While it’s preferable to schedule individual visits with serious buyers, it’s now possible to hold open houses while taking measures to reduce the risks associated with COVID-19. Owners who decide to hold an open house must follow the hygiene rules imposed by the Quebec government.

An open house is an absolute must when you’re putting your home on the market, because it lets you meet multiple potential buyers within a short time.

It’s child’s play to hold a successful open house, so long as you properly prepare for it. We might overlook some details because we live there every day, but potential buyers won’t miss them!

Holding an effective open house is part of a good selling strategy. It can be a great tool for finding a buyer for your home.

Planning on going to or organizing an open house soon? Read our team’s tips and make the most of this big event.

The best way to make any moving day go smoothly—pandemic or not—is to prepare in advance. And this year, Quebec’s moving day (July 1) will happen as the province is gradually coming out of lockdown, so it will be important to take the necessary precautions.

As the real estate market starts up again, thousands of buyers have taken the Quebec market by storm. Many owners don’t want to miss out on this period that promises to be very busy, and are wondering which the best option is to sell their home: DuProprio or a broker?

The Legault government recently announced a gradual deconfinement plan for Quebec, which allows the real estate market to resume all activities as of Monday, May 11, while respecting the hygiene and social distancing measures issued by the public health department.

The time has come and Quebec has begun its gradual deconfinement plan. This included the restart of real estate activities on May 11. To limit the risk of spreading COVID-19, these activities must respect the hygiene and social distancing measures issued by the public health authorities.

COVID-19 has forced every industry to adjust the way they operate, and real estate is no exception. Since the virus may be part of our lives for some time, Quebecers will have to adapt the way they sell properties.

At the moment, new health measures are being added constantly and information is spreading at lightning speed. It’s normal to have questions! The questions we receive are mainly about our services, home visits and the real estate market. We want to a few moments to provide some answers.

A 3D virtual tour is an ideal way to view a property when you can’t go in person. This tool lets you continue your plans to buy or sell, while respecting the social distancing measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Before the start of the crisis, you might have already received an offer to purchase or you might have been getting ready to move into your new home. So it’s normal to have questions about the various steps of the real estate transaction.

The measures taken by the government authorities to flatten the curve in the COVID-19 crisis have forced a number of industries to adapt quickly to a changing reality.

This period of self-isolation is forcing us to adapt the way we do things. Thankfully, the technological advances of recent years are benefitting real estate buyers and sellers.

Before you make an appointment with potential buyers who want to visit your home, we recommend you ask them a few questions. You’ll be able to find out if they’re serious about buying and whether your home suits their needs.

When your buyer is a homeowner wanting to buy a new home, that buyer will make the offer to purchase conditional on the sale of their existing property. It’s important to understand that, as long as the conditions of that offer aren’t met, you can keep looking for a new buyer.

Some people have nightmares about hidden defects. But a better understanding of the legal warranty could help make sure they get a good night’s sleep. Above all, it means buyers can look for their dream home with peace of mind.

The real estate market in the Montréal region has been extremely lively over the last few months. The number of properties sold with the help of DuProprio reached a record high in 2018, and the inventory is at its lowest in many years.

There are a number of common conditions in an offer to purchase a property that must be adhered to, whether you’re buying a house or a condo. Until each and every one of those conditions has been met (and in a timely matter), the sale is not considered complete.

When it comes time to buy or sell a property, buyers and sellers wonder if they’re in a seller’s market or a buyer’s market. The answer provides a good indication of how to proceed with their real estate project.

With the new year, Brigitte Lafleur will be starting a new real estate project, hot on the heels of selling her luxurious home in Mont-Saint-Hilaire. This was the sixth property she sold with the help of DuProprio.

You’ll need several documents during the process of selling your property, be it to give potential buyers information or to finalize the transaction at the notary’s office. Here are 7 documents you should have on hand.

The moment you’ve been waiting for is finally here! Someone wants to make an offer on your home! The Offer to Purchase is a contract that binds you to the buyer and is required by the notary to prepare the bill of sale.

When you’re considering selling your home, it’s important to make it as enticing to buyers as possible.

When selling a property, the standard approach to setting a fair and justifiable asking price begins with an analysis of comparables, that is, similar homes that have sold in the same area. This is followed by making sure that the price is competitive in the current market.

A good asking price is the key to a successful real estate transaction. Analyzing comparables is the method of choice for experts and owners wanting to estimate the value of a property.

What to do when your property is resoundingly popular? Even if the potential buyers are over eager, there’s no reason to rush your decision. It’s entirely possible to receive several offers to purchase at once, and you are in no way obligated to answer them right away.

It’s happened: a buyer is ready to make an offer to purchase! At this point, you have several options open to you. And remember, you don’t need to make a decision right away.

Unfortunately, when the real estate market favours buyers, it makes things harder for sellers. The main impacts are that homes take longer to sell and the average selling price goes down.

A hidden (or latent) defect is something that is not easily detectable when you purchase a property, but that will hinder the normal use of a home and will generally decrease its value. Buyers and sellers equally fear the discovery of a hidden defect. But these nasty surprises are hard to predict.

Once you’ve signed a contract (offer to purchase) to buy or sell a home, it’s difficult to withdraw from the sale—whatever the reason.

A seller and a buyer agree on the purchase price of a property. So far, so good. An offer to purchase is made, pending a favourable inspection. However, during the inspection, the building inspector uncovers some defects. Major work will be required. Now what?

Usually, buyers are the ones who call on the services of a building inspector. While not mandatory or frequently done, there are certain advantages to the seller investing in an inspection.

You’ve accepted an offer to purchase, your boxes are packed and you’re about to vacate the premises. Now your buyer is asking to take advantage of the few days before your appointment at the notary’s to move in their furniture or start some reno work. Think carefully before you agree!

When putting your property up for sale, give your kitchen some attention. It’s the most important room for many potential buyers.

Your first visitors are at the door? Take a deep breath and relax. Not everyone who shows interest in your home will make an offer to purchase straight away.

Your house has been on the market for several weeks and you still haven’t received an offer. You’re wondering why your neighbour was able to sell within days while you haven’t received a single visit.

When we see a home for sale “without legal warranty,” we automatically think it must have a lot of issues. But that’s not necessarily the case. This term is commonly used with estate sales or foreclosed homes.

Setting the right asking price is key to ensuring a successful transaction. First, the price has an impact on buyers’ interest in your property. And, second, if you’ve done your homework, this will make the job of negotiating a price with the buyer much easier.

Many people wonder whether they should sell or renovate their home when it no longer suits their needs.

Some renovations are worth considering before putting your property up for sale, either because they’ll give you a good return on your investment or because they’ll make a positive impression on potential buyers.

When you sell your home, you have to invest a minimum amount of time, no matter how you sell it. The advantage of selling with DuProprio is that the time you invest pays off.

It is said that buyers decide whether to purchase a home within the first few minutes of their visit. That comes as no surprise, given that buying a house is not only a rational decision, but also an emotional one.

Parti Québécois member Carole Poirier is reported as saying that “DuProprio does not provide comprehensive consumer protection” and that the Real Estate Brokerage Act (REBA) needs to be reviewed to rectify this.

Homeowners often ask what time of year they should put their home up for sale. It’s a good question. Everyone wants to take advantage of the times when potential buyers are most active.

It’s essential to do a few small maintenance jobs in the fall, especially when your home is for sale.

Sometimes a seller wants to put their home on the market despite the fact that a number of renovations need to be done on the structure – they’d rather “just get out” given the necessary work instead of investing the time (and money) into getting repairs done.

The price of a home is often determined by the simple economic fact of supply and demand. However, those aren’t the only factors playing a role in the price of your house. Never forget that the price a buyer is willing to pay is ultimately based on how much your home is worth.

Four months after putting his Saint-Hyacinthe home up for sale with the help of DuProprio, singer Jérôme Couture was able to start packing boxes this spring. He can now move on to other projects, like finding a new home for him and his girlfriend.

Summer may be vacation time for most people, but the real estate market doesn’t take a break! Hundreds of homes are sold in summer. So, here are our 5 tips to help make yours one of them.

It’s true that selling a home requires a minimum amount of time and availability, even while you’re on vacation. But thankfully, today’s technology makes it easy to stay in touch even from a distance.

In principle, a certificate of localisation is valid as long as it reflects the current state of the property, for a maximum period of ten years. A vital document in real estate transactions, this certificate must be provided by the seller.

We’re all trying to do our part to help the environment, and there are many ways we can do just that in our homes. There are several quite simple things we can do to make our homes greener.

Writing the description for your listing is an important step in putting a home on the market. But don’t worry, it’s not very complicated. After all, who knows more about your home and neighbourhood than you?

A house will sell when it seems like a smart purchase and it meets the buyer’s needs. However, to help a potential buyer decide to submit an offer to purchase, you have to do everything you can to make your property appealing during the visit, to make the potential buyer feel at home there.

If you use different modes of social media like Facebook or Twitter, you could take advantage of such tools in order to give more visibility to your property listing.

When planning to move, many owners wonder: is it better to sell your current home before looking for a new one, or to find a new place before selling? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Many homeowners mistakenly believe that doing business with a real estate broker will protect them from any number of situations. But in fact, all real estate transactions get exactly the same legal protection.

The final, compulsory step in every real estate transaction in Quebec takes place at the notary’s office. This is when the buyer and the seller formally confirm the bill of sale. And often during this appointment, the house keys are handed over to the new owner.

It may be tempting—for buyers and sellers—to use the municipal assessment to judge a property’s asking price. But in reality, this information is only useful to determine the amount of municipal tax that the future owner will have to pay.

The “Declaration of the Seller” form is a tool owners use to give an overview of their house and property upon selling it. This document gives potential buyers important information about the property’s condition.

It can’t be said often enough: setting a good asking price is the key to success when selling real estate. The price must be justified and competitive to get the most from your property sale. And it’s really not that complicated to sort out.

Changing jobs? Expecting an addition to the family? Kids left the nest? It may be time to sell the house and start a new chapter!

Several things can affect how much time it takes for a property to sell. Even though each owner has the power to influence the selling time in various ways, some aspects are outside their control.

You’ve decided to sell your home without an agent. You don’t need to restrict your pool of potential buyers by refusing to deal with real estate brokers.

In Quebec, all real estate transactions have to go through a notary. The buyer usually chooses which one to go to.

In real estate, photography is the starting point, where potential buyers become interested in a property. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much information a whole album can convey!

Thinking of selling your property but reluctant to pay thousands in commission?

With the weather warming up, are you starting to think about your summer projects? Whether you’re thinking about going on a hike or a trip, or renovating your home or moving to a new one, you’re not alone!

Did you know that mould in your home can cause the occupants to have health problems? Any moist materials in your residence can become the host to microscopic fungus that can contaminate the air.

When the snow melts and the sun is out, do you feel re-energized? That’s good, because if you're a homeowner, nice weather means it's time for spring cleaning!

Airbnb and HomeAway are popular platforms for short-term home rentals. In addition to allowing travellers to experience life as it's lived at their destination, these platforms are also popular with homeowners who can take advantage of the investments they have made in their property.