Most of the time, two percent doesn’t matter much either way.
Order a drink and they pour two percent more liquid than normal and you probably wouldn’t notice. If you do notice, it’s clear to me that you really need that drink.
In fact, I think that percentage differences really only matter at either low or high numbers.
If someone gets a 44% on an exam or a 46% on an exam, it doesn’t much change the outcome. You my friend, are going to redo that course.
But when it we’re at the low end or the high end of a scale, two percent makes a big difference.
- 4% beer has a lot higher alcohol content than 2% beer.
- Getting a 2.39% mortgage rate is a lot better than a 4.39% mortgage rate.
- Hearing about a 100% satisfaction guarantee means a lot more than if there is a 98% satisfaction guarantee.
- Selling a property at 104% of list price isn’t nearly as good as selling at 106% of list price.
The last one is what got me thinking about this topic.
As part of my review of my business, I look at the statistics for my clients, including how I did at selling properties.
When I look at the properties I have sold for clients in 2016, on average I sell homes for 106% of the list price. The average number of days on market for my clients is 8 days.
When I look at sales in Toronto in the same period (February, 2016 to August, 2016), the average sale to list price in Toronto is 103.8%* which I’ll round up to 104%. The average number of days on market for properties in Toronto is 19 days.*
It’s just two percent, but when the average sale price is $735,788* that means on average, my clients sell their homes for $14,150 more than the rest of the market and it takes 11 days less to do it.
Getting an extra $14 grand matters. It’s the difference between a family staycation and a great family vacation. The difference between paying off that annoying credit card debt or paying interest every month.
When you are selling your home, an extra 2% means a lot.
If you or someone you know is considering selling their home, please reach out to me for a conversation. I’d be happy to explain how I achieve these results for my clients and then do it for you or someone you know. Whether it is selling a condo or a house, I’d love to be responsible for what comes next.
Regards,
Jeff
* Source: Toronto Real Estate Board, Market Watch Tables, Filter By Date Range: February, 2016 to August,2016, Toronto, Total
LOW SILL
One of a window’s most important functions is to put you in touch with the outdoors. If the sill is too high, it cuts you off.
This lesson is one that builders and developers need to learn! I see so many houses and condos where the windows are too high off the ground. The standard window sill is 24 to 36 inches but 13 to 14 inches would be much better to allow windows to achieve their purpose.
If you have ever admired a view out a window while standing, then sat down on furniture to find you can’t see the view any longer, you’ve encountered window sills that are built too high off the ground. I can recall a condo building where a gorgeous million-dollar penthouse with amazing views had its appeal greatly reduced by waist level stone balcony walls. The amazing views on the large terrace could only be seen if you were standing, turning a breathtaking aerie into merely an outdoor space facing walls.