Selling your home is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. Your home is likely your largest single asset – this may be the biggest financial move you've ever made, and one that requires significant thought and strategy.

Countless questions are unearthed during the process. How much is it really worth? How long will it take to sell in the current Calgary real estate market? How do you handle buyers making undesirable offers? How do you negotiate for the best deal and still protect your interests?

As one of Calgary's top-licensed REALTORS® with years of experience, a proven track record and additional advanced - and certified - real estate training, I know what it takes to evaluate, effectively market and efficiently sell your home. I bring expert knowledge, valuable marketing and negotiating experiences blended with expert skills in the latest technology, a well-defined and customizable marketing plan, a cohesive network of professional resources, energy, enthusiasm and the excitement of a job well done. I have the tools to meet the demands of this highly competitive, modern real estate market. And, I will guide you through this complicated process: from the beginning to end. And, like you, I want you to get the maximum value for your home, within your time-frame.

Before you begin the selling process, closely evaluate why you're moving. Do you have too little space or too much? Are you wanting to move closer to your job or your child's school? Has your company transferred you to a new city and you're relocating from Calgary or the Calgary area? Are you wanting to move into the more care-free home ownership style of a condominium? Or, are you simply looking for a change?

A complete analysis of your current position will set a very good foundation for your home-selling strategy, as well as for the search for your next home. If, for example, you have already purchased a new home (or have already accepted that new job) and your goal is to make a quick sale on your current home, these reasons will chart the path you take in the home-selling process. If, on the other hand, you aim to net the highest price possible for your home, you need to prepare yourself for a potentially slower process.

This can be a tricky question. After all, if you find a purchaser for your existing home before you've found a new home, you may find yourself living out of a suitcase if convenient closing dates cannot be negotiated. On the other hand, if you find your dream home before you've sold your old one, you may be faced with having to finance both homes and shoulder the extra debt until you sell.

So how do you manage? It can be quite simple. Do your homework and have a good idea about the Calgary neighbourhoods and the type of home you're looking for. Do an honest evaluation of your family's needs and budget.

Speak with me and start your home search in Calgary as soon as your existing home hits the market.

If you've found a home before you've sold your existing one, use "sale of your existing home" as a condition in your offer. If you don't sell your home within a reasonable, fixed period of time, you can choose not to go through with the purchase. This, however, is a difficult condition for many vendors to agree upon and you may find that you have to forego your price negotiating power.

Purchasing a home before you sell could be a risky strategy if you're counting on the proceeds from the sale.

If you've found a purchaser before you've found your next home, use "purchase of a new home" as a condition when you sign back the offer. Again, it will be for a fixed time. Even if you have not found the ideal next house by the time detailed in that condition, you may still wish to proceed with the purchase. Or, you can ask for a longer possession date with the option to close the gap when you've found something to purchase.

When you think about it, there are several other homes for sale competing with your home. Often, there are hundreds with dozens in direct competition. The competitive nature of the current Calgary real estate market means that over-pricing - by even a few thousand dollars - could make the difference between your home selling quickly or not selling at all.

Overpricing your home might mean minimizing the number of offers, fewer showings, fewer REALTOR® and buyer interest, limited financing for buyers, fewer buyers quailified for your type of home, lengthened time on the market, or a smaller net price. Avoid these outcomes by setting the price of your home at its market value when you first list your home for sale in the Calgary real estate market.

Contact me and I will help you price your home competitively to attract qualified buyers and their real estate agents. The first step I will take is to generate a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) report, which will show you a range of prices being paid for homes in your area. In determining an asking price, your real estate professional should review your motivation, any property title restrictions, your Real Property Report and your condominium's financial and management status. These are critical in nature but should only be discussed once you have decided to work with that professional and create an Agency relationship. Eventhough this will be one of the first questions an agent will ask you, discussing price and motivation prior to agreeing to working with the real estate professional will work against you in negotiations if you decide not to hire them for the job of marketing your home.

While we all believe that our home is our castle, our own personal tastes may not appeal to everyone. I will work with you to provide you with an impartial analysis of your home - our exclusive "Room-by-Room Review" - how it relates to other "competing" homes on the Calgary real estate market and how your home reflects current design and style trends. I'll also closely evaluate the general condition and upkeep of your property. I'll tell you what you NEED to hear, not necessarily what you WANT to hear. Afterall, isn't that the professional opinion that you are looking for?

I understand that the traditional marketing method of just throwing up a "For Sale" sign, installing a lockbox, "putting the property on MLS®," mailing out "Just Listed" postcards and inserting newspaper advertisements simply doesn't work anymore. With virtually all home buyers beginning their search on the Internet, and a steady influx of people to Calgary, your home truly needs to sparkle online to drive traffic through your home. I work with you to develop that unique marketing program that's needed in today's extremely competitive real estate market, crafted specifically to your needs and goals.

I work dilligently with you to help prepare your home to "wow" prospective buyers - from curb appeal and furniture layout through to lighting and aromas. Then, we can add professional quality photography if you wish: A picture is worth a thousand words. A great picture is priceless! As an option, we can supplement your listing with online virtual tours, detailed floorplans and custom, colour brochures to distinguish your home listing from the many, many others on the market. I use a strong web presence, established social media strategies and targeted online advertising campaigns to increase your home's exposure. Rest assured, your property will get the attention it deserves.

Automated Internet Marketing System - Online presence: Available 24 hours a day! This proven system allows us to respond immediately and directly to every prospective buyer or their real estate agent. On my website, ready-to-act buyers can get information immediately about your home. They can access my website any time and view your property listing, its photos, virtual tour and floorplan! They can send me a text message, email me immediately from the listing, or call me directly by telephone without having to go through a real estate office's paging system.

Through my Personal Home Search and Virtual Office, your listing will be sent to every prospective Calgary buyer in my database, where your home meets their personal search criteria. Plus, it will be sent automatically to all future, prospective buyers as long as your home is on the market.

As soon as you list your home for sale with us, I enter your home's listing into our Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) System database. How this works is: as soon as it's entered, the system automatically notifies every agent in our office of your home's listing, as well as every other real estate agent registered with the Calgary Real Estate Board - AND, every one of their clients or prospects where your home meets their personal search criteria. Then, your home's listing is automatically added to our national MLS® System database portal - REALTOR.ca and onto the website of every other real estate agent who participates in our MLS® System's greatest benefit to consumers - home listing sharing. Over 5,000 Calgary area real estate agents, brokers and REALTORS® will automatically make your home available to their buyers. As you may suspect, the vast majority of real estate transactions are completed with the cooperative assistance of a REALTOR® from another real estate brokerage - and this is clearly the reason for the MLS® System's huge success.

You Bet We Can Do Open Houses: I firmly believe that open houses are a useful method of marketing your property. Although open houses are not as powerful nor effective as the MLS® System, they remain a highly-valued option to gain much needed additional exposure - especially when they're marketed through the MLS® System! By promoting the open houses and allowing buyers a pressure-free opportunity to tour your home, they may be more likely to take a personal tour. REALTORS® frequently send their ready-to-act buyer clients through an open house knowing full-well that their commissions are protected. I've found that sometimes it was the open house that was the deciding factor for a buyer deciding on a particular home. Also, let's face it there will also be quite a few "nosey neighbours" going through your home: We are quite effective at turning them into our efficient word-of-mouth marketers too! Who else would be able to tell every one of their friends, family members and work associates that a wonderful home was just listed for sale down the street from them? It's so much more effective than postcards mailed to your neighbourhood that just end up in the trash.