When you hear the word “declutter” do you immediately think about all the time it would take and the aggravation it would cause to get rid of all the stuff that’s cluttering your house? Is your next instinct to close the closet doors and run for the hills? We get it, these reactions are 100% human. The question people are asking themselves is, “will the effort be worth it?&...Read More

I always say this: updating your light fixtures is one of the best ways to make sure your home makes a positive first impression. Keep in mind, the light fixture must be the right proportion for the room. How does one make sure of that? Well, there are some general rules. Rule #1: the size of your ceiling fixture should be equal to the sum of the room size. Say what??? For example, if your dini...Read More

If you plan to update your home with a significant renovation, be sure you are investing in the right upgrades. There is an assumption that the money you invest in a renovation will be fully returned to you if you sell the property. That is not always the case.  Payback on renovations is measured three ways: 1. The value of increasing the selling price of your property 2. The value of ...Read More

There are two trends impacting real estate photography that you should know about if you’re thinking of selling this year.  First, more than ever before, buyers are relying on pictures to decide whether or not to schedule a viewing. They expect to be able to go online and “tour” your home via the photography. If they don’t form a good impression of your home from the ...Read More

If you've been house-hunting this year, you may have noticed that it's been slim pickings for listings on the MLS.  House listings across the country have been steadily declining for 6 years and are now less than half what they were in 2015: How did we get there? From the 1970s through to the 2010s, Canada grew by an average of 3.1 million people and built on average 1.3 million new...Read More

There are numerous reasons why you might need to sell early in the year. Perhaps you even need to sell this month! Whatever your reasons, preparation is key. Make the right moves now and your sale is likely to go smoothly and successfully.  Follow these tips:  1.    Make a list of what needs to be done around the property to prepare it for listing. That includes declutte...Read More

When you have a buyer coming to view your property, you want to make the best impression possible. So, you do the usual things. You clean, tidy and declutter. However, some details are easy to forget. For example:  Is there a mat by the front door for shoes, umbrellas, etc.?  Did you air out the home as much as possible to get rid of any lingering odours from a pet, recent cooking, e...Read More

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 pag...Read More

Have you ever considered selling your home and moving out-of-town? One concern that might be holding you back is the uncertainty involved in finding a home in an unfamiliar place. What are the best neighbourhoods? What are homes selling for in that area? What is it like to live there? There are many ways to find out. - If possible, spend a day in the area. Walk some of the neighbourhoods. V...Read More

Home insurance seems to be getting costlier every year, with basic premiums continuing to rise as more homes are exposed to added risks attributed to extreme weather events, accidents, vandalism, and outright theft. This leaves homeowners in a difficult situation, but there are things that can be done to help ease rising costs. First, examine your current policy and talk to your agent/broker abo...Read More