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Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa draw near, and as a Seller and Occupant, you may find yourself itching to dress up your property accordingly. Your Realtor may advise against doing so, but there are still many ways that you can decorate your home to be in line with the holidays while maintaining saleability.

When you listed with your Realtor, you were probably advised to avoid keeping personal photos and memorabilia around. Not only does this free up space and increase appeal, but to also help potential buyers be able to picture themselves owning and living in your home. The same principle applies when decorating your property for the holidays.

Temperatures are dropping, and while you can cover yourself up with layers of clothing and gear to fight off the chill when you go outside, you also need to make sure that your home is as safe and comfortable as possible.

Here are a few things to keep in mind so you can keep your home and hard-earned investment ready for the winter:

The chilly winds of autumn bring falling golden leaves and the smell of Halloween season approaching. It’s also that time of the year when you could decide on selling your home.

If that’s the case, then you might as well prep your property for the selling process. Here are a few tips to help you get started during the Halloween season.

Setup outdoor decorations

First off, you might as well be in the festive mood by decorating the front yard. Of course, you can always place a few lighted pumpkins on your porch or add fake cobwebs here and there.

While your decorations should mostly be outdoors in the moonlit night, that isn’t to say the indoors can’t have a bit of Halloween spirit as well. You might also need to improve the interior to complement the decorations outside.

Add some treats!

Put some sweets on display. This will not only add to the Halloween spirit but also give your potential buyers something to snack on while they tour the property.

And why not get creative with this? Need to give out your marketing material? Make special wrappers or tags on your candies. This will get them interested in purchasing the house.

Don’t overdo it

There’s a quote that goes “moderation in all things, especially moderation”.

It’s okay to set up the spirit of Halloween to make the process of selling the house more exciting. But you still have to keep your main goal in mind. In other words, your decorations should be enough to impress people and not drive them away with too much clutter. Moreover, make sure you pack it all up after closing so the new owner won’t have to deal with the remaining clutter.

Halloween is just as good as any time to sell your home. You just have to keep these tips in mind so you won’t have a problem getting the right buyers!

Need more useful real estate tips? Check out our other blogs.

As of September 2nd 2019, Canadians interested in the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive can submit their applications for a shared equity mortgage with the Government of Canada.

Click here to access key documents you’ll need to review before you apply.

For additional information about the incentive, visit:
www.placetocallhome.ca

Moving on from your current home is an eventuality you’ll have to face.

Every family has to move on to newer, more convenient homes at some point. But how do you know exactly if it’s the right time to make the move?

Here are a few indications you need to know:

You’re aching for new sights
Maybe the sight of your old home has started to look a little dull. It’s not as vibrant as you first moved in. Time has really taken its toll on your humble abode, giving you a good reason to jump ship.

It’s time for a much-needed change in atmosphere. You might be itching to move to a new neighborhood that has a lot more energy. You might also opt for a place where you can get constantly inspired. Whatever the reason, you need to be somewhere that makes you and your family comfortable.The sooner you realize it the better.

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The Government of Canada released a number of tools and resources on the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive program page.

Here’s a list of the items you can expect to find:

An Eligibility Calculator to test and evaluate different financial scenarios and view their impact on mortgage payments.

A Product Highlight Sheet (PDF) including a summary of key program details in a format that is easy to download, print and share.

A Journey Map breaking down the application process step by step.

An Application Process diagram (PDF) showing the interactions between all of the parties involved. (Available on desktop only).

In addition, live training sessions will be available to ensure home buyers and industry professionals alike have access to the latest tools and information pertaining to the Incentive. Three separate sessions will cover Qualification, Application Submission and Funding, plus a live Q&A period. Click here to view the full training schedule and to register for a session.

For all this and more, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca

The house you’re selling is a stage where proper lighting will determine if it gets to be sold or not. Just like a ballet recital, lighting guides potential buyers to the best features of your home. Clearly, it’s something you wouldn’t want to downplay when you’re preparing for a home tour.

Lighting adds depth to your home. It can make certain areas of the house seem larger or smaller. If you know how to play with your lighting right, you can convince buyers to finally move in.

If you want to add better lighting to your home for sale, then there might be certain rooms where the choice of lighting can add a certain effect. Closets and storage areas, for one, may need to be well-lit. You may also need to improve the lighting in your bedrooms to underscore intimacy and privacy. If you own a large home, install adequate in the hallway.

Making these areas look presentable would require some new lights. The right kind of lighting always requires some experimentation on your part. You may want to install bulbs of lower or higher wattage, depending on the effect you want to achieve. During the daytime, you can make full use of natural lighting by opening your windows and drapes.

Want more tips on home selling? Check our other blogs!

Of all real estate processes, selling your home has got to be the easiest. All you have to do is have your realtor set it up for the MLS, right? Well, it’s more complicated than that actually. Sure enough, you wouldn’t want to get overly excited about selling your home and ignore every other detail. Without much preparation, you are left with a home that doesn’t generate potential buyers. Worst case scenario: You’re home stays on the market as it depreciates. You might want to be extra careful when it comes to prepping your home for a sale. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Keep your property presentable

People are drawn to items that are new. Likewise, buyers are more likely to purchase your home if it looks fresh. That said, you can start by repainting your walls or fixing broken sections of your roofing. An updated appearance will certainly entice the right people to purchase your home.

Don’t be there during a viewing

As much as you want to point out the best features of your home during a viewing, it’s best to be around when a viewing is in progress. Otherwise, you’d be turning away potential buyers who are just about to consider purchasing your home.

Get a good price for the property

Pricing your home is a minefield. You would want to set an amount that won’t turn away buyers or cause you to lose money regardless of your home’s actual market value. Home valuation is important when you’re selling your home, so make sure you work with a realtor to help you determine your home’s market value and adjust it to the right selling price.

Make yourself available

When it comes to setting appointments with home buyers, you will need to let them know that you’re interested in what they can offer. So, always find time to accommodate people who might push through with the transaction. Have your realtor set priority meetings so you won’t waste a second looking for the right buyers.

Need help with selling your home? Look for a realtor that will best represent your interests and make sure you close a deal without much hassle.

There will come a time when you have to move to another location. That means you will have to put your home up for sale.  

Apart from keeping it neat and improving its appearance, you should also make sure that your home is ready to accommodate new occupants. In other words, you will have to clear every room and area of your personal items.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can go about this:

1. Declutter
Do you have too many knick-knacks on display? Any memorabilia, perhaps? If you do, it’s best to gather all of them and empty out your rooms. This gives home buyers a feeling that they can do whatever they want with the design. 
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We’re always told not judge a book by its cover, but this is not always the case when selling a home.

First impressions matter, and to get buyers to notice your home and make them want to take a closer look, you will need to focus on improving the property’s curb appeal.

Curb appeal simply refers to how attractive your home looks based on its exterior. Everything from your porch to the appearance of your roof can impress a home buyer. On the other hand, poor curb appeal could make your home less competitive or, worse, unsalable.

So, invest in these home improvement projects to boost curb appeal:

Do landscaping

Planting flowers and hedges, adding water features, and maintaining a lush lawn will benefit your property handsomely by giving it a more refreshing and relaxed look.

Repaint your doors and windows

Give these openings a new look with a fresh coat of paint. You might also add a coat of varnish to liven up wooden thresholds and frames.

Repair broken shingles

Does your roof have broken shingles as a result of extreme weather or damages by tree branches? Give your roof a much-needed update by replacing broken singles or, if you can, replace your roofing material altogether.

Give your exterior a new color

Paint your exterior walls with trendy colors. But if you’re not a fan of pastel palettes, you can always use neutral colors like white or grey.

Rehabilitate your garage and walkways

When was the last time you clean your garage? If you’re planning to sell your home, now’s the right time to repair that broken garage door and cover up holes on the roof. For good measure, cover up cracks on your walkways and scrub off any grime or grease.

Sell your home the right way! Give us a call and we’ll give you the advice you need to find the right buyers!