When selling your home in Norfolk County, it’s important to have a REALTOR® who knows this unique area and its features.
Having local knowledge of Norfolk County’s Real Estate Market is paramount.
We’re your neighbours
Our brokerage office in Simcoe is home to REALTORS® that actually live in this area. In fact, some of our agents have lived in Norfolk their whole lives and are quite familiar with the land, the economy and the housing market.
We’re not just outsiders to your area – we’re your neighbours too.
We’re bringing our fresh approach to a growing real estate market that needs some new ideas, new marketing and new growth.
What We Offer our Norfolk County Sellers
Professional Photography*
Photographs of your home are one of the most important selling feature next to physically viewing the property itself. Poor photography of your home can deter buyers from taking that extra step to booking a private viewing, and can ultimately push away potential buyers. So, be smart and leave it to the experts!
Full editing and professional photography allows for your home to show in the best light, at the best angles and at the best time!
Professional Video Tours*
A picture can say a thousand words, but a home video tour will provide endless amounts of dynamic information, and truly establish the tone and atmosphere of your property. Virtual tours increase the chance a home buyer will come running to your home with a signed agreement in hand. It answers questions before they are asked and really helps home buyers have a clear idea of the home’s entire layout.
House Cleaning Prior To Listing*
Need a little help getting your home spic & span? We understand that getting ready to put your home up for sale can be a daunting task. That’s why we can provide you with a professional house cleaning service prior to listing day so that your home shows well. Just ask!
Home Staging*
Start the selling process on the right foot. Home staging creates excitement and interest right from the beginning, and will always set your home apart from the competition. Properties that have been staged will have a distinct marketing advantage over non-staged homes.
Staging provides for a professional and objective third party to tactfully and respectfully convey to homeowners all the important issues that need to be addressed in order to prepare a property for sale and optimize its ability to sell.
Home staging is executed in 3 steps:
- Consultation
- Staging Preparation
- Execution
Customized Websites*
Having your own web page to showcase the sale of your home can add boost in views of your listing. There is no denying that buyers are smarter these days, and often do a lot of their research online before viewing properties. This ensures your property has its own devoted space on the Internet where people can find it after searching your address and enables them to have a look before booking a private showing.
Social Media Networking
Make no mistake about it, social networking is used for more than posting funny pictures and status updates. Social media networking is a powerful tool that can showcase your home to the public and professional colleagues across the globe in the blink of an eye.
Your home will be featured on The Kate Broddick Team’s business web page, complete with an elegant description, professional photographs, video tour, and other pertinent information throughout the selling process. Our extensive list of followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn continues to grow, and the feedback we receive on the homes we list is instant and viral.
People are talking about The Kate Broddick Team on social media!
At Your Doorstep Marketing
Our For Sale signs are money well spent – they’re customized, elegant and distinguishable because no one wants a tacky real estate sign on their front lawn. The Kate Broddick Team wants your for sale sign to gain attention in a positive way. Outside of the MLS® listings, your for sale sign is the best type of marketing for your property because it tells the world that you have a product for sale.
Our Team’s contact information is easy to see and provides multiple ways for buyers to contact us and hear more about your home.
The Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®, REALTOR.CA®)
MLS® is the single most powerful marketing tool in place today to sell homes. Most homes around the country sell through the MLS® system. The power of MLS® is in its cooperation and compensation.
It is an efficient tool developed, maintained and paid for by REALTORS® across Canada. The efficiency of this service is in the detail. The Kate Broddick Team ensures that your home is featured and highlighted in a way that makes it appealing to the majority of buyers, both descriptively and visually.
This includes using high-quality professional photography and video tours to give your home the best exposure possible. The multimedia tool on MLS® was put there for us to use – and we do! Visually capturing your home’s best attributes is one of the most important tools the MLS® has.
Regular Listing Analytics
Once your property has been listed, we don’t just forget about it. We will send you regular updates on how many potential buyers are viewing your listing. Where are we getting the most exposure? What marketing is working for your property? We will keep you up-to-date on what your listing’s analytics are, and what we’re doing to always exceed your expectations.
*Items in this document marked with an asterisks (*) are subject to a contract agreement, which depends on the real estate package agreed upon.
Why buyers want to purchase your home in Norfolk County
As you already know, the communities within Norfolk County are extremely welcoming and friendly. Buyers love that it’s a great place to raise a family with larger lot sizes, plenty of outdoor space and fresh air to enjoy.
Home prices in Norfolk are more affordable than in larger city centres, making this area very attractive to first time home buyers and investors. Plus, those empty nesters looking to downsize their home love the proximity to beautiful Lake Erie. It’s a retiree’s dream!
In fact, with Norfolk’s unique location on the southern shores of Ontario, we also find plenty of buyers looking to purchase a second home to use as their cottage.
This lower cost of living, coupled with beautiful wineries, outdoor activities, and sprawling natural landscapes makes Norfolk County an extremely attractive place to put down roots and purchase a home.
Frequently Asked Questions When Selling in Norfolk County
Do you service all of Norfolk County?
Absolutely. While our brokerage office is located in Simcoe Ontario, we definitely cover ALL of Norfolk County. From the shores of Long Point to the fields in Delhi, you can be sure we are familiar with your community and what it takes to sell there.
Will I deal with the same real estate agents from start to finish?
Of course! Your primary REALTOR® will always be your main point-of-contact from the time they provide a Free Home Evaluation to the time your SOLD sign is displayed! But we are also a TEAM: so you will get to know our Administrative Support Staff and the other REALTORS® from The Kate Broddick Team. We all work together to get your home sold quickly!
Do you qualify buyers that are looking to view our property?
Yes. The Kate Broddick Team has a large database of serious, motivated buyers that we draw on for our listings. We also ensure that these buyers are aware of the steps involved to making a purchase of your home a seamless one. We do expect that agents from other real estate brokerages also qualify their buyers to make sure they aren’t just “nosey neighbours”, but actually looking to make a purchase.
How can I track the status of my home listing in Norfolk County?
You will be provided with routine updates of how many potential buyers have seen your listing and expressed an interest in the property. We provide these analytics on a regular basis to our selling clients, because we know you’re interested in how your property is being perceived by the public.
We will also provide you with feedback after every showing: what did the buyers think of the home, the neighbourhood and the price? We want to give you honest critiques so we can work together to make sure your home’s best features are being showcased!
For more information about our Flawless Home Selling System and our amazing home selling strategies, contact The Kate Broddick Team by calling 519-729-8528, or visit our home evaluation page to get a free home evaluation and accurately determine your home’s worth. We’re more than excited to help you get started on selling your home for the best price!
How To Set Your Asking Price
Deciding what price tag to put on your home is never easy. Price is often the determining factor for potential buyers. Location, layout and amenities are important but in the end, most of us have to look at the bottom line. Many sellers like to think they can start with the price they originally paid, add a healthy mark-up and wait for the offers to roll in. A lot of those sellers will have to adjust their price once their home is on the market. As your Norfolk County Real Estate Team, establishing your asking price is part of our job!
Try to put your objectivity aside – the cherished memories you may hold of your home are basically unimportant to buyers. Usually, they’re more interested in creating their own memories. An unsentimental look at the market value of your home can save time and disappointment.
Amount Put in Doesn’t Always Equal Amount Paid Out
The amount you actually spent for home upgrades is worth mentioning in the listing information, but their reflection in the selling price can be somewhat distorted. The new carpet, paint, or deck you added may increase the value (and shorten the time your home is for sale) but don’t expect to be reimbursed dollar for dollar for those renovations. As design trends change you may also find that certain renovations are either more or less desirable (Do you remember shag?)
Arrange a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
It is standard practice for a seller to ask real estate agents to visit and evaluate their home. Ask for a comparative market analysis showing the selling prices of similar homes in the neighbourhood, those currently on the market and those that didn’t sell. A CMA presented by an experienced agent can provide a realistic price estimate of your home. Remember however that CMAs are not set in stone. Some agents under-value your home in hopes of creating demand. Others will flatter you with over-inflated estimates in order to get your listing but later suggest a price reduction. You may want to get a number of CMAs and augment it with your own investigative work.
Conduct Your Own Market Research
When homes in your area have open houses take a look. Use this opportunity to compare your home to “the competition” in terms of price, location, square footage, and amenities. Once you look at several listings you should be able to make an educated guess as to the market value of different aspects of your home. If you are months away from actually listing your home, visiting open houses may also help you discover which renovations could be profitable and appeal to today’s consumers.
Consider Market Conditions
Real estate is one of the most secure investments you can make, however, prices can rise and fall independent of the quality of the individual properties. If you attempt to sell your home when the market dips you’ll find you may have to lower the price below your expectations. Interest rates, the state of the economy and the local job market should be considered before you put your home on the market. The time between price peaks varies due to local and national market influences. These characteristics will assist you in determining if there are any market timing opportunities.
Finally, consider your own needs when setting your price. Are you in a hurry to sell? If so, you may want to knock one or two percent off the market value. Is there a minimum amount you can afford to accept? If you have the luxury of time you have more leverage. Keep in mind, however, that a house that is on the market too long or has a large price reduction at some point, may be viewed as “damaged” or “stale goods”. Your best strategy may be to establish a fair asking price from the start. Most buyers will make an offer lower than the listed price in a bid to see how low you’ll go. However, those who have researched the market will be willing to meet you near your terms.
How To Get Started Selling your Norfolk County Home
When you’re ready to put your house on the market, you’re going to want straightforward information and professional advice before you get started. The information below is geared towards helping you the home seller, understand the ins and outs of selling a house, from your initial home evaluation to closing day.
Request a Free Home Evaluation
It’s vital to get an up-to-date assessment of the value of your home, and what it could sell for in the current market conditions.
We have real estate agents that are happy to visit and take a look at your home, and also research comparable sales in your neighbourhood to assess what your home could potentially sell for.
You can set up a free home evaluation here.
Decide When to List Your House
It’s important to determine when it be most convenient for get your home listed for sale. You need to get a handle of what will the market be doing at the time you’re ready to move.
By planning ahead and having a general idea of when you’d like to list your home, you can begin the planning process. Choosing a date to list your home also helps motivate you to get started with the other steps to listing your home.
Sign a Listing Agreement with Your REALTOR®
The listing agreement outlines the price you will be asking for your home, and other pertinent details surrounding the listing.
The agreement will outline when the home be listed, which features it has, and anything included in the sale (e.g. appliances, light fixtures, window coverings, appliances).
You’ll also agree upon the commission fee for your and the buyer’s real estate agent. All of these factors will be determined with your agent and put into writing.
Begin to Prepare Your Home for Showings
Now is the time to get your home in the best condition and ready to be listed. Consider your home a commodity that needs to be sold, and you want this product to look good and be in good repair.
The home will need a thorough cleaning and the clutter will have to be put away. The better your home appears when you present it to potential buyers, the more likely it will be that you get a good offer.
You may even consider hiring a professional staging company to get your home looking its best.
Get Professional Photos and Videos of Your Home
Your agent will explain the major benefits of taking professional photos and video of the house and property.
These pictures and videos will showcase the home’s best features and will be placed in all the marketing we do for our clients.
Before we book the photoshoot, you’ll want to make sure all your personal items are tucked away and don’t appear in any of the photos. This will help potential buyers to more easily envision themselves living in the house and not be distracted by personal items that belong to another family.
Items you can put away are articles of clothing, family pictures, personal knick-knacks and children’s toys. It’s also wise to clear away pet toys, litter boxes and even pet beds. All of these types of items can be a distraction to buyers.
The For Sale Sign and the Lockbox
We want to announce to the neighbourhood and passers-by that your home is for sale. Our for sale sign will be put on your front yard, and a lockbox will be installed on the front door.
You will need to provide a key that can be kept in the lockbox to be used during showings. The lockbox will securely store the key that will be used by agents whose clients found your home listing and would like to view it.
Get Ready for the Showings
On the day that your home is listed for sale, you may start to receive showing-requests from our office. You will be contacted every time an agent from any brokerage requests to show your home to their buyers.
You will be required to leave the home during the showing, but you have the option to accept the request or decline it if the time doesn’t work for you.
The buyer’s agent will enter your home during their appointment using the key in the lockbox, and then close everything up and lock the door when they leave.
Consider Having an Open House
Your agent may suggest that you consider hosting an Open House at your property so potential buyers can come and take a look through the home with no obligations.
An Open House is a great opportunity to get a lot of people to view your home all at once and can really help build up interest in the property.
Sometimes during an Open House, you will find that curious neighbours will show up in addition to buyers. They are usually just trying to get a feel for the type of properties that are available in your area.
Nevertheless, an Open House is a great way to show off your home and there’s a chance that you could find a potential buyer this way.
Read Leaving A Good Impression On Your Buyers for detailed tips on impressing buyers during an open house.
Listen To Any Feedback You Receive
After every home showing, we will reach out to the agent who showed your home for buyer feedback. The goal is to find out what the buyers thought of the property, the price, and if they had any comments or concerns about the house.
Once we receive any feedback we will pass the information on to you as soon as we receive it.
It’s very important to know what buyers are thinking concerning your home. This feedback can help you in so many ways.
If you get negative feedback, it can help you optimize your showings so future buyers don’t have the same negative experience.
If the feedback is positive, you know you’re doing something right and can remain hopeful that someone will put in an offer soon.
Overall, buyer feedback is a great way to address any concerns that multiple people may have about your home, or if the price needs to be adjusted.
Let Your Agent Negotiate on Your Behalf
If a buyer wants to submit an offer on your home, you’ll be the first to know. Your agent will go over all the details of the buyer’s offer with you, and you will ultimately decide if you want to accept the offer as-is or if you want to negotiate a little further.
During this period your real estate agent will work with you to negotiate a price with the buyer’s agent ensuring that your best interests are met.
Your agent will continue to keep you in the loop about any incoming offers, and work with the buyer’s agent to come to an agreement.
See all the benefits of using a real estate agent and how they will help you make a quick sale than selling your home privately.
Wait For any Conditions to be Fulfilled
Your buyer may have made what’s called a conditional offer on your home. A conditional offer means there’s a little bit of work to do before the home can be officially sold to the buyer.
There may be a home inspection condition, which means you will have to allow them to get a home inspection done.
There could be a financing condition where you will have to let them finalize their financing details first.
Those are the top two conditions that usually come in, but at times there are other conditions they seek information about. They include:
- condo status certificate verification by lawyer
- adequate rural water supply and contaminant testing
- due diligence on land serviced by utilities
- sale of property by the purchaser
When offers come in with conditions, we will inform you of any of them and about what is required of you.
During this waiting period the home is only considered conditionally sold and you are still allowed to accept showings from other buyers if you choose to.
You can read our guide on the differences between a firm or conditional offer for more details.
Once all of your buyer’s conditions have been fulfilled, the deal is considered firm, and we will put a sold sign on your front lawn!
Prepare For Closing Day
To prepare for closing day, you can start packing up your home and getting the property ready for its new owners.
Prior to closing day, you’ll need to make an appointment at your lawyer’s office to sign all final paperwork and ensure everything is ready to go.
At this meeting, you will also need to bring a copy of your house keys so they can give them to the new owners on closing day.
Our guide on Getting Properly Prepared For Closing Day gives you all the tips you need to make your closing day a success.
Anticipate The Final Walk-through
Your new home buyers may be entitled to a final walk-though of the property before closing day. This is a chance for them to take measurements, snap any photographs or just reacquaint themselves with the property before moving in.
Many buyers have various reasons for wanting a final walk-through so we ask that you be as accommodating as possible as a courtesy to your buyers.
Talk to a REALTOR®
Our TEAM OF NORFOLK COUNTY REALTORS® are here to help. We have the expertise to make sure your home is sold quickly and at the best price. Feel free to get in touch with us with any of your questions and to set a time for us to come and evaluate your home.
