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Real Estate Negotiation Tips for Buyers Real Estate can be a very competitive market, which can create a sense of urgency for buyers when they find the home of their dreams. Before you can call the house yours, you need to put in an offer for the sellers to look over and the negotiation process will begin.  Negotiations are a chance to get exactly what you want when it comes to your home, but you must also have realistic expectations based on the kind of market you're negotiating in.  A Buyers’ Market is when there are more homes for sale than there are buyers. A Sellers’ Market is when there are more people looking to buy than there are homes listed for sale. Stand your ground in order to negotiate a successful deal. However, keep in mind that all of the parties involved just want to close and get the best deal possible.  There are plenty of different tactics and ways of negotiating. There are also different times to negotiate different things whether it's the purchase price, closing costs, or negotiating repairs…

Tips for a Successful Open House An open house is an important part of the selling process. It lets people know you're selling your home, it gets people talking about your home and, most importantly, it gets people looking at your home. An open house will draw potential buyers, neighbours, real estate agents and others who are just there to "browse" your property. If successful, your open house can turn browsers into buyers and help increase the overall demand for your home. Buyers in the housing market often attend multiple open houses, so distinguishing your home from the rest, shows buyers why they should choose your house over others they've seen. Marketing Your Open House No matter how attractive the house or the price, your house won’t sell without a marketing plan. The word has to get out to the buying public somehow. Your Royal LePage Real Estate Agent will draw on their experience and knowledge of the local housing market to develop a detailed marketing plan that will give your property the…

Tips for Hiring a Moving Company Moving is the start of a new adventure, filled with opportunities and possibilities. Though it can be a stressful and daunting task, the option of hiring a professional moving company may help keep the "fairytale" aspect of moving to a new home, alive. If you’ve decided on hiring a moving company, look for top recommendations for all your needs. Asking family and friends or doing an Internet search for Canadian moving companies and read customer reviews on each company’s website. Pick which companies you think will work best for you and ask for an estimate. You will need to create a detailed list of all the things you want moved by the movers you chose. This will help them give you a more accurate estimate of how much it will cost you to hire the company. This list will also help you keep track of anything that gets lost or damaged during the move. When inquiring about an estimate, ask about any hidden fees or extra charges. While the list helps give a good idea of what will…

Evaluating & Purchasing Rental Properties The idea of a steady monthly income is appealing, and today’s low-interest rates make the idea even more attractive. Investing in a rental property can be profitable, but it’s not without risks. While real estate is one of the safest, risk-free ways to earn money, owners are still responsible for paying the mortgage, property taxes, and other expenses. Get your finances in order - Canada’s mortgage rules dictate that you must come up with a minimum down payment of 20% for a small rental property. If you are living on-site in one of the units, this policy may not apply. Aside from your down payment and mortgage, what you spend on utilities, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades really add up. For this reason, it’s advisable that your first rental property isn't a fixer-upper. Budget a small percentage for maintenance and repairs. You’ll also need to budget to cover operating costs if your property is vacated and you don’t find new tenants to fill the spot quickly enough. Figure…

Planning Before Listing Your Home For Sale Getting your house ready to sell before listing can seem daunting, but there are a few things you can do to entice quick responses from buyers. Finding the Right Realtor A good real estate agent will save you time and money. They know your community, what buyers want in a house, how to negotiate house prices and how to close the deal. Because the reality is, selling a home involves a great deal of research, paperwork, effort and most importantly, trust. Ideally, you should seek out an agent that has a good knowledge of your neighbourhood and local market trends. A good agent will provide a wealth of knowledge and breadth of services that will help you accomplish your goals. Showing a home to buyers is never convenient. But if you want to sell quickly and maximize your selling price, it’s important to remain flexible and accommodating when showing a house to qualified buyers.  Curb Appeal The condition, appearance and functionality of your home will have a significant impact on how much…

The Benefits of Indoor Plants Plants can brighten up indoor spaces and are known to have emotional-boosting qualities. Depending on the plant, indoor plants can be easy to take care of and can be used as a great option to "spruce" up your decor.  Plants also help relieve stress and increase creativity which helps create a healthier, happier environment that will help you thrive. Indoor plants are the perfect option for those who have little yard space for an outdoor garden or for those who live in climates with severely cold winters. Plants can be found for relatively any household, low maintenance, low light, best air purifying plants, and plants for intermediate level indoor-gardeners. Plants have the ability to absorb excess moisture in the air through their leaves. The result is less humidity which equates to less mould and bacteria growing in your home. The most effective plants to aid with these issues are often ones that grow more happily in tropical environments like ferns and palms. Easy to Care…

Introducing Amherstburg, ON It has been deemed as one of the prettiest and oldest communities in Southwest Ontario and is known for its historic background, waterfront views and safe neighbourhoods ... Amherstburg has it all. According to Statistics Canada Amherstburg was number 1 as Canada's Safest Community for 4 years and has not left the top 5 spots since.  Living in Amherstburg Communities in Bloom awarded Amherstburg the 5 BLOOMS award, with judges noting that "everywhere, tidiness and cleanliness was the order of the day." Amherstburg is also well known for its beautiful shoreline and unique views of the former amusement park, Boblo Island. The Town also won the 2015 People's Choice Award for the best neighbourhood to Downtown Amherstburg by Great Places in Canada.  Holiday Beach Conservation Area A long sandy beach on the Lake Erie shoreline, Holiday Beach is ideal for a day at the beach, a beautiful picnic, or a vacation getaway. Holiday Beach and Big Creek Conservation Areas received…

Building the Right Fence for Your Property Making a home your own is one of the best parts of buying a house. Shaping your surroundings so they speak to you, by painting, planting, reconstruction, or redecorating are all sure ways to customize. One thing that is a need for some families with children and pets, is a fence. Whether you live in a subdivision, or a rural area with a field behind your property, a fence can provide a sense of security, safety and privacy. Do You Need A Permit? Where you live, where on your property you will be erecting the fence, and how tall the fence will be, are the three main factors which determine whether you need to get a permit. You can ask your town's building inspector or inquire at your local city hall to find out if you will need to obtain a building permit prior to the fence installation. Before making phone calls, check your municipality website to see if the information is readily available online. When you meet with the building inspector to discuss the location and height of your…

Moving with Pets Moving can be a stressful experience, especially for your pets. Cats can be especially anxious about clutter and new scenery, while skittish dogs can be susceptible to emotional stress while moving. The adjustment period before, during and after moving can take some extra preparation. Before Your Move Bringing a few boxes and suitcases out ahead of time and leaving them in plain view for your pet to acknowledge so they don’t associate those objects with you leaving is a great start. If you're downsizing or moving from the county to the city, get ahead of the curve and begin training your dog commands that make them stop barking, test some brain activities like Kong balls, activity eating mats, etc to learn what does and doesn't work for your pup. Getting them on a bathroom schedule could benefit you both as well. Before moving, update your pets license and microchip in case they do somehow get lost while you're moving. Better safe than sorry! Be sure to update your new address…

Organizing Your Storage Spaces There is always that one area of the house that can use some extra organization attention - the garage, basement, hall closet, even a junk drawer. Storage areas are so important, which makes the organization of those areas equally as important.  When you designate a purpose for the rooms in your home and assign specific places to do activities, it takes the guesswork out of what to store where.  Donate What You Don't Use If you don't remember the last time you used it, or don't use it enough to keep it, it is a candidate for donation. Clutter costs you all the time you spend looking for things. It also costs you money if you end up buying the things you already have but can't find in the clutter. Donating or throwing away the things you do not use enough to keep is the best way to free up space in your home.  Storage Secrets When it comes to containers and totes, do not cheap out. If you’re storing clothes in a closet, you can get by with most basic containers, but…

From Yard to Oasis - Creating a Healthy Lawn Lawn maintenance is one of the big home-care factors you need to make time for. Not only does a manicured lawn add to overall curb appeal, in many municipalities, cutting your grass is enforced with a by-law.  Local By-Laws Regarding Your Yard Grass must be cut (below 12 inches), overgrown weeds and standing water must be removed, discarded or abandoned items must be properly disposed of, alleyways must also be maintained, and inoperative vehicles must be stored under a structure. Getting To Know The Basics Maintaining a healthy lawn involves using good maintenance practices during the growing season. Proper mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and thatch control provide a dense, healthy, high-quality lawn. Fertilizer is food for plants, and grass can benefit tremendously from being given a meal now and then. It’s good to fertilize your lawn in the spring when the grass begins to warm up and grow. You may want to feed your grass again in the late spring when it has used much of its energy…

Factors That Affect A Home’s Price As interest rates rise, the cost to obtain a mortgage increases, thus lowering demand and prices of real estate. Your Neighbourhood Neighbourhood is more than a sense of community, it's also a major factor to the overall value of your home. The quality of the schools and daycares in your area, the employment rates and  opportunities, and the proximity to shopping and recreational centers.Crime rates are also a factor that could affect the value of your home. A house's proximity to highways, utility lines, grocery stores and public transit can all impact a home’s overall value. When it comes to the value of your home, location can be more important than even the size and condition of the house. More often than not, homes similar to yours in the same neighbourhood can determine your home’s value, especially if they were sold recently, the more recent the better. However, a home's list price doesn't always accurately reflect its value—especially in a hot housing market,…