Selling Your Home? Here Are a Few Questions to Consider

Are you looking to sell your home? Before you decide on anything, there are a few things you should know about the process.

I’ve created this short guide to help you understand some of the important aspects of this process, and how they will affect you.
  • 1. Will You Have to Pay Penalties?

    Some mortgages carry penalties for paying them off too early. These are referred to as “prepay” penalties. Most mortgages allow a borrower to pay up to 20% per year. Lenders generate revenues from the interest you pay on your mortgage, so it’s in their interest to delay the repayment process.


    A soft prepayment penalty will allow you to sell your home but will penalize you if you refinance the mortgage.


    A hard prepayment penalty will penalize you for selling or refinancing. 


    The amount that you may have to pay will depend on the specifics of your mortgage. It can total as much as 80% of six months worth of interest-only mortgage payments.


  • 2. Are You Familiar With the Market?

    Many sellers want to work with a realtor that they have a history with. However, when it comes to unfamiliar markets, it pays to work with an agent that knows the market you are selling your property in.


    I take the time to get to know my clients, their goals, and will complete a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) of nearby properties for you. This process is important as it will help you understand the specifics of your market.


    My experience allows me to understand which properties are comparable, what your property is worth, and I will help you get the best value for your property.


  • 3. Are You Buying a New Home?

    This is one area that many homeowners find confusing. There are many strategies you can use to get more out of this process.


    Transitioning from selling your property to buying a new one isn’t complicated, but there are specific rules that must be followed. Here are a few things to consider:


    You should consult with your mortgage advisor to see if you are able to purchase a house while your existing one is still up for sale.


    You may be able to write a subject to sale offer that will give you time to sell your existing house before committing to purchasing the new one.

    You must analyze the market you want to buy in and find out how long it will take you to purchase, close, and obtain your new property.


    Do you need help with this process? I can connect you with my preferred mortgage broker Rita Cousins, who can help you structure the purchase of your new home and get the best interest rates possible.


  • 4. Is Your Existing Home Ready to Sell?

    It takes a lot of time and effort to get your property ready for the market. I recommend you take the time to update specific things, including:

    • Staging your house for showings
    • Updating your paint and completing other minor renovations
    • Putting any unneeded furniture and clutter into storage
    • Keeping your house extremely clean on days it’s being shown
    • Removing family photos and other personal items that may depersonalize the home for a potential buyer

  • 5. Are You Staging Your Home?

    Staging your home is an important part of the selling process. Potential buyers want to see a clean home that looks appealing.


    I offer staging services that you can use to improve the look and feel of your home. This service is easy to use, will prepare your home for selling, and will impress potential buyers during showing.

  • 6. How Will You Market Your Home?

    I help my clients get their listings the exposure they need by taking the time to understand their goals and ambitions.


    Marketing your home takes more than just listing it on MLS. I use an approach that leverages MLS, my network of industry professionals, social media, and other channels to provide your property with the exposure it needs to sell.


    I’m happy to discuss my strategies with you, so we can develop a plan that works for you and sticks to your timelines.

  • 7. Do You Have a Lawyer/Notary?

    You will need a lawyer/notary for any real estate transaction that you want to complete. 


    We can help you connect with reliable lawyers in your local area that may be more familiar with local bylaws and other specific laws.


    Are you looking for a notary? My preferred notary Irina Bartnik can help you notarize your real estate deals.


Selling Your Home? Andy Schildhorn Can Help

I love working with my clients to help them get the best value for their home. If you’re looking for a seamless real estate process and want to work with a proven professional, I can help.

We are real estate experts on everything Langley, British Columbia. Let us help you get the best price for your home. Give us a call today at 778-835-8957.
The foundation to a solid strategy in selling your home is your choice of a REALTOR®. This is the person who will be representing your interests when marketing your home and negotiating on your behalf. Incidentally negotiations begins from the time a prospective buyer first calls. It is my strongest belief that to get the best possible price, your home needs to be exposed to as many Buyers as possible. This calls for a marketing plan, which will identify and find that single Buyer who will purchase your home. This Plan should commit to giving constant feedback to ongoing marketing activities and changing Real Estate trends.

Organization is paramount to accomplishing your objectives. We track every phone enquiry and call back on every showing to keep informed on how the property presents itself to the buying public. Our goal is to change course immediately if there is a required adjustment in our marketing strategy. An example of this would be when we receive an offer to purchase your home, all previous inquiries would be informed to perhaps generate a second offer and sell your home for possibly even more.

Would you like to know what the market value for your home is? Please fill out the specifics about your property as completely as possible. This will allow me to give you an estimate of value.

If you have an unusual situation, or more necessary information than fits here, please call me so I can better evaluate your property.

Marketing & Staging

I believe in first impressions and final touches

Marketing is everything. If your home is to be noticed, its full splendour can’t get lost in the mix. My staff and I construct a turnkey package to launch your home onto the market with staging, photos, interactive floor plans, virtual tours, videos and more. Our approach to advertising ensures you get as many eyes on your home as possible, with a strong digital presence to raise the odds of finding the perfect buyer.

Contact us now for information regarding the market value of your home.