- Exposure on 2 real estate boards Cobourg/Port Hope Real Estate Board and the Quinte and District Real Estate Board.
- Over 30 years of combined Real Estate experience selling property in the Northumberland (Cobourg, Port Hope, Brighton, Cramahe, Rice Lake) marketplace.
- Free Comparative Market Analysis on local Northumberland and Quinte Region homes.
- Work diligently with Buyers to find them the home that is right for their family needs, not what is right for us.
- Honesty, integrity, accountability and loyalty.
- Feature sheets.
- Advertisements in the local markets including Port Hope, Cobourg, Grafton, Colborne, Brighton, Rice Lake Area and Warkworth
- Open Houses to sell clients' homes.
- Internet exposure on at least 4 websites.
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Frequently asked questions about buying or selling your home or property
Question: What is the MLS Service?
Answer: MLS is the Multiple Listing Service. This system allows all Registered Realtors with CREA to use the service to advertise all real estate listings for sale, and promote themselves as registered Realtors in Canada. Most Buyers will use this system to find their next real estate purchase.
Question: What is the standard rate of commision
Each Realtor is able to set their own commission rate based on the services they provide and their Brokerage's policy.
Question: How long is an MLS listing Agreement for?
Answer: An MLS listing agreement can be as long as the parties to the agreement want it to be. If the agreement is longer than six months additional initials must be added to the agreement acknowledging the long term.
Question: What is the best way to price a house for sale?
The key thing is determining how much your property is actually worth on the market -- called "market value". The 2 most important factors that determine a home's value is recent sale prices of similar properties in the neighbourhood and the homes, with similar criteria that are currently for sale.
Question: Is it better to list your home for sale at a high price first?
Answer: No. If a home is over priced it will sit on the market and become stale. Buyers are very price saavy these days. They tend to take their time and view many properties in the same price range. They learn quite quickly what is an over priced listing price and what is a fair listing price. Homes that sit on the market too long become stigmatized..."there must be something wrong if it is not selling"....The best advice is to be an informed Seller; view your competition, look at the comparative market sheets and listen to your Realtor; afterall, he/she is the professional that you have hired to sell your home!
Question: Should i accept the first offer that comes in on my home for sale?
Answer: Maybe. There are several things to keep in mind when receiving an Offer: 1) What is the current market place doing; are homes moving fast or slow in your area? 2) What is your market niche; covers all likes of people, targeted to seniors only, targeted to first time home owners only? 3) How many showings has your house had since it was listed? 4) What is your personal situation; do you need to sell fast or can you afford to wait for the possibility of a second offer? and perhaps the most important consideration 5) Is the Offer fair and representative of the current market?
Question: What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is an examination of the structure and systems: heating and air conditioning, plumbing and electrical, roof, attic, insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, doors, foundation, and basement. If the inspector finds problems, it doesn't mean you can't sell your house, but you can be certain a buyer's inspector will find them too. Finding problems before you list your property can avoid accusations of misrepresentation, low offers, and even lawsuits. A home inspection can also help sellers comply with new, tougher disclosure laws. A home inspection is strongly recommended for all buyers, no matter what the age of the property is that you are buying. Buyer Beware; it is easier to beware if you know what you are dealing with.
Question: How do I prepare to sell my home?
First, get psychologically prepared. Detach yourself emotionally from your home and start viewing it as a commodity you want to sell. This is difficult for most sellers whose identities are often reflected in their homes. However, it's important to be completely candid with yourself about how your home should look when it goes on the market.
Property appearance and condition play a bigger role in the home sale process today than a decade ago. Today's home buyers are usually savvy, choosy and have lots of time to browse all merchandise on the market. They'll pay a premium for homes they can move right into.
The probable selling price for your home will depend on various factors, including: how many buyers are looking for homes like yours, how many other homes like yours are currently on the market, and the condition of your home relative to your competition. You can't control the supply and demand factors affecting the market, but you can control how your home looks when it hits the market. Remember a fresh smelling, clean home always spells pride of ownership and increases the comfort level of all buyers.
Question: What is curb appeal?
"Curb appeal" is the common real estate term for everything prospective buyers can see from the street that might make them want to turn in and take a look. Improving curb appeal is critical to generating traffic. While it does take time, it needn't be expensive, provided you keep two key words in mind: neat and neutral.
Neatness sells. New paint, an immaculate lawn, picture-perfect shrubbery, a newly sealed driveway, potted plants at the front door - put them all together, and drive-by shoppers will probably want to see the rest of the house.
Hand in hand with neatness is neutrality. If you're going to repaint, stick to light, neutral colors. Keep the yard free of gardening tools and kids' toys. Remember, when a family looks at a house, they're trying to paint a picture of what it would be like as their home. You want to give them as clean a canvas as possible.
Question: Tips for making your house look better.
First, make your house look as clean and spacious as possible. Remember that people will open and look behind your doors - closets, cupboards and crawlspace doors as well as the medicine cabinets in your bathrooms. So get rid of all the clutter; have that garage sale and haul away the leftovers. Pack up everything you don't use on a regular basis. Your going to have to pack it anyway, why not start before your house hits the market.
After you've cleaned, try to correct any cosmetic flaws you've noticed. Paint rooms that need it, re-grout tile walls and floors, remove or replace any worn-out carpets. Replace dated faucets, light fixtures, and the handles and knobs on your kitchen drawers and cabinets.
Be aware of the smells in your home!!! The first and biggest turn off for any buyer is the way a home smells! If you have pets, be sure to clean and remove all "litter" on a very regular basis. If you are a smoker, perhaps the purchase of an odour eater machine or start smoking outdoors. Wash or remove curtains and carpets, cloth materials hold our everyday smells that may be offensive to potential buyers. Too many candles or room sprays may also be offensive or give the wrong impression...trying to cover up smells.
Finally, as with the outside of your house, try to make it easy for prospective buyers to imagine your house as their home. Clear as much from your walls, shelves, and countertops as you can. Give your prospective buyers plenty of room to dream.
For buying and selling of residential or commercial, real estate in Northumberland County including Cobourg, Port Hope, Brighton, Cramahe and Rice Lake call Jody or George today.
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