In today's market place being priced right is essential to a successful sale. The most common words I hear from seller's with regards to pricing is "our place is unique and there are no real good comparables" and therefore they put too much of a premium on being "unique". The reality is you have to put yourselves in the mind of the buyer, determine who the target market is and then consider what the buyer's options are, it may not only be another cabin on your lake, but it could be an entirely different lake altogether. I often work with buyers who tell me they want a lakefront cabin within 4 hours of Vancouver - that is a big market to compete against and many comparables to look at.

With access to not only the mls system & reports, but also the entire assessment role inthe Province I can track all sales data (both private and public) and put together a market evaluation to help you set a pricing strategy for your property. For many rural properties the best comparable may be 3 years old, I can pull these details on your behalf so you can make more informed decisions. Accurate pricing will not only help get more interest but also once the interest is there it will help substantiate your price and strengthen your negotiating position.

After accurately determining the appropriate price & market demand, the next step should be to ID the target market and create a plan as opposed to taking out "one-off" advertisements. Remember you are selling a very valuable asset both financially & emotionally; having the right plan in place & consulting a well experienced & qualified professional could earn you 1,000's more dollars & help achieve a sale much more efficiently.

After first consulting with you to learn all about your property & the situation surrounding the sale including your motivation I then prepare a custom report with targeted options for you to consider & I would be available to discuss these recommendations in detail with you. Having looked through virtually every for sale by owner website & spoken to many past clients of for sale by owner sites (both satisfied and unsatisfied) I can suggest with confidence what may work best for your property.

I am also very familiar with many print publications for rural and recreational property. I know the pros & cons of each and can discuss these with you. To be honest, many for sale by owner web sites & print publications pursue real estate related clients as a "cash grab" with little actual value, but there are some very viable options to consider.

The key is determining who the target market is. The 1st thing I do is pull all sales in the area & look at where the buyers came from by using Landcor Data (our partner company). Through Landcor we have exclusive access to the entire assessment role in BC, & complete access to this info. When you buy a property in BC your current address shows on title, this info is invaluable in marketing & determining the target market, we fully understand the privacy laws & can use this info to help design marketing plans. By combining this info with my on the ground knowledge of the marketplace & advertising options I can help you determine with more certainty where to spend your advertising dollars.

Recent changes have been made with the Canadian Real Estate Association providing sellers who do no want full service representation the ability to list their property on the mls system for an upfront fee (no agency relationship is created). Sellers will still need to arrange this service through a participating Realtor and the fees can vary depending on what real estate board the property falls under among other factors. Contact me for more details. Below are some options:

HOW IT WORKS: No agency relationship offered. The seller pays the $1,250 upfront to the listing agent, this is non refundable and covers mls fees and administrative costs to process and verify property information. All inquiries are forwarded to seller to handle and the seller carries on unrepresented - essentially a traditionla FSBO format but with exposure on mls. The seller is responsible for all contracts, negotiating and to pay any "cooperating fees" to a Realtor who may come forward with a Buyer. The cooperating fee is set by the seller and it serves to leverage the selling power of mls providing an incentive for all Realtors to essentially sell your property. The listing Realtor is excluded from being able to represent a buyer, thus limiting any conflicting interest and assuring all private / unrepresented inquiries are sent to seller.

SERVICES INCLUDED: The agent assists the seller with filling out the necessary paperwork & processing the listing. A title search, zoning confirmation & property profiler are provided at no additional charge. The seller sets the listing price independent of the Realtor - if the seller desires a market evaluation / consultation on pricing the Realtor will prepare a full evaluation for an additional $195. The agent will help verify the property info to reduce the seller's liability & help maintain the strict mls standards of quality. Up to 10 photos allowed / photos are taken and provided by seller. If the seller desires the listing agent can take HD photos, prepare brochures advise on staging etc - contact me for more details. Once a month the seller can update pictures, adjust description, price & listing details at the seller's request. Signage is provided by the Realtor (one 2X3 sign & 2 directional arrows). Large custom 4x4 signs are available at an additional cost of $150 plus HST. All inquiries and showing requests are forwarded to the seller to answer and coordinate. All contracts are set at 6 months / additional months available at $75 per month (paid in advance).

HOW IT WORKS: The listing Realtor offers an agency relationship to the seller. The seller pays the $1,000 upfront to the listing agent, this is non refundable and covers mls fees and administration costs to process and qualify property info. The additional 1.5% is only payable upon the successful sale of the property and used as an incentive for listing Realtor to prepare offers, condition removals, amendments and help negotiate a sale. Essentially the seller is represented by the listing Realtor with mls exposure but limited additional services. The seller is responsible to pay any "cooperating fees" to a Realtor who may come forward with a Buyer; the cooperating fee helps leverage the selling power of mls. The listing agent is able to earn the cooperating fee by presenting a buyer.

SERVICES INCLUDED: The agent assists the seller with filling out the necessary paperwork & processing the listing. The seller sets the listing price independent of the Realtor - if the seller desires a market evaluation / consultation on pricing the Realtor will prepare a full evaluation for an additional $195. The agent will help verify the property info to reduce the seller's liability & help maintain the strict mls standards of quality. Up to 10 photos allowed. If the seller desires the listing agent can take HD photos, prepare brochures advise on staging etc. - contact me for more details. Once a month the seller can update pictures, adjust description, price & listing details at the seller's request. Signage is provided by the Realtor (one 2X3 sign & 2 directional arrows). Large custom 4x4 signs are available at an additional cost of $150 plus HST. A title search, zoning confirmation & property profiler are provided at no additional charge. All inquiries go to the the agent, they are qualified and followed up on by the Realtor who answers any questions, provides mapping, site plans, feedback to seller etc. Showings are coordinated by the Realtor, but the Seller conducts the showing on his or her own. If the seller desires the Realtor will carry out the showing for a negotiated amount depending on the property location and type. All contracts are set at 6 months / additional months available at $100 per month.

With the speed at which people operate these days and the heavy competition in the marketplace you have less than a minute or two and sometimes only seconds to convey what your property is all about in only a few pictures or words. I can take professional HD photos that will help sell the property, put together an online slide show you can send inquires and catchy phrases to intrigue the buyer. I will also put together a comprehensive brochure with your assistance and input (click here for example) send you both print and electronic copies to send inquiries. Once the initial hook is planted buyers will want to know if it is worth the lengthy drive to investigate further the detailed brochure will help achieve this as will detailed maps and site plans which I will also pull and create.

Our website www.landquest.com has approx 50,000 visitors/month, a huge following of loyal visitors who appreciate the in depth details we provide, this same theory can be applied to your listing and linked to your mls listing!

Just like selling a house or condo in the city property staging is important with lakefront cabins, large bare land acreages, rural retreats and land. Call me to learn how I can consult you on staging and showing your property to help achieve the highest possible sale price by highlighting the features in a manner that help sell the benefits to the owner - this process includes information gathering about the potential buyer & starts upon the first inquiry so contact me in advance to learn more and get a full report/consultation.

If you are not local to the property or would be more comfortable having a third party conduct the showing and be the face person with the buyers I can escort the buyers to your property show them what they need to know and walk away with no strings attached - you then continue on with the negotiating.

An agency relationship required between the seller and agent.

As a Realtor who works with rural and recreational property (farms, ranches, lakefront cabins, lodges, rural retreats, etc.) I have extensive experience in preparing legally binding contractual agreements. I can consult you prior to your marketing & negotiations to comprise a plan and discuss what your options are. Your potential liability will be reduced by having a Realtor and an agency relationship as you will now be covered under the Realtor's insurance. I can also be available in full or in part (your choice) throughout the negotiations.

• Sale price under $200,000 - 2.5%
• Sale price between $201,000 to $400,000 - 2%
• Sale price 401,000 & above - 1.5%

Zero Risk to you with no money paid up front with fees payable only upon a successful sale - Contact me for fee schedule as it varies based on the property type, contract term, location and pricing.

• Website: Approx. 50,000 visitors/month looking for rural and recreational property in BC - more details at www.landquest.com (ask for Matt)
• Print: National Post, Western Investor, BC Outdoors, Pacific Yachting & Beef in BC
• Direct Mail: nearly 2,000 Potential Buyers get out bi-weekly newsletter of new listings
• Social Media: Facebook and Twitter soft & hard marketing
• MLS/Realtor.ca: Incentives provided for agents to promote to their clients
• Brochures: Full color 8-16 page bound brochures
• Signage: custom for property
• Database: Over 900 Buyers registered in my personal database
• Property Staging: Unlimited professional advice on how to best present your property
• Showings/Personal Selling: Conduct and arrange showings - I know what buyers are looking to see, I pre-qualify buyers and gather the necessary info to customize the selling approach
• Trade Shows: BC Boat & Outdoorsman Show/ BC Log and Timber Show (both in February 2011). Regularly attend trade shows in Vancouver and Alberta - call for more details
• Negotiation: Increase the likelihood of a deal by using proven skills, quality information and experience to help negotiate the most suitable terms.
• Contracts: Prepare legally enforceable contracts, identify & determine creative solutions through sound contract writing practices, condition removals and ammendments.