4 Things to Do Today if You’re Selling Your Toronto Home in the Spring

If you’ve been waiting for the Toronto real estate market to rebound before selling your home, your patience will most likely be rewarded in 2020.

Prices in markets all over Canada slowed in 2018. New housing rules and a new stress test held would-be buyers back. However, things rebounded slightly in early 2019 and by the end of the year, experts started predicting that prices would skyrocket in Toronto in 2020.

All signs are pointing to the spring being the perfect time to sell your home. If you feel like you will list in the spring, here are a few things to do in the winter.

1. Call a Realtor

Yes, we know you’re not going to list for a few months. However, now is the best time to start calling potential realtors.

The best realtors in Toronto will be booked solid for the spring season. Most will be fully booked by early March, particularly with a lot of Torontonians poised to make a move this year. By April, you may get to meet with a quality realtor, but they will likely hand you off to someone else (often, someone more junior) at their firm.

Now is a good time to interview candidates and ask them about strategy. How would they price your home this spring? Would they set a high price knowing that it will be a seller’s market? Or would they list at a lower price, hoping the competitive market will create a bidding war?

These are questions you should be thinking about well in advance of the selling season.

Do I Really Need a Realtor in a Seller’s Market?

You will most likely need a realtor, even in a hot seller’s market. Your home won’t quite sell itself. Even if you try to trim costs by going with the old For-Sale-By-Owner method, your offers are going to be about 16% lower than working with an agent, even in a bidding war market.

Working without an agent also opens you up to a lot of personal hassle, and potentially costly mistakes.

Start by reaching out to your family and friends to see if they have a go-to realtor who they trust. Your own network is often the best way to find an experienced realtor who has worked in your neighbourhood. And local experience should be a deal-breaker.

2. Make Small Upgrades

In a seller’s market, you don’t have to work too hard to sell your home. But you should take care of a few minor upgrades. Simple things like a fresh paint job and some new fixtures can go a long way.

If you have small and unfinished projects, like installing a new ceiling fan in the guest bedroom, this is the time to do them.

One of the best upgrades you can make prior to any home’s sale is updating the garage door. It has proven to continuously give sellers the best ROI, year after year.

You can give your home a completely new look with tons of colours to customize your garage door for any aesthetic you’re looking for. You can go modern and chic, or something with a more country-home-feel. The choice is yours.

If you’re looking for something luxurious and high-end looking, consider adding roll up garage doors to modernize your home and completely change the façade over the course of a weekend.

This is something you may want to look into right now. The winter months are off-peak months for garage door sales. You will likely be able to book an appointment right away. You may also get a better price on items such as Dodds platinum Series garage doors.

3. Skip the Big Upgrades

If you think something major like the roof or foundation will keep this house from selling, you should talk to your realtor. Ask them if they believe these things will impact your selling price or turnaround time. They know the local market and can give you an educated answer.

However, you can probably skip the more cosmetic upgrades, such as:

• Major kitchen renovations or appliance upgrades
• Big bathroom upgrades or adding a new one
• Finishing a basement

You will also want to avoid any major outdoor projects such as landscaping upgrades, or even adding a pool. These items can be money drains and you can’t really do them during the winter months. They will often go over schedule and over budget.

You can most likely skip those money-suckers.

4. Start Cleaning and Purging

When you’re showing your home, you will want it to be clean and uncluttered, and you will always throw out a lot of things before a big move. You might as well get as far ahead of this process as you can right now.

Start chipping away at it. You can do a room per day, or even a closet per day if you like. If you put this task off for too long, the selling season will sneak up on you. Now you’re pressed, panicked and having to spend entire weekends (almost always more than one) determining what you will want to toss, store, donate or move.

Let Us Help You Boost Your Curb Appeal

After you call a realtor, your next call should be to the most trusted garage door manufacturers in Toronto and the entire GTA. We can help you update the look of your home in less time and for less money than you think!

For the last 60 years, we have built our reputation based on trust and providing exceptional customer service. We’re proud that the Dodds name is synonymous with selling the highest quality of garage doors and modern garage door openers in the area.

You can get started right now by calling 1-877-503-6337, or clicking the ‘Get in Touch’ link at the top of the page.