How Michael John Lau helped a family sell an estate home at 97 Mercer Crescent in 7 days, $51,000 over asking.

What makes an estate sale harder than a normal sale?

Decision-makers. When a family is selling a loved one's home, there is rarely one person to call. There are co-executors, siblings, lawyers and paperwork, and everyone is dealing with the loss at the same time. Like many estate sales, timing, communication and trust mattered at 97 Mercer Crescent just as much as the price.

Why did the family come back after choosing another REALTOR®?

They had initially decided to work with someone else. After feeling rushed through the process, they reached back out to Michael. What they wanted was simple: a team that would communicate clearly, move at their pace, and put a strategy in place that protected the estate's interests. Michael's first job was not to list the home. It was to slow things down and make sure every decision-maker understood the plan.

How do you launch an estate listing in one week?

Once the family was comfortable, the pace picked up. The home was already free and clear, decluttered and professionally cleaned. Within one week Michael's team had the property professionally prepared, photographed, marketed and launched, with the family kept informed at every step so nobody felt rushed a second time.

What do you do when showings are limited to 8 AM to 3 PM?

This was the real constraint. The sellers could only accommodate showings between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM, which cut out the evenings and weekends most buyers rely on. Michael treated it as a reason to create demand before the doors opened, not as an excuse for a slower sale.

The marketing strategy did the heavy lifting: a full launch across MLS, social media and the buyer-agent network, consistent follow-up with every agent who showed interest, and a weekend open house that brought 40 visitors through the home. The narrow window filled up. In total, 35 private showings were booked inside those hours.

How did the negotiation play out?

Multiple interested buyers meant Michael could negotiate from strength. The family did not just want the highest number. They wanted certainty, because an estate cannot afford a deal that falls apart. The accepted offer was clean and firm, with no conditions: $750,000 against a $699,990 list price, $51,000 above asking. The home was sold 7 days after launch.