Agreat REALTOR® is focused on maximizing interest in your home from the moment it’s listed. They generate excitement and anticipation for your listing to increase interest from potential buyers and ultimately, the best possible offer with the most favourable conditions.

What does a Great REALTOR® do for You?

They provide guidance before listing in regards to preparing your home for sale. They’ll offer suggestions on maintenance that should be done, upgrades that would be a worthwhile investment, and staging your home. They diligently organize the property file with concise and accurate information for potential buyers.

This can include visiting the municipality to review the building file, contacting VIHA for septic data, investigating well data, confirming property lines, investigating zoning and obtaining receipts and permits for recent work on the home.

They present the home professionally in listings, advertisements and on-site during open houses by way of professional photographs, videography, and documentation.

They build relationships with prospective clients, reaching out when there’s a listing that would suit their needs. They network with other Cowichan Valley real estate agents and across Vancouver Island to promote your existing listing as well as finding the next place you’ll call home. They understand the best time to list your home to maximize exposure and interest right from day one.

They're actively engaged in marketing your home via multiple channels including MLS, lawn signage, and social media marketing campaigns. They provide constant feedback and communication throughout the process of selling your home. They're completely confident in their ability to negotiate the best price for your home.

As an experienced Cowichan Valley and Duncan realtor, these are all things that I do for my clients. Let me know if you have questions.

1. Knowledge of the Community

Having lived in the Cowichan Valley for most of my life, as a Duncan realtor, I know what each neighbourhood in our community offers to potential homeowners and can offer you the best advice on a home to suit your unique situation.

2. Expert on Value

I have been a realtor in the area for 10 years during which time I have gained extensive knowledge of the housing market and the various factors that influence it. This enables me to provide clients with sound and accurate advice regarding housing prices, meaning I can tell you when the best time to buy or sell is and ensure you receive maximum value no matter what side of the equation you're on.

3. Knowledge of Local Regulations

The last thing you need after moving into your new home is to find out about a bylaw or covenant that isn’t a fit for your family or your lifestyle As a local agent, I am an expert in the local rules, regulations and bylaws. Therefore, I can ensure there are no post moving day surprises for you and your family.

4. Professional Contacts

I have built relationships with other local professionals whose services you may require during ALL facets of buying and selling your home. Whether you require a lawyer, home staging experts, interior designer or a renovation expert, I can connect you with people who you can trust will provide you with the same level of service and expertise that you can expect from me.

5. Support for Local Businesses

Trustworthy trades can help in the areas of renovations, building maintenance, home safety, landscaping, home inspections, and so many more. These are all vital parts to selling and buying at the best possible price. As your local real estate agent, I am proud to support local trades. I strive to maintain good relationships with businesses and trades in this area to ensure that each of my clients receives the best, most comprehensive care for their home.

As you have probably heard, Cowichan Valley real estate is in demand with record low inventory and high prices. Many sellers are seeing this as an opportunity to see an excellent return on their property investments with many buyers seeking to upgrade within the Cowichan Valley and many people wanting to move here to take advantage of our open spaces and recreation opportunities.

One of the common real estate terms being used by both buyers and sellers is "holding for offers".

What does "Holding for Offers" mean?

In a more balanced market it would be common for sellers to consider the first offer that they receive once their house is listed. It might be the first person who views the home, it could be the tenth person – in any case, the seller has committed to a ‘first come, first served’ approach to offers on their home. The thought is that the first few buyers are the most motivated and will likely offer the best prices.

Right now, we are currently in a strong seller’s Cowichan Valley real estate market, which means there are fewer homes available than eligible buyers – sort of like a game of musical chairs – with more serious consequences.

In order to maximize the best possible sale price of their home and the very best conditions possible, sellers with the advice of a Cowichan Valley REALTOR® are "holding for offers". They are not looking at offers right away, they are instead making the decision to wait and give as many people as possible the opportunity to view their home – with the hope that will increase competition. In particular, it gives more out-of-town buyer’s the opportunity to view – and the out-of-town buyers are more likely to pay higher prices and offer better conditions.

Note: this does not imply that an out-of-town agent can bring more out-of-town buyers if they list your home – that simply isn’t true – they cannot ethically represent a buyer anyway. Your best success in the marketplace will be determined by the experience and marketing of your Realtor®.

This "holding for offers" approach can be very successful in this real estate market, resulting in offers over asking price and in some cases, unconditional offers – both circumstances will significantly benefit sellers.

What are the Risks?

One of the risks with "holding for offers", is to make sure a seller doesn’t underprice the house in the hopes to drive up offers. If a house is underpriced, the final offer price might not be above what the proper list price should have been. Prudent investigation and discussion with an experienced REALTOR® is critical to maximizing value.

In Closing

Finally, a hot seller’s Cowichan Valley real estate market doesn’t mean that shortcuts should be taken with the listing. Every effort should be made by the REALTOR® to provide every possible bit of information on the home to potential buyers and all avenues should be used to promote the home for maximum value.

It is prudent for a seller to choose a Cowichan Valley REALTOR® who will help properly research and prepare their home and have a solid game plan in place to generate interest and the best possible offer on their home.

If you have further questions on this topic, please contact our team today.