Imagine you’ve dreamed of living in a particular neighbourhood, perhaps for years, and then, when you're finally ready to make a move, finding out that the area is competitive and buying there is definitely a challenge.

A disappointment? Not necessarily.

There is a lot you can do to buy into a popular neighbourhood, even in competitive offer situations.

Your first step is to start targeting that area now. Find out about property types, prices and trends. In particular, you’ll need to know what price range you should be thinking about, and making sure that it’s going to fit your budget. To do that, you might need to get a determination of the Fair Market Value of your current home.
Next, begin making preparations so you can get a jump on opportunities in that neighbourhood quickly. You don't want to see a great property come on the market and not be ready to make a move. So, get your current home in order so it’s ready for a quick listing.

If possible, make arrangements to get alerted to new listings as soon as they come on the market. Keep in mind that a new listing may not appear online for a few days. By getting advance notice, you can be among the first buyers to see the home and have an early advantage over other buyers.

If it's likely there's going to be competing offers for the home you want, there are many strategies that can increase your chances of winning. These involve going in at the right price, minimizing conditions to the offer, presenting the offer appropriately, and negotiating effectively.

Is there a neighbourhood you want to get into? I can help make it happen. Call today.

Imagine you have a major project at work, you have to deal with home schooling and you still need to deal with groceries, laundry and dinner. Whoa! That's a busy life.

Can you still find and buy a new home with such a tight schedule? The good news is, you can. In fact, there's plenty you can do to save time.

Consider these tips:

• Get specific about the home you want to buy. Think about property type (for example, "two story, detached"), number of bedrooms and bathrooms, special features, etc.

• Target areas you'd like to live in. That will avoid trips to see listings in areas that aren't a good fit for you.

• Get the financing arranged. You'll be able to shop for a new home with more confidence when you have a pre-arranged mortgage. It will also make your offers stronger.

• Make seeing homes a priority by putting it on your schedule. Look at pictures and watch virtual tours carefully to help narrow down the number of homes you need to visit. Try to block time on the weekend, and ideally one or two evenings a week, to view homes without other distractions.

• Get all the information you need when viewing a property. Take notes. Ask questions. Thoroughly explore the home, yard, and neighbourhood. Get enough information to make a decision without needing to see the home a second time.

While these time-saving tips can help, the best way to find a home on a busy schedule is to work with a good real estate agent.

Want more advice on buying your next dream home? Call today.

If you’re thinking of selling your house, you probably have a lot of questions that need answers. In fact, asking the right questions is key to selling your home successfully and for the best price.

Here are some of the most important questions to ask:

• “How much is our house likely to sell for on today’s market?” “What should the listing price be?” “What are the selling costs?”

• “How long will it take to sell?” “What happens if our house takes longer than expected to sell?”

• “How do we prepare our house for the sale?” “Will we need to make any major improvements?” “Will we need to hire a contractor?”

• “What’s ‘home staging’?” “Will we need to hire a professional stager?” “Can we do some of that staging work ourselves?”

• “What happens when we get an offer?” “What if the offer price is lower than we can accept?” “How does the negotiation process work?”

• “What happens after an offer is accepted?” “What happens on closing day?”

• “How do we find a new home while selling our current one?”

• “Besides a good real estate agent, what other professionals do we need?” “How do we find them?”

• “What can we do to make the selling process easier and less stressful?”

Once you have answers to those questions, you’ll find you’ll be able to go into the selling process with a lot more confidence.

So, if you’re thinking of selling this year, get the answers you need. Then, get the process started!

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.

Let's face it. Planning events, even exciting ones like an overseas vacation, can be stressful. So, it's not surprising that some homeowners — even those thrilled about moving — can slip into "worry mode" when putting their property up for sale.

Unfortunately, this anxiety can make the process of selling an unpleasant experience. Who wants that? So here are some things you can do to reduce selling stress and enjoy the adventure.

• Understand the selling process. The more you know about the steps involved in selling your home, the less mysterious — and, therefore, less stressful — it will be.

• Give yourself the time you need. Feeling rushed and stressed comes from trying to do too much in too little time. Even if you're selling quickly, it's important to block off sufficient time in your calendar for the things you need to do.

• Take care of yourself. As television psychologist Dr. Phil often points out, you can't give what you don't have. When it comes to selling your home, that means you need to eat well and stay healthy, so you have the energy you need throughout the process.

• Make your home attractive to buyers. That not only means tidying up and doing a little home staging, it also means setting the right listing price. Nothing eliminates the stress of selling more than having flocks of qualified buyers interested in your home.

• Get the help you need. You don't have to do everything on your own. That's why working with me is so advantageous. I take care of the many details for my clients so that they can enjoy the journey.

Sure, there are going to be a few stressful moments. However, the process of listing and selling your property, while looking for your next dream home, can be an exciting experience.

Let me help you. Call today.

Outdoor lighting has come a long way from the days of patio lanterns and strings of lightbulbs. These days, there's an exhaustive array of options available to illuminate your outdoor space, and make it more appealing and comfortable, particularly in the evenings.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Solar garden lights. These lights are on stakes that can be easily inserted throughout the garden. Powered by the sun, they generate enough energy to cast a soft, pleasant glow along walkways or in flower beds in the evenings.

• Deck post lights. These are easy to install because they're designed to sit on top of a standard 4x4 wood deck post. Most are solar powered.

• Street-style lamps. As the name implies, these look similar to old- fashioned street lamps. Installation is a little more complex, but still DIY-friendly. They're eye-catching and have a dramatic impact on the look of your outdoor space.

• Portable lantern lights. These are outdoor lights that are portable and often made to look like a decorative fixture for a coffee table or side table. They can be placed anywhere.

• LED walkway lights. These are small lights that fit neatly and almost invisibly under stairs and around walkways. Walkway lights not only look good but also improve safety. Most are battery powered.

• Planter lights. This is one of the most interesting options. Each one is both a flower pot and a light in one! The pot itself is translucent which allows the light inside to shine through.

Design experts say you should treat your outdoor space as you would any room in your home. Lighting it up for evening comfort and enjoyment is a good place to start.

No matter what you think of snakes, you must agree that they have a unique way of dealing with worn-out skin. When the time comes, they simply shed it — like an old jacket — revealing a fresh new skin underneath.

Your home's roof doesn't have that advantage! So, when the shingles wear out or become damaged, you need to have them replaced.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to determine whether your shingles need replacement right away, or whether you can hold off for another year. Assuming your home has the most common type of shingles — asphalt — here's what to look for:

• Corners upturned on some shingles.

• Missing shingles.

• Shingles lifting during high winds and not settling back into place (flat) within a day or two.

• Heavy accumulation of shingle debris (particles) in the gutters.

• Shingle bits and pieces found on the ground around your home.

• Spots on your roof that still look wet a day or two after a rainfall. (This could be a sign of water infiltration into the felt or even the roof deck.)

If you have any of these signs, be sure to have a roofing contractor take a closer look.

Before investing in a new roof, be sure to check with the retailer or contractor who supplied the original materials. Your shingles might still be under warranty.

Bottomline: Don't delay. You don't want to wait until you hear drip drip drip before taking action!

Imagine you're looking for a new home. You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list. However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria. 

What do you do? You have a few good options. 

First, you can take a second look at your list. Does your new home need every single feature on it? Are there one or two features you can do without? For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything else you want? 

Often, buying a home that's close to perfect is perfect enough. 

Second, consider what features you might be able to add to a home later, by way of a renovation or other improvement. If a property doesn't have a finished basement, for example, you might be able to get that done down the road. Indeed, there are probably many features you can add later to an otherwise desirable property. 

Finally, consider the current level of activity in the local real estate market. Is it likely that a lot of new homes will be coming on the market soon? If so, your perfect home may come up on the market within the next few weeks. 

Maybe even tomorrow! 

In that situation, make sure you arrange to get immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria. You'll want to jump on each new opportunity before other buyers learn of the listing. 

The good news is, in most cases you should be able to find and buy a great home, with most — if not all — of the features you want. 

As you've probably noticed, credit card companies regularly offer bonuses to get you to apply for their cards. For example, one such card company offers opportunities to buy tickets to concerts and other events ahead of everyone else. It's their "front of the line" service. 

When you’re searching for a new home, wouldn't it be great if you could get to the front of the line on desirable properties – before other buyers get the chance? 
Well, in a way, you can. 

The first thing you need to do is create a profile for the specific type of home you're looking to buy. That profile will need to include the basics, such as type of home (e.g. detached), size and rooms (e.g. 2000-2,500 sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 2 baths), and your target neighbourhoods. 

You'll also want to add any additional features you're looking for, such as a finished basement or in-ground pool. 

Next, you want to work with a real estate agent like me who understands the local market and can arrange for you to receive immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria. 

It's not uncommon for homes to become available for sale before the listing information gets published on the MLS. In fact, in some circumstances, it could take a couple of days before such listings become available online. 

So, if you get an alert soon after a listing comes on the market, you get a head-start on seeing that home and making an offer. And, you don't need to apply for a special credit card to make that happen! Just give me a call. I can help you find the right home for you. 

If you're thinking of listing your property, one thing that might be holding you back is concern about preparing your home for sale. You may be wondering how much work there will be. Is it going to take a couple of months? A couple of weeks? A few days?
That, of course, depends on the state of your property.

However, regardless of how close your home is to “show time” ready, there is plenty you can do to reduce how long that preparation takes. Consider these ideas:

• Sell stuff online. The less cluttered your home seems to buyers, the better it will show. So, make a list of items you want to sell, and then list them on one of the many local online market websites. Price items fairly and, chances are, you'll get rid of everything in a day or two.

• Have a repair day. Go through your home and make a list of everything that needs to be fixed. Then, schedule repair people to all come on the same day. Voila! In one day, all needed repairs (or, at least, most of them) are done.

• Get staging advice. Instead of guessing at what changes you need to make around your home to make it look its best, get expert staging advice. You’ll find out exactly what the experts suggest you do, and you'll save a lot of time and money. (By the way, I can provide you with that advice too.)

• Ask before making big improvements. Are you planning to convert a wood burning fireplace into a gas unit to help sell your home? Before doing any big improvements or renovations like that, talk to me. You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on an unnecessary project.

• Hire help. You don't have to do everything on your own. Get the help you need. For example, hire a painter, a cleaner, and/or a junk removal service. Those will significantly shorten the time it takes to prepare your home for sale and save you a lot of work. Also, the costs of those professionals may be off-set by the increase in the sale price of your home.

Bottomline: Preparing your home doesn't need to be overwhelming and time- consuming. Contact me for more ideas to help get your home ready for sale.

“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!

Remember the last time you had a family discussion about what movie to watch? Chances are, there were some disagreements! In fact, it might have been agonizing trying to get everyone to settle on the same one. Now imagine getting everyone to agree on what type of home to buy in a multigenerational scenario!
 
Obviously, you want family members to be in harmony when looking for a new home. The more everyone is on the same page, the smoother the process will be.
 
Here are some tips worth trying:
 
Make a list. Have everyone list the top three features they want in a new home. You might find that family members are closer to agreement than you thought. Also, family members will likely not be disappointed if they get two out of the three features they want.
 
Have a family meeting. Set a goal to have a clear profile of the kind of home you want by the end of the meeting. Be prepared for some lively discussion, but also be firm that a decision needs to be made.
 
Be understanding. If a family member insists on a particular feature, ask why. It might be trivial, such as having a shopping mall within walking distance, when driving is relatively easy. On the other hand, the desired feature might be something truly important and worth considering.
 
Manage expectations. Explain that not everyone will get everything they want and that you (or you and your significant other) will do your best to accommodate everyone’s wishes.
 
There’s no perfect solution. Depending on your family, it might be difficult to make sure everyone is happy with the home you end up buying. However, by using these tips you can ensure that everyone will at least feel they’ve been heard. Then, once you start building memories in your new place, everyone will start to feel like it’s home!

I hope this message finds you and your family well!  Finances, health, job change, divorce, estate sale are only a few of the reasons someone might have to sell or buy a home. Our goal, during this crucial time, is to provide you with the tools you need to limit your exposure, and to continue to provide the 5-star service we are known to give. Here is how we do it:
 
Virtual Home Consultation
We communicate via video conference & screen sharing to answer all of your home sale questions
 
Virtual Staging
We integrate highly realistic furniture, decor and accent pieces into an image of a vacant room.
 
Virtual Reality Home Tour
Using advanced 3D cameras & pre-recorded video tours, we provide buyers with an interactive way of viewing your home online.
 
Digital Marketing Material
We provide digital feature sheets & floor plans.
 
Showing Precautions
Instructing agents to wear gloves and buyers to keep their hands in their pockets, having everyone fill out a COVID-19 pre-showing questionnaire.
 
Electronic Signatures
Using a highly secure & user-friendly application that allows you to sign agreements from wherever you are and with any of your electronic devices.

Our top priotiry is your safety. I'm happy to go over our process in more details. Call to find out more.

You've heard of the term "curb appeal". It refers to the initial impression people get when they first see your property from the street. If the impression is a good one, it sets the right tone for the rest of the house.
How do you boost curb appeal? Here are some proven ideas that you can get done in an hour or so:

• Wash both the inside and outside of the front windows. You'll be amazed at the difference that can make.

• Sweep the walkway leading up to the front entrance. Add a new welcome mat and wash down the front door.

• Mow the lawn. Lightly trim the hedges. Weed flower beds.

• Remove anything from the inside window sills that may look unsightly from the outside. Try putting a couple of flowering plants there instead.

• Place any trash bins out-of-sight. For example, put them in the garage or neatly at the side of the house.

• If the entrance door hardware is old and worn, change it. New hardware can make a bigger difference than you might think.

• Make sure the outdoor lights are working.

• Add some flowering plants to flower beds, or buy a couple of portable potted plants and place them strategically.

• Clean your mailbox. If it’s rusted, replace it.

• If you have a power washer, give the walkway and driveway a quick blast. Just be sure it will be dry before the buyers arrive.

These one-hour improvements may seem minor, but anything that helps people form a more positive first impression of your home is worth the effort!

With the uncertainty that we are currently facing, a lot of people are wondering if they should defer some of their monthly payments. The very best way to figure that out is to know exactly where your money will be coming from in the next few months and where it will be going. 
 
How can you achieve this? 
 
The answer is simple: make a budget.  Knowing exactly where every dollar will be going BEFORE the month begins will put you in control of every dollar that you will earn or spend and will also alleviate some of the financial stress you might be experiencing.

We have found that a good way to start is by looking at the last 6 months of expenses to figure out what the next 6 months might look like.
 
Step 1: Write down your expected total income for the next 6 months
Do it for each and every month. This includes your after-tax income from all sources of income (employment income, EI benefits, spousal support, investment income, etc.)
 
Step 2: List all your expenses for the last 6 months and categorize them
Most banks offer online tools to quickly download your bank statements into an Excel spreadsheet. Let us know if you need help with this!
 
Step 3: Transfer your total monthly spendings into this year’s budget spreadsheet
Make any required adjustments to your income and expenses going forward. We are happy to email you our cash flow/budget templates if it helps.  Just email us at philip@philiphollett.com to get your copy.

Step 4: Split your expenses between FIXED or VARIABLE
This will make it easier for you to know which expenses are a must and which ones might need to be adjusted.
 
Step 5: Subtract expenses from income
If you have a surplus, you’re in good shape and need to put the extra money under SAVINGS to achieve a ZERO balance. If you’re short, you need to decide where you can make some changes in your variable expenses. If you still can’t get to ZERO, you might want to consider making arrangements with your creditors to defer some of your monthly payments.
 
TIPS:
-           If there are things you will need to spend money on less routinely, you should set money aside for those monthly instead of trying to figure out how you’re going to come up with a lump sum within a single month.
 
-           Whenever you need to accumulate money for a specific buy, it might be easier to have a separate savings account for that money. When it comes time to use the money, you transfer it back to your regular account to pay the bill.
 
If you think you won’t be able to make your monthly payments over the next 6 months, it is important that you take immediate action.  Contact your bank or service providers before you miss a payment.

We're here to help, don't hesitate to reach out to us.