What Does "Low Housing Inventory" Mean?

If you’re like many Canadians, you may still have a perspective of the real estate market influenced by media coverage of the 2008 crisis. However, real estate is always subject to cycles, especially around growing and expanding communities like Kamloops. The reality is this area is now facing a looming shortage of housing inventory. If your a buyer moving to the area it is key to find a local experienced realtor who can get you up to speed on your knowledge of Kamloops real estate market, its not all doom and gloom as we show in this article. IF you are a seller then the local "know-how" of a realtor is key in getting your house listed at the correct price with the best exposure possible.

From the Bank of Canada to local real estate firms, the level…

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How Do I Negotiate With Buyers Over Problems in a Home Inspection?

If you're selling your home, there are ways to minimize re-negotiations because of issues arising from a home inspection

Q: How do I renegotiate with my home's buyers over problems arising from their home inspection?

A: When you are selling your home or condo, often times there are issues with the property that you might not be aware of. At this stage the buyer will often want to renegotiate the agreed price based on the results of the inspection. So how should you, the seller, respond? This is when you get the value out of your Realtor, they will be working for you in this process so make sure you choose a good realtor.

With a home there are often issues that be very costly to repair. One approach to take, as the seller, is to address the issues…

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Should You List in January Or Wait for the Spring Selling Season?

Conventional wisdom says wait until the warmer months to put your house on the market. Here are a few reasons to rethink that idea.

Thousands of homeowners speak to their real estate agent this time of year to consider their sale options — typically for the spring. It takes a few months for the agent and seller to plan and prep to list the home, so starting now makes sense. There's a common misconception that the only time to buy a home is in the spring and summer, with plenty of homes on the market, you're bound to find the right house, but if you just can't wait, don't fret. Here's why you should reevaluate your idea of the home buying seasons.

Over the years, I’ve asked sellers if they would consider listing their home in January, right after the…

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It’s More Than Putting A Sign On Your Lawn!

It’s More Than Putting A Sign On Your Lawn.

Just as much goes into selling a home as it does into buying one.

It’s a bit of a science actually. You want to get the best price, but you can’t be out of line with market conditions. What to do? Start by being as informed as you can and by choosing an experienced agent who knows your neighbourhood inside out.

Since 1913, Royal LePage has been helping Canadians sell their homes and guiding them through every step of the process. From showing you how to increase the appeal of your home and setting a price that will maximize your profitability to discussing offers and closing the sale. Below, you’ll find it all outlined in eight simple steps.

STEP 1

Deciding to Sell

Everyone has their own reason…

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4 Tips for Selling a Home Far Away

Whether you’re in the next state or across the country, selling a home remotely can be tough. To pull it off, you’ll need to plan ahead and get some help from a local agent.

Just a few years ago, at the height of the real estate crisis, if homeowners were transferred for work or moved for personal reasons and couldn’t afford to sell their homes, they often opted to become “accidental” landlords.

Not experienced real estate investors, they became such as a result of the market. Now that the economy has picked up, many of these landlords are finally selling their investments.

If you know that you’ll be selling a home remotely, don’t wait until the last minute. It’s hard enough to sell a home, and being far away makes it even more difficult to prep…

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Do we have to upgrade our perfectly fine but aging appliances before listing?

Q. Our kitchen appliances are in great working condition, but they’re not the most modern or stylish. We upgraded them along with our kitchen 15 years ago. Do purchasers care if a stove or fridge isn’t stainless steel? Would investing in new units increase our property’s value?

A. “The trick isn’t that all the appliances be modern or stylish, but instead that they are suited to the kitchen they are in,” says Chris Allen, a real estate agent and the author of The Book on Toronto Real Estate.

“Few things stand out as awkwardly as seeing brand new stainless steel appliances in a kitchen with worn melamine countertops, tired old cupboards and tarnished or mismatching cabinet handles.”

He recommends this family skip investing in new units largely…

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