The last year we’ve all experienced many firsts: first time using Zoom, first time ordering groceries online, first time wearing jogging pants while meeting clients (to be fair, it was online, and I was wearing a dress shirt!). All of these firsts led to one major first in my life: selling our family home! I’ve been helping clients buy and sell for years, but now that I’ve experienced the sale process as a client myself, I can say I now have a greater appreciation for the entire process.
Our home was on the Quebec side, so I had one of Remax’s Quebec agents list the house. Stepping back and letting someone else take over was a challenge and a learning experience for me! Many people asked why I didn’t simply use a for sale by owner company, but that was never on the table for us because I believe in the importance of hiring a real estate agent. Here’s why!
- You can live in a neighbourhood for decades, but that doesn’t make you an expert. Yes, you probably know the best place to get a coffee, or the best trails to walk your dog, but you aren’t an expert on the ever-changing real estate landscape (especially now). We lived in our area for ten years, and while I had an idea of what the house was worth, if I had sold it with a DIY company, I would have lost thousands of dollars.
- Selling a house requires strategy. I pushed against our Quebec agent’s strategy because it isn’t one I would use in Ottawa. He listened to my arguments for a few minutes before he cut me off and said: “Listen, Sean. This is my area. I know my numbers. Just trust me.” Again, if he had caved and listed it at the price I had wanted, we likely would have ended up with much less money. I hear this a lot from clients who ask: don’t houses just sell themselves now? Ya, sure, if you list your house it will sell, but how long will it take? How much money will you lose? Strategy is key, and using an agent who has cultivated relationships with many other agents across the city is also very important.
- There are different laws in Quebec vs Ontario, and language barriers are hugely important. Working with a real estate agent means you don’t have to interpret or translate legal documents on your own.
So the next time a client tells me that they’re exhausted from cleaning out and staging their house, I will smile and say: I feel you. Packing, cleaning, moving, painting, staging – all of these steps require a lot of patience and elbow grease. In the end though, it’s worth it. Our house sold on offer day with multiple offers and well over asking price. Again, I am confident this wouldn’t have happened with a DIY company.
If you want to chat about the Ottawa market and how our team can help you build a great strategy for the sale of your house, then give us a call.
