Getting Friends to Spread the Word about Your Listing

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When you list your home for sale, you want as many buyers as possible to find out about it. So consider how many friends, neighbours and work colleagues you have. Then think about how many people they know. The number is likely in the hundreds. One of those people could be looking for a property just like yours.

That’s why getting your friends to spread the word about your listing is so effective. How do you do that?

One strategy is to have a moving party. This gives you an opportunity to ask your friends, as a group, to tell others about your listing. You can also encourage your friends to bring a guest who is currently in the market for a new home. Another good idea is to put a profile of your listing on Facebook. This is the fastest and most convenient way for your Facebook friends to point others to your listing. Do you have friends who work at larger organizations like banks and factories? They probably have access to an employee lunch room with a bulletin board. You can spread the word by asking them to put up an information sheet on your listing.

Try one or more of these ideas. Combined with my marketing plan for you, they can help get more qualified buyers to your doorstep.

Want more tips on promoting your listing? Call today. (416) 779-8732

Does Your Home Insurance Cover Everything?

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When you suffer damage to, (or the loss of), your home or its contents, you expect your insurance company to help you out. And, most do a good job of doing just that.
 
Still, it’s a good idea to review your policy with your insurance advisor and find out what’s covered and what isn’t. You don’t want to discover that your policy will not cover the cost of repairing the damage caused by a flood in your laundry room.
 
Pay particular attention to coverage in the case of water damage. Some insurance policies don’t cover floods and sewer backup unless an additional rider is purchased. Also, check liability limits. Ask your advisor to recommend an appropriate level.
 
Finally, make sure you know exactly how much your home is insured for. Are you covered for the full replacement cost? Are you comfortable with that coverage or the actual cash value?
Having the right insurance gives you peace-of-mind and is an important part of enjoying your home.
 
Keep in mind that experts advise you to review your insurance with your advisor. Ask lots of questions. Make sure you understand your coverage fully.
 
By the way, if you’re looking for an insurance advisor, I’m well connected in the local “home” industry. I may be able to give you a couple of names of good, reputable professionals. Send me a message.
 
*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*

International Women’s Day

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Hey what did you do today to Advance the status of your  fellow women.  I paid it forward to a woman in Mexico who needed a loan to help her have her baby.  She does not have Health Care and as such will have to pay for her baby to be born.  On Kiva she asked for a Loan.  This is my 9th Loan on Kiva.  I usually make a loan to a woman in another country on IWD and Mothers Day.  Just trying to help other woman with a hand up.

 

Hope your International Women’s Day is great!

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What You Need to Know about “Interest Free” Deals

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Next to your home and car, home furnishings represent the most expensive product purchases homeowners make. A mid-quality livingroom set, with sofa and two side chairs, can cost thousands of dollars.
 
That’s why most furniture retailers offer “interest free” and “pay much later” deals to soften the blow. These are basically financing options. Say, for example, you want to purchase furniture for the rec room. The cost is $7,200. The furniture retailer may offer you a deal where you “don’t pay a cent” for six months. As long as you pay the balance within that time, no interest is charged.
 
That sounds like a sweet deal. And it is.
 
But, personal finance experts will advise you to tread carefully. If you pay off the balance within the “no interest” timeframe, you’ll benefit from the sweet deal, by having deferred the payment. However, if you fall behind on payments, you’ll be hit with a high interest charge. It’s often 20% or more. That can add hundreds of dollars to what you would have originally paid for the purchase. And, even if you paid down most of the balance within the no interest period, you can still get hit hard.
 
Some “no interest” deals charge interest on the original financed amount — not just the remaining balance.
 
The best advice, according to personal finance experts, is to read the fine print carefully and pay off the balance as promptly as you can.
 
*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*

Open House Questions Some Buyers Forget to Ask

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An Open House is an event. And, like many events, it’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement and energy. In fact, when you visit an Open House, you might even end up rubbing elbows with other buyers who are there at the same time.

It can feel like a party! In an environment like that, it’s not unusual to forget to ask important questions about the property. Here are some of the most common:

• How old is the roof?

• How old is the furnace, air conditioner and other HVAC equipment?

• How does the price compare to similar properties in the neighbourhood? (You don’t want to make an offer that’s too high.)

• What are the characteristics of the neighbourhood? (Amenities, safety, traffic, access to public transit, property turnover, etc.)

• What doesn’t come with the home? (Ask specifically about kitchen appliances, gas-connected BBQs, chandeliers, window coverings.)

• Are there any potential impediments to the sale? (Tenants, outstanding liens, etc.)

• Are there any outstanding maintenance issues, or repairs that need to be done? (For example, cracked ceramics on the foyer floor.)

• Are there any issues that impact the full use of the property? (Ask specifically about shared driveways or walkways, public “right of way” through the property, water drainage rights from neighbouring homes, etc.)

Yes, an Open House can feel like a frenzy, and if it’s a home you love, you might feel pressured to make an offer. But, it’s important to take the time to ask the right questions and consider your decision carefully. You don’t want to find out, too late, that there were questions you should have asked.

Want more tips on finding the home of your dreams?

Call today. (416) 779-8732

Considering the Possibilities

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Have you ever dreamed of an exotic vacation and researched flights, hotels, excursions and other information — even when you weren’t 100% committed to going? We’ve all done that. It’s a great way to try a big decision on for size. You get an initial idea of costs. You peruse destination pictures. You imagine you and your family being there. And sometimes you actually take that vacation! Well, you can do the same with real estate. Even if moving is the farthest thing from your mind, you can explore neighbourhoods you’d like to live in, get a sense of prices in those areas, and find out what your current home would sell for in today’s market. If you find yourself doing that, give me a call. As your REALTOR®, I’m happy to answer your questions and fill you in on what’s happening in the local real estate scene. Call anytime! 416-779-8732

Staging the Outside of Your Home

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You’re probably familiar with the term “home staging”. It involves cleaning,
de-cluttering, reorganizing, and decorating, specifically in order to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. Furniture stores do something similar when they “stage” a bedroom suite in a showroom.
 
Most sellers focus their staging efforts on the inside of their homes. But the outside is important too. After all, a property’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers see. So you want to make sure that the first impression is a good one.
 
Here are some ideas on how to make sure that happens. When preparing your home for sale, imagine you’re a potential buyer and take a walk around the outside of your property. Do you like what you see? Are there issues that concern you? Try to be as objective as possible.
 
You may notice, for example, that the deck is faded and worn, some of the border stones around the flower bed are chipped or missing, or the fence gate squeaks. If you notice these things, so will potential buyers. So consider getting these minor problems repaired.
 
As you inspect your yard, pay particular attention to sheds and other areas where items tend to accumulate. Just as you would unclutter the inside of your home before a showing, you should also make sure the exterior areas of your property are as uncluttered as possible.
 
Then explore simple ways you can make the exterior of your property look even more attractive. For example, giving your hedges, shrubs and other plants a trimming, can dramatically improve the look of your yard.
 
Need more tips on preparing your home for sale? Call Today! (416) 779-8732
*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*

Trying to Find a Bargain Home

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You’ve heard the story. Someone finds a condo on the market that seems underpriced, grabs it, and subsequently discovers it’s worth tens of thousands of dollars more than the purchase price. What a bargain! The truth is, bargains like that rarely happen. Most properties sell for somewhere close to their market values. That’s why you need to find the perfect condo for you, in the right neighbourhood, with a list price that is within your affordability range, and then buy that property for the lowest price you can negotiate.

When you shop for the right property at the right price, you have a good chance of finding and buying your dream home. But if you go into the market with a plan to find a bargain, you risk overlooking those condos that might otherwise be great opportunities for you. Why? Because your price expectations will probably be a lot lower than the actual market prices.

*Article Provided by Morris Marketing*