FOR SELLERS （卖家交房前准备工作）4 WEEKS BEFORE THE POSSESSION DATE （交房日四周前） Begin packing开始整理打包家私 Choose your mover and confirm the arrangements提前预定好搬家公司 Do a change of address or register Canada Post Mail Forwarding Service 更新地址或注册使用加拿大邮政邮件转寄服务 Close or Transfer your utilities account: Gas / Electric / Phone & Cable / Home Insurance关闭或转移各类公共事业账户：煤气FortisBC / 电BC Hydro / 上网 Telus&Shaw / 房屋保险 Book with your Lawyer/Notary to sign final closing docs预约过户律师或公证人准备过户文件并核实签字 FOR BUYERS （买家搬进新家前的准备工作）4 WEEKS BEFORE THE POSSESSION DATE （成交日四周前） Begin packing开始整理打包家私 Choose your mover and confirm the arrangements提前预定好搬家公司 Do a change of address or register Canada Post Mail Forwarding Service 更新地址或注册使用加拿大邮政邮件转寄服务 Open your utilities account and start service on the possession date: Gas / Electric / Phone & Cable / Home Insurance提前开通各类公共事业账户并在交房日开通服务：煤气FortisBC / 电BC Hydro / 上网 Telus&Shaw / 房屋保险 Book with your Lawyer/Notary to sign final closing docs预约过户律师或公证人签字最后过户文件 Receive new owner package from the Strata after move-in by email or mail在搬进新家一到二周内收到管理公司发出的新屋主文件包 Receive final Title Certificate 6 weeks after move-in by mail在搬进新家六周内收到过户律师发出的正式产证文件 我们推荐的过户公证人 / WE RECOMMEND CLOSING NOTARY OFFICE: NELSON MUI (国语/广东话/ENGLISH)https://www.streamlinenotary.ca/ Located in: Burlington Square Address: 6540 Burlington Ave #110B, Burnaby, BC V5H 4G3Phone: (604) 419-9462Province: British Columbia   我们推荐的房屋保险经纪 / WE RECOMMEND HOME INSURANCE AGENT:   Tony Ji /纪若晨 (国语/广东话/ENGLISH) Insurance Broker 保险经纪 | CAIBInsure Line (A.N.Y.)140-3411 No.3 Road, Richmond BC604.782.0998 |  tji@saveonhomeins.com   Daphne Wong (国语/广东话/ENGLISH)CIS Insurance Brokers Ltd.778.994.6234 |  daphnewong@cisinsurance.ca   我们推荐的搬家公司 / WE RECOMMEND HOME MOVING COMPANY:   Mike (国语/ENGLISH) 604.499.8679

  Where to Start: Begin to Prepare your Home for Showing“You never get a second chance at a first impression.” We’ve all heard this expression before. And now, while you are preparing your house to sell, it should not be far from your mind.While logical factors such as price and location narrow the pool of houses a potential buyer will look at, the ultimate decision to buy a particular house is fuelled by a mixture of logic and emotion. And emotion often wins out. The same might be said for the process of selling a home. For this reason, Real Estate Agents, when they talk to you about buying real estate, will refer to your purchase as a “home.” When discussing the sale of your current home, however, an agent will refer to it as the “house.” This is a conscious choice. The agent knows that buying a house is often an emotional decision, while, when selling a house, emotion should be separated from the process.Buyers are searching for a “home”—a place in which they will feel comfortable, secure, and happy, a place in which they can imagine settling down and raising their family. As a seller, your goal is to cultivate these feelings through the property you’re selling. Look at your house as a marketable commodity. A buyer’s emotional response is triggered early, so you want to ensure you have done everything you can to encourage a positive response to your house from the outset. Within minutes—even seconds—of pulling into your driveway, buyers have formed an impression that they will carry with them through the rest of the showing, and beyond. Keep in mind, this impression will not only influence whether or not they make an offer, but also what they consider to be the value of the property. If you’ve ever visited model homes, you’re familiar with effective presentation styles. Have you ever walked into one of these homes and immediately begun taking stock, planning how to get your home to look that good? Well, now is the time to take some of these steps. Of course, there are ways to achieve the same effect in your own home without incurring model home costs. When homes create this immediate type of emotional appeal, they tend to sell quickly—and for more money. Use the following step-by-step guide to get your house into selling shape before you put the property on the market, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful sale!1. Depersonalize.This should be one of your first steps when you begin preparing your house to sell. Over the years, a home inevitably becomes tattooed with the owners’ lives, covered with touches that have made it that special place for you. At this point, however, you want buyers to recognize it as a property they could make into their unique place. When a homebuyer walks into a room and sees these personalizing touches—such as photos on the walls or trophy collections—their ability to picture their own lives in this room is jarred, impairing a positive emotional response. So, your first step will be to remove all the family photos,the trophies, collectible items, and souvenirs. Pack them all together, so you’ll have everything you need at your disposal when it comes time to personalize your new home. For the time being, rent a storage space and keep these items there. Do not simply transfer these items to another place in your house. Donot hoard them away in a closet, basement, attic, or garage, as the next step in preparing your home is to minimize clutter—and these areas of your house will all be targeted.2. Remove all clutter.The next step on the list is to purge your house of the excess items that have accumulated over the years. This is the hardest part for many people, as they have an emotional investment in many of these things. When you have lived in a house for several years, a build-up of personal effects occurs that is often sogradual that you don’t notice the space is becoming cluttered. If you need to, bring in an objective friend to help point out areas that could stand to be cleared. Try to stand back yourself and see your house as a buyer might. Survey shelves, countertops, drawers, closets, the basement—all places where clutteroften accumulates—to determine what needs to go. Use a system to help you decide: get rid of all items, for example, you haven’t used in the past five years, and pack up everything that you haven’t used in the past year. Although getting rid of some things might be hard, try to do it without conscience or remorse.You’ll be forced to go through this process anyway when you move, and with each box you eliminate, your storage space—and the room in general—begins to look larger. We’ve broken down the process into specific areas of your house to help you concentrate your efforts:Kitchen:The kitchen is an ideal place to begin, as it’s easy to spot and eliminate the type of clutter that tends to accumulate here. Homebuyers will open your drawers and cabinets as they’ll want to check if there will be enough room for their own belongings. If the drawers appear cluttered and crowded, this will give them the impression there is not enough space.• First of all, remove everything from the counters, even the toaster (the toaster can be stored in a cabinet, and brought out when needed).• Clean out all the cabinets and drawers. Put aside all of the dishes, pots and pans that you rarely use, then box them and put them in the storage unit you have rented (again, not in the basement or a closet).• If you, like many people, have a “junk drawer,” clear this out.• Get rid of the food items in the pantry that you don’t use. Begin to use up existing food—let what you have on your shelves dictate your menus from now on.• Remove all extra cleaning supplies from the shelves beneath the sink.Make sure this area is as empty as possible. You should thoroughly clean this spot as well, and check for any water stains that might indicate leaking pipes. Buyers will look in most cabinets, and will notice any telltale signs of damage.Closets:• Go through all clothes and shoes. If you don’t wear something anymore, get rid of it. We all have those clothes, too, that we wear only once in awhile, but can’t bear to give away. Box these items and keep them in the storage unit for a few months.• Go through all other personal items in the closet. Be ruthless. Weed out everything you don’t absolutely need.• Remove any unsightly boxes from the back of the closet. Put them in storage if need be. Get everything off the floor. Closets should look as though they have enough room to hold additional items.Furniture:• You may want to tour a few model homes in order to gauge the type of furniture chosen by design teams to create a spacious, yet comfortable atmosphere. Note how that furniture is arranged to cultivate a certain feeling.• After having armed yourself with some ideas, stand back and look at each of your rooms. What will you need to remove? Remember, most homes contain too much furniture for showings. These are items that you’ve grown comfortable with and that have become incorporated into your everyday routine. However, each room should offer a sense of spaciousness, so some furniture will likely need to be placed in storage.Storage Areas:• Basements, garages, attics, and sheds: these are the “junkyard” areas of any given home. It is possible to arrange simple clutter into a certain order, but junk is sent packing to these often-hidden rooms. First, determine which of these boxes and items you actually need. Can some of it be sent to the dump once and for all?• Hold a Garage Sale. You’ve heard the saying, “One person’s trash is another’s treasure.” Let these items go to a better home.• Transfer some items to the rental storage unit. You’ll want to clear the storage areas in your house as much as possible, in order for them to appear spacious to potential home-buyers. Buyers want the reassurance that their own excess belongings will find places for storage in their new home.

Tips for the Moving ProcessIt’s official: you’ve signed the papers, dotted all the i’s and crossed the t’s—you own a new home! You’ve almost reached the end of your journey. However, now, faced with the daunting task of moving, it may seem as though the journey has just begun. Moving can be a time-consuming and stressful experience if you let yourself be overwhelmed by the job. Remember, though, having a successful move means taking care of the details, one by one. If you break the process down into steps and arrange your time accordingly, you can make it manageable. Use the following checklist to ensure you’re covering all the bases, and you will be well on your way to a successful move!Household• Arrange to have your mail forwarded to your new address.• Forward or cease all deliveries to your home, and forward or cancel newspaper and magazine subscriptions.• Disconnect or take care of utility, cable and phone services and accounts.• Arrange for utilities to be connected at your new house.• Cancel pre-authorized bill payments.• Begin going through closets and discarding any unnecessary items.Packing• Plan your packing. Start by purchasing or acquiring suitable containers. Most moving companies have specialized containers you can buy. Also, speak with others who have recently moved—they may be looking to get rid of boxes. You’ll need the following: small boxes for heavy items (books, tools, etc.); large boxes for bulky items (bedding, stuffed toys, etc.); medium boxes for bulky but less heavy items (towels, small appliances, etc.).• Begin to collect other packing materials. Decide which items you’ll need from the following checklist:-White paper-Tissue paper-Paper towels-Newspapers-Non-printed paper-Packing tape or twine to seal boxes and containers-Scissors-Labels and stickers (available from your moving company)-Felt marker to label boxes-Notebook and pen for listing contents• Set goals and deadlines for yourself. Aim, for example, to pack one room per week.• Attach a list of contents to each box. Separate and label boxes to be placed in storage.• Consider holding a garage sale to rid yourself of excess belongings.• Begin to use up the food in your pantry and freezer. Let the food you already have dictate your menus.• Have rugs cleaned that are to be moved, then roll and wrap them.• Make special arrangements for the moving of plants or pets.• Collect all personal items from local services (dry cleaning, storage, photos).• Service all appliances you are taking with you. Note that all gas appliances must be emptied, as it is illegal for movers to carry flammable substances.• Take inventory of all the boxes, and contents of the boxes, you have packed.• Have your car serviced and tuned up.Community• Return library books.• Clean out your locker at any club you are leaving.• Determine how to transfer your children to a new school.• Return items you’ve borrowed to friends, and collect any you’ve lent.• Mail or e-mail change of address notices to family members, friends, and office contacts.Records• If needed, transfer medical and dental records, and fill prescriptions.• Change the address on your driver’s license.• Change the billing address for credit cards.• Change the address for banking statements.• Leave a record of security codes for new tenants.Insurance and Legal Matters• Visit your lawyer and ensure all documents are signed.• Notify your insurance company well in advance of the move and ask them to review your policy.• Transfer insurance to your new home, or acquire new insurance.• Review your moving company’s insurance policy. If it doesn’t cover as much as you’d like it to, obtain your own.• If you are currently renting a house or apartment, give written notice to the landlord.• Have all keys to your old home delivered to your lawyer or realtor.

Selling your home is a complex process that can be stressful and time-consuming.  An experienced Realtor has the knowledge, skills, and connections to help you through the process every step of the way.  Consider the following benefits of working with a Realtor:    Professional Experience: With knowledge and training in marketing strategy, negotiation tactics, and the workings of the current real estate market, a Realtor will be able to guide you through the steps of the home-selling process and be able to explain exactly what to expect.  S/he will make you aware of your rights and responsibilities, work with you to strategize the best moves according to your own goals, discuss financing options, and point you in the direction of other specialized professionals who will aid you in different stages of the process.  Best Price: Realtors have their fingers on the pulse of the current real estate market, and will know what comparable properties in your area are selling for.  They have the resources and knowledge to establish the best asking price and to attract the highest selling price.  With access to their company’s professional marketing resources and connections, they will ensure potential buyers are immediately made aware of your home and market the property to sell as quickly as possible and for the most money.    “Showcasing” Experience: Your Realtor will know the importance of a property’s first impression.  S/he will have experienced first-hand, for example, the impact a property’s “drive-up appeal” has on the rest of a potential Buyer’s experience of your home.  Your Realtor will be able to offer you tips and information on how to get your home in the best selling shape possible, in order to sell your property quickly and for top dollar.  Access to Qualified Buyers: Realtors save time and effort by dealing only with qualified buyers.  They have access to a pool of pre-screened and pre-qualified buyers who are serious about buying a home in your neighbourhood.  Realtors work hard to develop this base of qualified buyers which will become an invaluable resource for you.  Negotiation Skills: Realtors serve many functions, but perhaps the most important is their role as primary negotiator on your behalf.  Your Realtor realizes your goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible, and for the most money possible, and will work closely with you during the negotiation process to facilitate this goal.  Realtors bring to the process the knowledge