Chapter 1
Getting Your Home Ready to Sell
Buyers form an opinion within seconds of arriving at a property — often before they step inside. The goal of preparation isn't a top-to-bottom renovation. It's presenting your home at its best so buyers can picture themselves living there. Most of the highest-impact prep work is inexpensive.
Low Cost, High Impact
Declutter and Depersonalize
Pack away family photos, excess furniture, and personal items. Buyers need to see the space itself. Think of it as getting a head start on packing.
Deep Clean Everything
Kitchens, bathrooms, baseboards, windows. A sparkling clean home signals "well cared for" immediately — and costs very little beyond time or a cleaning service.
Freshen the Paint
Neutral tones make rooms feel bigger and brighter. Focus on high-traffic areas and any walls with scuffs or bold colours that date the space.
Curb Appeal
Mow the lawn, trim hedges, power-wash the driveway, add a pot or two by the front door. The exterior sets expectations before buyers are out of the car.
Fix the Small Things
Leaky faucets, squeaky doors, burned-out bulbs, cracked caulking. Buyers notice these details and mentally add up the cost of fixing them — even when it's trivial.
Consider Staging
Staged homes typically sell faster than unstaged equivalents. For vacant homes or higher-value properties, professional staging is commonly considered worthwhile.
What's Worth Investing In — and What Isn't
Pre-sale renovations rarely return their full cost. The goal is to remove objections, not to renovate for the next owner's taste.
Typically Worth It
Updated light fixtures
Fresh hardware on kitchen cabinets
Refinished or professionally cleaned flooring
Professional staging
Minor landscaping improvements
Rarely Worth It
Full kitchen or bathroom renovations
Swimming pool additions
Highly personalized upgrades
Major structural work
High-end finishes in an average-priced home
When in doubt, ask your agent for an honest assessment of what's worth doing before you spend money. Some agents will suggest leaving things alone.
Chapter 2
How Homes Get Priced
Pricing is the single most consequential decision in the selling process. The right price attracts serious buyers quickly. The wrong one — in either direction — can cost you money.
Why Overpricing Backfires
1
You Miss the Launch Window
A new listing gets its highest traffic in the first one to two weeks. If the price is off during that window, the buyers who would have been most interested scroll past and move on.
2
You Attract the Wrong Comparisons
Search filters are price-based. An overpriced home appears alongside properties that genuinely justify that price — and yours suffers by comparison.
3
Days on Market Works Against You
Homes that sit develop a stigma. Buyers assume something is wrong. Price reductions follow, and sellers commonly end up accepting less than they would have with a correct price from the start.
How a Comparative Market Analysis Works
A CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) is the standard tool for establishing a listing price. Your agent prepares it by analyzing recent market data specific to your home and neighbourhood.
01
Comparable Sales
What similar homes nearby have actually sold for recently — not just what they were listed at. Sale price is what matters.
02
Active Competition
What else is currently on the market? Buyers comparison shop. Understanding what your home is competing against is essential to positioning correctly.
03
Market Conditions
Buyer's market or seller's market? Rising inventory or falling? Interest rate environment? These factors directly influence how aggressive or conservative a pricing strategy may be.
04
Your Property's Specific Attributes
Location, lot size, layout, condition, upgrades, views — everything that distinguishes your home from the comparables gets factored into the final number.
Ask your agent to walk you through the CMA in detail — not just the final number but the reasoning behind it. You should understand why the price is what it is before you agree to list.
Chapter 3
How Homes Get Marketed
The vast majority of buyers begin their search online. How your home is presented in its first days on the market — photos, description, price — has an outsized effect on the final outcome.
What a Full-Service Listing Typically Includes
Professional Photography
Phone photos are not standard. Professional real estate photography is commonly included and directly affects how many buyers click through to your listing.
MLS Listing
The Multiple Listing Service is the primary database all agents and most buyer-facing platforms pull from. A well-written listing description matters.
Floor Plans and Measurements
Accurate measurements and a floor plan give buyers the spatial context they need — and reduce wasted showings from buyers who discover deal-breaking layout issues in person.
Online and Social Distribution
Targeted digital advertising reaches buyers who aren't actively searching MLS. Social media exposure expands reach beyond the agent network.
Open Houses and Showings
Open houses maximize exposure and accessibility. Most purchasing decisions happen through private showings, where buyers can view the home in a more focused and comfortable setting.
Virtual Tours
Increasingly common, particularly for out-of-town buyers or higher-priced properties. Reduces unqualified showings and keeps interest high between visits.
Before signing a listing agreement, ask your agent specifically what marketing they will do and when. "Full service" can mean different things to different agents.
Chapter 4
The Selling Process, Step by Step
Here's what the typical selling timeline looks like from start to finish. Every transaction has its own nuances, but this is the general arc.
Step1
Initial Consultation
Your agent walks through the property, assesses condition, discusses your timeline and goals, and provides an initial pricing opinion. This is also when you ask questions and decide whether this is the right agent and the right time.
Step2
Listing Agreement
A formal contract between you and the brokerage. It sets the list price, commission, listing period, and the terms of the representation. Read it carefully before signing.
Step3
Pre-Listing Preparation
Photography, staging, measurements, floor plans, and any pre-agreed prep work. In BC, sellers also complete a Property Disclosure Statement, which buyers are legally entitled to review.
Step4
Going Live
Your listing goes active on MLS. This is the highest-traffic moment in the selling process — the first one to two weeks matter most. Price and presentation need to be right from day one.
Step5
Showings and Open Houses
Buyers view the property. You should expect to keep the home in showing condition throughout this period. Requesting feedback from your agent after showings can provide useful market intelligence.
Step6
Receiving and Reviewing Offers
Your agent presents all offers and explains every term. Don't focus only on purchase price — subjects, deposit, completion dates, and conditions all affect the quality and security of the deal.
Step7
Negotiation and Acceptance
You can accept an offer as written, counter it with modified terms, or reject it. Most accepted offers involve at least one round of counter-offers. Once all parties sign, the offer becomes a binding contract.
Step8
Subject Removal Period
The buyer works through their conditions — financing approval, home inspection, title review. If all subjects are satisfied within the agreed timeframe, they're removed and the deal becomes firm.
Step9
Completion and Closing
Your lawyer or notary handles the conveyancing. On completion day, funds transfer and title changes hands. Possession timing is negotiated as part of the contract.
Chapter 5
Understanding Commissions and Selling Costs
In BC, commission is typically paid by the seller and split between the listing brokerage and the buyer's agent brokerage. It's negotiable — there is no fixed standard rate, despite common perception.
How Commission Typically Works
Traditional commission structures in BC commonly use a tiered formula: a higher percentage on the first portion of the sale price, and a lower percentage on the balance. The examples below are illustrative — actual amounts vary by property, brokerage, and the terms agreed to in your listing agreement.
| Commission Structure | On a $900,000 Sale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7% on first $100K + 2.5% on balance | ~$27,000 | Common traditional structure |
| 7% on first $100K + 3.5% on balance | ~$35,000 | Higher end of traditional range |
| Flat 3% | $27,000 | Sometimes used for higher-priced properties |
| Flat 2% | $18,000 | Lower-commission brokerage model |
Commission is paid on completion from the sale proceeds — you don't write a cheque upfront. It directly reduces your net proceeds, so it's worth understanding what you're agreeing to before you sign a listing agreement.
What Commission Covers
Commission compensates both the listing agent (your representation) and the buyer's agent (their representation). The split between the two sides is agreed upon in the listing agreement and disclosed to cooperating agents. A below-market offer to the buyer's agent can affect how actively cooperating agents show your property.
Other Selling Costs to Budget For
Legal / Notary Fees
A lawyer or notary handles the conveyancing and title transfer. Fees vary by complexity — it's worth getting a quote early.
Mortgage Penalties
Breaking your mortgage early may trigger a prepayment penalty — ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. Check with your lender before listing.
Property Tax Adjustments
Taxes, utilities, and strata fees are prorated between you and the buyer as of the completion date. You may owe or receive an adjustment at closing.
Moving Costs
Professional movers, storage, cleaning, and any overlap between your old and new home. Frequently underestimated — get quotes early.
Pre-Sale Repairs and Staging
Whatever you spend getting the property ready to list. These vary widely depending on condition and scope.
Capital Gains Tax
If the property is not your principal residence, a portion of the profit may be subject to capital gains tax. Consult an accountant before listing an investment property or secondary home.
Chapter 6
Understanding Offers and Negotiation
An offer to purchase is a legal contract. When you sign it, you are agreeing to its terms. Understanding what's in an offer — not just the price — is essential before you accept, counter, or reject.
What's in an Offer
Purchase Price
The amount the buyer is offering. The starting point — but not always the most important term.
Deposit
A good-faith payment held in trust. Amount and timing are negotiated. A larger deposit can signal stronger buyer commitment.
Subjects / Conditions
Conditions the buyer must satisfy before the sale becomes firm — most commonly financing approval, home inspection, and title review.
Subject Removal Date
The deadline by which the buyer must remove all conditions or the contract collapses. Timing is negotiated between parties.
Completion Date
When ownership legally transfers and funds change hands. Set by mutual agreement.
Possession Date
When the buyer takes physical possession. Often the same day as completion, but can differ by agreement.
Inclusions
Items included in the sale beyond the structure — appliances, window coverings, fixtures, outbuildings.
Exclusions
Items you're keeping. Anything you intend to take with you should be explicitly excluded in the listing and confirmed in the contract.
Irrevocability
How long the offer is open for acceptance. After the irrevocability period, the offer expires if not accepted.
Your Three Options
On multiple offers: If your home receives more than one offer simultaneously, your agent must disclose that multiple offers exist (though not their terms). You can ask all buyers to submit their best offer by a set deadline, or negotiate with one buyer exclusively. Your agent should explain the strategy options and the trade-offs of each approach before you decide.
Chapter 7
Choosing the Right Agent
The agent you hire has a direct impact on your outcome — not just in dollars, but in the quality of advice, the stress level of the process, and how well-protected you are throughout. The lowest commission isn't always the best deal. Neither is the agent with the most prominent marketing.
Here are the questions worth asking before signing a listing agreement:
What's your specific experience in this area?
Local market knowledge matters. An agent who regularly works in your neighbourhood understands buyer behaviour, pricing nuances, and comparable sales that an outsider may not.
What does your marketing plan look like?
Ask for specifics — who shoots the photography, where the listing will be advertised, whether virtual tours are included. Get it in writing if it matters to you.
How do you arrive at your price recommendation?
A thorough agent will show you the data and explain their reasoning. Be cautious of agents who suggest an unusually high price without comparable evidence to support it.
Who handles the transaction day-to-day?
Some agents hand off to assistants once you're listed. Know who you'll be talking to when things get complicated — and they often do.
What's your commission and what does it include?
Commission is negotiable. Understand exactly what you're paying for and what portion goes to cooperating buyer's agents before you sign.
Can you share references from recent sellers?
Past clients are the best indicator of what working with an agent is actually like. Any agent worth hiring should be able to provide them without hesitation.
You are not obligated to hire the first agent you meet. Interviewing two or three is reasonable. The consultation is free, and the decision affects one of the most significant financial transactions most people ever undertake.
The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.