How to Sell Your Home as a Military Professional

Selling • March 10, 2022

It may seem as though you just got settled in your new home, and now the time has come to move again. However, as a member of the military, frequent relocations with very little notice are a fact of life. Most sellers have months to plan their sale and get their home into tip-top shape, ready to showcase to eager buyers. You’ll be lucky if you get weeks. This doesn’t leave much time to pack, clean, declutter and fix up the house – all things that are critical to maximizing your sale.

The good news is that while time might not be on your side, the market is!

2021 brought the strongest seller’s market Canada has ever seen, and it has only gotten better for sellers in the first few months of 2022.

Listing your home all but guarantees a sale. It’s just a matter of how quickly and for how much.

Here are some tips to help you prepare your home as fast as possible without losing value on your offer date.

Focus on the Small Stuff

Don’t worry about making a lot of major repairs or upgrades to your home. Many expensive, time-consuming renovations won’t make more money when selling anyway. Some updates can actually hurt your sale. Focus on the small things you can do to showcase your home in the best light when a buyer walks through. These small details may not seem like much but can make a big difference in the amount your house will sell for. The higher your sale, the better position you’re in to move on to your next stage.

Here is some good news: As a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, you probably haven’t accumulated as much clutter as a family who has lived in their house for years. Still, it pays off to organize and declutter as much as you can, donating or disposing of anything you’re not taking with you. A deep cleaning and a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to make your home look bright and modern.

Recruit Some Helpers

It may be easy to say, “clean and declutter your home before selling.” However, this is a tall order if you’re currently overseas on an assignment. If possible, recruit your family members or even neighbours to help get your home ready. Children can help by tidying their room and decluttering their belongings if they’re old enough. If you’re stuck, it is worth hiring a contractor for some of the work. For example, it may cost about $2,000 to have your house painted. But if it adds $5,000 to your selling price, it’s well worth it. And don’t forget, many of your expenses of selling your home may be covered.

Want to know more about how to maximize the sale of your house? Here are some other selling tips to help you:

Check Your Benefits Under the CAFRD

As a military member, you may have some assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces Relocation Directive (CAFRD). This program may help you recoup many of the expenses associated with selling your home, including:

Cleaning costs
Appraisal fees
Home inspection fees
Temporary dual residence expenses
Costs if you must return trip to finalize the sale
Early mortgage repayment penalties
Real estate commissions

Tips for Selling From a Distance

Technology has changed the real estate game in many ways. As early as 15 years ago, trying to sell your house from afar would have seemed nearly impossible. Now, everyone has access to a high-quality camera right in their back pocket. While it’s always recommended to have professional photos for your MLS listing, smartphone pictures are acceptable for uploading to social media. You can even create virtual walkthroughs of your home and post them online for thousands of potential buyers to see. That’s not all. You can set up meetings through Skype, Zoom or Google to talk to interested parties and answer their questions personally. You may be three thousand miles away, but it will feel just like you’re there in person.

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The Importance of an Experienced Realtor®

No matter how technology progresses, a real estate agent with military experience will always be your best resource. A military agent will handle all of the contracts, so your transaction goes quickly and smoothly, and nothing falls apart at the last minute. They will also help you access all of the benefits you’re entitled to as a military member, including the BGRS and the Canadian Government’s Relocation Benefits Update. In addition, many Realtors® have a network of trusted contractors who will handle every step of the process for you. Everything from cleaning, value-added repairs and staging to help you bring in top-dollar from your sale. In other words, selling from afar becomes as easy, because it is all done for you.

Do you need to sell your house fast and have no time to handle the details by yourself? You can find out more about our West Ottawa Real Estate complete services here.