Three tips for selling your home in a buyer's market

Selling your home in Calgary's present real estate market can be a challenge, but some common-sense decisions can help improve the odds.

John Hripko, a REALTOR® with Royal LePage Benchmark, says he's recently noticed basic things that some sellers are not doing – things that, if done right, could make a difference when selling in a down market. Price it for the market
Hripko says he still sees homes priced today at what would be considered a "seller's price" rather than a market price.

"The reality is it has to priced in the marketplace, priced competitively, priced correctly," he said.

Your Realtor will know how many days on average a home is on the marketplace in your community, "so if you're priced above the marketplace, it's obviously going to take a lot longer to sell," said Hripko.

Show it when asked
"Even in today's marketplace, we have countless showing requests that get turned down or refused because they are not convenient for the seller," said Hripko.

"No matter how inconvenient the timing is, let (the showing) go through." - John Hripko, Royal LePage Benchmark

He says if someone wants to view your home between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., find a way to make it happen – don't say that the buyer needs to come at 7 p.m. instead.

"If someone is being shown three or four homes in a community in a very short timeline, they're not coming back a half day later to look at one house," he said. "It comes off the marketplace as far as they're concerned. They are just not interested.

"No matter how inconvenient the timing is, let (the showing) go through."

Keep it clean and ready
Hripko says he has taken clients to view homes recently that were in a state of total upheaval, and somehow sellers think that will not hinder a sale.

He likens the situation to trying to sell your car in its current state: muddy outside and dirty inside, with spilled pop and candy wrappers in the back seat from the kids.

Keep the house clean, uncluttered and looking its very best, and you'll never get caught scrambling when people come for a viewing while you're away.

"To me these are such obvious things," said Hripko.

He adds that even simple preparations are important, such as making sure sidewalks are shoveled, lights are left on inside and out if people are scheduled to view a house after dark, and information sheets are available in the home.