Free seller guide · Calgary

Selling for top dollar in Calgary: what I’d do first

Most sellers start with one question: what’s it worth? Good place to start, but it’s not the whole story. What you do in the weeks before you list matters just as much. This is my checklist. Use what applies and skip what doesn’t.

What is my home worth? → Call or text 403-710-1399

Your checklist

0of 0 done

Tick things off as you go. Start at the top.

A note from me

I’m Rana. I sell homes all over Calgary, a lot of them in the northeast and plenty with basement suites. Every listing teaches me something, and the same few things come up again and again.

None of what’s on this page is secret. It’s just stuff sellers usually hear too late. If you’d rather talk it through, call or text me and we’ll go through your home together.

Rana MatturiREALTOR® · eXp Realty · Calgary

01 —

Get the numbers straight

Don’t pick a price until you know what you’ll actually keep.

Ask for sold prices, not asking pricesAnyone can list a home high. What counts is what similar homes in your area closed for recently. Whoever prices your home should show you those.
Get your mortgage payout in writingCall your lender and ask what it costs to break the mortgage today. On a fixed rate the penalty can be big, and it can change your timing.
Do the net proceeds mathSale price, minus payout, fees, legal and moving costs. That last number is the one that matters. I’ll run it with you.
Check with your accountant if it wasn’t always your homeA home you live in is usually your principal residence. If you rented part of it or ran a business out of it, get advice before you list.
Know your timelineBuying something else? That changes how we price, what conditions you can accept and when we list. Tell me early.

02 —

Paperwork that can hold up a deal

Boring, but this is where deals wobble.

Find your Real Property Report (RPR)Buyers’ lawyers ask for it every time, with the compliance certificate. If you’ve added a deck, garage or addition since the last one, get it updated early. Surveyors can take weeks.
Condo? Pull the condo documentsBylaws, financials, reserve fund study, insurance, the estoppel certificate. Buyers read these closely. A clean package helps.
Basement suite? Find out if it’s legalPermit, City approval, all of it. Buyers and their lenders will ask, and an unpermitted suite can sink a deal late in the game.
Gather permits for finished workBasement development, decks, electrical, plumbing, gas. Inspectors ask whether it was permitted.
Collect receipts and warrantiesRoof, furnace, hot water tank, windows. A folder of receipts says “this house was looked after” without you saying a word.
Deal with hail damage firstHail is a Calgary fact of life. If your roof or siding got hit, sort out the claim and repairs, or tell me so we can plan around it.

03 —

Fix what people see first

Not a renovation. Just what buyers notice in the first thirty seconds.

Repair the small stuffDripping taps, loose handles, sticky doors, cracked caulking, dead bulbs. Small things make buyers wonder what else got ignored.
Paint the bold rooms neutralCheap, fast, and it photographs well.
Clear it outCounters bare, closets half empty, family photos packed away. Buyers need to picture their own life there.
Tidy the frontCut the grass or shovel the walk, wash the front door, check the house numbers. People decide a lot before they step inside.
Get rid of smellsPets, smoke, cooking, damp basements. Air it out, clean the carpets. Buyers notice right away.
Hold off on big renovationsMost big projects don’t pay back what you spend, and they push your listing date. Ask me first. It could save you thousands.
Think about a pre-listing inspectionOptional, but you find out about surprises before a buyer’s inspector does, while there’s still time to fix them or price for them.

04 —

Make it look worth more online

Buyers see your home on a phone long before they walk in.

Professional photos and a floor planThis is your first showing. Phone photos cost you visits.
Stage the rooms that sellLiving room, kitchen, primary bedroom. Pull out extra furniture so rooms feel bigger.
Turn every light onOpen the blinds, swap dim bulbs. Dark photos get scrolled past.
Make showings easyFlexible booking, a lockbox, pets and valuables out of the way. If it’s hard to see, fewer people see it.
Plan the marketing with meWhere your home shows up, and when. I’ll walk you through it before we list.

05 —

Price it right, then negotiate

The first couple of weeks bring the most attention.

Price to the market from day oneStart too high and you usually end up with price drops and a stale listing. Start right and you get the attention when it counts.
Know your bottom lineDecide the lowest net number you’d accept before offers arrive, not while you’re holding one.
Look past the price on every offerDeposit, conditions, possession date, inclusions. A slightly lower offer with clean terms can beat a higher one that falls apart.
Tell me what’s wrong with the houseLeaks, past water damage, anything structural. If we deal with it up front it won’t blow up after closing.
Book a strategy callWe go through your numbers, timing, prep list and price. Thirty minutes, no charge, no pressure.

Straight talk

Where I see sellers lose money

Pricing high to “leave room to negotiate.” Buyers just scroll past. Then the price drops anyway and the home looks stale.
Skipping the RPR. A small job now, a big headache when the buyer’s lawyer asks for it.
Renovating right before listing. You rarely get the money back, and you lose weeks.
Hiding things. Inspectors find them. It’s better if you tell me and we price around it.

Next step

Let’s put a number on it

Tell me your address and I’ll send you what I think it’s worth, plus what I’d fix first. No pressure.

Get my home value → Call or text 403-710-1399 Email Rana

Rana Matturi, REALTOR® · eXp Realty · 700 - 1816 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary, AB T2M 3Y7. General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Talk to your lawyer, accountant and lender about your situation. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers under contract with another brokerage.