When you’re shopping for a new home, it’s important to be prepared so that when you find a property you like, you can make a good offer. With that in mind, here are some of the most common arrangements you may need to make for your home search. 

• A pre-arranged mortgage. Getting the financing arranged in advance is essential for two reasons. First, it helps to determine how much you can afford for a new home. Second, having a pre-arranged mortgage will make your offers more credible. So, if you’re thinking of moving soon, talk to your lender or mortgage advisor right away. 

• A professional home inspector. Depending on the state of the market in which you’re shopping, it’s usually advisable to have a professional home inspection done on a property you’re interested in buying. You don’t want to buy a home only to discover an issue that requires an expensive repair. 

• A sitter. Whether you have pets, children, or both, it’s a good idea to have a reputable sitter available, especially if you anticipate a long day or two viewing properties. Make those arrangements now, so when you’re ready to search for a new home, the question of “Who will look after the kids?” won’t be an issue. 

• Measurements. Imagine buying a home, moving your furniture, and then finding out the king-sized bed won’t fit into the bedroom or the furniture doesn’t lay out properly in the living room. That’s why it’s important to take measurements, especially of larger items. 

The more prepared you are, the more successful your home search will be. 

If you've been house-hunting this year, you may have noticed that it's been slim pickings for listings on the MLS. 

House listings across the country have been steadily declining for 6 years and are now less than half what they were in 2015:

How did we get there? From the 1970s through to the 2010s, Canada grew by an average of 3.1 million people and built on average 1.3 million new single-family homes each decade.

But then in the 2010s, population growth surged to 4 million but new homes built fell to less than 1.1 million:

Unfortunately for prospective buyers, this shortage of single-family homes may persist until we see a substantial increase in construction activity.

If you want to discuss, reach out anytime, always happy to chat.

“How is the market doing and how are you doing things during the pandemic?" Those are questions I have had a number of times and everyone is different, but this is how our team is doing it.
 
To add some context, based on the numbers from week to week in Waterdown & Burlington, it seems that about 30% of the Buyers are still out there and did purchase, compared to the same time frame last year. Most of these Buyers likely needed somewhere to live and were midway in the Sell/Buy process. As a result, their purchase was a necessity, versus just getting started with the buying process. 
 
The showings have been greatly minimized; in some cases, the home does not get shown at all, other than via our video walkthroughs, interactive tours, photos, floor plans and online video calls or until an offer is entertained...and that only happens with safe viewing practices such as:
 

• A health questionnaire gets filled out within 24 hours of the requested viewing time and signed by everyone viewing;

• Anyone with any of the 5 symptoms or who has recently travelled DOES NOT view the home;

• Appointment is confirmed ONLY after signed questionnaire received;

• Number of people is minimized i.e. just the Buyers and their agent; no friends or family along for extra support;

• Buying agent is gloved and the only one that touches anything, everyone else keeps their hands in their pockets;

• No appointments overlap;

• Light switch operation and use of washroom is not permitted.

These are uncommon times and uncommon measures must be taken to adapt to meet just the need and keep folks safe at the same time. Stay safe and don't hesitate to let us know how we can be of help!

Your home has both a personal value and a market value.

When you think of your home as a place where a family is raised and memories are built, then it’s like those popular MasterCard commercials on television: Your home’s value is “priceless”.

But, when it comes to how much your home is worth to potential buyers, then things get much less sentimental. It’s the “market value” of your property that determines how much it will sell for, not your personal feelings.

Market value is simply the price at which similar properties in similar neighbourhoods are currently selling. If you were to list your home on the market today, you could expect to get somewhere close to that figure.

Even if you’re not planning to sell your home in the near future, it makes sense to get an update on its fair market value. Your home is an investment – and you should know how much that investment is worth.

There may also be circumstances where you might have to move quickly. Knowing the market value of your home will help you make quicker – and better – decisions.

How do you determine the market value of your property? Call today.

Remember the last time you were in a furniture store or other major home retailer? Remember the fully decorated displays of furniture, appliances and other products? Some of those may have even been organized as model rooms.

What did most of those displays have in common? Chances are, they were well lit.

In fact, in the retail industry, there are professionals who specialize exclusively in display lighting. It plays such an important role in showcasing and selling home products successfully that the stores are willing to absorb the expense.

The same holds true for your house.

If you want to show your house well, and sell it quickly and for the best price, make sure every room is well lit.

There are probably some rooms in your house where the lighting is adequate, such as the kitchen and bathrooms, and perhaps the foyer. But there are other areas where the lighting may be mediocre. Take a close look at:

• Closets
• Bedrooms
• Hallways
• Storage areas
• Laundry rooms
• The garage

If there are areas in your house that are dark or shadowy, the solution may be as simple as installing higher wattage bulbs, provided your fixture can accommodate them. Keep in mind that brightness can vary significantly from one type of bulb to another. Your goal is to make the room feel bright yet comfortable on the eyes.

Also, don’t forget to open drapes and blinds. Often the best and most pleasant source of light for a room is the sun shining through a window.

Want more tips on showing your house well? Call today.

Putting your home on the market may be the last thing you have on your mind. But, as you know, life happens. Things change. You might unexpectedly find yourself in the position of wanting, or having to quickly sell your home. It happens more often than you might think.

In fact, according to studies into why people sell their homes, more than a third are due to relatively quick and unexpected changes. Something happens – a job relocation, a lifestyle change – and the homeowner finds him or herself making a move.

In these situations, the biggest source of stress is caused by the need to prepare the current home for sale.

If you’ve lived in your house for a few years, or even just a few months, you know how quickly things can pile up. The garage gets filled with stored items. Things needing minor repairs get put on hold.

That’s why it’s a good idea, every so often, to inspect your property and ask yourself, “If I had to put my home on the market this month, what would I need to do?” Then plan to get those things done. That way, if you suddenly find yourself wanting to sell your home quickly and for the best price, you’ll be ready.

When you purchased your current home, chances are it was a good match for your lifestyle. It had the space you needed, the features you wanted, and a location that worked for you.

But for most people, lifestyle and needs evolve through the years. Kids get older. Jobs or careers change. People take on new hobbies and other interests.

As a result, the home that was ideal a few years ago may not fit with your current lifestyle. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to shop for a new home! However, it may mean that it’s worth taking a look at the market and seeing what’s possible.

Think about the kind of home that would support your lifestyle today. Ask questions like:

• How many bedrooms do we need?
• How easy is it to travel to work each day?
• What special features do we want in our home? (Big backyard? Rec room? Quiet neighbourhood?) • What do we want nearby? (School? Playground? Walking and biking trails? Shopping? Entertainment? Golf?)
• What else does our home need in order to support our lifestyle?

After asking yourself some of these key questions, you may, in fact, find that the property you have now is still ideal for your lifestyle.

If, however, your home is no longer a good fit, you have options. You can stay in your current home despite it no longer being ideal; you can make some changes (a renovation, perhaps); or, you can see what’s available in the housing market.

If you need help with any of these options, call today.

Imagine there’s a neighbourhood you’d love to live in someday, but, every time you drive through, you rarely, if ever, see a For Sale sign. It’s as if homes get gobbled up by buyers the moment they get listed.

It’s true, properties do tend to sell quickly in desirable, in-demand neighbourhoods. Does that mean you’re destined to either hope for a lucky break or miss out on ever living there? Fortunately, no. There are practical things you can do to increase your chances of getting into that neighbourhood.

Your first step is to find out the kind of new home you can afford. You want to get your financial ducks in a row so when a listing does come up in the area, you’re able to respond quickly. Find out the average price range of homes in the neighbourhood. Then, if necessary, talk to your lender or mortgage broker.

The second step is to get your current property ready for sale. You don’t necessary need to list it now, but you want to be in a position to do so quickly, if necessary. You may need to clean up and declutter, get repairs done, and spruce up your home in other ways.

The third step is to talk to me. You see, listings in popular neighbourhoods often move fast. By the time you see them advertised on the internet, they may be gone. I can closely monitor listings in that area for you, so the moment one comes up that meets your criteria, you can be alerted. This greatly increases your chances of getting that home.

So if there is a dream neighbourhood you’d love to get into, give me a call.