Selling a home is more than just a transaction; it's about understanding and navigating a journey that's unique every time. Here's a glimpse into the process I took, from listing to negotiation to subject removal, all with the goal of making it as seamless and stress-free as possible.
JUST SOLD!
21 301 Klahanie Drive, Port Moody
3 bed, 3 bath, 1396 sq ft Townhouse
LIST PRICE: $1,242,000
SOLD FOR: $1,302,000
Unit sold in 1 week! 3 offers, 1 counter.
Sold $60k over asking!
Have a look at this location!! END UNIT townhome in Klahanie! Largest floorplan in the "Currents" on a family & pet friendly street. This 1396SF, 3 bed, 3 bath home offers a generous kitchen with granite countertops, new stainless fridge & dishwasher. Hardwood flooring on main and in master bed. Open-concept living space with seamless entry to private, sunny fenced-in yard. Generous tandem garage with added-on storage/flex room. New roof & gutters (2023), and newly painted interiors. Access to The Canoe Club with 15,000SF of amenities including outdoor pool/hottub, sauna & steam room, tennis & basketball courts, gym, and 3 guest suites. Walking distance to Skytrain/Westcoast Express, Rocky Point Park, Brewers Row. Enjoy the local cafes and restaurants, shops/services at 50 Electronic Ave, Suter Brook & Newport Village!
Preparation
The first step was to get the house ready to shine. This meant decluttering, making minor repairs, and staging the property to look its absolute best.
In this time, I usually meet with the Seller a few times, helping with planning, and discussing a selling gameplan.
Marketing
Professional photos are crucial—bad angles, poor lighting, and clutter can make buyers swipe past your listing.
Marketing materials were crafted and distributed across multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Google, YouTube, and direct email campaigns targeting key local realtors.
The aim was to maximize exposure to serious potential buyers.
Setting the Price
This townhouse faces north, (which keeps it cool in the summertime), and boasts the largest 3-bedroom floor plan in Indigo. Being an end-unit, means only one neighbor, and a lovely front yard facing beloved Klahanie Drive. After conducting a detailed market analysis, including sales comparisons and listing trends, I priced this townhouse to align with spring market expectations and competitively enough to draw in serious buyers.
Sellers often value their home higher than buyers do, due to personal aesthetics, emotional attachments, and the effort put into renovations—it's simply the nature of the game. Overpricing is a critical error; it can lead buyers to overlook the listing for others that seem like better deals. While buyers might exceed the asking price if they sense a bargain, even a slight overprice of $5k raises defenses, leading to offers below asking. Negotiating up from a perceived deal is easier than trying to justify a price that feels too high.
Leveraging favorable market conditions, emphasising the location, and establishing competitive pricing can spark a bidding war. And that's exactly what unfolded. I showed the home to 30+ parties over the weekend, and secured multiple offers within one week. We counter-offered one party, negotiated an agreement and they accepted our offer.
Open House
The purpose of having an open house is to showcase a home to potential buyers, and highlight the unique value of the property. As a host, I enjoy engaging with neighbors and presenting each room's best features, as well as the neighborhood dynamics.
When buyers step into a home, they're not just entering a house—they're exploring a potential new life in a vibrant neighborhood and community. An open house is a golden opportunity to help them visualize their future here. By highlighting the local schools, recreation centers, transport options, and favorite eateries, we paint a vivid picture of everyday life, enhancing their connection to the home and its surroundings. This insight goes beyond mere aesthetics; it invites them to imagine their new routine, and the lifestyle that awaits in their possible new home.
Negotiating Offers
Negotiating with multiple offers is exhilarating when you have the upper hand, but the true test comes from rapidly assessing each buyer's seriousness and desire for the home. We navigated complex schedules, like our buyer needing to sell their current home to complete our transaction. Discussions covered a range of topics, from strata document concerns to back-up offers, bump clauses, and finalizing the sale price. The agent I discussed our clients needs, which lead to the buyers accepting our counter-offer. The strategy focused on fairness and assertiveness, ensuring we articulated the home's value effectively, leading to a deal that was beneficial for all parties involved. Ultimately, we secured a sale $60,000 over the asking price—a significant $100k leap from the last few Klahanie townhome sales.
Subject Removal
Once an offer was accepted, our attention turned to subject removal. This phase involved comprehensive checks, including home inspections and financing approval. Maintaining constant communication with the buyers' agent was key to meeting deadlines and addressing concerns efficiently. We resolved to fix minor issues revealed by the inspection and agreed to leave several items for the new owners, adjusting completion dates to synchronize with two other home closures. This coordination ensured a smooth transition, often meaning that multiple related transactions closed simultaneously.
Closing the Sale
With subjects removed, the final step is preparing the paperwork to complete on the sale. This meant working closely with legal professionals to ensure all paperwork was in order, and that the transfer of ownership would go smoothly.
Selling a home is a journey that requires patience, strategy, and a bit of finesse.
My goal throughout was to make the process as transparent and straightforward as possible, ensuring that at the end of the day, both the buyer and seller could move forward with confidence.