Thinking of Selling your Home Privately? Points to Ponder First.
by Bill and Lia McNally
In attempt to save the commission paid to Realtors, some sellers decide to try to sell their homes privately. However, you should be aware of some of the drawbacks before
talking the plunge. We have compiled a list of points to ponder:
It can be a lot of work. The phone calls, making yourself available for showings at all hours, marketing, follow up, paperwork, etc. A realtors job can be very time consuming. If you have a busy lifestyle you may find yourself too short on time to do a proper job.
Unqualified Prospects. A lot of time in real estate is spent sifting through prospects, separating the serious buyers from the time wasting window shoppers or worse, the few bad seeds out there looking to prey on home owners. Realtor screen prospects before they ever make it to your home.
The Bargain Hunters. Buyers who are not working with a realtor are often out there looking for a steal. Of course, you want to get what your neighbors with the same house sold for, but the buyer knows you aren't paying commission and will insist on a price drop. The money you were hoping to save usually ends up in the buyers pocket. So quite often you will be short the commission money and you had to do all the work. It almost doesn't make sense.
When you sell privately you are hiring someone with no experience. Quite likely, you've never sold a house before. Given that your house is probably your biggest asset, why risk it? Your realtor has the training and experience needed to make sure you aren't taken advantage of and to negotiate the best possible deal. Emotions and stress run wild during negotiations and can actually work against you. Your realtor will keep you calm and centered and assess the situation with a rational mind.
Things can get tricky, really tricky. What will you do if the person who wants to buy your home a house to sell? What if the person buying that house also has a home to sell? What is the best and safest way to go about it? Your experienced realtor works with these complicated situations on a constant basis and can protect you from a variety of potentially costly mistakes.
Marketing Costs: Selling a home is expensive and without the benefit of MLS you will be missing out on the vast majority of qualified home buyers and realtors scanning MLS daily. If you end up needing a realtor in then end (which is the case most often) you will have spent that money in addition to commission.
The market is constantly changing. You realtor is up-to-date with what's going on to make sure you don't sell your house for too little or price your home so high that it sits there becoming just another stale listing.
What makes Acton's Honeyfield Neighborhood a great place to live?
by local realtors Bill McNally and Lia McNally
1. Every house has an old fashioned front porch. In the warmer month you'll see many of your neighbors out on their porches enjoying a coffee or entertaining friends and family. Some studies have even shown that neighborhoods with front porches are safer than those without.
2. It looks different- good different! With old fashioned street lights and aesthetically pleasing, Cape Cod style homes, Honeyfield stands out from other subdivisions. When you live here you'll notice lots of people taking evening strolls to admire the homes and the many beautiful gardens.
3. The schools are close- Two great schools, Mackenzie Smith Bennett and Acton District High school, are just on the outskirts of the Honeyfield neighbourhood. You can walk to either one in about 5 minutes or less!
4. The skate park is awesome! Located within the subdivision, this skate park is a big hit with the local kids. You'll see kids of every age here practicing their skills on the quarter pipe or watching from the bleachers.
5. Lots of kids. Honeyfield is a real family orientated neighborhood. Kids don't have to leave their streets to make friends!
6. Great, friendly neighbors. Attend some of the events planned by your neighbors: street parties in the summer, lobster boils, etc. If socials event don't appeal to you, you can be comforted knowing that you can depend on a friendly neighbor to watch over your home while you're away.
7. Close proximity to the community swimming pool, the arena/community centre, soccer fields, shopping, churches of many denomination.
8. Nature trails. Honeyfield is surrounded by Green belt on the east side. Enjoy a little nature just a few steps from home on the few kilometers of nature trails.
9. Honeyfield's park. A great place to take the kids!
10. Availability of Large lots on Browns Crescent. Newer neighborhoods are notorious for having tiny lots. Not here. Stretch out on pool sized lots from approx 114' to 140' deep!
11. A great age of home. Honeyfield's homes were built from around 2003-2005. You can enjoy the lower maintenance a younger home requires without the hassles of a brand new home. Fences are in place for most homes and the finishing touches have been done!
12. If you are interested in finding out more about Acton's Honeyfield community, why not contact local realtor, Bill McNally at 905-877-5165? Bill both lives and works in Acton, making him a great source of information. In addition Bill McNally is a top performing sales representative at his company, Johnson Associates Ltd., Brokerage. He is highly recommended by his past clients and is always happy to help with all your real estate needs.
Contact Bill McNally at 905-877-5165 or email him at b_mcnally@sympatico.ca
Top Turn Offs for Home Buyers.
by Bill and Lia McNally, real estate sales reps.
We’ve shown hundreds of homes to all sorts of clients in the Halton Hills area and we’ve come to notice what people like and don’t like. Use our list of don’ts to make sure you’re not turning would be buyers off when it comes time to sell your house.
Odors. First impressions count and if a prospective buyer is knocked over by an offensive odor you can bet theirs won’t be good. Stale cigarette smoke, litter boxes, dogs and strong cooking can all cause buyers to turn their noses up at your house. Because you may not even be aware of how your home smells, you may want to ask a neighbor or friend for their HONEST opinion. To remedy the problem you should refrain from trying to mask odors with air fresheners. It doesn’t work! Instead, try getting the carpets cleaned and washing odor trapping fabrics, like bedding, upholstery and drapes. Smoke outside your home, arrange for pets to be elsewhere while you are trying to sell, clean out the litter box every day, and refrain from cooking strong smelling dishes. If you really want to go the extra mile, fill your home with smells that are sure to delight by baking cookies or a fresh loaf of bread.
Neglecting minor repairs. If you haven’t changed burnt out light bulbs or fixed that leaky tap, buyers may begin to thing that you may have neglected the larger things as well. Before you list your home, make sure you tackle all these little jobs. Often they can all be taken care of in less than a day.
Dirty, scuffed walls and old chipped paint. Painting your home in neutral colours is one of the least expensive ways to freshen things up. Don’t forget baseboards and doors. Most often, painting your home will result in your home selling more quickly and for more money. It’s well worth the effort! We can recommend a great painter in the Halton Hills area who provides fast, professional service.
Not cleaning well enough. If your home is dirty and unkept for a SHOWINGS, the prospective buyer will often wonder what your home looks like on a regular day. Don’t let their minds wander down that path. Make sure your home sparkles. Don’t forget closets, basements and garages too.
Too hot or too cold. No one wants to step into a sweltering house on a hot summer day. Luckily, this is an easy one to take care of. Make your home more inviting and comfortable by selecting the right temperature for the season. If its winter and you have gas fireplace, now would be the perfect time to showcase it.
Unkept yards. Landscaping should not be overlooked when it comes to preparing your house for sale. Buyers really notice if your lawn is overgrown and littered with garbage. Take the time to make the outside of your home look presentable.
Family pictures, knick-knacks. Buyers like the clean, uncluttered look. Achieve it by packing up all these items. Just think- you’ll have to pack them anyways, why not get a head start?
About us- Bill & Lia McNally. We’re an energetic and highly productive spousal team committed to building our business through the referrals of satisfied clients. We’ve consistently been among the top performing agents at Johnson Associates making us the logical choice when it comes to listing your home. Call now for a free market evaluation on your home or if you have any real estate questions. No obligation.
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"It's worth the drive to Acton." That's a well known saying about Acton, the community immediately next to Georgetown. Acton certainly draws people its famous leather store, the Old Hide House, and Acton has all the amenities you need for the perfect small-town lifestyle.
Acton, a town of fewer than 12,000 people, is actually the smaller part of the bigger municipality of Halton Hills. It's just 72 kilometers west of Toronto and has easy access to the big city via Toronto's suburban train network, at the Georgetown station, or the GO bus network. Although the town is growing quickly, as city residents seek lower-cost housing and a quieter setting, Acton has long thrived as a commercial, industrial, and residential core in its own right. It was founded in 1823 as a mill town and grew quickly toward the end of the 19th century. Many of the stately buildings that bring so much charm to Acton's streets date back to this period.
Downtown Acton also has action. The Leathertown Festival, for example, fills the downtown thoroughfares with street theater, concerts, and vendors selling unique goods. The Harvest Festival, in Georgetown, on the other hand, salutes the end of summer as farmers and craft merchants show off their wares. The town also has abundance of arts activities. Arts Alive has long brought rich culture to the town through dance, music, and comedy shows at the John Elliott Theatre and the Cultural Centre Gallery located in nearby Georgetown (just minutes away).
Acton is set apart with several natural amenities. close at hand is the famous Bruce Trail that passes through the Niagara Escarpment. The trail, combined with the Credit River Valley, will give you ample of opportunities to enjoy horseback riding, hiking, cross-country skiing, cycling, and fishing. In many ways, Acton offers the best of rural and urban living. The country is at your doorstep, but you're always close to stores and services in town or in the big cities of the Greater Toronto Area and Toronto itself.
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Bill McNally is a hard working realtor serving Halton Hills. He's the person to call when you want results. Click on his profile to learn more.
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