Q: I am a first time executor. Where do I start?

A: We suggest calling Gordon’s early in the process, before you begin to make decisions. You’re facing a monumental task that goes beyond just selling your real estate. A Gordon’s Estate Services Transition Specialist will meet you at the home and begin the process of understanding your unique needs. Our representative will spend as much time as you like getting to know you and gathering the details necessary to prepare your customized Integrated Real Estate and Transition Solution. We promise you’ll get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that every last detail of this important transition is handled smoothly, and with unconditional care.

Q: How can you offer more than a regular realtor?

A: Gordon’s Estate Services is a different kind of realtor. When you hire a regular realtor, the commission fees typically only reward the agents involved. At Gordon’s, we have no internal commission agents. That means the fees you pay provide fees for both the Real Estate Experts who help you get the best market value for your property quickly, and efficiently AND our Transition Specialists who take great care managing the cleaning, sorting, appraising, packing, moving, and managing the sale of your extra assets. The result is that you get an integrated solution that looks after all your needs in your time of transition.

Q: What regions do you service?

A: Gordon’s Estate Services is a full member of the Kingston and Area Real Estate Association and the Belleville Quinte Area Real Estate Association. In these, and the surrounding areas, we offer our full service options directly. In other areas of the province or country, we can often provide the same service packages through a local area partner. In the past, Gordon’s has sold property in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec, as well as throughout Ontario.

Q: Do you do house and property appraisals?

A: Real estate appraisals are part of what we organize for you, however this specific function is typically done by a third party who gives an unbiased “arms length” valuation of your property.

Q: How long does it take to get started with my solution?

A: Initial meetings are often an hour but can be much longer depending on the size and complexity of your case. After that we can deliver your Integrated Real Estate & Transition Solution in whatever time frame you require. Sometimes families want us to be wrapped up within 5 weeks, others have a much longer time horizon. In every case, we’ll work with you to create a solution that works with your timelines.

Q: What are the steps in the Integrated Real Estate & Transition Solution?

A: Our process ensures your complete satisfaction because it’s based on a simple yet powerful promise - we’ll tell you exactly what we are going to do, when and how we are going to do it, and then we’ll do everything exactly as promised.

Here’s how we help you move on:

Consult: We meet with you first with one simple objective: to listen fully to your needs so that we can meet every single one of them, design the real estate and transition solution that’s right for you.

Prepare: We beautify your home for sale, clean, sort, and pack your belongings, determine the best way to market and sell your home, help you deal with all the red tape- we take care of the details so you can focus on the big picture and stay in control.

Execute: We sell your home, pack and ship your things, help move you into your new home (if applicable), and so much more. We help with whatever you need to move on with peace of mind, knowing that all the important details are being handled smoothly and with unconditional care.

Move on: Your transition happens seamlessly, effortlessly, so you can get back to your life.

Q: I have a friend who suggested a regular realtor she knows, but I also need help with my things. Can I hire the other realtor to sell the property and have your transition experts do everything else? There are several answers to this question…

A: Think of the two components like this. The sale of the house requires the efforts of one or two people and pays a relatively large commission. The management of your things can often involve many people, many steps, and have many complexities. Often the dollar value of the saleable goods is too low to apply a commission that would fund the activities required and desired. The sale of the house is little work and high reward. The management of your things is big work and little reward. There are times when the value of the things can fund the services desired without the sale of your property, but more often they do not.

A: Many realtors do an excellent job of relationship building, and as such many executors or downsizers will find themselves in a position where they are familiar with one or more realtors who are anxious to list the property and earn a commission. The commission you will pay for this service is significant. You can think of the commission you will pay as either a gift to a regular real estate agent, or as leverage you can use to fund other services that will greatly reduce your workload, and enhance the presentation of your property. This is what makes Gordon’s different – we use that commission to take care of all the work involved with your transition.

A: Because regular real estate agents are excellent relationship builders, it is not uncommon for executors to find themselves “obligated” to one agent or another through a “free” opinion of value or an early conversation in which a future listing is “promised”. We believe that you need to decide what’s best for you. If you have needs like packing, sorting, cleaning, and moving in order to get the house ready for sale, you may ask yourself “why I am working to get the house ready so that the agent can get paid?”

A: At Gordon’s Estate Services, we believe you deserve more service and less work. More for the commission you pay, and less work and time spent on your part.

Q: Why do people choose to auction their house? Don’t they sell cheap that way?

A: Auction is an option that many of our customers choose because it gives them a higher degree of exposure to the market in a short, concentrated time. This allows sellers to control the amount of time it takes to sell the house, while ensuring wide and thorough advertising. You control price by retaining the right to refuse an offer that is not satisfactory. The method works well for executors who want to reduce the chance of ongoing maintenance, insurance, and depreciation, or who simply want to inject liquidity into the estate sooner rather than later.

Q: If I auction the house, how much commission do I pay?

A: If you choose to auction your property through Gordon’s, the buyer pays the commission so you don’t have to. Ask your Gordon’s Real Estate Expert for details.

Q: Someone told me you only auction houses. Is that true?

A: Gordon’s offers traditional real estate listing with full MLS® for those who prefer this familiar method. Most properties listed by Gordon’s Estate Services are sold within 30 days. The process of managing, sorting, etc., is included in any method of sale you choose.

Q: What do you charge for personal property appraisals?

A: Personal property appraisals are included in the full services package where we will be selling your real estate. If you require an appraisal of your goods only, most straightforward homes will cost $350.00 (CDN) in the Kingston Ontario area. Travel and items requiring research will increase the cost, and can be estimated with some discussion about your specific needs.