BUYER’S BOOK
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GETTING STARTED 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 person working to sell your home for all it’s worth. Before anything else, it is a good idea to sit down with an experienced agent and clarify your motivations and draw up a basic time frame and detailed outline of the selling process. Certain details such as price, time frame, preparation and marketing strategy will help clarify the process and help sell your home for all it’s worth. Throughout the selling process, I ensure transparency, clarity and overall care and accountability when helping you sell your home.
Murry K. 403.259.4141 futurehome@telusplanet.net www.murryk.com
REAL ESTATE MADE Simple. 3
ABOUT MURRY K. As a Calgary resident for almost 30 years Murry has had the pleasure of assisting hundreds of buyers and sellers achieve their Real Estate goals. Murry’s focus is not to simply sell a HOUSE, but to facilitate the sale or purchase of your HOME. He is always happy to answer questions from anyone looking to purchase or sell property. Murry has been living in Calgary for almost 25 years which gives him the privilege of assisting hundreds of sellers achieve their Real Estate goals. “My focus is not to simply sell a HOUSE, but to facilitate the sale or purchase of your HOME”. Murry believes in having a clear and honest understanding of the needs and desires of his clients. He also believes knowledge of resources and real estate expertise can give guaranteed client satisfaction. “Success is based on my clients’ satisfaction which is my number one priority!” As a result, 90% of Murry’s business is related to referrals from previous customers who are thrilled with his efficiency and integrity.
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My goal is to make your real estate experience as clear, informative & enjoyable as possible.
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VALUABLE INFO DETERMINING YOUR ASKING PRICE. There are many factors involved that lead to the successful sale of your home. However, there are three very key components that stand out from the rest. These components are an essential part of the process. FIRST: Pricing your home correctly is so important. An overpriced home can be detrimental in the end, while an undervalued property certainly doesn’t always generate the buzz it needs. Pricing your home properly takes an experience team that understands the market and has a track record of success. The last thing you want is for your home to stay on the market longer than expected. At that time, interest starts to diminish and perception of the home could go from positive to negative.
SECOND: Attract buyers immediately. Sellers and agents tend to experiment with price by starting high and dropping it over time. This rationale is not the best approach.
Activity (Amount of Interest)
A listing gets the most attention on its debut. As the WALL STREET JOURNAL reports, the week that a listing goes on the market, we estimate that it gets nearly four times more visits on real estate websites than it does a month later, which is when most sellers will initiate a price reduction.
Highest Potential
Lost Potential Multiple Offers
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Time on Market (Weeks) Your Asking Price
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Dangerous Risk Gamble
HOW DO BUYERS
LOOK FOR A HOME?
51% 34% 4% 4% 4% 2% 1% 1%
internet (home searches & research) REALTOR® Call on yard sign Friend/relative/neighbor Open house New builder Local newspaper & magazines Previously knew the seller
Making Real Estate
Real Simple! 7
CHOOSING A REALTOR® Any agent who gives you an analysis of your home before seeing it should automatically raise red flags. Every home is different and every situation is not alike, so it is so important for an agent to consider all variables when analysing your property. An expert real estate agent would know how to properly access your property by asking the “hard” questions, evaluating other aspects of your property, doing a detailed CMA and helping you understand the process and everything involved in it. In order for an agent to successfully sell your home, they need to understand what sells your home. They need to understand what can be done to differentiate your home and help highlight the qualities that most buyers are looking for. Staging always helps and some agents are experts when it comes to this, however, sometimes staging a home can hurt it as well. It is important for your agent to understand what is necessary and when it is necessary in order to sell your home for all it’s worth. One the main key factor involved when selling your home is to maximize your home’s exposure. Most buyers search for homes using the internet and Google is the most used search engine. Therefore, having a great online presence is vitally important yet, most agents don’t utilize their web syndication to its fullest. It raises the question, “how hard is your agent really working for you?”
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FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN CHOOSING AN AGENT 1. EDUCATION. The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is their education in the real estate industry. The AWG is so committed to education that we spend 25k a year just on training. This allows us to learn and be among on the of the top teams in the world. 2. EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE. You want a full-time agent who is familiar with your area and with the type of property you intend to sell. Do they employ a diverse range of marketing and advertising strategies? How tech-savvy is your agent? How many similar properties have they been able to sell in the past? 3. AVAILABILITY AND COMMITMENT. Your agent should be capable of prompt and decisive action during the course of selling your property. Does your agent make it a point to keep in touch with you constantly? Can your agent easily be contacted in case of emergencies or even for the simplest questions? Is your agent available on the weekends or in the evenings when most buyers are out looking? 4. EMPATHY. Does your agent take the time to listen to your goals and clarify your needs? Can your agent understand your unique situation and be genuinely concerned about the outcome of the process? Your listing agent will be your guide and partner in this crucial decision, so it is important to find one with whom you can get along.
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THE RE/MAX DIFFERENCE UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE A RE/MAX AGENT CAN MAKE An independent, unbiased third party has recognized RE/MAX as the commanding presence in Canadian Real Estate. Real Trends, the leader in performance ranking for residential brokerages, has identified 159 RE/MAX Brokerages in this year’s Top 250 report. It’s more undeniable proof that RE/MAX has the most productive agents in Canada.
200 159 150
100 50 0
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Royal LePage
Caldwell Banker
Keller Williams
Century 21
Exit
Sutton Group
RE/MAX OUTSELLS MORE PROOF THAT RE/MAX AGENTS OUTSELL THE COMPETITION The most well known brand in the Real Estate industry for over 30 years. Combine that with one of the most successful Real Estate teams in the industry and you have a recipe for success! “We believe the two simply go hand in hand.” It’s more undeniable proof that RE/MAX has the most productive agents in Canada.
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36.8%
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Royal LePage
9.8%
Caldwell Banker
7.1%
Keller Williams
6.0%
Century 21
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SELLER’S INFO THINGS TO KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN DECIDING TO SELL... WHY SELL? Why do you want to sell your property? Do you intend to simply find a larger property, or do you plan on moving to another neighbourhood, school district, city or state? You might think your reasons are obvious, but it would do well 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 us 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. 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 one of our expert real estate agents to thoroughly review the current market conditions and find the most favourable time to sell.
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WHAT IS THE MARKET LIKE? Find out more info regarding market trends... When you work with me you can be sure that you will have our knowledge, expertise and negotiating skills at work for you to arrive at the best market prices and terms. I will keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties. With me, you will know exactly how to price and when to sell your property. HOW DO I OPTIMIZE MY FINANCES? Deciding to sell your property demands a serious consideration of your current financial situation and future possibilities. With my help you will be able to effectively assess the cumulative impact of these changes, estimate potential proceeds of selling your property, and plan effective tax savings and estate planning strategies. I will ensure that you not only take control of your finances, but use them to their fullest potential. HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS. When you go to purchase your home just remember the market value of the home is what the buyer and seller are willing to agree to. When we have come to an agreement on your property, getting an inspection is a must. It may cost a few hundred dollars but this could potentially save you thousands. During your inspection, the inspector will go over your property and discuss any deficiencies of the property with you. I will then go over the report and come up with a suitable solution if there’s a problem.
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MARKETING PLAN An exclusive listing arrangement means that you are granting me exclusive access to find a buyer for your home. With this type of agreement, no other agent will bring potential buyers to your home, because only the listing agent is entitled to the commission. You can arrange an agreement with me to have your listing posted to the MLS® after an agreed period of time. You may consider this type of arrangement in a seller’s market, where there are more people interested in purchasing a home than there are homes available. A non-exclusive listing arrangement means that your listing will be posted to the MLS® system and other real estate agents have the ability to bring potential buyers to your home. The advantage of this type of arrangement is the exposure of your home. Your listing will be syndicated to various websites, including remax.ca, allowing potential buyers and agents to consider your home. Non-exclusive listings are the most common type of agreements in the Canadian real estate market. “Knowing what you don’t want to know is just as important as knowing what you do want to know.”
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OUR TRUE ADVANTAGE
Local market conditions can affect the sale of your home. Understanding the current real estate trend can assist you in making decisions while selling your home. There are three market states:
BUYER’S MARKET > There are more homes on the market than there are buyers. In this type of market buyers will spend more time looking for homes. There are more homes on the market, giving the small number of potential buyers more to choose from. The prices of homes can be stable or perhaps dropping. Seller’s will find that buyers have stronger leverage when negotiating.
SELLER’S MARKET > There are more buyers than there are homes for sale. With fewer homes on the market and more buyers, homes sell quickly in a seller’s market. Prices of homes are likely to increase, and there are more likely to be multiple offers on a home. Multiple offers give the sellers negotiating power, and conditional offers may be rejected. BALANCED MARKET > There are the same about of homes for sale and buyers. There is equal competition between buyers and sellers. This means that there are reasonable offers given by buyers, and homes sell within a reasonable time. With less tension between buyer and seller the prices of homes remain stable. Before you put your home up for sale, you must know what your house is worth. To determine your asking price you must consider comparable sales in your area and the current market condition. Depending on the agreed upon strategy with me, your listing price may be slightly higher than the value of your home, however this allows for some negotiating space between you and potential buyers. If you are in a rush to sell your home, setting the price slightly lower than what your home is worth will attract attention. However, some buyers may be concerned if the price is too good to be true. 15
NEGOTIATIONS THE SELLER’S VIEWPOINT Buyers interested in your home will submit an offer to Murry through their agent. Your agent will review the offer with you to ensure that you understand all the conditions. Before you accept or sign back the offer, you may wish to clarify the offer with Murry and if you have any further concerns you can have the agreement reviewed by a lawyer. Your offer will contain: • • • • • • • • • •
The names of the potential purchaser Your name A description of the property The conditions attached to the purchase Price Closing date Survey Home inspection An irrevocable date Possible mortgage details
Remember that the offer you receive will also include funds that you are to pay for such as your lawyer, real estate agent commission, the balance of your mortgage and outstanding taxes. Some utilities and taxes will have been prepaid, meaning you’ll have some additional funds. 16
THE OFFER RECEIVING & EVALUATING THE OFFER Decide on the lowest acceptable price before you receive the first offer. When you receive the offer you will be able to take into consideration the price, as well as the other terms that the purchaser is requesting. Carefully look over all terms and conditions with your agent to ensure that the offer is understood. Any questions about the proposed offer can be clarified through your agent. ACCEPTING THE OFFER Once you’re satisfied with the terms and conditions of the offer, you can accept it. The purchaser will pay a deposit to solidify the agreement. The deposit will be held and when the deal is closed it will be applied to the commission owed.
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THE DETAILS MEAN ALL 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 agent such as Murry Kanewischer understands what little things truly matter and that the difference could be hidden in the details.
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40 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING AGENTS & OUTSTANDING RESULTS From a single office that opened in 1973 in Denver, Colorado, RE/MAX has grown into a global Real Estate network of franchisee-owned and operated offices with nearly 90,000 Sales Associates. Those agents constitute the world’s most productive Real Estate sales force. Though their efforts, they’ve made it possible to say that nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. RE/MAX, LLC is a privately held company still based in Denver and led by its founders, Dave and Gail Liniger. the system is based on attracting productive agents and providing them with the valuable support, incredible brand awareness, educational opportunities, and other competitive advantages. Customer service built on a foundation of drive, experience, and education is the cornerstone of RE/MAX success. The RE/MAX track record built over the past 40 years is proof that a focus on the customer’s needs, backed by the ability to deliver, remains as important as ever. Great things happen when driven individuals come together and treat real estate as a profession. That in a nut-shell, is RE/MAX.
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RE/MAX BRAND RECOGNITION MARKETSHARE AND AGENT PRODUCTIVITY Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, and RE/MAX Associates average more sales than any other real estate agents. BRAND NAME AWARENESS RE/MAX is the most recognized brand in real estate. Our national advertising campaign positions the RE/MAX name in front of millions of buyers and sellers all over the country and is designed to keep the brand, as well as remax.com, top-of-mind when someone decides it is time to buy or sell their home. ADVERTISING In Canada, RE/MAX has the real estate industry’s strongest presence in national television advertising, helping to make the red, white, and blue RE/MAX hot air balloon one of the most recognizable business logos in the world. WEBSITE TRAFFIC AND ONLINE SEARCHES Remax.ca is the most visited real estate franchise wesite attracting over 250,000 unique visitors every month in Canada. RE/MAX’s internet presence attracts nearly 50 million potential buyers and sellers annually. When consumers search online, “RE/MAX” is the most used search term among real estate brokerages. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION RE/MAX Associates lead the industry in professional designations. THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES SERVED RE/MAX is in over 93 countries, more than any of its competitors.
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HOME PREPARATION pages 12-19
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HOME EXTERIOR • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
House number should be easy to read Lights on timers to ensure house is lit up after sunset Eaves troughs, and down spouts in good repair Garage/car port clean and tidy Litter picked up Cracked or broken window panes replaced Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc. Mow, edge and weed the lawn frequently until the home is sold Cut back overgrown shrubbery Invest in seasonal flowers to add a personal touch Inspect the roof for necessary repairs to broken shingles or tiles Stucco water stains can be repaired using a mild bleaching agent Fences should be mended and painted Wash all windows inside and outside
HOME INTERIOR • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Lights should be on and drapes left open during daylight hours Heat or A/C set at a comfortable temperature Fresh flowers/plants in various rooms Chipped plaster and paint touched up and repaired Doors and cupboards properly closed Leaky taps and toilets repaired Burned out light bulbs replaced Squeaky doors oiled Mirrors, fixtures, and taps cleaned and polished Seals around tubs and basins in good repair Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied Inside of closets and cupboards neat and tidy Valuable property, out of reach, out of sight, or locked away Pets absent, where possible, or contained during showings All torn screens should be repaired or replaced Countertops neat and polished and Appliances cleaned
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MURRY’S CHECKLIST 2 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE Notify these professional services of your move. These services include: Accountant Attorney Doctor Dentist Financial Planner Health Insurance Provider Insurance Agent Schools Notify other services/accounts of your move. Examples of these may be auto companies, credit card companies, banks, health club memberships, subscription services (e.g. magazines, newspapers), etc. 1 WEEK BEFORE YOUR MOVE Review your moving plans with your moving consultant. Figure out budget to accommodate moving. Pay for move and rint two copies of your moving bill. Notify friends and family of your new address and phone number with a free Moving Notice. Pack an essentials box to keep with you during the move. Drain gas and oil from lawn equipment, gas grills heaters, etc. Drain water hoses. Empty and defrost refrigerator at least 24 hours before the move. MOVING DAY Place carpet, floor and door frame protectors throughout your home. Load goods in a pre-designated order, saving “last load” items for the rear of your shipment. Check every room and closet one last time to make sure nothing is left behind. Plan first night’s dinner (pizza always works). Leave a note with your new address so that future residents can forward stray mail.
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TIP 2
PREPARING YOURSELF TO MOVE
A moving checklist is a resourceful tool that will help ensure that you are organized and well prepared to make your next move. This checklist should include important aspects such as utility providers checked, local transportation route information, transit information and more.
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CLIENT TESTIMONIALS “Our family worked with Murry to buy our first home in Calgary and the experience was great. He helped us understand the housing market and the buying process from start to finish. Since then he has helped with ongoing advice and support as we prepare for another purchase. We would recommend Murry as a trusted professional.” - RANCE “Murry has been my Realtor to buy and sell four homes over the past 15 years. He is a remarkable person and agent, always keenly interested in my needs and helping me find the home and neighbourhood that best suits me at any point in my life’s journey. He’s conscientious, kind, thorough and fun. A delight to work with and spend time with, on what can be one of the biggest life decisions a person can make. He makes it a pleasant experience. I recommend Murry to everyone I know who is in the market to buy or sell. He is truly someone who is in it for you and your best interests.” - SUSAN
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“Murry was wonderful to work with from day one. He helped us with the sale and purchase of our homes. Both times, he gave us very good advises that we sold fairly quickly and bought our new one for a great price. He was very knowledgeable of the real estate market and made the whole process of selling and buying less stressful. He was patient, responded to all our questions and concerns, always friendly, super easy to talk to and a good babysitter to our 2-year old who liked holding Murry’s hand while we were viewing houses. We are very glad we got to work with Murry and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him, a professional and a straight-up Realtor.” Thank you, Murry!” - RAJANI, KYLE & CONNOR “Murry has been our Realtor of choice for nearly ten years. He has always been a consummate realty expert who goes the extra mile to ensure that his clients are satisfied. He knows what we want when selling or purchasing property and has worked hard to maintain a friendly yet professional relationship. We have been so impressed with him over the years that we recommended him to our two sons, both of whom have bought homes with Murry. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.” - CAT
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Real estate can be complicated... We make it REAL SIMPLE. 26
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OFFICE: 403.259.4141 TOLL FREE: 1.877.259.4141 FAX: 403.259.4305
#10, 6020 1A STREET SW CALGARY, AB T2H 0G
futurehome@telusplanet.net
EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
www.murryk.com