Let’s meet the Killins family. Their home situated on a beautiful lot in picturesque Waterdown attracted immediate interest by prospective buyers on the very first day of posting on www.privaterealestate.ca. In addition to the 68 unique visits to their web listing in it’s first day which Scott Killins was able to track via the webcounter on the website, there was substantial interest from prospective buyers driving by and seeing the prominent front lawn sign. Scott was impressed with the activity his web listing generated and kept close watch of the webcounter to monitor how many prospective buyers had visited their home on the website.

Within the first few days of listing their private sale, the Killins family had received two firm offers and sold their home for well over their original asking price. A happy customer of Private Real Estate, Scott was gracious to allow us a chance to sit down and talk with him after the sale and offer his insight into the private sale process.

When asked why he chose to sell privately, Scott obliged by indicating that realtor commissions approaching 6% didn’t make sense. Priced appropriately, a home will sell regardless of whether a realtor is involved. We asked Scott if the interested buyers had any issues or concerns with purchasing a private sale home. Unequivocally there were no such points of contention among the interested parties.

The Killins lawyer and the buyer’s lawyer worked out all the details making any involvement by a realtor unnecessary. Scott saw no reason why a realtor needed to take 6% of his home price for listing a home his family could sell themselves.

We asked Scott what advice he could give to someone contemplating selling their home privately using Private Real Estate’s marketing services. First and foremost Scott recommended knowing your home’s market value. There are many resources available to ensure your home is priced to meet market conditions and if your home is priced appropriately there is no reason why you won’t be able to sell privately. He also advised that it’s important to prepare the home for viewing and be able to describe the home’s outstanding features to a buyer. Who better to know the home’s unique selling features than the owner? Further, by selling privately the Killens’ were able to set their own appointment times for viewing and were pleased not to have to interrupt their daily activities for a realtor looking to show their home at short notice.

Would the Killins sell their next home privately? Absolutely, says Scott. Private Real Estate thanks Scott and his family for their time and wishes them the best as they move into their new home.