What you Should Know

1. What you Should Know Before Selling Your Home Prepared for [Client Name] 10 Beaufort Road Agent Name • Sales Representative Agent Name [Company Address] 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

2. What You Should Know Before Selling Your Home When it comes to selling your home, you’ve got your priorities. After all, this is one of the biggest investments you own! Selling your home involves much more than just placing a For Sale sign in your yard. Making a mistake in selling your home can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost profit. However, avoiding mistakes is easy and takes less time and effort on your part when you hire a professional real estate sales representative to handle the details.  You want ALL the facts on the current housing market.  You need experienced, street-smart guidance as you consider your options.  You’re entitled to enthusiastic, timely attention and frequent fe edback from your Realtor®, whether you’re moving next week or next year.  And you deserve a real estate professional working for you with friendly, solution-oriented experience, ever-present ingenuity, and hands-on know- how to cut through all the legal speak and paperwork. Let me help you! This booklet has been designed to help you understand the basics of the home selling process. Understanding what is involved and how I will help you, will assist you in making the right decision when choosing the best sales representative to help you sell your home. When we meet, we will  Establish a proper asking price for your home  Determine how to get every dollar you deserve  Create an effective plan of action for selling your home as quickly as possible. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

3. Establishing a proper asking price No matter how attractive and polished your house may be, buyers will be comparing its price with everything else on the market. Your best guide to proper pricing is a record of what buyers have been willing to pay in the past few months for properties comparable to yours in your area. I will provide you with a thorough comparative market analysis (CMA) with the data of all comparable homes in your area. Based on these results, we will have a good idea of what the market value of your house is. Improper pricing is the most common mistake that costs home sellers thousands of dollars. It’s simple. Overpriced homes are not as competitive as those that are well priced. In most cases, the higher the asking price, the longer it takes for the home to sell (and in many cases, the lower the final selling price). On the other hand, price it too low and you may give away thousand in profits to a total stranger. The value of a home is determined by supply and demand. If there are a lot of sellers and few buyers, prices tend to go down and homes take longer to sell. This is referred to as a Buyer’s Market. When the opposite is true, and there are many buyers but few homes for sale, prices will rise and homes will sell quickly. This is a Seller’s Market. A Balanced Market is self-explanatory but it’s also important to recognize the effect a Changing Market will have on pricing, whether the transition is to an Up Market or Down Market. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

4. Establishing a proper asking price The ultimate decision regarding how much to ask is strictly yours. But I strongly encourage you to not fall into the temptation of overpricing the property, as this will only cost you thousands of dollars in the long run. Realtors® don’t establish value, the market does. I mention this because many real estate sales representatives may try to “buy” your listing by saying they can get you more for your home. These attempts are done in hopes of securing the listing at a price they know to be unrealistic and knowing that they will be coming back at a later date with a significant price reduction request. Proper pricing sets the stage for the entire selling process. Be objective and remember that selling your home is a business transaction. Keep in mind that potential buyers are not looking to buy your home – they are looking to find a house that they can make their home. Insert Testimonial [testimonial copy goes here] Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

5. Getting Every Dollar You Deserve Of all the things homeowners control when selling their home, the condition of the property is one of the most important. First impressions make all the difference in selling your home. When viewing properties, buyers make up their minds within the first ten minutes! Your home’s condition is vital to a sale and a clean, well-maintained home enjoys a competitive edge over other homes on the market. The ability to reap the full profit potential on the sale of your home can be accomplished easily enough, if you make the right improvements. Spending $3,000 on new carpet and/or paint might add another $10,000 to the price of your home. Basic, simple and inexpensive improvements can provide an improved emotional response in a potential buyer. It’s important to get an objective point of view from a real estate professional to ensure that needed cosmetic improvements are identified. According to the National Association of Realtors®, the average purchaser looks at 10 to 20 properties prior to purchasing a home. They are looking for the best priced property in the best condition. The majority of buyer activity on a new listing occurs in the early period of marketing. For these reasons it is important that you have your home in the best condition at first exposure to the market. When we meet, I will guide you in making the best decisions on preparing your home for sale so that you get every dollar you deserve. [Insert Testimonial] Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

6. Getting Every Dollar You Deserve You deserve special attention in every detail of your real estate transaction! Average Realtor® [insert your name]  Full time office staff  No support staff  No system, unpredictable  Systematic approach for consistent results  Slow response time to requests  Reputation for quick response time  Infrequent client contact  Provides regular feedback reports to sellers  Limited buyer contacts  Daily contact with pool of qualified buyers  Sales strategy often undefined  Provides a structured marketing plan to get you top dollar  Relies on company advertising  Markets your home 24/7 on multiple websites, social media and mobile apps  No name recognition  Local name recognition and brand power  Often lack expertise/experience  Negotiation skills that can save and earn you thousands $$  Average* 7 sales per year  Over twice the sales of the average Realtor® *Based on Canadian Real Estate Association statistics A Real Estate Service Professional that cares It is my mission to make a difference in people’s lives. It is my aim to assist you not just in a single transaction but in all of your real estate needs in future years. I want every sale or purchase I handle to be a pleasant experience for you and will cheerfully answer all questions you ask to ensure you have the information you need to make your decisions. I do not employ high-pressure sales techniques at any time. I work toward your total satisfaction and believe that you deserve my best efforts. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

7. A Detailed Marketing Program Since my main objective is to sell your home for you, I make sure that it is presented to as many qualified buyers as quickly and directly as possible. This is achieved by using all appropriate venues to market your home to not one but three tiers – Realtors®, neighbours, and, of course, purchasers! To ensure you get the highest possible dollar value for your property, I use the tried and true methods of home marketing as well as the best of today’s technology to give your home exposure to more potential buyers than ever. My marketing program for your home includes: 1. For Sale Sign Working for you 24/7, the most noticeable and immediate method of showing that your property is available to purchase is the For Sale sign. It identifies your home as being listed with Royal LePage, the most recognized Canadian real estate brand, and provides contact information so prospective buyers can call for information. 2. Flyers & Brochures Flyers show interior and exterior photos of your property and provide the highlights of your house. The flyers provide contact numbers and a call to action so buyers can contact me directly for additional information. Full colour brochures of your home provide full details and show of the special features of your house. Brochures are for display in a prominent place in your home. 3. Multiple Websites & Social Networking The Internet allows people to get information about your house in the comfort of their home 24/7. I will market your property through multiple websites including Realtor.ca, royallepage.ca, rlpgta.ca, my personal website [insert website address] as well as through Facebook and Twitter. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

8. A Detailed Marketing Program 4. Mobile Marketing Today’s consumers are using mobile devices to find information on everything from finding a restaurant to buying a house. The RLP Mobile App connects motivated buyers to properties for sale on their mobile phone from any location. Its GPS property locator shows buyers homes for sale within the distance of their choice from their location. By including the RLP test signage to your lawn sign, your listing is instantly viewable by a huge audience. 5. Open Houses Open Houses are an invitation for the public to come in and get a feel for what your home has to offer. It allows them to view your house and mentally fit their family with your property. 6. Professional Network I have a large network of buyers that I am presently working with. My automated system provides buyers with information on listings that match their criteria as soon as the listing hits the market. As we enter your home into the system, it will automatically search for buyer matches. Likewise, my professional network includes Realtors® I speak with every day, the over 1,300 sales representatives in my brokerage, over 14,000 Royal LePage sales representatives across Canada, and over 160,000 Realtors® worldwide through our affiliation with Leading Real Estate Companies. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

9. Services to help your move run smoothly Getting a house ready for sale may require or benefit from the services of professionals in addition to your Realtor. As I work with these providers on a regular basis, I’m able to confidently refer you to them knowing they will provide the same level of care and professionalism to my clients. My list of service professionals includes:  Mortgage Specialists  Lawyers  Stagers  Home Inspectors  Appraisers  Storage services  Cleaning services  Electricians  Plumbers  Carpenters  HVAC  Painters  Landscapers  Moving companies A full list of names, contact information, and testimonials from others who have used these services is provided to my clients, allowing them to make direct contact and choose the provider that best fits their needs. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

10. About Me [insert name] Your Unique Selling Proposition – Insert your personal bio information here. Be sure to include things like why you became a Realtor® and what sets you apart from the competition. Awards: [insert award with year] Experience: [insert date] - Present: Real Estate Agent specializing in single family, multi- family, condominiums, and land sales [insert date] – [insert date]: Insert pre-real estate position Areas of Expertise: [insert specifics of your practice including property types, locations, niche markets, special client needs etc.] Affiliations:  Canadian Real Estate Association  Ontario Real Estate Association  Toronto Real Estate Board  [insert other real estate related affiliations] Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

11. About Me Education: University High School OREA Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd. – Dynamic Agent Professional Development Program Community: Charitable Organizations Community Associations Personal interest organizations or associations Volunteering Personal: Married to Children Hobbies Mission Statement: [insert your personal mission statement] Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

12. About Me What Successful Home Sellers Are Saying About My Service… “________ sold our home in 8 days!” Your marketing strategies such as the phone hotline, full coloured, detailed home info sheets, and unique open houses were very effective. We appreciated the daily feedback we received from you regarding showings of our home. Due to all of the above, our home sold in 8 days at 98% of the evaluated price! [insert full name of client] “_______________ has the experience we were looking for.” It was obvious that we needed a real estate agent with an expertise in selling homes in this special housing area. We also wanted someone who knew the value of properties being sold here and had a long-standing, good track record in real estate sales right here. Both my wife and I agree that you were the agent most able to live up to our expectations and it resulted in a quick sale of our home. [insert full name of client] “Your service and care goes far beyond the call of duty.” We would like to tell you just how much we appreciate everything you have done for us, but there are no words expressive enough to do justice to our feelings. The effort you extend goes far beyond the "call of duty,” and we wonder just where you get all of your energy. You were wonderful to work with, and we thank you so much for the work on our behalf. [insert full name of client] Note to agent: It is best to use the full first and last name of your clients to demonstrate the authenticity of the testimonial. Always get written authorization from your client to use their full names. Including a photo of you with the client can be very powerful and is also a great addition to Facebook postings you may do. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

13. About Royal LePage Helping You Is What We Do Royal LePage is the oldest and largest Canadian owned full service real estate company in the country, with over 14,000 sales representatives in over 600 offices coast to coast. Since 1913, Royal LePage has been committed to helping Canadians buy and sell homes. We helped found the Toronto Real Estate Board and Ontario Real Estate Association, and set the standards for all other real estate companies to follow. Today as a leader in technology and customer satisfaction, royallepage.ca dominates in both the on line and mobile searches of motivated buyers. Royal LePage is the exclusive national Canadian partner of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the world’s largest real estate referral network with over 170,000 associates worldwide. For relocations, Brookfield Global Relocation Services is the country’s largest national relocation company servicing over 50,000 corporate and government transfers annually worldwide. Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about real estate and how to provide the best possible service for our clients. Our service-based culture and comprehensive suite of services set us apart from the competition and enable us to attract the best people in the business. Throughout our successes, we remain dedicated to helping you through the real estate process. Our commitment to innovation and customer service is as strong as ever. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

14. About Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage You’re In Good Company Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd. is the largest residential real estate brokerage in the Greater Toronto Area.* All 15 offices of our brokerage are an established and recognized presence in Oakville, Mississauga, West Toronto and Central Toronto and beyond with collectively over 1,300 professional REALTORS® helping people buy or sell real estate across the GTA and beyond. As the best people with the best training and the best tools available in real estate today, our REALTORS® know how to make the complex process of buying or selling property a positive experience for you. We're devoted to helping you make the most of your real estate opportunities. * Based on combined 2011 dollar sales volume of homes sold from TREB MLS. About the ___[insert your branch name]_________ Branch Include information about your branch that helps to position it in the community. This could include market share information, special activities of the branch, as well as location and hours. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

15. Tell Me About Your Home What are the 10 favourite features of your home and neighbourhood? *Please complete this page in preparation for our meeting* 1.______________________________________________________________ 2.______________________________________________________________ 3.______________________________________________________________ 4.______________________________________________________________ 5.______________________________________________________________ 6.______________________________________________________________ 7.______________________________________________________________ 8.______________________________________________________________ 9.______________________________________________________________ 10._____________________________________________________________ What price range are you thinking your home should sell for? ___________________ Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

16. Information About Your Property What improvements have you made to your home? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Type of heating: __________________________________________________ Average cost of heating per month: _________________________________ Average Hydro cost per month: _____________________________________ What is the age of the:  Roof _________________  Windows _____________  Hot Water Tank ________  Air Conditioner _________  Furnace ______________ Do you have a floor plan of the property? Yes No (if yes, please have a copy available) Do you have a survey of the property? Yes No (if yes, please have a copy available) Do you have an extra set of keys for a lockbox? Yes No (if yes, please have them available) Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

17. Commission & Fees In real estate, the sale of a property usually involves the payment of a commission to the listing brokerage. What most people don’t know is how a commission is distributed; often assuming that it all goes to the sales representative. In fact, the sales representative’s fee is only a portion of the total commission. This chart illustrates how a typical commission is distributed to all the parties involved in a purchase and sale, based on a 5% commission rate. The brokerage representing the buyer receives the largest portion with the balance being split between the listing brokerage and the sales representative. All marketing and administrative expenses for the property are paid from the sales representative’s portion as well as all the professional and regulatory fees that are applied to the sales representative. It is the remaining balance, once all these expenses are paid, that represents the sales representative’s take home pay before taxes. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

18. Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale Curb Appeal First impressions really do count. If the impact of your curb appeal is strong, people will want to see what is inside.  Cut and trim the shrubs.  Remove dead tree limbs and other yard debris.  Brighten up the garden with fresh shrubs and flowers.  Get rid of the clutter. Put away toys and gardening equipment.  Touch up peeling paint on doors, siding, and trim.  Repair and paint the fence.  Fix damaged roof shingles and flashing.  Clean windows, replace broken panes, and fix torn screens.  Clean gutters and downspouts.  Wash the driveway and sidewalk. Patch cracks or holes.  Clean up the garage and shed.  Have the gas grill ready for use.  Make sure outside lights and doorbells work. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

19. Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale Interior Preparation Every room should look as spacious, bright, and warm as possible.  Wash walls, ceilings, and trim. Consider painting with light, neutral colours. Repair cracks.  Tighten loose knobs, towel racks, switch plates, and outlet covers.  Fix tight doors and windows, squeaky floorboards, and loose stair banisters.  Clean and repair caulking around tubs and sinks. Fix leaky faucets; remove water stains.  Clean and organize the basement and attic. (This is a good opportunity to throw out all the bits and pieces you don't want to move.)  Organize closets. Get rid of the clutter. Limit the number of items stored overhead or on the floor.  Clean out kitchen cabinets, and remove clutter from countertops.  Clean drapes, blinds, and curtains. Shampoo carpets, polish floors.  Arrange furniture to make rooms appear as spacious as possible.  Remove any items you're taking with you, such as chandeliers and mirrors. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

20. Tips for Preparing Your House for Sale Showing Your Home Your house should be ready to show at all times. Make sure it is kept clean and clutter-free. And, those last minute touches before someone comes to look at your home can make all the difference:  Turn on all the lights, even during the daytime, including outside entrance, closet, basement, and attic lights. Open all the drapes and blinds.  Turn off the television, stereo, and radio (easy listening music is OK).  Open all the doors between rooms to give an inviting feeling.  On cold days, light a fire. If not in season, make sure the fireplace is clean.  Put pets in a fenced yard. Better still, ask friends to look after them. Some people may be allergic, others may be afraid of animals. Clear any pet odours.  Clean the kitchen and bathrooms. Leave windows and mirrors sparkling.  All jewelry and small valuables should be stored in a safety deposit box or in a locked closet.  Set out fresh flowers, hang decorative hand towels in the bathroom, and place an attractive tablecloth on the dining room table.  If possible, leave! Some buyers are uncomfortable when the owner is in the house. In their hurry to get away, they may miss important features, or fail to ask important questions. If you must remain, be courteous, but try not to make conversation. The buyer's Realtor knows what the buyer is looking for. He or she can discuss features and answer questions. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

21. Receiving an Offer A buyer interested in purchasing your property will make an Offer and, as an act of good faith, put down a deposit. The buyer's REALTOR® communicates the Offer, also known as an Agreement of Purchase & Sale (a legal document specifying the offers terms and conditions) to you or your representative. The Offer states how much the buyer is willing to pay and details the conditions. The Offer can be firm or conditional. The seller can accept the Offer, reject the Offer, or make a counter Offer. Firm Offer to Purchase: Usually preferable to the seller, because it means that the buyer will purchase the home without any conditions. If the Offer is accepted, the house is sold. Conditional Offer to Purchase: Means the buyer has placed one or more conditions on the purchase, such as subject to home inspection, subject to financing, or subject to the sale of buyer's existing home. The home is not sold until all the conditions have been met. Acceptance: The seller agrees to all the terms and conditions exactly as set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Rejection: The seller does not agree with any of the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Counter offer: The seller agrees with some of the terms and conditions of the Offer, but not all of them. The seller then makes a counter Offer. The counter Offer may change the price, the closing date, or add or delete conditions. When the buyer receives the counter Offer, he or she can accept the new terms and conditions or reject them. A signed Offer is a binding contract. Make sure you understand and agree to all of the terms before you sign. You may want to have a lawyer review the offer first. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

22. Closing the Sale As your Royal LePage REALTOR® I will supervise every step of the closing process to make sure that closing is as smooth as possible. Closing may require:  Professional home inspection to assess the condition of the property.  Professional appraisal by the buyer’s mortgage company to determine the true value of the property.  Search of the title by the buyer's lawyer. On or before closing day, lawyers for the seller and the buyer will set up a trust account for the money coming from the sale. This money will be used to pay off any mortgages you owe on the property, after which you receive the balance. Your lawyer should also ensure that you receive compensation for pre-paid expenses, such as property taxes, electrical or gas bills, or, if applicable, heating oil left in your tank. You will give the property deed or transfer documents, mortgage details, and keys to your lawyer. Your lawyer will register the mortgage discharge and transfer the deed at closing. You will also pay the listing brokerage company their compensation (your lawyer can arrange the payment from the proceeds of the sale). Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com

23. Recent Neighbourhood Activity The following pages provide a “snapshot” of recent activity in your neighbourhood and includes properties that have Sold, Expired and are currently Listed. This is not a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) but is included to give a general idea of the selling activity over the past few months. I will be presenting a customized CMA for your property at our meeting. Agent Name 123-456-7891 agent.name@royallepage.ca www.agentwebsite.com