50 Things You Can Expect When You Sell With BREL in Hamilton

Want to know what to expect when you Sell with the BREL Team in Hamilton?

Here are 50 things we do for you when selling your property in the Greater Hamilton Area:

1. Update you on the current state of the Hamilton market both at the city level and within your neighbourhood – keep in mind we often see significant differences in property values within short distances, particularly in the lower city.
2. Speak confidently on the current market trends and pricing strategies we are observing right now in the Hamilton market
3. Recommend the best timing to list your home by balancing your needs as a seller with the activity of the market plus the current competition (or lack thereof!)
4. Advise you on the best order of operations if you are selling your home while purchasing a new home
5. Provide a Comparative Market Analysis and current market valuation 
6. Recommend a pricing strategy to achieve the highest market value
7. Re-visit the pricing strategy just prior to the listing date to ensure it aligns with the current market activity. Adjust the strategy accordingly.
8. Provide advice on how to best prepare your home for sale.
9. Connect you with Hamilton-based cleaning companies, tradespeople, junk removal companies, and whoever else may be of assistance with the home prep process
10. Coordinate staging consultations and recommendations with local professionals dedicated to showing your home at its best. Some agents (like us!) provide a full written plan, coordinate the setup & removal, and cover the cost of staging. 
11. Recommend a season-specific landscaping plan to showcase the exterior of your property. Sometimes we even get our hands dirty to make sure your yard looks its best when its time to list. Pro-tip: you’ll never regret spending money on fresh mulch
12. Educate you on every step of the process so you have the information you need to make confident decisions 
13. Be an objective 3rd party if (or when?) tensions arise between spouses and anyone else involved in the selling process
14. Install a lockbox on your property and make sure it is well-maintained and secure throughout the selling process. Handle any issues around missing keys and/or buyer agents struggling to access the property. 
15. Educate you on the paperwork involved in both the listing and the sale of the property (Related: Ontario Paperwork Explained – for Sellers)
16. Educate you on the different relationships within the transaction and the related responsibilities of each party
17. Lend an ear to stressed-out and emotional sellers who need to vent.  Sometimes provide snacks, wine, or whatever else might make the process easier to handle
18. Identify your target buyer – who are they, where do they live, what do they want from a home etc. 
19. Produce marketing materials focused on what your target buyer will find most compelling
20. Coordinate and supervise  photographers, videographers, and floor plan providers
21. Create additional social media marketing tailored to reach your target audience 
22. Post your home on both the local Hamilton MLS system (RAHB) and the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board MLS system (TRREB) to ensure maximum exposure to agents representing buyers both in and out of the area. 
23. Ensure that all information posted on MLS and in any additional marketing is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant
24. Advertise your home online. Some agents (like us!) have create custom webpages featuring the best things about your home, loads of information on the property, and  tons of details on the neighbourhood (this is extra important when your target buyer may be new to Hamilton)
25. Educate potential buyers about your neighbourhood. Don’t forget your buyer may not know your area well or be familiar with the city of Hamilton. Give them what they need so they are excited to explore something less familiar to them. 
26. Share your home via email to potential buyers and their agents through targeted email campaigns
27. Install, maintain, and remove “For Sale” signage 
28. Prepare custom in-home marketing materials – feature sheets, Hamilton neighbourhood infographics, summaries of improvements/renovations, and signage (“Please do not use the bathroom” is always a good choice)
29. Protect your legal and financial interests
30. Provide advice on the best strategies to maximize the number of showings while respecting the needs of your family (for example, no showings during nap time)
31. Anticipate issues related to the legal title of the property and recommend legal advice when required
32. Pre-order a status certificate for condos so interested buyers have what they need to make a firm offer (Related: Understanding the Status Certificate)
33. Obsessively monitor both the Hamilton and Toronto MLS systems to see new listings and sales that could impact your home. Visit the competition and report back to the seller
34. Coordinate a pre-listing home inspection 
35. Gather feedback from buyers and their agents who have visited your home
36. Host open houses (and provide snacks. Everyone loves snacks)
37. Help you navigate the speed bumps that come up when selling a home
38. Match unrepresented buyers with a another realtor who is not your listing agent. We want our sellers to know we have their interests at heart. Period. 
39.  Help identify why your home might not be selling and suggest new strategies (Related: Why is My Home Not Selling?)
40. Communicate with the agents showing your home (sometimes endlessly)
41. Provide Showing Notes with every relevant detail necessary for the sale for interested agents. 
42. Provide ongoing feedback on the state of the sale
43. Educate you about offer nights and the offer night process (Related: What to Expect on Offer Night)
44. Manage the bidding war if you receive multiple offers. Strongly represent the sellers interests while respecting the time and efforts of the buyers and their respective agents
45. Negotiate the price, terms, and conditions of your offer, always in your best interest
46. Coordinate the receipt of the buyer’s deposit (Related: All About Deposits)
47. Introduce you to vetted, qualified real estate lawyers to assist with your closing (Related: People We Trust)
48.  Install a Sold Sign 
49. Hold your hand through closing day while we navigate any issues that may arise
50. Celebrate your successful closing with you!