People are often curious to know how much their home is worth in the current market. Sure there are many Home Evaluation Tools available online. While these tools are a great way to get an idea of what your home might be worth, it is meant as a starting point and does not replace an actual comparative market analysis from your real estate agent. 

Also, there is so much more that goes into valuing a property than a simple calculator. Factors such as market timing, home staging, certain renovations, painting, and improving the overall curb appeal. All of this simply cannot be done online. 

Be sure to reach out to one of the experienced local real estate agents to discuss this.

When you are ready to dive deeper into your Markham home value, you should definitely speak to a local real estate agent for a comparative market analysis, or CMA.

A complete CMA determines the value of your home and helps to establish the asking price for your home.  It is an in-depth evaluation of recently sold homes in the area based on the following factors:

Age and condition of property 

Desirability of the Neighbourhood 

School district

Proximity to amenities 

Size and number of bedrooms/washrooms.

Lot size and features (backing on ravine or park, etc )

Upgrades and updates

Special features (finished basements, swimming pool, etc)

& Much More

That depends on what’s required.  First impressions are EVERYTHING when it comes to selling a home.  When selling a home you must be sure that you have prepared your home in such a way that it presents itself in the best possible light. Also, the pictures, videos, 3-D tours will look better on the MLS as well as  all the marketing/advertising materials. 

A few key areas of focus are curb appeal (exterior appearance), maintenance, cleanliness, and decluttering.  Ensure that clutter is at a minimum, repair leaking taps, clean and repair windows. If necessary give the rooms a fresh coat of paint in bright and neutral colors, make sure the home smells fresh and clean and put away personalized items such as family photos. 

According to a 2017 National Association of REALTORS survey, 32% of agents believe that a staged home sells for 1-5% more and 21% of agents believe staging can add up to  6-10% to the price of a home. 

Here are some of the key benefits and advantages: staged homes are proven to sell in a shorter amount of time than un-staged homes. Why? They help stand out so buyer agents tend to show them first before other listings, which can help increase the number of offers that come in. The key is to give the impression that a house has been well cared for and also to help potential buyers envision themselves living there. 

However, not every home needs to be staged. In some cases, cleaning and decluttering can be enough to make your home market ready. 

According to Ontario law, sellers have to disclose latent defects that they have knowledge of prior to the sale of their home. So, what’s a latent defect? It’s something that makes the property unsuitable or dangerous to live in, such as structural problems, mold, or a leaky roof.

If you’re aware of defects, it’s best to remediate them wherever possible before going on the market. This can avoid potential issues and/or lawsuits once your home is sold, after inspections, and even years after you have sold your home.

Generally, we believe in getting pre-listing home inspections for older Markham houses - especially if the pricing strategy is aimed at getting multiple offers.

Knowing the potential issues with your house before it goes up for sale will give you ample time to remedy them, or alternatively, price them into your asking price. The transparency of a pre-listing home inspection gives Buyers confidence and that usually means more offers.

There are many reasons why sellers are not encouraged to remain at home during appointments and showings.  The most important reason is to allow potential buyers to freely roam the property and talk openly with their own family and real estate agent. Very often when the seller is there, the buyers tend to speed through the home and not get a good enough look at the property. 

In the rare cases when you have to be home, the buyers may directly ask you questions. We recommended that you not get into any discussion with the buyer directly. Leave it to your listing agent, that is why you hired them. 

Typical closing expenses for home sellers include the real estate commission and lawyer fee. This does not include any updates or upgrades necessary to prepare the home to list. 

The Buyer pays the land transfer taxes.

Absolutely. Our approach is maximum exposure and leaving no stone unturned. It's important to conduct open houses as it provides an excellent opportunity for potential buyers to take a second or third look at the property as well as friends and family of  the people in your neighborhood who already love living there.