In 2017, Heather Spidell and her husband, Danny, were looking to downsize. The plan was to sell their home in the suburbs of Halifax and build their dream home on the ocean. After talking with some friends who had sold homes without the aid of a professional, the couple decided to give it a try.
Heather Spidell said her friends made it sound so easy: Just hire a photographer, get an inspection done and book a couple of appointments. No problem, right? No commission paid to a real estate professional meant more money for their dream home, the couple figured.
Over the next four months, the Spidells quickly found themselves reeling, due to a series of unforeseen headaches, irritants and stressors. It culminated in a Christmas season marred by disappointment, anxiety and frustration.
After initiating the for sale by owner process, Spidell said the first sign of trouble came with
requests for further information about the property.
Spidell was promoting the sale of her home on social media, but found her description was lacking certain details a REALTOR® would have known were important to potential buyers.
There were numerous issues involving paperwork that hadn’t been considered, which necessitated inconvenient, time-consuming searches. In a home sale, there can be zoning considerations, building permit information and the matter of whether there is potential for development, to name just a few.
Then there were the drop-ins: people showing up unannounced on Saturday mornings with children and pets in tow.
The stress and anxiety continued to build.
During this time Heather was in the middle of selling her business, which was itself a major undertaking. Finally, that December, the Spidells got a conditional offer but the conditions imposed by the buyer were rigid.
“We were going to have three weeks to get out of the house and it was going to be right around Christmas,” Spidell said.
With everything happening so quickly, and no one in their corner to advise them, the Spidells accepted the offer, conditions and all. But the decision did not come from a place of confidence.
“When you’re hoping to sell your house and someone wants to buy it,” she said, reflecting on her state of mind, “well, then you say, yes, we’ll do whatever it takes.”
With such a tight closing date bearing down on them, plans were immediately initiated to book moving vehicles and find a temporary residence until their dream home was built. Without a REALTOR® to advise them the terms of the deal were unfair, Spidell said she felt vulnerable, virtually at the “mercy” of the buyers.
And then right before Christmas the buyer pulled out of the deal.
“It was awful,” Spidell said.
REALTOR® to the rescue.
After Christmas, the Spidells, now properly chagrined, contacted a REALTOR®.
This marked the turning point. They felt an immediate surge of power and confidence. Suggestions for renovations were made, including tips on painting and readying the house for sale. Their REALTOR® helped to negotiate tricky issues such as Kitec plumbing in the house, which is currently the subject of a class-action lawsuit. “They were so savvy,” Spidell said.
Their REALTOR® understood why the Spidells initially bypassed her services, but also defended her profession with some serious facts many DIY sellers fail to consider.
“It’s not just as simple as putting a for sale sign on the lawn anymore,” she said. “You have to absolutely know your legal responsibilities and know how to give the buyers their due diligence as well. So, as REALTORS®, we have to be very careful about what we’re doing and what information we’re conveying to the public.”
Fortunately, after hiring her, the couple were able to sell the house to everyone’s satisfaction, and the Spidells are now happily ensconced in their dream home by the ocean in St. Margaret’s Bay. When comparing her for sale by owner experience with the service provided by their REALTOR®,
Spidell has nothing but respect for the work of real estate professionals.
“Listen to someone who does know what they’re doing,” she said. “There’s a reason why there are professionals who handle this kind of thing.”
— creacafe.ca