Planning to sell your home in the near future? You need to read this.

Canadian Real Estate boom is over and some cities more than others have experienced the change already. How do we adjust to those changes that happen faster than anyone anticipated?

1. Be Well Informed. Talk to a Realtor and ask for a Free Market Analysis to get a good idea about current market conditions as well as the projections for that market for next 3 to 6 months.

2. Be Honest. Share with the Realtor the true reasons for selling, talk about your expectations in regards to her and be sure to understand and acknowledge her expectations as well.

3. Be Trusting. After talking to the Realtor (or few) you should be willing to accept the information they provided. If three people tell you that your home will sell for $315,000 and not for $350,000… trust them… it will.

4. Be Ready to Show. First week or two on the market are crucial. Now is not the time to paint your home. That should have been done prior to listing. In Real Estate Time, is of an Essence! Once you sign the listing agreement, your Realtor will expect your home to be available for showings at all times, spotless, fresh, clutter free and available! After all, she is already in high gear pouring time and money into advertising and promotion efforts. You can not afford to slow her down by refusing to show your home… because it’s not ready yet.

5. Be Ready to Follow Directions. If you are asked to move the overgrown cactus out of the house, because it makes your living room seam small… Just do it! If we ask you to move the dinning room furniture into the dinning room and remove the pool table out of there… just do it! There is a reason for those requests. We do have YOUR best interest in mind.

6. Be Sure to De-clutter. And then de-clutter some more. When selling your home, less is more… truly is the way to go. Last thing you want is to have the potential buyer looking and “registering” your stuff, instead of noticing the great attributes of your home. Get rid of anything that is distracting, anything that is subtracting from the true beauty of your home.

7. Be Ready with Cleaning Supplies. We know that you have to live in your home during the selling and promotion process. We know that your pets live there too. So make it easier on yourself. Be smart about your cleaning. Use disposable furniture and window wipes, use dollar-store baby wipes for spills in the kitchen and bath, stash them everywhere you may need them and ask everyone in your family to use them as needed. Do not allow small messes become big problems at showing times. Ask everyone to pick up after themselves and the dreaded chore of keeping the house presentable at all times will not be a chore at all. It really is IMPORTANT that your home is presentable at all times, while it is listed… Trust me.

8. Be Sure about what you Want to Keep. If that beautiful antique chandelier has been in your family for generations… remove it and replace it with something else prior to listing. Do not give the buyer an opportunity to use it as a bargaining tool.

9. Be Realistic about your Price. We all have an idea how much our home is worth, some of us however forget the simple fact that in reality, it is only worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it…

10. Be Willing and Able to Adjust. Sometimes, in a difficult, slowing… buyers market it is difficult to keep up with the changes in the conditions of that market. Be available to talk to your Realtor on daily or weekly bases. Let her keep you informed and keep the communication lines open at all times. Sometimes smooth reactions and fast decisions can make a big difference in the status of your listing. If you can not communicate with your Realtor when needed, those decisions will be impossible to make.

The bottom line is that in a tougher market a Seller can not afford to waste time. Once your home is listed and active on the market, you must follow the directions of your Realtor. We do know what we are doing and since we work for you, we do have your best interest in mind.

If you are considering a sale of your home, and would like some advice on how to proceed, please give me a call. I will be happy to provide you with a Free Market Analysis, and will be able to advise you on current Market conditions.

 

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

 

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

Couple of days ago, on my way to Toronto, I stopped at one of the coffee shops in south Barrie.  This company offers the best French Vanilla and super fresh made sandwiches... 

I walked in and there were line-up everywhere: to the counter, to the touch screens where you order your food, to the cash registers.  With 6 people working this crowd, I should be in & out, I thought. 

Then I noticed the chaos!  The woman behind the counter was screaming at the young guy, because she could not find lettuce, his hands were shaking and the sandwich he was working on was falling apart.  Knives were thrown on the floor and no one had time to pick them up.  Three other workers were wondering aimlessly in the store trying to look busy.  When the screaming woman behind the counter politely asked the manager to help her for a moment, so she could serve the customers, he said that he had other things he needed to do! 

Three Customers waiting for their food, (myself included) were looking at all of this in amazement.  You could see the tension in the eyes of the young guy, the frantic woman had tears in her`s.  She kept explaining to us, that everyone called in sick.  There was not enough people working that day.  Meanwhile the manager continued to do absolutely nothing and still had no time to help his clerks. 

Coffee was not available at the self care counter, the orders were mixed up and done incorrectly.  The woman kept raising her voice in angry comments to herself.  Those people really had a rough time that day.  What bugged me the most, was the way that she handled herself and her stress in front of Customers...

Perhaps others will disagree, but I felt very uneasy listening to her screams and angry comments.  I thought that that was not the time and place to blow of steam.  We all have to live through tough days and most of us do it in professional fashion, especially at work.  Long ago, I was working at the deli & bakery counter in a supermarket, and if there was a need to handle more customers, we just moved faster! That was our job.

Here, they were stressed out, but no one was in a rush... and especially not the manager, who, I thought, was there to just look pretty.

After 15 minutes of watching this show... I left with a half filled cup of coffee and my (I hoped) sandwich.

How do we handle on-the-job stress?  Do we scream and yell and stomp our feet in front of our Clients?  Of course not, if we are ready to explode, we remove ourselves if only for a moment from the presence of the Client, to calm our nerves and return back to the room smiling...

The Coffee Shop lady was doing all she could to handle the tasks at hand, but instead of concentrating on those tasks, she poured all her energy into being angry.  That day, my coffee shop break was a great lesson too.  I learned how easy it was to create an opinion in my mind about someone based just on their behaviour at that moment. 

Now, others are making those opinions about us, very same way.  If we want to be viewed as professionals, we must act like professionals at all times.  Lesson Learned.

 

 

For Sale by Owner. In recent years we all have noticed the increased number of those signs sprouting on our lawns...

The reason: KEEPING THE COMMISSION in your pocket.

Saving money is on everyone's mind and some succeed in doing so by selling their home on their own. However many homeowners shoot themselves in the foot by choosing to go that route.

It all sounds great in the beginning, in fact it looks amazing, especially in a strong, aggressive, upward market.

But how does it really work if things slow down drastically?

What happens when little tiny element goes out alignment? Oh, let's see: the obscenely high gas prices, for example? What happens with those doing it on their own? What's happening to the For Sale by Owner crowd?

Without current access to the market data, many of them are left behind, refusing to accept the facts.

When things get tough in the Real Estate market, people get anxious and things start to happen even if that same market was soaring just 6 months ago.

Today there are 944 current, active listings on the Barrie Real Estate Board.

Every two days we get about 25-50 new listings and each one only has about a week, perhaps two to really get the ball going and dazzle the buyer.

Buyer on the other hand is happy and content. He has plenty to choose from... welcome to the Buyers market!

Now what happens, when a savvy Homeowner decides to sell on his own in this tough market?

We all have an idea how much our homes are worth. That monetary value is engraved in our mind. We have a tendency to forget that the true value of a home is the actual amount someone is willing to pay for it.

Many of those For Sale by Owner people concentrate so much on the bottom line that they forget everything else that goes on around them. We also have those people listing with a Realtor at a price nowhere near where it should be. Your home is probably worth as much as you say it is... but what good will it do you... if you CAN NOT sell it, when you need to?

Here's where we have to be drastically honest with ourselves.

If you truly need to sell, if your situation is tough, you really don't have a choice, than do your research, or get a Realtor to do that research for you.

Get as much accurate information as possible and then base your pricing decisions on that info.

If a Realtor provides you with a Comparable Market Analysis (based on recent sales of similar homes in your immediate area) and it says that your home will sell in the price bracket of $280K-$290K take their word for it.

The data that we are working with is true and easily verifiable. When we tell you $290,000 and you list for $315,000 because your next door neighbour listed his identical home for $320,000, you both will be sitting there with your For Sale signs on your lawns for months to come!

Why? sale by owner

Because we are all smart, and savvy Buyers! Yourself included. When you go shopping for your next home, you will be looking for the best deal there is. You will do your homework, your Realtor will guide you through the process and advise you on all the little details.

So when a Buyer goes shopping for his new home, by the time he looks at yours, he already has been through 15 other ones...

If your home has nothing to impress them... the will start looking for all the negative elements to bring the price down, even those you may consider positives...

That's why when your home goes on the market, "Sale By Owner" or with a Realtor, you must make sure that it is ready, spotless and available for viewings at all times.

Do not make the mistakes of relying solely on your own perception of value. It may be a great mistake that will cause you the sale.

If you have a pool, a finished basement, a wet bar, exotic hardwood flooring that cosed you an arm and a leg... do not assume that your potential buyer will be willing to pay extra for those. To them, those elements will be welcomed bonuses. Nothing more.

Did you know that in Barrie, homes with finished basements sell a lot faster than those with unfinished ones? The difference in price however, between those with finished basements and those with unfinished once will shock you. It is about $1,500!

Yes, just $1,500. To the buyer a finished basement is just... a bonus.

These days, the replacement value of the home is much higher than it's true value. This is especially true with bigger, upscale homes. Smart people will understand that and will accept it, even though it is so hard to accept.

In this slowing Barrie market you must be smarter than your competition. Those who are, cut their losses, get their homes ready, list them close to their true market value and sell within a month of listing.

Than they watch their neighbours frantically trying to lower prices on their stale listings, and finally witness in amazement the final sale event accompanied by the tearful confessions of: "I should have..." from those same neighbours.

I know well how hard it is to let go and say I will take less for my home. This is your hard earned money, after all. But the bottom line is: how much are you willing to loose if you continue to play the game of "I can get more, just wait and see".

Barrie Market is now correcting itself and the game days are over. Be smart about it. List with a Realtor... after all it is our business and we know it well. All the best to all Home owners who decided to go with the "For Sale by Owner" signs! If you need help with a Comparable Market Analysis, give me a call, I will be happy to help!

On a final note; if you have your mind on going the "Sale by Owner" route, my hat is off for you. But please do not attempt to purchase a home without a Realtor. That can cost you a lot of money and grief in the long run...

As always, I'm available to help, provide information, evaluate your home for sale, provide a action plan to make the process easier or help you find that one home that is perfect just for you. If you could use some help, please give me a call.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

It's a wise thing to be informed and so, each chance I get I try to do just that. Our latest monthly office Lunch & Learn provided thrills and chills down my spine yesterday. We were lucky to have a guest speaker form CMHC who came in with hot new news and information pertaining to the up to the minute events in our local and not so local market.

Just as other Barrie homeowners, the Realtors in this beautiful city are uncertain as to where the market will go... Well, we got an eye opener, yesterday.

According to the Statistical Data gathered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (www.cmhc.ca) the market is now entering the balanced stage.

Considering however, the latest gas price changes and the fact that for last 6 months we (the Realtors) have noticed the steady decline in sales and the increased time to sell a listing, a lot of my colleagues, myself included, feel that we are just leaving the Balanced market and in fact are entering the dreaded by many, Buyer's market...

Further more, the CHMC predicts that this downward trend may continue and will culminate in 2011. That would mean that the market activities and average sale prices at that time will have nowhere else to go, but up.

Again, if we want to be specific, we must take into consideration the gas prices that regretfully force a lot of Barrie residents to move back closer to Toronto. That is happening today and there is no point denying it. Yes, the gasoline has been a bit cheaper last couple of days, but it will not go back to below a $1.00 / liter... will it?

The CMHC reports do not take that important factor into consideration. The data would be "on the nose" if the gas prices were closer to where they were a year ago. Today however, things are different and some of us feel that this expected 2011 culmination of decline in the market conditions may come a lot sooner than expected.

There is good news however. Some of us may visualize the horror of the late '80 when a lot of people lost a lot of money... Back then the mortgage rates were a lot higher. So high in fact that it still amasses us that we were able to afford homes back then...

Today, we do not have to worry about hight mortgage rates. Bank of Canada is keeping the Prime Interest Rate low and steady. Here is the latest news release from the Bank of Canada.

So the expected slump in the market will not affect us so severely like the last one did, but it will affect us to some degree never less.

How can we protect ourselves?

If your situation forces you to sell your home... do it now, and do it smart. Be realistic about the price, listen and trust your Realtor. Now is not the time to "test the market" with inflated numbers... It has been tested already, and those who recently participated in the "testing" are now quite sorry...

If you are buying a new home, do not plan to sell it soon to make big money... chance are it will not happen.

But let's not be all sour and sad... there is the other side of the coin here! All those who waited for the right time to buy that bigger home, and those who are still dreaming about that first property they will be able to afford. Smile! This is your time!

Get yourself a Realtor and get out there to find that dream home of yours. It is waiting just for you.

As always, I'm available to help, provide information, evaluate your home for sale, provide a action plan to make the process easier or help you find that one home that is perfect just for you. If you could use some help, please give me a call.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

On July 16th, TD Canada Trust has announced that the following changes will be made in respect to Mortgages offered through their institution, to bring the landing rules in line with the regulatory changes set to take affect on October 15th of this year.

- The maximum amortization period for mortgages will be 35 years

- 40 year amortization will no longer be available

- Five per cent will be the minimum down payment required for new mortgages

- 0% down payment days will be gone

- CMHC will be insuring mortgages based on the 95% lending ratio as opposed to 100% ratio

- TD will continue to process those mortgages with a longer amortization period or a lower down payment that have already been approved up until the October deadline.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

One of your listings has been on the market for some time now. Your Client is getting anxious, and you start to feel uneasy… There is still no serious activity. During the Agent’s Open House and at the Office Tour you heard those pesky comments about… pet odours. You know well what they all are talking about.

During your very first visit to this home, you have noticed it yourself and you’ve seen the litter box smack in the middle of the family room floor. The dog food was there too, a little bit in the bowl and the rest all over the floor.

When you came to stage the home and take pictures, everything was nice and tidy, but you could still smell… the SMELL.

Obviously, others can smell it too.

So, how do we address little issues like this, how do we talk about the problem with the homeowner without offending them? We need to remember that many people treat their pets like family members, a suggesting that: “You need to get rid of your cat during the selling time” can cause a lot of grief and may create a situation upsetting for all involved.

And yet this tiny problem must be addressed as soon as possible, if not solved, it can eventually escalate and prevent the home from selling at all!

I have a “Home Showing Kit” that my Clients get right after listing is uploaded and pictures are taken.

In a colourful gift bag I have: • can of air-freshener – to keep by the front door (in the front closet)
• set of Plug-In – vanilla scent – to place in the hallway
• couple dryer sheets tied with a ribbon – to place under sofa cushions
• small envelopes of furniture wipes and bathroom wipes – for easy clean-ups
• small aromatic candle – for the powder room / bath
• list of time-saving, cleaning tips from www.flylady.org
• my own, printed list of to-do’s with an emphasis on problem areas (cat litter, ash trays, etc.)

When you shop wisely, this will not cost more than $10.00 and provides not only an incentive to the Client, but also in itself, is a subtle suggestion in the right direction.

I also tried leaving a bowl of potpourri underneath a funky-smelling antique chair in the front hallway of one home, only to find the bowl and the potpourri tightly wrapped in plastic, during my next visit… my Client was allergic.

I’m sure others have some great ideas in regards to this, so please share.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

One of my colleagues called me yesterday to arrange a last minute showing on one of my listings. His People were coming from Toronto and wanted to view homes in Barrie. When he first spoke to them, the obligatory question was asked…

“Are you working with an Agent”? No…, they replied…

So he booked this showing, I got my Client ready, all was set.

Shortly after, he called me again… “Joanna, I’m sorry, we will not be coming… these people have an Agency agreement signed with Toronto Agent”. They lied to me…

(For those who don’t know: Realtors must follow a code of Ethics, we are not allowed to talk to someone else’s Clients, as would be a case here)

I felt sorry for him, just like I feel sorry each time I hear stories like that. We encounter more and more situations just like this one, due to high gas prices. I’m sorry to say, but there are Agents that will send their Clients up north and instruct them to call someone locally to take them and show them properties up here. Big savings of time and money...

But when a Buyer is asked up front: “Are you working with someone else?” and then, with a smile lies to your face… that is always hard to take.

There are other unpleasant moments that we have to handle with courteous smiles… when we are asked to book 6 showings on Sunday afternoon so our Clients can both decide what they like, and when every thing is arranged and booked… just the wife shows up and tells you that her husband will be available to view those homes… tomorrow, so if you could please book the same 6 again tomorrow between 4 and 6pm...

Many of you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Yes, I know that some people will look at this and say: “It’s your job, deal with it!”

But I am talking here about simple human honesty (It’s still out there) and being courteous and considerate of other people and conscious of your own actions that may affect those other people’s schedules, actions, feelings…

So, let me ask you, my fellow Realtor, how do you handle tough moments like this? How do you protect your time and efforts? How do you guide your Clients and Customers so everyone is on the same page and all understand and respect each others expectations and obligations?

Please share… Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

We are surrounded by ecologically conscious ideas, Earth-safe cleaning products, recycled this and that, and I’m all for it! I truly am! I was raised in the country where 30 years ago we collected newspapers, and glass bottles and deposited them to special depots. Then we would get a coupon valid for a purchase of… toilet paper.

Those lessons stayed with me, and I happily embraced the whole recycling and composting ideas and implement them into the daily routines of my family’s life.

All my lights are outfitted with energy saving light bulbs, there is a compost bin under my sink and two big compost containers in the back of my yard. Like most other people I separate my paper, glass and plastic from my garbage and remember to turn off the lights when I don’t need them.

But let’s look at the bigger picture…

This morning around 10am, there was a man walking up my long driveway. Great! I thought, last thing I need is someone who wants to sell me something… Reluctantly I opened the door to have a Toronto Star newspaper shoved in my face!

It was huge bundle of disgusting-smudge-producing paper that was… complimentary!

When I politely declined, he was shocked! YOU DON’T READ THE PAPER?!!! It’s FREE!!!

He was actually quite angry when he left my doorstep… he took the paper with him…

Did I tell you that I live 150km North of Toronto? I don’t want to sound ignorant, but why the heck would I read Toronto Star? I’m well informed about everything that happens there through other, more environmentally conscious media, thank you very much!

Now this is the information about daily circulation of Toronto Star and other newspapers.

Isn’t all the NEWS already available online, on the radio and on television? Do we still need this paper waste, clogging our recycle boxes? Yes, newspapers were needed way-back-when… the Internet was not accessible to everyone, but now, to me it’s a HUGE waste of resources! Do we still remember where all this paper is coming from?!

I know, that there are still those who need their paper as much as they need a coffee in the morning, but I’m sure there is not as many of them as there used to be, pre-Internet times!

Wouldn’t it be proper, right thing to do, for Publishers of daily papers to rethink their circulation and adjusted it to the true needs of their readers… before out Grand kids ask us to tell them stories about beautiful forests, trees and animals that used to live there...

Environmentally speaking…

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

 

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

 

Summertime, Ice Dance teams from Mariposa School of Skating practice at the East Bayfield Arena, so after dropping my son off, I have an opportunity to enjoy an early morning walk in the area.

The streets are quiet and empty, (we are talking 6:00am, here) and I can take in the crisp air and smell of fresh cut grass. I walk fast, and try to get a good workout, walking a different route every time.

Today, I came into the area, I never visited before and, to be honest, I was very impressed. Cassandra Dr, just East of Sister Catherine Donnelly School.

Here, the lawns were beautifully manicured, edges trimmed and planting beds covered with mulch to keep the weeds in check. Two homes caught my eye and I had to pause and take in the beauty of their setting.

Facing each other, those two corner properties welcome their visitors with immaculate, white picket fences, their lawns adorn with well designed planting beds. Porches are decorated with hanging baskets over flown with colourful flowers. The back yards are enclosed with privacy fences stained in deep mossy green, creating a perfectly muted backdrop for a great display of well chosen shrubbery and flowers, planted just in fornt.

I couldn't stand in front of those two homes for much longer with my mouth open, so I moved on. Walking away I noticed that other homes on this street had a stately presence as well, even though they were not big.

It was the landscaping and the maintenance of each garden that made those homes looking like million Bucks! What got to me was the fact that all theses neighbours worked together, and yet each on their own to create a neighbourhood they can be proud of.

Sometimes it's the little things that move us. Today I'm thankful for those minutes I spend walking on Cassandra Dr.

If you are looking for a medium size home in a great area, this surly is a place to be. Please give me a call, to view homes available for sale in East Bayfield.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

 

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
F:705-725-8232
TF: 1-877-722-8191

*Independently Owned and Operated

www.Selling-Barrie-Homes.com
joanna@selling-barrie-homes.com
MOWIE PO POLSKU

 

We talked about the safety of your children, previously. Today I would like to mention valuable possessions that may need protections, while your home is listed for Sale.

We all heard about stolen paintings, jewelery and other valuables.

How do we protect our belongings form disappearing when the house is offered for sale?

Sometimes it is quite tricky to get Clients to cooperate in this matter. We are all proud of the things we have. On some level, we want people to know that we have them. And this is where the things get difficult…

Some of those valuable things are part of the decorating scheme of our home, and removing them for safety reasons will diminish the look and perhaps the attractiveness of the home. Homeowners simply forget that their valuable things that maybe part of the decor, will not be purchased with the house. So why not remove them before we show the house to potential buyers?

But still many people would have a hard time, dealing with a removal request from their Realtor.

Solutions are easy and do not have to be expensive. Valuable paintings and statues can be replaced with ones that have little monetary value, and still work with the overall look of the house.

Items like pricey cameras, video equipment, collectibles, personal jewelery and other valuable and “precious-to-you” items should be put away, hidden and placed out of view.

Not only will they then, not be visible in the pictures that your Realtor includes with the listing and that are broadcasted online and available to view by every crook that spends his days doing “research” on the Internet. They will also not be out there in the open during personal showings or during busy Open Houses.

If you still have a tough time understanding our reasons for “hide-your-stuff” requests, please keep in mind, that when we show your home to our Clients, sometimes we are not able to keep an eye on everyone in the group…

At times we have 5 people going through your home at the same time; some of them wonder to the bedroom while others in the group stay in the living room asking questions… Of course the Realtor is in the living room answering those questions. Believe me… we are frantically trying to move the conversation to the bedroom, just to take a peak at what others are doing there… Most times, it’s not possible.

Open House settings are even more stressful. On a good day we may have 15- 20 people poking around in your home. You have entrusted your home to us, and we work hard to keep an eye on everyone as discreetly as we can of course, to keep things safe and in order.

So help us out. Put your stuff in a safe place, out of the view of the visitors and protect your valuable belongings before they are spotted by those who not necessarily have the purchase of your home in mind…

After each private showing or an Open House, take a moment to go through your home and take note of things that are out of place, things that may be missing and those that are damaged. We need to know about stuff like that immediately, so we can trace the culprit, request compensation or contact the Police if needed.

If you would like some advice on how to get your home ready for sale, or would like to find out what the market conditions are in your area, be sure to give me a call. I will be happy to help.

Joanna Gerber

Sales Representative
HomeLife
Kempenfelt-Kelly
Realty Ltd. Brokerage*
284 Dunlop St. W.
Barrie, Ontario
L4N 1B9

(705)794-6482

O:705-722-8191
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