CONTENTS 05 ABOUT THE TEAM 06 ABOUT LEN T WONG 07 ABOUT LAURA O’CONNELL 08 TEAM MEMBERS 10 WHY CHOOSE A US? 12 WHAT WE STAND FOR 14 OUR SALES RESULTS 16 MARKETING YOUR HOME 18 PREPARING YOUR HOME 20 HOME SALE / MARKETING TIMELINE 22 OUR ONLINE PRESENCE 24 OUR MARKETING TOOLS 26 SECURING THE DEAL 28 TESTIMONIALS
LEN T. WONG AND ASSOCIATES
ABOUT OUR TEAM Len T. Wong and his partner, Laura O’Connell, oversee a real estate team that includes not only a number of experienced and professional REALTORS®, but also several full-time office and administration staff. Len and Laura have been working together for over ten years, and their experience combined with that of their real estate team, allows them to provide the utmost professionalism to their clients and partners. Working with Len T. Wong & Associates means that clients benefit from the unique qualities of each of our members. Our real estate professionals each excel in areas such as marketing, contract negotiations, planning, or listening to and understanding clients’ particular needs. Len and his associates work hard to ensure that their clients benefit from the latest innovations in the real estate industry and relevant technology. In short, each one of our real estate professionals shares their commitment to providing the best customer service throughout your home purchase or listing your house for sale in Calgary. Some areas of distinction that Len T. Wong & Associates hold include:
CRS CERTIFIED RELOCATION SPECIALISTS
OUR TEAM MEMBERS LEN T. WONG REAL ESTATE BROKER & OWNER Born and raised in Calgary, Wong’s father was also in the business as a top REALTOR® in the city. “I grew up in the business,” says Wong. “I learned a lot from my father and I have followed in his footsteps.” Now he is also known as one of the best in his field and has been for more than 20 years. He worked for Re/Max for 12 years and then started his own brokerage — Re/Max Len T. Wong and Associates Real Estate over 10 years ago. Len’s experience is well rounded and speaks for itself. He is diverse as they come and is qualified in residential, commercial, real estate appraisals, and property management. Len has also sold over 1 billion dollars of real estate in his career. Prior to being a REALTOR®, Wong earned his hotel management degree. But he was drawn to the field of real estate for the emotional rewards of helping buyers and sellers find and sell homes. He has sold over a billion dollars in his real estate career.
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CONTACT INFO: Len@lentwong.com 403.287.4888
OUR TEAM MEMBERS LAURA O’CONNELL REAL ESTATE AGENT & PARTNER Laura O’Connell has been in the Real Estate business for 23 years and has been with Len for over 20 years. As a valued partner, Laura has over seen hundreds of real estate transactions. She is a mentor to her colleagues and is committed to her clients. Laura’s outgoing personality, sense of humor, honesty and ability to negotiate has made her an asset in helping the team become one of Calgary’s top Real Estate teams. CONTACT INFO: Lauraoco44@gmail.com 403.681.8158
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OUR TEAM MEMBERS
>> FROM LEFT TO RIGHT >>
SYDNEY ENG
ASSOCIATE Sydney@lentwong.com 403.836.1359
LANI TUVESON ASSOCIATE Lani@lentwong.com 587.438.0513
LAURA O’CONNELL REALTOR® & PARTNER lauraoco44@gmail.com 403.287.4888
LEN T. WONG (MIDDLE) BROKER & OWNER Len@lentwong.com 403.287.4888
MICHELLE LONGINOTTI LISTING COORDINATOR Michelle@lentwong.com 403.287.4953
ZOE GAUTHIER ADMINISTRATOR Zoe@lentwong.com 403.287.4888
TRACEY LUKING ASSOCIATE Tracey@lentwong.com 403.444.9988
STEVE KABACHIA ASSOCIATE Steve@lentwong.com 587.437.9017
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WHY CHOOSE US? At Len T Wong & Associates, we strive to be conscientious, professional and knowledgeable. Communication between the client and RealtorÂŽ is very important to us. The real estate achievement through our team is a direct result of the energetic systematic approach and quality of service that we provide to our clients and is the secret to our success.
THE ADVANTAGE WITH US-OUR PROVEN RESULTS Your home will sell fast for top dollars and the least amount of hassle. WHY? We have a unique team system with innovative consumer programs. Leading edge technology and specialized knowledge. Our unmatched marketing plan means extreme amounts of exposure for you home. We recognize that a blend of old school & new school marketing is necessary to reach all potential buyers. We’ve got all the bases covered!
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FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN LOOKING FOR AN AGENT 1. Education. The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is their education in the real estate industry. Our professionals have advanced training and education, allowing them to be among the top agents in the world and earning prestigious designations in the various fields of real estate.
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. Does he or she employ a diverse range of marketing and advertising strategies? How techsavvy is your agent? How many similar properties has he or she 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. Rapport. 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.
WHAT WE STAND FOR OUR CORE VALUES We We We We We We We We
listen, we care, and we serve. believe, in people and their dreams. own, the problem and we solve it. face, challenges with optimism. do, whatever it takes. check, our egos at the door. innovate, and constantly improve. practice, work/life balance.
OUR PURPOSE
Dedicated to creating value for our clients. CLIENTS FIRST
OUR MISSION
To be the most widely respected Real Estate Team in CALGARY. Providing the highest level of expertise to our clients.
OUR MUTUAL OBJECTIVE Sell your home Best Favourable price for you Best terms for you Least inconvenience for you
To do this, we will be working as a team. Communication & Cooperation are vital to ensuring a successful sale.
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THE RIGHT AGENTS Teams always out-perform an individual. Because we are an experienced, well-oiled team, we ensure our client’s expectations are always met. Real estate is so much more than just a job, it is our passion, and our duty is to provide all our clients with the necessary services to help them reach their real estate goals. Having the RIGHT AGENTS help. IT ALL STARTS HERE... Many agents offer great service, but not-so-great advice. Others offer great service, great advice, but lack communication. Though, we are not perfect, we strive to offer our clients excellent service, excellent communication, trusted advice and a personal touch. We truly believe in people, their dreams, and care about all of our clients, who we now consider our extended real estate family. “FOR MOST OF US, OUR HOME IS OUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT. WHEN IT’S TIME TO SELL WE MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BEST VALUE AND THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HOME. HOME PREPARATION IS KEY. IN THIS BOOK YOU WILL FIND DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR A SUCCESSFUL SALE.”
OUR SALES RESULTS AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET
AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET
(Len T. Wong & Associates vs Market Average)
LEN T WONG & ASSOCIATES - 8 DAYS MARKET AVERAGE - 35 DAYS
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DAYSpages LESS12-19
Lowering the number of days on the market is an essential asset to helping you move on with you life efficiently, financially and responsibly. It could be the difference between 10’s of 1000’s of dollars and can give you the piece of mind and comfort needed while making the next step in your life. EXAMPLE GIVEN: Imagine your monthly mortgage payment is $2000/mth. LTW&A average days on market is almost one month difference of the market average in Calgary, AB in early 2015. Although, this may not always lead to a savings of $2000, whereas in some cases it does, having that financially flexibility is priceless. Planning for the market average is the responsible thing to do. But knowing the probability of a quick sale and closing to help you get your things in order for your big move is a bonus when having a strong team such as the Len T. Wong team to represent you. >> Consider this, many agents can close quickly, but are they getting you the most money? See the results on the next page...
OUR SALES RESULTS LIST TO SALES PRICE RATIO
LIST TO SALES PRICE RATIO
(Len T. Wong & Associates vs Market Average)
LEN T WONG & ASSOCIATES - 96-97% MARKET AVERAGE - 95-96%
+1%
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It’s one thing to close quickly, but most agents that have quick closings usually end up costing you more money and are typically below the market average. Even agents who are wellknown and well-established see themselves quick closing slightly above 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. EXAMPLE GIVEN: You decided to list with a typical agent for $520,000 who ends up selling your home for $494,000 or 95-96% of the asking price. Great! By choosing REMAX Len T Wong & Associates to represent you, the potential sale of your home could be 96-97% of the asking price which would net you just a little more than $2500-$5000 depending on your price range.
MARKETING YOUR HOME TOTAL EXPOSURE Living a digital world, it is common for us to always focus on new and exciting ways to promote our listings. Whether it be, Social Media, Online advertisements or print campaigns you can rest assured that we are always researching and implementing the best techniques and strategies to promote your property. PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Professional photography of your home is so important to the a successful sale. Poor quality photos can limit traffic to your home regardless of how well priced it is. VIRTUAL TOURS Virtual tours allow potential buyers to see your home from the comforts of their home. This tool allows buyers who are not able to physically view your home in person to walk through your home virtually online. VIRTUAL STAGING & MEASUREMENTS This modern innovative tool allows potential buyers to see what the home may look like when their is furniture and helps the buyer visualize how they would create the space. PRINT MARKETING We do not hold back when it comes to marketing. We spend over 40k a month and a large portion of our budget goes to print marketing such as Homes and Land, Home Guide, and Calgary Real Estate News. 16
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRICING “Nobody can predict the future, but by using statistics we can give you informed advice on a range of important questions.”
ADVANTAGES OF PRICING IT RIGHT Faster sale Less inconvenience for you Increased REALTOR® response means More money to you Better response from advertising and sign calls Attracts “cleaner” financing Attracts higher offers Avoids being “shop-worn” Strategically pricing your home to get it sold for the most money in the least amount of time.
CO M M O N BUYERS DESIRED RANGE
SELLERS DESIRED RANGE
PRICE RANGE
Price too low, you lose the value. Price too high, you lose the buyer. Market determines the price. Never hire a realtor based on price. 17
PREPARING YOUR HOME HOME EXTERIOR CHECKLIST 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 Doorbell and door hardware in good repair Touch up trim paint on doors, window frames, fascia, etc. Mow, edge and weed the lawn frequently until the home is sold. Overgrown shrubbery should be cut back to show as much of the exterior as possible. A low-cost investment in seasonal flowers or ground cover will add a personal touch. Inspect the roof for necessary repairs and any visible 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
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HOME INTERIOR CHECKLIST Lights should be on and drapes should be left open during daylight hours Heat 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, dusted and polished Seals around tubs and basins in good repair Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied Valuable property, out of reach, out of sight, or locked away Pets absent, where possible, or contained during showings Avoid repainting the entire house unless current colours are very loud or offbeat White or light pastels are the easiest to work with and they make your rooms look larger Fireplace lit in cooler weather , AC turned on in warm weather Countertops neat and polished and Appliances cleaned
HOME SALE TIMELINE PRE-LISTING I LISTED & ACTIVE I UNDER CONTRACT
PRE-LISTING Schedule Appointment Meet with LTW&A
START UNDER CONTRACT Contigencies Removed Property Closes Refer LTW&A
PRE-LISTING Discuss Best Selling Strategy Formal Listing Presentation
PRE-LISTING Execute Sales Agreement Property Appraisal
UNDER CONTRACT Offer Accepted Inspections & Disclosures Appraisal Completed
PRE-LISTING Design Team Walk-thru Marketing Analysis Sales Price Established
LISTED & ACTIVE Start Marketing Campaign Signs Installed
UNDER CONTRACT Offers Received Offers Negotiated
LISTED & ACTIVE Phone Campaign Started Email Campaign Started
LISTED & ACTIVE Submit to MLS Property Website Launch LISTED & ACTIVE Property Broch. Delivered Direct Mail Campaign Start Print Campaign
MARKETING TIMELINE 24 HOURS I 48 HOURS I 72 HOURS I WEEKLY
24 HOURS Install Sign & Brochure Box
START WEEKLY Update to Seller (Property Activity)
24 HOURS Submit Listing to MLS (Multiple Listing Services)
24 HOURS Order Photography
WEEKLY Direct Mail Online Advertising (Featured over 20 sites)
48 HOURS Website & Domain Property Photos Marketing Materials
48 HOURS Prep Print Advertising Property Announcement
WEEKLY Newspaper Advertising Magazine Advertising
WEEKLY Weekly Open House Showings & Follow-ups
48 HOURS Email Top 100 Agents Email potential buyers 72 HOURS Update property activity Property Broch. Delivered Preview @ Property
OUR ONLINE PRESENCE WE HAVE A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE Our team uses every resource available online to market and essentially sell your home for all that it’s worth. By utilizing all these online resources, you get the exposure you need to show off your home in the best light. Your home can be seen on multiple home sites that frequently visited by potential buyers looking to make that big move. These websites include our home site www.calgaryhomesearch.com and www.calgaryluxuryhomesearch.com 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. Below shows that 99% of people search for a home using three main search engines. We make sure to be as visible as possible on these platforms to make sure you are as visible as possible.
81%
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12%
YAHOO!
BING
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6%
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LET’S GO ONLINE!
We use the Internet and our innovative Web traffic is so important,
and we use the resources necessary to optimize the online visibility of your home. Our websites and listings generate over 150,000 hits per month. Our searchcalgaryareahomes.com website attracts active buyers to the site and provides us with extensive data to use to find them the right house. It incorporates strategic marketing and lead generation tools resulting in faster sales of our listings. To expand our reach to the Asian market, we now add all of our listings to Juwai.com. Below are the online websites we use in order to accomplish our goal of successfully selling your home. OUR HOME SEARCH SITES: lentwong.com searchcalgaryhomes.com mycalgaryhomevalue.com calgaryrealestate.ws calgaryhomesearch.com calgaryluxuryhomesearch.com searchcalgaryareahomes.com juwai.com OTHER HOME SEARCH SITES: homesandland.com realtor.ca kijiji.ca SOCIAL MEDIA SITES: 23
OUR MARKETING TOOLS PROPERTY BROCHURES Property brochures present your home in high-quality print, and detail its most important qualities in a professional manner. LUXURY YARD SIGN & POST Our luxury sign and post will show your home is professionally represented. With our clean branding nothing that will detract from your home’s curb appeal. BUS BENCHES FOR STRONG COMMUNITY PRESENCE On of the most recognizable brands in Calgary, our bus benches are strategically placed in communities in which we have a strong community presence. TV COMMERCIALS - GLOBAL TV REAL REPORT ESTATE We take pride in our image through marketing. Our TV commercials and our presence on our YYC give us the exposure we need and separate us from other agents, teams, and organizations. TEAM CONCEPT & OTHER FORMS OF MARKETING Having three full time assistants, our team concept allows us to efficiently offer services such as concierge service, and showingline, and marketing products such as text ryders, print media, magazine ads and more.
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LET’S NEGOTIATE ...THE RIGHT WAY We 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.
SELLING TIPS
Not all real estate agents are the same. If you decide to seek the help of an agent when selling or buying your home, you need some good information before you make any moves.
Hiring a real estate agent is just like any hiring process – with you on the boss’s side of the desk. It’s critical that you make the right decision about who will handle what since this is probably the single largest financial investment you will ever make. At the end of the day, picking an agent can cost or save you thousands of dollars. 25
SECURING THE DEAL READY TO CLOSE THE DEAL? MAYBE NOT. 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.
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SELLING TIPS 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.
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TESTIMONIALS B & M CHALMERS My son and his wife contacted Mr. Wong to sell their house, as they had purchased a lot and house. They were so pleased with the guidance and service provided by Mr. Wong (their house sold so quickly), that when we decided to sell our home in, we immediately contacted Mr. Wong as our realtor. From the first visit, Mr. Wong took us through the A to Z of how he would work on our behalf. His suggestions and recommendations on preparing our home for show were excellent, resulting in a sale. On top of selling our home, Mr. Wong assisted us in the purchase of a new home very close to our son, his wife and our new grandson. Mr. Wong made everything so stress free, considering our son, his wife and our grandson were living with us until their house was ready. When all is said and done, Mr. Wong, together with Karen, Melissa and Sherrill, gave us so much personal attention and time, we both feel they went above and beyond. It is a pleasure to recommend Mr. Wong and his staff. G & K PIEPER This is to express our appreciation and thanks for the real estate services which you and your brokerage provided during your listing and sale of our home in Calgary. In our opinion your services were provided in a highly professional and competent manner. *See more testimonials at www.calgaryluxuryhomesearch.com/about/testimonials 28
TESTIMONIALS E SETO I would like to thank the Re/Max Len T. Wong brokerage for the exceptional services received in all 3 of my Calgary real estate transactions this past year. If it weren’t for the Guaranteed Sales Program offered by Len T. Wong, I would have not been able to purchase my last home. Both sales went smoothly and quickly, the first only taking 3 weeks and the last only taking 1 week. Len and his brokerage went beyond the call of duty to make all of the transactions worry free. I would definitely recommend the Re/Max Len T. Wong & Associates brokerage to anyone. F YEE I have used Len Wong’s brokerage for my Calgary real estate needs for almost 10 years now. Our family has bought and sold our Calgary homes and investment properties over that time. Len’s experience and professionalism has ensured a successful and trouble-free experience every time. In addition, we have done well financially on these transactions. I would have no hesitation recommending him and his professional real estate brokerage to anyone, as I have many times before. Feel free to use me as a reference anytime. 29
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
403.287.4888
www.calgaryluxuryhomesearch.com www.calgaryhomesearch.com
LEN T. WONG & ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE