When is the best time to meet with a REALTOR® like me? Chances are,
you would say, “When I’m thinking of buying or selling a home.” You’d be
right, of course!
However, there are many other good reasons to meet with me. Here are just
a few:
• You want a professional opinion as to the current value of your
property, so you know what it would likely sell for in today’s market.
• You notice a home listed for sale in a desirable neighbourhood, and
you’re interested in learning more — even if you’re unsure you want
to make a move.
• You’re thinking of moving within the next couple of years, and you
want to find a REALTOR® like me, that you can get to know and
trust.
• You want some recommendations for preparing your home for sale
and especially determining what repairs and other work needs to be
done.
• You want an honest assessment as to the state of the local market,
and the best time for you to buy or sell.
• You have real estate-related questions and you want to talk to an
expert who knows the local market well and can provide you with
answers.
As you can see, there’s a lot of value you can get from talking to me as your
REALTOR®. Call today.

When you make an offer on a home, it’s a smart idea to have a professional
home inspector check it out from top to bottom. This inspection will ensure
that the property doesn’t have any unexpected “issues”. After all, you don’t
want to buy a home only to discover that the roof needs to be replaced,
immediately, for thousands of dollars.

That being said, you might question whether you really need to invest the
few hundred dollars it costs for a professional home inspection. “The home
we want to buy looks like it’s in very good shape,” you might be thinking. “I
can’t see anything wrong with it.”

However, a professional home inspector can see things you can’t. When
you view a property that’s on the market, you might be able to notice
obvious issues, like a crack in the foundation or a dripping faucet. If you’re
experienced with home maintenance, you might even notice roofing tiles
that look like they’re overdue for replacement.

But you won’t pick up all the issues a home inspector can.
A home inspector will, for example, use a special device to check for
moisture build-up in the washrooms – which can be an indication of mould.
He or she will also inspect wiring to make sure everything is safe and
compliant with the building code.

That’s not all.
Like a determined detective, a home inspector will investigate the property’s
structure, electrical and plumbing systems, insulation, and other
components — and then report the findings to you.
In the end, a professional home inspection gives you peace-of-mind and
protects your investment. So getting one is highly recommended — even for
recently built homes.
A good REALTOR® can recommend a trusted home inspector for you.
Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when buying a home?
Call today.

When would you talk to a car salesperson? Probably only once you’re ready
to buy a new car. You would do some initial research (perhaps on the
internet), get an idea of what you want, and then go to the dealership to
meet a salesperson, test drive the car and make the purchase.
Although that approach may work when you’re buying a car, it’s not the best
approach when it comes to real estate.
You see, successfully buying or selling a home requires a lot of planning
and legwork. You want the process to go smoothly, the right decisions to be
made, and the best possible deal to be negotiated.
After all, this is the purchase and/or sale of your home!
So, the best time to talk to a REALTOR® is as early in the process as
possible.
In fact, even if you’re just thinking of buying or selling — and simply want to
explore the possibility of making a move sometime this year — you should
have a conversation with a good REALTOR®.
A REALTOR® will answer your questions, provide you with the information
and insights you need, help you avoid costly mistakes, and make sure
you’re heading in the right direction.
When you are ready to buy or sell, having worked with a REALTOR® early
in the process will help ensure you get what you want.
So talk to a good REALTOR® when:
• You have a question about the local market.
• You want to know what your home might sell for today.
• You’re interested in checking out homes currently available on the market.
• You’re in the midst of deciding whether or not to make a move.
• You’ve decided to buy or sell.

When you put your home up for sale, you want it to look its best to potential
buyers. That’s why you clean, tidy and de-clutter every room.
Some sellers, however, miss the backyard. You need to pay just as much
attention to that space as you do to the interior of your home. The backyard
is as important a living space as the family room. To some buyers, even
more.
Buyers want to see an attractive backyard space, with the grass cut and the
hedges trimmed. The more neat and tidy you can make it, the better. Be
sure to sweep walkways and wipe down patio furniture.
Also, watch out for the following things that buyers do not want to see:
• Bags of garage and other waste.
• Doggie do-do. (Be sure to stoop and scoop!)
• Rakes and other tools piled in the corner.
• Cluttered and disorganized storage sheds, pool huts and other
backyard structures.
• Weeds in the flower beds.
• Items stored underneath the deck.
• Hoses not stowed neatly.
• Electrical outlets and water faucets that don’t work.
These are not difficult issues to fix. Doing so will positively impact the
impression the buyer gets of your backyard.
Do you have a backyard that shows particularly well in the summer? Here’s
a tip: Take pictures. Those photos will help buyers be able to appreciate
how it looks should you list your home in the winter.
Want more tips on making your home show well so that it sells fast? Call
today.

When you’re thinking of selling your home and buying another, you face the
inevitable question: Should I list my property first or buy my new home first?
Let’s take a look at both options.
If you attempt to buy a property before listing your home, you run into a
couple of challenges.
First, sellers may not take you seriously as a potential buyer. After all, you
haven’t put your own home up for sale. As far as they’re concerned, you
might merely be testing the market.
Second, your property might not sell as quickly as you thought it would. If
there is an early closing date on the home you purchased, you might end up
owning, and paying a mortgage on both properties, at least until your home
sells.
If, on the other hand, you list your property before buying a new home,
sellers will know you’re serious. That puts you in a competitive position in
the event of multiple offers.
Also, if your home sells quickly, you’ll have the peace-of-mind of knowing
exactly how much of a new home you can afford. You’ll be able to shop with
confidence.
Of course, like the first option, there is a chance that the closing dates won’t
match and you’ll end up owning two properties for a period of time.
However, solutions such as bridge financing are available to help.
So, there is no perfect answer. A lot depends on the state of the local
market.
Looking for a good REALTOR® who can help you decide which is the best
move for you? Call today.

Do you have a renovation project in mind – and wonder how much value it
will add to your home? Remodeling Magazine recently did a study of
renovation projects, comparing costs to added value. Here are some of the
results:
Replacing a main entry door has a return on investment of over 95%. After
all, the entrance to a home is one of the first things a prospective buyer
notices.
Adding a new deck also adds a lot of value. Depending on the materials
used, you can expect to get back three-quarters of the money invested.
Another high-payback project is the garage door. This once again
demonstrates the importance of a home’s “curb appeal.”
If you’re tackling a big project, such as a basement renovation, you’ll be
glad to know that, according to the study, a project like this adds a lot of
value.
Finally, minor improvements to bathrooms and kitchens – such as adding
new countertops or cupboards, can also be good investments that mostly
pay back when you sell your home.
Of course, these figures are averages and can vary widely depending on
location, type of property, and other factors.
Need help determining how a particular home improvement might impact
the selling price? Call today.

Sometimes we don’t have much choice about selling our home and buying
another. Circumstances, such as a job relocation, may have made that
choice for us, However;  most often the decision to move is discretionary.

Sometimes people move simply because they think it’s a good idea. They feel that
“now” is the right time to find their next dream home.

So how do you make that kind of decision?

There are, of course, many reasons to make a discretionary move. Usually,
those reasons fall into one of two categories: need and want.
You may need to find a new home, for example, because you’ve outgrown
your current property. Perhaps you have a growing family and require more
space. Maybe you’re doing more entertaining and need a larger backyard
with a more spacious deck. It could be that the commute to work is arduous
and you need to move to a place that’s closer.

Those “needs” may motivate you to move, but sometimes a “want” plays an
important role, too. For example, you may want to live in a quieter neighbourhood or in a newly
built home that requires less maintenance. Maybe you simply want a
change.

If you’re thinking of making a move, take a moment to write down a list of
your needs and wants. Seeing them on paper will help make the decision
easier.
Looking for expert help? Call today.

Your home probably has dozens of great features that are going to help it stand out and sell faster. Perhaps it has a cozy sunken living room? Or an equipped and smartly decorated kitchen that Rachel Ray would envy? Or a location in a desirable neighbourhood?

All these things will help.

But there’s another selling feature you should consider adding: a pre-sale inspection.

A professional home inspection is usually done on behalf of the buyer before the deal to purchase a property is finalized. In fact, you can expect any offers to purchase your home to be “conditional upon satisfactory home inspection.” However, there are two good reasons why you, as the seller, should get the home inspection done:

Reason #1

A professional inspection can identify problems that might otherwise thwart the sale.

Say, for example, you get a great offer but the buyer’s home inspector discovers a minor leak in the foundation. That might be enough to jeopardize the deal. However, if you had a professional inspection done, you would have had the opportunity to get that problem fixed in advance of the offer.

Reason #2

Informing potential buyers that a professional inspection has been done is a great selling feature. It demonstrates to buyers that there are no hidden problems with the property, which gives them more confidence to make an offer.

A certificate of home inspection can be as enticing a feature to home buyers as a wrap-around deck!

Need more ideas for selling your home faster and for a better price? Call today.

Have you ever driven up to a restaurant and your first impression was
disappointing? Perhaps the windows looked dark and gloomy, the façade
was worn and unattractive or for some other reason it just didn’t look like a
tempting place to eat.
It could still be a fantastic restaurant – a real gem. But, your first impression
has soured your anticipation. If you still walk through the front door, it will
likely be with the expectation of being disappointed.
This scenario often plays out in the real estate market as well.
A buyer drives up to a home for sale and quickly forms an impression based
on what he sees “from the curb”. That’s why you’ll hear real estate experts
talk about the importance of “curb appeal”. It’s one of the most important
selling points of a property.
If you plan to put your home on the market, you obviously want your home
to look as attractive as possible from the street. Fortunately, there are many
simple things you can do to improve curb appeal.
For example, you can trim shrubs and hedges, plant flowers, clean the
walkway and driveway, paint the front door and garage door, and clean the
exteriors of the windows. All these projects are relatively easy and
inexpensive. Yet, each can make a dramatic improvement to how your
home looks at first glance.
Don’t be like the great restaurant that’s hidden behind an unkept façade.
Make sure your curb appeal reflects the overall value of your property.
Looking for more advice on selling your home quickly and for the best price?
Call today.

“Staging” your home is all about making the space in your home as
appealing as possible to buyers. You may already know the basics, such as
eliminating clutter. Here are some other tips that are less well known yet
very effective:
• Chandeliers. Surprisingly, these are one of the simplest ways to
make a foyer, dining room or living room dramatically more eyecatching.
You can buy a good-looking chandelier for a few hundred
dollars.
• New linen. This is something many home sellers don’t consider, but
should. Replace any worn linen – sheets, coverings, towels, and
even oven mitts with new ones. Believe it or not, new linen makes a
big impression on buyers.
• Pedestal sinks. It may not be practical for you to replace a bathroom
sink. However, if you are doing a renovation, keep in mind that
pedestal sinks – especially in small washrooms – are a big hit with
buyers.
• New appliances. A brand new fridge, stove and dishwasher are
motivating selling features to buyers. That’s because new appliances
make the whole kitchen look brand new.
• Avoid multi-use rooms. Have a spare bedroom that doubles as a
home office? That’s a turnoff to buyers. Whenever possible, stage
each room so that it has a singular purpose. A guest bedroom, for
example, should be only that.
Want more tips on how to stage your home so that it attracts buyers? Call
today.