A Few Simple Steps to Childproofing Your Home....

Welcoming a new child into the world is one the most exciting times in an individual’s life. When families are buying a home to accommodate their growing family, it’s equally important to purchase the right supplies to baby-proof their house. Putting safeguards in place to mitigate potential danger is recommended for children below age four.

There are a few effective and affordable child-proof items new parents can purchase to keep their child protected as he or she grows and begins exploring different areas of the home.



Locks
Several different types of locks exist for cabinets and drawers. Children are naturally curious, and failing to place locks on cabinets within a toddler’s reach can give them access to potentially deadly materials, ranging from hazardous cleaning supplies to heavy objects. It’s easy to overlook the small things, but even a child who is able to get into a parent’s home office can find tiny items like tacks or paper clips that can pose choking hazards. The same is true for drawers, which may hold sharp objects or other tiny tools that could harm a child. Many baby stores or home improvement chains sell a variety of child locks, ranging from simple plastic drawer cuffs to magnetic locks that are placed on the inside of a cabinet and can only be opened with a magnetic key.

Secure furniture


Kids LOVE to climb! Furniture or accent pieces, such as bookcases, dressers and bedroom bureaus, are attractive to children who like to climb. But the risk of an unsecured bookcase or dresser toppling over and pinning a small child is high, so parents can increase their toddler’s safety by anchoring these items to the wall. Other heavy items that have the potential to fall over should be moved to a location where they will not be disturbed.



Cover cords, outlets
Covering electrical outlets can lower a child’s risk of electrical shocks that can result from pulling out appliance cords or sticking their fingers in the sockets. Inserting plastic sliding covers over sockets can shield children from harm and hiding cords underneath carpets or behind other objects may prevent toddlers from pulling them out of sockets or chewing on them.

It is also important to know how to react if your child does suffer an electric shock. Baby Center gives great expert advice on how to handle this scary situation.

Get on their level
Once you safety proof your home…think like a kid! Get down on your hands and knees and see how things look from their point of view. What looks like a tempting place to explore? Are there objects that are eye level that pose a threat to their safety? Are there objects on the floor that they could pick up and put in their mouth?

Welcome 2015 in Waterloo Region! Things to do New Year's Eve - Family Events and Adult Events....

 

There are many fun ways to welcome 2015 in Waterloo Region. (Ruslan Semichev/Shutterstock )

Flashback To The Future 

7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Kitchener City Hall, 200 King St. W.
What you talkin' bout, Willis? Well, Todd Bridges is the actor who played Willis on Diff'rent Strokes, and he'll be celebrating New Year's Eve in downtown Kitchener this year as part of the city's Flashback To The Future event. You'll be able to see a Delorean car from Back To The Future, watch the magic of Scott Hammel, listen to 80s tribute band Spandx and skate at the city hall rink. For kids, there are 80s toys and retro video games from Canadian Toy Con and a vintage video gaming lounge presented by Games Exchange.

• Flashback to the Future webpage
• ​Flashback to the Future Facebook page 

Waterloo New Year's Eve Family celebrations​

6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
75 King St. S., Waterloo
The city of Waterloo's New Year's Eve event is for families and includes a kid-friendly countdown at 9:00 p.m. with a ginger ale toast and then fireworks over Waterloo Public Square. Terrance Drake will perform Fire Dance shows at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., there will be craft activities from Fashion Academy, and Mad Science demonstrations.

• City of Waterloo New Year's Eve page

Cambridge Family New Year's Eve Party 

5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Hespeler Arena, 640 Ellis Road, Cambridge
Get your skate on at Cambridge's Family New Year's Eve party at Hespeler Arena. There's a family photo booth, a Finding Nemo bouncy castle, and Ronno the musician will perform.

• City of Cambridge events page

Guelph Sparkles in the Park

Fireworks at 8:00 p.m.
709 Woolwich Street, Riverside Park, Guelph 
Check out the beautiful lights in Guelph's riverside park and get ready for fireworks. Bonus if you have small children - they won't need to stay up late, plus there are free carousel rides. Sparkles in The Park runs every night from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., so you'll be able to get there early for a great spot.

• Sparkles in the Park

Plus check out these events: 

Bingeman's New Year's Eve Gala/Kingpin's Ball/The Lulus New Year's Eve Reunion

Gala 7:00 p.m., Kingpin's Ball 9:00 p.m, Lulus 7:30 p.m.
Bingeman's, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener

• Bingeman's website

Concordia Club New Year's Eve

429 Ottawa Street S., Kitchener

• Concordia Club website

Starlight's New Year's Eve Bash

Doors 9:00 p.m.
Starlight Social Club, 47 King Street N., Waterloo

• Starlight Social Club website

Maxwell's New Year's Eve

Doors 8:00 p.m.
Maxwell's, 35 University Ave E., Waterloo

• Maxwell's website

​The Order New Year's Eve Masquerade

The Order, 56 King St. N., Waterloo

• The Order Facebook Page

Button Factory Arts Presents 'Silver Factory'

8:00 p.m.
25 Regina Street S., Waterloo

• Button Factory website

What's Open and Closed and When in Waterloo Region During Christmas Holidays (Dec. 25, 2014 to Jan 1, 2105)

Region of Waterloo

Grand River Transit will be operating on a holiday schedule: http://www.grt.ca/en/routesschedules/holidayservice.asp
Region of Waterloo International Airport will be operating on a normal schedule.
Waterloo Region Museum will be closed on Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1.
There will be no waste collection on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Residents with waste collection Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays will have collection pushed back one day. See details here: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/waste2.asp
Cambridge and Waterloo small vehicle transfer stations for residential waste drop off will be closed on Dec. 25, 26, Jan. 1.
Regional Daycare Centres and Home Child Care will be closed on Dec. 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, Jan. 1.

City of Cambridge

Cambridge City Hall Administration Offices will be closed from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1.
All arenas will be closed from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1, except for the Family New Year’s Eve Party on Dec. 31 at Hespeler Arena.
All Cambridge Public Libraries will be closed on Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1.

City of Kitchener

City hall offices will be closed until Jan. 2, except for Dec. 30 and the morning of Dec. 31.
All community arenas are closed Dec. 25, 26, 31 and Jan. 1. The Aud and Activa Sportsxplex will be open until noon on Dec. 31.
For public skating schedules, see: kitchener.ca/skatingschedule
All City of Kitchener pools and community centres will be closed Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1. Be sure to check individual community centres for reduced hours the rest of the week.
Kitchener Public Library locations are closed until Dec. 27, and will close again at from 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 until Jan. 2.

City of Waterloo

All City of Waterloo facilities (including all community centres and recreation complexes) will be closed on Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1.
Waterloo Public Libraries will be closed on Dec. 25, 26, 29, and Jan. 1.

Shopping

Fairview Park Mall, Conestoga Mall and Cambridge Centre Mall are closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
LCBO stores and The Beer Store locations will be closed Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1.

7 Stuffing Ideas to WOW Your Dinner Guests This Christmas!

Definitely not the most photogenic food at the holiday dinner table, stuffing is, however, a crowd favourite.

Here are some ideas to put a twist on the old faithful "stuffing"!


Cornbread Stuffing



Wild Rice & Cranberry Stuffing



Herb & Apple Stuffing



Oyster Stuffing



Tortilla Chip & Chorizo Stuffing



Sausage Stuffing



Whole Wheat Bread Stuffing

3 Negotiating Strategies for Buyers

When it comes to buying a home, chances are you never expect to pay the asking price; unfortunately, sometimes, you may end up in a bidding war, but for the most part, you will probably do your best to negotiate the home seller down from their original asking price.

That said, here are three great negotiation strategies for homebuyers that will help you along your way when you finally find the house you want to call home.

Negotiation strategies for homebuyers #1

Take the personal route

When you submit your offer to the seller, have your Realtor attach an introduction letter that stipulates anything positive about you and the home. Talk about what your job is, what you appreciate about the area the home is in, what you like about what they’ve done with the place, such as landscaping or the renovations.  At the very least, instruct your Realtor to discuss a little about who you are and what your plans are  - but don't talk about what you want to change in the home!

This will help to make the seller relate to you, as they want to sell their home to someone who will care about the home and whom they like.

Negotiation strategies for homebuyers #2

But don’t get too personal

It’s one thing to write about what you love about the seller’s home, it’s quite another to bash the home in an effort to get a better deal. When trying to negotiate, don’t badmouth the home or the seller will certainly resist any attempt you have to negotiate them down.  When I present an offer, I like to say things like, "the offer amount isn't a number we've pulled out of a hat.  It's based on the same statistics and comparables the seller and their agent looked at when listing."

Keep in mind that people will negotiate the sale of their home based on emotion so your objective is to show them that you will take care of the place and that your offer price is based on the market, not just a number to try and "get a deal".

You won’t be doing yourself any favors by bashing the home, so avoid this route.

Negotiation strategies for homebuyers #3

Make it about you

If you want to go at the seller with a lower offer than they are asking, your best bet would be to have your Realtor explain to the seller that the offer price isn't a number just picked out of a hat...it is based on comparable sales, facts and figures.

Also, I often advise my clients to provide a copy of their mortgage approval to set the seller's minds at ease.

Even if they don’t come down to your offering price off the bat, if they don’t have people beating down their doors to buy their home, chances are they will make a counter-offer.

Remember, however, that the seller is allowed to entertain and even accept other offers while they are negotiating with you, so don’t take too long to settle on a price.

Contact me to today for a free HOME-BUYER'S TOOLKIT!

How To Decorate During the Holidays if Your Home is For Sale

If you are planning on selling your home this Holiday Season or if it is already on the market, you may be wondering if it is OK to decorate for the holidays. Well the good news is …yes, you can!

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

Keep it classic

It may be family tradition to “deck the halls” across every square inch of your house, but, if you are trying to sell your home, it may be better to scale back. When selling a home, it’s important to present it in a way that others can see themselves living in. For this reason, you should focus on seasonal décor rather than, say, religious decorations.

Use the holidays to create warmth in your home. I think lights and color can warm anyone’s heart.  With the right touch, holiday decorations can create an emotional attraction for a buyer to your home. A cold, undecorated home can’t compete with one that has the fireplace roaring, the smell of fresh baked cookies, and elegant, yet festive décor.

Keep it tidy

Of course, there’s always the risk of things looking untidy. However you decorate, don’t distract prospective buyers from the space. Holiday decorations can cause clutter, which could potentially make a room or space look smaller. Some tips to help you stay tidy:

• Hide unsightly wires.
• Stay away from decorations covered in glitter.
• Decorate with intention; try to create a mood.

Keep it in season

One area where you likely won’t want to display holiday decorations: your listing photos. Holiday decorations can unintentionally date a photo, especially if the house is still on the market after New Year’s passes.

Keep it safe

Holiday candles may leave a home smelling and looking beautiful, but, don’t forget, they can also be extremely dangerous. December is the peak time of the year for fires caused by candles. So, instead of using candles to add holiday cheer, consider getting flameless alternatives and using lightly scented sprays as safer alternatives.

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

10 Tips to Reduce Your Days On Market

  

It’s true that real estate sales are dependent on the right price, location and condition of a home, but sometimes there’s a little more to it than that.

If you really want to reduce your days on market when selling your home, aside from hiring the right Realtor,  here is what you need to do.

 Here is how you can reduce your days on market, none of which include lowering your price.

1- De-clutter

• Begin packing things away before you show your home
• Store your things off site or in a non-intrusive part of the home

2- De-personalize

• Buyers need to visualize themselves in the home – aim to be generic
• A coat of fresh paint will help “neutralize” the home

3- Clean up

• A one-day professional cleaning costs a few hundred dollars, and will result in a solid asking price or less days on market

4- Breathe life into curb appeal

• Invest in quick, simple fixes in the front and back of the home
• In Winter months, ensure the driveway, sidewalks, walkways and deck/porch are cleared of snow
• Mow the lawn, trim the hedges and plant a few flowers

5- Complete the to-do list

• The smaller your to-do list, the smaller a buyer’s will be, giving them less bargaining room.

6- Get a pre-listing inspection – Set their minds at ease

• You can either fix any issues found in the report, or reflect the repairs needed in the price

7- Be accessible

• Be flexible to showing requests and Open Houses - people have to be in the house to buy it

8- Have exceptional photos – A picture is truly worth 1,000 words

• Make sure your home is show ready for the pictures
• If you’ve made changes to your home since your initial photos were taken, have new pictures taken
• Ensure your Realtor is using a professional photographer

9- Spread the word!

• Get the message out to as many people as you can about your home being for sale (Facebook, Kijiji, etc.), using the information and links provided by your Realtor
• Ensure your Realtor is using every marketing avenue available and ask for feedback

10- Get buyer feedback

• Make sure your Realtor is providing regular feedback from showings and Open Houses, and adjust accordingly

Contact me today for a Free Home Value Report.

Home Sale Values Rise Across the Board in K-W - Homeowners Can be Confident About Their Home Values

Homes sales in Kitchener-Waterloo through the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) ) in November were on par with sales compared to November of last year. Residential sales have totalled 6,251 on a yearly basis which is a 2.7 percent increase over last year, and also a year-to-date record for total units sold since 2007.

A total of 469 residential properties sold last month, the same number of transactions that occurred in November 2013. Residential sales in November included 298 single detached homes (down 1.3% from last November), 40 semi-detached (down 2.4%), 49 townhomes (up 58.1%) and 80 condominium units (down 13%).

2014 is coming to end and we’ve had an incredible year for home sales in the Region.  With the CMHC forecasting steady mortgage rates and stronger employment in the Region into 2015, we look forward to continued demand for housing in Waterloo Region.  This is a good thing for home owners who should continue to see a steady appreciation of their home values.
Single detached homes in November sold for an average price of $385,533 an increase of 3.7 percent compared to last year. The average sale price for a condominium was $206,598 a decrease of 5.0 percent while townhomes and semis sold for an average of $277,442 (up 3.5%) and $255,896 (up 6.3%) respectively. The average sale price of all residential sales through the K-W MLS® System increased 3.0 percent to $331,964 compared to November 2013.

Waterloo Region is a highly desirable place to live and work.  With more than 1,000 technology companies, a healthy manufacturing sector, growing colleges and universities, excitement surrounding the LRT (ION), the Region continues, and will continue to be, a great place to invest in a home.

Please contact me anytime if you have any questions about the market or if you'd like a free Home Value Report. 

5 Important Factors to Consider Before Buying a Home!

For many potential buyers, searching for a new home is one of the most exciting times in life. Most families have a specific list of criteria that they provide to their real estate agent during their search. Some buyers are looking for high-end features like stone countertops and new hardwood floors, while others are simply interested in purchasing a home with enough space for their growing family. But there are some key factors that every potential buyer should consider as they are searching for a home. Here are five important things to think about.

Neighbourhood
When you schedule a showing with your real estate agent, make sure you pay attention to the other homes nearby as well as the home you’re viewing. Are neighboring properties well-kept and clean? Does the neighbou
rhood seem quiet? You can learn a lot from looking at neighborhoods as well as potential properties.

Property Value
Before you visit a home, ask your real estate agent about area property values. Most agents will be able to provide a comprehensive sales history of homes in a particular community. Taking a look at local property values can help you determine whether a potential home is priced well. Reviewing property sales history can also give you a better sense of whether or not homes have retained their value over time.

Amenities
As you’re searching for a home, consider which community amenities are important to you. For example, are you interested in being within close proximity of local shopping centers or restaurants? Do you want to be able to walk to a nearby park with your children? Thinking about these things can help you choose the best property for your entire family.

Other Location Considerations
Another important consideration as you’re thinking about home location is proximity to work and your loved ones. Perhaps you are interested in reducing your daily commute so that you can have more time with your children, or maybe you want to find a property that’s closer to your extended family. Always think about location in addition to home features as you search.

Taxes
One thing that many potential buyers fail to consider as they’re looking at homes are property taxes. Make sure you factor in the cost of taxes as you’re determining your overall budget. This can help you avoid getting in over your head financially. It’s also important to keep in mind that some communities have higher property tax rates than others. As you’re shopping, make sure to review total taxes online or contact your realtor for more information.

If you’ve begun looking at homes to purchase, you probably have a specific list of criteria you’re following. Perhaps you’re only interested in homes with three bedrooms, or maybe you want a turnkey property that’s been updated recently. Apart from the home itself, there are a number of other key factors to consider when purchasing real estate. Researching the neighborhood, property values, local amenities and necessities, and taxes can help you ensure that you’re choosing the best possible property for your family.

Visit http://www.neighbourhoodexpert.ca/geoweb/mappublic.aspx?id=kim_louie for a free Amenity report.  Just input the address you want and find out where all the schools, doctors and grocery stores are located!

5 Reasons Why Searching for a Home On-Line May Not be The Best Thing to Do....

Searching for homes on the internet is fun and easy... right?  Sure it is!  But, you should be aware of a few things before you begin your search.  

      

1.       What you see is not always what you get.   Agents are notorious for hiding the bad stuff in photographs.  If there are no or few photos, there is a reason and it’s probably because the home is in bad shape and does not show well online.  A listing agent’s goal is always to get you to visit the property in person.  Yucky photos usually won’t get you there.

 

2.       When you read “just needs a little "TLC” or “a diamond in the rough” it means it needs more work than you think.  It even could be a total fixer-upper.  If the home was in decent shape, most agents are not going to mention anything about the condition in the property information.  They would instead showcase the better features about the property, such as “tile throughout, new roof, or remodeled pool.”  

 

3.       The agent you see on any given listing is usually not the agent or brokerage listing the property.  On websites such as Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia, agents pay marketing dollars to be seen on listings just to get your contact info.  You don’t need to speak to the listing agent to see the home or purchase it, that's what buyer agents are for.  Agents pay these marketing dollars to get your contact info so they can get a chance to represent you as a buyer.

 

4.    Sometimes homes online may show ACTIVE and available for sale when they are already under contract.  There may be several reasons for this, including the agent has not updated the status in the local MLS yet.  Or... they have, but the website provider has not pulled the most recent listing information into their site.  In many cases, the reason is usually the latter. Many home search websites don't pull listing updates real-time, hourly or even daily. Thus, it's important you do find a good agent who has direct access to the local multiple listing service so they can pull the information and send you the most recent listing status.  The agent should also send you new listings as they come new to the market so you never miss a listing that may fit your wants and needs.

 

5.       If you register on websites for property information, expect that you may receive a call or email within minutes from not just one agent, but possibly several agents.  Some sites sell your information to more than one agent who paid to receive leads from that website provider.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you are serious about finding a good agent.  Interview each agent!   You don't want just a warm body to open a door because once an agent opens a door, they just set up cause to earn the commission on that home sale - whether they write the offer for you or not.  Be sure to ask how many sales they have closed... not how long they have been in real estate. Hopefully you will find a great agent into customer service, and not into just the commission!

 

Contact me today to find out how to get the most up-to-date listings daily so you don't miss out on the good ones.