Karla Knows Quinte!
THE HOME SELLING CHECKLIST
READY TO SELL YOUR HOME?
Deciding whether or not to sell your home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. While it seems like a complicated process, it doesn’t have to be.
This checklist is designed to help you navigate your way through the selling process without any trouble.
01
Step 1
Getting Started
02
Step 2
Researching the Market
03
Step 3
Preparing for the Sale
04
Step 4
Negotiating Offers
05
Step 5
Closing the Offer
06
Step 6
The Final Stages
01
Getting Started
Finding a Real Estate Agent
- Interview several agents to see if their personality and expertise matches your needs and wants
- Great real estate agents have these qualifications:
- Local market knowledge
- Good reviews or testimonials
- Financial Knowledge – they can walk you through the numbers!
- Avoid “hobby agents” – find an experienced agent who works full time!
- Great agents are punctual and communicative
- Did your agent show up on time & prepared?
- Do they communicate in a way that you understand and that you feel comfortable with?
- Does your agent have network connections? Great agents work with other agents on a regular basis
- Ask about their marketing processes: How are they marketing other properties?
- Are they utilizing social media?
- Do they have marketing plan for their listings?
Create a list of 10 things you LOVE about your home
- Write down your 10 things and share them with your agent
Plan Your Timeline
- Determine when would be the best time to put your house on the market with your agent
- Meet with an agent to discuss the best listing strategy based on the local market. Have an idea of where you’d like to move before you put your home on the market
02
Researching the Market
Walkthrough
- Walkthrough your home with your agent
- Show them the 10 things you love about your home
- Ask your agent for advice on repairs, upgrades, and staging
- If you are unsure, ask your agent if a general pre-inspection should be scheduled before the sale
Determine the Listing Price & Marketing Plan
- Work with your real estate agent to determine the best listing price – every home is different! If you overprice a property, it could potentially hurt your chances of getting top dollar for your home
- Review a comparative market analysis with your agent, which determines price point based on the sale price of similar homes in your neighborhood
03
Preparing for a Sale
Prepare Your House for Viewing
- Clean & Declutter
- While we love the memories that your home represents, we suggest hiding anything that might be considered “clutter”
- Try to keep decorations as neutral as possible – we want potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves in this space
- Deep clean forgotten places (base boards, light switches, etc.) OR hire a cleaning crew – a few hundred dollars on cleaners can help get you thousands in the sale!Improve Curb Appeal
- Maintain landscaping
- Clear out the side yard area
- Hide eyesores like trash cans or compost bins
- Hire a professional stager or ask your real estate agent for suggestions
Market Your Home
- Discuss your agent’s marketing plan with them to create the best strategy for your unique home
- Have your agent schedule high-quality real estate photography for your home. Professional photography can get you thousands more in a sale!
- Schedule a time with your agent to do the pre-listing marketing they need – video walkthroughs, social media blasts, etc.
Showing Your Home
- Decide whether you want to have a lock box or schedule appointments
- Prepare for open houses
- Store important financial documents and valuables in a safe place away from the public eye
04
Negotiating Offers
Negotiate Purchase Offers
- Discuss the offers with your real estate agent
- Prepare for multiple offers
Sign a Purchase Sale Agreement
- After selecting the strongest offer, sign the purchase sale agreement and any additional paperwork
- Buyers will put down a deposit
Contact and Share Lawyer’s info.
- Your real estate agent will need the name and contact for your lawyer
- If you do not have a Lawyer she can provide you with some options
- Discuss the timeline of the transaction with your agent based on the accepted offer
05
Closing an Offer
Buyer’s Due Diligence Period
- Be prepared to allow the buyer reasonable access to your home and property for them to conduct inspections
- After the home inspection, do not be alarmed if the buyer wants to schedule specialists like electricians or plumbers to come in and inspect the home
- If a chattel/inclusion needs repair or replacement, you the seller will need to comply prior to closing, work with your agent to negotiate a solution between both parties
- If any reports were required in the accepted offer (ex: a septic tank report), provide the buyer with them.
Bank Ordered Appraisal
- The buyer’s lender will conduct an appraisal to verify that the market value of the home supports the contract price
The Home Stretch
- Once the buyer has lifted contingencies and their deposit is locked in, complete any requested repairs before closing
- Expect the buyer to schedule a final walk-through, where they will verify that the condition of the property is the same as when they made the offer. This also allows the buyer to ensure that any agreed upon repairs have been completed, and any included chattels are in good condition.
06
The Final Stages
Closing a Deal
- Both parties will pay any settlement fees and documents are recorded
- Titles are officially transferred to the new owners
CELEBRATE!
- Congratulations! You sold your home!
Schedule a Consultation
Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to your friends and clients. You really have went above and beyond for Jolene and I . You are by far the hardest worker I’ve worked with in many many yrs . This coming from a roofer of 30 yrs plus . I will definitely refer your unbelievable service to all friends and family and look forward to working with you again . My favourite part of working with you is how you responded to all text ,phone calls and emails within minutes no matter day or night or time . We love you Karla ❤️ -Dan and Jolene
If Karla didn’t know the answer she would find out. Her response time is so quick and I love that she has a network of professionals that she can recommend (mortgage, inspections, etc).
Karla exceeded our expectations as an agent because she works hard and fast and knows how to talk/negotiate well between buyer and seller. -K&M
The first time we met Karla was at a showing and we were immediately impressed by her honesty and knowledge of the housing market. After this, she brought us to many different houses to view. Through the process she was great about pointing out both the pros and cons of each of the properties we looked at. She was also very responsive to all our requests and got us in to see houses quick. Once we found our dream house and were ready to put in an offer, Karla made it easy for us. As first time home buyers everything was new to us but Karla had prepared us well and there were no surprises through the process. She answered every question we had and addressed every concern. I would recommend Karla to any of my friends and family. I cannot thank her enough for getting us into the house we love so much!
Karla went out of her way to look at homes on her own that I was interested in and was able to have me trust her own opinion on the property or video chat with me through the house if she felt I may have had an interest
It is Karla’s attentiveness. She is also very good in talking with me through the sale process when I got frustrated. She went extra miles in taking care of our cottage when the boiler needed to be replaced and the bathroom below was a mess, and we were away on the other part of the country! Karla is the kind of agent that anyone would need to have for the sale
I have learned from Karla during the process. She even helped to see my friend’s property and provided her insight on the sale
An unexpected benefit was Karla’s excellent judge of character. After meeting with Karla, she knew exactly what type of home to find for me
Karla’s professionalism, experience, kindness and patience had giving me a stress free experience in purchasing my new home. I honestly feel Karla is the best agent! I truly believe Karla would be an excellent mentor for new agents getting into the real estate business
Karla is patient and doesn’t pressure to buy. She listens to what you are looking for and only shows you those options. She is so caring and wants to ensure that you love the home you’re in
We have been working together for almost a year to find the perfect home for me and she has been so patient and will not let me settle. She truly cares!
If Karla didn’t know the answer she would find out. Her response time is so quick and I love that she has a network of professionals that she can recommend (mortgage, inspections, etc).
Have any Questions?
The home selling process can be confusing and stressful, but we’re here to help!
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