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Whether a market is hot or cold, and whether a home is big or small, there are certain things that make a home easier to sell. There are of course obvious things, such as renovations, but it’s the not-so-obvious things that are the focus of this article. Here are four things that would help any Yellowknife homeowner maximize their sale price, but which often slip through the cracks.
#1 – A Pre-Sale Home Inspection
There is nothing that I love to see more during a listing appointment than a several-year-old home inspection report with check marks and dates next to items that have been addressed, and an accompanying stack of receipts. Nothing says “well maintained home” better than good old-fashioned proof. It makes a Realtor’s job so much easier. Seems obvious, right? But it’s actually really rare. Most people know that when they sell their home, there will likely be an inspection. And they also know that if only they had this list of deficiencies in their possession a few years in advance of selling, they could make the list much shorter and thereby facilitate the eventual sale – it’s just that folks don’t usually think of it until it’s too late. What’s the solution? Mentally disconnect the home inspection process from the home sale process. If you haven’t had an inspection done since you bought your home ten years ago, get one done. Use the inspection report as your guide, get stuff fixed, and keep receipts.
#2 – Summer Photos
It’s a uniquely northern real estate problem – when the market is at its peak in April or May, yards and gardens are either snow covered or dusty and drab. Down south, yards look pretty good in May. But not here. And although all Yellowknifers know this, they usually don’t think of it until it’s too late. And they can’t exactly wait until their lawn comes in to list their home, because Yellowknife empties out at the end of June when people go on summer vacation – listing during the summer doldrums is not ideal.
Now and then an owner will have one or two grainy summer photos on their phones, but they don’t have the professional-grade photos that we require for online marketing purposes. This is actually a problem we are hoping to start solving this year with our Free Summer Photo Promotion. We’ll be taking exterior photos of people’s homes in July and August, and then if they list with us in the next few years we’ll already have the photos on file. You can sign up by e-mailing us at prospectrealty@century21.ca or calling (867) 873-9800.
#3 – De-Cluttering
It would be great to come up with a new term for this, because when people hear the term “de-cluttering” they naturally think it means to get rid of items that they no longer need or use. While that’s true, de-cluttering also means getting rid of – or in some cases just hiding – things they still use all the time. The way we usually try to explain this process to homeowners is that we try to make a home look like a hotel room. There really isn’t anything “extra” in a hotel room. That extra armchair or end table, mini-appliances, personal photos, kids toys, toiletries – even clothing hanging in closets in some cases. It isn’t practical for people to live in such a minimalist environment for very long, but it helps us sell homes. But like the first two items on this list, de-cluttering is something that is best started well in advance of listing a home, otherwise it can be overwhelming. First the true clutter has to go, and that gives us the room to tuck away the other items when it comes time to prepare your home for photography. Garage sales are huge in Yellowknife, and there are a couple of great sharing/salvaging facebook groups out there. Embrace them. You’ll find it rewarding.
#4 – Talk to a Realtor Well in Advance of Listing
There are three things you need to know about Realtors: they are really friendly, they have a lot of time on their hands during the winter months, and if you reach out them well in advance of listing your home, they will give you free advice that will either make or save you a lot of money, or both. There is so much more that we can do for you if you involve us well in advance of your planned listing date. It is literally never too early to contact a Realtor.
There is no doubt that a home can be sold even if none of the items on this list have been completed, but it’s our goal at Century 21 Prospect Realty to help you maximize your sale price and leave nothing on the negotiating table. With a little bit of advanced planning, we can get you across the finish line with maximum profit.
If you found this blog post valuable, we would really appreciate a Google review (to do so, follow this link: https://g.page/r/Cf_LTIUkVkX6EAI/review). We strive to educate homeowners, whether they are our clients or not, because we believe that a careful and considered home purchase has a lot to do with how long people stay in the North and contribute to our communities. We are passionate about the North, we are active in our communities, we intend to live here for a very long time and we want to build lifelong relationships with our clients and neighbours. Thanks!
