Selling a Home

Selling a Home in Hamilton and the Surrounding Areas.

Do you know the recent listings and sales in your Neighborhood? It helps when you have the latest data at your finger tips. My Realty Gals can provide you with a Neighborhood MLS Market Snapshot. This "snapshot" is completely free for our clients.

First Steps in Selling your Home:

1. Find a Realtor® - The right real estate professional will guide you through the entire process and help you to sell your home for a good price. Remember you will be spending a lot of time talking to your chosen Realtor®, so make sure it is someone you really think you can feel comfortable with.
2. Market Analysis - A market analysis is complimentary and consists of us looking at your home and providing you with a detailed, written report showing you other comparable homes that have sold in your area. Based upon this information, we discuss the correct pricing for your home and what should be done in the way of repairs or cosmetic work to enable you to sell it at the best price possible.
3. Preparing Your Home - Your next step should be preparing your home to put it on the market. Your house should be in good condition and look clean and attractive to buyers. This refers to the front of your house and the front yard, something Realtors® refer to as "curb appeal". Sometimes a little paint and some repairs can help substantially to add to the value of the home. Ask your Realtor® to walk around the house with you, just before you put it on the market and make suggestions as to what would help make your home more attractive to buyers.
4. Showing Your Home - Once your home is on the market, another important step is to be as flexible as possible as regards to having Realtors® show your home. It may seem really inconvenient to allow people into your home when you want to make supper or bathe the kids, but remember the more potential buyers who view the home, the more likely you are to sell your home in a timely manner for a good price. A lockbox on the home will always help, so that Realtors¨ can book appointments and show your property when no one is home. Of course if Fido is likely to take a bite from any strangers in the home while you are out, it’s best that you be there. Talking of pets, while we all love our animals, some prospective buyers will not. If possible, it really is better to contain your cats and dogs when the house is being shown.
5. Offers - Rule number one, NEVER discuss anything in front of the presenting agent! Wait until the presenting agent has left to ask questions, discuss price, conditions or closing dates. All offers have to be made in writing, a verbal offer is not legally binding. Once you receive an offer, you can accept it, reject it or make a counter-offer.
6. Marketing Your Home - Your home will be marketed as followed:
   1. Multiple Listing Service - Allows all Realtors® to view your home. We belong to the Realtors® Association of Hamilton and Burlington.
   2. MLS.CA - Allows the general public to view your home on the internet.
   3. Lawn Sign - A sign is place on your lawn or in your window. The sign shows our names, our office and telephone number. We receive more inquiries from buyers seeing signs than newspaper advertisements.
   4. Feature Sheets - A colored brochure picturing your home and detailing the features of the property. This allows potential buyers to look over your information and recall what they have seen.
   5. Newspaper Advertisements - Print advertisements run in The Hamilton Spectator, the Buyer's Guide and/or other local newspapers.
   6. Internet Advertising - Your home appears on our website, the Castellano Real Estate Inc. Brokerage website and various websites that feature Homes for Sale.
   7. Open Houses - These are usually held on a Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00pm and advertised beforehand in the newspaper. They allow the general public to view your home without having to make a prior appointment with a Realtor®. All Open Houses are hosted by Ingrid or Karen.

The 10 Most Common Mistakes that Cost Homesellers Thousands

1. Improper Pricing
2. Not Providing Easy Access
3. Bad Housekeeping
4. Failure to Make Repairs
5. Poor Showing Techniques
6. Relying on Traditional Methods
7. Making Decisions on Emotion
8. Not Understanding the Market
9. Unqualified Prospects
10. Choosing the Wrong Agent!!

Our services are designed for a smooth and easy transaction that will allow you to obtain the best price possible for your home. We offer a complete package of services that allow us to manage the many details. These include pricing and marketing your home. Keeping you up to date with the showings on your home. Advertising your home. Advising you on any offers received and negotiating the same. Coordinating details with other agents, attorneys, lenders, inspectors and repair companies.

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If you are looking for our type of marketing and guidance, then contact Karen or Ingrid, My Realty Gals.com. at Castellano Real Estate Inc. Brokerage.