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Happy New Year!
Thank you for taking the time to read the winter edition of my newsletter.
I hope that your holiday season was happy. It seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it?
In this issue my guest is June Girardin from Mortgage Intelligence. June has been a mentor and a friend for over 15 years. She is an expert in her field and is also a lot of fun to work with. I'm glad that my recent career move enables me to work closely with June again.
If you are contemplating a move in 2008, I would love the opportunity to help you. Please don't hesitate to call me. |
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| Featured Listing |
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3450 Ouellette Ave $549,900
Don't miss this outstanding executive 2 storey tudor with over 100 ft frontage on a treed lot in elegant Southlawn gardens. Located in a quiet area of exceptional homes, convenient to all amenities. This stately home offers four bedrooms, spectacular wood trim, high ceilings and an open concept kitchen. The family room, with natural fireplace overlooks a retreat like backyard.
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Top 10 House Staging Tips*
- Keep it clean – Look at your home as though you’re seeing it for the first time. Is every room neat, spotlessly clean, dusted and uncluttered? Steam clean carpets and wax floors. Wash walls, heating and A/C vents and light fixtures. Pay special attention to your bathroom and kitchen – make sure that tile grout is mildew free and baseboards scrubbed. Clean the refrigerator and stove as well as the washer and dryer (inside and out).
- Lose the clutter – Have a yard sale or take old furniture, clothing and knick-knacks to Goodwill. Organize shelves, put away items and purge your home of unnecessary items. Make sure that your kitchen and bathroom counters are free of small appliances and personal effects.
- De-personalize your home – Make your home “anonymous,” so that buyers can envision it as their potential home. Put away any family photos, sports trophies, collectibles, knick-knacks and souvenirs. This will also help to remove clutter and create more space.
- Freshen-up – Adding a fresh coat of paint and laying new carpet will clean and brighten up your home. Choose neutral colours and make it consistent throughout the home. If you choose to wallpaper, make sure that the paper is properly applied, your colour choice is neutral and patterns are kept to a minimum.
- First impressions count – Like a first date or job interview, the first impression of your home is the most important. Walking into a home with fingerprinted screen door windows or cluttered entranceways, can influence the potential homebuyer’s decisions. Likewise, strong odours can ruin a sale, so pay close attention to pet, cooking and cigarette smells in your home. Light delicately scented candles or have cookies baking when showing.
- Curb appeal – Homebuyers decide whether or not to look inside a house by the appearance of your home’s exterior. Paint or wash the outside of your home. Check your gutters and chimney and make necessary repairs. Keep your lawns trimmed and flower beds weeded. Use urns to define walk spaces and ensure that window boxes are full of healthy all-season plants.
- Create the illusion of space – To make your home seem more spacious, it is key to de-clutter and re-organize. Start by removing excess furniture to make rooms feel more open and replacing any items that are not appropriately sized for the room. Clean and organize your closets and remove excess clutter from all areas of your home. Strategically placed mirrors can also help to create the illusion of more space.
- Modern choices – Ensure that the décor of your home is modern and tasteful. Use neutral tones on your walls and floors and add colour with removable items such as throw pillows or bedding. Steer away from too many personal touches to create a minimalist and contemporary space.
- Doggie don’ts – “Love me, love my pets,” doesn’t apply when selling your home. Take your pets with you when your house is being shown, or at least keep them outside. Pets under foot will quickly put a damper on an otherwise positive showing. While making sure that your house is odour-free and spotless applies to everyone, pet owners need to take special care.
- Beautify your backyard – Don’t forget about your backyard. A house showing doesn’t always end at the backdoor. Beyond size and layout, potential buyers can also be influenced by the state of your yard. Keep the lawn, hedges and flowerbeds manicured. Buy exterior storage containers to hide gardening tools, kids toys and pool supplies. Lastly, interested buyers may decide to look inside your shed, so make sure that it is organized and clean.
* Provided by Timothy Badgley, Interior Designer and Owner of Acanthus Interiors
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| First-time Buyers Get a Break from CMHC
 First-time homebuyers are key to fueling the real estate market. These buyers are also extremely sensitive to the costs of home ownership. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) decision to lower the cost of mortgage borrowing for first-time buyers is a step toward ensuring the supply of first-time homebuyers continues to be strong.
CMHC has lowered its mortgage loan insurance premiums 15% for first-time buyers with less than a 10% down payment – a drop from 3.25% to 2.75%. This means, a homebuyer arranging a $150,000 mortgage with 5% down will save $750.
For more details on this program, visit www.cmhc.ca |
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| The ABCs of Setting Up a Home Study
 For students across Canada, autumn means back to school and the onslaught of the dreaded h–word – homework. Studying at home can be a challenge. Distractions, such as television, noise, telephone calls and frequent interruptions, make it hard to stay on task and can affect retention. Establishing a study room or study area can make homework a little more bearable, or at the very least, more efficient.
The first step to establish a study area is choosing the location. Privacy and quiet are key. A separate room with a closing door is ideal, but any out-of-the-way area of your home is suitable. High-traffic areas, such as the kitchen or living room, should be avoided, as should any room with a television. Try to choose a room with good ventilation and temperature control. A warm, stuffy room can lead to premature fatigue and headaches. Also, the study area should be permanent – a place where books and supplies can be left from one day to another. This will avoid wasting time spent organizing and searching for supplies.
Choose a desk or table with plenty of surface area. There should be room to lay out several books, room to write and space for your computer, monitor, keyboard, printer and mouse (if applicable). Computer desks with a sliding keyboard drawer are ideal as the keyboard can be slid out of the way when it is not in use.
For maximum comfort select a cushioned, fully adjustable office chair. Adjust the height of the chair so that your feet can be firmly planted on the floor and you aren’t slouching while you work.
Light in the room should be bright, well distributed and free of glare. An adjustable desk lamp can supplement the main light source. If you use a computer, position the desk so that sunlight does not reflect on the computer screen. If repositioning is not an option, special anti-glare screen covers can be purchased at most computer stores. Adjust the monitor so it can be viewed staring straight ahead. Positioning the monitor too high or low can cause strain on the neck.
Lastly, your study area should be well stocked with stationary supplies and reference material. Try to envision the tools and supplies you or your children use regularly and have them easily accessible and in good supply. A bookshelf containing a dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia are essentials. Internet access is also becoming an indispensable study tool. Ensure there are plenty of pens, pencils and lots of paper on hand, as well as, spare printer cartridges, a stapler, paperclips, a ruler and highlighter markers. |
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Call Kathleen and her team for a positive move!
Stay warm! |
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All offices are independently owned and operated, except those offices marked as "Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd." Not intended to solicit currently listed properties. The above information is from sources believed reliable, however, no responsibility is assumed for the accuracy of this information.
©2009 Brookfield Real Estate Services Fund. |
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