inspected before putting it up for sale. A qualified building inspector will identify defects that most homeowners are completely unaware of. Knowing what these defects are allows you the opportunity to obtain estimates for repairs, or to make transparent disclosures to buyers about important maintenance issues and potential problems. Although Team Broady has been encouraging this practice for almost 10 years now, it still seems to be a trend that has been slow to catch on. 

Tradespeople (the Nuts and Bolts)

Following any property inspection, there will be an inevitable list of defects that can range from minor to major in scope. Addressing the issues raised in the report is not only a way to make the property more attractive to buyers, but it also eliminates question marks from the buyers’ minds. In some cases, simply obtaining a free estimate and disclosing it to potential buyers is the best strategy. In other cases, it might be better to do the repairs or make the corrections yourself, before hitting the market. Simple maintenance and safety issues like inadequate caulking or missing handrails are common. In our experience, the trades we end up calling most often for estimates and repairs are: plumbers, electricians, roofers, and foundation experts. A solid list of trusted tradespeople is an added value that any good real estate broker or team should provide. 

Aesthetics

Once the inspection has been done, the next step is to start preparing the finer details of the home, in order to get the property looking its absolute best. This is where professional painters, cleaners, landscapers, and home stagers come in. Some sellers choose to go all-out in this department in order to gain the maximum return on their investment. Others may not be in a position to hire the additional help, and either tackle these tasks themselves, or end up selling the property in more of an “as-is” condition. Either option is fine, but be aware that the condition of the property will always be reflected in the selling price. 

Photos, Videos, Virtual Tours, Drones, and Creative Writing

Once you’ve made it through the inspection phase and done everything you can to make the home look its best, the final step before listing is to create the “multimedia package.” It’s hard to overstate the degree to which modern technology has changed the real estate landscape: many buyers are looking at photos and videos online before they even request a physical walk-through of a property. The importance of quality photography is critical, and by providing floor plans with a listing, the buyer gets a truly accurate understanding of the layout of the property. 3-D virtual tours and guided video tours with narration now allow curious buyers to feel like they have visited the home from the comfort of their own space. As well, clean, professionally designed graphics are essential for posting on social media and for clients to have images and videos to share among their own network. If a home has a beautiful view, it’s important to show it off. Highlighting the view from a bedroom or deck will help sell a property. It's clear that drones work as a great marketing tool. They give potential buyers an aerial view of the home and neighbourhood. Along with giving your listing that wow factor, drone views help interested buyers know about nearby parks, restaurants, bars and green spaces that are near your home. You can also include information about local transportation options and what schools are located within walking distance. At Team Broady, we also invest considerable time and effort in the creative writing process for describing every property we list and sell. Finding the right words to capture the most compelling features and elements of your home is a responsibility we don’t take lightly. In some cases, we even collaborate with the sellers to create “Property Stories,” as we believe that great storytelling is great marketing. 

Closing  

A notary is required to prepare the deed of sale and to coordinate the exchange of funds between the buyer, the mortgage lender, and the seller. They help with the entire closing process, which can often be highly complex and involve multiple stakeholders and variables. A good notary will ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises when it comes time to sign on the dotted line. They can also help with other aspects of selling a home that might involve things like mandates or power of attorney, will searches, title insurance, estate sales and more. 

Who You Know is as Important as What You Know

One of the best ways we help our clients is by finding the right people at each step of the process, whether that be renovation experts, estate sale specialists, landscapers, downsizing services, cleaners or movers! Here’s a special thanks to all the florists, bakers, artists and others who help make our clients' closings wonderful and memorable experiences.

At TEAM BROADY, we have developed long and trusted relationships with all these essential service providers and professionals. We have a sincere approach to only working with the best, as well as providing the best referrals. We always include special gifts for closings and plan some lovely surprises for you when you take possession of your new home. Please consider us for your home buying / selling needs and do not hesitate to reach out for our “preferred” list of vendors. We can be reached at 514-613-2988 or by email at info@teambroady.ca.