Closing day is an exciting time. After all, you’re moving into your new home!
However, it can be stressful as well. The last thing you need is to be
confronted with something you don’t understand. So here is a quick list of
common “closing day” terms.
• Disbursements. This is the allocation of funds to the appropriate
parties, such as the seller. Your lawyer will take care of this for you.
• Possession. This is the moment on closing day when you are legally
able to take possession of your new home. It’s usually when your
REALTOR® or lawyer hands you the keys.
• Title. This is a legal document that identifies the property and its owner.
• Closing costs. These are expenses, excluding the selling cost of the
property, that are due on closing day, such as legal fees, reimbursement
for pre-paid utilities, utility deposits, insurance, and taxes.
• Closing adjustments. These are expenses pre-paid by the seller that
need to be reimbursed on closing.
There may be other terms you come across on closing day as well.
Don’t worry, a good REALTOR® can help make the day go smoothly
for you and your family.
Looking for a good REALTOR®? Call today.

Usually when you list your home, you would prefer to sell it quickly. It’s like
being the first one served at a crowded ice cream parlour. It’s satisfying.
However, sometimes there’s more to it than that. There may be a truly
urgent reason why you need to find a buyer for your property as soon as
possible, such as a sudden job relocation.
If that’s the case, it’s important to explain your situation to your REALTOR®,
who will be able to put together an action plan for selling your home quickly
and for the best price possible.
During that conversation, ask what you can do to help the process along.
For example, you may be able to:
• Spread the word to your friends and other connections on Facebook.
• Canvass your neighbours and tell them about your listing.
• Stage your home so that it’s more attractive to prospective buyers.
When it comes to price, be prepared to be flexible. That doesn’t mean you
must settle for a price far below your home’s market value. However, you do
need to be prepared to accept a good offer rather than try to hold out for a
great one.
Also be open to as many viewings and open houses as possible. Having
many prospective buyers come through your home within a short period of
time may be a little inconvenient, but the payoff might be an offer!
Finally, work with your REALTOR®. A good REALTOR® will know the local
market well and have many ideas for selling your property fast.
Looking for a good REALTOR® like that? Call today.

If you’re thinking of shopping for a new home, one of the first considerations
is price range. You want to know what you can reasonably afford.
How do you figure that out?
First of all, you need to determine the initial out-of-pocket costs you will
need to cover. There are often more costs associated with purchasing a
home than its actual price. You need to take into account such additional
expenses as moving costs, legal fees, and a home inspection, not to
mention the costs of prepping your current property for sale.
Experts say you should budget 5-10% above the purchase price for these
items. So if you can afford to spend $470K on a new home, you should be
shopping in the $425-445K range.
Another factor to consider are the potential proceeds from the sale of your
current home. Your REALTOR® can help you determine how much your
property will likely sell for in today’s market. Any existing mortgage will need
to be subtracted from that amount to determine how much cash will be left.
Of course, you should speak to a mortgage broker or lender who can
compute how much of a mortgage you qualify for. Remember, qualifying for
a big mortgage doesn’t necessarily mean you should have one. You also
need to consider your personal finances and desired lifestyle – and whether
or not having a large mortgage is a good idea for you.
Once you have gathered all of your information, you can add any potential
sale proceeds to the amount of mortgage you qualify for, add other sources
of cash available for this purpose and subtract 5-10% for initial expenses,
and you’ll have an idea of the price range you should be considering.
Finally, it’s important to take the time to decide what kind of home you want.
Do you want a large backyard with trees? A quiet, family-oriented
neighbourhood? Four bedrooms and a finished basement? Once you
decide what you want most in a new home, it becomes much easier to find
one that’s in your price range.

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.

We are proud to be participating in a great community event this weekend, the Ronald McDonald Charity Curling Bonspiel! We are proud to be supporting sick children and their families while they stay at their home away from home.

Visit here for more information regarding this charity event!

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.

Imagine you’re viewing a potential new home. You walk in the front door and are instantly impressed. You explore the property room by room and like what you see.

Then there’s something you notice that’s not quite right. An odour. You realize that it’s likely cat dander and, now that you’ve identified it, you smell it everywhere. Suddenly the home doesn’t seem as attractive as it did just moments earlier.

The owner of the property is probably so used to the smell that he doesn’t even notice it. Neither does anyone else in the household.

So, when marketing your home for sale, be scent sensitive. Think about the odours that you may have become used to but others are likely to notice. Even odours you think are pleasant, like the strong scent given off by some house plants, may not be pleasing to everyone.

An odour can easily distract a buyer from appreciating the good qualities of your property. Pay particular attention to garbage bins (which can smell even when empty), pets, kitty litter (even when fresh and unused), the kitchen (especially after cooking), perfumes, and closets.

The smell of cigarette smoke is particularly unpleasant to many people. Its odour can linger even on an outside deck or patio.

Bottom line? Don’t assume buyers won’t notice certain smells. They will.

Looking for more advice on selling your home quickly and for the best price? Call today.

When some people think about selling their home, they imagine all the things they will have to do: paint the kitchen, clean closets, prepare for viewings, find another home, arrange financing, start packing, etc. It can all seem very overwhelming very quickly.

In fact, the long to-do list you imagine you’ll have to deal with may dissuade you from making a move!

It doesn’t have to be that way.

There are many ways to make selling your home and buying another relatively simple and easy.

Sure, there will be some work to do. You may need to prepare your property so that it looks appealing to potential buyers – cleaning, decluttering, doing some repairs, etc. Of course, you will also need to view some properties for sale in order to find your next dream home.

But those activities may not be as time-consuming or difficult as you had imagined. In fact, you and your family might actually enjoy the experience – and see it as an adventure.

The trick is to work with the right REALTOR®, someone who can guide you through the process, show you the shortcuts, and generally make things easier for you.

Home Maintenance for the Fall

With school right around the corner it reminds us that Summer is almost over. Days are going to get shorter and the trees will start taking on their autumn colours. Before Fall is fully upon us, take some time to get your home ready for the colder weather ahead.

CMHC has a checklist for regular home maintenance. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before the weather turns chilly.

Weather Stripping

Make sure your windows and doors close tightly to reduce the draft in your home. Replace worn out weather stripping to keep the warm air in and the cold air where it belongs – outside!

Baseboard Heaters

Vacuum the dust from your baseboard heaters and make sure they work properly before you need them the most. Do you ever get the burning smell when you first turn on the heat? Getting rid of the dust on your heaters will help reduce the burning smell that’s so common the first few times of use.

Furnace or Heating System

It’s recommended that you have your electric furnace or heating system serviced every two years. Having regular maintenance of your heating system will ensure it’s working as efficient as possible, saving you energy costs.

Foundation

Take a walk around your home and make sure the ground slopes away from your foundation. This ensures that water isn’t pooling or leaking into your basement. Look for cracks or imperfections, and seal them or call a contractor if necessary.

Roof

Inspect your roof and replace any broken shingles. It may be a good idea to have your roof inspected every few years to make sure it’s in good standing order. Clean the debris from your eavestroughs and roof and make sure downspouts are draining properly.

Landscape

The garden and front yard make the first impressions for anyone approaching your home. Fall is a great time to get your garden ready for the colder months and to ensure you have a beautiful garden in the Spring.

•Cut back the flowers after blooms wilt
•Prune dead and dangerous branches from your property’s trees to ensure they don’t damage property during strong winds
•Bring patio cushions inside, drain your outdoor hoses and store them for the winter
•Plant some bulbs for Spring: some perennials need some time to develop root systems before blooming in the Spring

A well-maintained home can have many advantages and make your home more comfortable. It is one of the biggest investments in your life and is worth the time and effort you put into it.