Rainy Days and Sundays

On your Sunday Open House Day, be prepared for rain.  Put out a runner, a tarp or a few boot trays for the Buyers’ wet and muddy shoes.  It will be better to have the mud by the door than tracked throughout your house.  Make sure people take off their shoes, especially if your floors are clean.

Don’t let the weather make you depressed about your sale.

Hintonburg Housing Market Today – MLS® Listings

As of this morning,  11 residential units are for sale in Hintonburg / Mechanicsville (MLS® areas 4201 through 4203).  The prices range from $249,900 to $549,900.   The average list price is $378,890.  There are 9 detached units (with two duplexes up/down) and 2 semi-detached units.

In the past 90 days, 6 homes sold in prices ranging from $399,900 to $750,000.  The Days on the Market ranged drom 1 – 83 with an average DOM of 16 days. 

Currently there are 5 condo units for sale on Parkdale and Burnside.

Hintonburg is all about location and a future as people want to move into affordable housing near the city centre. 

These statistics do not include private sales.

What the Professionals Said About: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It is difficult for first time Sellers to leave their home while strangers look in the fridge, cupboards, and at all their things.  Who is going to ensure that nothing is broken or taken?  Who ensures that shoes are removed and possession are respected?  Sellers need to know that it is the Buyers’ agent who protects them and protects the Buyers.  The Buyers’ agent will have pre-qualified the Buyers and will be with them while they tour the house.  This is a key and important role that the real estate agents play.  The job of taking people through homes and discussing features is often why people cannot or will not sell their homes on their own. 

Sellers want Buyers to remember Aretha Franklin’s plea….

All I’m askin’ (oo) is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit)

 Photo credit:  Aretha_Franklin_Singer_Vocalist_Blues_Pop_Soul_Funk_Gospel_Rock_Music @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/personeelsnet/2852575565/

This post was on ActiveRain on October 16, 2010 .  The following people in the real estate industry provided comments: 

Chachkas and knickknacks

These are those many, tiny decorative bits that we spread around our homes.  When the house goes up for sale the chachkas need to be boxed up.  One or two are fine but take away the myriad of little vases, picture frames, biddy animals from Tetley tea and grandma’s porcelain flowers.  They collect dust and distract buyers.

Set your goal for clear clean horizontal surfaces.

Zinger 120

The Glebe Housing Market Today – MLS® Listings

As of this morning,  12 residential units are for sale in the Glebe (MLS® areas 4401 and 4402).  The prices range from $425,000 to $1,195,000.   There are 1 row, 2 semi detached and 10 detached homes.

In the past 90 days, 20 homes sold at an average sold price of $622,745 with an average DOM of 20 days ranging from 1 to 88 days. 

These statistics do not include condos and private sales.

Mortgages – Your Bonus Cheque and Tax Return

There are many conditions that may be included in a mortgage.  In Canada common mortgage terms will be something like 25 year mortgage with a 5 year fixed term.  Buyers often like the security of knowing that their mortgage payments will not change over a 5 year period.  However, the prudent Buyer will also take advantage of any ways to further reduce the mortgage during the term so that, upon renewal, there will be more of the house owned and less to borrow. 

One condition that may be in the terms of a mortgage is the ability to put down money, without penalty, during the term.  This is called a LUMP SUM PAYMENT.  The mortgage condition will say something to the effect that the Borrower can make a single payment annually that is not part of regular payments.  The condition will likely restrict the amount to a percentage such as 10% of the principle. All of the money will be applied to reduce the principal.

 For example you have just received a $5,000 bonus cheque and a $5,000 tax return and are weighing the options of:

If owning your home and saving money is important to the Borrower, then the best tactic is to use all or most of the bonus as a LUMP SUM payment.

Pease porridge hot

When the market is really hot, you will want to have your house listed right away.  Think twice.  Even if you are not going to stage your house, you will increase its value by doing necessary repairs and cleaning.  Buyers are picky and want to get value for their money. 

When it comes to the market;  Some like it hot, some like it cold .

Some like it on MLS, nine days old.

Zinger 119

Barrhaven Housing Market Today – MLS® Listings

As of this morning,  120 residential units are for sale in Barrhaven (MLS® area 7701 through 7706).  The prices range from $239,000 to $2,589,000.   The average price is $392,598.  There are 74 detached homes, 10 semi-detached and 36 row units available.

In the past 90 days, 163 homes sold at an average sold price of $336,544 with an average DOM of 27 days.  One home was on the market for 98 days while others went as fast as one or two days.  There were 154 2-storey, 4 3-storey, 4 bungalows and 1 split level sold.

These statistics do not include condos and private sales.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

May your stuffing  be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.  
May your beans be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!  

 

Photo credit:  Thanksgiving Tureky @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuchodi/4003359098/

What professional are saying about: Why fix it if I am just going to sell it?

Many houses are sold “as is”.  Some in more need of work than others.  For seniors, estate managers and people with  neither the time/talent nor the budget to make repairs, at least get estimates of what the new roof, new furnace, sealed basement and hardwood floors will cost.  Let the estimating companies know that you will leave the estimates for Buyers to see.  There are a lot of Buyers out there looking for bargains and willing to put in a low ball offer.   If you want more for your house, do some of the repairs first. 

Let Buyers know that you know what needs to be done.

There are Sellers who think that Buyers will overlook all the work that has to be done and just buy the house “as is”.  From a bargaining position, being up front with the work required lets Buyers know that you (the Seller) have priced the house to reflect what is still needed and that putting in an offer with the list of deficiencies would be redundant.

Photo credit:  Fixer Upper @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitetrashtexas/3812700975/

Check out what industry experts have said about this post @ http://activerain.com/blogsview/1902129/why-fix-it-if-i-am-just-going-to-sell-it-

 

Valerie Zinger           

Next Page →