Village Media Content Studio did a check-in with Realtor® Mackenzie Micks. He had some great advice to share for those who are thinking of selling their homes.
It is still very much a sellers’ market in Orillia, and it has been for a while now. Homeowners are still able to get top dollar for their property, although it seems like there is a slight adjustment that is starting to take place. Earlier in the year, many homeowners were getting 40+ showings and 10+ offers and selling for hundreds of thousands over asking, now the adjustment has definitely taken it down a notch and brought it back to a more normal state.
“That’s not happening as frequently now,” says Micks. “We are seeing fewer properties listed for one hundred thousand plus under the value of the home and having a crazy amount of showings. If your house is reasonably priced in the area it is worth, sellers are still getting that number. We’re still ending up at the same place, it’s just a different route to get there.”
Homes are also still selling pretty quickly. “We’re trending towards going back to a little bit more normality and not as many bidding wars, therefore maybe your property sits on the market for two weeks to a month. But in all reality, take Covid away and that’s still a pretty quick timeframe in my mind,” he says.
Mackenzie and his father, Roy T. Micks, aim to ensure that the whole process is as stress-free as possible and try to make it as enjoyable as it can be. They don’t want to make the homeowner feel overwhelmed.
A lot more goes into the marketing part of the equation now; it’s key in selling the property. “You can access so many more sets of eyes through social media outlets and websites just by having great photos and having your home tidy and ready to show,” he says. It can really help your house show well in photos if spaces are decluttered and neat, for example having the kitchen counter or bathroom counters free of any items.
One of their top tips includes making sure that your house is ready for the market. “We try to ask people to do their best to declutter and depersonalize (to an extent) the home. Creating more open space for potential buyers to move freely throughout your home makes the home feel more welcoming and also allows potential buyers to visualize their own lives in the space. We also make sure the seller is comfortable that there could be a lot of people coming through to see the property,” he says.
One of the biggest changes for sellers, and buyers alike, is the use of social media in the last few years. Everybody uses it. “Social media has listings on it left, right and centre,” says Micks, “so you need to stand out and have the house ready for photos, so it shows well. The average buyer will look at your house on Realtor.ca, Facebook or Instagram and do all the research before they come. A big part of marketing is making sure those photos look great so you can get potential buyers to come to the house.”
Team Micks also help clients understand how the process works now, taking Covid into account. When showings are booked, everyone has to comply with the protocol. There are the typical screening questions that must be answered, and hand sanitizer and wipes at the front door. “We make sure that everybody is as safe as possible, first and foremost, that’s the most important thing,” he says.
He also prepares clients for something they may not be expecting. “The feedback is not always positive. Everyone has different tastes, likes, dislikes and opinions and it’s important to understand not to take it personally and just know that it’s part of the process,” Micks explains. “It’s just what everybody tries to do, to try and get the best deal that they can.”
Team Micks is seeing a lot more buyers from the GTA, which he credits to the effects of Covid and many being able to work from home. Once they come to Orillia, they realize what a beautiful city it is; many say they didn’t know this kind of lifestyle existed up here. Word of mouth has definitely been travelling, he says. Some places farther north are stunning, but do not offer the same type of lifestyle all year long that Orillia does.
That’s just one of many reasons why the father and son Team Micks have such deep love for Orillia. They were both born and raised here and have family roots in the area that go back more than 80 years. They love the community feel and want nothing but the best for the city.
“The lifestyle is just unbeatable,” says Micks. “We have two lakes, trails, a hospital, a university, a recreation centre, a beautiful downtown area, a spectacular waterfront and so much more. You can fish, hike, ride your bike and roller blade. In wintertime there are tons of activities like snowmobiling, ice fishing and snowshoeing.”
“A lot of people in the GTA have maybe just driven past Orillia on the highway to the Muskokas, thinking that’s where everything is. They didn’t realize that they could get that whole Muskoka-feel lifestyle but in a year-round city.”
For more information and to view their current listings, visit Team Micks.