Easy Touch-Ups To Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication. ____________________________________________________________________________________

Spruce up your yard and the exterior of your home in time for summer entertainment with these quick and affordable fixes for the most common curb appeal complaints.

Pressure Wash And Spray Start at the roof and work your way down to remove stains and dirt from walkways, driveways, and even fences. Whiten and brighten the concrete, crevices, and other corners of your home and yard to brighten up the entire area. Don’t forget to pull weeds from your driveway and sidewalk expansion joints.

Clear The Clutter Trim low branches and remove excess clutter to create the look and feel of clear, open space. Consider purchasing plastic partitions or other low-maintenance storage units to hide trash cans and other unsightly items that add to the perception of clutter and detract from the beauty of your home.
Touch Up The Paint Shutters, doors, awnings, and other wooden trim items are prone to excessive wear and tear over the winter months. Make a point of touching up the paint but make sure you take the time to complete proper surface preparations first (e.g. clean, scrape old paint). It’s an easy and affordable way to revitalize the look of your home.

Add A Touch Of Colour Bring in fresh mulch, plant some annuals, and add potted plants and other enhancements throughout the yard. This will brighten up your yard while helping hide those tough trouble spots.

Create A Focal Point The most successful landscapes incorporate a central element that serves as the focal point for the entire area. Use the same strategy in your own yard. Begin with something affordable and small like a garden bench, bird bath, fountain, or other water feature to add elegance and appeal.

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Areas Where You May Be Able To Add Value To A Home

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication.

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Deferred Maintenance Small repairs and the general neglect of a home can make it seem less appealing than it really is. Don’t lose potential buyers – or equity on resale – by deferring maintenance. Instead, perform an inspection to eliminate the risk of serious problems, then fix or repair those ‘little things’. Now you will be able to use the great condition of the home as a negotiating tool.

First Impressions More than one home has suffered from a bad first impression. Overgrown shrubs, faded paint, lack of shutters, and stained concrete walkways make any home look tired and dull. Fortunately, improving first impressions are often fast and affordable projects. Landscaping, pressure washing, and a new doorknob quickly turn a tired entrance into an inviting space.

Lights And Appliances Upgrading lights and appliances might be one of the best ways to add value to any home. Not only do they look better, energy-efficient appliances are quieter, easier to operate, and more dependable than older models. Up-to-date lighting fixtures are a cost-effective way to provide a modern appearance without breaking the bank.

Cosmetically Challenged Some homes simply suffer from poor taste. Dated carpets and shocking personalized paint choices may have been the pride and joy of the original owner but generally don’t translate well for the average buyer. Rather than succumbing to the ’shock and awe’ when encountering a cosmetically challenged home, focus on the structure and surroundings instead. Cosmetic fixes often result in the largest ‘bang for the buck’ when it comes to adding value to the price of a home.

Remember, don’t spend money for the sake of spending money. Not all ‘upgrades’ will necessarily net a return for you – some may just get the home to ‘where it belongs’ in order to warrant a list price that reflects fair market value.

[Side bar: The images above are just good before and after photos of a renovated home and are for illustrative purposes only. I am not suggesting you should undertake the same level of renovations as the owners of this home...]

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Is A Condo Or Townhome Right For You?

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication.

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Buyers from many walks of life continue to discover the advantages of condo and/ or townhome living. Whether you’re a first-time buyer looking for an affordable way to own a home, a busy professional with little time to devote to home maintenance, or an empty-nester looking to “right-size”, a condo or townhome may be a good choice for you.

Some Advantages: Owning a condo or townhome is very low maintenance – the landscaping and snow removal, exterior maintenance, and maintenance of the common areas is typically handled by the condo association. This is attractive if you’re not ‘handy’ or if you have a busy lifestyle that doesn’t leave much time for these chores. In addition, some communities offer amenities such as pools, tennis courts, fitness facilities, and walking trails, which are not typically available with most detached homes. The proximity of neighbours gives many owners a greater sense of security and allows them to just “lock-and-leave” when they want to get away.

Some Disadvantages: Condo fees add to your monthly expenses and can rise in the future as maintenance and repair costs go up. Certain covenants and bylaws may restrict the way you can use, improve, or otherwise enjoy your home (e.g. pet restrictions, no barbeques on balconies). There is often less storage space than in a detached home. As much as it is a positive for some, the proximity of neighbours can be a disadvantage for others. Available parking for guests may be limited.

As always, consider the potential for resale before purchasing any home. Always get the most up-to-date market data relevant to your potential purchase and ask other owners to give you the “scoop” on what its really like to live in the building or complex you are considering for your next home.

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Ideas To Help Show Your Home If You Have A Pet

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication.

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Selling a home with a pet in the family can be a difficult undertaking. Many home buyers – even those with pets of their own – can be put off by yours.

Pets Can Make Visitors Nervous
No one thinks of their own pet as scary, but even the mildest mannered cat or dog can make a visitor nervous. The most common response from a home seller about the ‘threat’ posed by their pet is denial: “Fluffy is a sweetheart. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.” Realistically, no pet owner can be certain of how their pet will respond or behave when strangers enter the home in their absence and an unexpected reaction by your pet could frighten potential buyers away before they’ve even looked at your home.

Ask Friends for Help
The best course of action is to remove your pet from the home while it is listed for sale. Ask friends or family members to care for your pet, or board it at a nearby facility.

Car Ride
If you can’t have someone pet sit then put your pet into a carrier during showings and alert visitors not to disturb it. Alternatively, take your pet with you when you leave for showings.

Remove Stains and Odors
Buyers frequently take issue with a pet’s impact on the cleanliness and overall condition of a home. Pet stains, odours, and damage are a big turn-off and can significantly decrease your home’s value in the market.

Use Professionals
Remove stains and repair any damage your pet may have caused before you begin showing your home. Consider having your home professionally cleaned and once done, have a friend drop by and verify that your home isn’t blessed with any objectionable odours.

Store Accessories Out of Sight
The goal is to create a positive first impression with potential buyers. Visitors don’t need to step on gooey chew toys, food crumbs, or in strewn kitty litter.

We all love our pets and think of them as part of the family, but our fondness for them need not make it harder for us to sell our homes.

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Staging: An Essential Tool To Selling Your Home

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication.

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For some, staging has become commonplace when selling a home. With a downturn in the economy and the potential for sluggish sales in our real estate market, staging is now more important than ever. The following are some of the top reasons home-staging matters and how you may be able to make it work for you.

A picture is worth a thousand words:Over 80% of home buyers begin their search online, so the first impression of your home might be the last. Make sure your home looks its best…but don’t misrepresent it.

Browsers spend more time looking at pretty pictures:Not only are buyers searching online but they tend to spend more time viewing attractive properties than those without pictures or with “ugly” photos. Use plenty of photos to showcase your home or property…again, don’t misrepresent it.

Visualize their space, not your place: Staging becomes even more important when buyers visit in person. Properly performed home staging is essential to allowing prospective buyers to visualize the home as “their space” rather than trying to see through the clutter and belongings in your place. A home should be attractive yet neutral enough to allow buyers an opportunity to get a feel for how their ’stuff’ would fit if they lived in your home.

Not just another pretty picture: Professional staging goes beyond mere looks and typically combines smell, touch, lighting, and other sensory input for a complete viewing experience sure to delight potential buyers of any age and income.

Staging does not have to cost a fortune to be effective but it does require experience (preferably professional) if you want to achieve the best results.

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Budgeting Basics for First-Time Buyers

Here’s another post taken from my ‘News You Can Use’ Preferred Client publication.

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Buying your first home is a lot of fun and most new/ prospective home owners are financially savvy enough to calculate the mortgage, interest, taxes, and insurance payments – but often forget about less obvious expenses. Here are a few budgeting basics for first-time home buyers…

Moving Expenses: Truck rentals, movers, time off work and of course, gasoline. Moving takes money, whether you do it yourself or pay others to do it for you so plan accordingly. I’ve had Clients spend anywhere from one or two hundred dollars to several thousand dollars to accomplish their move.

Maintenance: Have you ever heard the expression “Houses are money pits”? From lawn care to fixing a doorknob, owning your own home involves maintenance. Few first-time home buyers realise the expense of maintaining a yard until the neighbours start giving them dirty looks. Don’t get caught by surprise, this is one area where expenses can add up fast. Set aside funds for a lawn service, or plan to purchase the tools required to do it yourself — including lawnmowers, garden and hand tools, fertilizer, and other general maintenance items. Check out my post entitled Good Growing Neighbours for ideas that may help reduce your yard maintenance expenses and the looks you get from your neighbours.

Utilities & Communication: New home buyers are frequently surprised by the cost of utilities since many apartments include basics like cable, trash, and water. Set aside enough funds for the initial deposits and the first month’s payment for gas, power, phone, cable, and other necessities. Don’t forget to find out if your cell phone, cable, and other services are available in your new area. If not you may be forced to break a contract to new obtain services.

Remember, home buying is both fun and stressful at the same time — and much of the stress people experience tends to be of the financial variety. Plan, plan, plan, and budget, budget, budget and hopefully your fun will outweigh your stress.

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