• Step 1: Decide When to Sell
• Step 2: Find a REALTOR ® Who is Right for You
• Step 3: Sign a Listing Agreement
• Step 4: Determine Your Home’s Asking Price
• Step 5: Add a Lawyer to Your Team
• Step 6: Prepare Your Home for Sale
• Step 7: Let Your REALTOR® Market Your Home
• Step 8: Prepare Your Finances
• Step 9: Receive an Offer
• Step 10: Close the Deal

Step 7: Let Your REALTOR® Market Your Home.

You’ve spruced up your home and it’s never looked better. It’s time for your REALTOR® to do their thing.

Your REALTORS® marketing tools.

The “For Sale” Sign.
Despite all our leaps in technology, the “For Sale” sign continues to be an extremely effective way to advertise. Anybody responding to your sign is a good lead, because they have seen the home with their own eyes and are interested enough to phone in. If somebody is bold enough to knock on your door and ask for a “quick peak”, politely tell them that all visits are being handled by your REALTOR®.

Traditional media.
Your REALTOR® may choose any or all of the following: classified ads in the newspaper (often with a photo), ads in REALTOR® magazines, real estate listings on cable television and good old fashioned mail. Neighbourhood mailers are still incredibly effective.

MLS and the power of the Internet.
Your REALTOR® will place your home on the Multiple Listing Service, ensuring maximum exposure to all REALTORS®. Most MLS listings are also advertised on www.mls.ca, Canada’s most popular Internet research tool for residential real estate, and a big reason why many Canadians who search for a home start on the Internet.

REALTORS® really know how to network.
Your REALTOR® is part of an extensive community of REALTORS® who collectively represent hundreds of eager buyers. REALTORS® will call their friends, who call their friends, who call their friends. The power of word-of-mouth will really be working for you.

Ultimately, your home itself becomes a selling tool. Start with an open house for REALTORS®.
Most REALTORS® like to see a home with their own eyes before they show it to their buyers. A “REALTOR® Open House” is the most efficient way to attract all these REALTORS®, and if your home is perfect for one of their buyers, you can be sure they’ll rush right out and tell them! Your REALTOR® will organize everything and get the buzz started.

Next, an “Open House” for everybody.
Many buyers want to get a feel for your neighbourhood before they start working with a REALTOR®. That’s why Open Houses to the public are so important. They usually last a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday, and there are a few simple but important rules to follow.

1. Make sure your home looks it’s finest.
Your best buyer may just walk in off the street! Use our “Home Preparations Checklist”to make sure you’re ready.

2. Lock away valuables.
Most people are decent, courteous and honest, but it’s wise to stash valuables like jewellery, cameras and other small valuables. As added security, your REALTOR® will request a name and phone number from every visitor.

3. Attend to any hazards.
Is there an electrical cord somebody could trip on? Is there a chair that will collapse if somebody actually sits in it? Fix it, or lose it.

4.  Avoid cooking foods with strong aroma.
Almost nobody’s dream home smells like smoked herring!

5. The best way you can help.
Don’t be there. You want people to feel relaxed, and allow themselves to daydream that your home is their home. This just isn’t possible with you there. Go see a movie, or if you have pets take them on a field trip.

REALTORS® will want to show your home to individual buyers.
Remember your REALTOR® Open House? All those REALTORS® have called around and found buyers looking for a home just like yours. Naturally, these buyers want to see your place firsthand before making an offer. Welcome to the appointment-only phase of showing your home. Your REALTOR® will act as a go-between and will give you as much notice for these visits as possible. Keep your home in top shape and be somewhere else during these visits.

A “lock box” makes it easier to show your home.
A “lock box” is a small, sturdy metal box that’s affixed to your front doorknob. It’s a mini safe with a key to your house inside. REALTORS® are given a combination to the lock box, so they can show your home to interested buyers. Be patient with visits. Hopefully they will lead to a great offer, soon!