What Factors Influence My Home’s Resale Value?

It’s safe to say we all know what would hinder us from buying a home.

If we were to harness those ideas and think about what would prevent us from buying a house, we can begin to make a list of what will factor into the resale value of our own homes. The resale value of a home is the amount the home is worth to potential buyers if you were to place your house on the market. Some factors influencing resale value are beyond a homeowner’s control and the factors also vary greatly from one consumer to the next. As you discuss your home’s resale value with your Realtor, it is important to remember it is time to put your best foot forward. The following are a list of general, and valuable, factors that play into the worth of your home. 

 Size and…

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Honey, let's not use a Realtor!

The idea behind not using a real estate agent in the purchase and sale of a home is a simple one, to save yourself some money.

By Andrea Swiedler. Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties Licensed in Connecticut

I get that.  Buyers think they will save money on the price of the home, sellers will save at least half the commission amount. (Many do offer a commission to a buyer's agent.)

FSBO AND THE UNREPRESENTED BUYER, THE PERFECT STORM!

Now we are talking! Part of my job as a real estate agent is to know what my seller is selling, and what my buyer is buying. This includes data from the town hall such as property taxes, building department information, health department information and more. I make sure…

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Cost Does Not Equal Value with Home Improvements

Never forget the simple rule that cost does not equal value with home improvements.

In fact, this may be the single most difficult point for both home sellers and home buyers to understand. It resonates not only with real estate but with everything from a bottle of wine to cars to clothes. Everyone has a different definition of “value” and what they are willing to pay for it.

Home sellers often have a biased view of what they’re home might bring if offered for sale. When these opinions are expressed, “upgrades” are almost always referenced. “I upgraded the carpet, the fixtures, the HVAC, the faucets….” is a consistent refrain. But how much of that “upgraded” item is recovered? Paying an extra $10,000 for “upgraded” roof shingles or $5,000 for a high…

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Benefits of a buyers agent in Kamloops BC.

A buyer’s agent represents you, the buyer, not the seller.

For most of us, buying a home is the biggest single investment we’re likely to make – we are only likely to do it maybe once or twice in a lifetime. The process is, by nature, filled with checks and balances – and many complex details. Traditionally, agents were legally obligated to protect the interests of the home seller. Today preferences are changing. One of these changes is that more homebuyers are choosing to have their own real estate agent, known as a buyer's agent, to legally represent them

A buyer’s agent represents you, the buyer, not the seller, and has full fiduciary duties, including loyalty to you. By definition, the buyer’s agent has your best interests in mind throughout the…

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Whats The Difference Between a Listing Agent and a Selling Agent?

If it makes you feel any better people often don't really know the difference between a listing agent and a selling agent, either.

Why should they? Why should anybody know except those of us in the real estate business? At least you'll know which agent does what in a deal and you will sound far more intelligent about the crazy business of real estate, that's why. Plus, you'll know what to call the respective agents in a transaction, and that piece of knowledge should provide you with a bit of confidence as you finagle your way to buying or selling a home.

The Listing Agent

Listing agents come in all flavors, sizes and shape. A listing agent typically represents the seller. There are a few instances in which a listing agent might accept a flat…

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Home-Buying for Beginners: 8 Red Flags When House-Hunting

Home-Buying for Beginners: 8 Red Flags When House-Hunting

It’s easy to get drawn into a property based on its aesthetics. After all, granite countertops, fresh paint and new carpets all make a good first impression; they also could cause you to overlook some serious sins that might make you regret purchasing the home. Keep an eye out for these red flags when searching for a new home, as they could indicate something’s awry.

1. Plenty of ‘For Sale’ Signs
Take a look around the neighborhood. Do you see a lot of other “For Sale” signs? If it’s in an urban area, does it look like area businesses are thriving or at they closed in the middle of the day? If no one else wants to live on the street, chances are you might not want to either.

At the same…

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Starting from scratch

Millions of immigrants come to Canada and quickly discover that getting established financially isn’t easy

Overview

Last year, Canada welcomed more than half a million newcomers to our country as immigrants, international students and temporary foreign workers. The number one source for new permanent residents is now the Philippines, followed by India, China, the U.K. and the States. Canada may be the best country in the world to live in, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to get established. People come to Canada dreaming of obtaining greater financial security and opportunities for themselves and their families, but they often spend years struggling to build up credit, find a decent job and grow their wealth.

In the pages that follow, we…

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Generation X Driving Increased Demand for Recreational Properties

Quintessentially Canadian Cottage-Life: Royal LePage finds foreign buyers account for few recreational property transactions

Retirement-bound boomers seek peaceful retreats

Toronto, ON, June 23, 2016 – Generation X buyers of cottages, cabins and chalets across Canada outnumber Baby Boomers by almost two to one, according to the Royal LePage 2016 Canadian Recreational Housing Report released today. Still, planning for retirement living is among the most common reasons potential buyers give for the purchase of a recreational property.  The annual report compiles information from a cross-Canada survey of real estate advisors who specialize in recreational property sales.

The survey found that 65 per cent of advisors polled indicated that…

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Young adults more likely to live with parents now than any time in modern history

For the first time in modern history, living with parents has overtaken other living arrangements for 18-34-year-olds, according to a Pew Research Center report released Tuesday.

In 2014, 32.1 percent of young adults lived in their parents’ homes, edging out all other living arrangements, including marriage or cohabitation, living alone, or living as single parents or with roommates.

The change is fueled by a steep decline in the portion of young Americans settling down romantically over the past 50 years.

Since 1880, when the Census Bureau started keeping track, the most common arrangement for young people was to live with a spouse or significant other. That peaked in 1960, when 62 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds did so. Now, that number has…

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10 things to consider for any real estate investment property

I often get asked how to invest in real estate and what should investors should be looking for in an income producing property.

It can be overwhelming for a first-time investor, as the real estate investment industry is riddled with various scenarios and situations that can decimate your returns. While the returns can be lucrative, proceed with caution.

Toronto realtor Matt Smith has shared with me his extensive experiences in helping investors both acquire and manage single-unit condominium investment properties. These are a very popular vehicle for investment in both Vancouver and Toronto, where both supply and demand for these units seems to be endless. In Toronto’s Downtown Bloor Yorkville area alone, there are currently eleven projects, all…

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