Nova Scotia Real Estate Sellers Guide 
Once you have decided to sell, the single most important decision you will make with us is determining the right asking price for your home.
Once you have achieved a realistic sales price for your home, you can rely on your property being professionally marketed and promoted to bring more buyers to your door. You can also expect to sell your home for the best possible price in the least amount of time.
Benefits of Correct Pricing
- Your property sells faster, because it is exposed to more qualified buyers.
- Your home does not lose its "marketability".
- The closer to market value-the higher the offers.
- A well-priced property can generate competing offers.
- Professional Realtors will be enthusiastic about presenting your property.
The Result of Overpricing
- You may think that "interested buyers" can always make an offer, but if the home is overpriced, potential buyers looking in a lower range will never see it.
- Those who can afford your home at your asking price will soon recognize that better values are available elsewhere.
- Gradually your price will have to be reduced to market value, but by that time it has been for sale too long and buyers will become wary and reject it.
- On occasion the seller runs out of time and the property has to be sold for less than its true value.
Signing a Listing Agreement
On the way to this point, we have done a comparative market analysis to indicate what today's buyers are willing to pay for a home. This exercise compares the market activity of homes similar to yours, in your neighbourhood. The SOLDS are the best representation of what buyers are willing to pay. The ACTIVES represent the prices that sellers hope to obtain for their homes. The EXPIREDS represent those properties that were, generally, overpriced or poorly marketed or both.
The listing agreement commits us to actively market your home for a specified period of time. It commits you to a pre-established marketing fee that is to be paid upon the successful closing of the sale.
Some documentation that we may need from you will include:
- Location Certificate
- Property Tax & Assessment information
- Heating & Electrical costs
- Recent Home improvement costs
Potential buyers usually request the latter two.
The Showing of Your Home
First impressions are lasting ones, and we want to ensure that potential buyers are left with the best possible impression. Buyers usually view more than one home in the course of their search. We can help you achieve that goal by giving you the checklists that we have developed over time. These lists will enable you to prepare your home for showings and to prompt favourable reactions from potential buyers and their agents. You don't get a second chance to make a "good first impression".
You Receive and Offer!
There are six important considerations to decide upon once you have received an offer to purchase your home.
- - This will depend on the market and the buyer, but generally, the price offered is different from the asking price.
- - This includes the financing details and they should conform to industry norms. In some cases, a purchaser may want to assume your mortgage if you have an attractive interest rate.
- - These can be extremely varied and may include "subject to the buyer obtaining financing", "subject to a home inspection" or "subject to the sale of the purchasers property".
- - These may include the purchaser asking for appliances, certain fixtures and decorative items, such as window coverings or mirrors.
- - This shows good faith on the part of the buyer and will be applied against the purchase price of your home when the sale closes. We can advise you if the amount tendered is suitable for the transaction.
- - Generally, this is the day the title of the property is transferred to the buyer and the seller receives the funds.
Prepared by Al & Bea Mac Donald, Royal LePage Atlantic.