5 Tips to Make Your Home "Sellable!"

               

It’s up to you to make your home as “sellable” as possible by making it attractive. Here are some tips on saleability factors that you control that will help ensure that your home is sold at the right price.

1. The condition of the property

Your home needs to be in great condition in order to secure the best sale price. Ensuring the home is well-maintained is crucial.

Make sure that there is no clutter in the home and that everything is well-serviced and neat. Presenting a house that is well taken care of and requires little maintenance, will really appeal to home buyers.

2. Terms

Don’t make your home difficult for people to purchase. Why not offer an incentive or provide them with a home inspection report? By doing so you will be reaching out to a wider market and decrease the time between the initial offer and the final sale..

3. Availability

If you want to increase your chances of selling your home then you need to work out a schedule that will fit around the home buyer’s needs. You want to make sure that you are flexible.
Another saleability factor that you should consider is preparation. Showing potential buyers that you are prepared to move out quickly will greatly appeal to them.

4. Upgrades and extras

This has to be one of the more important aspects of saleability. This could mean anything from renovating the kitchen, installing a new heating system, upgrading to the windows, to something as small as a coat of paint. Some renovations will appeal to home buyers, however don’t fall into the trap of thinking that all renovations will add value in buyers’ eyes. Many renovations that involve decor are subjective to taste, and therefore keeping renovations neutral and practical can greatly increase your home’s appeal.

5. Price

By ensuring you have set the right price for your home, there is a far greater chance that you will sell your property in a timely manner. It is best to work with your Realtor and seriously consider realistic comparables to arrive at the correct asking price.

A Comparative Market Analysis works well, as does comparing recently sold homes in your area and recently listed homes. It is crucial to know about the sales market so you can work out a suitable and realistic price for your home.

If you’re getting ready to sell your home and want to know how you can maximize your value, contact me today for a Free Home Value Report.

Quotes from Winnie the Pooh to Get You Through Your Day

While this blog isn't Real Estate Related, I came across these quotes and couldn't believe I had forgotten the wisdom of this little bear and his friends!  I just wanted to share!

Perhaps I was too young to truly understand the meaning and truth of these words, but as an adult, their power is undeniable....ENJOY!

Quotes for the daily grind

On perspective
“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?”
“What's for breakfast?” said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?”
“I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing,” he said.

On slowing down 
“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”

On self rewards
“Pooh always liked a little something at eleven o'clock in the morning, and he was very glad to see Rabbit getting out the plates and mugs; and when Rabbit said, 'Honey or condensed milk with your bread?' he was so excited that he said, 'Both,' and then, so as not to seem greedy, he added, 'But don't bother about the bread, please.'”

On missed goals
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”

On comfort zones
“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

On mistakes
“My spelling is Wobbly. It’s good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.”
 

Quotes for love and friendships

On affection
“Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”

On loss 
“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”

On separation
“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”

On not losing sight of what's important
Piglet: “How do you spell love?”
Pooh: “You don’t spell it, you feel it.”

On attachment
“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

On closeness
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams we can be together all the time.”

On selflessness
“Love is taking a few steps backward maybe even more… to give way to the happiness of the person you love.”

On loss
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Quotes for mindfulness 

On confidence
“The things that make me different are the things that make me.”

On modesty
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'”

On attitude
“Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart.”

On self worth
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

On staying assertive
“Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the forest that was left out by mistake.”

On patience
“If the person you are talking to does not appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in this ear.”

On judgement 
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
 

STRONG DEMAND CONTINUES TO FUEL WATERLOO REGION HOUSING MARKET IN OCTOBER

 

Last month a total of 577 residential properties sold in Kitchener-Waterloo and area though the Multiple Listing System (MLS^® System) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS^® (KWAR), an increase of 24.4 percent compared to October of 2015, and an all-time high for the month.

October’s sales included 359 single detached homes (up 18.9% compared to October 2015) and 130 condominium type units (up 28.7%) which include any property regardless of style (i.e. semis, townhomes, apartment, detached etc.). Sales also included 41 semi-detached homes (down 105 percent) and 39 freehold townhouses (up 2.6 percent).

Record breaking sales are also being tallied on a year-to-date basis with 5,818 residential transactions compared to 4,920 during the same period in 2015, representing an increase of 18.3 percent.  Conversely, inventory levels are low with only 729 active residential listings on the market to the end of October, a decline of 11 percent compared to the previous month, and 53.9 percent below the same period last year.

The average price of all residential properties sold in October was $408,067 a 12.7 percent increase over 2015. Detached homes sold for an average price of $478,685, an increase of 14.3 percent compared to October 2015.  During this same period, the average sale price for an apartment style condominium was $225,221, an increase of 5.6 percent. Townhomes and semis sold for an average of $307,294 (up 17.6 percent) and $329,966 (up 23.9 percent) respectively.

Noting an increase in multiple offer situations, and homes selling for above asking price, Charlotte Zawada, president of the KWAR says: “A strong appetite for homeownership in Waterloo region combined with slimmer inventory levels means it’s still a sellers’ market.”

The average price was also pulled upward by an increase in homes selling for a half-million dollars and above in October, compared to the same month last year. The number of sales occurring at or above $500,000 doubled in October compared to the same month last year; and made up a total of 23 percent of all home sales, compared to just 14 percent in 2015.

The median price of all residential properties sold in October increased 17.2 percent to $375,000, and the median price of a detached home during the same period increased 16.8 percent to $438,000.
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New measures by the federal government which introduced a mortgage rate “stress test” on all new insured mortgages took effect on October 17, 2016.  While the overall impact of these changes is yet to be fully understood, President Zawada says “It is likely that some first-time homebuyers rushed to purchase prior to the stress test coming into effect.”

11 Real-World Tips on Buying a Home

 

 

Before you sign the papers, make sure the house has everything that really matters.

When you're about to make a purchase as big as a home, it's easy to get caught up in relatively minor details like paint color or whether or not it has wood flooring. But don't forget to check on the make-or-break features too, like the ones real home buyers shared with us below. And remember, a real estate agent can advise you on what to look out for to help prevent any surprises when you move into your new house.


1. “Good energy (this is the 'it factor' that's hard to describe, but some houses just don't have it!)."


2. "One major thing my husband and I make sure to check when viewing homes is water pressure. Seems like a small thing—turn on the faucet—but believe me, that is something that is hard to change after you buy a house. If you like great water pressure, check it out!"


3. “My number one tip to home buyers is to check the closet before signing on the dotted line! The closet is where you start and end every day—shouldn't you make sure it's comfortable and has the space to accommodate your wardrobe?" 


4. “My top priority when looking at potential houses is the floor plan and flow—does it make sense for the way I want to live in my home? The arrangement of rooms, the traffic pattern in the house, and the sense of light and space greatly affect the livability. "


5. “We were looking at an apartment in a big city (which I guess is a little different), but we tried to visit at a time when traffic would be the worst to see what the noise was like."  


6. “For myself and my clients, I make sure to check the big-ticket items, like the roof, windows and heating systems."   


7. “It's simple. Home buying should be about square feet and location. Everything else is just cosmetics."

8. “I was told, 'You want to like the way your house looks, but you should also like the house across the street because that's the one you're going to look at.' (It's true!)"


9. “We have the kids play at the neighborhood playground so we can get a feel for the neighborhood. In addition, we drive by the house at different times of the day and week to check things out, like street parking, noise level and traffic."


10. “I looked at the outdoor space—having trees on the property was important to me. And also how much sunlight I would get in the house during the day."


11. “It's important to consider not just proximity to neighbors but who the neighbours are. While plumbing and electric can be upgraded, neighbours cannot be exchanged."
 
Contact me today for a Free Home Value Report by going to www.kimlouie.net!