BUYERS AND SELLERS - WHY ME?
How I can Help you
After working in the Charlotte County area for over 7 years, Ken has an intimate knowledge of the local real estate market. As you can see from his awards, his track record speaks for itself. Whether you are selling your property or buying your dream home, Ken can make things happen!
When it comes to his real estate business, Ken has always used technology to his advantage. From being the first in the area to have a Transport Canada approved commercial drone pilot to being the first in the area to add 360 degree virtual tours to his listings. When you work with Ken, you get the added value of knowing your property is getting the best exposure possible.
Awards
Ken’s track record speaks for itself, having sold or brought the buyers to over 200 properties in Charlotte County over the years. He has closed on 45 property transactions and several million dollars in sales volume in 2020 alone and has achieved the Masters Silver award or greater every year since 2015. Here are a few of his accomplishments.
- 2020 – Masters Emerald (units sold), Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence – 1st Quarter, 2nd Quarter, 3rd Quarter, 4th Quarter.
- 2019 – Masters Silver (units sold), Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence – 4th Quarter.
- 2018 – Masters Silver (units sold).
- 2017 – Masters Ruby (units sold), Pacesetter Gold Award (Jan-June), Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence -2nd Quarter.
- 2016 – Masters Emerald (units sold), Pacesetter Gold Award (Jan-June), Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence – 3rd Quarter.
- 2015 – Masters Silver Award (units sold), Pacesetter Gold Award (Jan-June), Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence – 4th Quarter.
Free Home Evaluation
The real estate market is constantly changing, making it difficult to always assess the current value of your home. As a trained real estate professional, I have the knowledge and tools to determine your home’s value.
As part of this service, I will come to your home, evaluate all the upgrades, provide suggestions for minor home improvements to better market your home, and provide you with a current market analysis. This will include a suggested list price for your property with recent comparables in the neighbourhood.
I will also use the time to gain a good knowledge of your reason to sell and use that to determine the best way to list your home to maximize your profit. Take advantage of this time to ask me any questions you may have about real estate selling process.
During your FREE Home Evaluation, I can advise you on:
Current financing options.
Building inspections and the selling process.
How to sell your home for maximum dollar.
Low cost repairs that could instantly increase the value of your home and help you sell faster.
Additional fees to keep in mind when selling and buying.
Sellers
As your listing agent, I offer:
- Flexible commissions! I want your business. Don’t hesitate to ask me how I can save you thousands!
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Professional assistance from listing to closing.
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Comprehensive property valuation.
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Personalized marketing strategy tailored to your individual home.
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Broad market exposure to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Century 21′s worldwide search engine, local and international newspapers, my professional websites and various online real estate ads.
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Negotiation representation.
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Referrals to a variety of professionals including lawyers, mortgage specialists, mortgage brokers, banks, contractors, appraisers and inspectors.
Buyers
As a buyer, my real estate services are available to you for FREE! That’s because, if you buy a home, the SELLER pays the commission, not you! As your buyer agent, I will guide you through the home buying process from house-hunting all the way to closing at no cost to you. These services include:
- Answering any questions you may have about the home buying process.
Providing names for lawyers, mortgage brokers and insurance providers.
As a licensed Realtor, I can show you any house listed by other realtors through the MLS on Realtor.ca.
Help with your home search by providing recommendations, giving guidance on home values and pricing and scheduling property showings.
Once you have found your home, writing and submitting the purchase and sale agreement to the seller’s agent.
Price negotiation and representation between you and the seller’s agent.
Coordination of inspections and tests in accordance with your purchase and sale agreement.
Arranging for all required documents to be sent to your lawyer to ensure a smooth and trouble free closing.
The best part – Handing over the keys to your new home!
THE HOME BUYING PROCESS
Pre Approval
Pre-approval will help you save valuable time in the event that perfect home you’ve been waiting for comes on the market. Also, in a multiple offer situation, sellers will be more likely to choose offers that they believe will be able to procure the funds necessary to purchase or finance the home.
To get pre-approved, contact a mortgage broker or your lender of choice. They will ask you to provide proof of income and ask a series of questions that will include listing your assets and outstanding debts. They will also perform a credit history check. With all of this information, they will determine a maximum amount that you can be pre-approved for.
Most lenders will also lock in the current lending rate and guarantee this rate for a certain period of time so that you won’t be affected if the rates go up while you are house hunting.
Make a List
Making a list of your needs and wants can help you narrow down your selections and help you focus on the homes that are best suited for you.
First, make a list of the features that are absolute must-haves. These are things you cannot do without such as number of bedrooms, one level living, room for an office space, proximity to schools etc. Next, make a list of the things you would like to have but can do without or that you are willing to compromise on. Your third list should include deal-breakers such as structural flaws, major repairs, older appliances etc.
Prioritize each of your must haves and nice to haves. Keep in mind, you may not be able to check all of your needs and wants, especially in a small community, but it will help you to see which houses are the front runners and which ones you may want to remove from your list.
When you start your search, start with the deal breakers and remove them from your list. Next, find the homes that rank highest on the must haves list. Thirdly, go over your nice to have list and compare each home that has made the cut. You can even assign values to each of the features you’ve listed to help with choosing that perfect home.
Talk to an Agent
An experienced real estate agent knows the local market and chances are, they have seen many of the houses on your list. By using this to your advantage, you can narrow down your search and save yourself a lot of time.
Showings
Bring a pen and paper. Your agent will bring a printout with pictures and details of the homes you will be looking at. Use this to take notes during your search.
Use your phone to take pictures or video to help refresh your memory on individual properties.
Visualize the house with your own furniture and decor. Is there enough space? Does the layout work for you? Is the yard big enough?
Try to remain objective. You may not like the furniture, the wallpaper or the colour of the walls but these are cosmetic issues that can easily be changed or fixed with relatively little cost. Factors that often affect the sale and value of a home include things that cannot be changed such as location, proximity to schools and amenities.
Keep the big picture in mind. You may love a house but find out it has major structural or expensive repairs. By remaining objective, you will stay focused and make the best decision for you and your family in the long run.
Purchase and Sale Agreement
Discuss what you are willing to pay for the home with your realtor and any concerns you may have. He/she can give you an idea of what they think would be a reasonable offer. Your realtor will handle the negotiation process with the seller’s representative with the goal of coming to an agreed upon price that is acceptable to all parties.
Include a home inspection and mortgage conditions in your written offer.
Use a professional home inspector to perform a thorough inspection of the property.
Include any other inspections as required such as water tests, wood stove certifications and electrical inspections.
Request a final walk-through inspection to be done within 24 hours of closing. This will ensure the property is in the same condition and any agreed upon furnishings are as they should be.