By Warren McNeil 

Fact:
According to the National Association of Realtors, at least 80% of homebuyers start their property searches on the Internet. 

When choosing a real estate agent, you’re selecting someone to represent you in one of the largest financial transactions you may ever undertake.

The Internet has changed the way people research buying and selling homes, there are many good reasons to choose a REALTOR® who can harness the power of technology to provide you with exceptional service, including:

· Sending you valuable real estate information by email. (Market statistics, cma data, area information)
· Providing you with an online home evaluations to stay on top of your market value.
· Emailing new home listings to you as soon as desirable properties hit the market.
· Delivering e-newsletters to keep you informed about market trends and other important matters.
· Showcasing your home on the Web to help you sell it for top dollar.

Whether you’re thinking about buying or selling or simply want to stay informed about the real estate market, using new technology helps us consistently provide you with timely information and outstanding service.

 by Warren McNeil

 If you are considering selling your home, one of the things we recommend you do after the Listing Agreement has been completed is to fill out a Seller Property Information Statement (SPIS).

 Here is part of a sample SPIS form:

Click to see larger image

The SPIS is a valuable tool for buyers because it can aid in helping the buyer better understand information about the property before putting in an offer. The seller is disclosing this information up front so there will be no surprises later during negotiations.

Some of the information that is outlined in the SPIS:

• Water supply and sewage systems
• Registered rights of away
• defects of equipment on the property
• structure damage
• Road improvements

As realtors, we are not trained in home construction, electrical and plumbing so we can’t always identify problems with a house. The SPIS provides a means for the disclosure of information by the seller to any problems to the best of their knowledge. It is still recommended that buyers seek the expertise of a home inspector. The SPIS does not eliminate the need for a home inspection. I repeat; The SPIS does not eliminate the need for a home inspection.

Included in the SPIS is a structural checklist asking the seller, "to the best of their knowledge", if there have been any recent renovations or improvements made to the property, are there any problems with the heating or air conditioning, plumbing or roof. There is also a section on environmental issues for use in dealing with rural properties. Issues here deal with such items as water supply and if the water is potable (suitable for drinking). All information that is valuable to potential buyers.

The SPIS can help protect sellers against possible liability and that is why many real estate boards are recommending them to sellers.
The SPIS can help assist buyers in making an informed decision prior to putting in a offer.

References:
OREA booklet: How to sell your Home – pg 53
ISBN 0-9695137-0-7

Here are board statistics for the Kitchener-Waterloo real estate board. Please note that the information here is only based on residential real estate. If you would like a more detailed report, please contact Melanie or Warren.  

September 2007 – November 2007

All information deemed to be accurate and are based on monthly statistics of the Multiple Listing Service gathered by the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate board.

I hear we are supposed to have the harshest winter we’ve had in a long time. Brrr!! I’m getting cold just thinking about it. I think I’ll move to Florida now! Wait a minute, if I go to Florida, who is going to help you sell your home

News like this will cause some people to not want to list their home until the spring. That is perfectly understandable. Sometimes there are reasons beyond your control where you need to sell your home during the winter. Look at the bright side, there are typically fewer listings on the market during the winter which will make yours stand out more. It could actually be beneficial for you to list your home in the winter. You’ve heard, location, location, location. Well in the winter you need location as well as presentation. People can’t see your well manicured yard with the beautiful tulips. All they see is snow, snow, and more snow.   Presentation is a large factor when selling your home this time of year. You want to make sure your home is welcoming so that buyers want to see it.

 Here are a few things you should consider when selling your home in the winter.

1. Always make sure your snow is shovelled and the driveway and walkways to your house are clear. When showings are going to take place, it is a really good idea to salt the walkways so that potential buyers don’t slip and fall. It is also a good idea to clear the sidewalks in front of the home so that people are able to take a walk around the house.

2. Place a rubber mat at the front door so that snow (which melts into water if you can believe that) doesn’t make a mess of your entrance

3. Turn up the heat a couple of degrees. Potential buyers will come in from the cold and instantly feel how nice and warm your house feels. The overall feeling will be positive. If you have a gas fireplace, light it up.

4. Bake an apple pie, cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip cookies. Not sure if you knew this but baking gives off a nice aroma. When my mother-in-law bakes, I go nuts over the wonderful aroma. Some people told me that you can heat up vanilla. Better yet you can get scented oils that smell like baking which will save you all the trouble of baking. Don’t over do it though. Some people are really sensitive to different smells so you don’t want to get too crazy

5. Let the holiday season work in your favour. Decorations, trees, lights and wreaths all add character and make people feel at home. You might not want to get carried away like the Griswalds though. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qc_RYm0ylA

6. If you are close to a ski hill or a big tobogganing hill, selling you house in the winter could be a selling feature.

7. Place emphasis on the positives. Is your home close to bus routes or does your street get plowed quickly and salted regularly in bad weather?

8.  Build a snowman in front of the house. It can’t hurt. People driving buy will look at your house and see the snowman. The snowman can represent a friendly presence that might entice prospective buyers.

9. If the realtor holds an open house, serve hot chocolate  and the cookies you baked in tip #4

10. Last but not least, after you sell you house, take a vacation to somewhere warm to celebrate your success.

 Hopefully you find these tips useful and gives you a little inspiration. There are always people looking to buy a house and your buyer could be one showing away.

Take care! 

Warren