Your Guide To SOLD - Sellers Book 2023

As a team, our goal is to establish lifelong relationships with our buyers by dedicating a strong and supportive partnership that provides guidance, resources and extensive knowledge at all stages of your real estate transaction.

Most agents are a one-man show with limited time and energy, juggling several clients with little help. OUR team ALWAYS has time for you!

Our unique TEAM approach means you get a highly qualified staff of individuals, each with their own specialized knowledge and area of expertise. And hey... we ' re told we are even fun to be around!

YOU get all of OUR TEAM all working for you!

After 15+ years of experience and hundreds of transactions, it is safe to say that there is nothing Melanie cannot deal with head-on. She is a TRULY DEDICATED REALTOR®. She is known in the business for her impeccable knowledge, thorough communication, and her candid feedback She is not afraid of those difficult conversations or tough negotiations. This is what she truly does BEST! She has been known for years as a relocation specialist, working with hundreds of military, RCMP and work relocations. As a past member of the military herself, Melanie has experienced firsthand the challenges associated with relocating from miles away. This has enabled her to effectively create systems to minimize your stress and maximize your House Hunting Trip by always being 2 steps ahead!

What else do you need to know about Melanie?

She is a Canadian Military Veteran

She is a full time REALTOR®

She is bilingual (English and French)

She is a Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) and Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR)

She is in the top 2% of all real estate agents in the Halifax & Surrounding Market

With over 30 years of hospitality experience in Halifax, Steve takes pride in aligning himself with the best. Previously as a Restaurant Manager for the award-winning Bertossi Group and The Canteen on Portland, Steve learned how to deliver the highest level of client service while building trusted relationships. Now as a REALTOR®, Steve brings that same enthusiasm & dedication to the Leblanc & Associates Team.

Steve takes great pride in going the extra mile and creating a seamless experience at every stage. Client satisfaction is Steve’s ultimate goal and his biggest reward.

Melanie Leblanc REALTOR® - Team Lead

Steve Arsenault REALTOR®

Kim was born and raised in the small coastal community of Herring Cove just outside of Halifax but now calls the area of Waverley her "home"!

She has had a varied background that includes real estate paralegal, retail, sales, branding & digital marketing, merchandising and even a little event planning! She now thrives in her career as an award-winning REALTOR® where she enjoys being able to use the skills she has developed throughout her experiences to help her clients with their real estate needs and get to know them & their families along the way!

Kristen Harper Client Care Coordinator

After successfully selling real estate for 5 years, Kristen made the tough decision to step back from the demands of a full-time agent and embrace family life. She went on to join forces with Melanie Leblanc/Leblanc & Associates. With Kristen’s previous knowledge of real estate, she can effectively interpret agents’ and clients’ needs and execute them in a prompt and professional manner. Her passion for client service enables her to deliver the highest calibre of care, and support clients and agents throughout the transaction.

Kim's passion for her community, love for all things Halifax, local and East Coast are always on display on her social media channels - along with her adorable dog, Sierra!

We are a team of agents with over 80% of its business coming from repeat clients and referrals

We have a wealth of knowledge with over 16+ years of real estate sales experience in the Halifax market

We are highly skilled negotiators working on your behalf

We are a team of full-time agents familiar with the ins and outs of the Halifax and surrounding area ' s market

We have a professional administrative team handling paperwork so our agents can prioritize you

A

A n d T h

Melanie's professionalism and the understanding of the Military Move process made the sale of our house a stress free We immediately felt at ease with her, as she made us feel like we have known her forever. She was quick to give us guidance but left the decision making up to us. WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND YOU!!! An outcan posting, last minute posting message plus a global pandemic and YOU sold our house in 4 days!!! Your understanding and patience in the military process was “God sent”. You and your team took over and lifted the stress off our shoulders and could not have been more understanding and supportive We are easily walking away from this transaction knowing we have made a life long friend.

- Bill G

SMALL REAPAIRS MAKE BIG DIFFERENCES DECLUTTER AND DEPERSONALIZE

There are always things that you tend to look over when living in your house; dated fixtures, loose doorknobs, dings in walls or superficial cracks Repairing these things in advance shows the best representation of your home, and increases the chances of selling your home for the price you want in any type of market.

A well-lived home will have accumulated a lot of great personal memories! Help your potential buyers see themselves in your home, rather than the memories that you have made Decluttering and/or editing personal items will help to stage your home for showings, as well as get a head start on packing! Our complimentary staging consult will help to highlight the areas that need the most of your attention

Some Advice On How To Prepare Your Home For Sale

REMEMBER CURB APPEAL

Show pride of ownership and grab the attention of buyers before they even walk through the door! Having the exterior of your home washed and a general landscape cleanup will show the best your home has to offer and keep things looking fresh and new. Try to find pictures of the summer landscaping if you are selling in the fall or winter months

GET A PRE-SALE INSPECTION

Buyer's Representative Is Important

A sound home investigation will help to be sure that there are no surprises when you are approached with a potential offer Having your home inspected pre-sale gives you time to address any issues and provides peace of mind to potential buyers. **

We have a detailed interior and exterior checklist to help you take the guesswork out of what should be done to prepare for listing. Ask us for your copy!

Melanie Leblanc and her team smashed the sale our our home out of the park with outstanding commitment to us as a customer She and her team were dedicated to my families well being while I was tour with the Military and ensured every detail was taken care in the most professional manner possible to ensure the best possible outcome for the sale of our home. She provided professional guidance and advice and answered all our questions in a timely fashion. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Melanie and her team to Anyone. Absolutely a fantastic experience with a fantastic realty team Thanks Mel - Rick L

Why Pay Commission

Understanding The Value Of A REALTOR®

Homeowners attempting to sell their home without the assistance of a REALTOR® generally do so for one reason - to avoid paying a commission Is it worth it? Experience has shown us that many homeowners feel that it is not worth it. Before making a costly mistake, consider the benefit that you'll receive from working with us! Here is just a sample of some of the things we do:

Prep For Listings

Provide a FREE staging consult

Schedule a professional photographer at no cost to you

Analyze and sort photos, videos etc to best showcase your home

Collect any seasonal photos from you

Collect all listing docs such as power usage, taxes, location certificate, etc. Input listing information into the MLS system

Prepare all marketing material

Order lawn sign

Look into zoning

Write overview

Prepare a list of upgrades

Competitive Market Analysis

Research recent sales and current listings

Consult with agents on recent market activities

Analyze current competing listing features Research neighbourhood demographics and local school catchments

Advertising

We pay all advertising costs

Create unique Facebook /Instagram advertisements and monitor ad spend

Create unique Facebook and Instagram audiences, monitor organic reach on these platforms

Promote via personal real estate connections

Pay for a professional For Sale Sign for out front

Active Listing

Monitor and report MLS client portal listing activity

Suggest marketing changes as needed

Continue to be available for all showing requests

Showings

Schedule and handle all showings of your property

Collect feedback from showing agents

Provide you with feedback from showings

Answer any questions from showing agents

Provide showing agents with any docs such as power usage, location certificate, taxes, etc.

Answer all public listing inquiries and schedule showings with them

Offers

Review all offers

Present and explain all offers to you

Negotiate based on extensive sales

Under Offer

Make certain deposit is handled correctly

Consult with you regarding any preparations for the inspections

Negotiate through any challenges

Work with appraisers and financial requests

Review all additional paperwork

Ensure all paperwork is sent to you

Send all paperwork to our brokerage admins for processing so it ensures the status of the listing is accurate

After Firm

Be available for any questions from you, the co-operating agent, office,

Provide you with the next steps through the process

Make sure that any terms of the offer are completed and receipts and paperwork is sent to the lawyer

Follow up with you 7-14 days before closing

The commission is also a VERY IMPORTANT part of the strategy in selling your property. It is part of an incentive for buyer's agents to sell your property. Offering no commission drastically reduces the amount of traffic and invites more unqualified buyers who think they can get a better deal without an agent.

We handle EVERY detail of selling your home!

Competitive Marlket Analysis

Typically, REALTORS® would comb through historical sales data of properties similar to yours, to come up with a price range that your property would likely sell for But in a seller's market, historical data or CMA's are no longer accurate beyond 30 days. The amount a seller gets has to do with how many offers are received and how much a buyer is willing to pay for your property.

Despite the belief that a house will sell itself, it really does take an experienced agent to navigate these rocky waters and maximize a seller's return in any market In 2022, 85% of the sellers in HRM received their asking price or above, but did they really get as much as they could have? This is where EXPERIENCE PAYS! A lot goes on behind the scenes and if your agent is a fish out of water, you run the risk of missing out on your MAXIMIZING return on your investment.

MISTAKES TO AVOID IN ANY HOUSING MARKET

For Sale By Owner Highest Price

You should never choose a REALTOR® based on who will list your property for the highest selling price. There is a lot of strategy that goes into setting a list price and often a lower list price will bring in more buyers which may lead to more offers and ultimately a higher sale price List price is just the line in the sand to introduce the property to a set of buyers in a sellers market.

Yes you can sell a house on your own and avoid paying REALTOR® fees, but in trying to save a few thousand would likely cost you thousands more By not being MLS® listed, you miss out on on getting the highest number of buyers interested in your property. and potentially missing out on more offers You are also more likely to receive more negative offers. In a seller's market, you need the MAXIMUM exposure for the most benefits!

Lack Of Experience

Everyone dreams of getting asking price or above for their property. Would you be happy with $50,000 above asking? Most people would probably say yes, but what if a lack of experience in an agent prevented you from getting $100,000 over asking Do you want to take the chance on missing out on all the benefits of the market? We have experience with 100's of transactions!

The location and setting of your home will influence the value. A home inside a quiet subdivision typically sells for more than an identical home on a busy street Remote areas sell for less than properties in city centers, close to amenities Obviously, you have no control over the location when you sell.

New homes enjoy a marketing edge over resale homes because they are shiny and new. *Our goal is to make sure your home is as close as possible to a model home while still being sensitive to costs You will have complete control over the property's condition and have the ability to increase or decrease the value by being the best it can be from the onset.

Competition

Condition

Typically prospective buyers would compare your property's condition and pricing to other listings in your neighbourhood to try to determine the value of your property. When there is very little competition, it is more about what someone is willing to offer than actual market value. Supply and demand ALWAYS drive prices. We use our experience and knowledge to strategize the pricing to achieve the highest returns for you.

We are NOT the one ' s who decide how much your home is worth...the market does!

Proactive, efficient, professional and attentive are only a few characteristics that define the team and level of customer service at Leblanc and Associates. Going above and beyond to accommodate our many requests ...Melanie is truly the standard by which all others should be measured

Melanie Q

Kim was excellent to work with She was professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. Not once did I have to prompt Kim for updates during the sale of my property – she knew exactly when to provide me with additional information or updates to keep me informed so that I never felt out of the loop. I felt extremely comfortable during the whole process as Kim kept my best interest in mind. I would not hesitate to refer Kim to any of my family, friends, or colleagues as the level of service she provided exceeded what my Realtor expectations were Thank you for making this such a smooth and easy process!

- Lucas R

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The Risk Of OVERPRICING

IN ANY MARKET

Missing Peak Selling Activity

A property generates the most interest from potential buyers in the first few days it goes on the market. This is when the number of showings is greatest.

Starting too high and dropping the price later, misses the peak of the excitement and fails to generate as much activity and potentially fewer offers.

Pricing your property competitively will help attract the greatest number of potential buyers

14 Point Selling Action Plan

1 2 3 4 5 6

Recommend repairs to the home prior to listing

Complimentary staging consult with a professional registered stager. Making a few crucial adjustments to your home can make all the difference in creating a lasting impression

Have the property photographed, videoed and a virtual tour created by a professional marketing team. Over 90% of buyers search for properties online before calling their agent and beautiful photos/videos are their first impression

Offer a competitive fee to the buyer's agent

Extensively market your property online, making sure that your home is advertised where your potential buyers are such as realtor.ca, viewpoint ca, Facebook, Instagram etc

Provide seasonal material and marketing tips to ensure your property has a winning edge over your competition 7

Be available to all co-operating REALTORS® who want to show your home. We will confirm all showings with you and will promptly answer any questions potential buyers or their agents have about your property.

Suggest positive changes based on the feedback that can be made to the property to maximize marketability and buyer appeal

8

Monitor the real estate activity in your neighbourhood and inform you of all important developments We are in constant communication and check-in at least bi-weekly

9

Work with an extensive network of Canadian REALTORS® to promote your home to relocating buyers who may be interested

Promote your property to agents at other brokerages by phone, email, texts, personal meetings, etc

Identify a target market and promote to it

Create a compelling story for the house 14

Host or manage an Open House if you desire one and sign a waiver for potentially stolen goods as visitors have not been vetted prior by an agent. Please note that open houses typically DO NOT sell houses

Our job is to help you make sure that we maximize the number of " eyes " on your property. If there is anything we can improve or tweak, or you have any suggestions, WE WANT TO KNOW!

Benefits Of Professional Staging

Staging is the act of providing decor, styling and furnishings in such a way as to enhance your home for potential buyers Where buyers typically make decisions about a property within the first 15 seconds of entering the home, you need to make an immediate impression. This is why we offer our sellers a COMPLIMENTARY staging consult with a professional certified stager

How much staging or decluttering you decide to do is up to you and we will help you to understand how every decision may impact the potential or perceived value. A simple $1500 paint job in the current colour could potentially yield thousands more dollars with a higher sale price. Even in a seller's market or in any housing market.

On average, staged homes sell in less time and for more money than non-staged properties You do not get a second chance to make a first impression, so do not let one of your most valuable assets lose potential gains. Staging is the key!

*Ask us about virtual staging options

Staging is not a decorating decision, it's a business decision!

Whether it is marketing for Facebook or Instagram, "stories" or newsfeed, or feature sheets for potential buyers, we take pride in showcasing your home's beauty with professional marketing material.

Professional Marketing Material

Showings - What To Expect

A request for a showing comes in via call, text or our online booking tool.

An agent will bring a buyer at the agreed-upon time and date. The agent will gain access to your home with a set of keys that will be securely locked in the lockbox we placed on your property. Only licensed agents have access to the lockboxes during set times. Your keys are safe at all times

- 02 - - 01- 03- 04- 05 -

We will contact you to let you know that we have a viewing request. Once you confirm that the day and time work for you, we will confirm with the agent. Viewings will last 30 mins to an hour each Please make sure the property is show-ready and be out of the house along with pets if possible (cats are OK).

Once the viewing has finished, the agent will ensure that all doors are locked and the key will be securely returned to the lockbox

The buyer's agent will usually provide feedback as to how their viewing went with the buyers. As soon as we receive feedback, we will report it back to you. Please allow a min of 24 hrs to receive feedback as some agents are showing more than one property at any given time

A National Brand

#1 In Atlantic Canada and in 180 markets nationwide

#1 real estate company website in Canada reaching 100 million visitors/year

royallepage.ca is the Participated in 35% of all Canadian transactional dollar volume $146 BILLION

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Over $38 MILLION raised through the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation most liked facebook page in Canadian real estate, reaching more than 10 million people on facebook annually

#1

Accepted Offer...

During the next 7-10 business days, the buyers will have several conditions to meet before they agree to purchase your property. As your real estate professionals, we will do everything possible to make this part of the process go as smoothly as possible.

A copy of the purchase and sale agreement will be sent to their mortgage company for approval 1 Financing

Property Disclosure Statement

2

This form is filled out by the owner (you) and outlines the condition of your home. The buyers will review the PDS you would have already filled out at the time of listing and make sure they are satisfied with the information or require more information/details.

5

Home Heating Costs + Electrical

We will provide a statement of the past 12 months of heating and electrical usage for the buyers to review.

Deposit

6

A personal or certified cheque is written to Royal LePage Atlantic "in trust" or a bank to bank transfer or e-transfer is done. The buyer will have an agreed upon number of days to provide a deposit into the brokerages "trust" account and held until closing.

Water and Septic

7

Insurance

The purpose of the home inspection is to identify any structural, electrical or mechanical issues. 3 Home Inspection 4

The buyers must confirm they will be able to obtain insurance on your property

This depends on where the home is located and/or if it is hooked up to well water and septic. The purpose is to identify that everything is in full working order and identify any issues that may adversely affect the buyer's enjoyment of the property

Once all conditions have been satisfied, then the deal is considered firm and we can put up the SOLD SIGN!

Client Referral Program

Marketing to new clients costs tons of time, money and energy. Like any company, we need new clients to stay in business. Over the years, we have found that looking for new clients takes away from the time we would be spending working for you and other clients.

If we have helped you in the purchase or sale of real estate, then you know how well we serve our clients. The reason why we try so hard is so we can earn your respect and confidence in recommending our services to your friends, neighbours, and relatives. The ultimate reward is your word-of-mouth referral!

With this program, we are asking you to share your experience with others. If you refer your friends, relatives or co-workers, everyone benefits. They will receive the highest level of service and for thinking of us, you will receive a special token of gratitude.

Working With The Real Estate Industry

Sellers Designated Brokerage Agreement

Residential Input Form

Property Disclosure Statement

Equipment Schedule

Agreement Of Purchase And Sale

Counter Offer

Waiver Of Conditions

Working With The Real Estate Industry

This is the form that is used to explain the different types of agency you can have with a REALTOR® and their brokerage and outlines the responsibilities of the seller and agent

Sellers Designated Brokerage Agreement

This is the form that is used to establish agency between the seller(s) and the REALTOR®

Residential Input Form

This is form we use to add all the information about your property on the MLS® system

Property Disclosure Statement (PDS)

This is the form that you will fill out to disclose any pertinent information about the property to potential buyers

Equipment Schedule

This is the form you fill out, to identify if there are any financed/leased/rented equipment at the property and allows buyer(s) to accept, reject the terms or propose new terms

Agreement Of Purchase and Sale

This is a standard purchase and sale agreement which outlines the terms of the offer and covers the most common conditions buyer(s) would like satisfied with when purchasing a property

Counter Offer

This is the form is used to request different terms or conditions of the purchase and sale agreement to the buyer(s)

Buyer Waiver Of Conditions

This is the form that is used to confirm that the you are satisfied with all conditions and that the deal is firm and legal binding.