T HE R EAL E STATE P ROCESS
Pros Discuss Buying & Selling Your Home
AUTHOR & EDITOR Vi Brown, B.A.
C O -A UTHORS Kelly Orr , LL.B. Robert Hughes Josée Lalonde
The Real Estate Process: Pros Discuss Buying & Selling Your Home
Copyright ©2010 by Vi Brown, B.A.
ISBN-13 978-1-926585-78-9
First Edition
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Brown, Vi
The real estate process [electronic resource] : pros discuss buying & selling
your home / author & editor, Vi Brown ; co-authors, Kelly Orr, Robert Hughes,
Josée Lalonde. -- 1st ed.
Electronic monograph in PDF format.
ISBN 978-1-926585-78-9
Also available in print format.
1. House buying. 2. House selling. 3. Real estate business. I. Title.
HD1379.B77 2010a 643'.12 C2010-901904-0
Extreme care has been taken to ensure that all information presented in this book is accurate and up to date at the time of publishing. Neither the authors nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Additionally, neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
Publisher: CCB Publishing
British Columbia, Canada
Dedication
This book is dedicated to all those who are thinking of buying or selling a home but don't know exactly where to begin!
Contents
Required Documentation When Buying or Selling
Your REALTOR® - for Buyer - Vi Brown
More about Financing Options - Vi Brown
Your Home Inspector - Robert Hughes
Your Lawyer - for Buyer - Kelly Orr
Your REALTOR® - for Seller - Vi Brown
Examining Some Real Estate Traditions - Vi Brown
Your Home Stager - Josée Lalonde
Your Lawyer - for Seller - Kelly Orr
When I finally decided to write about the real estate process, I felt that restricting it simply to my own input was not sufficient. The consumer deals with many professionals throughout the process and I wanted to incorporate their views and experience.
After much thought and planning, I made my first call to Kelly Orr at Browne Associates. I had met Kelly some years ago when I suggested to my client that we need to consult a lawyer regarding a very lengthy and complicated contract of purchase and sale. I was so highly impressed with the time and the manner with which she explained the legalities that her name immediately came to mind as a participant for this project. Kelly co-authored two chapters - the legal process involved in buying a home and also selling a home.
Next I contacted Robert Hughes, owner of Fleetwood Building Inspections, a man with an excellent reputation among my real estate colleagues. He has an easy manner about him and works well with his clients. He is organized, thorough and knows his stuff -- the right man for the job. Robert co-authored the home inspection chapter.
I wanted to incorporate a more recent discipline in real estate that is becoming increasingly more popular because of its effectiveness -home staging. Enter Josée Lalonde whose business is entitled Josée Lalonde Real Estate Staging. Without question she is creative and passionate about her work but she is also practical. She is the coauthor of the home staging chapter.
It has been an absolute delight to work with all three of my co-authors. They are the consummate professionals. Their participation provides the consumer with added insight into the real estate process.
I would also like to extend my thanks to Alicia Fowler. At various times, she has worked as my assistant and has a general understanding of the real estate process but Alicia also has the ‘ears’ of a consumer.
I have asked her to read various segments of my manuscript -sometimes more than once or even more than twice! She has provided me with invaluable feedback. I am very grateful for her help.
Trademarks
Throughout this book, I use the terms REALTOR®, MLS® and Multiple Listing Service®. Every time these trademarks are used, they must be accompanied