November 3, 2020 | FAQs

real estate faqs

Home Selling Top Related Questions

Here is a list of the top 20 questions that go through a home seller’s mind as soon as they start thinking of selling their home in Toronto!

1. How To Sell My House Fast

Selling a house fast comes down to utilizing the correct listing strategy. A professional, top-notch realtor will explain your options in the current market. Ultimately, pricing the property effectively, staging, professional photographers, and videographers are essential for quick home sales.

2. Should I Sell My House And Rent When I Retire

Retirees often wonder whether they should sell their home and rent. Our approach is to have a conversation about their desired lifestyle, financial position, responsibilities of upkeep, etc. Each person is uniquely different – there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong scenario. It’s essential to talk through what makes the most for our client’s needs.

3. How Soon Can I Sell My House After Purchase In Canada

Selling a home in Canada can be done at any time after you take possession. If a buyer wants to buy your home, you may sell it. It is worth noting that there may be tax implications if the property is deemed to be a business venture to make an income in a short amount of time. It is worth exploring the Canada Revenue Agency’s website for more information.

4. How To Stage A House For Sale

Staging a house for sale is no longer a debate – it’s a must. Hiring a stager with a great eye for design will ensure that no items are overlooked. The stager knows what today’s buyer is looking for in a home. The stager will brighten a room, add colour where necessary, remove furniture, add furniture, replace light fixtures. Each step ensures that your home is staged at its best to fetch the most amount of home on the market.

5. How To Prepare House For Sale

Preparing a home for sale does not need to be a complicated process. Start with a professional real estate agent – take their guidance and advice. Decluttering, de-personalizing, painting, small repairs, etc. are typical for most houses. Also, a home stager is a great move. A professional Realtor handles the other items.

6. How To Put Your House Up For Sale

To put up your house for sale, you should hire a realtor. A professional real estate agent has done hundreds of transactions in their career. A pro will ensure that no detail is overlooked. That the negotiation is handled well, and that your stress levels are managed well and kept in check.

7. How To List A House For Sale

Call a real estate agent to list your house. The process will begin with a home evaluation, detailed steps about staging, marketing strategy, showings, offer process, conditions, lawyers, closing timelines etc. Trusting a professional real estate agent will ensure that the listing of your house goes smoothly.

8. What To Do When Selling Your Home

Want to sell your house? Ask trusted friends and colleagues for their preferred professional realtors. Interview those real estate agents. Choose the one you most trust, the one who will do a top-notch, professional job. Once you have chosen your real estate agent, they will guide you to what steps are necessary to launch your home on the real estate market.

9. How Can You Use Equity Without Selling Your Home

Accessing the equity in your home can be a powerful financial leverage tool. You do not necessarily have to sell your home to access the equity of your home. Creating a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a great investment vehicle. A HELOC acts as a bank account that allows you to borrow money from the equity built up in your home at a lower interest rate.

10. Things To Do When Selling Your Home

When selling your home, be sure to clean your home top to bottom, clean up the yard, keep your home organized and tidy throughout the duration of the time on the market. Be as flexible as possible for buyer showings. Any restrictions can deter a buyer from returning at another time. Assuming that you have hired a professional real estate agent, trust their guidance each step of the way.

11. What To Expect From A Realtor Selling Your Home

If you hire a professional and experienced realtor, then you should expect that this person will be prompt, insightful, communicative, solutions-oriented, able to negotiate, have your best interests in mind 100% of the time, protect you at each step of the way. You should feel like you are their only client, that your business relationship is of the utmost importance each step of the way. Challenges will arise when selling a home. You must be able to trust your realtor.

12. How Much Does A Realtor Charge To Sell A Home

A lot of people ask how much a realtor charges to sell a home. Keep in mind that there is no price-fixing. Each realtor can change whatever they choose. The key here is to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth out of the realtor commission fees. Are they knowledgable, professional, trustworthy, experienced, trained, are they savvy marketers, do they stage, do they spend money on advertising, do they have a good rapport with other agents in the industry (if they don’t, then it’s more challenging to get the top dollar for the house).

13. HST When Selling A Home In Ontario

There are two Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) considerations when selling your home in Ontario. 1) HST is paid on any services that you hire, including a realtor. A realtor’s service fees incur HST; 2) You can incur HST on the sale of your home if the house is a new build or extensively rebuilt. Be certain to look at the Canada Revenue Agency’s guidelines as these can change from time to time.

14. Costs Of Selling A Home In Ontario

There are some costs associated with the sale of a home in Ontario. Be sure to budget accordingly. These costs range from lawyer fees, the possibility of a mortgage cancellation fee or porting the mortgage to another home, real estate brokerage fee, moving company costs and possibly the cancellation of any services related to the house (i.e., security system).

15. What Has To Be Disclosed When Selling A House In Ontario

If you know of any issues or problems, whether latent or patent defects, you must disclose these to the buyer. If you do not disclose them, will-fully hide certain defects that were not covered appropriately in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, then the seller runs the risk of a lawsuit. When in doubt, disclose. Document any latent and patent defects to a prospective buyer ahead of time. It’s better to address any issues upfront versus facing a risk of not being able to close on the house and the increased possibility of a lawsuit. If there has been a flood in the basement, disclose this to buyers. If there was a death in the house, disclose this – some backgrounds will not buy a home where someone had passed away in, better to address this upfront than to face a lawsuit. Again, when in doubt, disclose.

16. What Are The Lawyer Costs When Selling A House in Ontario

Lawyer fees typically run between $1200-2500 for closing a residential property in Ontario. Keep in mind that the less complicated, typical sales will come around the lower end of the spectrum.

17. What Are The Steps To Selling A House

In order to sell your home, it’s advisable to you a top producing real estate agent. A professional agent will guide you through every step of the way, from preparation to listing the home on the public market to obtaining an offer, negotiating the deal and seeing the sale through to closing (i.e., money in your bank account). Also, be sure to clean your home top to bottom, clean up the yard, keep your home organized and tidy throughout the duration of the time on the market. Be as flexible as possible for buyer showings. Any restrictions can deter a buyer from returning at another time. Assuming that you have hired a professional real estate agent, trust their guidance each step of the way.

18. What To Expect From A Realtor Selling Your Home

A professional real estate agent ensures your best interests are cared for by going above and beyond just their fiduciary duties. Leads, guides, manages, and leads clients to the best possible outcome – whether that be any or all of these aspects: saving you money, making you more money, lessening stress and hassle, and time. This agent is well aware and up-to-date with what is happening in the market — best practices in negotiation, marketing, strategy and communication. The best is continually looking on and off the market for houses and condos that suit their clients. They are prepared to have conversations that are necessary for their client’s success.

19. How Much Does A Realtor Get For Selling Your Home

The realtor who lists your home is the representative of a real estate brokerage. The fee goes to the listing brokerage. This fee is not fixed; it is negotiable by the seller and real estate agent. The paid fee is pre-determined in a contract as either a set fee or percentage of sale plus HST.

20. How Does Selling A House Work With A Mortgage

Most houses that sell have a mortgage. In order to handle this appropriately, the seller must speak with their lender to discuss the possibility of paying out the mortgage, transferring the mortgage to the buyer or porting the balance to another property. There is nothing to be concerned about as long as you ask the necessary questions early in the process, before listing the home.

Don’t see an answer to your question? Feel free to leave a comment and we’ll get right on it!

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