Staging is a worthwhile investment: On a $1,000,000 home 50% of Realtors expect to achieve between $10,000 and $200,000 difference! Would you spend $2000 to make $20,000? Before & After: Simplify and brighten the living room with lighter paint and furniture, expose the handsome windows, and remove more personal items for a fresh contemporary look. Staging helps your home to stand out from the crowd. It ensures that your home is shown in its... [read more]

Staging is done just before a house is listed for sale. It strives to transform the property so that it photographs well, and can be presented at it's best in a variety of visual marketing formats. At it’s most successful, staging creates the “wow effect” that motivates potential buyers to leave their homes and come visit yours! Staging can mean renting a house full of furniture and/or accessories, but it does not always have to be that... [read more]

You’re reading this because either your home has become more of a burden than a blessing, or you anticipate the time when that will be the case. You wonder whether its time to start planning to downsize? This is commendable because the truth is everyone will eventually downsize. It is simply a matter of under what circumstances and who will be calling the shots. Will you downsize proactively in order to realize retirement dreams or will you downsize reactively because of a crisis... [read more]

Deciding what improvements to do to before selling your home is the second most frequently cited challenge after decluttering that downsizers mention. Should you sink thousands (or tens of thousands!) into renovations in the hope that their house will fetch a higher sale price? Where is the best place to spend that money? What can be done on a limited budget? “What about free improvements, we really like those!” While there are some things that should be taken care of,... [read more]

Of frequent concern to downsizing homeowners is the task of decluttering. It’s often described as “overwhelming,” mainly because people are unsure where to start. The physical work involved seems daunting, and the potential emotional upheaval unpleasant, so many homeowners reluctantly decide to stay put rather than face it. They push off dealing with it until, “Some day....” Clutter is the enemy that holds them prisoner in a home that no longer suits their... [read more]

Why do some Home Sell While others Sit…and Sit…and….   You’ve no doubt noticed that some homes come to market and BAM! they are SOLD in days or a few weeks while others just stagnate on the market. Why? And what can you do to make sure your home sells in a timely manner? First, properties that do not sell all have one thing in common: they are overpriced. The buying public has seen, evaluated and moved on. Veni, vidi, verti. From their point of... [read more]

You want to downsize, you know you should downsize, yet you delay. Why? You have a bad case of “affluenza,” or too much stuff to sort through, dispose of, and pack upbefore you move.It can seem overwhelming! And more than any other issue affecting long-term homeowners, the abundance of STUFF holds would-be downsizers captive.That’s the diagnosis, but what is the remedy? It’s simple (but not easy): T.O.T. or “Time on Task.” Your commitment to set aside a... [read more]

The news has been filled with sensational and often-contradictory headlines regarding the real estate market. While it is certain that the sky-high prices of 2017 are no longer the reality, buyers and sellers alike are left wondering what’s ahead. The answer depends greatly on the product, the price range and the neighbourhood. There is not one market to speak of. Detached homes vs condos, the 416 vs the 905, and under or over $1,000,000 -- all have different market forecasts.... [read more]

So, you want to sell your house. Sure, you’ve been cleaning, fixing and staging your house to impress buyers, but here’s a reality check: by the time they walk through your door, it might already be too late. Remember the law of first impressions: you never get a second chance to make one. Maximizing your home’s curb appeal is a critical step to instantly grabbing the buyers’ attention. Put yourself in the place of someone who’s never seen your... [read more]

It is important to have an idea of what your home may sell for before you make any decisions. When you sell, you want to get as much value as you can for your home. So you might want to consider the timing of the sale because it definitely has an effect on the value. You don’t want to sell when it’s a “buyer’s market,” when too many homes are for sale and there are not enough buyers. Seasonality is something to consider as well because typically more homes... [read more]

          Moving into a smaller home may feel like a step down, but a closer look reveals quite a few upsides: saving money, saving time and having less clutter in your life. Advantages of Home Downsizing: Increased Cash Flow. If you're spending less on your mortgage payment, you are likely to have money left over every month to allocate for other needs or desires. Or perhaps you could pay cash for a smaller home from the proceeds of your... [read more]

Expertly staging your house could be the difference between whether or not a buyer is captivated by your house. Here are six ways to make sure that your house makes an outstanding impression and is staged for success: Store Personal Items: As your real estate team, our goal is to make sure your house appeals to the largest segment of likely buyers in order to secure the best possible price. In order to do this, it's important to make sure the buyer can picture themselves in... [read more]

Good Decisions are Based on Good Information. 5 SURPRISING HOME BUYER TURN OFFS... [read more]

 Today, there is a much broader continuum of possibilities and options for seniors who want to live in a more communal setting. Today’s “retirement villages” offer co-housing for seniors who want to save on living expenses by living with smaller apartment homes and larger shared public spaces, or gradually increasing the level of assisted living help and medical care that is available onsite at the home. It’s possible to retire and move into a... [read more]

There are more than 2,500 registered condominium corporations in the City of Toronto. While those condominiums may range from skyscrapers made up of apartment-style units to blocks of townhouses, one thing that every condominium corporation has in common is the obligation for unit owners to pay common expenses. Maintenance fees will often be several hundred dollars per month or more, so unit owners want to know how are they're calculated and how they're... [read more]

Keep Your Home Current with Small Investments 1. Curb-Appeal Kick that rusted mailbox and ragged welcome mat to the curb! Add a splash of colour with a pimento-red or teal-blue front door. A new door-knocker adds class. Small changes make a big impact.   2. Lighting Think "bling" for today's interior lighting choices. Co-ordinate  chic chandeliers in Master & ensuite. Exterior lighting should be... [read more]

One of the biggest choices many older homeowners will face when deciding to downsize is choosing to sell and rent or sell and buy a smaller home. Empty nesters are thinking, “ Our 5-bedrooms house is to big for us now, not to mention the money drain. It’s time to move.” Downsizing retires should take some time to compare all of the options before making a final decision. Given that housing can be your single greatest monthly expense, it pays to put some thought... [read more]

  We all know a little staging or sprucing up can go a long way when you’re trying to sell your home. One way to make a big transformation easily is with paint. Here are some insider tips on how to use paint to stage a home for selling! 1. Buyers get a feeling as soon as they pull up to the curb.That’s why it’s essential that your house exterior looks its best. Your driveways, walkways and landscaping should be tidy and well-kept. Your front... [read more]

Looking to increase your home's property value? Here are four of the best renovations you can do to your home to increase property value. These four renovations can sometimes have a return on investment 5-6 times what they cost. When considering any renovation it is important to first determine the R.O.I. (Return on Investment.) Spending more may not necessarily net you more. Plan carefully and make each dollar count! [read more]

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For many home buyers, the outdoor area of a home is just as important as the interior. Lots of people love to entertain outside or just relax out there. That’s why it’s important to make your home’s outdoor spaces appealing to buyers to help you sell it faster. Staging outdoor spaces has never been more important than it is now. By creating a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living spaces, you not only increase the value of... [read more]

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It may have been a while since you last sold a property, or perhaps even you have never sold. Regardless of your experience level, one elusive seller “holy grail” remains the notion of timing the market. This is particularly of interest now that the real estate market has returned to something closer to a “balanced market.”    So the question remains, can you time the Market to maximize your sale price?    No one can say for certain what... [read more]