This is a good question to ask or consider now that our market has changed to a balanced market, inventory has risen, and you are most likely going to have some good competition for your home when you go on the market.

Number 1 is typically removing about 25-50% of furniture and items from a property to make the space feel larger and improve the flow throughout the home. It doesn't take any of us very long to collect way more stuff than we need. This is the beginning step of our staging process.

Number 2 is painting; this comes with a disclaimer: the appraisal institute estimates a 200-300% payback on painting but I can tell you firsthand that it is only the case when you use the right colour, if you are doing it in preparation to sell. The right colour changes with the times and we pick a colour that we know the maximum amount of people will like and that will least likely annoy anybody.... yes, a little neutral and some may consider bland but totally different if you are picking a colour that appeals to you because you are going to live with it for the next 5 years; than ignore payback in that case, it’s for your enjoyment, which is perfectly fine!

Number 3 is lighting, or maybe a tie for number 2, in my opinion. There is nothing worse than a dimly lit home to make it feel small, a bit depressing and it doesn't exactly give you that clean feeling either. There are many LED fixtures at a reasonable cost these days and worth considering. The bulbs are very important as well; I would recommend a temperature of 2700K-3000k which is closest to what our eyes are used to and distorts the colour less as well. Around an 8.5-watt LED creates something close to 60 watts of light. WARNING: Do be careful today when buying the many fixtures that are designed for LED bulbs i.e. Ikea; I see many hall fixtures with a clear 40-watt max warning on them loaded with 60w and 100w bulbs.... a fire hazard I believe, so another reason I like the LEDs to get the wattage up.

Call for a free consultation to help get you started! 905-690-8977

You turn on the television and watch a news story about housing prices going down. Then you read an article about the housing market on the upswing again.

It’s a little like being on a roller-coaster ride!

Unfortunately the ride isn’t much fun if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home. In fact, it can be very confusing and frustrating. You just don’t know if “now” is the right time to make a move.

In reality, the housing market has been fluctuating for decades. Yet, people sell their homes every day for good prices, and just as many people get into their next dream homes affordably.

When you hear news of market fluctuations, there are two important things to consider.

First, a lot of media information about the housing market is national, or at least regional. If the housing market is trending up or down nationally, remember that it doesn’t necessarily mean that your LOCAL market is doing the same.

In fact, it’s entirely possible for housing prices to be rising in your neighbourhood while they are falling nationally, and vice versa.

Secondly, if you’re selling a current property while buying another home, then the net effect of market fluctuations may cancel out.

Say, for example, that the local market is on the upswing. You’ll probably be able to sell your current home for a good price. However, the home you purchase will likely also be priced to reflect the upswing.

The same holds true when the market is down.

All that being said, there are some circumstances in which you need to consider market fluctuations when deciding whether or not to make a move. Call today for more information.

Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for legal advice. No action in regards to your particular matter should be taken until you have first sought full legal or professional advice from a lawyer fully retained to act on your behalf.

WHY DO I NEED A LAWYER?
It is the law, in Ontario, that a licensed lawyer transfer ownership of your home. This law was passed to better protect the public from fraudsters and bad purchase and sale agreements.

WHAT IS THE COST OF BUYING, SELLING OR REFINANCING A HOME?
Every property is different, and so is every real estate transaction—the buyer, seller, and financing are different, the property is different. It is this unique set of circumstances that require a similar but unique set of documents and legal analyses, every time, and for every property. Put another way, a home is not a "one-size-fits-all" item, and neither is the legal work associated with it. For example, a property may have an easement (a right for someone else to use the land) or a septic tank and well, instead of municipal services. Despite this uniqueness, real estate lawyers traditionally charge a standard fee to make it simpler for their clients, and to stay competitive with local lawyers who provide a similar level of service. This fee is only part of the cost of buying, selling, or refinancing a home.

CLARIFYING LEGAL COSTS
The total cost of a real estate transaction consists of three separate categories: the legal fee, disbursements, and expenses. What you pay the lawyer (the legal fee) is only one part of the total cost. It is the job of a real estate lawyer to help you determine the total cost of your transaction, including, for example, the price of the home, legal fees, disbursements, and other expenses. Below, we break down some of the costs for you into the three categories.

1. THE LEGAL FEE
The legal fee covers the time the lawyer (and any assistants at the firm) spend on your transaction. This can include...

- analysis of the offer
- discussions with you (the client) about what you need to do
- collecting your information
- drawing up the documents
- liaising with lenders, lawyers, and other parties
- advising about pending issues as they arise
- checking all the numbers
- communicating with you as the deal progresses
- answering any questions you may have
- meeting with you to sign the final documents
- and more

2. DISBURSEMENTS
A disbursement is money the lawyer spends on your behalf. These are also referred to as, "third-party costs." A good analogy for this is, you've bought the car and now you have to pay for the insurance and registration.
These costs normally include...

- government taxes (such as Land Transfer Tax)
- a search of title (the ownership) and registration of title (the new ownership) on the government database
- title insurance (if applicable)
- banking fees for certified funds or wire transmissions

3. EXPENSES
Expenses are additional costs relating to the property.
These can include...

- default insurance (if applicable)
- municipal change of ownership fee
- adjustments for remaining fuel oil and propane (if applicable)
- moving costs
- roperty inspections
- environmental reports
- land surveys
- tax adjustments between the new and former property owner
- utility connection charges
- lender fees
- lender deductions for insurance fees or pre-paid taxes
- additional costs listed in Tarion™ Schedule B (on new builds)

WHY DO SOME LAWYERS CHARGE A BIGGER OR SMALLER FEE?
Many things can affect a lawyer's fee: the years of experience acquired by the lawyer (more experienced lawyers can cost more), the skill level of any support staff involved in the transaction, the location of the lawyer (Toronto lawyers tend to charge bigger fees, due to higher overhead), and what services the lawyer includes in the fee.

It is important to note that some lawyers may quote a low fee on their website or over the phone, but charge additional lawyer’s fees, later on. Put another way, not every lawyer includes the same services in their fee quotation. For example, some lawyers can charge additional fees for...

- transfer of title
- changes to mortgage documents
- holding money in trust
- direct deposits to clients
- and other services that other lawyers simply include

We encourage you to ask if there are additional lawyer's fees, separate from disbursements and expenses. That is an important conversation to have. For example, you can ask, “Aside from disbursements and expenses, is that the only lawyer’s fee?” As of September 2017, the rules governing Ontario lawyers have changed to prevent advertising fees that are not all inclusive—so Ontario lawyers should no longer advertise fees that do not include all fees for legal services, disbursements, third party charges, and other amounts. In general, you should find that most lawyers who appear to charge a low fee actually charge about the same or more than other lawyers in their community. If you are uncertain about a lawyer's fee, we are happy to help you compare, whether you choose our services or not.

HOW SHOULD I CHOOSE A REAL ESTATE LAWYER?
Some clients prefer a lawyer who works alone (a sole practitioner) who can process their transaction relatively inexpensively. Other clients prefer a lawyer who employs more accessible and highly skilled assistants (extra sets of eyes and ears) who collect and organize client information for lawyer review—which can also reduce costs. Either of the above examples can do a good job. Rather than basing your choice on price (i.e., what services you receive for what cost) we recommend choosing a real estate lawyer who...

- speaks to you personally or calls you back quickly (when you first call about your purchase, sale, or refinance)
- has experience processing transactions like yours
- teaches you about the legal process
- has a good reputation for practising real estate law in your community
- and has not been subject to any disciplinary orders or prosecutions by the Law Society