Home|About Us|Join Us|REALTOR® Area|Search Site

Things to consider before trying to
sell your home yourself

If you have the skills and the time, there can be many advantages in selling your home yourself. However, you have to keep in mind that selling a home is unlike selling a car or having a garage sale.

Selling a home requires expertise and knowledge that surpass the advantage of saving some money - one of which is protecting yourself from legal issues and safeguarding your investment that only experience and training can provide.

It also requires expertise and knowledge in a number of key areas outlined below:

Market Knowledge:

Do you have your finger on the pulse of the market? Do you know what homes similar to your home have sold for in your neighbourhood in the last few months? Do you know how you could find out? Do you know about comparables – homes that may look just like your home – but may have sold for far more than other homes as a result of a kitchen renovation or new landscaping or a new secondary suite? Could you accurately set the price your home so that it's not too low and not too high?

Marketing Skills:

Do you have marketing skills? Can you describe your home and compose an attention-getting advertisement that will draw potential buyers? Do you know the most effective way to advertise your home? Lawn signs? Newspaper ads? Website ads? Flyers? Word of mouth?

Marketing at an open house:

Do you have the skills to host an open house? Do you know how to stage your home so that its best? Can you read people so you know whether they're merely curious (looky loos as they're known as) or serious buyers? On some weekends hundreds of people attend open houses. Are you aware of safety issues at open houses?

Negotiating Skills:

Are you a trained negotiator? If you need to sell your home because you've taken a new job in another town or you've bought another home (you're a motivated vendor) do you know how to remain detached and not accept the first offer? Could you counter-offer effectively?

Paperwork:

Do you understand all of the forms that must be completed in a transaction? Do you know how to ask for and document a deposit, how to draw up a legally binding contract, and the rules for when to return it if your deal falls through?

TIme:

At the end, do you have the time necessary to sell your home properly to get the most out of your investment? As they say "Time is Money" and we value your time. All of the things required to get the most out of selling your home needs time - sometimes even into the very late hours of the night to negotiate the best deal.

So, what value does a Royal Pacific REALTOR® bring to the transaction?

First, Royal Pacific REALTORS® are thoroughly trained. We've had years of courses, we've passed exams and we're believes in lifelong learning. As part of being a member of a profession we have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) which provides the most maximum exposure of a home for sale to buyers and their representatives across Greater Vancouver and around North America.

Second our REALTORS® are experts – whether it's at hosting open houses or negotiating. We have a complete understanding of all of the forms and legal documents. We have access to a wide network of REALTORS®. We can host REALTORS®-only open houses and can quickly discover from colleagues exactly who has clients looking for a home just like yours.

We'll save you time and we'll make you money and we'll make the process problem-free.

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

Contact us, we'd love to hear from you!

For more information on this article or how we can help you with your real estate needs, contact your Royal Pacific REALTOR® at 604-266-8989 or use our online form for 24/7 service Contact us

Did you know?

Top of page

Site Map

Things to consider before trying to sell your home yourself