As you may know, a fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive way to make your home look great to buyers. But, what if you don’t have time to paint the entire place? Here are three areas you should prioritize—and one you can potentially ignore. 

1. Rooms with bold colours 
A red bedroom and orange walk-in closet likely won’t appeal to everyone! Replacing personalized colours with a neutral colour scheme will present buyers with a “blank canvas” to which they can add their own personal touch. 

2. Kitchen 
When buyers view your home they linger in the kitchen, which makes it a key selling point. A new paint job will instantly make the space look cleaner and more inviting. 

3. Interior doors 
These become worn due to being touched multiple times a day, yet are often overlooked when painting. A new coat of paint on key doors, such as those for bedrooms and washrooms, can make a significant impact on the look of your home. 

By the way, you may be able to pass on painting exterior doors. They’re often coated with a durable weather-resistant enamel and don’t usually need more than a good wash. 

For many homeowners, selling their current property and finding their next home can seem like a daunting experience. But, it doesn’t need to be. In fact, the process can be smooth and relatively easy, even fun, if you do the right things.

Consider these tips:

1. Create a profile of your next dream home. If possible, get the whole family involved in this exercise. Turn it into a fun game.

2. Learn the steps involved in selling and buying. Don’t be shy about asking questions. The less mysterious the process seems, the more likely you are to enjoy the experience.

3. Visit neighbourhoods you’d like to live in. Explore the area. Go for walks. Imagine living there.

4. Clean out all the clutter and other unwanted items from your home. This not only makes the house more comfortable for you and your family, it also makes it look better to buyers.

5. Don’t do everything on your own. Get help. If you need a repair person, housecleaner, contractor or pet sitter, hire one. Lessen the workload so you can enjoy the adventure.

6. Plan fun things to do away from home during buyer viewing appointments.

7. Keep a “moving calendar” and schedule appointments, tasks and other activities carefully. The more organized you are, the less stress you’ll feel.

Of course, the best way to make moving fun is to work with a good real estate agent – someone who knows how to sell your property successfully and can make the process go smoothly.

It can be tough to make the decision to sell. In fact, for many homeowners, it's overwhelming. If you're considering making a move and struggling with the decision, here are five helpful questions to ask yourselves:

1. "What are our practical reasons for selling?" This question refers to what you'll get by moving to a new home. The reasons could include a bigger backyard, shorter commute to work, an extra bedroom, a more desirable neighbourhood, etc.

2. "What are our emotional reasons for selling?" This question refers to how you'll feel about living in a new home. For example, you might feel safer, less cramped, less worried (because the local schools are better), or happier (because the shorter commute means more time with your family.)

3. "What type of new home can we afford?" This question involves finding out how much you'll likely get when you sell your existing home and how much of a mortgage you qualify to receive. With that information, you'll have a price range within which you can comfortably shop plus a clear idea of what your mortgage payments will be.

4. "In what ways will our lifestyle be better in a new home?" This ties in closely with emotional reasons for selling. It relates to what your life will be like in a new home. Try to paint a picture in your mind. For example, you might want to be able to spend Saturday afternoons relaxing in your bigger backyard or Sunday nights entertaining friends and family in your larger living room.

5. "What else do we need to know before we decide to sell and move?" Sometimes people are hesitant about selling simply because they have unanswered questions.

So, if there's any part of the selling and buying process that’s not clear, be sure to ask me. Did thinking about these questions help make the decision easier? I you need more help or want to talk about your decision, call today!

On moving day, you'll have a big task. You’ll need to get your possessions from your old property to your new one — ideally without delays or damage! Surprisingly, many people underestimate the time and costs involved in doing that. Careful planning and budgeting are crucial to ensuring moving day goes smoothly. You basically have three options:

1. Hire a moving company to handle everything.

2. Hire a truck and crew, while doing some of the work yourself. For example, you can pack and help with loading.

3. Do it all yourself by renting a moving van and getting friends and family to help.

If you're going with option one, get quotations as early in the buying/selling process as possible. Services, costs and quality vary widely among full- service moving companies.

If you're going to do some or all of the move yourself, the best place to start is by making a list of what you'll need. In addition to renting a moving van, or hiring a truck and crew, there are many supplies you may require. For example, you’ll need boxes, protective fill and/or wrapping (i.e. bubble wrap), markers for labeling boxes, packing tape, and more.

You may decide to rely on friends to help load the truck on moving day. That's fine. Just be sure you have enough people to do the job within a reasonable timeframe, and confirm everyone's attendance at least a couple of days before.