If you are considering selling your house, there are a number of things you will need to do. Selling a home involves much more than just posting ads in local newspapers and setting up a “For Sale” sign on your lawn. If you want to get the best price for your home, you need to plan the sale strategically, make a concerted effort to showcase your property in the best light and ensure it gets a lot of visibility.

Here are top 10 things to do before you sell your home. While some of these things are pretty simple, others may take some effort. But you will find it’s all worth the trouble once you find buyers complimenting you on the way your house looks and how well it’s maintained. Hopefully, this will also act as a catalyst to get a good price for your home.  

1. Look for a credible and experienced real estate agent

Many sellers believe they would be able to sell their house themselves and save the commission they would have otherwise paid to an agent. This may seem pretty tempting at the time, especially if it’s a seller’s market, but it’s best not to take that route. It’s not uncommon for these “for sale by owners” transactions to go awry and you will only end up losing time and money.

While working with a real estate agent is definitely beneficial, you need to be prudent and choose the right professional. It’s never a good idea to hire someone blindly just because a friend has used that agent’s services in the past. It’s important that you conduct some research and identify a few local real estate agents that are experienced and reliable. Interview a few of them to determine who would be the right fit.

2. Improve the curb appeal of your home

If you were out shopping for something, would you step into a store that had a drab display window or a poorly-maintained, unappealing frontage- most likely not. Making a good first impression matters a great deal, and this is why you need to focus on how the exterior of your home looks. Make some simple changes/additions that will improve the external appearance of your home and the entrance.

Mow the lawns, trim and prune the bushes and plants, make sure there is no debris or dirt lying around and place a few attractive potted plants near the entrance to your home. A fresh coat of paint or polish to can do wonders for your front door. All of these may seem like very basic and simple things, but they go a long way in improving the curb appeal of your home.

3. Get rid of all the clutter

When you are getting your house ready to show, keep in mind that less is more. Get rid of all the excess things in your home. Go through the closets, cabinets and all other possible storage spaces and do a thorough spring clean if you must. Either donate or dispose of things you don’t need or haven’t used for a very long time. Cluttered spaces will only mar the beauty of your home and won’t give potential buyers a clear idea of what the house looks like. Curious buyers are apt to open kitchen cabinets and drawers, closets etc. to check whether there is sufficient space for their things. Clearing the clutter before you put your house up for sale means you have one less thing to take care of when you finally move.

4. Remove all other distractions

Just as clutter can distract potential buyers from actually looking at all the indoor spaces and the features and installations in it, personal items such as photographs and other memorabilia also act as distractions. It’s important that you de-personalize all the indoor spaces. If there are any bold or eccentric furniture pieces or artwork, its best to either remove or replace them with something less eye-catching. The idea is to create a blank canvas so prospective buyers will be able to visualize their own things in that space.

5. Give the walls a new look

If you have bright and bold wall colors or have an accent/feature wall, consider getting the rooms painted in subtle colors. While you may love that turquoise blue wall in your bedroom, a potential buyer may not take a fancy to it. Sometimes, features such as these or decorative elements in bold styles and themes can prove to be a turn-off and can impact the sale.

Neutral colors and subtle wall color shades are a much safer option as it’s rare for people to hate them. The light colors lend expansiveness to the space and give buyers the chance to envision how the rooms would look in the colors they like.

6. Do a thorough touch up

Even if you aren’t getting the entire house repainted, make it a point to refinish or repaint scuff marks on walls, doors, and baseboards. This will give your home a well-maintained look.

7. Fix things that don’t work as they should

Make sure that all the handles and doorknobs aren’t loose, no hinges are coming off cabinets and that there are no loose floorboards or step boards. Discerning buyers will notice all these seemingly small things; it will set them wondering as to what other things in the house are damaged or don’t work; and this is something you want to avoid.

8. Add a few special touches

While it’s best to remove embellishments such as décor pieces and extra furniture, it’s a good idea to add some plants to the indoor spaces of your home. You can also place vases with colorful, fresh flowers on the dining table or a sideboard. These will lend a very pleasant, welcoming look to the space.

It’s a good idea to consider staging. Home staging professionals will carefully evaluate the current condition of the home, the items in the indoor and outdoor areas and determine which of these will help create a great first impression on the buyers. They may also recommend that you rent/purchase a few items or may reorganize the furniture etc. to achieve a more appealing look. Want to sell your Calgary home? Get started with a FREE HOME EVALUATION by Calgary Realtor®, Scot Rose. 

Buying a house and all the planning that surrounds the process can be exciting yet very taxing, and this is something prospective buyers need to prepare for. Regardless of whether it’s shopping for houses or preparing to get a mortgage, a mistake when purchasing a property can only lead to numerous future headaches.

Most properties that are for sale will have agents representing the sellers and they are called seller’s agents or listing agents. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the seller gets a good deal and that their best interests are protected.

If you are the buyer, how can you make sure that your best interests are being protected? That’s not very difficult- hire a buyer’s agent! There are a number of reasons why you should you work with a good buyer’s agent when purchasing a house. This person will look out for your interests and help ensure you get the best deal possible. Here are some reasons you need to hire a real estate agent to buy a house:

1. It’s free

This is one of the most obvious reasons to work with a buyer’s agent when purchasing a property. There are very few instances in which it costs you money to hire an estate agent while buying a house. Sometimes, in a sale by owner (FSBO) circumstance, the seller may not be willing to pay the agent’s commision and this is when that cost passes on to you. While this is a very rare scenario, it’s important that you be aware of this possibility. But 99.9% of the times, if you are the buyer, it’s free for you to hire a buyer’s agent.

2. They are knowledgeable

Whether you are purchasing your first house or the fifth, it’s very likely that you don’t actually look at various properties on a daily basis. In comparison, credible and well-established buyer’s agent looks at literally dozens of houses every single day. This means they know exactly which red flags to look out for when viewing properties. Identifying existing/potential pest problems, leakages, and structural issues before you even consider buying a house, is the best way to avoid problems and heavy expenses in the future.

3. Local knowledge

Every real estate market has its own distinct quirks and personality so to speak. These markets can vary significantly from one city/town to the next and there can be a vast variation in neighbourhoods too. This makes it crucial to have a good understanding of the local market. A buyer’s agent understands the intricacies and nuances of the local market. It’s a good idea to work with a real estate agent with local knowledge as they can help you save a pretty penny on your home purchase.

4. Evaluating and securing financing

The real estate financing landscape can be extremely complex and confusing. A buyer’s agent will help with evaluating and securing financing that is best-suited for your circumstances. They will provide you detailed information about all the financing options, which helps you make a more informed decision.

5. Coordinate showings

Coordinating a showing isn’t an easy task for you as the buyer. But a good real estate agent will be well-versed in this aspect. They will be responsible for planning and coordinating the viewings of various potential properties. This gives you the opportunity to view all the potential properties you are interested in if they are available.

6. Navigating the paperwork

A good agent will know how real estate contracts need to be written. Even if you have purchased homes in the past, it’s unlikely you are conversant with the nitty-gritty of real estate contracts. But the agent will know all the ins & outs of the contracts, how they should be written, the deadlines that have to be met and what the other important components of the contract are.

7. Access to different professionals

When your real estate transaction is being finalized, there are a number of professionals that are required such as a home inspector, a mortgage originator and a real estate attorney, and a handful of other professionals. A real estate agent will have business connections with these several professionals from all these categories that they can recommend to you.

8. Handle negotiations

Most homeowners aren’t very confident in negotiating their offer price for a home they have liked. However, when you hire a real estate agent, they negotiate on your behalf. For instance, if a particular property that you are planning to buy is overpriced, they will complete a comprehensive comparative market analysis to identify and prove that the property is overpriced. And this gives you the leverage you need while negotiating a lower price.

9. On schedule transactions

While there can be delays in real estate transactions, it’s not something you would like to deal with. Delays can be frustrating to you as well as all the other parties involved. When you hire a real estate agent, it’s highly likely that your transaction will stay on track with the schedule. There are a number of different reasons why there can be delays in a real estate transaction and many of these can be easily avoided when you hire an experienced buyer’s agent.

10. Helps you maintain objectivity

Buying a property has an emotional aspect and that can distract you from being objective. For example, if you have taken a fancy to a particular home, you may be more likely to look only at the pros. Emotion has no place in a real estate deal; you need to maintain objectivity, understand what all the pros and cons of a property are before making your final decision. A real estate agent can act as an emotional filter at this time. They have no emotional attachment to a property that you may be interested in. This means they can keep you on track and avoid making a rash decision.

As you can see, there are a number of good reasons for hiring an experienced local real estate agent. Get started with a FREE HOME EVALUATION today! I will look out for your interests while you are making this sizeable investment.

If you are either buying or selling a home, you need to judge the vibe of the market. It’s probably equally important to understand how the psychology of home buyers & home sellers in your specific market works. There are also some distinct times of the year when there is a surge in home sales and purchases. Let’s take a look at what these trends are. This will give you a better understanding of when the best time to buy and sell a home is.

January–March

The biggest house selling season is from January-March. There is a distinct reason why this is a very popular time for house sales:

• Families with kids are eager to get their home sale/purchase finalized by late spring. That helps avoid any disruption in their children’s school schedule.
• Some people want to buy a home at the start of the year because they don’t want any interference with their summer vacation.
• Others prefer this time for their property sale for tax purposes.

With so many buyers in the picture, it’s no surprise that spring is the perfect time for people to put their homes on the market. This leads to increased buyer competition, which results in a rise in property prices at the start of the year. If you are planning to sell your home and buy a new one right after that, you will find the best selection of homes at this time of the year.

Spring

While there is a large selection of homes during spring, the competition levels are higher too. If you are more inclined to look for a good bargain, you’d have to put in some extra effort and time to find something that suits your budget. But since there are such a large number of houses on the market, you will eventually find the house that suits your requirement.

June- August

Those who purchased homes in the Spring start moving during the summer months. The rest will be on vacation and this means summer isn’t the best time to put your home on the market. Buyer activity levels are lower, and it may take a wee bit longer for you to sell your home at this time.

If you are selling your current home to purchase another one, summer is the best time to find good deals. It isn’t difficult to find sellers that have invested in a new home and have to sell the existing one quickly. While there is less property on the market, you may be able to do some bargain shopping with these motivated sellers.

Fall

If you are selling your home in fall that can be quite a risky proposition, overpricing your property will only make it unsalable. But if you really need to sell at this point of time, make extra efforts to monitor buyer response. If you find it to be very weak, you should be flexible and willing to lower your price. On the other hand, if you are a risk-taker, this period mat work out perfectly for you; it’s an ideal time to sell at a higher price and buy at a lower one.

If you are buying a home, property owners that sell during fall are in quite a rush to sell. Some of them will have purchased a new home during spring even before they sell the older one. Many of these people may have overpriced their homes during summer and end up slashing prices because they have been unsuccessful in selling the property at that high price.

A number of people prefer to sell their home during fall and buy a new one in December. They pay their tax-deductible expenses.These people are hard-pressed to sell and if you are buying, you may end up getting a good bargain from sellers like these.

Winter

This is probably the worst time of the year to sell a home. During the holidays, people prioritize buying gifts and spending time with their family and friends and no one has the time to focus on buying or selling at this time. If you don’t have an option but to sell in the winter, be prepared to deal with bargain hunters. Since very few buyers are scouring the market for homes during Christmas week, there are very low chances of any competition or multiple offers.

In the same strain, this season doesn’t offer a great selection to a home buyer. Unless you have oodles of patience and are a serious bargainer, the recommendation is that you abstain from looking for and buying a home during this season. Home prices typically drop down to a 12-month low during this time. And so, if you do find that someone is selling their home during Christmas time, it’s a sure-shot indication that the person is open to bargaining and is eager to sell that home; and that may be your chance to get a great deal.

While being aware of these market trends is important, it’s also vital to understand that the best time to buy a house also depends on the buyer’s or seller’s goals and individual circumstances. Every person enters this landscape with a different profile and something that works for one individual might not work for the other.

For example, if your goal is to save money to meet the 20% down payment requirement, and you have almost achieved that goal, then it’s important that you stay on track. Vacillating between decisions only because the housing prices or interest rates are ebbing and tiding will just shunt you off track from your goal of meeting that 20% down payment amount. Forecasting interest rate changes and how the market volatility is going to impact your home buying plans is important no doubt, but you don’t have any control over these external variables. What is probably more important is that you identify what works best in your situation and make a prudent choice when it comes to buying or selling your home.

Looking to buy or sell in the Calgary area? Get in touch with Scot Rose, Calgary Realtor®, today!

Home renovations may be costly, but they are always worth the time and money. Anybody who is interested in upgrading their Nanaimo home should consider focusing on renovations that are energy efficient. Not only will these upgrades help the resale value of the house, they will also pay for themselves with the amount of money they shave off of power and gas bills over the long run.

New Doors and Windows Can Put a Dent in Power Bills

Old doors and windows have outdated designs and were not always constructed with the idea of saving energy. The evolution in window design has led to windows that can trap the heat from the sun during the winter to keep a room warm naturally with the added bonus of having better seals and more security. Old, wooden doors were originally built to contract and expand as the seasons changed, which left them weathered over time. Drafty doors can be a tremendous drain on the power bill in the coldest months of winter and this simple renovation will save money in the short and long run.

Keep Heat in and Cold out With Proper Insulation

A home works like a well-oiled machine to save energy. Proper doors and windows with a great heating system will do nothing if the warmth keeps escaping due to poor insulation. Over time, older insulation will lose its ability to properly control the home’s temperature and a complete insulation upgrade to newer material will not only pay for itself, but it will fill in areas that may have been passed over the first time. Many older homes have no insulation in the attic, allowing heat to escape very easily. A properly insulated house also has the benefit of removing some strain from heating systems and air conditioners, leading to the possibility of smaller models.

Lower Energy Bills with Efficient Appliances

One of the easiest ways to make a home more energy efficient, cost-effective and more attractive to any potential buyers down the line is by investing in new appliances. Any appliance that is over ten years old is probably a huge drain on energy and creates significantly more waste than newer models designed to save energy and money. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, washing machines, water heaters and air conditioners that are certified by either EnerGuide or Energy Star will lower gas and power bills by a considerable amount, one that makes the investment worthwhile. This has the added benefit of making the home more attractive and raises the value when trying to sell, as any buyer will want top of the line appliances in their new home.

For an idea of where to start, EnerGuide performs home evaluations for Canadians that are endorsed by the government. They will give the home a complete inspection and provide the owner with a comprehensive guide on which areas can be improved and how much they can save with those improvements. If you would simply like some more information on how your home would compare on the market if it was energy efficient, feel free to reach out to us.

Upgrading to a Larger Home – Are you ready?

Many homebuyers face the question of size when looking for their next home. Do they downsize, stay the same, or upgrade to a larger home? To help answer this question, here are some factors to take into consideration when determining if you should upgrade to a larger home.

Affordability

With larger homes come more financial responsibility. Typically larger homes will come with a larger mortgage, repair/maintenance, utilities, and insurance payments as well as increased property taxes. Are you ready financially for these larger expenses? Take into account these estimated expenses when going over your household budget. Remember, ideally you’ll want to be able to maintain a comfortable quality of life and still be able to save for the future when these larger expenses are taken into account with your budget.

Down Payments

There is a need in most cases during the property buying process to make a down payment and to pay for closing costs. You should include these expenses in your estimations while keeping in mind that selling the existing property and accessing equity will yield most or all of the funds that are needed to make a new purchase. Working with a real estate professional and a mortgage broker will help you to get more information about these two factors before making a sound financial decision.

When the time is right for you to upgrade to a larger home, you should consider working with an experienced real estate agent to sell your existing property and help you in the process of buying a new home!

Spring is just around the corner and what better way to introduce it to your home than with Rose Quartz. This lovely colour blends shades of pink to produce a rich, multifaceted colour that provides warmth and a sense of home. It brings a pop of colour that can brighten up even the dullest of rooms. Go all out or try just a few accents. This colour is sure to bring an aura of happiness and comfort to your home. Rose Quartz is a versatile shade that can update the look of your home in a variety of ways.

As an Accent

Small accents of colour throughout a room can have a major visual impact, instantly drawing your eye to key focus points around the room. Try an antique lampshade in your bedroom or a decorative pitcher in your kitchen. Accent pieces are a great way to experiment with a new colour palette without having to make a full commitment to it until you are ready.

To Fill a Room

If you have a room in your home that is looking especially bare, a dash of Rose Quartz can be just what you need to take that room from drab to dynamic. This vibrant colour fills the empty space with warmth, making a somewhat empty room feel inviting. Try a quilt in this welcoming hue in your guest bedroom or a bold wall tapestry in your entryway. The richness of the colour will make your guests feel immediately at home.

For Dramatic Impact

To make a bold statement with Rose Quartz, use it to tile your bathroom. The energy of the shade creates an atmosphere of comfortable luxury that is perfect for lounging in the tub and pampering yourself. For an even more dramatic effect, paint a single wall behind your bed and use bedding in a dark colour. This warm tone will create a romantic atmosphere that is ideally suited to the bedroom.

Moving into a new home can be the ideal time to start thinking about redecorating. Throughout the moving process, you can take inventory of your decor and get rid of anything that no longer fits with the style you have in mind. When you get settled into the new home, it’s like having a blank canvas on which to develop your new decorative theme. If you’re ready to make a move contact us today!

Homebuyers in want to save their money as much as they can when buying their next home. Skipping out on Home Inspections and other “optional” costs may seem like a good idea, but sometimes they end up saving you money after the fact. Home inspections are not typically required for and can cost a few hundred dollars on average. However, it can potentially save a homebuyer thousands after the sale is made. Here are some benefits of home inspections:

Electrical & Wiring

Electrical features in both new and older homes can pose problems and are not easily detected during a walk-through. Outlets, light-fixtures, amperage and other factors may also be inspected to determine if electrical work needs to be done in the home.

Water Leaks

This can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars of damage if not caught and dealt with properly. For example, it can result in wood rot, mould growth and other issues.. An inspector will review the home thoroughly to look for signs of a current or previous leak even those unknown to the previous owner.

HVAC Systems

Replacing your HVAC system can cost thousands, and be quite a headache if you don’t know as much as possible about the old one. The inspector can be able to provide the condition, its age, its need for maintenance and other factors. Best not to just assume it’s hunky-dory-fine if the temperature is decent during your walk through – especially since the weather has such a range. You want to be sure!

Structural Damage

Don’t just look for noticeable cracks in the foundation, get an inspector to look for signs of damage

that may require assistance from a structural engineer. Structural damage can from factors such as a settlement of soil and erosion. It can also potentially add thousands of dollars to your maintenance costs if left unfixed/ or if the damage is already severe.

The Roof Over Your Head

These can get quite costly when it comes to repairs/replacement. If it’s not in good condition, your roof can lead to energy inefficiency, allow pests to get in, result in water leaks and other issues. Your Home Inspection will let you know the condition, age, and other characteristics of your roof to better understand what you’d be looking at repair wise (if needed).

Getting a property inspector to look at your potential home is basically invaluable in helping you understand the underlying issues that aren’t easily visible during your walkthrough. If you are interested in buying a home soon or would like more information on property inspections and if it’s right for you, contact us today!