5 tips for selling your property without stress

Consult our expert advice on how to sell your property, whether it's a house, condo or income property, without stress. 

Selling your real estate, whether it’s a house, a condo or an income property, can sometimes be a real obstacle course, often very stressful.

Even if this is not your first real estate transaction, there are a few things that can make life difficult. These factors may not have come into play during your first transaction, but they should not be overlooked during this second purchase.

Not only do you need to think about financing, but you also need to sell the house you currently own at just the right time, to avoid the financial burden of two houses.

Here are 5 tips for selling your property without stress:

1. Get organized

The first thing to do when selling your property is to get organized. There’s nothing worse than putting your property on the market and realizing halfway through that certain documents are missing.

Here is the list of documents you will be asked to provide if you wish to sell:

• Certificate of location
• Tax bills (municipal and school taxes) and electricity or gas charges
• Old bill of sale, if applicable
• Invoices for work carried out
• Declaration of co-ownership
• Leases and renewals if the property is leased
• Seller’s declaration

Controlling the different stages of your sale as much as possible, by monitoring and organizing each one, will reduce the chances of things going wrong.

2. Do business with a real estate broker

To sell your property with the minimum of stress, there’s nothing better than working with a real estate broker. 

Firstly, a good broker will ensure that you sell your property at the right price. There’s nothing worse than a property sitting on the market with no activity because the price is too high.

Secondly, he knows the area and will know how to enhance your property. He’ll know how to adapt to the sector.

Thirdly, a broker also has a range of marketing tools that you may not have access to when selling your property. Generally speaking, its social networks are well-developed. He has an advertising budget allocated to promoting your property, and a network of contacts to ensure excellent visibility.

Finally, working with a broker gives you someone to act as a link between your sale and your potential purchase. This means you only have to work with one person, who manages everything from A to Z.

3. Do the work

If you want to get the best possible price for your home, you need to do some work to improve the perception of potential buyers. These touch-ups don’t have to be expensive. But if you’re willing to make this minor investment, you’ll be able to recoup it tenfold and maybe even more when you sell. It’s very important that you make these improvements before you put your home on the market. If you don’t have the necessary funds, it’s possible to take out a loan, which you repay after the sale.

4. Sell before you buy

You should plan to sell before you buy. That way, you won’t be in a weak position at the negotiating table. You won’t feel pressured to accept an offer below market value because you have to meet purchasing deadlines. Have you already sold your property? Then you can buy your new home with peace of mind. 

If you receive an interesting offer for your home, but haven’t started looking in earnest, you can put a conditional clause in the promise to purchase giving you time to find a new home.

If the market is weak and you find that you’re not selling as quickly as you thought, you can rent out your home and put it back on the market later. In this case, however, don’t forget to consider the tax implications of such a decision.

5. Don’t go without a mortgage pre-authorization

Many homeowners are unaware of the considerable advantages of mortgage pre-approval. It costs you nothing, nor does it commit you. However, it gives you an important advantage, allowing you to position yourself within a price range for your research, but above all it confirms to the seller that you do indeed have the necessary funds to buy the property. With such an asset in your pocket, your offer will be viewed much more favorably by the selling owner, sometimes even if your bid is a little lower than that of an unqualified buyer. Don’t deprive yourself of such an advantage.