TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME SUCCESSFULLY:

In the United Sates house prices fell by as much as 15% in this past quarter. In Canada we are still holding firm. If you are a potential house seller in the United States, ask yourself if you really need to sell now. In both countries we are in a "buyer's market". If you can afford to keep your present home and want to preserve the equity that it is building, try to rent it out and buy another home to move upwards at a good price.  Unfortunately, we never know when the market has bottomed out until we actually hit rock bottom and then the prices begin to move upwards.

When you do put your home on the market, look at your local neighbourhood to see where prices are holding. The all-important rule is to price your house right at day one. If the price is set too high, potential buyers in your actual price range will not look at your home and you immediately lose out on the best buyers. If you price it too low, you may miss out on the equity you have built up in your home. Real estate professionals do a "CMA", Comparable Market Analysis. We compare your home to similar homes in YOUR neighbourhood over the last six months to determine the best asking-selling price.

Curb Appeal is so important! Remember, you only have one chance to make that all-important first impression. Have some pretty flowers planted, make sure the lawn is mowed and that toys aren't strewn everywhere. If the paint outside is flaking and in disrepair - apply a fresh coat of paint. Wash the windows. Potential buyers usually drive by first - if they aren't impressed they will continue driving and you have lost them.

Inside the house - remove all clutter and repair things the buyers will surely notice and will multiply the repair price by ten. Some buyers aren't willing to do any repairs at all and then you have lost them completely. Invest in some remodeling if necessary - the kitchen and bathrooms are the areas you will be compensated for. Fresh paint in a neutral colour is also an excellent idea. No one wants a purple bedroom or orange bathroom anymore. If you have worn carpeting and beneath it are hardwood floors - remove the carpeting and buff those floors - hardwood floors are memorable, worn carpeting isn't.

Very important and cost-free: declutter, declutter, declutter. I can't emphasize that enough. Pack up and move away photos, knick-knacks, collections etc. You don't want your house to look as if it's busting at the seams. Buyers want to picture THEMSELVES in the home, and it's so overcrowded and full of your family pictures, there's no potential for them. Make sure your closets are half-empty so they look spacious.

If you would like to have a no-obligation CMA done of your home, it would be my pleasure to take a tour of your home and give you some valuable information of what your home is worth today, and also to give you some advice of what to do, and even what not to do to enhance your home for a quick & worthwhile sale.

If you would like information regarding the wonderful Toronto/North York neighbourhoods such as Armour Heights, Bathurst Manor, the Cricket Club or Hogg's Hollow, please feel free to call Liz Gordon, Sutton Group Admiral Realty Inc. at (416) 739-7200 or drop me an email at egordon@trebnet.com. I look forward to hearing from you!