Selling a house is like a marathon: It takes mental and physical preparation
By Joseph Marovitch
Updated August 19, 2026
Selling a house can be exciting. Many people selling a property for the first time think placing a sign in front of the house will result in a sale the next day. The truth is, selling a house is like a marathon for many people. It takes mental and physical preparation.
A professional, experienced broker will handle most of the work, such as listing the property, marketing and showing it, organizing open houses, making follow-up calls, preparing offers and counteroffers, and coordinating the notary, mortgage broker, and inspector, among other tasks.
To sell a property, the seller must be flexible in their schedule. A broker with client or a client themselves can call to request a visit anytime.
However, some parts of selling still fall on the seller, and they can be exhausting. The longer it takes to sell the property, the more tiring it can be, which is why it helps to price the property properly, considering its condition and the current local market and global factors that can affect future inflation and interest rates.
The issue is visits and open houses. To sell a property, the seller must be flexible with their schedule. A broker with a client or the client themselves can call to request a visit at any time. To sell a property quickly, it is advisable to arrange a visit as soon as possible after the buyer calls, as their interest is high and they have not found another property yet.
The first issue is that the house must always be in show condition. For many sellers, this is tiring, especially if they have children. However, the better the house looks during a visit, the faster it will sell and the more it will sell for.
The second issue that may be hard on the seller is an open house. It is always advisable for the seller not to be in the house when the broker is performing the open house. A good broker knows what to say and what not to say when showing during an open house. However, the wrong words can quickly turn a buyer off. The seller’s goal is to attract qualified buyers first, get them emotionally involved with the property and acquire a promise to purchase. Once a buyer has made an offer and is emotionally invested in the property, issues that arise from an inspection can be resolved more easily. However, if the buyer is turned off at the start of the visit, the seller has no chance if the offer is never made.
The broker is not emotionally attached to the house and therefore will say what needs to be said, no more and no less.
Many visitors to an open house will offer compliments, but many will also insult the house. Owners don’t want to hear negative comments about their home. Funny as it may seem, the ones that say little often are not buying the house. Those who say everything is wrong with the house, yet still like it, are trying to set up a situation where they can buy it for as little as possible. This tactic will not work with an experienced broker or seller.
The third issue, which can be energy-consuming, is the seller having to find a place to go every Sunday for two hours during the open house. Most sellers don’t mind leaving home on Sunday afternoons; however, after a few weeks, not being able to sit on the couch, read a book, watch TV, and eat popcorn on a lazy Sunday afternoon can be highly annoying.
To sell a home, be aware and be prepared to keep the house in show condition, have a flexible schedule so the house can be shown at a moment’s notice and plan a few Sundays with a walk in the park, a matinee movie or drinks at the local pub (beer and nachos!)
To make the process as painless as possible, do the following:
- Get a good broker!
. - Price the house for the market and consider the property’s condition. If the house has issues that can devalue it, either price accordingly or repair the problems. A well-priced property will sell quickly.
. - Plan those Sunday afternoons.
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These articles summarize the information. If you have questions or comments, or want to discuss further, please use the comments section at the bottom of the page or contact me directly. As well, to view past articles, click here.
State Of The Market
The straights of Hormuz is closed again, and oil prices are rising. The U.S. is threatening 50% tariffs on Canada and stating they will not accept retaliation from Canada in the form of Canadian-applied tariffs. As a note, this is called bullying: starting a fight and stating the opponent cannot fight back. Rates are starting to rise. Inventory is declining as prices rise and uncertainty grows.
Even though prices appear to be rising, a large percentage of properties are selling below their municipal evaluations.
- Cote St Luc: 32% of all single-family homes sold between January 1, 2026, and August 19, 2026, sold below evaluations.
. - Westmount: 30% of all single-family home sales between January 1, 2026, and August 19, 2026, sold below evaluations.
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A larger percentage of homes expired without selling. This is due to uncertainty among buyers and sellers about possible inflation and spiking prices for goods and services, which is causing hesitant demand.
Even though prices appear to be rising, a large percentage of properties are selling below their municipal evaluations.
The situation has pros and cons. The cons are rising carrying costs for those who cannot afford sudden inflation. The pros are that, in any negative market situation where demand is on hold, demand is still rising with nowhere to go. Therefore, if an owner can afford to go through the lull, when global events and the market improve, the dam of pent-up demand will break, and property values will spike.
Another pro is that, as shown by the percentage of properties that sold below their city evaluations, you can buy a property at a discount with a low mortgage rate. This gives home buyers and investors an opportunity to buy low, hold, and sell high, or refinance at the increased value.
Finally, sellers can use strategies to sell at the desired price rather than below value if they or their broker understand global events that affect the market. There are also strategies to mitigate risk in a purchase. Again, if you plan to buy, it is advisable to get pre-approved and lock in a rate for the next three months.
Till next week, take care and have a wonderful weekend!
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Image: © Andrew Burlone
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Joseph Marovitch has worked in the service industry for over 30 years. He was first director of Camp Maromac, a summer camp for children, before becoming a real estate broker, where he applies the same values of reliability and integrity. You can reach him at 514 825-8771 or at josephmarovitch@gmail.com
