Bungalow/Ranch: Single level home (possibly with a basement).  Bungalows have the narrow end facing the street whereas Ranches face the street with the wide side of the home.

Split Level: This means you enter the main door and have a staircase to go up to a level or down to a level. Depending on if there are two, three or four levels, the description should reflect the plan (ie: Three Level Split).

Duplex/Semi-attached: Two homes that share a common wall either side-by-side or one over the other.

Three-plex and Four-plex can also be used depending on the number of suites in the home.

Townhouse/Rowhouse: These homes (more than two) share common walls with neighbors. Usually side-by-side. End units with only one common wall can also be called semi-attached.

Condominium: Apartment-style homes. Multiple homes in a multi-level building. Sharing several common walls and public areas.

Get the paperwork:

Collect the utility bills for heat and water costs for the past year. Buyers will want to see proof of these costs.

You or your lawyer will want to will need to do a title search. The title search or your ownership document will have the legal description of the home as well as any restrictions (such as how high your fence can be, if recreational vehicles are not allowed in driveways etc.) If these restrictions aren’t disclosed to the buyer and written into the sales contract you will be creating a loophole for them to back out of the contract when they find out.

You will need some feature sheets which list the size and features of your home to give out to prospects. You also need the offer forms. You can view these forms online, but you will be having your lawyer walk you through them and he or she can provide the forms or tell you where to obtain them.

If you own a condo or townhouse you will also have to provide information on the strata that manages the buildings. The strata takes care of all the common property (pools, gardens) and services (garbage pick up, maintenance) and collects the fees which go into a contingency fund for future needs (new roofing etc.)

You will need to provide paperwork that shows the monthly maintenance payments, the bylaws, rules and regulations, annual budget information, contingency reserve funds, limited common property and a certified statement that all fees are up-to-date.

You may, depending on local regulations, have to provide buyers with this information 24 hours before an offer can be accepted. This is to ensure that buyers have ample time to review the information before placing their offer.

Now that you know what kind of home you’re selling and you’ve made it ready for the market, you must now work on the marketing plan.