What do you notice when you visit a model home in a new development? Often, you’ll find wonderfully furnished and decorated rooms that anyone could live in.

The operative word here is “anyone”.

Sure, there might be a computer screen on a desk in the den, or a child’s doll sitting in a corner, but for the most part, all the rooms are anonymous. There is a sense of family, but no specific family... the feeling of personality, but no specific person.

The professionals who set up a model home make it anonymous for a reason. They want buyers to view it as their potential home, not someone else’s. These professionals know — based on decades of experience — that this strategy helps sell houses faster and for a better price.

Why not use this same strategy when showing your house?

It’s easy. Just put away that soccer trophy, take down the wedding photo, and box those souvenirs from the family vacation at Disneyland. No, you don’t have to completely empty your closets and drawers. Just pack those personal items that can be seen when a potential buyer views a room. Put away toothbrushes, collectibles, even unopened mail. Don’t forget the fridge door, which is often a mosaic of personal items in most family homes.

If you have lots of personal items, consider renting a storage unit for the few weeks that your house will be on the market. It’s worth the investment.

You wouldn’t think of buying a birthday cake with a stranger’s name on it. Keep that in mind when you show your house. Make it anonymous!

Need more ideas for selling your house faster and for the best price possible? Call today.

Sometimes the reason for putting your home on the market is crystal clear. For example, you might have a job relocation and need to move.

Or, you might have decided to downsize because the kids have left the nest.

However, there are many other motivations to list your home that are not as obvious, and yet are still good reasons to make a move. Here are just a few examples...

• There’s something you’ve always wanted in a home that your current property doesn’t have, such as a wooded backyard.

• You want to be closer to work, or to activities you enjoy, such as golf.

• You want to be closer to family.

• The neighbourhood is changing in a way that no longer fits the lifestyle you want.

• There’s another neighbourhood you’ve always dreamed of living in.

• Your tastes have changed and you want to live in a different type of home.

None of these reasons makes it an absolute necessity to list your property and find a new home. Yet, they’re all worth considering, especially if moving will make you and your family happier, and provide you with a more desirable lifestyle.

Want to talk about the possibilities? Call today

Imagine you were selling your car, and a prospective buyer was on the way over to see it. What would you do? You would probably make your vehicle look as clean and shiny as possible, inside and out.

The same holds true if you’re selling your home and there’s a potential buyer on the way. You want the buyer to be wow’d by your property. Here’s a handy checklist to follow:

• Clean every room. Make your entire house look as “guest ready” as possible.

• As much as is feasible given the time, reduce clutter. Consider packing some items into boxes and storing them in the basement or garage.

• Get pets out of the house. You can take them for a walk, have a neighbour watch them, or take them to a good kennel.

• Turn on the lights, even during the day. You want each room to look bright.

• If there are any maintenance issues, such as a dripping faucet, let your Realtor know. Often, it’s best for buyers to be told rather than discover such issues themselves.
• Open the curtains, except in those rooms where the sun will be uncomfortably strong during the viewing.

• Move your vehicles from the driveway so the buyer can park there. (That can help them imagine living there, which is what you want!)

• Make sure your foyer is especially clean and uncluttered. It’s the first “room” the buyer visits.

• Avoid cooking just before a viewing. Even if the meal is wonderful, the aroma may linger. (Some people don’t like the smell of certain dishes, such as fish.)

• Freshen up the outdoor space. Mow the lawn. Sweep the walkway.

This viewing checklist will help you prepare your home quickly, so when the buyer comes in your front door, there’s a much better chance he or she will be impressed.

Your neighbourhood has a lot of features that can help sell your home faster. Unfortunately, buyers don’t usually notice those features just by driving around. So, you need to make sure they get all the information they need about your neighbourhood.

For example, say homes don’t go on the market often in your area. That’s an indication that the quality of life in the neighbourhood is so good that no one wants to leave! In real estate we measure the area’s “turnover rate”, and it’s handy data to have when listing your home.

Another bit of data that buyers can’t simply see is the local crime rate. But, most police departments keep those statistics. If your neighbourhood has a low crime rate, that’s an obvious plus to sellers.

Demographic data can also be helpful when selling your property. If your neighbourhood has a lot of families, for example, that’s going to be appealing to buyers with kids.

Even local development plans can play a role in making your home more attractive to buyers. If a new ramp to a major highway is in the works nearby, getting to work is going to be easier. That’s a big benefit to commuters.

Other types of data that can help sell your home include:

• Planned local construction.
• Proposals for neighbourhood improvements. (For example, a new playground.)
• Rates at which local property values are increasing.

Any information that shows the advantages of living in your area is going to be useful when selling.

By the way, this is the kind of information I provide to prospective buyers when selling your home. Contact me today.

You never want to smell smoke in your home and realize there’s a fire. That’s why it is important to be diligent about fire safety. Experts recommend that homeowners be especially careful with the following common household items:

• Portable heaters. Never leave one in a room unattended. Make sure paper and other combustible materials are well away from these units.

• Electronics chargers. We all want our computers, tablets and smartphones to charge quickly. The price we pay for that convenience is chargers that pull in a lot of power, making them very hot. Keep them away from combustible material, as well as other wiring.

• Smoking materials. Be careful with cigarettes, pipes, cigars and other such items. Bedding and upholstery, which burn slowly and dangerously, are the source of 75% of smoking-related fires.

• Candles. Never leave candles unattended for any reason. If you must leave the room, extinguish them.

• Flammable liquids. These can include paints, thinners and some brands of cleaning products. Read labels carefully and follow the safety instructions.

To paraphrase a famous expression: An ounce of prevention is worth not having to deal with a house fire.

You’re at work when the thought hits you, “Did I lock the door when I left this morning?” You check your smartphone, see that you didn’t, and click the “LOCK” button. Now your house is secure.

That’s home automation for you!

But, is home automation a good idea? That depends on a number of factors.

On the pro side, home automation can improve your quality of life. There are automation products that will adjust heating/cooling depending on whether or not you’re home, make your morning coffee when you get out of bed, and the list goes on and on. These conveniences save you time.

Home automation can also give you peace- of-mind. It’s comforting to be able to remotely see the inside of your home and check that everything’s okay.

Home automation can also make your property more appealing to buyers. Traditionally, buyers like homes with security systems, and will appreciate other automation gizmos, too. The only downside is the cost. Like most new technology, home automation products can be pricey and may become out-of-date within just a few years.

Thinking about it? Experts advise you to do your research first. Check out product reviews online. Then, if you determine that a particular product is going to benefit you, go for it!

Buyers are using the internet to search for properties more than ever before. In some cases, they can even go on a “virtual” tour of a home using their smartphone or desktop computer. So, you might be wondering if the old- fashioned Open House still works these days?

The answer is yes. Otherwise, you wouldn’t see them advertised. If Open Houses didn’t work, no one would be doing them!

No matter how good the internet gets, it can’t compete with a buyer being able to visit a property in person, walk through the rooms, stand in the backyard and imagine himself BBQ-ing with his family, stroll the area, and meet neighbours.

An Open House makes it easy for buyers to do just that. It’s an open invitation for them to come by at a specific date and time, to see the property and chat with the REALTOR®. It’s a casual environment, which many buyers prefer.

Some buyers, in fact, are more comfortable going to an Open House before scheduling a private viewing.

Will you need an Open House to sell your home? That depends on a lot of factors. When I work with clients, I put together a marketing plan designed to sell the property for the best price possible. Depending on the circumstances, that may or may not include an Open House.

If you have questions about what would be involved in a successful sale of your home, contact me. I’d be happy to chat and answer your questions.