Found 57 blog entries tagged as Buying.

How to Determine the Best Features of your Home

What is it about your property that stands out? What will buyers like most about it? What are your home’s most enticing characteristics?

Answering those questions will help you determine which features to emphasize when selling your home. After all, you want buyers to notice and appreciate your property’s best attributes.

But here’s the challenge...

It can be difficult for homeowners to determine which features of their home are particularly desirable to buyers. After all, you live there! So, there might be a fantastic characteristic of your property that you’ve become so used to, that you don’t even realize its value.

One way to gain perspective is to ask friends, “What is it about our property that you like most? What stands out to you?”…

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Questions to Ask when Selling your Home

If you’re thinking of selling your house, you probably have a lot of questions that need answers. In fact, asking the right questions is key to selling your home successfully and for the best price.

Here are some of the most important questions to ask:

1) How much is our house likely to sell for on today’s market? What should the listing price be? What are the selling costs?

2) How long will it take to sell? What happens if our house takes longer than expected to sell?

3) How do we prepare our house for the sale? Will we need to make any major improvements? Will we need to hire a contractor?

4) What’s ‘home staging’? Will we need to hire a professional stager? Can we do some of that staging work ourselves?

5) What happens when we get…

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When you think about selling your property, do you dwell on the possible work and stress involved? You're not alone. Many homeowners share the same concerns.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

In fact, there are plenty of ways to add some fun, anticipation, and even a sense of adventure to the selling process. Here are just a few ideas:

  1.     Plan fun things to do when your home is being shown. That can include walks, sports activities, or trying something you and your family have never done before.
  2.     Declutter for your own benefit. Instead of thinking about decluttering as a chore required for the sale, focus instead on how much more comfortable your home will be after decluttering. Studies consistently show that less clutter…

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Imagine you’re shopping for a used iPhone 11 that’s in good condition. You visit a resale website and discover that most are selling for approximately $350. Would you be willing to pay $400? Probably not. The market value is obviously well-established. There would be no reason to pay more.

Pricing your home for sale is similar. Your home has a market value and, if you were to list it, buyers would expect to pay close to that amount. If you price it too high, many buyers won’t even bother to see it. If you price it too low, you’ll leave money on the table.

Many factors come into play when calculating that market value – neighbourhood, street characteristics, special features, upgrades, condition, etc. However, the most important factor is…

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Say you’re shopping for a new home. Your goal is to find the ideal property, in a neighbourhood that is just right for you, within a price range that you can afford.

What do you need — at a minimum — to get started?

If you’re looking for ways to get your ducks in a row, here are some things to prepare:

 

  1. A property wish list. What does your ideal home look like? How many bedrooms does it need to have? Do you require a spacious recreational room? A large deck? A pool? A nice view? Get your wish list down on paper.
  2. A neighbourhood wish list. Where you live is just as important as what you live in. What qualities are you looking for in a neighbourhood? A nearby park? Walking distance to a good school? Hiking trails? A shorter drive…

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It’s interesting to note how so many things have their “season.” Hockey in the winter. Vacations in the summer. Gardening in the spring. Even retirement reportedly occurs more often in the fall than any other time of year.

To some extent, even real estate seems to have a season. The spring is traditionally an active time for home sales. But, does that mean you should wait until spring to list your home?

Here’s the reality...

Properties sell all year round. There are buyers actively looking for homes at all times of the year. In fact, there are bound to be buyers that would be interested in your home if you were to list it this month. While it’s true that the market may fluctuate throughout the year, with some months featuring higher or lower…

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 Seven Master Bedroom Staging Ideas

As you may know, staging involves setting up the furniture, art and accessories of each room so that, overall, your home looks as appealing as possible to buyers. It’s similar to what furniture stores do when they create displays of model bedrooms, kitchens, etc.

When you’re staging your home, the master bedroom is particularly important. Here are some simple staging tips worth trying:

1) Consider using mirrors to make the bedroom seem larger and more comfortable.

2) Put a new comforter on the bed.

3) Update the wattage or add a lamp if the lighting is dim. (Make sure lights are turned on during a viewing.)

4) Be ruthless when removing clutter from the room, particularly the closet. Don’t have anything stored under the bed.

…

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 Pulling Together the Records you Need when Selling

Imagine you’re viewing a home for sale. You venture to the basement, check out the furnace room, and notice the water heater. Is it owned or rented? As a potential buyer, you’d want to know.

Now imagine a property you’re viewing has a brand-new gas fireplace. Nice! Is it under warranty? Is that warranty transferrable to you if you buy the home? Again, you’d want to know.

So, when you’re selling, it’s important to pull together all the necessary records you will need in order to answer these types of buyer questions. After all, if a particular warranty transfers to the new owner, that’s a selling point.

Take the time to find receipts, warranty certificates, and other documents related to:

1) Renovations (e.g., a bathroom…

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Preparing for a Day of Multiple Viewings

When you’re selling your home, several viewings of your property may be scheduled on the same day. That can be a good thing because it can create increased excitement about your listing.

To prepare for a multiple viewings day, follow these tips:

  •          Clean and prepare your home the day before. That way, you’re not scrambling to get things ready in the morning.
  •          Confirm the time of the first appointment. Schedules can change quickly.
  •          Plan to leave your home a half-hour before the viewings begin. Some buyers might feel awkward if they run into you as you’re coming out.
  •          Make a last-minute checklist.
  •          Assume the viewings will go overtime. Plan to be away at least a half-hour after the…

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Assessing Property's long term potential

You see a home on the market that you like. Should you buy it? Before you make an offer, it’s a good idea to get a sense of the property’s long-term potential. After all, a property is not just a potential home, it’s also an important investment.

Here are some things to look for when viewing homes on the market:

  1. Is the area’s average income increasing? The more affluent a neighbourhood becomes, the higher the property values.
  2. Are employment opportunities growing nearby? If jobs are leaving the area, housing prices will likely decline.
  3. Is there any nearby housing or community developments that will enhance the quality of life in the area? If a park with a quiet walking trail, or a prestigious golf course, is being built nearby, the value…

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