Why is it taking so long?

1) What makes a house sell
2) Why does it take some homes longer than others to sell
3) Why use the services of a real estate representative
4) Can one person sell my house quick than another

Answers

1) Appeal, price, the sellers motivation
Appeal - the house must show well inside and out. If your representative tells you to declutter, paint etc, you need to listen. They aren't saying just to sound good, they are saying it because it is what sells a house. Take wallpaper for example. Big bright 70's colored flowers! A typical buyer isn't going to say "pretty wallpaper", they are going to say "pretty much has to come down"! If it's one room, not such a big deal, but the entire house, means lots of work to a potential buyer,
Price - it has to be priced within the market, and for what the market allows. Just because you neighbor got that much doesn't hold water for a typical buyer. They want to know why your price is where it is. Did your neighbors house have the same features? Did your neighbor sell in a better market? These are all questions your "licenced" representative can help you with.
The Sellers Motivation - if you really, and I mean really want to list your home, then do it. But if you are testing the market, think twice before doing so. Testing the market can hurt your chances for getting a good price for your home. Most people that do so, list very high to try and get "nibbles" only to see their listing sit and lose interest. People wonder if it has problems. Your agent is there to do a job, and if you are not motivated, chances are it will rub off on your agent.

2) It takes longer to sell some homes over others for most of the reasons above. Price, motivation, and appeal. Sometimes, the sale is done before the "for sale" sign hits the lawn. You see the "for sale" sign go up, then one showing and boom, SOLD. Sometimes there is a buyer just waiting for that exact home or neighborhood.

3) Again, why use the services of a "licenced" real estate representative? Because we are educated, follow a strict "Code of Ethics" and are governed in the province that we practice. We know the market, we provide stats and data on historical trends, we can tell you how to stage your home, we seek title information, municipal information and the list goes on and on and on....call me if you would like more detail. I would be happy to discuss how hard I work for my clients.

4) Can one person sell your house quicker than another? Not likely. The only difference between signs on a front lawn(when you are dealing with National companies) is the level of service that you will achieve out of your agent. Most listings, excluding "exclusive" listings are visible to the general public on REALTOR.ca which is where more than 80% of home buyers start their search. Wouldn't you want constants updates like graphs, charts, showing details, and communication?
Can one agent market your home better than another to attract more buyers? Possibly. A sign on the front lawn, and an ad in the local paper isn't usually enough in today's market. You need a representative that is internet savvy, tech savvy and one that has strong marketing techniques. In a buyers market, there are so many homes on the market, that your listing needs to be "first" to win the race!
Visit my websites, the many websites and techniques such as Talking House(tm) that I use to promote your listing. The more exposure, the better a chance of selling quicker...period!

Sometimes you see one Brokerage's sign up for a long time, only to be replaced by another Brokerage's sign (another company). This happens because sometimes home owners think that by changing companies they have a better chance of selling. Although in some instances this could be true (where a representative and seller didn't get along) but for the most part this won't usually make a difference. The big difference is listening to your representative, they understand, and have the expertise to help get the job done.

http://www.greybrucearea.com
http://www.jasonsteele.ca
http://www.portelginhomesforsale.com
http://www.pecoldwell.com
http://www.coldwellbanker.com
Social Networks are a great place as well to promote and market listings.
Such as this Facebook page click here

A sure sign of Spring!

Raking your lawn, seeing some Robin's, these are all "signs" of spring....

Here is another SIGN of spring placed on your front lawn!

This Years Award!

Recieved this award this morning. I am happy to know that my hard work, and dedication to my customers has once again been recognized. 2007 was Associate Society, 2008 was Sterling Society, 2009 - shooting for President's Society!
Thank you to all of my past, present and future clients. You will never be disappointed in my service to you.

Jason Steele

Stat Holidays and your offer to purchase

Because your offer to purchase is all about "Title" exchanging hands, one must be able to register the transaction with the Land Registry. Because of that be sure the day that you pick to close your transaction does not fall on a weekend or public statutory holiday! Below is a list of those certain days in 2009 in which a transaction can't be closed.


Holiday 2009
New Year's Day Jan 1
Family Day Feb 16
Good Friday Apr 10
Victoria Day May 18
Canada Day Jul 1
Labour Day Sep 7
Thanksgiving Day Oct 12
Christmas Day Dec 25
Boxing Day Dec 26

Harmonizing Taxes!

Sales tax harmonization will hurt resale home market

(Toronto, March 26, 2009) Ontario’s REALTORS® say the McGuinty government's plan to harmonize the GST and PST will add over $2,000 to the cost of a real estate transaction, hurting the resale home market and prolonging the housing industry’s recovery from the current economic downturn.

“Now is not the time to be erecting barriers to homeownership,” said Pauline Aunger, President of the Ontario Real Estate Association. “We need consumers to invest in housing to help get our economy going again.”

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, home sales in the province of Ontario were down 29 per cent in February, compared to 2008.
Under a harmonized sales tax (HST), home buyers and sellers will have to pay extra tax on a range of services associated with real estate transactions such as legal fees, moving costs, real estate commissions and home inspection fees. Currently, consumers only pay the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on these services.
“These additional taxes could price some homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, right out of the market,” explained Mrs. Aunger. “Harmonizing will not help homebuyers in any way.”

For a resale house priced at $360,000, a HST could add over two thousand dollars in new taxes to closing costs. In total, a HST will add $313 million annually in new taxes to resale home transactions.

“In the last decade, Ontario’s homeowners have faced a barrage of new costs,” said Aunger. “From municipal land transfer taxes to sky rocketing property taxes, homeowners are being pushed to the brink to accommodate increasing demands from government. A harmonized sales tax is yet another cash grab on Ontario’s already overtaxed homeowners.”

The Ontario Real Estate Association represents 47,000 brokers and salespeople who are members of the 42 real estate boards throughout the province. Members of the association may use the “REALTOR®” trademark, which identifies them as real estate professionals who subscribe to a high standard of ethics and service.

OREA serves REALTORS® through a wide variety of professional publications, educational programs, advocacy and other services. A division of the association, the OREA Real Estate College, provides real estate registration education courses in Ontario.

Help with Downpayment!

The information below was borrowed from the Bruce County website to help promote that the end of the program is coming to a close.....hurry before it's too late.

Home Ownership - Realize Your Dream of Owning A Home

This program ends March 31, 2009.
All applications must be approved by March 31, 2009, closing date may be later.
Are you currently renting and dreaming of owning a home, but you don't have the down payment in the bank? The County of Bruce is participating in the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program. (AHP)The Federal and Provincial governments have committed more than $28 million to make homeownership affordable for low and moderate-income households across Ontario. The Homeownership program provides up to 5 percent in down-payment assistance to eligible applicants to assist them in purchasing a home. Applicants must be renting, be at least 18 years old, have a gross household income at or below $64,900 and be eligible for financing from a financial institution. The selling price of the home must be at or below $205,315.

Your First Encounter with a Real Estate Representative

What should your first encounter be like with a Broker or Salesperson?

First thing an agent should be asking you is "are you working with any other agent?"

This should be asked anytime there is contact with a new customer, whether walking into an open house, or into their office. There are a few reasons for this, but the most important reason is ethics. If you have been working with someone else, you should continue to do so, as that agent has invested the time and effort into finding you a property. The exception would be if you are not happy with their service. The other important reason is that if you have a "buyer agency" with one agent, you could owe them a commission on the property you purchase depending on how the agency contract is written.

The next thing an agent should be providing is "Working with a Realtor®". This pamphlet describes how we work for you. Whether a Seller, Buyer, Multiple Representation or customer service, this information is spelled out in this document and should be given at the earliest practical time in the relationship.

And the most important thing when meeting a representative is feeling comfortable with them. Knowing that they are going to work hard for you, and that there is trust between both parties.