It’s an exciting time. Your offer has been accepted. You can’t wait to move into your new home.  But don’t start celebrating yet.  There is one final stage involved in purchasing a home — closing the deal. Closing is the point at which ownership and usually possession of the property is transferred from the seller to you.  It takes place after the parties involved agree that all legal and financial obligations have been met.  Your lawyer and your REALTOR® will do much of the work, but here’s a checklist that will show you what to expect as the process unfolds:

Getting the maximum exposure possible is a key part of any home sale. That’s why it pays to sell your home with the help of a REALTOR® through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). MLS provides details of your home to all real estate professionals in the area and markets the property to a broad range of potential buyers.

There’s little doubt that Canadians are on the move. Whether moving from an apartment to a home, apartment to apartment or home to home, moving is no simple matter. With careful planning, however, your transition can be facilitated in an organized and efficient manner, allowing you the peace of mind you need to settle into your home. The following moving tips are provided by the Ontario Real Estate Association.

When you are ready to sell your house you’ll want to enlist the help of a REALTOR®. He or she will provide the professional advice and service you need to make the selling process go smoothly. Showing you ways to make your home as marketable as possible is just one of the many ways your REALTOR® can help. Here are a few tips from the experts:

Homeowners face a double quandary when faced with the prospect of selling their homes: how does one make sure the decision to sell is the right one; and once the choice is made, when is the right time to sell? Traditionally, there have been four major reasons why and when people sell their homes: financial and market conditions, employment changes, family matters and lifestyle changes. In today’s economy, one additional issue has emerged which has great bearing: low interest rates.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future, you may think that all that’s required is a “for sale” sign strategically placed on your front lawn — but any real estate professional will tell you there’s much more to it than that. While a sign on your lawn is of paramount importance to the sale of your home, a well-thought-out marketing plan is also essential. Your REALTOR®, of course, is another vital component in the process, and one of the first things he/she will discuss with you is a marketing strategy designed to give your home maximum exposure.

Real estate sections of public libraries abound with books on selling you home privately. In addition to pointers on sprucing up your home for maximum sale ability, they provide homeowners with tips on the “psychology of showing a house.” Yet, most homeowners choose to sell through a REALTOR®.