All real estate markets have cycles - Vancouver is no exception! When it’s a hot market, it seems easy to sell Vancouver real estate faster and for more money – selling can seem easy, but when it’s a cold market or back to “normal” conditions, it’s critical to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell real estate faster in Vancouver and for more money.

These 9 steps will help you sell real estate faster and for more money in Vancouver, while maintaining control, and minimizing the stress that comes with the home-selling process:

1. Know why you’re selling, and keep it a secret
The reasons behind your decision to sell your Vancouver real estate can affect everything from setting a price, to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your Vancouver home ready for sale. What’s more important to you: the money you walk away with, the length of time your property is on the market or both? Different goals will dictate different strategies.
However, don’t reveal your motivation to anyone outside other than your Vancouver real estate agent, otherwise, they may use it against you at the negotiating table. When asked, simply say that your Vancouver housing needs have changed.

2. Do your homework before setting a price
Settling on a price shouldn’t be done lightly. Once you’ve set your price, you have effectively informed all home buyers in Vancouver the expectations you have regarding the sale of your Vancouver home; warning: pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low. Remember that the average buyer is looking at 15-20 homes at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the price range you’ve set, you won’t be taken seriously by prospects or agents. The last thing you want a Vancouver home buyer saying is "waste of time!" or "something wrong!" or "that's crazy!".

3. More homework
(In fact, your Vancouver real estate agent should do this for you). Research what Vancouver homes in your Vancouver neighborhood and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past 2-12 months, and research what current Vancouver homes are listed for. That’s certainly how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home.

4. The Best Agents get the best results
Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn’t use the same realtor who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication which results in not enough feedback, lower pricing and strained relations. To sell real estate faster and for more money in Vancouver, you need a great agent, a local expert, and an experienced negotiator in the Vancouver real estate market.

5. Maximize your home’s sales potential
Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your Vancouver home.
You may not be able to change your home’s location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance. The look and feel of your Vancouver home guarantees a greater emotional response than any other factor. Before showings, clean like you’ve never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear. Present your home to get a “WOW” response from prospective buyers in Vancouver.
Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your Vancouver home. The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. Prospective buyers want to "try-on" your Vancouver home just like they would a new suit of clothes. If you follow them around pointing out improvements or if your style is so different that it’s difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves an owner.

6. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home
You may be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to sell homes (e.g. traditional open houses) are actually not very effective. In fact only 1% of homes are sold at an open house.
Furthermore, the prospects calling for information on your Vancouver home value their time as much as you do. The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent places for your home are attached to a 24 hour pre-recorded hotline with a specific ID# for your home which gives buyers access to detailed information about your property day or night, 7 days a week, without having to talk to anyone. It’s been proven that 3 times as many buyers call for information on your home under this system.
And remember, the more buyers you have competing for your Vancouver home the better, because it sets up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver’s seat.

7. Know your buyer
In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration. What is your buyer’s motivation? Does s/he need to move quickly? Does s/he have enough money to pay you your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want.

8. Make sure the contract is complete
For your part as a seller, make sure you disclose everything. Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond legal requirements to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing. If the buyer knows about a problem s/he can’t come back with a lawsuit later on. To sell Vancouver real estate faster and for more money, minimal complications are essential.
Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale, and resist the temptation to diverge from the contract. For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no. Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.

9. Don’t move out before you sell
Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home in Vancouver that is vacant because it looks forlorn, forgotten, and simply not "homey". If you move, you’re also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give them the advantage at the negotiating table.