Polish up that barbecue when staging your home

Selling your home don't forget the BBQ!

When Marc and Jen Robinson were looking to sell their home, their real estate agent advised them to spruce up their barbecue.

“He said it would add value to our backyard,” says Marc, a health-care professional, 34. “The problem is that our barbecue is old and very well used.” He asked whether it’s worth cleaning the old grill or whether investing in a new one would be smarter.

“In some cases neglect can cause a barbecue to seriously decay and start falling apart. In the worst cases it can even become dangerous,” says Charles Munro of Barbeque Pro Inc. “If your barbecue was purchased for under $400 and is heavily used, you may want to opt for a new cheap one.” For listing purposes, you don’t have to worry…

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Selling your home - 5 Things that turn buyers off

When trying to sell your home, it is imperative that you keep the buyer in mind.

This does sometimes mean that you may have to live uncomfortably or invest your own money into a property that you hope to sell. When preparing to sell your home, keep the following deal breakers in mind to sell your house and move into your dream home.

Piled Up Junk

If a prospective buyer visits your home and finds the garage is currently inaccessible due to your hoarded junk, this will immediately turn them away.  Piled up old furniture, appliances and other assorted unnecessary items make any area of your home seem smaller and less inviting. To appeal to buyers, you want the storage areas and rooms in your home to feel as open as possible.

Old Appliances

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How To Sell Your Tenant Occupied Home

You have an investment property and your looking to sell.

You still have current tenants, so what are the tips to help you get a sale while your tenants are in your property?

If your Tenant has something to gain from the sale of the house, they would be more willing to cooperate showing it.Think of ways to motivate them!

If at all possible, it would be best to wait until the tenants vacate the house prior to listing, however, that may not always happen.

There are several ways to motivate your tenant so they have the house in “Show Ready” condition at all times. Let’s be honest, it is work to keep the house in good, show ready condition even if it’s the homeowner living in the house.
Once you list your house for sale, you’re now asking…

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How can we get multiple bids on our Kamloops Property or just make sure its the best price?

So you are going to sell your Kamloops home.

Obviously you need get the maximum price possible for your home. so what’s the best tactic for getting multiple offers?

The market in Kamloops continues to be a sellers market (low inventory is still an issue right now) and will continue until one of the market variables changes. How to work with listing agents in Kamloops

So how do you, the seller, make sure you are able to make the most amount of money possible from the market conditions? Creating demand is a fundamental aspect of attaining multiple offers while selling Kamloops real estate, and there are many ways to do so and a pretty specific path to follow. Your Realtor will discuss each of the options with you and give you the ones to do for…

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What do you do when your parents are living in poverty — in a million-dollar home

A million-dollar home but a property in a state of neglect and a bare-bones lifestyle that doesn’t fit your wealth.

In today’s housing market where the average price detached home is now $1 million in Toronto and $1.8 million in Vancouver, it’s becoming increasingly common to see seniors living in poverty even though they have enough home equity to lift themselves out of it. Across the country, the average price of a home reached a record $442,857 in 2015 — much of that wealth an untapped resource.

“I’ve seen people who are eating cat food but they own a $1.5 million home,” says David Batori, the broker of record with Toronto-based Re/Max Hallmark Batori Group Inc. ”Some of these seniors just don’t have any idea what their home is worth because they…

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Who pays for damage caused during a home inspection?

Sellers may end up having to pay for damage

During a home inspection who would be liable for damage caused, interesting question read this example and see if you agree with the experts who replied.

"A couple signed an agreement to buy our townhouse and one of the conditions was a home inspection. During this inspection a three-inch superficial window crack was made significantly worse when someone tried to crank open the locked window. Now the crack is about 24 inches long and travels straight across the window. What recourse do we have? Are we responsible for paying for this repair? — Feeling disrespected, North York, Ont."

Answer No. 1: Probably the best solution would have been to repair the window before listing. If you…

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Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

Signs of spring include robins appearing, crocuses poking through the earth, buds popping out on tree branches — and homeowners who start thinking about maintenance work.

There are many possible tasks, but some should take priority. From the top down, here are spring projects that will help keep your house in tip-top condition.

Gutter Guard

Winter conditions dumped debris back into the trenches, so it’s time for the springtime gutter purge. As long as you can reach gutters safely, climb a ladder and pull out the accumulated muck. Blast water from a hose to clean the downspout. If gutters are out of reach, it doesn’t mean you get a pass on this chore. Call a professional.

Roof Reconnaissance

While you’re already on the ladder cleaning out…

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Dealing with the untidy house next door and the best way to sort it all out....

Curb appeal can increase or decrease a home’s value by 30%

How do you deal with a neighbour who does not look after their property like you when you are going to list your home for sale?

Neighbour disputes can arise from a variety of circumstances. The best way to tackle a dispute with a neighbour is to talk it out and find a mutually agreeable solution. If the dispute is not resolved through constructive talks, there are legal remedies to address them. Note that suing a neighbour in court may be a lengthy, stressful, and costly process, but it is an option to exercise when all else fails. 

The most common types of neighbour disputes arise from:

• Untidy premises;
• Nose complaints;
• Mishandling of dogs and other pets;
• …

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Go solar! How does solar power work?

If you’re eager to lower your carbon footprint and also save on energy bills, equipping your home for solar power is a great option.

There are several things to consider in the quest to go green:

How does solar power work?

Solar power is generated by thin silicon panels, divided into photovoltaic cells, which act as semiconductors. When sunlight hits the cells, it excites the electrons and produces a direct electrical current.  To generate power for your home, the panels are either installed on your rooftop or angle mounted on your property. Most urban users favour a rooftop set-up so they won’t have to sacrifice valuable backyard real estate, but it’s not unusual to see a freestanding panel in rural areas where properties are generally…

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Renovating without a permit can be a costly mistake

There is an important part of taking on a home renovation -- the building permit.

You may know of friends who have had their basements finished over the past few years and maybe none have obtained a building permit first. They assumed that since the renovation did not extend beyond the existing walls of their home, they were free to make any changes they wished. According to Ray Leclair, a real estate lawyer your friends have been breaking the law.

"It's a municipal by-law under building code," he says. "The impact of it is that there could be a fine for the homeowner or the municipality can say remove the structure or they'll condemn the property."

Most of us realize that major renovations such as building an addition to a home require a…

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