While we hope everyone’s home selling experience is a success, there are definitely common pitfalls that can be avoided. Don’t find yourself making one of the following mistakes.

Misrepresenting your property
Whether intentional or not, if you tell the buyer something about your property that isn’t true you can find yourself in court. Be certain that every warranty and representation you make about your home is absolutely true. For example, is there asbestos in your home? You could be absolutely certain there is no asbestos (or other toxic material) in your home and be completely wrong. Did you know duct tape may have asbestos in it? How about carpet glue or vinyl floor tiles? There are a million examples I could give, but one thing is for certain – you don’t want to misrepresent your property.

Title Insurance Instead of Compliance
In Alberta, the title to your property is guaranteed by the Government. This is not the case in many other provinces, where title insurance is commonly recommended by lawyers and may be required by lenders. The purchase contract commonly used in Alberta by REALTORS® states that the property will be in compliance at the time of closing. If for example, your garage does not comply, you may be able to offer title insurance instead of proof of compliance. This seems like a simpler solution, since it is certainly less expensive than replacing your garage but there is a problem…. many lenders will not accept title insurance and will require compliance in order to complete the transaction. This can become extremely costly to correct at the last minute. So, don’t assume that title insurance will solve your problems. (Also, if you’re considering purchasing a property with title insurance keep in mind that the title insurance will cover the cost of removing the problem, but not replacing it. In other words, if the city told you the garage had to go, your “insurance” will pay for removing the garage, but building a new one that complies is your expense).

Removing Things That are Part of Your Home
Anything that is permanently attached to your home is part of your home, and should stay when you move out your belongings. For example, light fixtures and plumbing fixtures are permanently attached and should stay with the home – most people understand that. Many people don’t realize that items such as shelves or mirrors may be part of the home – anything that is screwed into the wall is part of the home and should stay. If you have something that you want to remove from the home, you should either remove it before there are any showings, or exclude it from the sale in the purchase contract. If anything that isn’t attached was included in the purchase contract (such as a fridge or stove) it should be the same fridge and stove that were there when the buyers viewed the home. If you do remove something that was supposed to stay the buyers may decide to take legal action against you, seeking compensation for the missing items.

Believing Big Promises
We hear from many of our clients that someone else has promised to offer the same marketing and services that we offer, for a lower price. This simply isn’t possible – much of the marketing we offer is unique in the Edmonton marketplace. Someone may promise, or guarantee to sell your home in a certain length of time, or for a certain amount of money – make sure that promise is in writing, and if you’re going to believe it you should probably have your lawyer look it over.

Assuming All REALTORS® are the Same
Seeing as you’re researching your home sale on this site, you probably realize that all REALTORS® aren’t the same – otherwise you’d just randomly select one from the membership list at the REALTORS® Association. Many sellers do make the mistake of assuming that everyone can get the same results and uses the same basic technique (put it on MLS® and wait for a buyer) and does this for roughly the same price. This simply is not the case. Our brokerage offers a range of services and marketing options, and a range of fees as well. Results are what really matters – be sure to ask for examples and evidence of marketing and sales.

Hiring a Friend or Family Member to Sell Your Home
Most people are emotionally attached to their homes, and will make emotional decisions about their home. One of the most common emotional decisions people make is to hire their friend or family member to sell their home at least in part because they feel obligated to do so. Most of the time this is a HUGE mistake. You may be obligated to consider your friend or family member for the job, but you’re certainly not obligated to hand over what’s probably your biggest investment to someone who can’t or won’t do the best job possible. It is always a good idea to interview a few REALTORS® before making your final decision, so at least compare what your friend is offering you to what others are offering before making your decision.

Hiring an Inexperienced Negotiator
Just how do you decide who to hire? Most people will interview a few agents before selecting one to work with. It is very difficult to determine which will be the best negotiator without seeing them negotiate in action, but you can ask for examples of successful negotiations, or ask for references.

Limiting Access to Your Home
No matter how you decide to sell your home, or who you hire to help you, if potential buyers can’t get in to see your home you’re going to have a very tough time getting it sold. Showings are absolutely an inconvenience, and keeping your home in “showing condition” is challenging even for the cleanest of neat freaks. Each showing is an opportunity to get your home sold, and if the buyer can’t view the home, or it doesn’t show well it is an opportunity wasted. Of course, the easiest way for potential buyers to see your home is using the key box system that members of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton have access to. If you have tenants in your property, 24 hours written notice may be required to show your home – you should discuss the potential benefits of having the property vacant with your REALTOR®. If you have pets, or children that make it difficult to arrange showings, you may want to consider removing the pets or even moving out before you sell. The risks and rewards of keeping your home as showable with possible change in every situation and is best discussed with your agent.

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