The Weather Outside Is Frightful But for Home Sellers It Can Be Delightful

November 13th, 2013 by Susanita de Diego

Who sells their home during the winter? The temperatures are freezing, so no buyer wants to shiver as they look for houses. The days are shorter, so there’s no time to view properties during daylight hours. And the The Weather Outside Is Frightful But for Home Sellers It Can Be Delightfulweather is terrible, so nobody wants to deal with the ice and snow. No wonder sellers pull their offerings from the market…But you don’t have to be one of those people!

If you want to enjoy two advantages of selling your home during cold weather, read on:

First, you have almost no competition. Secondly, many  potential customers appear during the holiday season. These are the folks coming back to visit family and friends, or to attend school reunions. Maybe they long for a permanent return. Also many corporate relocation buyers appear at this time of year. You can fulfill your desires if your property is available for sale to them. Remember, most of the buyers searching for homes at this time of year are serious buyers.

Of course, you need to prepare your home differently for cold-weather selling. First, make sure the path to your front door is free of any weather-related obstructions, such as large mounds of snow or thick ice. You want potential buyers to be able to get inside. If you want them to visit special outdoor areas, such as decks or storage areas, make sure those places are clear as well.

Make sure that buyers cannot feel any drafts while inside. If you don’t weatherstrip sufficiently around doors, windows, or vents, any cold air will force visitors to wonder if your insulation is inadequate. Keep the interiors bright and cheery by turning on all the lights, getting a fire going, and setting out holiday decorations. Bake a pie, gingerbread cookies, or other treats to offer potential buyers.

For more ways to sell your house during cold weather, or if you want to put your house on the market, please contact us, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have!

How do we Know That Our Senior Loved One is Still Safe at Home?

November 7th, 2013 by Susanita de Diego

I remember that phone call I received at work one afternoon. The voice on the other end saying “Hello, I live in your Grandmother’s building, she is in my apartment and I’ve made herSenior Real Estate Needs a cup of tea. I found your Grandmother in her pajamas in our courtyard. She does not know where she is, and does not have her keys with her”.

That was the final sign.

In hindsight, there was a slow deterioration of memory issues she had successfully kept hidden for some time. It was easy to overlook. “Oh she’s just getting older”. The diagnosis was actually Dementia.

Waiting to meet me at the wrong door at the shopping mall, forgetting names, putting plasticware in the oven to reheat food or forgetting to eat completely, hallucinations, asking questions that you know they know the answer to, and getting the response, “Don’t you know?”. All warning signs. All signs you want to ignore and explain away because you didn’t think it could happen to them. Your loved one may no longer be safe to live alone in his or her home.

When it was time to make the decision to place our Grandmother in a care facility, it was a very difficult one, but it was the best for her. She made friends, ate well, had lots of daily activities, was well monitored, and seemed very content with her new life. The daily visits from us were just a small part of her very busy life. Sometimes the hardest decisions, the best decisions, are the ones that protect the people you love the most.

In addition to the emotional stress of receiving the diagnosis and having to finding the best place for her to live, we had to arrange for the sale of her home. Thankfully, there are resources for us to use to help our senior loved ones make this lifestyle transition.

Visit our Seniors Real Estate Specialist® page for helpful links and to learn more about how an SRES Professional can assist with real estate needs for seniors.

Ordinary Canadians Can Build Wealth With An Investment Property

November 7th, 2013 by Susanita de Diego

Across the country ordinary Canadians are building wealth with investment property. An investment property is being increasingly viewed as a pension plan for the future, particularlyOrdinary Canadians Can Build Wealth With An Investment Property since so many Canadians are not covered by workplace plans.  Over the long term, an investment property that is fully paid for can be a great source of income for retirement. Rental income typically pays for most or all operating expenses (ie mortgage payment, property taxes, upkeep) while property appreciation has often out performed stocks and bonds over the long term.

A revenue property is not just an investment for well-established business people or experienced homebuyers. Savvy first-time buyers are often jumping in with both feet: purchasing a duplex or triplex, living in one of the units and renting the additional units to help offset the mortgage costs while they build equity which converts to wealth. Many parents who add up the cost of accommodation for their college-bound children are often deciding to be landlords themselves, seeing an opportunity to offset the cost of housing with a sound investment.

There are many reasons to consider investing in property. If you are thinking about building your wealth this way please consult with a professional who will help you determine your down payment options and run the financial calculations that you will want to see for cash flow and capital appreciation.

Cam Brown
Accredited Mortgage Professional
(403) 650-5509
INVIS “Canada’s Mortgage Experts”
www.mortgagealberta.ca
cambrown@invis.ca

Shedding Pets? Tips for Keeping Your Home Ready to Show When Listed for Sale

October 31st, 2013 by Susanita de Diego

I remember the first home I listed. I had 2 dogs and a Mazda hatchback. Last minute showings were a nightmare as we’d climb into the car and park down the road – while I prayed that I had managed toTips For Showing Your Home With Shedding Pets vacuum up all of the dog hair, put the toys away, and hide the dog bowls…and dang! I forgot to clean up the business taken care of in the backyard!

Meet KC and Charlie. You just have to look at them and they will magically shed all over you. While I did manage to sell my home quickly, there were definitely some tense moments as juggling work, family, home and dogs became a full time job!

If you are trying to sell your home, the goal each and every time a potential buyer comes through is for them to be able to imagine themselves living in your home. While the super-sized comfy dog bed laying on the floor in the living room is not offensive to you – a non-pet owner may be immediately turned off.

So what can you do if you are trying to keep your home in showing-ready form while living with pets?

Here are some ideas for you to try:
•Give Fido a vacation – see if a relative or friend is able to keep your pet(s) while your home is on the market.

Since this may not be an option for everyone, read on!

•Try your best to keep shedding pets off the furniture. Fabric covered furniture and bed spreads are often the first thing people see when entering a room. Try to keep them hair-free.
•Keep doors to rooms closed. Often pets will just wander in and out of rooms, for no real reason, leaving a trail of hair behind them.
•Keep a bin handy to toss toys, bones and dishes into for last minute showings.
•More walks = less backyard business! Try taking your dog for walks more often rather than given them the run of the back yard or dog run. Believe me – when you are in a hurry to get the inside of the home ready, the backyard will almost always slip your mind!
•Have the carpets professionally cleaned. This will give your home a fresh scent and get rid of stains on the carpet that you may have just gotten used to seeing, so they are not as obvious to you any longer.
•Keep your Realtor® in the loop. Let them know if the pets will be in the home or see if a neighbour can assist with letting them outside.
•Do your pets sleep on the bed with you? Consider using a flat sheet on top of your comforter to collect pet hair. In the morning, remove the flat sheet for a hair-free bed. (don’t forget to close the bedroom door now!)
•Keep lint brushes handy. Use them to remove hair on the bed or toss cushions – or anywhere you spot pet hair as you rush out the door!

Looking for more tips to prepare your home for sale? Check out 60 Cleaning And Organisation Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale (By Cleaning Experts)

If you have a special circumstance with your pet, discuss this with your Realtor®. Chances are they may have a suggestion for you. As a professional, they have likely encountered many situations involving pets and showings and will be able to offer some great advice!

Good luck with showing your home!

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