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J O EY VAN B EN THE M ABOUT JOEY I am Joey Van Benthem. I started out in this great business in 2004 at the age of 27. I have lived my life working in the Customer Service and Sales industry and love how rewarding it is. My goal was to find a career where I could work with people to help them achieve their dreams and be part of something that is very important to them. Well what better way to do that than to be a part of the purchase of a home, business expansion or the start of their investment portfolio through real estate. I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of clients. The greatest part of this business, Is that every personality you encounter is different, and you can learn from each and every client you get the privilege of working with. My goals are to set myself apart from the rest of the Realtors in our business; I like to say I do things differently. Our objective is to exceed the expectations of all our clients. Whether working in residential or commercial real estate, one of the guarantees you have from me is that I will consistently provide hard work and honesty each and every time we work together. I have always been a lifelong learner, and my feeling is that you can never know enough of every aspect of one field. That being said, if we encounter one of those areas I don’t have the expertise needed, I will source the appropriate information required. We have devoted ourselves to changing people’s views of Realtors. Our business is driven around Karma, helping others, and we will always treat you the way we would want to be treated. We are the modern age version of Real Estate and our goal is to not only help you in business, but build a trusting relationship for life. If you wish to know anything at all about me, please don’t be shy, and send me a quick text, email, or a phone call. I guarantee you if we do business together you will be more than happy with the outcome. Thanks again,
Joey Van Benthem RE/MAX CORE REALTY INC. 485 Industrial Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0Z1 613.807.2550 www.joeysells.ca
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TRUSTED ADVICE I ARE YOU DEALING WITH AN EXPERT? Did you know that the average agent sells or helps their client buy only 8 homes per year? Did you know that 45% of real estate agents spend less than $500 per year on training and professional development. These are the facts, so how do you know if your agent is an expert when it comes to helping you buy a home?
SE LLER’S I N FO OUR SELLING EXPERIENCE You have decided to sell your home. You’re anxious to start the process, but you really want to make sure you have the right Agent working to sell your home for it’s highest value. Before starting, it’s a great idea to sit down with an experienced Agent to clarify your motivations, create a time frame, and detailed outline of what to expect during the selling process. But first, there are a few questions you may need to ask yourself before listing your home. WHY SELL? Why do you want to sell your property? Do you plan on simply moving to a larger home or property, or do you plan on moving to another neighborhood, school district, city or province? You might think your reasons are obvious, but it would be helpful for you to consider the implications of each option for your lifestyle, opportunities, and finances. Being clear about your intentions for selling will make it easier for the agent to determine the most appropriate option for your specified financial, lifestyle, and real estate goals. WHEN SHOULD I SELL? You should immediately establish your time frame for selling. For many sellers, it is an urgent matter, and for others, not so much. Obviously, serious sellers would like to sell as quickly as possible and for the most amount possible, however, it is good to know what the most effective plan of action is before listing your home. If you need to sell quickly, we can speed up the process by giving you a complete market analysis and action plan to obtain all of your goals. If there is no pressing need to sell immediately, you can sit down with us to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favourable time for you to sell.
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TRUSTED ADVICE II SELL YOUR HOME WITH A PROFESSIONAL Our proven and successful marketing plan is designed to create results and get your home SOLD - fast! A vast understanding of the real estate market and years of experience in innovative marketing accelerates the selling process through my marketing plan.
MAR KETI NG OUR MARKETING PLAN When you’re ready to take the next step toward selling your home, we are here to help. Our comprehensive marketing plan will get your home seen by thousands of motivated buyers. Ultimately, our goal is to get your home the most exposure necessary to highlight the best qualities of the home. THE RIGHT PRICE We will quickly put together a custom marketing plan with an effective price. A well priced home often generates competing offers and drives up the final sale value. Our market analysis takes into account the most actively searched prices and home values throughout your area, including expired listings and properties still on the market. THE RIGHT EXPOSURE In marketing your home, we also develop a listing that emphasizes its unique and sellable aspects. We then put your home in front of buyers, establishing it on the local MLS as well as broader ones, new listings sheets, and real estate publications. Our nation-wide network of professional real estate contacts and buyers will also have the opportunity to check out your listing. EFFECTIVE INTERNET MARKETING In addition, we will use the Internet and my innovative website to make your listing highly visible. With more than 90% of buyers checking the web first when looking for a home, this is a part of your marketing strategy that you can’t afford to miss. THE BEST DEAL When we list your home, we’ll do so at no additional cost. When you start to get offers, we can represent you during the emotionally charged negotiating process and ensure that you get the best price, and favorable closing terms that are clearly spelled out. As your professional aides, we also oversee all paperwork related to the sale.
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TRUSTED ADVICE III SEE WHAT’S ON THE MARKET For most of us, our home is our biggest investment. When it’s time to sell, get the value you deserve with the help of a professional real estate team. We have the experience, expertise and innovative marketing plan to help you successfully sell your home.
MAR KETI NG OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS Advertising is important. Exposure is key. Having the right products not only helps define your home, but also helps highlight the great qualities of your home. However, great qualities cannot be highlighted in poor products. They go hand-inhand. Our premium marketing products meet and exceed the expectations of a luxury property for sale in our real estate market. These products include: YARD SIGNS: A great way to advertise the availability of your home to people with an interest in your neighborhood or those who are becoming acquainted with your community. A yard sign is the #1 way to show your home is for sale. The RE/MAX yard sign is one of the most trusted real estate symbols in Canada. RE/MAX Real Estate Associates are known for their high quality service and advice. When home buyers see that sign in your yard, they understand that you’re working with a trusted brand and that you are marketing for maximum exposure. BROKER TOURS & OPEN HOUSES: The broker tour opens up your home to agents from other various firms. It is a great, most effective, and most convenient way to expose the great qualities of your home that may be otherwise missed and for other agents to bring their buyers in to see your property. We help show off your home by bringing the best out of your home. SALES BROCHURES & FACT SHEETS: We are committed to marketing your home with high quality materials that represents the time and effort you have taken in obtaining and maintaining your home. VIRTUAL TOURS & WEBSITES: Creating a digital experience for home buyers on the local, national, and international market with personalized property specific websites. Property websites are one of the innovative ways our team markets your property to its fullest. We believe it is important to use the resourceful tools necessary to give your home the exposure it needs and ultimately sell your property.
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TRUSTED ADVICE IV ASK FOR A FREE HOME EVALUATION A well-priced home will generate lots of interest and sell quicker. There’s even a chance of receiving multiple offers resulting in a higher final sale price. Our free market analysis takes into account the most actively searched prices and comparable homes in your community so that you have a detailed evaluation of what your home is worth in today’s real estate market.
MAR KETI NG OUR SALES APPROACH We do what it takes to sell your home in a timely manner. COMPREHENSIVE: Communication is the vital component to my success. We are committed to involving you in every step of the process. Whether it is establishing a sales price, holding open houses, accepting offers, or closing the deal, we will communicate with you on a regular basis. Our sales approach simply works. SALES INFO - DAYS ON MARKET: Lowering the number of days on the market is an essential asset to helping you move on with your life efficiently, financially and responsibly. It could be the difference between tens of thousands of dollars and can give you the piece of mind and comfort needed while making the next step in your life. SALES INFO - LIST TO SALE PRICE: It’s one thing to close quickly, but most agents who have quick closings usually end up costing you more money and are typically below the market average. However, it takes a dedicated, well organized, well-informed team to close quickly for above average list to sale price. The difference can be thousands of dollars in your pocket.
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TRUSTED ADVICE V CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL Contact us anytime you need to know what’s really going on in the market. If you have questions, then we have the answer! When you’re ready to take the next step toward selling your home, we are here to help. We’ll make sure your listing gets the best exposure and reaches the right buyer—whether they’re in another city, country, or right in your neighborhood.
O N LI N E FACTS LET’S GET ONLINE! We use the Internet and all online tools to help find your next home. With more than 90% of buyers checking the web, getting online is the most effective and efficient way to search for homes. Our web presence and online network will help us sell your home for all it’s worth! 99% of people search for a home using 3 main search engines. We make sure your home is as visible as possible on these platforms.
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89% 6% 4%
S TE P S BU Y E RS TAKE WHEN S EAR C H I N G FO R A HOME INTERNET - 51% REALTOR® - 34% CALL ON YARD SIGN - 4% FRIEND/RELATIVE/NEIGHBOR - 4% OPEN HOUSE - 4% NEW BUILDER - 2% LOCAL NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE - 1% KNEW THE SELLER - 1%
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TRUSTED ADVICE VI WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY Sellers often make the mistake of wanting to price their homes high at the start, with the assumption that they can always reduce the price to a more realistic level later on. However, interest peaks when your home is fresh to the market and often declines as time goes on.
HOME EVALUATION WHAT’S MY HOME WORTH? One of the most important questions people looking to sell their home have is: “What will my house sell for in today’s market?” We have a very dynamic real estate market. Prices can change due to local, regional, national and international economic conditions, net migration to the city, political sentiment and of course inventory levels determined by supply and demand. You need to have a real estate professional like me, to give you a comprehensive look at properties that have sold in your neighborhood in the recent past. This is critical! There are many factors that determine what your home is worth in today’s market including: - area above grade and total number of bedrooms - recent renovations, upgrades and/or updating - basement development with a bedroom and/or a suite plus walkout - number of garage parking stalls - location in the community: quiet or busy street, cul-de-sac, across from a park or green space, views, proximity to neighbors, etc. Another important factor is the opinion of value. Properties priced too high will sit on the market and become “shop worn.” Ideally, the property should be priced at Comparable Market Value. Studies continue to show that a property listed at 15% over market value has a 20% probability of sale; 10% over market value has a 30% probability of sale; 5% over market value has a 50% probability of sale. Properties priced at market value have a 95% probability of sale. The method most often used in evaluating single family homes is the Comparable Method. A property is worth what the buyer is willing to pay for it and this is determined by the basic laws of supply and demand. These two factors are evaluated by comparing the home with similar homes that have sold within the market area, with appropriate consideration given to location, amenities lot size, condition, and financing terms.
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TRUSTED ADVICE VII THE DETAILS, THE DIFFERENCE Doing the little things in order to prepare your home for sale could be the difference between quickly selling your home and having to wait longer than expected. An experienced team understands what little things truly matter and that the difference is in the details.
H O M E PR E P PREPARING YOUR HOME You can do many things to increase the appeal of your property and to create a lasting impact on potential buyers. WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE: The following are a couple of factors to keep in mind when listing your property for sale: 1. CURB APPEAL: Keeping your landscape pristine, and adding creative touches to your yard, such as colorful annuals, will create an immediate impact on passers-by and potential buyers. 2. PROPERTY REPAIRS: Simple upgrades such as window repairs, polishing the doorknobs, and a fresh coat of paint in the most frequently used rooms will instantly brighten up the property. 3. CLEANLINESS AND STAGING: Keep your property uncluttered, sweet-smelling and well-lit from top-to-bottom. Pay attention to details: put away the kitty litter, place a vase of fresh flowers near the entryway, pop a batch of cinnamon rolls in the oven, have your carpets cleaned. Your agent will scan the property before it is listed for sale to see how you can improve the staging of your property. 4. DISCLOSURES AND INSPECTIONS: We are very familiar with the legal procedures involved in disclosures and ready to help you develop a thorough disclosure statement beneficial to both you and the buyer, as well as suggest home improvement measures before placing your property on the market (such as termite and pest inspections). 5. SHOWTIME: Presenting your property to potential buyers is a job that we will take care of for you. Buyers feel more comfortable discussing the property with the agent, if you are not there. Moreover, we will know what information will be most useful in representing your interests when speaking with prospective buyers.
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TRUSTED ADVICE VIII LOOKING TO RELOCATE? Through our network of many real estate organizations, we can help coordinate your move with a top agent no matter what part of the world you plan to move to. There are so many advantages to using us to help sell your home.
THE OF F E R ACCEPTING THE OFFER THE PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT “The higher the price, the better the offer.” Do not let yourself be fooled by this popular misconception. Price is not always the determining factor when accepting an offer for several important reasons: the initial offer is usually not final, and there are a number of terms and conditions that may influence the final outcome of a price. You can trust us to help you thoroughly evaluate every proposal without compromising your marketing position. NEGOTIATING THE RIGHT WAY We will take the ethical responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It is our job to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You may even have to deal with multiple offers before ratifying the one you judge to be the most suitable for you – and as your agents, we will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of each offer to help you make the right choice. THE INITIAL AGREEMENT AND DEPOSIT An effective agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential purchaser and the property’s seller. Laws vary but in order to be a legally binding agreement, the agreement may require consideration. This consideration (initial and additional deposit) is to be held in trust pending the fulfilment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement. KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS OF EVERYTHING For the sake of clarity, it will be extremely useful to transcribe all verbal agreements including counter-offers and addendums, and convert them to written agreements to be signed by both parties. we will assist you in drafting all the paperwork for your sale and make sure that you have copies of everything. STICK TO THE SCHEDULE Now that you have chosen your offer, you and the buyer will be given a time-line to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations and also ensures that each party involved is not in breach of their agreements. During the process we will keep you constantly updated so you will always be prepared for the next step.
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TRUSTED ADVICE IX WHEN IN DOUBT, SLEEP ON IT! If you are unsure of something during the buying process, take your time and don’t rush or let anyone pressure you into completing the deal. Sleep on your decision or take some extra time to think about it. This will help you evaluate all your options and make the best decision for yourself and your family!
CLOSING THE DEAL SECURING THE DEAL THE PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT Sometimes unforeseeable issues arise just prior to closing the sale. Hopefully, with negotiation, most of these have a workable solution. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. But don’t panic. Another buyer might still be found who is willing to accept the house as is. Imagine that your prospective buyers are a couple with young children. They envision your unused attic as the perfect playroom for the kids but, before closing the deal, they request an inspection to see if it’s safe and also if they will be able to install a skylight to provide natural light to the new space. This inspection reveals that under the shingles that are in good condition is a roof that will only last another year or two. The prospective buyers immediately balk, not wanting to incur the time and cost of replacing the roof. Their plans were to move in and only have to spend time and money renovating the attic. The additional cost of the new roof, they say, is just too much. At this point, you sit down with the prospective buyers and calmly discuss the situation and how it can be solved to the benefit of all. First, you agree to get another professional opinion on what really needs to be done. Inspectors are only human, and are not infallible. Once the extent of the damage is agreed upon, you can jointly decide what to do about it. While the buyers hadn’t planned on that expense, you show them that instead of a limited roof life that they would get with most existing homes, they’ll have a new worry-free roof that won’t cost them in repairs for the next decade or so. Since the roof wasn’t in as good shape as you had thought, you agree to lower the purchase price to help offset the cost of the new roof. By negotiating calmly and looking at all possibilities, what could have been a “deal breaker” can be turned into a win-win situation for both the buying and selling parties. In other cases, the most workable agreement for both parties might be for the deal to be called off. The seller can always find another buyer and the buyer can always find another home in the Ottawa and surrounding areas.
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TRUSTED ADVICE X A PREMIUM AGENT GETS PREMIUM RESULTS The real estate market in the Ottawa and surrounding area is a diverse one, ever-changing, but for the most part, reliable. Through many years of experience, market knowledge and unique marketing concepts, we are able to give our clients premium service and premium results.
T ESTI M O N IALS “Joey is a hard-working real estate agent that puts his all into everything that he does. I know for a fact that he spends a lot of time polishing his marketing skills in order to better be able to get his clients’ homes sold fast and for top dollar. Experience has shown that Joey is forward-thinking where technology is concerned. He’s constantly looking for ways to leverage social media and other platforms to boost the impact his business has and bring more success to the people he serves. He does the tried-and-true type of work which always have and always will yielded up results if practiced consistently. Invite him over to your house and let him show you everything that he does to get homes sold. You’ll probably find that he’s doing things that other agents are NOT doing...and then you discover that he doesn’t even charge more for going the extra mile when you show up at the closing table.” – BRIAN KURTZ “With all the stress that comes along with being a first time home buyer, I can truly say there is no one else we would have trusted more to help alleviate all the the pressure. Without a doubt Joey is the best at what he does. Reading all of the other reviews it is clear that the exceptional work is consistent. Joey is extremely hard-working, and very driven. His demeanor, and work ethic ensure that his clients are happy and well taken care of. Over the last few months Joey has not only been our real estate agent but a very good friend. Eddy and I appreciate all the time and effort that was put in to making our dreams become a reality. We have enjoyed all the laughs and struggles thus far, and are looking forward to more endeavors with Joey as our real estate professional. Honestly, I could not say enough good things. If you’re looking for someone to help you through the joys and hardships of home-buying there is no one more caring than Joey! Huge Thank you once again Joey!” – ENISA MARIE MESKIC “Joey found us our dream home a few years ago and we cannot be any happier, he worked around the clock to get us a good deal. To this day he is still helping us... I asked him a few questions about finding a good realtor in the GTA area to sell my mom’s home, and he went above and beyond while doing research and found someone that is the perfect fit for the job. He didn’t have to do any of it but he didn’t hesitate. Cannot thank him enough! I 100% recommend Joey!!” – MARTYNA KACHEL
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Joey Van Benthem RE/MAX core realty inc.
613.807.2550 A 485 Industrial Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0Z1 E joey.vanbenthem@remaxcore.com W Joeysells.ca