By Warren McNeil,

Here is a video I did for sellers who are thinking about selling their houses in Waterloo Region. Please check out the video and if you have any questions or comments please let us know…

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Here is the transcript for the video:

Hi There, I am Warren McNeil from Team McNeil at Re/Max Twin City Realty in Kitchener

Today I am going to talk to you about a few things you need to do before selling your house.  Selling your home can be a simple and straightforward process if you follow the right steps.  In order to get top dollar and avoid headaches, it is important to do a few things beforehand. 
Here are 5 things you can do before selling your house.

Number 5 – Get a Market Evaluation
The first thing you should do is get a market evaluation on your house so you know exactly how much you house is worth before you do any work.  A realtor will advise you on things you should do and not do when preparing the house for sale. We will make recommendations on things such as updating, repairs, decluttering or staging.. You might not need to spend as much money as you think to get your house ready.

Number 4 – Mortgage information
If you have a mortgage on your house, you should find out if there is a penalty to pay out your mortgage early.  We recommend calling your lender to find this information out.

Number 3 – Make repairs and perform other maintenance items
It s a good idea to do any necessary repairs around the house. We also recommend that you replace furnace filters, fill the water softener with salt, replace burnt out light bulbs, fix broken door handles and replace any cracked or broken windows. Consider hiring a home inspector before you sell your house so that you can find out if there are any unknown issues. If you fix the issues beforehand, then you can avoid surprises later when the buyer does their home inspection. The money you spend now on repairs, maintenance and home inspection could help you get more money later.  Contact us if you would like us to recommend a good Waterloo area home inspector or other skilled professional.

Number 2 – Declutter, Depersonalize, Paint, Clean and Stage

-          Decluttering: Decluttering will allow the buyer to visualize how big and spacious the rooms are in the house. People who are selling their houses often use their garages to store items from the house. Other options are offsite storage or storage pods.

-          Depersonalizing:  You should also consider depersonalizing your house. This is a touchy area and all I am going to say is just put yourself in the buyer shoes and try to view the house through their eyes.  Keep an open mind and remember that the goal is to sell the house for the most money.

-          Cleaning: One of the cheapest things you can do is clean. Buyers love looking at clean houses. If you are unable to clean on your own, consider hiring a cleaning service to help you. It will be the best money you ever spend.

-          Painting: Painting is one of the best things you can do to make a house feel fresh and clean and to add more appeal.  If you are unable to do a good job yourself, consider hiring someone to do it for you.

-          Staging: Hire a staging profession to stage your home. It is amazing what a professional stager can do to help you get more money for you house.  

Contact us if you’d like a recommendation for a professional organizer, a professional stager, a painter or a cleaning service.

And the Number 1 thing to do before selling your house is: Determine the best possible price
Pricing is the single most important thing to consider before selling your house. Your house will be worth a certain value based on its location, updates, condition and the recent sold comparables.  When you hire an agent, don’t list your home with the agent who wants to overprice your property just so they can get the listing. List your house with the agent who takes the time to go through the comparables and provides valid reasons for their price recommendation.   Homes that are overpriced often sell for less.

Whether you are a move-up buyer, relocating or downsizing, selling you house can be a smooth process if you follow these steps. 

 If you are thinking about selling your house in Waterloo Region and you would like to get started with a free online market evaluation of your Waterloo area home, please visit our website at www.clickthathouse.com or call us at 519-498-8118. Thanks for watching and see you next time!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (   519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks       Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

Thanks for reading!

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118
Connect with us on the following social networks Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamMcNeilRemax
websites: www.TeamMcNeil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.KitchenerLofts.com, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

By Warren McNeil

Here is a new video I did regarding the “Top 5 Things to Expect  From a Tech-Savvy Realtor”

Enjoy

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 Here is the transcript of the video:

Hi There! I am Warren McNeil from Team McNeil and Re/Max Twin City Realty in Kitchener

The Internet has changed the way we all communicate in this world. As a realtor, we need to constantly stay current with technology and utilize these new methods with our marketing. Technology, if used right, can make a huge difference when marketing a home for sale. Gone are the days of the big MLS book. According to the National Association Realtors, 84% of people start their home search onlne. So hiring a tech-savvy realtor is more important then ever to give you that edge you need to sell or buy your next home. Here are the top 5 reasons to hire a tech-savvy realtor.

Number 5 – Website
It is important that a realtor has their own website. In my opinion, websites are not optional they are mandatory. They serve many purposes. A realtor’s website should be able to display listings with lots of photos, detailed desctriptions of the property and an area for virtual tours as well as provide an easy way for prospective buyers to contact the realtor.

Number 4 – Print advertising
A realtor who utilizes both print advertising and the internet is better able to take advantage of both mediums strengths. Marketing a house for sale in the newpaper and leading the buyer to the website for more information is crucical for maximizing the marketing of a property. You still need both! A tech-savvy realtor understands that many consumers still rely on traditional advertising methods. So don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Number 3 – Mobility
Realtors must be able to access email or text messages while in the field. Prospective buyers want information rightaway so it is very imortant for realtors to have a PDA such as a Blackberry or an Iphone.

Number 2 – SEO or Search Engine Optimization
Realtors who have good search engine ranking ensures that your listings get found on the Internet. Realtor.ca is a great website but it is not the only website to rely on when it comes to marketing your home online. Buyers also use search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing to look for houses. Realtors who have their websites optimized will have a better chance at getting their house listings found.

Number 1 – Web 2.0 – Social media
The internet has become more interactive over the past 5 years. Having a website is not good enough. Realtors also need to blog, do videos, Twitter and use Facebook. These are all methods that are important for us to connect with clients, prospective buyers and prospective sellers. Having a realtor that utilizes some or all of this technology ensures that you hired the right person to do the job.

The good news is, technology will continue to evolve. As new technologies come out we must harness their effectiveness so we can all do our jobs more efficiently!

Thanks for watching and see you next time!

Thanks for reading!

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118
Connect with us on the following social networks Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamMcNeilRemax
websites: www.TeamMcNeil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.KitchenerLofts.com, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

By Warren McNeil

From  time-to-time clients say to us that they didn’t know that we provided certain services or they didn’t understand how realtors work. This post is to provide an overview of some of the things that you might not know about what a realtor does or how we work.

 1. Realtors are independent contractors. They may represent RE/MAX or another real estate company but they work independently of each other. They are agents of the broker of record.  In most cases you will never even meet the broker of record. You will only work with the realtor. Realtors are their own CEO, president and owner of their own business.

2.Realtors pay for their own expenses including the marketing of your home. This could cost hundreds to thousands depending on how long it takes to sell your house.

3. Realtors must be licenced in the province of Ontario.

4. Realtors must continually update their education in order to stay licenced.

5. Realtors don’t get paid until they sell your house and all their costs are upfront.

6. When you hire a realtor, they may already have a buyer. Realtors are constantly meeting new buyer clients who are looking for homes and your home could be the one they were looking for. They might meet buyers on the internet, at open houses or walk-ins at the office

7. A realtor can sell any house that is on the MLS. This is considered buyer agency and differs from seller agency. A buyers agent represents the best interests of a buyer and not the seller. For more information see your buyer team and their roles

8. There are no costs to you if your houses doesn’t sell.

9. Realtors sell houses everyday so they become very skilled at negotiations, marketing, customer service, local market information and they know the good or bad areas

10. Realtors must carry Errors and Omissions insurance. Due to the complexities  of real estate transactions, the need for this type of insurances is necessary.

Thanks for reading!

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!