Are you thinking about purchasing home fitness equipment? Owning your own treadmill, exercise bike, or rowing machine can save you a lot of time and money compared to joining a fitness club. However, selecting the right equipment can be a challenge. Here are some tips:

• Try it first. Ask your home fitness equipment dealer to let you do a few minutes of exercise on the machine you’re considering. Most will agree. Be suspicious if they don’t.
• Ask around. Staff at local fitness clubs know the best equipment. Ask them for recommendations. Also ask friends and colleagues.
• Read on-line reviews. Type the name and model of the fitness machine you’re considering into Google along with the word “reviews”. Chances are you’ll find several websites that contain candid customer comments, complaints and testimonials.
• Make sure it fits. Home fitness equipment can take up a lot of space. Make sure the one you select fits in the room you have in mind. Pay particular attention to the ceiling height. You don’t want to hit your head while working out on your stair climber!

Unless you’re selling in a strong sellers’ market, you should take advantage of every opportunity to show your home. Say, for example, an interested buyer would like to see your property tomorrow evening. If you say no, they might see another listing in the meantime — and make an offer!

So, being prepared to show your home at the drop of a hat is important.

That doesn’t mean you should agree to be inconvenienced constantly. However, if you can put up with some disruptions in your plans now and then, you’ll increase your chances of selling your property.

Consider these tips:

• Avoid restricting showings to a particular weekday, such as Monday evening and Saturday afternoon. What if an interested buyer isn’t available those days?
• Try to keep your home clean and tidy. That way, you can accommodate a short-notice request to see your listing more easily. (Consider temporarily hiring a cleaner.)
• Make a list of places you can take your family (including pets) on short notice. For example, a park or movie.

Want more tips for selling your home quickly and for top dollar? Call @dianadickeyrealtor today.

Are you thinking about selling your home this spring?

If so, one factor that may be holding you back is time.

You might be worried that you won’t find the time in your busy schedule to sell your property successfully.

If so, here are four strategies that will help:

1. Understand what needs to be done

Do you know what you’ll need to do to sell your home? Do you understand the steps involved? Do you have a clear idea of how long it will take to complete various tasks, like getting repairs done and doing some “staging”?

The more accurately you can anticipate your tasks and how long it will take to complete them, the better you’ll be able to plan and schedule.

2. Keep a “moving” calendar

It’s a known time management fact that using a calendar and blocking out time for tasks will ultimately save you time. So, use your calendar, or create a new one just for moving-related items. With an up-to-date calendar in place, you’ll always have a view of what needs to be done and how those tasks fit into your weekly schedule.

Maintaining a moving calendar also reduces stress.

3. Ask for advice

How should you stage your main floor? Should you make any home improvements? How should you prepare for a buyer coming to view your property?

You don’t need to guess or Google. Get professional advice. Doing so will expose you to the most current best practices and will save you time.

4. Hire help

You don’t need to do everything on your own. Instead, consider hiring professionals to do at least some of the work for you. For example, hire a painter, a lawn mowing service or a dog walker.

Hiring professionals during the selling period can save you countless hours. And, those costs may be offset by the sale of your home.

Imagine you’re shopping for a car. You find one that’s a suitable model, a recent year, and hasn’t been driven a lot. The price is right, too.

But, there’s a caveat.

The paint is worn off in several places. The driver’s seat upholstery is torn and requires repair. And, the tires needed to be replaced… a long time ago.

Would you still buy it? You might. However, unless you enjoy fixing up cars, you’d probably hesitate to make the purchase.

After all, in addition to seeing the car itself, you’re noticing the work that needs to be done to fix it.

The same holds true when selling your home.

The more “move-in” ready you make the property the more likely buyers are to become interested in buying it. Like when viewing a car, you want buyers to focus on all your home’s wonderful features, not on the repairs and updates that need to be done.

That being said, how important is it that your home be “move-in ready” when you sell?

That depends, in large part, on the market. If it’s currently a seller’s market in the neighbourhood — lots of buyers but comparatively few properties for sale — getting your home move-in ready is less important. There is already high demand for your property. (However, getting all repairs done and staging your property effectively will still provide a significant advantage.)

In a buyer’s market, where there are more homes for sale than buyers, you’re in a competitive situation. So, anything you can do to give your listing an advantage is worth the effort. That includes making it as “move-in” ready as possible.

Until a couple of years ago, internet access was a nice-to-have for most homeowners. But these days, it’s fast becoming a necessity. Kids need good internet to do homework assignments. You may need reliable internet to work from home and attend online meetings.

So, when shopping for a new home, it’s wise to check if the property which you’re interested in making an offer on has good internet available. The last thing you want is to move into a home only to discover that the internet service is slow and faster options are unavailable.

There are many ways to do find out.

For example, most internet services websites have a feature where you can type on the address and find out what type of internet services are available. Pay attention to how the service is delivered to your home, as well as the upload and download speeds.

Traditionally, cable and fiber offer the highest speeds with the most stable connections. However, satellite and DSL can be very good, too, depending on the service provider.

For online meetings (i.e., ZOOM) you’ll need an internet service with 4Mbps upload and 3Mbps download. (Most internet service plan descriptions show those download and upload numbers.) Keep in mind that if you have several internet users in your home — watching a movie, playing a game, etc., — you’ll need higher upload and download speeds.

Your best bet is to call the internet service company and explain your requirements. Learn what service options are available for the home you’re thinking of buying.

Want more tips on finding and buying your next dream home? Call today.

When you buy a new home and moving day is looming, it can be tempting to consider doing the move yourself. After all, by not hiring a moving company, you’re saving money.

It is true, the DIY approach can lower your moving costs, which is money you can put towards needed fixes and upgrades to your new property.

But, you’re also adding a lot of work! You’ll need to think about boxes, packing, truck rental, gas, lifting and lugging, friends who offer to help but bail last minute, and more.

So, if you’re going to move yourself, plan carefully. Ensure you have all the boxes and packing supplies (tape, bubble wrap, etc.) you need. Most importantly, put together a reliable crew who can stick with you the entire day. In addition to family and friends, it might make sense to hire a worker for the day.

If that all seems like too much work and hassle, then using a moving company is a time-saving option. Yes, you’ll pay more. But you’ll get professional movers, with a truck, who can do much of the lifting and lugging for you. That will take a lot of the stress out of moving day.

And, keep in mind, you don’t need to get the moving company to do it all.

You can cut costs by having them handle the heavier items, such as appliances and furniture, while you DIY-move other things, such as easier-to-handle boxes.

Regardless of which option you choose, make your plans well in advance. When it comes to moving day, you’ll be glad you did!

Want more tips on making buying and selling easier? Call today.

Chances are, you’ve heard the expression, “Your home is your biggest investment.” For most homeowners, that’s true. So, when you’re shopping for a new home, it’s important to consider the financial ramifications of any purchase. Ideally, you want a home that is likely to increase in value over time.

In other words, you want a home with a strong potential return on investment.

But dollars aren’t the only type of return you should look for in a new home. Real estate is unique in that the “emotional” return is just as important as the financial return — and, in some cases, even more so.

Say, for example, you’re thinking of moving to a neighbourhood that is closer to work. In fact, you’ll cut your commuting time by an hour each day. Financially, that return on investment means little beyond some savings on gas. However, the emotional payoff can be very high, especially when you consider what you can do with that extra hour each day. Imagine what it would mean to spend more time with your kids or workout out at the gym more often.

So, considering the emotional return on investment when you’re moving is essential. It has a huge impact on your lifestyle and your enjoyment of the property.

How do you factor that in when selling your property and searching for your next dream home?

When you see a listed home you like, make a list of all the emotional benefits of living there. That list might include having a park nearby, living closer to friends or family, having a home office that isn’t the kitchen table, having more space to accommodate a growing family, and so forth.

Then, factor that list into your decision of whether or not to buy.

Keeping your lawn, flowerbeds and shrubs looking great enhances the “curb appeal” of your property. However, it can also be a lot of work! Here are some do-it-yourself tips for making these tasks easier and less time-consuming:

• Add mulch around trees and shrubs. That way, you won’t have to cut grass in those areas, plus you’ll avoid the need to use shears or a trimmer to do the job properly.
• Adjust lawnmower blades to the optimal height for short, well-groomed grass. That way, you won’t have to mow as often.
• Use tools that don’t require you to bend over or work on your knees. That will greatly reduce fatigue. (Example: Stand-up grass shears.)
• Consider applying mulch in flower beds. That will reduce weeds. It will also help retain moisture, so you won’t have to water as often.
• Avoid high-maintenance plants that require strict watering and tending regiments. No-fuss plants are ideal. (Talk to your local gardening center.)
• Consider using a soaker hose. It has holes all along the tubing that gently release water. Simply snake the hose through flowerbeds and shrubs or around trees, turn on the water and the hose does the rest.

Want more tips for making your property look great, especially if you’re thinking of selling? Call today.

Daydreaming about owning something you can’t afford can be fun. Whether it’s a diamond-encrusted watch from Tiffany & Co., or the latest Lamborghini, even the thought of trying one on or going for a test drive can be exciting.

The problem with daydreaming, however, is that it’s all-too-easy to dismiss it as just that – a dream.

But, what if you daydream about owning a beautiful home in a desirable neighbourhood? Before you dismiss that as just fanciful thinking, it’s worth finding out if that dream could actually be achievable.

You might discover that you do qualify to get into the home of your dreams.

It’s relatively easy to figure it out.

First, you need to learn what homes are currently selling for in the neighbourhood you’re targeting. If you’ve been through that exercise already, keep in mind that the market might have changed substantially in the past few months.

The next thing you need to determine is approximately how much you can expect to get for your current property. That’s a fairly easy calculation and is based on what “comparable” homes in your neighbourhood have sold for recently.

Finally, you need to find out how much of a mortgage you may need and what your payments will likely be.

Once you have those numbers, you’ll know if you can afford the home of your dreams in the neighbourhood you’d love to get into.

Then you can stop daydreaming and make it happen!

Thinking of having a yard or garage sale? It’s a great way to dispose of unwanted items and other clutter, especially if you’re thinking of moving. In addition, yard sales have a charm that selling items on the internet can’t match. That’s why they’re still so popular.

If you’re planning a yard or garage sale, here are some helpful tips:

• Two-thirds of garage sale shoppers will find you via signage. So, be sure to place plenty of signs around the neighbourhood that clearly point buyers to your location.
• Place in-demand items closer to the street so shoppers can see them from a distance. (For example, computers, electronic games, bicycles, exercise equipment, furniture.)
• Buyers don’t want to pay a “fair” price at a garage sale. They want a bargain basement deal! So, price items accordingly.
• Open early in the day. You’ll find that the biggest shoppers (the deal hunters) will stop by before 9 a.m. Some will be there before you open!
• Be sure to have some cash on hand to make change.

Of course, you should also be as safe as possible and comply with all applicable public health guidelines.

If some items don’t sell, consider donating them to a community thrift shop or dropping them off at a recycling centre.

Good luck with your sale!

If you’re like most people, you hope that you’ll receive your online orders within a few days. Sure, a purchase might occasionally arrive later than expected. That’s just the reality of online shopping.

But, what if you need an item delivered quickly, without risk of delay?

Here are a few suggestions:

• Check if the product is in stock. That’s usually indicated on the web page, but you can also phone to confirm. In-stock items usually ship quickly.
• Avoid special orders. Those always take longer to ship.
• If possible, find out if the product is coming from overseas. The longer the supply chain, the higher the likelihood of delays.
• Find out if in-store pickup is available. Retailers ship to their stores faster than they do to their customer’s homes.
• Avoid ordering from a “bricks and mortar” store that doesn’t sell very much online. If online ordering and delivery is merely a sideline for them, delays will likely be common.
• If possible, order from companies that promise a specific date or date range for delivery. For example, “Arrives by May 5.”

Getting online orders delivered on time is especially important for items you need when preparing your home for sale. If that’s the case for you, call today for more ideas.

Imagine you’ve been waiting for the right moment to sell your home and you’re finally ready to pull the trigger and list it. But, just as you’re about to put up the sign, you notice that a few other FOR SALE signs have unexpectedly popped up in the neighbourhood.

Oh no! Now there are competing listings. Does that mean you should put your plan to sell your property on hold?

Not necessarily.

Just because comparable homes are for sale in the area doesn’t mean it’s not a good time to make your move. In fact, even if there is a sharp increase in local listings, active buyers might still outnumber properties available.

In that scenario, you’d likely get several interested buyers.

And, even in the case of a buyer’s market, now might still be the ideal time to sell. Don’t forget, your home might have desirable features that some buyers are eagerly looking for, giving your home the advantage over others on the market.

In addition, a large part of a successful sale is in how a property is marketed and promoted. With effective marketing, your home is more likely to be noticed by the right type of buyers… buyers who are actively looking for a property like yours.

So, waiting for the perfect moment to sell your home rarely makes sense. In most cases, the best time to list is now.

That being said, it is helpful to find out exactly what to expect should you list your property in today’s market. To find that out, call today 604-618-7060