Remember the last time you had a family discussion about what to have for dinner? Chances are, there were some disagreements! In fact, it might have been agonizing trying to get everyone to settle on the same dish. Now imagine getting everyone to agree on what type of home to buy!

Obviously, you want family members to be in harmony when looking for a new home. The more everyone is on the same page, the smoother the process will be.

Here are some tips worth trying:

• Make a list. Have everyone list the top three features they want in a new home. You might find that family members are closer to agreement than you thought. Also, family members will likely not be disappointed if they get two out of the three features they want.

• Have a family meeting. Set a goal to have a clear profile of the kind of home you want by the end of the meeting. Be prepared for some lively discussion, but also be firm that a decision needs to be made.

• Be understanding. If a family member insists on a particular feature, ask why. It might be trivial, such as having a shopping mall within walking distance when driving or taking transit is relatively easy. On the other hand, the desired feature might be something truly important and worth considering.

• Manage expectations. Explain that not everyone will get what they want and that you (or you and your significant other) will do your best to accommodate everyone’s wishes.

There’s no perfect solution. Depending on your family, it might be difficult to make sure everyone is happy with the home you end up buying. However, by using these tips you can ensure that everyone will at least feel they’ve been heard. Then, once you start building memories in your new place, everyone will start to feel like it’s home!

*Morris Marketing*

When you have buyers coming to view your house, you want it to look its best. Lighting plays a key role in making a good first impression. Just think of the last time you walked into an unfamiliar space with lighting that was too dim, too bright, or just too harsh.

Experts say the best lighting illuminates the space adequately without being too intense. There’s a simple calculation to determine the wattage you need.

It’s the area of the room in square feet (length x width) multiplied by 1.5. So, a 10×12 room would require three 60 watt bulbs.

However, the type of room also makes a difference. You may want more light in the kitchen and bathrooms, because these tend to be very active spaces. On the other hand, you may want your living room to be dimmer to create a more relaxed setting and atmosphere.

Windows also make a difference. On bright days, a room with a fair-sized window may only need a third of the wattage. Experiment with lighting in each room to achieve the desired effect.

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Although tile and grout can provide an attractive and durable household surface – especially in kitchens and bathrooms – they need to be maintained to avoid discolouration and/or germ infestation.

When cleaning and disinfecting, it’s important to consider how the surface will react to the various compounds and methods you plan to use. For example, most tiles have an impervious finish that can be cleaned with a basic cleaning solution, but grout could require a specific agent that is effective on its porous surface.

Never commit to cleaning an entire floor or wall until you’ve experimented on an obscure patch. It’s always wise to work up from a simple solution to a stronger formula. If you’re looking for a natural solution, try using equal parts vinegar and water. The combination works well on finished tile, but be careful not to let it come into contact with unprotected natural stone or wood.

To escalate your attack, mix a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water, then apply the paste to the grout lines before introducing a narrow spray of diluted vinegar to create a naturally effervescent agent. If natural household cleaners are ineffective, ask your home centre or hardware store for a stronger recommendation.

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As you probably know, it’s easy to lower the costs of a renovation. Just hire an inexpensive, fly-by-night contractor — and hope for the best! Chances are, you won’t want to take that risk. So how do you ensure you get quality work while keeping your budget in check?

Here are some tips:

• Get estimates from at least three contractors. Often prices can vary widely, even amongst contractors with similar reputations and experience.

• Narrow the project focus. If you’re getting a bathroom renovated, for example, decide whether you need the contractor to paint the new walls. Can you do that yourself?

• Shop around for the building materials. Yes, contractors often have access to wholesale prices. Still, you might be able to find a bathtub and vanity at a lower cost or at least avoid any markup the contractor may charge.

• Negotiate. Sometimes a contractor is willing to lower the price for concessions, such as quick payments or more time to complete the job.

• Schedule the renovation during a low-demand season. For example, deck contractors charge more in the spring than the fall. It’s supply and demand. More people want their decks done in the spring.

Keep in mind that spending a little more for a skilled and reputable contractor can save you money in the long run. The renovation will have fewer, if any, “issues” (that may require an expensive fix) and will last longer.

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If it’s been a while since you last moved, you might be wondering how much you’ll need to spend on your next home. That’s an important question to answer, even if you’re just at the “thinking about it” stage and haven’t decided whether or not you’ll look for a new property.

After all, knowing your budget might influence your decision.

How should you determine your budget?

The first step is to calculate the maximum you can spend. This involves adding the money you’ll get from the sale of your current property after repaying your outstanding mortgage, to any other funds you have available to invest plus the maximum amount of mortgage you qualify to receive.

Of course, just because you may qualify for a large mortgage doesn’t mean you want those bigger payments. So, the second step is to think about your needs. What features are a must in your next home? For example, you might want four bedrooms and anything less would be a deal-breaker.

Make a “must-have list”. That list can by used to find a baseline of properties on the market — and then find their average asking price. This will give you an idea of what it would cost to find a home that meets your must-have list.

The third step is to go beyond needs and consider the features you want. These might not be deal-breakers, but you’d sure love to have them in your next home. They could be a large deck, a location in a desirable neighbourhood, a big country kitchen, etc.

Ask yourself how much you would be willing to pay for those desirable features. $20,000? $50,000?

Once you’ve gone through these steps, you’ll have the information you need to match your needs and wants to what’s available on the market — and you’ll know how much you might expect to pay for your next home.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, you may be wondering about the current market demand for homes like yours. Will there be a lot of qualified buyers eager to see it? Will your home compete with so many similar listings that it may take a few weeks to sell?

In basic economics, demand is defined as the number of buyers versus the amount of inventory. There’s a fancy scientific formula that calculates demand, but in real estate terms it’s simple:

• High demand: More buyers looking than there are homes like yours available. (Example: 15 active buyers but only 10 homes like yours on the market.)

• Low demand: Fewer buyers looking than there are homes like yours available. (Example: 10 active buyers on the market and 15 homes like yours listed.)

The demand impacts not only how long it may take to sell your property, but also the asking price and marketing. Fortunately, you can sell your home even in a low demand cycle. You just need to stage it well, price it right, and market it effectively.

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Imagine your coffee maker switching on by itself, staying on for hours, overheating and becoming a fire hazard. That’s not science fiction. As more and more appliances incorporate WIFI, the opportunities for hackers to play havoc with your home gadgets increase.

How do you prevent that from happening? Here are some safety tips:

• If your gadget uses a password to access the settings, change that password frequently. Ideally, change it once every 3 months.

• Some gadgets, such as alarm systems, come with their own connection to the internet. Learn how to turn that connection off if it becomes necessary to do so.

• Don’t leave an internet-connected appliance or other gadget on constantly unless it’s necessary. For example, you don’t need your home speaker system connected to your digital music providers all the time.

• Baby monitors with video are a common target for hackers. Use a password unique to that device and change it often. Never leave the monitor on when not in use.

• Never share passwords with anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Most home WIFI systems have a “guest” feature with a separate password and limited access. Use it.

In this age of internet connectivity — from coffee makers to stereos and even washing machines — it’s smart to play it safe. Know what’s connected and protect yourself.

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When you sell, you’ll probably want to get the best possible price for your property. Who wouldn’t? Unfortunately, there are many ways to inadvertently leave money on the table – sometimes thousands of dollars.

How do you avoid that possibility? Just remember the 4 Ps:

• Prep. Do everything you can to prepare your home so that it looks great to buyers. Clean, declutter, fix, make improvements. Home staging can also help. In fact, effectively staged homes have been shown to sell for up to 5% more than comparable unstaged properties.

• Price. Set the right asking price. That’s crucial. If it’s too low, you’ll attract only deal-hunters — and you might end up getting less than you should. If the asking price is too high, however, you’ll discourage those buyers who might otherwise be interested and willing to make a good offer. Be careful with pricing!

• Promotion. There may be qualified buyers out there who would be eager to see your property. But, they need to find out about your listing and the great features of your home first! Reaching these buyers requires more than merely profiling the listing on the MLS. Homes that sell for top dollar often have strong marketing — directed to the right buyers.

• Proposal. Once an offer comes in, there may be an opportunity to negotiate with the buyer to maximize the final price you get. This requires deep knowledge of the local market as well as street-smart negotiation skills. If done effectively, these negotiations can help put more money in your pocket.

These four Ps are easy to remember, but sometimes not so easy to implement! That’s why working with a great real estate agent is so important.

Contact me to get the conversation started. (416) 779-8732.

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