All of the effort invested in promoting your property has one single objective: getting potential buyers to contact you! You can do several things to prepare, whether potential buyers contact you by telephone or email.

Pre-qualify your potential buyers

When someone asks to visit your property, take a little time to find out how serious they are. This will keep both of you from wasting time. The following questions will let you know whether the visitors are actively searching for a property and if yours really matches their needs:

• Do you currently own a home? Is your property sold?
• What is the occupation date you are looking for?
• Have you already applied for a mortgage (mortgage prequalification)?
• Have you seen the pictures, 3D virtual tour (if available) and property description on the website?
  • What are your initial impressions (regarding price and property features)?
  • Are the key characteristics of our property (the number of rooms, the price, the square footage) what you’re looking for?
• Have you visited many properties so far?
  
  

Questions from potential buyers

Throughout the selling process, you will have to answer potential buyers’ questions about your property, its condition and even your reason(s) for selling. Below are the most common questions.

Marketing

• Is the price negotiable?
• Have you already received Offers to Purchase?
• What is the possession date you have in mind?
  
  

Costs involved

• What are the annual/monthly heating costs?
• How much are the municipal and school taxes?
• What is included (or excluded) in the sale price?
• Are there currently any rented inclusions (e.g. the water heater)?
  
  

The area

• Is there public transit service in the area?
• What is the neighbourhood like (noisy, mostly families, quiet, etc.)?
• Where are the nearest schools, daycare centres and parks?
  
  

The property’s condition

• When was the property built?
• Are there any renovations that will need to be done soon?
• When was the roof changed?
  • How many years is it guaranteed for? Can this warranty be transferred to the new owners?
  • Have you noticed any leaks?
• When were the windows installed? 
  • How many years are they guaranteed for? Can this warranty be transferred to the new owners?
  • Have you noticed problems with some windows?
• What year was the water heater replaced?
• Who do the fences belong to?
• What is the electrical voltage?
• Does your fireplace/wood stove meet insurance requirements?
• Has the septic tank been changed, inspected, cleaned?
• Do you have the invoices for the renovations that were done?
  
  

For condos

• How much are the monthly condo fees?
• What do the condo fees include (snow removal, landscape maintenance, insurance, etc.)?
• How much was accumulated in the co-ownership reserve?
• What are the main restrictions in the co-ownership agreement?
  • Are animals allowed?
• Is there soundproofing?

Gather useful documents

You will find most of the answers to these questions in the following documents. It is a good idea to keep them handy in case you need to refer to them.

• Municipal and school tax bills;
• Electricity or gas bills;
• Invoices for renovations done in recent years;
• The certificate of localisation, the deed of sale or the property;
• An appraisal report (if available);
• An inspection report (if available);
• The Declaration of the Seller;
• Co-ownership regulations (if any);
• If the sale takes place in the winter, photos taken in the summer, showing the landscaping.

Schedule visits

Unless you advertise an open house, potential buyers will visit your home by scheduling an appointment with you. Ideally, only meet with one group of visitors at a time (one couple, for example) and prepare well for each visit to your property.

• Open curtains and blinds to let in light.
• Turn off the television and play quiet background music.
• Adjust the temperature to a comfortable level.
• Take your pets out.
• Put any small valuables.
• Make sure the property is clean and orderly.
• Welcome the visitors and put them at ease. Answer their questions and agree on how to proceed: you can give them a tour or let them visit by themselves, remaining available to answer any questions.

If the visitors are curious, request to see certain rooms again and ask lots of questions, they may be interested in buying. Don’t hesitate to ask them if they’re thinking of making an offer! If they’re not interested, their feedback could help you correct certain irritants or adjust your price in preparation for the next visits.

Follow up with visitors

It is recommended to follow up with the people who viewed your property a few days after the visit to find out if they are interested in your home. They may have questions that you can easily answer that could lead to a faster sale. You’ll also have the opportunity to schedule an appointment with them for a second visit or to discuss the terms of the sale.