Ashley and her team did an amazing job with selling our home in Toronto.
They were extremely professional, knowledgeable and took care of everything for us making the process smooth & efficient. I would highly recommend Ashley for all your real estate needs.
PAISLEY NUSBAUM
Selling a Home Can Be a Time-Consuming, Complex Endeavour.
This book has been developed to help sellers understand the process of selling residential real estate and provides helpful material regarding the most important aspects of selling a home.
WHY ASP?
Our Numbers Speak for Us!
• Top 35 Under 35 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023).
• Ranked top 1% out of 75,000 Realtors ® in the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board.
• We sell homes 66% faster than the average.
• We are full service & full time, only 1/3 agents are full time.
At ASP, our mission is to redefine the real estate experience.
Guided by a steadfast commitment to professionalism, client-centric service, and unwavering expertise, we take pride in delivering exceptional results.
Led by Ashley and supported by a dedicated team including Jennifer & Alyssa, we go above and beyond to put your best interests first.
Our deep knowledge of the Toronto real estate market, transparent communication, and strong negotiation skills have consistently helped our clients find their dream homes and achieve their property goals. We believe in personalized service, offering full support from start to finish, and maintaining lasting relationships.
Your trust is our greatest asset, and we are dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction throughout your real estate journey.
Advantages to Selling First
The luxury of time presents no stress to sell for an amount less than you find acceptable. You will know exactly how much money you have in your pocket for buying. You will know precisely when the buyer gets your house (you can time the closing of your purchase to minimize the need for bridge financing). You avoid the stress of not being able to sell.
Disadvantages to Selling First
You must contend with the pressure of not yet having found a place to buy and potentially having to make a rushed purchase.
Hint: If you go this route, sell with a long closing to give yourself lots of time to find the right house to buy.
During the negotiations of your sale, you can try to determine whether or not the buyer has flexibility to advance or delay the closing date of your existing home to coincide better with the closing date of your new home.
Advantages to Buying First
You are not under the gun to make a hurried buying decision because your current home has been sold. You can wait for the perfect house. You can review with your Realtor ® things that could be done to your current home to maximize its value and you would have the additional time to do these things while in the process of looking for your new home.
Disadvantages to Buying First
You don’t know the exact amount that you will be receiving from the sale of your home. You could be subjecting yourself to the pressure of having to sell because you have already bought.
Hint: If you go this route, buy with a long closing. However, make certain that the budgeting figure you use as a selling price for your home for your home has not been unrealistically ‘pumped up’ by anyone to secure your listing.
ACTIVE LISTINGS
Properties currently for sale and on the market.
Understanding the market
Terms & Definitions
Throughout this process you will hear a number of different terms that reference the market and your properties ability to sell. It is important to understand these terms prior to listing your home.
SOLD CONDITIONALLY, SOLD, CLOSED
Pending sale, sold firm, property now owned by new owner.
MONTHS OF INVENTORY
How many months would it take for everything to be sold in your market area.
LIST PRICE VS. SALE PRICE
The price it is listed for vs. the price it actually sells for.
DAYS ON MARKET (DOM)
How long it took for a given property to sell.
MARKET TREND
The perceived way a market will move over a period of time.
Understanding Neighbourhood Market Trends
In a city filled with micro-markets, it is extremely important to keep an active eye on market conditions and trends in your specific geographic location. Time and time again agents overlook the fact that each neighbourhood is uniquely different from the last. Overlooking this fact is a disservice to you. That is why I make it my job to be an expert on your neighbourhood in order to sell your current home seamlessly, efficiently and for the right price.
Sellers Market: 0-2 Months of Inventory
Neutral Market: 3-4 Months Inventory
Buyers Market: 5+ Months of Inventory
Preparing Your Home to Sell
Part of obtaining the best possible price for your home is making it attractive to the widest possible audience of potential buyers.
Properties that show like they are out of the pages of a magazine tend to generate top dollar. Today’s consumers go crazy for turnkey properties, many want to be able to just move in and enjoy. We understand that few properties fulfill this description, however there are steps that can be taken to make your property irresistible. A great place to begin is by maintaining a neutral décor and a clean, uncluttered look.
If you have some time and some allocated budget, we recommend that you go around your property and outline all of the things that need fixing or updating. Review that list to identify which items you can realistically address given your limitations. Realtors ® are a great resource in this process as they can help you identify which of the items will have the greatest impact on the end consumer.
In general, kitchens and bathrooms provide the greatest return on your money and often lead to a faster sale when done correctly.
If a complete re-do is not in your budget, you can get a great bang for your buck by giving kitchen and bathrooms a simple facelift. Even just a fresh coat of paint (in a neutral tone) can have a big impact.
• Porch/front door must look amazing: add plants and/ or a new doormat
• Make sure all door locks work well
• Landscaping, make it look appealing
• Mow lawn/power-wash everything
INTERIOR
• Paint
• Organize all storage areas
• Add closet organizers and shelving units
• Clean, clean, clean
• Shampoo carpets
• Fix any broken appliances
• Bathroom tiles free of mould and mildew
Whether you have a big budget or no budget at all, you should do what you can to make your home as inviting as possible. When was the last time that you bought a bruised apple?
PREP TO LIST CHECKLIST
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
O Oil squeaky doors
O Tighten doorknobs
O Replace burned-out lights
O Clean and repair windows
O Touch up chipped paint
O Repair cracked plaster
CLEANING + PREP
O Shampoo carpets
O Clean washer, dryer, and tubs
O Clean furnace
O Clean fridge and stove
O Clean and freshen bathrooms
O Clean and tidy entrance
O Polish door hardware
O Paint doors, railings, etc. (if needed)
CURB APPEAL
O Trim shrubs and lawns
O Pick up any litter
O Clear walkway of leaves
O Repair gutters and eaves
O Touch up exterior paint
SHOWING READY
O Turn on all lights + fireplace
O Open drapes in the daytime
O Play quiet background music
O Clear counters and stove
Twelve Showing Tips
Twelve Tips for Showing Your Home
Now that everything is done and the “For Sale” sign is up, get ready for the commencement of showings.
What you really want for your home is to put its best foot forward for each and every showing to entice buyers and make them feel at home.
HERE ARE TIPS FOR GREAT SHOWINGS:
1. Give your house a quick one-two clean before you leave it vacant for the showing. No dirty dishes, unmade beds, etc.
2. Make sure there are no unpleasant odours. Open the windows and doors as often as the season will allow for a neutral fresh scent throughout. Some people are allergic to those plug-in room deodorizers so leave them on the grocery shelves.
3. Children’s rooms should be as tidy as possible. Get them to buy in. Pay them off if you must!
4. Leave a select number of lights on. Review this with your Realtor ® beforehand as to which lights (if any) should be left on during daytime and which during evening showings.
5. Have the appropriate temperature set in the home. If the house has air conditioning and it is hot outside, let people feel how well it works. If it is -40° outside, have your house be a warm, welcoming sanctuary from the cold. Not too warm, however, as buyers will likely be wearing their winter coats.
6. Swimming pools and hot tubs must sparkle.
7. Have the appropriate blinds, curtains or drapes open or closed.
8. Tuck away your valuables. Do not leave pocket-able treasures on display. Put them in drawers or remove them completely from the home during the time it is on the market.
9. Re-set the security alarm code for the time the house is on the market.
10. Buyers do not like viewing homes when the owner is there. Try to leave the house so that the Realtor ® can speak openly and frankly with the buyers. When the seller is at home, buyers may be reluctant to voice concerns directly to their Realtor ® if there is any possibility of being overheard by the seller. However, the Realtor ® needs to hear comments so they can immediately address any concerns.
11. If you can’t leave the house, never follow the Realtor ® and client around highlighting what you feel are the features and benefits of the house. That kind of involvement conveys desperation and can adversely affect the sale.
12. Remove your pet from the house during showings. Some buyers love dogs, some hate them. Allergies come into play and if your pet makes a buyer ill, the buyer is very unlikely to buy.
Where Do Buyers Come From?
More than three quarters of buyers found their house they bought either online or through an agent.
51% INTERNET
28% REALTOR ®
8% FRIEND, RELATIVE OR NEIGHBOUR
6% HOME BUILDER OR THEIR REALTOR ®
4% YARD OR OPEN HOUSE SIGN
3% DIRECTLY FROM/KNEW THE SELLERS
First Step Taken During the Home Buying Process
These days a buyer has to fall in love with a home twice. The first time is online.
Effective Marketing Marketing Your Home
To get top market value for your home, your property needs to look its best, the ASP Group is here to ensure just that. We invest the time, money, and energy required to market your property for local, national, and international exposure.
At the ASP Group, we believe in a tailored approach. Our comprehensive marketing strategy is customized to your specific property, detailing how we will showcase your home to the widest audience possible. The goal of our marketing campaign is clear: maximize exposure to attract the greatest number of buyers, ensuring your home sells for top market value.
Today’s buyers conduct thorough market research and look for homes in diverse ways. It is our job to appeal to various types of buyers, highlighting your home’s unique features to enhance its appeal. Let the ASP Group handle the details, so you can focus on your next chapter with confidence.
ROBUST MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SHOULD INCLUDE:
• Professional photography
• A website built for the home
• A “For Sale” sign with the URL of your home’s website on it
• A list of the sites to which the listing will be syndicated. This list should consist of local, national and international sites
• Professionally designed feature sheets
• E-mail blast to local Realtors ®
• Just listed post cards
• Interactive 3D tour
• Video tour that is posted on YouTube
• Google/Facebook Pay-Per-Click Ads
• Open houses
SELLING A LIFESTYLE
Our Marketing Tactics
Home buyers aren’t just looking for four walls and a roof; they’re looking to buy into a lifestyle. At the ASP Group, our mission is to effectively convey that lifestyle through our marketing tactics to as many potential buyers as possible.
To successfully sell a lifestyle, we step into the shoes of potential buyers. This is where our marketing truly begins. We work to establish one or, depending on the property, a small handful of buyer profiles. This approach allows us to delve into the imaginations of buyers, developing a message that resonates deeply with them.
PREPARING/STAGING
There are many steps that need to happen before a property can be properly marketed. Many of these tasks involve getting the property primed, shined, and ready to be photographed, a process typically referred to as ‘staging.’
Staging can mean anything from a judicious reorganization of existing furniture, highlighted by some fresh flowers, to a complete redecoration and furnishing of a vacant home. There is great value in staging because it helps market a home to a broader audience than just those with tastes similar to the current owner. The way we live in a home and the way we present a home to make the best market impact are two completely different things.
If the goal is to sell the home for the highest possible price, homeowners are well-advised to appeal to the widest audience possible for the current buying climate and keep an open mind to staging possibilities. Consider that if you are presented with three apples all the same size, one nicely shined up and the other two dusty or bruised, you will gravitate to the one that is polished. You’d likely even pay more for this apple. This appeal is just human nature, and the same is true for housing.
At the ASP Group, we are experienced in making your home look like it belongs in a design magazine. Let us handle the staging process to ensure your property stands out and attracts the right buyers.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Magazine-quality photographs are essential for presenting a home at its very best and maximizing its digital, online, and printed appeal. These photos form the foundation of the property’s marketing strategy. Buyers often refuse to “waste their time” visiting a home if they see grainy, poor-quality, or inadequate pictures online.
At the ASP Group, our photos are meticulously reviewed, color-corrected, and enhanced to make the very best possible first and lasting impression. Trust us to showcase your home in the finest light, ensuring it stands out to potential buyers.
LISTING SYNDICATION
One website is simply not enough. Sage’s marketing extends to more than thirty separate, far-reaching websites to get local, national and international exposure. This syndication includes a world-wide network of more than 130 portals.
E-MAIL
An e-mail blast will go out targeting Realtors ® working in offices that tend to do a lot of business in the neighbourhood where your home is located. This is a very simple tactic to give the listing a little extra bump in exposure to REALTORS ® who may be working with buyers interested in a home like yours.
FEATURE SHEETS
At the ASP Group, we create a detailed, photo-centric feature sheet for each home, ensuring that every potential buyer walks away with a tangible reminder of the property. Developing a quality feature sheet is a true art form, requiring meticulous attention, creativity, and time.
A proper feature sheet should answer every question in a potential buyer’s mind and present the property in the most favorable light. This piece of marketing has “legs,” often remaining on the coffee tables, kitchens, and desks of potential buyers. It’s essential to stand out and serve as a constant reminder of all the great aspects of your home compared to others they have seen.
A high-end feature sheet should include:
• A room-by-room written description which catalogues the details of the home
• Professional photographs
• A property survey
• Floor plans
• Property enhancements
• A neighbourhood summary
• Detailed list of inclusions/exclusions
• The individual listing website URL so that buyers can utilize the interactive aspects of the site
• Contact information should they have any further questions
JUST LISTED AND JUST SOLD POSTCARDS
Instead of the commonplace “Just Listed” cards that many REALTORS® send out, we print your listing on a high impact, “Just URL’d and Listed” card and delivers them to the local geographic area. We design pieces that stand out from the rest, and your neighbours are a great source of exposure. Most of them will notice your home is “For Sale” when the sign goes on the lawn but those who don’t will also get a “Just Listed” card directing them to your individual listing website. Neighbours often have friends or family whom they love to tell about the newest home on the market in their area, why they should buy it and move closer to them.
FLOOR PLANS
Floor plans are technical measurements that precisely show the location of each aspect of the house: walls, doors, windows, radiators etc. They could be made available both online and included in a feature sheet. Floor plans help prospective buyers understand the layout and flow of a home. Serious buyers often use floor plans for potential furniture placement and frequently request them after an offer is accepted if they aren’t provided earlier. By offering comprehensive floor plans, we ensure buyers have all the information they need to envision themselves in your home.
Staging Why It Works
Staging helps your property stand out. The national association of Realtors ® said that staged homes sell for 6% higher than the average.
Magazine Quality Photography
Your home will make its very best possible first and lasting impression.
Video, Virtual Tours & Floor Plans
Serious buyers utilize floor plans for potential placement of their own furniture.
ESTABLISHING PROPERTY VALUE
Pricing is everything
As the pyramidal graph illustrates, more buyers purchase their properties at market value rather than above market value.
Pricing vs. timing
Timing is extremely important in the real estate market. The following graph illustrates the importance of placing your property on the market at a realistic price and terms from the very beginning.
TARGETED MARKETING
Marketing your home for sale is essential to attract buyers and increase its visibility in the market. A strong marketing campaign generates interest and urgency, leading to a faster, more successful sale.
Our social media expertise ensures maximum exposure and attracts many interested buyers. By generating high visibility and creating a buzz around your property, we drive engagement and achieve successful sales.
Individual Listing Website
A unique website will be developed that is custom-built for your home and will be hosted on a URL that is easy to remember (usually the street address). This website will highlight all of the features of the property in a convenient, effective format. The best images of the property will be prominently displayed on the site. All marketing tactics will be geared towards driving traffic to that site because it is there that prospective buyers will easily have the most detailed information about the home right at their fingertips and will be able to contact us directly. In today’s competitive hustle-and-bustle world we don’t want prospects moving on to the next listing because they couldn’t access the information they wanted. The consumer expects to have all the information required to make a decision right at their fingertips, right when they want it.
THE TYPICAL LISTING WEBSITE WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
• A unique listing domain name, usually the street address. (e.g. 126YourStreetName.com)
• Detailed listing description
• 20+ high resolution photos
• Floor plan
• Video and 3D tour
• Neighbourhood description
• Google maps with street view
• Contact details
• Google Analytics tracking code
• The URL prominently displayed on the for sale sign
Value of Website Features
Sage produces a website for each of its listings. This website contains the information the buyers covet most.
DETAILED INFO ABOUT PROPERTIES FOR SALE 80%
Source: National Association of Realtors ® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2023.
3D TOUR
There is an incredible new technology that we can utilize for our listings; it is a 3D interactive tour. This tool allows consumers to walk through the property at their own leisure at any time day or night. On one side of the screen is a floor plan so you can see exactly where you are in the property and on the other part of the screen is the viewer so you can see what the property looks like.
This is an incredible tour especially for international buyers so they can get a true sense of what it is like in the home.
YOUTUBE
A video tour is created and then distributed using YouTube and other video sharing websites in order to drive prospective buyers back to the individual listing website. YouTube is an incredibly powerful marketing tool, with 2+ billion monthly users*. Leveraging its dominance generates tremendous international exposure for your listing. Prospective buyers, anywhere in the world, can digitally see through your home 24 hours a day, at their convenience.
We will not only load the video onto our YouTube channel, which is one of the most viewed real estate channels in Toronto, but we will also dedicate some budget to get some targeted views for the video through Google AdWords.
*Source: blog.youtube/press as of April 2023.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Including Facebook pay-per-click campaign. Sage knows what it’s doing in social media arenas. Sage listings get displayed on the largest video platform on the planet: YouTube. When skillfully utilized, Facebook is an effective tool for exposing a home to a larger network of people. Sage knows the ins and outs of appropriately leveraging Facebook to maximize exposure of Sage listings.
We will be leveraging the Facebook ad platform to boost our posts about this listing to ensure they get seen. Given the demographic targeting aspect of this platform, we will be targeting a number of different groups to ensure the property is seen by both potential consumers as well as to keep this property in front of Realtors ® in the city.
Given the price point of each property we can also be leveraging LinkedIn as it tends to be a more professional social networking site. In particular, we will use the ad platform on LinkedIn to get the property seen by our target market.
And, if the target demographic is right, we will also leverage Instagram.
Offer Negotiations
What to Expect During Negotiations
Transactions can involve considerable negotiation between the initial offer presentation and the final sale. The ASP Group’s objectivity, experience, counsel, and professional demeanor are indispensable in these situations.
Price is not the only negotiable item in the sale of a home. Potential buyers can include various terms in their offer. A seller can accept the offer as is, decline it outright, or make a counteroffer. We are here to guide you through this process, helping you make the best decisions possible about how to proceed.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE OFFER TO REVIEW
Our job at the ASP Group is to simplify things for you. We aim to provide you with a background and understanding of the following aspects of the offer:
BUYER COVENANT
Who is the buyer? Is the buyer qualified to buy your home and what is their capacity to complete the deal? These are very important questions that ASP Group should be determining and then discussing all findings with you. You need to make sure that the buyer will actually be able to close the transaction on the date set for completion.
PRICE
Our intimate knowledge of the current market is invaluable in helping you to decide whether to accept the price the buyer is offering or to counter with a higher one. Price and completion date often play a role together in the negotiations.
MORTGAGE CONDITION
Many buyers arrive pre-qualified at the negotiating table. However, many mortgage lenders place a requirement on the buyer’s pre-qualification approval that the house they end up buying must be appraised. Some buyers have not been qualified and need this condition in order to have the time to get the bank to approve their mortgage.
HOME INSPECTION CONDITION
Inspection conditions are frequently contained in offers in Toronto. Usually the conditions give buyers a few days to have the property inspected by a licensed home inspector to identify potential structural or material problems and help the buyer budget for future repairs. If the inspector uncovers any major issues then you and the buyer must negotiate what, if any, issues will be addressed and who will pay for them. Negotiations subsequent to the home inspection are usually undertaken only for items or issues of a substantial nature.
DEPOSIT
Although deposits are not mandated by Ontario law to be a specific amount, in Toronto they typically are quite substantial. They are considered to be an indication of good faith and strong buyer covenant. An amount equal to five percent of the purchase price is considered a good deposit. The deposit money does not immediately go to the seller but it is placed in the real estate brokerage’s Real Estate Trust Account and held there pending completion of the transaction at which time it gets credited to the buyer.
COMPLETION DATE
Also known as Closing Date. This is the date when ownership of the house changes hands and typically the date that the seller vacates and the buyer takes possession of the property. If an offer gets presented that accommodates your particular closing date requirements it might be an important factor in deciding to negotiate or accept that offer.
Bully Offers
Pre-Emptive Offers (Bully Offers)
WHAT IS AN OFFER DATE & WHAT IS A BULLY OFFER?
When sellers list a good property in a hot market, they often hope to generate multiple offers, creating a bidding war. Bidding wars have a proven track record of achieving the highest prices for sellers. At the ASP Group, we implement marketing strategies designed to attract multiple offers, typically setting a date 5 to 7 days ahead for interested buyers to submit their offers.
Even though a specific date is established for reviewing offers, buyers are legally entitled to submit an offer earlier, known as a bully offer. Sellers aren’t required to consider bully offers but may choose to if the price is attractive enough to forgo the offer date.
Before making a decision, sellers should consider several factors: How many people have viewed the property? How many other hot prospects are in the wings? Might they lose this buyer if they reject the offer now? How much more could they get if they waited for the offer date?
If the seller decides to review the bully offer, we promptly reach out to all agents who have shown the property to notify them of the offer. This often encourages prospective buyers to submit their offers as well, maximizing the chances of getting the best price.
ASP GROUP LISTING PACKAGES
3 %
• Pre-Listing Preparation
• Target Marketing with CURAYTOR
• Professional Photography
• Feature Sheets
• Status Certificate
• Open House
• Individual Listing Website and Global Syndication
• Postcards
• Facebook/Instagram Ads
2.25% 2.5%
• Pre-Listing Preparation
• Target Marketing with Curaytor
• Professional Photography
• Feature Sheets
• Status Certificate
• Open House
• Individual Listing Website and Global Syndication
• Postcards
• Facebook/Instagram Ads
• Pre-Listing Preparation
• Target Marketing with Curaytor
• Professional Photography
• Feature Sheets
• Status Certificate
• Open House
• Individual Listing Website and Global Syndication
• Postcards
• Facebook/Instagram Ads
• Virtual Tour & Floor Plan
• 1 Month Free Staging
• Home Inspection
• Paid Online Target Marketing With $1000 Ad Spend Budget
• Lifestyle Video
• Painting
• Lighting
• Paid Online Target Marketing With $500 Ad Spend Budget
• Virtual Tour & Floor plan
• 1 Month Free Staging
• Home Inspection
OUR GUARANTEE
Anytime Cancellation
Cancel your Listing Agreement anytime.
No Hidden Commission Fees or Penalties
Never pay commission fees or penalties upon early cancellation.
Worry Free Commitment
Put your mind at ease while we work together to fulfill your Real Estate goals.
Selling Costs
Costs Involved in Selling Your Home
During the home selling process there are numerous costs of which you should be aware both before and after the property sells:
HOME REPAIRS
Before the home gets listed you may incur some expenses to get it ready for the market. Fresh paint may cost a few hundred or a few thousand. Landscaping and other repairs may come into play as well and require substantial investments depending on what needs to be done.
STAGING COSTS
If you decide to stage your home before selling, the fee to do this usually comes in two parts. The initial consultation fee of a couple of hundred dollars and the furniture rental fee that can easily become a few thousand a month, depending on what and how many pieces of furniture you rent. Many stagers waive the initial consultation fee if you go ahead with furniture rentals.
HOME INSPECTOR PRE-INSPECTION REPORTS
Sometimes sellers have their house inspected prior to putting it on the market. This report can give assurance to buyers contemplating submitting an offer on the property. Pre-inspection reports tend to be priced in the four to six hundred dollar range. Your Realtor ® can advise you whether or not to get a pre-inspection report.
PENALTY FOR EARLY DISCHARGE OF MORTGAGE
If you have to discharge your mortgage upon completion of your sale, you may incur a discharge penalty from the mortgagee to do this. Talk to your mortgage broker or bank to find out what these costs may be. Even open mortgages can incur a processing fee to be discharged.
LEGAL FEES
You will need a lawyer to act on your behalf in the sale of a home as well. Legal fees for a home’s sale are significantly less than on a home’s purchase. Many legal fees in this regard are in the range of a thousand dollars rather than thousands of dollars.
REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FEES
Most Realtor ® fees are based upon the selling price of the property. Usually 50% of the gross commission goes to the co-operating Realtor ® and 50% goes to the Realtor ® who listed your house. This offering by the Seller of the portion of commission to be offered to the Co-operating Brokerage who brings in an offer, together with the commission itself, is a matter of discussion between the seller and their listing Realtor ®. The government also requires that HST be charged on collected commissions as well.
MOVING COSTS
It is difficult to estimate how much one should budget for this, as there are so many factors to consider. Moving costs can run from the hundreds to the thousands of dollars.
CAPITAL GAINS TAX
Primary residential homes in Canada are exempt of capital gains tax. Investment properties are not. Review the matter with your accountant if you want to look into it further.
SUMMARY
Budgeting and planning for the costs involved in the sale will avoid nasty surprises when it comes time to close the deal. That is a good thing.
SEVENTEEN WAYS TO TURN OFF BUYERS
Ways to Turn Buyers off and Scare Them Away
ONE. DIRT, GRIME AND FILTH
The easiest way to completely derail a showing and have the buyers take a hike is to have a dirty house — unwashed dishes in the sink, sticky floors, smudged windows and mirrors, dirty toilets... you get the picture. The house should be neat and clean in its best possible condition.
TWO. CLUTTER
Homes should be objectively and strategically decluttered throughout to remove unnecessary items before the house is shown to prospective buyers. A decluttered home invites prospective buyers to mentally place their own furnishings and that leads to a strong emotional commitment. Cluttered homes leave negative ever-lasting impressions.
THREE. SMELLS
This is a great way to scare off a buyer: offensive cooking smells, lingering cigarette smoke, pet smells, musty smells, overpowering perfumes and plug-in air freshener, incense, litter boxes, etc. are all foul odours. Buyers quickly exit stinky houses.
FOUR. PETS
Try and minimize any evidence of pets. Hair shedding, carpet stains, scratched floors, uncleaned kitty litter boxes on display, huge dog dishes and beds do not help the cause. Buyers are likely to think about what the animals have done to the house.
FIVE. BAD OR NO LISTING PHOTOS
As 100% of home buyers start their home search online*, the house has to be sold first online before it can be sold in person. Bad photos scare off buyers before they even see through. Buyers want to see a whole room in glorious colour and how it relates to the overall flow of house.
*National Association of Realtors ® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2023.
SIX. OVERPRICE YOUR HOME
A guaranteed way to scare off a buyer is to overprice the house. Overpriced homes actually help sell other reasonably priced houses. Market-savvy buyers won’t waste time looking at overpriced homes as they conclude that the seller has unreasonable price expectations. Buyers like to avoid those Sellers and their overpriced houses. Overpriced homes tend to languish on the market far too long and sell at discounted prices.
SEVEN. TEMPERATURE
Make certain that the temperature of the house is appropriate for the season. Keeping your house cold in the wintertime will save you a bit on heating bills but can make buyers shy away. Buyers might wonder what is wrong with the furnace that it can’t keep the house warm and inviting. Similarly, if the weather is excruciatingly hot and humid, prospective buyers would welcome stepping into a refreshingly cool home.
EIGHT. THE REALTOR ®
Unavailable, hard-to-work-with Realtors ® make buyers vanish into thin air. Realtors ® who are respected by other Realtors ® and who treat all buyers expeditiously and respectfully sell more houses. Get recommendations and do your best to observe and unearth the personalities of Realtors ® you are considering hiring to get the right one for you. There are plenty of Realtors ® who ignore prospective buyers and who don’t return the calls of Realtors ® with clients seriously interested in buying your house. Be very picky in your selection of a Realtor ® .
NINE. CLINGY SELLERS
Lingering sellers turn most buyers off. Many buyers feel uncomfortable seeing through a house if the seller is right there. A seller may feel that since they know the home best that means they are the best people to sell it. However, a seller’s pride and enthusiasm directly expressed to a potential buyer can often be perceived as desperation. Sellers should leave their home while it is being shown. If sellers are not able to vacate the house during showings they should remain isolated and quiet, only dispassionately and objectively answering specifically asked questions.
TEN.
MISREPRESENTATION
Some sellers withhold information about the house from their Realtor ® and potential buyers. Some sellers fib a bit here and there, some fib a lot. Exaggerating the cost of your renovations, maintenance costs, etc. creates grave mistrust in buyers when they discover the truth. This is counter-productive to an effective sale. Just tell it as it is.
ELEVEN. POOR CURB APPEAL
Appearance counts. When people drive past a house they tend to be either turned on or turned off. Bad first-glance impressions can scare buyers away and that happens all too often. Peeling paint, poorly kept flower beds, overgrown grass and general poor outside maintenance can all combine together to generate poor curb appeal. Sellers should take steps to present the outside of a home in its most positive light.
TWELVE. CONVERTED BEDROOMS
The number of bedrooms does really matter in the sale of a house. Because a four bedroom house reaches a far broader buyer pool than a three bedroom plus upstairs-office house, the small bedroom converted upstairs into an office should be reverted back to a bedroom when it is time to sell the house.
THIRTEEN. TOO MANY PERSONAL ITEMS
Buyers ‘try on’ the house to see how it fits when they look at it. The seller’s personal items make the fit difficult for buyers to feel. Sellers disadvantage themselves by keeping every personal effect, knick-knack and family photo possible on display. These items should be packed up and stored away before a house gets listed “For Sale.”
FOURTEEN. POOR FURNITURE PLACEMENT
All the furniture that is not the right size, impeding the natural flow of a house has the effect of discouraging buyers. Ill placed, over sized furniture makes rooms appear small and awkward. While not always being able to identify why, inappropriately sized furniture can make a good-sized room feel tight and uncomfortable to a buyer.
FIFTEEN.
OUTDATED FIXTURES
Old doorknobs, old ceiling fans and old shag carpets all deter buyers. Even minor repairs and updates like installing new cabinet hardware or fresh paint throughout can have a huge impact.
SIXTEEN. OLD WALLPAPER
Wallpaper is not appealing to most buyers. Honestly, what are the chances they will like it? Having to spend time removing dated wallpaper appears negative to a buyer because it just adds to the prospective buyer’s work list. Wallpaper borders are not at all popular these days because they will almost certainly not reflect nor match almost any buyer’s tastes. Remove before selling.
SEVENTEEN.
SHOWING TIME RESTRICTIONS
If you really want to scare off a buyer, then make it almost impossibly difficult for them to even see the house. For example, allowing showings only on specific mornings or afternoons (even though most buyers expect great flexibility in the times allowed for them to see a house) greatly reduces the likelihood of an offer being generated.
Summary
It is definitely not easy to find a buyer. Even more challenging is finding the right buyer who might be willing to pay top dollar for the house. However, it is easy to turn them off and scare them away over something that could have been easily enough addressed and would have made a significant difference to the amount you could have sold your house for. Don’t have buyers cut and run when, with minimum effort, they could have been enticed to buy.
Success Stories
The ASP Group has over 50+ 5–Star Reviews on Google
She
I couldn’t recommend Ashley and team enough!
I’ve had an amazing experience selling and purchasing with Ashley, she’s great at keeping you grounded and always has your best interest in mind. Ashley and Piotr are always on top of everything and very responsive which is key when going through a process that can be so intimidating such as purchasing/selling a home. Thank you for all of your help these past few months! Paula Diniz
was instrumental in preparing/showing and guiding me
through the process.
She is a wealth of knowledge and never pressured me into anything. She merely gave me her professional opinion and left the decision up to me.
Ashley is someone who cares, is compassionate, knowledgeable and understands how difficult this process can be.
I am truly grateful for her persistence and guidance, in making my buying/selling process so seamless.
I will, and already have... recommended her to friends. Kathy Soce
If
you want a smooth transition,
work with Ashley Smith.
We HIGHLY recommend hiring Ashley Smith when considering selling your property. For an entire year she put so much work into keeping us up to date on market sales in our area and providing us with any information we needed. She did this all without us even committing to work with her, as we had our own Realtor ®. In the end, we decided to work with Ashley and it was the best decision we ever made. We listed our property and sold it in two days for full asking price. She did not try to sell it at a lower price for a quick sale and respected our wishes.
Nick Komljenovic
I would recommend Ashley to anyone looking to buy or sell in the GTA!
Ashley first helped me purchase my first condo a few years back, finding me the perfect location to suit my needs. Earlier this year she sold that same condo for nearly 10% over market value while at the same time finding me my next home. She managed to time the closings to sync perfectly to allow my move to be seamless.
Daniel Durigon
Hi, I’m Jenn!
Hi, I’m Ashley!
Born and raised in Toronto, I draw upon my knowledge of the city’s vibrancy to help you find your dream home & get your current home sold faster and for more money.
Being in real estate since 2015, I have learned many things from the Toronto real estate market. Most notably, our market is extremely resilient. People move to Toronto in order to make their lifestyle aspirations a reality. Whether it is for their love of food, their career goals or the city’s multiculturalism, people from around the world come here to call Toronto home. It is for this reason that Toronto is an incredibly resilient city with home prices only continuing to trend upward.
It is my job to help you find a home that aligns with the vision & budget you have set out for yourself. Likewise if you are selling your home, it is my job to sell your home in a way that compliments your specific neighbourhoods personality.
In a city filled with micro-markets, it is extremely important to keep an active eye on market conditions and trends in the specific geographic location you are looking at. Time and time again agents overlook the fact that each neighbourhood is uniquely different from the last. Overlooking this fact is a disservice to you. That is why I make it my job to be an expert on your current or preferred neighbourhood in order to help you purchase your dream home, or sell your current home seamlessly, efficiently and for the right price.
I’m a dedicated individual with a passion for working with people. I began my career in healthcare, working with individuals with special needs in both long-term care and group home settings.
Later, I became an entrepreneur by owning a local coffee house in Southampton, Ontario, where I was an advocate for community involvement and shopping locally. During this time I discovered my love for real estate. Now I specialize in working with first-time home buyers and investment seekers throughout the GTA.
I am committed to helping others achieve their real estate goals & cant wait to put my tenacity to work for you. My biggest strength is that I don’t give up, I will get the job done for you seamlessly and in line with your budget and set of requirements. With my ear to the ground and a diverse background, I’m able to seek unique opportunities for various clients and their needs.
I have always had one major focus in life, helping people. I want to work with my clients as much as I want to work for them.
With a background in sales and marketing and a combined passion for people, home design, and an overall love for negotiations, real estate became an unquestionable career path for me.
Buying or selling property can be a fairly stressful experience, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. I strive to make the process fun, exciting, and as stress-free as possible, always keeping my clients informed so that they can make the best possible decision for themselves and their lives.
If you are looking to work with someone who will help to educate you, always put you first, look out for your best interests, fight for you to get the best possible price and terms, all while having some fun along the way, I might just be the person for you. Get in touch to see for yourself!
Hi, I’m Charlotte!
If you’re looking for a team to turn your real estate journey into an unforgettable experience , you’ve come to the right place!
As a first-generation Canadian, immigrated from Hungary, my passion for real estate began when I found myself assisting in the sale of my family’s properties. Thats when the magic happened.
The thrill of matching people with their dream homes, the intricate dance of negotiations, and the satisfaction of seeing the smiles of my family’s face light up – it all captivated me from the get-go. Starting first as an administrator in 2017, I quickly learned that every behind-the-scenes detail is just as crucial as the flashy deal-making on the front lines. It’s this holistic understanding of the real estate process that sets me apart.
I’m not just here to help sell or buy next your house. I’m here to guide, support, and champion your every step. My passion for client care stems from my own experiences. I’ve been there, navigating the highs and lows of buying and selling homes, so I know firsthand the importance of a trusted ally by your side. Consider me your personal real estate concierge, dedicated to smoothing out the wrinkles and turning your vision into reality.
clientcare@aspgroup.ca | 416-824-0997
GLOSSARY
Adjustable Rate Mortgage (A.R.M)
Mortgage with a rate that is variable. It is usually tied to the prime rate.
Agency Relationship a buyer or seller has with a real estate brokerage company.
Agreement Of Purchase and Sale (AKA Offer)
Legal document that outlines the terms of a Toronto real estate deal that will be signed by both the buyer and the seller.
Amortization
Mortgage payment that includes both principal and interest.
Amortization Period
How long it will take to repay the mortgage.
Appraised Value
Amount that a professional appraiser thinks what a Toronto property is worth. This is usually done to get the value of the house for mortgage purposes.
Assessed Value
Amount at which a property is valued for taxation purposes.
Assumable Mortgage
Mortgage that can be passed on from the seller to the buyer, should the buyer want the mortgage and qualify.
Blended Mortgage
Combination of two separate mortgages.
Balloon Payment
One-time payment against the principal paid at the end of certain mortgages.
Bridge Financing
Loan that covers a borrower in-between the purchase of their new Toronto home and the sale of their existing Toronto home.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Institution whose primary purpose is to administer the National Housing Act and provide lenders with insurance against high ratio mortgages.
Cap
Maximum amount an interest rate can change.
Chattels
Contents of the home belonging to the owner which are not included in the sale of a home unless specifically outlined in the offer.
Clear Title
A Toronto property that has no claims against it.
Closed Mortgages
Mortgage that cannot be paid out until the end of the mortgage period. Sometimes exceptions are made, but usually there will be a penalty charged.
Closing Date
Date that the house actually exchanges hands from the seller to the buyer. The Toronto buyer gets the keys and the Toronto seller gets their money.
Cloud on Title
When a claim has been made against the title of a Toronto property. Typically, it impacts the value of the property.
Collateral
Tangible asset that is used as a guarantee of payment in a loan. A house acts as the collateral in the mortgage.
Commitment
Written agreement that a lender will provide a specified amount of funds under certain conditions.
Common Elements
Parts of a condo building that are owned by all owners of the building, ie. walkways, elevators, halls, recreation facilities, etc.
Condition Clause written into the offer which outlines something that has to happen before the agreement becomes binding. Should the condition not be met, the negatively affected party has the option to terminate the transaction.
Conditional Offer
Offer that has one or more contingencies that must be fulfilled in order for the agreement to become firm and binding upon both parties.
Condominium
Form of ownership where the owner has the title to a specific unit and a portion of the common elements of a building.
Conventional Mortgage
Mortgage from a traditional lender such as a bank where the value of the mortgage does not exceed 75% of the value of the Toronto property. Any mortgage greater than 75% is considered high ratio and must be insured by CMHC.
Cooperative
Type of ownership wherein the building is owned by a company. In order to be entitled to live in the building you must buy shares. It is typically difficult to get a mortgage for a co-op without a large down payment and you must also be approved by the Co-op Board of Directors.
Deed
Document that officially transfers ownership of a Toronto property.
Default
When a borrower is not able to make a debt payment.
Deposit
Money that is put down after an offer has been accepted and is held in trust, usually, by the listing real estate brokerage.
Disbursements
Various expenses and costs that a lawyer will pay on behalf of a Buyer to close the sale.
Discharge
When a mortgage has been paid in full and the title has been changed to reflect that.
Discount Points
Fee that is charged when a mortgage interest rate is reduced from the current rate. One point equals one percent of the mortgage value.
Down Payment
Amount that the buyer puts down on the property in cash: this is the difference between the purchase price and the mortgage amount.
Dual Agency
(See Multiple Representation)
Easement
Legal right to use someone else’s land for a specified purpose. This right is tied to the land, not the individual, so it passes from the seller to the buyer.
Encroachment
Occurs when the boundaries of some part of one property impede over the boundaries of its neighbouring property.
Equity
Value of the property minus any outstanding debt.
Fiduciary Duty
Legal relationship between a buyer or seller and their Realtor®
First Mortgage
First mortgage on a property. It has the first claim on the property should there be a default.
Fixed Rate Mortgage
Mortgage that has a fixed amount of interest paid over a specific amount of time.
Foreclose
When the lender takes legal ownership over a property due to the borrower defaulting on the loan.
Gross Debt Service Ratio (G.D.S)
G.D.S is typically used as the indicator that tells you if you can afford a certain mortgage payment. All costs associated with housing (mortgage, taxes, heating, and 50% of condominium fees, if applicable) should not exceed 32% of your gross annual income (income before tax).
High Ratio Mortgages
Mortgage that exceeds 75%. Must be insured by the CMHC.
Hold Back
When money is held back by the lender until a condition is satisfied.
Homeowner’s Insurance
Protects homeowners against damage to their home caused by fire, smoke, wind, hail, vandalism and slips/falls.
Home Inspection
Objective evaluation of a house by a home inspector. At the end of the evaluation a detailed document is provided outlining the condition of the house.
Home Warranty Plan
Insures against the failure of the operating systems of the home. It may cover things such as the heating system, central air, electrical, plumbing, and large appliances.
Interest Adjustment
Portion of interest that is paid if the closing date of the transaction does not coincide with the mortgage payment date. For example: if mortgage payments are made on the 15th of the month but the sale closes on the 10th, there will be an interest adjustment for 5 days.
Interest-Only Mortgage
The interest is paid on a regular basis and the principal is paid at the end of the term.
Irrevocable Period
The period at the end of which an offer expires.
Joint Tenancy
Situation where two people share an equal ownership share of a property. If one dies, their share is transferred to the remaining person instead of to the beneficiaries of the estate of the deceased.
Land Transfer Tax
Tax paid to transfer a property.
Leasehold Mortgage
Home mortgage when the house is on leased land.
Legal Fees
Amount charged by lawyer to execute the purchase or sale of a property.
Liabilities
Debts.
Lien
Legal claim against real estate to guarantee payment of a debt.
Listing Agreement
Formal agreement between the seller of a property and a real estate brokerage company authorizing the brokerage to offer a particular piece of real estate for sale.
Listing Broker
The real estate brokerage company that represents the seller.
Loan Commitment
Document that demonstrates a lender is willing to lend a certain amount of money with certain conditions to a borrower.
Lock-In
Occurs when a buyer tells the lender that they accept a certain interest rate for a certain amount of time.
Maintenance Fee
Amount of money a condo owner pays each month towards upkeep on the common areas of the building.
Maturity Date
End date of a mortgage.
Mortgage
An agreement between a lender and borrower where the borrower puts up a piece of real estate as collateral for a loan to purchase that property.
Mortgage Broker
A professional who brings together borrowers and lenders. Usually their fee is paid by the lending institution.
Mortgage Insurance
Also referred to as mortgage loan insurance or mortgage default insurance, this is offered through CMHC and covers the lender when a borrower has less than 20% down payment. Currently in Canada there are three major such insurers: CMHC, Canada Guaranty, and Genworth.
Mortgage Life Insurance
Mortgage life insurance covers the mortgage value in the event of the death of the mortgage holder.
Mortgagee
Lender.
Mortgagor
Borrower.
Multiple Representation
Occurs when a brokerage represents more than one client in a single transaction. For example, the buying client of one Sage Real Estate Realtor® buys a property that has also been listed with Sage Real Estate.
Open Mortgage
Type of mortgage where the borrower can pay the debt at any time.
Origination Fee
Fee the lender receives for processing a loan application.
Penalty
Amount of money paid to the lender so that the borrower can prepay a portion of the mortgage.
PIT
Principle, interest and taxes.
PITH
Principal, interest, taxes, and heating.
Possession
Control (ownership) of a property.
Power of Attorney
A legal agreement wherein one individual grants another the legal authorization to represent them and make decisions on their behalf.
Pre-Approval For A Mortgage
A written commitment from a lending institution to lend a potential buyer a certain amount of money at specific terms for the purchase of a property.
Pre-Payment Privilege
The right of a borrower to prepay some of the principal without having to pay a penalty.
Principal
This is the base amount of money borrowed.
Real Estate Agent (Broker)
The brokerage company that represents either a buyer or seller in the process of buying or selling real estate.
Realtor ®
A registered real estate sales representative or broker. Refinance
When a new mortgage is obtained and used to pay off the old mortgage.
Renewal Agreement
An agreement to extend the mortgage for another term once the initial term is reached.
Reserve Fund
Bank account established by a condo corporation to cover major repairs to the common elements. The fund is paid into from a portion of the monthly maintenance fee.
Seller Take-Back
Mortgage where the seller personally provides some of the financing for the buyer.
Setback
The distance back from the property line beyond which you must get approval for any improvements.
Statement of Adjustments
Amount of money owed at the time of closing. The amount will be calculated by a lawyer and the adjustment will typically be the difference between the deposit and down payment subject to various credits and debits.
Selling Broker/Cooperating Broker
The Realtor® who represents the Buyer in an Agreement of Purchase and Sale.
Special Assessment
Special charge a condo owner has to pay for a capital improvement or unforeseen expense.
Status Certificate
Document that outlines the financial and legal status of a condo corporation.
Sub-agent
An agent who finds the buyer for a property but has a fiduciary responsibility to the seller.
Survey
Document that outlines the property line on a piece of real estate as well as the location of any fences and buildings on the property.
Tenancy in Common
When a property is jointly owned by a group of individuals, not necessarily in equal shares, and each owner has the right to sell their portion.
Term
Amount of time a lender lends funds to a borrower.
Title
Legal certificate outlining who owns a property.
Title Insurance
Insurance that covers a piece of land. This provides assurance that the real property remains the property of the buyer if a claim against the property is processed.
Title Search
The process of checking records to ensure the seller has the legal right to sell the property.
Total Debt Service Ratio (T.D.S)
T.D.S. is typically used as the indicator that tells you if you can afford to take on more debt. Your TDS should not exceed 40% of your gross annual income (income before tax). This includes any mortgage debt, car loans, etc.
Trust Account
Bank account used by brokers to keep deposit funds separate from other funds.
TRESA
Trust In Real Estate Services Act, 2020.
A replacement of the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REEBA). It is legislation that governs how Real Estate Professionals transact business in Ontario with increased consumer education, protection and transparency.
Underwriting
Calculation of risk involved for a lender.
Variable Rate Mortgage
Mortgage that has fixed payments but where the interest rate is adjusted to market levels. If rates go up, a larger portion of that month payment goes to interest but the actual amount of the payment does not change.
Waiver
Document normally signed by the buyer which relieves the seller from obligation to a particular condition in an offer.
Warranty
Legally binding commitment that the seller provides to the buyer to guarantee that the house is in good condition.
Zoning Regulations
Criteria that regulates how a property may be used, typically established by the municipality. A property could be zoned for many different uses including residential or commercial.
