As a seller, your #1 goal is to sell your home in a timely fashion, at the best possible listing price.  In today's market, where there is much more competition, it is important to put your best foot, or in this case, home forward because first impressions are critical.

Many of today's prospective homebuyers have busy lifestyles and are looking for properties that don't require a lot of work.  Therefore, a home in move-in condition is much more attractive.  Before placing your home on the market, you may want to invest in making needed repairs, and preparing (not necessarily 'staging') your home for sale.

Did you know ?

•ALMOST A THIRD (28%) OF BUYERS ARE MORE WILLING TO ‘OVERLOOK PROPERTY FAULTS’ WHEN A HOME IS STAGED

•Staging can save you from a costly price reduction

•A staged home will sell for 17% more on average than a non-staged home, and 95% of staged homes sell 87% faster than non-staged homes

•EVERY ONE OF OUR SELLERS RECEIVES A FREE CONSULTATION WITH A QUALIFIED DESIGNER TO HELP THEM PREPARE THEIR HOME TO ITS BEST ADVANTAGE

•With our complimentary designer’s service, you will receive a written plan that outlines typically a small investment of time and money, and the results will have huge payoff for you!

To get started yourself, inspect both the inside and outside of the home.  Take inventory of practical and aesthetic repairs.  You may want to apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors, and shutters.  Clean the carpet and buff and polish wooden floors.  Tighten and polish hardware.  Repair cracks in sidewalks and driveways and clean any stains on them.  Replace missing or warped roofing.  Clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms.  Repair dripping faucets and drains or plumbing fixtures that aren't operating.

Fix sticking doors and replace old locks and doorknobs.  Replace old bulbs and broken electrical sockets.  Replace cracked windows and torn screens.  Repair broken fencing and reseal the deck.  Clean up stains on tiles and countertops.

Some experts also recommend hiring a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate the property.  (For a list of inspectors in your area, visit the Canadian Association of Home Inspectors website, www.cahpi. bc.ca, or click here).  A standard report will review the condition of the home's heating system, central air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, walls, ceiling, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement and visible structure.  

If there are recommendations for improvement, consult with your real estate professional in prioritizing the list of repairs.

Depending on your goals and budget, you may want to repair only items that could cause significant deterioration to the home, such as a leak.  In addition, your local market conditions may dictate how extensive your repairs need to be.  Let your budget and your real estate professional guide you.

However, be careful about major items.  Sellers rarely recoup money on major remodeling projects, and you may want to save funds for your new home.

A home in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership.  Taking the time to make small repairs to your home can go a long way in making sure your home is presented to potential buyers in its best possible light.  They also just might make the sale.

Home buyer demand picked up across Metro Vancouver* last month, making July, a traditionally quieter month in real estate, the second highest selling month so far this year. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential home sales in the region totalled 2,557 in July 2019, a 23.5 per cent increase from the 2,070 sales recorded in July 2018, and a 23.1 per cent increase from the 2,077 homes sold in June 2019. Last month’s sales were 7.8 per cent below the 10-year July sales average.

“While home sale activity remains below long-term averages, we saw an increase in sales in July compared to the less active spring we experienced,” Ashley Smith, REBGV president said. “Those looking to buy today continue to benefit from low interest rates, increased selection, and reduced prices compared to the heated market a few years ago.”

You can read the entire report here: http://members.rebgv.org/news/REBGV-Stats-Pkg-July-2019.pdf