Internet Marketing. Why so important to have your home sold for top dollar

Hi, Brad Sinclair from Flat Rate Realty. I created this blog to talk to you about internet marketing. Today over 95% of home buyers are starting their home search online. To get maximum exposure for your home, you must have a huge presence on the internet. You must be advertised very heavily in your local market as well as a national and global level too. But keep in mind, it is not just about being blasted all over the internet, but it’s how you are advertised as well. To make sure your internet advertising is effective and you are not losing any opportunities, you must have amazing professional photography. We will first work with you to ensure your home is prepped to show at it’s best, then we will bring in our professional photographer and then we place your home on every major national and global real estate website. We advertise in over 80 Countries and on over 2000 websites. We take every necessary step to ensure we do not miss any opportunities. For a 100% no obligation, no hassle and absolutely no pressure listing interview contact us anytime and we would love the opportunity to interview for the job! Thank you and have an amazing day!

Listing Photos. Why are they so important?

Hi Brad Sinclair here with Flat Rate Realty. I created this blog to talk about photos. In my opinion this is one of the most important pieces when listing your home. Over 90% of your marketing materials will include your property photos. It is important to know that over 95% of home buyers are currently finding their homes on the internet and when they are looking on the internet they are eliminating homes “this one does not work, this one does not work” and so on, we need to make sure that does not happen and your home stands out. Today, photos are now our first impression so it is crucial we nail it, you can’t afford to miss this step. Most Realtors today are busting out their IPhone or cheap digital camera which is a HUGE mistake. You cannot show your home off properly this way. You must utilize professional photography and the truth is, with the average Realtor selling less than 6 homes a year they just cannot afford to market your home properly. Professional photography (which I am) and proper marketing is expensive, however it will make thousands of dollars of a difference on how much you can sell your home for. This is why I utilize the best photography equipment and we also spend a lot of time with you making sure your home is prepped correctly before we take photos. Again, photos are a buyers first impression so it is crucial to make sure we nail this step. For a 100% no obligation, no hassle and absolutely no pressure listing interview contact us anytime and we would love the opportunity to interview for the job! Thank you and have an amazing day!

Bad Pictures:

My Pictures:

Never, Ever, Choose A Realtor On Price that they say your listing price should be

Hi Brad Sinclair here with Flat Rate Reatly, I wanted to create a quick blog to talk about the number one mistake homeowners make when choosing a Realtor to sell their home. The number one mistake is choosing a Realtor based on the listing price. This is a huge mistake. Your only deciding factor on who you should list your home with should be their market plan of action to get your home exposed to the most buyers. We have a very intensive, detailed, aggressive and effective 48 point marketing strategy to get your home sold. I always tell all my potential home sellers when I am presenting a market valuation report that I will give you my professional recommendation however you are the home owner, you are the boss, I work for you, you choose the price. My job is to aggressively market your home harder than any other Realtor out there along with negotiating and fighting for you to ensure you get the highest possible price for your home. So again, never choose a Realtor based on their recommended list price. Make sure they show you their exact marketing strategy, proofs, copies, samples, ask what their exact plan of action is to get your home sold and make your decision based on that. We have about a one hour in depth presentation we do while on our listing interview that lays out exactly what we do, what you can expect and why we are the best real estate team for you. For a 100% no obligation, no hassle and absolutely no pressure listing interview contact us anytime and we would love the opportunity to interview for the job! Thank you and have an amazing day! (did I mention that I charge an amazing, aggressive commission rate of 3.75%?!!)

Why would you not make a call?

Brad Sinclair here again with Flat Rate Realty Company. The reason I created today's blog is to discuss why you should hire us list your home. There are a lot of reasons however I would like to discuss the top 4.

The first reason is our guarantees. We have our 1 day listing agreement guarantee which states you are never locked into a contract, if at anytime you feel we are not doing our job you can fire us and list your home with another Realtor that same day. We do not believe in long term contracts we believe in accountability. This ensures we will work extremely hard for you the second you decide to list your home with us, until your home sales.

Second reason is our marketing plan of action. We have sold hundreds of homes. We have an intensive, proven and effective 48 point marketing strategy that gets results. We have a very specific game plan from the second you decide to list your home with us until the second your home sells. We spend over 120 times what the average real estate agent spends to ensure our homes are getting maximum exposure. You will not find another Realtor with a more aggressive marketing plan.

Third, we spend a ton of time with you going room by room giving you our professional recommendation about little things that can be done to ensure your home shows at its best at all times. This will make thousands of dollars of a difference on how much you will make on you home sale.

Lastly, we are a full time full service residential real estate team. Nobody on our team is part time. We all work together on the same page to ensure we help you accomplish your real estate goals. Nobody is going to work harder for you. We take our careers and our clients extremely seriously and we will not let you down.

All 4 reasons to list with us is amazing, but even better for you is our aggressive commission rate that will put thousands back in your pocket. 3.75% commission rate.

For a 100% hassle free, no obligation and absolutely no pressure listing interview please contact us anytime. We would love the opportunity to interview for the job! Thank you and have an amazing day!

Buying a Property? I work on your behalf and you don't pay me a dime!

Brad Sinclair here with Flat Rate Realty, I wanted to talk to you about the importance of picking the right Realtor to help you find your next dream home. You are now looking to make one of the largest purchases you will make in your lifetime. Your home may become the largest asset you own and it is crucial to make sure you have the best Realtor to help you in the process. Let’s face it, most Realtors are part time selling less than 6 homes per year, they do not have the experience and will not be able to give you the time and attention you need. We are a full service, full time real estate team that has helped thousands of families accomplish their real estate goals. Our experience allows us to ensure our clients are the best educated clients in the market place and we will work harder and negotiate harder for you than anyone else. The great part about purchasing a home in Ontario is professional real estate services are free to you so it does not cost you more for an experienced successful realtor. I assure you, we are the real estate team for you. We will work hard every second for you, we will make sure you are extremely well educated and informed every step of the way to make sure you are making the best decision for yourself and for your family and we will do everything we possibly can to make sure you accomplish your real estate goals. If you have any questions or need anything please feel free to contact us anytime. Thank you and have an amazing day!

Obtain financing

The large majority of home buyers obtain financing to purchase their new home and choosing the right lender is crucial as they play such a vital role in the buying process. Let’s face it, if you are needing to obtain a loan and the lender does not perform, you will not get your home, so this is a key element that should be taken very seriously. The great part of being a Realtor and having helped hundreds of families accomplish their real estate goals, we are able to help guide you through this process and make sure you choose the right lender for you.Ideas like include a pre-qualification letter with the purchase contract showing that you have spoken with a lender and that you are qualified to buy that home, so it is never too early to start the process to make sure you have all your ducks in a row, so when you are ready to buy and do find your dream home, we are able to get that offer in right away. The great thing about searching for the right lender is, just like with my real estate company, there is zero obligation or hassle to the process and most can be done over the internet and phone, it is a quick and easy process. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us anytime. Have an amazing day!

Why to take the time and do a buyer consultation BEFORE looking at a home

I wanted to take a moment to talk about the importance of a buyer consultation meeting. There is a lot to the buying process and it is absolutely crucial you are extremely well educated on the home buying process to ensure you are making the best decision for yourself and for your family. It doesn’t matter if you are 1 week from wanting to buy or 6 months, it is always a good idea to gather all the information and knowledge you can. There is no obligation, no hassle and absolutely no pressure the sole purpose is to meet in person to make sure we 100% understand your needs and goals and make sure you are fully educated on the home buying process, everything from setting up showings, to discussing and providing you with sample forms of the purchase contract, discussing what areas protect you and what areas put you at risk, if you are obtaining a loan to purchase your home we can aid you in that process, answer all your questions and again make sure you have all the information needed to make the best decision for yourself and for your family. It is also important to note when purchasing a home here in Ontario that our services are 100% free to you, you will still have a monetary investment into the purchase process. For example there are home inspection fees, inspection fees, appraisal fees etc…. Also, when you are in the market to purchase a home, your competition is other home buyers looking to purchase the same home. If a home is priced right and in good condition it is not uncommon to have multiple offers. One of the best ways to have an advantage over all other home buyers is to be the most educated. We make sure our clients are the most educated clients in the marketplace. We know you are busy and we do everything we can to accommodate our clients, we can set the consultation at your residence, a local coffee shop that is convenient for you or my office, whichever is easiest for you. Please contact us today to set up your free, no hassle, no obligation and absolutely no pressure buyer consultation today. Thank you and have an amazing day!

Expensive listing of the Week: $4,995,000 for a Kawartha Lakes property

Address: 3239 Sandy Point Rd E

Neighbourhood: Selwyn

Agent: Ross Halloran and Roger Kolbuc from Sotheby's International

Price: $4,995,000

Previously sold for: $425,000 in 1997

The place:

A 1.7-acre property in Young's Point, a two-hour drive outside of the GTA.

Photos:

The history

A rare, one of a kind lakefront luxury estate located in the desirable Clear/Stoney lake area near historic Lakefield College. Built without compromise, this Clear Lake waterfront residence features 6 bedroom/7 bath and approximately 10,000 square feet of finished living area plus a separate 2 bedroom boathouse with full kitchen, 3 piece bath and 2 large dry slips with marine railway. Interior design and furnishings selected and decorated by revered designer Katherine Newman. The hub of this lakeside estate is the main residence which is designed with a casual elegance and offers many custom furnishings included with the purchase. The estate also boasts a fenced tennis/sports court, large jungle gym play area for young children, an outdoor swimming pool with large built-in hot tub, an expansive composite dock and a built-in stone outdoor firepit for nightly family gatherings roasting `smores` at the shore.

By the numbers

• $4,995,000

• $21,000 in taxes (2015)

• 5000+ square feet

• 400 feet of waterfront

• 6 bedrooms

• 7 Bathrooms

• 10 years old

    

Listing of the week

Listing of the Week: $1,340,000 for a Kawartha Lakes cottage 

Address: 8 Fire Route 286 

Neighbourhood: Cavendish 

Agent: Michelle Stevens, Re/Max Eastern Realty

Price: $1,340,000

Previously sold for: $154,000, in 1998

The place:

A 102 x 341 property on Catchacoma Lake, a two-hour drive outside of the GTA.

Photos:

The overview

Catchacoma Lake. Incredible 4 season, 4 bedroom cottage that satisfies all of the wants of a recreational property; 102 feet of prime frontage with both deep and wade in shoreline, fabulous open lake view and exceptional privacy on a mature, well treed lot. Beautifully appointed 2652 sq ft Confederation Log cottage with high ceilings, exposed log interior, stunning stone fireplace and wood floors to enhance the natural cottage feel. Fabulous open concept plan with walk out from kitchen and dining area to a lakeside deck; this beautifully designed and built cottage takes full advantage of the fantastic view. Full, unspoiled basement with high ceilings, lake facing windows and walkout to lakeside stone patio. Stunning cantilevered 2 storey boathouse with wrap around deck, wood burning sauna and custom railing and bridge by local craftsman. Part of the very desirable 7 Catchacoma-Mississagua Lakes chain. Adjacent 102 ft Vacant Lot also for sale.

By the numbers

• $7612 in taxes (2016)

• 2.500-3,000 square feet

• 102 feet of waterfront

• 4 bedrooms

• 2 bathroom

    

Cottage of the week: Stoney Lake cottage for $1,650,000

Cottage of the Week: $1,650,000 for a Kawartha Lakes cottage on Stoney Lake

Address: 41 Hull's Rd

Neighbourhood: Lakefield

Agent: Fran Allen, Royal LePage Frank

Price: $1650000

The place:

A 2-acre property on Stoney Lake, a two-hour drive outside of the GTA.

Photos:

The Property

Entertain family & friends at this architecturally designed estate with 275’ of clean shoreline offering sunsets & dotted island views. Set back from the road with space for a 3 hole pitch & putt golf green, this beautifully furnished turnkey residence provides over 7000 sq ft of premium living on 2 levels & includes antiques from Mainland China. An impressive drive-thru portico provides shelter & privacy, linking a triple garage to this contemporary 4 bed, 6 bath bungalow. This distinctive Stoney Lake lifestyle includes a double wet slip 32’ x 28’ boathouse, boatlift & Glastron powerboat for direct access to Trent Severn Waterway & Kawartha Lakes fishing. The sleek gourmet kitchen includes superior appliances. An extravagant master wing includes a Japanese soaker tub, multi-jet shower & lounge area. A stylish curved staircase leads to a billiard room, gym & first class studio with exterior access. Near Wildfire Golf Club & Lakefield College School.

By the numbers

• $10478 in taxes (2015)

• Approx 3500-5000 square feet

• 275 feet of waterfront

• 4 bedrooms

• 5/1 bathroom

• 1  kitchen

Inclusions	Central Vac, Dishwasher, Dock, Dryer, Garage Door Equip, Hot Tub, Light Fixture(s), Microwave, Refrigerator, Stove / washer, custom window covering, Wolf Appliances, foyer chandelier, dining room chandelier, mirrors in bathrooms, cubby CVac, 12K hot tub, boat lift, steam oven.