SELLERS

Selling Your Comox Valley Real Estate

Once you have made the decision to sell your home, you may ask yourself, “Why would I pay a real estate agent all that money to sell my home?”

The answer is simple:

1. Marketing
2. Exposure
3. Expertise

Why Work with a Comox Valley REALTOR®?

A REALTOR® provides a variety of services including: setting a listing price within current market guidelines; development of a marketing plan; recommendations and advice to make your home more attractive and saleable; and action on your behalf during negotiations to ensure your interests are protected. In fact, there are typically 145 steps to complete a real estate transaction. Having a REALTOR® working for you can simplify the process,  minimize the stress of selling your home by qualifying buyers and negotiating on your behalf.

Another advantage to working with a REALTOR® is the far-reaching market exposure your home will receive through the Multiple Listing Service™ (MLS). This cooperative marketing system relays information about your home to a vast network of REALTORS® and therefore potential home buyers across Canada and around the world. The excellent exposure your home gets through www.realtor.ca means a greater likelihood of finding a buyer willing to pay your price. This is an especially effective tool for DND families who are relocating to 19 Wing Comox or for those who are moving to Courtenay, Comox or Cumberland from out of province.

Why List Your Home with Cindy Armstrong?

Selecting the right real estate agent to sell your home is very important. REALTOR® Cindy Armstrong has an impressive track record for selling homes in the Comox Valley. She works diligently for her real estate clients to ensure a timely sale at the right price.

Cindy has developed a proven real estate marketing plan to sell your home, condo, town house, acreage or commercial property. To date she has sold more than 300 homes in Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland and other areas of the Comox Valley.

When you decide to list your home for sale with Cindy Armstrong, she makes a commitment to you to sell your home with the least amount of stress on you as possible. Her goal is to make the sale of your largest asset (your home) an easy one.

To meet these goals, Cindy will:

  • Listen carefully to make sure your objectives are understood
  • Explain the home selling process thoroughly
  • Discuss real estate agency representation
  • Price your home correctly
  • Give tips for staging your home for a faster sale
  • Implement a proven real estate marketing plan
  • Make every effort to sell your home promptly
  • Generate and follow up on leads
  • Communicate with you consistently so you know what to expect
  • Network with the entire real estate broker population
  • Diligently track the closing process on the sale of your home

Listing Your Property For Sale

Cindy Armstrong knows the Comox Valley real estate market and can work with you to prepare your house for listing. An agreement listing contract authorizes her to find a buyer for your home within an agreed amount of time for a specified commission. The agreement describes the property details as accurately as possible in order to meet the legal requirements of full disclosure. Cindy will work with you to prepare a list of inclusions and exclusions to let the buyers know what is included in the sale, and what is not. The agreement also includes financial information, such as the balance owing on the mortgage, the monthly payments, and any liens or encumbrances against the property. Municipal property taxes and information about easements and right of ways are also disclosed.

Selling Your Property at the Right Price

When you’re selling your house, condo, or acreage property, listing Comox Valley Real Estate at the right selling price is one of the most critical steps in the timely sale of your home. What’s the right price for selling a house in Courtenay or selling an acreage property in Merville? The right price for selling your property is one that will attract buyers, and will sell your home within a reasonable amount of time.  There are a number of factors that affect the prices of homes that sell in Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland.

Lifestyle shifts such as retirement, changes in employment, or a change in family size can motivate both buyers and sellers. Those looking to retire in the Courtenay /Comox area may be drawn to single level homes, patio homes, retirement communities, or condos that offer less maintenance. Young growing families may be considering other factors such as recreational opportunities, acreage property, or proximity to schools and parks, and the size of the home.  The location of your property within Courtenay, Comox, or Cumberland, and the quality and workmanship of your home are factors, as well as how well your home has been maintained.

How closely your house, condo, or acreage property meets the needs of buyers is what determines the price your home will actually sell for. There may be simple, cost effective improvements that can help meet buyers’ needs and increase the value of your home such as repainting the home, updating the kitchen and bathrooms and improving the curb appeal of your home.

Professional Pricing of Your Home

Homes that sell the most quickly are those that are in step with the current market conditions. When you’re selling your house or condo at a price that’s too high, it can mean that there are potential buyers who don’t see your listing because it is out of their price range. Over pricing can also mean that your house is on the market for an extended length of time, which can lead to buyer disinterest or perceptions that there are problems with your home. Attaching sentimental value and a lack of objectivity can also lead to over pricing.

Cindy Armstrong will prepare a complete market evaluation that takes all of these factors into consideration. As part of a strong local and national real estate network, Cindy has access to Comox Valley real estate market information that can help to evaluate price. She can determine how many days similar homes in Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland were on the market, and the difference between their actual selling price and the listing price. This information is very helpful in finding the right price for your home, condo, waterfront or acreage property.

Putting Your Listing to Work

Once you have decided on a selling price for your home or condo, Cindy will go to work, marketing your home to potential buyers both within the local areas of Courtenay, Comox or Cumberland as well as marketing your home nationally through the MLS listings. Cindy is a Brookfield Relocation Specialist and can use this network to attract buyers from across the country, RCMP families relocating to the Comox Valley, or DND families relocating to 19 Wing Comox. 

Cindy Armstrong will work with you to create a first impression that will appeal to buyers. Check out her document "Fit to Sell" for important tips. A good clean up can do wonders! 

  • Tidy the yard, the garage, and the outside of the house to increase “curb appeal”
  • Cut the grass, and accentuate any existing landscaping by weeding flowerbeds and trimming edges
  • Make sure the entrance to your home is clean and welcoming
  • Wash the windows, freshen up the window coverings, and replace any bulbs that make areas appear dim
  • Go through each room and minimize the distraction of clutter like knick-knacks. A spacious feeling is inviting and makes people feel welcome
  • Put away any valuables or medications

Once your home is ready for showing, photos are taken and Cindy will begin to implement a professional marketing plan for your listing using online resources, through open houses, or by bringing qualified buyers to see your home. This is where her expertise will be especially beneficial in the sale of your home. As your real estate agent, Cindy is professionally trained in selling houses, condos, and acreage properties and will skillfully negotiate inquiries about price, terms of sale, possession dates and other related details.

Once you agree to an offer, having the skills of a REALTOR® and a real estate lawyer can ensure that your best interests are being protected. A real estate lawyer will help to close the deal by setting up a trust account to receive the money from selling your property and pay out any mortgages owed. They will look after the details of registering the mortgage discharge, transferring proceeds to you, and transferring the title to the new owner. If you have prepaid property tax or utility bills your lawyer will see that you are reimbursed.

Your home is an important investment, and hiring a professional REALTOR® to sell your home is like investing in other professionals, such as tax accountants, who know the business and the importance of tracking the details. Cindy Armstrong can help protect your real estate investment.

MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.