Things are looking brighter this spring in Calgary's real estate market, particularly for those looking at detached homes. Market inventory for single family homes are trending downward and sales are 20% ahead of last year at this time. The Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) is seeing a balance when it comes to detached homes as significantly fewer properties are for sale this spring (particularly in the Northwest) in comparison to March 2016... [Read the full article]

CREB® April 03, 2017  Get the latest CREB® March 2017 Calgary Monthly Statistics

If you’re a prospective home seller looking to take advantage of the spring market in Calgary, here are few things you can do to help get ready for a spring sale…

Organize Your Home

Organizing your home months in advance is perhaps one of the best ways to get ahead of the mad rush soon to be upon you. Doing a once over of your home and determining what items you want to keep and what items to donate will have huge payoffs in the end. You’re going to have to do this eventually anyways so why not get a head start. Sorting through old boxes in your attic or basement will not only make the task of packing seem that much less daunting, but it will also make the space in your home feel much larger for perspective buyers when it’s time to showcase your home. Organizing your home ahead of time will also save you the back-breaking effort of moving unwanted items to your new home or storage area only to then dispose of at a later time.            

De-clutter, De-clutter, De-clutter

I can’t stress enough to prospective home sellers the importance of de-cluttering their home. Putting away things that you don’t immediately need or that have been collecting dust on shelves or flat surfaces is one of the best ways to open up your home. Even that beautiful children’s artwork hanging on the fridge door takes away from the buyer’s visual experience of your home’s potential. Clutter is very disadvantageous to your home and by clearing it away; it will be easier to maintain a neat and organized appearance for prospective buyers once your home is on the market.

Improve Your Home

While doing major expensive renovations may not be necessary, doing a few small things around your home to freshen the look can have huge rewards. Touching up the paint throughout your home including baseboards and trim, updating ceiling fans and light fixtures, and even changing out doorknobs and switch plates can add to a cleaner appearance. If not sure what improvements will go the furthest, have your realtor come by and do an early walkthrough as he/she will more often than not be able to point out things that potential buyers will pick up on or that may otherwise raise concern.    

Find the Right Real Estate Agent

Finding the right Real Estate agent can play a big part in how quickly your home sells and how much of a profit you’ll realize. Don’t feel pressured into using a family member or a friend who has just got their license unless they have what it takes. Otherwise, you may be doing yourself a big disservice by not hiring the most qualified person for the job. Talk to people and interview several realtors in the area until you feel comfortable with your decision. Ask for references and if it is a big name agent from the neighborhood, find out if you will be dealing with them or a member of their team. Finding the right agent with local knowledge is extremely important. Finally, be careful with those offering discounted rates as sometimes you get what you pay for. Ask lots of questions and understand the compensation model for both the selling and buying agents to ensure motivation remains high for all parties.