Tricks and tips for preparing your home or cottage for sale

Now that you’ve decided to sell your property, you want to get the best price. Your mission, therefore, is to maximize its attractiveness to buyers, as well as getting it “out there” in the marketplace.
Let’s start with choosing who you’re going to list with.
“Just to be clear,” notes Wendy Webb, a sales representative with Royal LePage in Bracebridge, “the ‘listing agent’ is the company, not the individual salesperson.”
The company should be reputable with a good record of success.
“In choosing a realtor to list your property,” says Marilyn Mannion, a sales representative with Chestnut Park in Port Carling, “you are entering into a contractual relationship and it has to be one that you are comfortable with. Your agent is the intermediary between you and potential purchasers.”
Wendy Cleland, a sales representative with Royal LePage in Gravenhurst, agrees that it’s paramount to feel a connection with the representative you choose.
“You want someone you trust and feel will work with your best interests in mind, someone who listens to your objectives, and can suggest preparations to make the first right impression on potential buyers,” she says.
Cam White, a sales representative with Re/Max in Port Carling, stresses the importance of online promotion.

Wendy Webb Royal LePage		Karen Acton Royal LePage
Wendy Cleland Royal LePage		Cam & Karen White Re/Max

“Approximately 80 per cent of today’s buyers begin their search for a property on the Internet,” he explains. “A seller needs to maximize their exposure. Choose a company that is results-oriented and therefore is technically advanced with a strong Internet presence.”
For choosing the individual agent, the experts interviewed concur that word-of-mouth is the best way.
“Ask your friends who have recently sold a property about their experience,” suggests Webb. Then check the prospects’ websites and interview them.
“This is your biggest investment that you are hiring this person to sell. If you do not have a good relationship with your sales representative, it may not be a pleasant experience, no matter what your friend’s experience was,” Webb says.
“You should choose an agent who has good knowledge of your area and someone who is as passionate about your property as you are,” says Gord Henderson, a sales representative with Century 21 in Dorset. “The agent should have excellent listening skills; it is important that an agent be able to give you feedback on what people thought of your property.”

Shelly Schedewitz, a sales representative with Sutton Group Muskoka Realty in Huntsville, recommends getting three opinions.
“Get three people from three different companies and find out who’s going to do the most amount of work for the commission . . . What are they going to do that somebody else isn’t?” she says. “Ask about brochures, open houses, what advertising they’ll do in which media and what other services will be provided.”
Leslie Henderson, who is also a sales representative with Century 21 in Dorset, notes that your preparation includes collecting documents that buyers need to see, such as legal documents, permits for buildings, septic systems and wells, surveys, water test results, the property tax and utility bills.
“Have pictures of the property during other seasons of the year,” she adds.

“Shoreline, access and lake view are pictures that buyers are interested in seeing.”
Which brings us to the property itself, and how to make that good first impression.
“A buyer knows within 10 seconds of pulling up into the driveway whether that home is for them,” says Schedewitz. “If you can have your home as cosmetically appealing on the outside as it is on the inside, the whole package will sell itself.”
First and foremost de-clutter and make the minor and obvious repairs.
“The properties that are staged with fresh paint, and are nice and clean, definitely sell faster, twice as fast, and we definitely get much more money. People tend to negotiate less, because they’ve fallen in love with it,” says Megan McLeod, a sales representative with Chestnut Park in Dwight.
“Buyers will be more interested in a property that reflects pride of ownership,” adds Leslie Henderson.

Adam Wallace Wallace R.E.		Megan McLeod Chestnut Park
Maryilyn Mannion Chestnut Park		Shelley Schedewitz Sutton

“Get a bunch of trash bags and get rid of the garbage,” advises Karen Acton, a sales representative with Royal LePage in Bracebridge. “Donate what you’re not going to be taking with you. Start boxing up things you’re going to take with you when you move. Clean the exterior cladding with a power washer and clean off the deck.”
The roof should also be cleared of all debris, because, she notes, “If anything’s hidden, people assume that there’s a problem.”
“Remove magazines, stuffed animals, and trinkets,” says Mannion. “Make sure all clothing is put away. If closets are small and appear over-stuffed, remove and box non-season clothing for temporary storage.”

Kitchens and bathrooms should be spotless. Furthermore, leaving lights on and curtains open in rooms best shows off the home by bathing it in light, Webb advises.
And make sure there’s nothing scattered about the home.
“Make it easy to walk through your home,” recommends Webb. “You don’t want prospective buyers tripping over the kids’ toys or dirty laundry.
De-cluttering doesn’t just mean tidying, but simplifying.
“If necessary,” advises Acton, “rent a storage unit for furniture that crowds a room and makes it look unnecessarily small. Have one great painting instead of six on a wall, just because you love them.”
Pets call for special attention. “Changing the flooring is going to help, but be prepared to keep their bedding clean,” says Acton. “The kitty litter has got to be changed really frequently.”

Webb adds, “If you have a dog, remove it from the house before a showing. A barking dog inside a home can mean a cancelled showing.”
How important are repairs? When a good realtor does a market value assessment and suggests a selling price, he or she will factor into the price any deficiencies in the property. But buyers don’t always know that.
“They will start subtracting from that price, even though the price has already taken that into account. They’ll mentally double the expense,” Acton says.
“Touch up painted areas, that are a little worn,” she suggests. “Secure loose handrails or steps, fix the rain gutters and prune overgrown shrubs, especially ones that obscure windows.”
Worn carpet or flooring will also catch a buyer’s attention, so change it.
“The bulk of the buying market is looking for a finished product,” says Karen White, a sales representative with Re/Max in Port Carling. “The more complete a home or cottage is, the more likely it is going to sell. This means that anything that is old and tired should be fixed up or replaced with special attention to kitchen, bathrooms, floors, windows, decks, doors and roof. Any paint that is chipped, flaking or cracked should be repainted.”

Bathroom and kitchen renos are one of the best ways to increase the value of a home, according to the experts.
“They are the most expensive renovations,” says Schedewitz. “Therefore they are things that buyers look at, because then they don’t have to do it. If you’ve got money to do renovations, you want to make sure that the money you put out helps you stand out against your competition.”
When it comes to adjusting décor, think like the potential buyer.
“Think of it as a product to be sold, and allow the buyer to see it as their own place,” Acton says. “Remove personal items, such as family pictures.”
The cheapest décor change that produces the biggest return is paint.
“There are particular paint colours that win,” says McLeod, naming off soft taupe, warm cream and muted yellow. “Blue is the worst color. Any kind of blue is hard to sell.”
It’s also advisable to eliminate wallpaper and particularly borders, which may not appeal to the buyer.
McLeod, who draws on her background in interior design, says creative staging can make all the difference.
“I had a property I was having difficulty selling last year, at $1.2 million. I kept getting the same complaint, that it wasn’t ‘cottagey’ enough,” she recounts. “So I painted a few rooms and some exterior decks, and I went to a few really great furniture stores that have cottagey accessories.”
McLeod created a rustic effect and the cottage sold within two months.
“I bet we fetched an extra $100,000 or so. They fell in love with it,” McLeod recalls.
“Spend money on things you can take. It looks beautiful when you show, but you take it with you to your next place,” she says.
However, be prepared to part with those items if the buyer is willing to pay for them.
“With quite a few listings, we’ve included the furniture, so it’s turnkey, and that’s attractive,” says McLeod.

Don’t concentrate just on the building and forget the land, cautions Adam Wallace, a broker at Richard Wallace Real Estate in Bracebridge.
“Quite often, when a buyer is looking for their Muskoka property, the land is the most important element. I always say to my buyers that you can’t change the land but you can always change the cottage.”
Show off the property’s best features, he advises. “If the cottage has an amazing view, make sure the trees are trimmed up so when the buyer steps out of the car, they are mesmerized,” he says.
De-cluttering the land is also key. “Nobody likes to see trees fallen down or piles of limbs lying around so clean them up. If you’re selling a large amount of frontage, create easy walking paths for the potential buyer; remember many people buying property may not be as limber as they once were,” Wallace says.
Have a beach? Place four Muskoka chairs on it, McLeod says, or a pair on the dock, ready for the new owners.
The whole idea is to make your property into a blank canvas onto which prospective buyers can paint their own dreams.

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