Do These Things to Your Furnace Before Listing Your Home for Sale...

If you’re selling your house, your buyers aren’t going to be too happy if the furnace breaks down or dies shortly after they move in. In fact, depending on the terms of the contract you signed, you may be responsible for paying for repairs or even buying a new furnace if the unit goes belly up just as the new residents are settling in. Whenever possible, it’s better to maintain your furnace and have it inspected before you put the house on the market. Here are 5 furnace maintenance tips that will help extend your furnace’s life and ensure there are no problems when you’re selling your home.

1. Clean The Filter

Dirt and grime can easily build up around the filter, so it’s important to remove the cover of the furnace to inspect this component.

You could clean a dirty filter with a hard brush, or, since you’re preparing to sell your home, it may just be better to replace it with an entirely new filter.

2. Check the Blower and Motor

A professional should check the blower to ensure that no dirt has built up and there are no obstructions preventing air from getting through. They may need to use flashlights and mirrors in order to get a good look at the blower.

While they are doing this, they should also check to see if your furnace motor has covered oil ports. Most furnace motors are permanently lubricated and sealed, but if there are oil ports, your service person may need to lubricate them so the motor doesn’t overheat.

3. Seal the Venting Ducts

The venting ducts are necessary for removing flue gas from the unit. You certainly wouldn’t want flue gas leaking into your home when you’re showing it or when the new residents move in, so have your heating professional check the vents to ensure they’re well sealed. If any joints are loose, they may need to be resealed using metal screws.

4. Inspect the Burners

During an inspection, a professional should completely remove your furnace’s burners for cleaning. This is also a good time to check the inside of the furnace and look for cracks, holes, rusted areas, or separated seams.

Once the burners are free of dust and debris, and your service person has determined that there is nothing wrong with the structure of the furnace, they will reassemble the burners and the other heating components.

5. Perform Furnace Safety Tests Before Selling

Perhaps one of the most important things a professional can do before you put your home on the market is perform several tests to ensure your furnace is running efficiently and safely.
They should check to see if the high limit is working so the unit is not at risk of overheating, check the gas meter to ensure fuel is being burned efficiently, and use a carbon dioxide meter to ensure no dangerous gases are leaking into the home.

A malfunctioning furnace might not be an obvious problem, but it’s an essential element of your home that needs to be working properly for the new residents’ comfort and safety.

Finally, nothing puts a potential buyer at ease more than seeing a recent receipt with an "all clear" statement or report on it taped to the furnace!

Contact me today for a free Home Value Report or a Home Buyer's Toolkit

What's Open and Closed in Waterloo Region on New Year's Day - and some activities

Here’s a look at what’s open and closed over the New Year’s holiday. For specific hours of operation, please contact the locations directly or check their websites.
                           

Grand River Transit — service changes through Jan. 2 are listed at GRT.ca. Free service will be offered on New Year’s Eve from 6 p.m. to the end of service, with extended service on late evening routes.                    

        

Some attractions are open certain dates and times to Jan. 1, including Themuseum, K-W Art Gallery, Bingemans and Castle Kilbride.

                           

Shopping malls — Fairview Park Mall, Conestoga Mall and the Cambridge Centre close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 and are closed Jan. 1.

                           

LCBO and Beer stores close at 6 p.m. Dec. 31. They’re closed Jan. 1.  You can try the Brick Brewery in Waterloo...they might be open?

                           

Drug and grocery stores — Check individual locations for hours

                           

Southworks in Cambridge closes at 4 p.m. Dec. 31. It’s closed Jan. 1.

Most stores in St. Jacobs are closed Jan. 1. Outlet stores close at 4 p.m. Dec. 31 and remain closed Jan. 1.

                           

Libraries in Kitchener close at 1 p.m. Dec. 31, and are closed Jan. 1. Waterloo libraries close at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 31, and are closed Jan. 1-2. In Cambridge, libraries close at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 31 and are closed Jan. 1.

                           

Kitchener City Hall offices will be open until noon Dec. 31. Waterloo City Hall closes at noon Dec. 31, and will be closed Jan. 1-3. In Cambridge, city hall offices will be closed until Jan. 4. 

                           

There’s no change to waste collection over the holidays. Christmas tree collection runs from Jan. 3-14 in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge on the same day as regular garbage collection. Township residents should consult their collection calendar for options.

                           

Kitchener’s Civic Square skating rink will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight Dec. 31, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 1.

                           

Tim Hortons is sponsoring free public skating throughout the region. Visit TimHortons.com and click on the Free Holiday Skating link for more information.

Keep the Kids Busy with These DIY Christmas Ornaments!

Last day of school for a lot of the Children!  Desperate to find something to keep them occupied so they stop asking "How many day's until Christmas?"

Check out this link for some great DIY Christmas ornaments kids can make: http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/easy-christmas-ornaments-and-decorations-that-the-kids-can-make/pictures/index.html?xp=door_footer

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector When Buying a Home

A home inspection is an invaluable tool for evaluating your current home and / or the potential of a new home.  While the process seems fairly straightforward, there is one thing homeowners and home buyers often overlook: asking questions.

Below I've listed the top 4 questions you shouldn’t hesitate to ask your home inspector.

1. How long have you been a home inspector?

It might just sound like some friendly conversation, but this is a very important question!  One of the most valuable qualities in a home inspector is experience.  It is a bonus if they are a part of a professional organization such as the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.  If your inspector is a part of a professional organization, you will be able to find the required credentials and it will give you a better idea of the educational background and experience of your inspector.

2. How long will the inspection last and how much will it cost?

The time it will take to complete an inspection and the overall cost is, of course, dependent on the size and age of the home.  An experienced home inspector will be able to give you a rough estimate in advance of your inspection.
A typical home inspection will take anywhere between one and a half to three hours, and will cost between $250 to $500.  When comparing the potential costs that could arise from an issue with the home, the cost of an inspection is very affordable.

3. Could you point that out/explain that?

The Home Inspection Network always recommends that buyers and homeowners attend their home inspection appointment and ask questions of the inspector as they go.  A qualified and experienced home inspector will walk you through the house and point out areas of interest (good and bad).  You should feel comfortable in asking your inspector questions as you go.
If you’re unable to attend your home inspection appointment, when you’re reading through the inspection report – you should feel free to ask the inspector follow-up questions if any sections require further clarification.  There are no silly questions when it comes to understanding the home.

4. What should I fix first?

When reading the inspection report the scope of the work involved for each repair or fix might not be readily apparent, and neither will the cost, so it is better to get an idea of this and what areas might be most important to address by discussing it with your home inspector.  Home inspectors can help you to prioritize the work that you need to have done on the home and make the best decisions for your health, safety, and peace of mind.

It is important that you have an active and vocal part in the home inspection process, as this will only increase the insight you will gain from your home inspection.

Contact me today for a free home evaluation report or home staging advice.

6 Semi-Obvious Things REALTORS Want You to Know

1.

Want to sell quickly? Price it just under the market

In today's market, sellers are again optimistic on the value and price of their homes -- but buyers aren't. Your challenge as a seller is to price the house so that it is compelling.

 

What that means in dollar signs: Set a price slightly below market value.  Just a fraction.

For example: If similar homes in your neighborhood are clustered around $210,000, you might price yours at $200,000 or $198,000, he says.

 

What the agent wishes you knew: The longer a house is on the market, the less likely you are to get fair value. So you really want to position yourself to be the one that sells, not the one that languishes.

 

And that old adage of not wanting to leave any money on the table? Still valid.

 

If you're turning around and buying a home, and you already have cash in hand, thanks to a fast sale, that puts you in a very powerful position.

 

2.

The preapproval letter is just the beginning

For many potential buyers, frugality ends the minute they get preapproved for a mortgage.  That's when they start running up the cards and opening new lines of credit to buy things for their home-to-be.

 

But that preapproval letter is just one of the first refreshment stations of the homebuying marathon, not the finish line.

 

Just before closing, a lender will re-examine a prospective buyer's financial situation -- complete with a recent copy of the credit history and other updated information.

 

If those numbers have changed for the worse (salary decrease, higher card balances, new lines of credit), then the applicant could get clocked with a higher interest rate or even lose the loan. The number of buyers who get denied is significant. 

 

What the agent wishes you knew: Never get new loans or start using credit cards more heavily until after you've actually closed on the home.

 

Even better, retain your frugality until you've been in the home for a few months and have a good sense of how homeownership affects your finances. 

 

3.

Selling a house probably takes longer than you think

If you're selling a home, it's important to understand the timeline.

 

And that's something most people don't understand.

 

Underestimating the time it takes -- and building a schedule around those unrealistic expectations -- adds stress.  Instead, realize how long the process takes in the real world (not just your head) and plan accordingly. Another important factor: Different markets (and prices) move at different speeds.

 

Sales schedule breakdown:

• Getting your home in shape: two weeks

• Average time on the market (varies widely with location and price): 2 1/2 to three months

• Negotiating after an offer: one week

• Preparing to close (assuming a traditional transaction): 30 to 60 days

 

What the agent wishes you knew: A smart seller allows a minimum of four to six months to sell.  And that's if you have a home that's priced right in a good market with one solid offer that makes it to the closing table.

 

4.

Not all 'buyers' are able to buy

To prove their worthiness, sometimes prospective buyers will show a prequalification letter. And that means nothing. That's because in a prequalification, lenders usually don't verify buyers' information. A preapproval, on the other hand, involves third-party verification.

 

Prequalified, that means they've talked with a lender and said, 'I have good credit and I make X number of dollars a year. Based on that, the lender responds that the buyer can reasonably expect to borrow a certain amount -- if those self-supplied facts are accurate and there aren't any negatives. Most lenders don't research those details until the buyer applies for a loan.

 

What the agent wishes you knew: Serious (and smart) buyers are "preapproved." That means they've already applied for the loan, the bank has verified their financial information and (if the numbers remain the same until closing) it promises to loan a specific amount at a specific interest rate.

 

 

5.

Yes, it really does have to smell good

Sellers sometimes drag their feet on little details that make a big difference.  He can't count the number of clients who asked.  Does it really matter if we have the carpets cleaned or take the family photos off the wall?

 

The answer is yes. A buyer needs to walk in and have it look good, feel good and smell good.

 

Sellers should put themselves in the shoes of prospective buyers -- and try to see the house for the first time.

 

The home should be kept showroom-ready. It's a regular occurrence that I walk into a home with a buyer and find beds unmade and underwear on the floor. In spite of an appointment, I don't see a home that's ready.

 

What the agent wishes you knew: A mess leaves an impression that's hard for a buyer to overcome.

 

Checklist for a showing:

• Home: Clean. (And smelling good.) • Temperature: Heated (or cooled) for comfort. • Lights: Left on to welcome guests. • Snacks or soft drinks: A nice touch. The impression you want: Warm, inviting and comfortable.

 

6.

We don't make as much as you think

Chances are the REALTOR you hire to sell your house -- or find a new one -- isn't getting as big a cut of the deal as you might think.  Five percent isn't anywhere near what we're taking home. In fact, it's more like 1 percent to 1 1/2 percent on average.  Calculating costs of advertising, marketing material time spent researching, showing the property, negotiating the offer and at open houses, the final pay isn't the Rodeo Drive income many people think. 

 

While the two sides will split that commission, those agents, in turn, each split their share with their broker.

 

What the agent wishes you knew: Unless your agent is handling both sides of the transaction, figure he or she is getting roughly one-quarter of the commission. 

 

Contact me today for a free home market value report or home staging advice.

A Review of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

It's all about the memories of family and friends gathered together.  Every year to make the point to the kids I ask if they remember what gifts they received the previous year.  Almost no one remembers what they received, but they remember who they were with and what they were doing and how they felt - Merry Christmas everyone!
Far and away, my favourite Christmas movie it the  adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book and is always the movie that reminds me of my childhood Christmases....

1

Don’t be a Grinch!

     

"The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!" According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a Grinch is an “unpleasant person who spoils other people's fun or enjoyment”. Today “grinch” is as much a part of our holiday vocabulary as Kris Kringle and eggnog. And without Dr. Seuss, it would never have existed!

2

Always be open to growing your heart during the holidays.

     

"But I think that the most likely reason of all, may have been that his heart was two sizes too small." Though Dr. Seuss suggests that the Grinch’s head wasn’t screwed on just right or that his shoes might have been too tight, we all know that the real reason he hated Christmas was that his heart was too small. No matter how busy and crazy the holiday season may feel, don’t let a too-small heart ruin the holidays for you.

3

Friends can come from the most unlikely places.

     

"So he called his dog, Max. Then he took some red thread. And he tied a big horn on the top of his head." The best reindeer wasn’t a reindeer at all; it was a four legged furry friend. Max is the Grinch’s loyal and lovable sidekick and just like Max, sometimes we have to love and support those who need us, especially during the holidays.

4

Don't forget about the holiday trifecta: Noise! Feast! Sing!

     

"And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!" In How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Dr. Seuss boils the holidays down to three key things: noise, food and singing. These may have been the things that the Grinch hated the most about the holidays, but they are definitely the things we love the most!

5

The holidays are all about the importance of community.

     

"The last thing he took was the log for their fire!" To ruin Christmas, the Grinch knew he had to get EVERYTHING, every last speck from the Whos’ houses. But guess what? They didn't care that everything was missing because they knew that material things are not the point of Christmas. Christmas may but come once a year but the essentials of the season, like coming together as community and giving back to those in need, stay with us all year long.

6

No presents doesn’t mean no Christmas.

     

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” The Grinch is shocked when he discovers that Christmas has continued despite all his best efforts. And this message is just as important as it was in 1957, when the book was originally published. No presents doesn’t mean no Christmas. (This isn’t an excuse, however, to not get that gift your girlfriend has been hint-hinting all year about.)

7

Good food and good company makes everything better.

     

"And he….he himself! The Grinch carved the roast beast!" In the end, the Grinch makes it up to the Whos by coming back with all their toys and holidays goods. And his final gesture of goodwill is to sit down to eat with them. No matter how grumpy or cranky we feel about the gift buying, the long lines, hours traveling home and nosey relatives, sitting down and having a delicious feast with your family is the best part of the holidays.

Total Home Sales for 2013 in K-W increased almost 2.3% Over Last Year

 
Homes sales through the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) in November were down 8.2 percent compared to November of last year. Residential sales have totalled 6,080 on a yearly basis which represents a 2.3 percent increase over last year, and also a year-to-date record for total units sold since 2007.


A total of 459 residential properties were sold compared to 500 the same time last year. Residential sales in November included 295 single detached homes (down 9.2% from last November), 41 semi-detached (up 20.6%), 30 townhomes (up 7.1%) and 90 condominium units (down 15.1%).

"Looking back on 2013 as it winds down, we’ve had a strong and stable year of homes sales" says Lynn Bebenek, newly elected President of KWAR. "The strength of our local economy and low interest rates continue to support housing demand in Waterloo Region."
 Single detached homes sold for an average price of $370,068 an increase of 3.0 percent compared to last year. The average sale price for a condominium was $214,932 an increase of 3.4 percent while townhomes and semis sold for an average of $268,194 (up 2.3%) and $240,645 (up 1.7%) respectively. The average sale price of all residential sales through the KWAR’s MLS® System increased 3.1 percent to $320,591 compared to November 2012.


"November’s housing sales demonstrate that Waterloo region continues to be a desirable place to live and work," says President Bebenek, "With local job creation expected to outpace losses next year, and barring any drastic changes in lending rates, Waterloo region should continue to enjoy a healthy housing market in 2014."

Contact me today to find out what your home is worth!

10 Tips for Choosing a Paint Colour

Why do we find one place appealing and are uneasy in another? Why are we attracted to one product over another? Colour—whether architectural or in products—accounts for 60 percent of our response to an object or a place.

The "buzz" about color is usually called "color psychology." But the effects of colour are subtle and significant; physical and psychological. Colour use is not something that results in a definitive equation between "colour and our moods," as is a currently popular expression. Wherever we go we respond to colour, but the importance of colour is often underestimated. Colour use is important to us personally in our homes and in the places where we work.

Start Small

If you're not sure where to begin with colour, experiment in a powder room or bathroom, a small hall or area between rooms, or an accent wall. If you're doing your own painting, pick an area that's quick to do so you can see your results sooner, and be happy with it or change it. Look at the process as an adventure.

To get started, select a favorite colour drawn from artwork, a rug, dishes and an accessory or furniture piece as a main colour or accent.

Design by Troy Beasley

 

Think About Your Mood
When selecting a colour, consider the mood of a room. In a bedroom do you want the feeling to be restful and soothing or dramatic and intimate? Soft, cool colors and neutrals usually create a quieter feeling while stronger colours are for drama.  Do you want a dining area to feel sociable and stimulating or appear formal and quiet? Warmer, contrasting and somewhat brighter colours add to a sociable atmosphere; deeper blue-greens and neutrals will give a more formal ambiance.

Do you want kid's rooms to create an active and exciting energy or an orderly and restful feeling? Be careful not to overstimulate your children with intensely bright hues. You may not know it, but some brighter colours can lead to unrest and irritability.

Design by Andreas Charalambous

 

Pay Attention to Lighting
The reason why paint stores have light boxes for you to test paint chips:

• Natural daylight shows the truest colour;
• Incandescent lighting brings out warm tones and yellows;
• Fluorescent lighting casts a sharp blue tone.

So, a strong colour might be too bright and overpowering when used on all walls or next to a large window, but it might be effective when used as an accent wall with indirect light.

Design by Shelly Riehl David

 

Learn the Colour Terms
It helps to understand the terminology used to describe color.

• Hue is what we call a color. Red is the hue; blue is the hue.
• The value of the hue is how light or dark it is.
• Saturation refers to how dominant the hue is. As we go from red to pink, the red hue becomes less dominant.
• Intensity is the brilliance of the colour. The pure colours such as red are more intense than the combined colours such as yellow-green. A stronger intense colour usually has a more dominant hue.

If you want a more active space, consider introducing stronger, more intense colour. Even if you want a light-coloured room, choose colours that are slightly more saturated than off-white or light pastel. Very light colour can feel bright and stark when it appears on all surfaces in a room. However, two or more medium-light, closely related pastel colour can create a luminous effect when used in the same room.

Design by Sherrill Canet

 

Test Your Colour Choice
Boost your confidence by testing colours on poster board or large areas of a wall. Don't be afraid to go beyond your comfort zone: Consider strong, vivid colours or soft, deep neutrals like chocolate brown or olive green as main or accent colours. Or add drama with a stronger colour on the ceiling. Tinted ceilings can dramatically change the whole look of a room.

Design by Payton Addison

 

Add Depth With Decorative Finishes

Transform flat, dull walls into interesting and personal spaces with subtle or dramatic visual texture and broken colour. Burnished mineral/metal finishes and layered coloured glazes add depth. Some examples of softly reflective metals are mica, copper, pewter, bronze and, of course, antiqued silver and gold.

Design by Amy Bubier

 

Walk Into Another Room
Consider walls as planes of colour, and see how they interact when viewing one next to the other in adjacent rooms. Approach it like a composition: You're in one room, but you're going to see a piece of another room through it. So as you're choosing colours, consider how they will flow from room to room to create your picture.

 

Follow the Colour Wheel

A small colour wheel is a great reference tool for modifying and intensifying two or more colors. For example, red and green, which are complementary (opposite) colours, are most intense when used together. You may be surprised at how many combinations function beautifully together, and you may even become attracted to entirely new colour palettes. The colour wheel also illustrates the visual temperature of a color. Draw a line from the yellow-green mark on the color wheel all the way down to the red-violet; you'll see that all the colors on the left are warm and the colors on the right are cool.

Design by Nicole Sassaman

 

Play Up Monochromatic Schemes
Think one colour is boring? Create bold or subtle variations within one colour group with contrasting paint finishes. For example, use closely related colours, or try a single color in different finishes, for walls and trim in one space.  For an accent colour, select a warmer (more toward reds) or cooler (more toward blues) colour to complement your main colour group. For a quieter ambience, make sure your colours are not extremely bright. White or an off-white tint can be a striking accent when used as trim with a monochromatic colour group

Design by Lori Dennis

 

Choose Different Paint Finishes
A single colour used on walls and trim takes on new significance when applied in different finishes. For example, wall and trim colous can remain the same hue, but use an eggshell (matte and less reflective) finish on walls and a satin or semigloss on trim. The colour will appear slightly different on each surface. It's a good way to create a cohesive look in rooms with many windows and doors, and relatively little wall area.

Happy Painting!

Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays...

The holidays are a time to enjoy life for what it is, so it may be a more difficult task to sell a property at this time of year. The attention of buyers is usually focused on festive activities and other things very unrelated to the task at hand.

On the other hand, the people that do pay attention to the market during these times tend to be a little more focused in what they desire and the competition is usually smaller.

Here are some tips on how you can sell your property over the holidays by making it more marketable:

1. Decorate for the holidays

Decorating is aimed at producing an emotional reaction, thus making the place feel homey and festive. However, keep in mind you should stick to generalized fall or winter decorations since potential buyers this season might come from various religious backgrounds. You don’t want to alienate them with overtly religious symbols that might clash with their personal beliefs.
Make sure your property is in top shape, painted and repaired so it will be at its best for potential buyers.

2. Consider your target buyers

You should be aiming at motivated buyers who are relocating or have a deadline to move to your area because of a job or similar need. These might be doctors and teachers, military personnel or even investors who are trying to avoid a tax deadline.

3. Set the right selling price

Keep your asking price at fair market value or just under if you’re going for a sale exactly during the season. People will be emotionally invested during such a time and a chance to buy something at a fair price is a bargain that the majority of people will rarely turn down. This will raise the desirability of the property and people will seriously consider it.

4. Mind your appearance and presentation

Make sure you have great-quality photos for your presentation from multiple angles, spanning every room possible even during off-season conditions so people can have a good idea what they will be investing in. Create a festive atmosphere inside, keep it nice and warm, play some low and unobtrusive music and offer them some sweets and holiday food and beverages, and they feel at home.

Contact me today for a Free Home Value Report or Staging Advice.