The Listing Agreement

Listing your home for sale

The first formal step in selling your property is to enter into a listing agreement which is a contract that gives us permission to act as sales agents for you, for a specified period of time. When listing your home for sale, a listing contract outlines the terms of our agency service to you, the home owner. It also means that you become the beneficiary of our training, expertise, marketing know-how, and E&O insurance. It’s an agreement that not only allows us to sell your home but that you will receive all the protections and benefits of working with a professional REALTOR®.

Before listing your home for sale, I’ll help you determine an appropriate asking price based on past sales data and special features that your home may have. I’ll do a complete analysis of your home, including current condition, location, surroundings, special features like a view from the property or high ceilings; a comparative market analysis that will show you what houses in your area have sold for in recent months, and a total market overview. Your agent will take into consideration as many factors as possible to accurately assess the fair market value of your property so it sells fast while maximizing your profit.

Information included in the agreement

These are a few items included in the listing contract. Together, we’ll go through the contract step-by-step and explain all the sections so that you can make informed decisions. The listing agreement provides us with information about the property with details that are used for marketing on Realtor.ca, our websites, and many other places.

• The fixed duration of the listing period
• A detailed description of the property location
• Desired asking price
• Items that are included in the sale such as garden fixtures or appliances
• Commission rates for the buyer and seller agents

Marketing your home

No matter how well your home is priced it will need a sound plan to attract buyers. That’s where your Rockies West Realty agent will offer invaluable experience. Aside from newspaper advertising and listing your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®), they will work with you to create a “features sheet”, professional photos, or video to make your home stand out from the pack. They will also market it through blogs, social media channels, various websites and their own personal peer network. Royal LePage agents have a national network of over 17,000 on which to draw upon for contacts and referrals. With this much attention, it won’t be long before your home is sold!

Documents we may need

When listing your home for sale, some documents, such as tax records, are available directly to licensed REALTORS®. Others, such as mortgage verification, are provided by the home-owner. I will help you every step of the way to obtain all the necessary documentation.

• Plan of Survey or Location Certificate: A Survey of your property which outlines the lot size and location of buildings, as well as details of encroachments from neighbouring properties. This may be required in certain areas to complete the sale of your home. Your legal professional may recommend a survey, especially if significant changes have been made to your property.
• Property Tax Receipts: Most Listing Agreements require that the current annual property tax assessments be shown.
• Mortgage Verification: Few homeowners know the exact balance of their mortgage as it is paid down. You will be asked to authorize your mortgage lender to provide the figures required.
• Deed or Title Search: This document is a legal description of your property and the proof that you own it.
• Other Documentation: In some instances, it may help the sale of your property if you can provide prospective buyers with information on such items as annual heating, electrical, and water expenses, as well as any recent home improvement costs.

• Market your home – no matter how well your home is priced you will need a sound plan to attract buyers. That’s where your Royal LePage agent will offer invaluable experience. Aside from newspaper advertising and listing your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®), they will work with you to create a “features sheet” or video to make your home stand out from the pack. They will also market it through blogs, social media channels, various websites and their own personal peer network. Royal LePage agents also have a national network of over 17,000 on which to draw upon for contacts and referrals