Make a “Great Things” List

Make a “Great Things” List

What’s great about your home? Is it the spacious foyer and generous main floor closet space? Is it the beautiful washroom? Is it the playground that is only a short walking distance away?

 

Although some properties may look similar at first glance, every home is unique – with features and characteristics that make it special. If you’re considering putting your home on the market, make a list of all the great things about your property that potential buyers will want to know.

Start by thinking about the most desirable features of your home. Write down what you really love about the house and the surrounding area.

Next, think about what comments friends and other visitors to your home have made. Have you ever heard anyone say something like, “I really love your kitchen!” or, “This is such a quiet street”? Those are indications that potential buyers will like those features and characteristics too.

Once you have your list, let’s talk. Together, we’ll review all the great things about your home and area, and decide how to market them effectively.

Helping You with Your Home Sale: Closing

Helping You with Your Home Sale: Closing

Your home sale is completed on closing day when ownership is officially transferred to the buyer. As closing day approaches, there are a number of tasks to complete.

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the closing process to help you: 

 Hire a legal professional to represent your interests and manage closing documentation.

 Satisfy any conditions you may be subject to in the offer.

 Arrange and schedule your move requirements or obtain estimates from reputable moving companies and book as far in advance as possible.

 Contact utilities to have meters read on closing day and coordinate cancellations, transfers and change-of-address notification for medical, financial and contracted services, licenses, subscriptions, memberships, and personal mail.

 Organize the connection of services and utilities at your new home.

 Coordinate with your lawyer the receipt of compensation for prepaid utility expenses and the payment of real estate and legal fees from the proceeds of the sale.

 Meet with your lawyer to sign required closing documentation to discharge any mortgages, transfer the deed, and to provide the keys for the buyer.

Need help?

 

I can help you understand the closing process and its associated tasks. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Helping You with Your Home Sale: Negotiating Offers

Helping You with Your Home Sale: Negotiating Offers

Upon receipt of a valid offer to purchase, there are several considerations and negotiating nuances to understand before you provide acceptance.

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the negotiating process to help you: 

 Clarify all elements of the offer including price, deposit, financial terms, inclusions and exclusions, the closing or possession date and any conditions that apply.

 Help determine an appropriate response within the timeframe required, either accepting or rejecting the offer, or developing a counter-offer.

 Set a course of action for any counter-offer terms such as adjusting the offer price, inclusions and exclusions, the closing date, or removing conditions.

 Manage all offers and any counter-offers, negotiating to get you the best possible deal.

 Ensure you understand and agree to all of the offer terms before you provide acceptance.

Need help?

 

I can help you understand the offers you receive and can negotiate to get you the best deal possible. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Helping with Your Home Sale: Marketing

Helping with Your Home Sale: Marketing

A comprehensive marketing plan, customized to your home, will give it maximum exposure and the attention it deserves. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the process to help you: 

 Prepare a personalized marketing plan containing all activities intended to market your property to prospective buyers and their real estate representatives.

 Place your home on MLS®, making it accessible to all real estate professionals and their clients.

 Provide national and international exposure for your home by placing it on both royallepage.ca and realtor.ca – two of the most visited real estate websites in Canada.

 Provide local exposure for your home with a lawn sign, virtual open houses/showings, print and online promotions.

 Showcase your property through print and digital marketing, which includes property feature sheets and brochures, “Just Listed” postcards, single property websites, landing pages and social media marketing.

 Network with other real estate professionals and my database of clients where applicable, to provide incremental exposure to your home.

Need help?

 

I can help you market your home to reach the greatest amount of prospective buyers. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Helping with your Home Sale: Listing

Helping with your Home Sale: Listing

Entering into a Listing Agreement is the first formal step in marketing your home to prospective buyers.. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the preparation process to help you: 

 Explain the Listing Agreement, a contract that commits Royal LePage to market your home for a specified period of time in exchange for a marketing fee or commission, paid upon successful closing of your home sale.

 Discuss the marketing fee and the specific value you will receive in exchange for that fee.

 Outline the details of the agreement including the asking price, a description of the property, inclusions and exclusions, annual property taxes, and any rights of way, easements, liens, or charges against the property.

 Request any required supporting documents such as a property survey, property tax receipts, deed or title search documentation.

 Ask you to authorize your mortgage lender to verify your current mortgage details, where applicable.

 Request other documentation such as expenses related to heating, electrical and water consumption as well as receipts for any home improvements to assist your home sale.

Need help?

 

I can help navigate through the required documentation for listing your home. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Avoiding Moisture Problems in the Home

Avoiding Moisture Problems in the Home

There are many hidden sources of moisture in your home that can lead to serious problems, such as mould.

To keep moisture levels in check, consider these tips:

  • Bathrooms are an obvious source of moisture build-up. Contractor and TV personality Mike Holmes recommends keeping the fan going for at least half an hour after a shower.
  • Check regularly for water infiltration around window and door sills, as well as other intakes into the home, such as dryer vents and cable wiring.
  • Determine the humidity level in your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it should be 30-60%. (Keep in mind that humidity may vary greatly from room to room.)
  • Regularly inspect caulking around sinks, tubs and showers. Even a tiny break can cause water to leak gradually into the wall or floor, causing damage you may not notice for months.
  • Clean up wet spills as soon as possible. Be particularly careful with hardwood floors, as water can seep through and become trapped.
  • Repair leaking faucets and pipes immediately. Even a small drip can add significant moisture inside a vanity or kitchen cupboard.

Being mindful of moisture today can help you avoid potentially high repair bills later on.

**Article provided by Ixact Contact Solutions Inc.

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Pricing

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Pricing

Determining the right asking price is the most critical factor to the success of your home sale. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the preparation process to help you: 

 Help you understand current market conditions and how they will impact your home’s asking price.

 Prepare a market analysis to give you an appreciation of what comparable homes in your area have recently sold for.

 Assist you in understanding the marketability of your home’s location, size, style and condition.

 Explain how pricing appropriate to market value will help make your home more marketable, exposing it to more qualified buyers while generating the best offers.

 Clarify the importance of capitalizing on the early activity associated with new listings by pricing your home appropriately when it first goes on the market.

 Help to create value and future negotiating power through chattel inclusions and exclusions.

 Work with you to develop a pricing strategy and determine an asking price that will sell your home in the shortest amount of time at the best possible price.

Need help?

 

I can help you determine an asking price designed to deliver results.  Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale:

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Preparing

Helping You With Your Home Sale: Preparing

Placing your home on the market requires objectivity and potentially significant preparation. 

 

Your chosen real estate professional should guide you through the preparation process to help you: 

 Appreciate the impression your home will make on potential buyers.

 Define improvements that you can undertake to sell your home faster and at the best possible price.

 Outline suggested interior and exterior preparations for cleaning, repair and organization.

 De-clutter and depersonalize your space to achieve the broadest appeal.

 Arrange furniture to make rooms appear as spacious as possible.

 Connect with professionals to help prepare your home for sale, such as painters, cleaners, contractors, carpenters, repair people, home stagers, and more.

 Create a mood ideal for showcasing your home. Choosing appropriate background music, adding plants, maximizing lighting, can all help potential buyers feel more comfortable in your home.

Need help?

 

I can help you see your home through the objective eyes of a prospective buyer and suggest preparations to make the right impression. Put my expertise to work for you and learn more about these steps in your home sale

Moisture on the Windows

Moisture on the Windows

You’re standing by your window admiring the view.  Then you notice it.  Moisture has built up around the edges of the glass.  Should you worry?

 

Well, it all depends on the reason for the build up.

Assuming you have traditional double-pane glass in your windows, there are a few things to look for if you notice moisture.

Often, moisture at the bottom of your windows is simply caused by too much humidity in your indoor air.  If that’s the case, simply adjust your humidifier.

If the moisture is on the outside of the window, typically there’s also no problem with the window itself.  It may have rained recently, or the outside humidity may have spiked causing the accumulation.  Generally, there’s no reason for concern. 

If the moisture is in between the two panes of glass, that indicates that the seal has broken

However, if the moisture is in between the two panes of glass, that indicates that the seal has broken and surrounding air – along with it’s water content – has made its way in.  This disrupts the thermal barrier of the window, reducint it’s energy efficiency.  In fact, the glass might feel noticeably colder than your other windows on chilly days.  In that case, you’ll need to replace the pane.

Similarly, if the moisture is coming in through only one spot – the bottom right corner for example – then you might have a leak.  If you have a wood frame or sill, you may also notice a growing water stain.  It’s important to get leaks fixed quickly.  There may be water damage occurring within the frame that you cannot see.

When your Dream Home isn’t Available

When your Dream Home isn’t Available

Imagine you’re looking for a new home.  You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list.  However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria.

What do you do?  You  have a few good options…

First, you can take a second look at your list.  Does your new home need every single feature on it?  Are there one or two features you can do without?  For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything else you want?

Often, buying a home that’s close to perfect is perfect enough.

Second, consider what features you might be able to add to a home later, by way of a renovation or other improvement.  If a property doesn’t have a finished basement, for example, you might be able to get that done down the road.  Indeed, there are probably many features you can add later to an otherwise desirable property.

Finally, consider the current level of activity in the local real estate market.  Is it likely that a lot of new homes will be coming on the market soon?  If so, your perfect home may come up on the market within the next few weeks.

In that situation, make sure you arrange to get immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria.  You’ll want to jump on each new opportunity before other buyers learn of the listing.

I can help you do that with my Private Client Services program, where you can receive email updates whenever new homes come on the market that fit your criteria.

The good news is, in most cases you should be able to find and buy a great home, with most – if not all – of the features you want.

To sign up for my completely FREE private client services, click below!

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