350 Riverdale Ave

Toronto, ON

Goals of a Home Seller

Thank you for taking a moment to review our Home Seller’s Guide. We understand that you are thinking of selling your home. Regardless of the reasons why you are selling, we know our clients usually have one goal:

To achieve the best possible price, in the shortest amount of time, with the most favourable terms. We created this Home Seller’s Guide to help educate you on how best to achieve this goal. This guide breaks down the home selling process into 6 easy steps:

Step 1

Choosing the Best Real Estate Agent for the Job

Step 2

Pricing Your Property Right

Step 3

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Step 4

Our Marketing Plan and Guarantee

Step 5

Showing Your Home

Step 6

Negotiating A Successful Offer

Choosing the Best Agent

There are several important reasons for choosing a real estate professional when it comes time to sell one of your most valuable assets. Most sellers use a real estate agent. You certainly don’t have to, but there are good reasons why most people still do:

1. Pricing is a real art:

The biggest factor in determining how quickly your home sells is the price, and deciding that price is trickier than it seems. It takes experience and a solid knowledge of the market. Even 1% more for your home can mean thousands to your bottom line.

2. Negotiating is difficult:

It is not only difficult to negotiate, but it can feel uncomfortable especially if it is your own property. If you want someone to negotiate fearlessly on your behalf, you need an agent.

3. Marketing is more than MLS:

To get the most for your home, you need to maximize the exposure of your property to as many interested buyers as possible.

According to REALTOR.com, 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts.

4. Showings and paperwork are a pain:

There’s more to the legal side of a home sale than you might think, and showing your own home is not only awkward, it can really complicate your schedule.

An agent takes away the burden of all these things and works to get your home sold for the best price in the fastest time. After all— you’ve got a life to live.

About The Lotus Group

Co-Founded by April Williams and Scott Parkhill, The Lotus Group boasts years of invaluable Real Estate expertise within the Greater Toronto area. Our team is renowned for delivering exceptional service and being dedicated to finding effective solutions for our clients.

Integrity serves as the cornerstone of The Lotus Group. We hold firm in our belief of equipping clients with comprehensive tools, data, information, and resources, empowering them to make informed decisions that align with their unique circumstances.

Recognizing that real estate entails life-altering choices, we prioritize the needs of individuals above all else.

April Williams

Broker I Co-Founder

April Williams initially started her career as an Advertising and Media Sales professional. After 10 successful years in the industry, she decided to make a change. Considering her love of the design and architecture of Toronto, coupled with her desire to interact with clients and help them achieve their goals, the move into real estate was a natural, almost obvious one. Her background in the customer service realm has served April well. The communication and negotiation skills that she fine-tuned throughout her professional career have made her a top-notch realtor.

April has tons of advertising and marketing experience under her belt, which has proven to be highly useful in the field of real estate. With her finger on the pulse on all things innovative, April makes smart use of technology as a tool for marketing to stay competitive in this industry.

April shares a home with her husband, daughter, son and dog.

scott parkhill

Realtor I Co-Founder

Scott is a highly-regarded agent in Toronto's real estate industry, renowned for his exceptional track record and unwavering dedication to his clients. As a result, Scott has built a thriving business founded on the principles of integrity, trust, and personalized service.

 With over a decade of success in the real estate business, Scott has mastered the art of forging meaningful relationships with his clients, establishing a solid foundation of referrals and repeat business. His commitment to understanding his clients' needs and going above and beyond to exceed their expectations has earned him a stellar reputation in the industry.

Prior to entering the world of real estate, Scott began his professional career in finance, where he honed his skills in guiding clients towards optimal decisions based on their unique goals. His background in finance has equipped him with a keen ability to analyze scenarios and find the best options for his clients, whether they are seeking their dream home, a serene family cottage, or a lucrative investment property to add to their portfolio.

Scott's genuine enthusiasm for people and his work shines through in every interaction, ensuring that his clients receive personalized attention and guidance throughout their real estate journey.

In addition to his impressive sales record, Scott is now also committed to mentoring agents as the co-founder of The Lotus Group. Sharing his expertise and insights to help his agents navigate the real estate landscape more efficiently brings him a lot of pride. He believes in fostering a collaborative environment where aspiring professionals can learn from his experience and accelerate their path to success to live the lives of their dreams.

 Outside of Real Estate, Scott is an avid basketball fan (Go Raps!), a very proud Uncle and is borderline obsessed with music. He has a playlist for everything and loves to share so don’t be shy.

And now: A few words from our Sellers

Krishan Jayatunge

“My family and I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with April Williams for over one and a half decades now. We have watched her grow from a fledgling real estate agent to a powerhouse with an innate and in-depth knowledge of the Toronto real estate market. With her help, we have managed to build a strong portfolio and continue to rely on her to help the portfolio flourish. The few times that I did not listen to April’s quiet but sage advice, led me to miss out of great real estate opportunities. Honestly, I don’t think that we would be where we are now if it was not for April Williams. She is our one and only go to and she is the first person I recommend to anyone asking about agents.”

Rachel Scott

“We have recently sold our condo with April, and our experience was amazing. April is a true professional, she is extremely prompt, detail oriented and goes above and beyond for her clients.

During the height of Covid (and with a newborn baby), we thought selling our condo would be an insurmountable amount of stress. However, April took all of that stress. We ended up having multiple offers and sold firm in less than a week on the market and for over asking.

The entire process was extremely smooth and so easy.

We were also lucky to have April help us buy our current house. Again we were dealing with multiple offers and bidding wars. April was able to bring a calm presence to those very stressful situations. She also was extremely knowledgeable and made sure we knew the value of the houses and never over bid. We ended up with our dream house and were very happy with our price.

We will not hesitate to look to April for all our real estate needs in the future. We would highly recommend April!”

Sarah Jarrett

“April Williams has been our Broker for over 10 years, and helped us find our forever home. When it came time to sell my Mom's house, I knew I could trust April to not only market her home in the best possible light, but also treat my Mom with care and compassion. April knows that selling a home can bring up many emotions, and it's the care to detail and her expertise that I truly appreciate. I've recommended April to many of my friends, and they have all loved working with April for this very reason.”

Choosing the right brokerage

Real was founded in 2014 with a single dream: Always find ways to make agents’ lives better. These words were posted in big, bold letters in the first Real office, and they still hold true today.

In just a few short years, Real has rapidly expanded, branching throughout the United States and Canada. By 2020, Real was ready to go public. That year, Real began trading on the Canadian TSX Venture exchange under the ticker symbol REAX. The following year, the team celebrated as Real began trading on the Nasdaq. In 2022, Real hit its 5,000 agent milestone and was approved to graduate from the TSXV to the Toronto Stock Exchange.

But the company’s professional success is nothing compared to the energy, kindness, and professionalism shared by the Real community. Real prides itself on attracting like-minded people who are passionate about succeeding in real estate while helping each other do the same. It’s one of the main reasons the company is able to continue serving individuals and families across North America in new and innovative ways.

Values and Beliefs

1. Do what is right

2. Think win-win

3. Look and act like a professional

4. Meet all your commitments

5. Respect our differences

6. Take initiative and accept responsibility

7. Communicate clearly and directly

8. Never stop learning

9. Embrace technology and futureproofing

Pricing your property right

It is important to understand that only the market determines the ultimate value of your home. Choosing the optimal list price is essential to maximizing your home’s value.

• pricing

• more exposure

• more showings

• more offers

• ultimately the highest price for your home

If you price too low, you risk not getting as much as you can for your property. If you price too high you risk losing potential buyers who may think your property is out of their price range, and you help your competition sell faster.

Determining the Optimal list price is in part simple math, but for the most part, it is a strategic process that requires extensive market knowledge and research. An in-depth Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) will tell you what similar properties have sold for recently, but to effectively price your property, it’s equally important to consider every similar home on the market to understand exactly what your competition is. In addition, expertise in both the local and national market conditions is paramount to arriving at the optimal list price.

For your no-cost, no-obligation CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) and opinion of value using our comprehensive pricing strategy, please contact us today!

The Risk of Overpricing

Pricing your property competitively from the start will generate the most activity among brokers and buyers.

$1,250,000

low end

$ 1,350,000

Market value

$1,450,000

above market price

A property generates the most interest within the real estate community when it first goes on the market.

The number of showings is greatest during this time - if the property is priced at realistic market value.

Starting too high and dropping the price later misses the excitement and generates less activity.

It may even become necessary to drop the price below market value to compete with new, well priced listings.

Comparable Sales

Comparable listings currently for sale

This home is seeking multiple offers and has an offer date for July 17th. 

**Average Days on Market: 7**

PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

After price, the condition of your home is the single biggest factor determining how fast—and for how much—your home sells.

Agents repeatedly find that people can’t visualize the potential of a home. They have to see it. That means that how your home shows now is how people see themselves in it. They can’t see past the chips, leaks, clutter and stains—in fact, they tend to focus even more on those things. Luckily, you can dramatically improve how your home shows with a few quick steps:

• Clean. Inside and out. It matters. A lot.

• De-clutter. Give it away, throw it away or store it away, but get it out of your house.

• Gardening. Keep lawns and hedges neatly trimmed

• Clean out your garage or carport to show its full size

• Make minor repairs, cracked tiles, chipped paint, squeaky hinges and leaky faucets. Fix everything you can.

• Staging. According to the National Association of Realtors®, staged homes sell 49% faster, and for 7-11% more money.

• Photographs. Good pictures get people interested and professional photos are the way to ensure your place looks its best.

• Make sure all pet areas are clean and free of odour

• Clean again. Really. It’s that important.

Sound overwhelming? You don’t need to do it overnight. We can point you to someone who can help, or you can break it down into just one small task a day.

Think of it this way: everything you remove from the house, clean or repair puts money in your pocket. You’re getting paid to do it!

In preparation for listing your home, you will need to gather the following items and info:

• A copy of your front door key

• Your most recent annual property tax assessment and tax bill.

• The average cost of utilities (gas, hydro, water, etc.)

• The age of your home

• Receipts of recent improvements and renovation costs

• A list of items you would like to exclude from the sale

• Pictures of seasonal features (i.e. gardens in bloom)

• A copy of your survey

• A list of any easements or right-of-ways

• Receipts and Warranties for recent home improvements

• “10 things you love” lists (see previous two pages of this guide)

• A list of upgrades, copy of floor plans, builder plans and/or model name, etc.

For condominium owners:

• Maintenance Fees and a list of maintenance/fee inclusions

• Parking and Locker Numbers

• Pass Key to the Building

• Status Certificate (if available)

• A list of Bylaws and restrictions

OUR MARKETING PLAN GUARANTEE

Getting the word out about your home matters for two critical reasons: First, buyers can’t be interested if they don’t know your home exists. But more important still, the more buyers you have interested in your home, the higher the potential sale price, and the faster the sale. Marketing your home to the biggest audience possible takes more than a sign on the front lawn. The best and fastest home sales use a combination of many of the following

  • MLS is the largest online database of available real estate in the GTA, and it’s where the majority of people begin their search. This website is accessible by over 39,000 real estate agents in the GTA area, each with (on average) four clients potentially looking for a place just like yours. MLS listings contain complete and detailed information about the property as well as full colour photographs.

  • In a sea of competitive listings, video tours give potential buyers a behind-the-scenes look at your neighbourhood and your home without having to leave their couch. Your custom video tour will be uploaded to its own website, and to YouTube, where hundreds of potential buyers have viewing access 24/7. This is an invaluable tool for today’s tech savvy, educated consumer.

  • Instant access to property details right from your For Sale sign.

  • Your property will be featured prominently on its own personal website URL, be featured on the nationally ranked website, yourwebsite.com, along with several other prominent real estate sites that combined garner over 300,000 hits per month. Our online marketing strategy gives your listing the best possible exposure to the most potential buyers worldwide.

  • Your property details and images are also immediately uploaded to all the major advertising sites, such as Craigslist and Kijiji. Rest assured, your home is visible wherever buyers are looking.


  • On nationally ranked real estate websites such as yourwebsite.com.

  • Who might be interested. There are only two ways to find a buyer. You can wait for them to find you, or you can proactively go out and find them! We do both, and that means far more potential buyers for you and your home.

  • Breathtaking photos and vibrant descriptions make up your customized home brochure, designed as a memorable takeaway for visiting buyers and their Agents. These professionally designed brochures leave a lasting impression and often lead to repeat viewings.

  • You will receive real-time feedback directly to your e-mail inbox from all Agents who take their clients through your property. You can log into the secure system to view past and pending appointments, as well as read the reviews. We analyze all feedback and continually tweak your listing for maximum appeal

  • We actively maintain a blog, two Facebook pages, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Check us out. Your home will be everywhere!

  • In most cases, we distribute ‘Just Listed’ cards in your area to let your neighbours know that your property is for sale. It’s just one more way we widen the net to get your property the best possible exposure. Who knows who might end up buying your home?

  • Studies suggest staged homes sell faster and attract more money, and in a changing marketplace, a staged home can make the difference between selling your home or not. Staging can be as simple as removing some clutter or as detailed as redesigning or refurnishing rooms. The choice is yours and our home-staging professionals will provide you with a complimentary recommendation list that will create maximum buyer appeal for your home.

Maximize Exposure to Buyers

Once you’ve found a price for your home and put it in showroom condition, there’s one more critical piece of the puzzle before buyers begin flocking in to see your masterpiece: getting their attention.

New Studies have shown that the top 5 places where buyers found the homes they purchased (existing homes) include:

• The Internet

• The real estate Agent and his/her referral network • Open House and yard signs

• Friends, relatives and neighbours

• Knew the Seller directly

Gone are the days of just putting a “For Sale” sign on your home, although we do that too.

• Recent studies also tell us that over 80% of the Buyers begin their search online

• As such REAL Broker invests heavily in Marketing websites that attract an abundance of Buyers and Sellers

The Marketing Plan

Any plan to market your property must be designed to maximize the exposure to the property.

Guaranteed Services

Talk is cheap – too many Agents promise the world, never put it in writing, and provide substantially less.

• Our goal at The Lotus Group is not only to provide award-winning service but achieve Service Excellence.

• In Service Excellence we go through three distinct steps:

1. We listen and identify your needs.

2. Together, we agree on our written Service Standards.

3. You confidentially evaluate us online to give us feedback on how we did.

Showing your home

A Critical Part of the Process

Access to your home for showings is a critical component of the sales process; however, we understand how difficult and inconvenient it can be to have people come through your home.

As such, we take great steps to ensure this process is as streamlined as possible. We will schedule showings when you’re most comfortable with them, always check and confirm with you first, and we ensure all showings are conducted with a reputable, licensed Agent present. We take an extreme amount of care in ensuring that the key to your home is kept safely. In most cases, we place a combination lock box on your door that is only accessible by professional Agents. You will also receive feedback on each showing so you know where you stand every step of the way.

Communication is key!

Showing Your Home

Specifically there are three things we need to do before we can start generating offers:

1. Confirm your showing instructions (see our “Home Showing Questionnaire”)

2. Agree on Immediate Action Steps

3. Spring into Action-executing the plan

Tips When Showing Your Home

As interest in your home rises, so will interest in seeing the real thing, as opposed to seeing it online. It is time to show off your masterpiece to potential buyers. An Agent will take care of almost all the details but here are a few tips to maximize the showing experience:

• Make sure that your home is clean and tidy - make sure it is inviting

• Turn on all lights and open blinds where appropriate

• Have quiet music playing

• Leave inside doors open or slightly ajar

• If appropriate, light your gas fireplace

• Remove pets from the home during showings

• Secure jewelry, cash, prescription medications and other valuables

• Provide access to the garage

• Try to avoid cooking foods that might linger during a showing

• Please save the business cards of all Agents who show your property

• It is usually best if you can leave while your house is being shown

• For security reasons, do not let strangers into your home who are not accompanied by an agent, please refer them to us; we will pre-screen them

Most important - be as flexible as you can—try to accommodate the buyer’s schedule.

NEGOTIATING A SUCCESSFUL OFFER

Now this is where things get exciting. You’ve got an offer or maybe two or three at once! In most cases, your home’s list price won’t be the selling price. When it comes to settling on that final magic number, you’re going to be negotiating. That’s something your Agent is an expert at, but here are some key strategies for owners:

  • Don’t be offended by low offers and conditions. No one is forcing you to accept them. Think of it as a starting point to have a conversation.

  • Momentum matters. Just the act of moving a deal forward helps make the deal happen.

  • You can negotiate on price, offer conditions, assets in the home. Don’t get stuck on one thing.

  • As part of the offer process we have to calculate your net proceeds.

    This means we have to determine exactly how much you will net after paying your closing costs. We describe this as well.

    Once you and the buyer agree, the buyer provides a deposit cheque to be held in trust until the conditions are met. The conditions usually have a set time for removal, and usually include things like an inspection and financing. Once the conditions are met, the buyer signs a waiver and the deal is firm. If you’ve completed all these steps, then you are a successful home seller. Congratulations!

Calculating Your Net Proceeds

As part of the selling process, it is important to determine how much you get to keep. There are a number of closing costs to consider.

Legal Fees

Lawyers’ fees vary, but they often have structured fees for the purchase and sale of homes posted on their websites. Sellers pay in the area of $1000.00 for a lawyer to look after the legal details necessary to close their deal. Please make sure to ask your lawyer about disbursements as they will be in addition to their legal fee.

Disbursements.

These fees cover additional legal expenses such as travel, photocopies, couriers, registration fees and preparing document transfers. Disbursements can range upwards of $500, but can sometimes be built into your legal fees.

Mortgage Fees.

Check with your mortgage lender to determine if any costs will occur when transferring or releasing your mortgage. There is sometimes what is referred to as a discharge fee to remove the mortgage from title, that can range from $100 to $250.

Closing Adjustments.

Your lawyer will ensure that any overpayments or deficiencies on rents, mortgage interest, property tax and utility charges will be corrected, and the buyer and seller will be credited or charged accordingly. The lawyer wants to make sure that you get full credit for everything that you have paid for up to the day of closing.

Moving Costs.

Moving costs vary based on location and the number of possessions being moved. If you’re moving, you should factor gas, rental vehicles and moving supplies into the cost.

Land Transfer Tax

Is a cost imposed by the Government to transfer properties. This cost is paid by the buyer.

The Next Step

We hope you have found this Home Seller’s Guide helpful and informative.

As you can see, selling your home is no simple task. If, after reading this Guide, you have any questions, we look forward to our upcoming meeting with you. We will also provide you with a complimentary market evaluation of your home, and answer any other questions you have about our services. We find that informed Home Sellers are our best clients. Our goal is to make any transaction as trouble and worry-free as possible. We look forward to helping you with your move forward!

Sincerely,

The Lotus Group