Sonia's Real Estate Blog

Selling your Sherwood Park home can be challenging, but selling your house when children are present can be much more difficult. As a mother myself, I completely understand! If you have a newborn or a young child, you are already familiar with the number of things that can be scattered throughout the house.

Some Kid-Friendly Selling Tips

1. Start Packing Early- This is one of the easiest ways to prepare your house for viewings. Start packing all the essentials right after your house goes on the market. Pack the toys that your kids can live without and stack them in the basement or out of the way. This will help you get rid of a significant amount of clutter from the indoor spaces of your home. Pack all out-of-season clothes and other clothing items that your child has grown out of. This also gives you the chance to donate them to charity or dispose of them.
2. Using Flexible Toy Storage– Invest in storage bins for the toys and games that haven’t been packed yet. Choose bins that are made out of clear plastic. This makes it easy for your children to locate their toys and put them back in once done with. You can stack these bins in your closet or on a bookshelf.
3. Packing a Getaway Bag during Home Showings- This is an excellent method that is used for last minute showings. Pack an umbrella stroller & a diaper bag with all essentials for a quick exit. Also be sure to pack a few toys, books, water and juice bottles and snacks just in case you’re outside for a longer period of time than expected. With a getaway bag ready, you can leave into time for either a walk in the park or a road trip while your house is being viewed by potential buyers.
4. Keep Your House Clean- To keep your house clean and tidy you will have to commit yourself to spend some time daily on cleaning and general maintenance. If old enough, encourage your children to help out with cleaning at the end of the day. This will also make them feel as if they are a part of the process. You could also make this a challenge or a game for them. It can help if you rotate your house cleaning routine, rather than waiting until a Saturday to do a major cleaning of one room each day.

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The chances of you knowing the house selling process are likely pretty slim, so you will need some extra help in negotiating contracts and answer queries you have along the way. If you are new to this process, an expert REALTOR® is just what you need to assist you in the process. Here are a few questions you can ask a real estate agent while putting up your house before sale.

1. Given my house’s state and location, what do you think is the best price I can get for it?

While selling your house, ask the realtor to provide you with an analysis of your house’s condition and any upgrades that it might require. You will need more than just dollar-per-square conditions. Ask the agent to provide you with a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis).

2. How long will it take to sell my house?

Based on the local market, agents can only provide you with a rough estimate of what they might expect to get out for it. Based on the sale price of your house, they will tell you how soon you will find buyers.

3. Are there any improvements we can make that might help us sell sooner and for a lot more money?

Spending a small amount of money to make a few home improvements will eventually help you get a higher price for the property. For example, if the walls in your bedroom are painted in a dull colour, you might want to spruce them up by adding a few coats of paint.

4. Are you a full time or part- time real estate agent?

You should consider an agent who is working full-time, this will make him/her a lot more accessible.

Sonia’s work ethic is tremendous as she is committed to serving her clients 7 days a week whether they are buying, selling and/or need a mortgage. Her ultimate goal is to make her clients happy!

5. For how long have you been in real estate?

You should consider an agent who has experience of over 4 years. If not, you should request that another team member be present who can help and provide some guidance.

6. How many houses do you currently have listed for sale?

An agent who is familiar with the neighbourhood will prove to be much better. Even though they might be handling various other clients, the busier the agent the better they are.

Just take a drive through Sherwood Park and Edmonton and you’ll see Sonia’s FOR SALE signs everywhere.

7. How many of the houses that you sold in the past 12 months were in my price range?

You want someone who has the knowledge and experience selling high-end homes, an agent who has sold starter homes or condos might not be the right way to go.

8. What will the overall marketing strategy for my house consist of?

Marketing a house doesn’t just mean a sign on the front yard or a listing on a site. Photographs help a lot in such instances, especially good ones. The agent typically pays for the photography sessions; sometimes they click images themselves. The more images posted online, the higher the attention your property would get.

When you list your home with Sonia Tarabay, you are guaranteed to receive her 5 Star Service. Sonia’s clients are #1. Through Sonia’s aggressive negotiation and marketing skills, your Sherwood Park home will sell faster, and for top dollar!

Selling your house is never an easy task, however by hiring a realtor to help you out can save you a lot of stress and time. Asking these questions is a good way of covering your bases while making such a major investment. If you are selling your Sherwood Park, you will need the assistance of a real estate agent who has a wealth of expertise selling homes in Sherwood Park.

Don’t leave anything on the table: Sell it with Sonia to get the right price, the right marketing strategy, and the 5 Star Service you want.

The curb appeal of your home is one of the most important aspects to focus on in order to attract potential customers to your Sherwood Park or Edmonton property. One of the first things that people notice when they look at your houseis the outdoor spaces of your home, which makes landscaping a vital aspect of your home’s curb appeal. This makes it necessary to spruce up the look of your landscape before listing your house for sale and can up the value of your property by as much as 10 percent.

Some Pointers

Typically, homeowners start preparing their house for showing about a month in advance. In this time, you can make sure that everything in your landscape looks perfect and doesn’t give the impression that you did things at the last minute. Here are a few tips that can make a significant difference while selling:

1. Add Outdoor Containers You can add large tropical or similar container plants to the entryway of your home or the patio space. These features uplift the appearance of these outdoor spaces. This attracts potential buyers to your house.

2. Add a Touch of Mulch One of the best ways of adding colour to your landscape is by installing mulch in your garden beds. This adds a pop of colour and enhances the appearance of the surroundings. The best part about mulch is that it is cheap and extremely easy to use.

3. Add Color To make your landscape appear even more appealing, add colour by including annuals with seasonal colours. Pick a colour scheme that fits well with the overall aesthetic of your home.

4. Stone-LinedYour Landscaping Beds Stone-lining your garden adds to the aesthetic. The stone features add structure to the space and make it look more appealing.

5. Add a Waterfall Installing a waterfall on the patio enlivens the places and adds a very refreshing touch to the atmosphere. You can choose from custom designed ones to complement the styling of your home.

6. Shape the Overgrown Shrubs and Trees Not maintaining your garden shows neglect on your part. You can avoid this by doing quick chores like levelling of shrubs and trees in your landscape. This shows that you maintain your garden as well as you do your home.

7. Tidy up Your Perennials One of the simplest ways to improve the appearance of your landscape is to tidy up all the flowerbeds. If you have overgrown plantings or decorative pots that seem out of place, re-organize them. Trim and prune all your plants and remove dead or dying plants.

8. Fix Any Irrigation Issues Getting irrigation fixed can be expensive, and you do not want the buyers to bear the expense. Keeping your irrigation system well maintained is important; provide all the necessary information of the irrigation system to the buyer. If you have an automatic system, include instructions that specify the use and also recommend the scheduling that had previously worked for you.

Keeping these simple landscaping tips in mind will help you improve the appearance of your home, increasing the chances of a quick sale. When you list your home with Sonia Tarabay, you are guaranteed to receive her 5 Star Service. Sonia’s clients are #1. Through Sonia’s aggressive negotiation and marketing skills, your Sherwood Park or Edmonton home will sell faster, and for top dollar! 

Many people think about just the cost and the interest rate at which they can get a loan while buying a new home. However, the lending process in extremely important and there are other costs that you should consider as you prepare to buy any property. As both a licensed REALTOR® and Mortgage Broker, I’ve come up with a few tips to keep in mind while buying a house:

1. Have a Trusted Realtor® It is no secret that Realtors® get a cut of the sale price of the house. This makes some buyers hesitant to hire one, believing it drives the overall rate up. The seller and not the buyer pays the commission rate. Listing agents (the agent who represents the seller) in most cases does not have your interests in mind and can simply keep both sides of the commission. It means that you are saving no money. Having a Realtor® in your corner can help you a great deal. The Realtor® will help negotiate the price and also inspect the home thoroughly for any defects.

2. Remember That Purchasing a House Involves Contracts There are many papers and documents to sign while going through the process of buying a home. Many of these papers look like standard contracts with no room for negotiation. However, this isn’t true; contracts are meant to be negotiated. There is no need for you to sign a standard agreement. Realtors® come in handy when you require more time for reviewing the house inspection, or wish to have a radon test or need a mortgage approval.

3. Focus on Your Future Plans Buying a house is one of the biggest financial commitments that you might make. However, before buying your dream house you should consider these points:

• Do you plan to continue working at your current job?
• Are you getting married in the near future?
• Are you considering having kids?

If yes, based on the market conditions and terms of the mortgage, you will end up paying for your mortgage over the duration of the loan. It’s important that you keep your future plans in view while considering buying a home.

4. Keep Commitment in Mind When you are planning to get married the laws generally determine how your assets will be treated & how will they be distributed if you get a divorce. These rules do not necessarily apply when you’re single. You have to think about the future. If you purchase a house with someone who isn’t your spouse, having an exit plan if things don’t go too well is a good idea. Make sure to have an agreement made with respect to mortgage payments, repairs, titling and liability. It is better to take the assistance of a lawyer and get all of this in writing.

Buying a home is a major financial commitment and getting it right is about taking a 360-degree view of your current and future situation and needs. This will help ensure you are able to make the proper provisions while purchasing your home, without straining your finances excessively.

Whether it’s your first time buying a home or you’ve bought and sold property a dozen times before, teaming up with the right Sherwood Park & Edmonton Area REALTOR® is the critical first step in making a great experience.

Sonia Tarabay puts her inner tiger to work for each and every one of her home­-buying clients, delivering outstanding 5 Star Service every time. When you’ve got Sonia on your side, buying a home is easier, faster, and way more fun!