When searching for a new home, many buyers will focus only on the list price and what they may need to offer to get the property. For example, a buyer might think, “We can get this house for $XX. That’s within our price range!” Of course, the selling price plays the pivotal role in whether or not you can afford a particular home. But, carrying costs should also be considered. Carrying costs...
When a buyer opens a cabinet door in your kitchen, it’s not an invasion of privacy. The buyer simply wants to get a sense of the available space. So, you can expect some buyers to explore cabinet space, especially in your kitchen and bathrooms. That’s why making sure cabinet space looks clean, organized and spacious is so important. Consider these tips: If you store a lot of items inside a...
Shopping for a new home in a distant town, city or neighbourhood can be a challenge. It’s especially difficult if getting there requires a very long drive or flight. So, if you’re thinking of moving out-of-town, here are some home shopping tips to consider: Schedule a longer than normal viewing appointment. Make sure the seller is aware that you’ll need more time to see and evaluate the...
Purchasing a home is not the same as buying a product off the shelf. You don’t simply pay the price on the tag and know it’s yours. You can’t just see a home for sale and say, “I’ll take it!”, especially if the market is competitive. You need to make an enticing offer. That offer, of course, would include the price you propose to pay. That price may or may not be the “price tag” or the...
If you’re entertaining the idea of selling your home, especially within the next year, one question you might be grappling with is, “Should I sell now, or wait until market conditions are more favourable?” The answer is simple. Your decision to sell should be guided by your own needs and desires and not by what you think the market will be like months from now.First of all, it’s nearly...
Imagine shopping for a used car. You find one that you like and while negotiating the price, the seller gets sentimental. He shares happy memories of family picnics, his kids’ soccer games and other adventures with the vehicle. Then he demands a higher price. After all, he couldn’t possibly part with it for anything less. Are you likely to pay for his sentimental value? Probably not. Yet the same...
If you’re selling your home and there are other listings in your area, buyers will naturally compare your property to those other listings. Is there something about your home that you’re concerned will be seen as a competitive disadvantage? For example, do you have a small kitchen or fewer bedrooms than most other homes in the neighbourhood? There are a few things you can do to compensate for...
It’s incredible how quickly people form first impressions. According to some studies, people can develop lasting opinions within seconds of seeing someone, something, or someplace new. That’s why, when preparing your property for sale, it’s important to do everything you can to make sure it looks attractive to buyers. Nowhere does this first impression phenomenon play out more than when a...
Let’s face it. When you visit a home during a scheduled viewing or open house, you’re usually seeing it at its best. The rooms are tidy. The sinks are clean. The closets are organized and uncluttered. Even the lighting is set to its brightest. That’s just good old-fashioned marketing.However, not every house you see will actually look this way. For any number of reasons, a house on the market may...
When you decide to put your house up for sale, we will start by working together to determine the market value of your property. That’s important to know because if you price your home too much above its market value, you probably won’t get any offers. Alternatively, if you price your property too low, it might get snapped up quickly, but you’ll have left a lot of money on the table. So how do we...