Buyers: Home Inspection Tips

Last summer, we wrote about general home inspection tips. We've decided to take it further this Summer by providing more tips for buyers regarding home inspections, since more home sales are subject to home inspections before closing. So here we go!

Hire a Proper Inspector

Getting a friend or family member who knows a lot about houses to come in and check the house you're looking at can be tempting. They're close (usually), you trust them and the whole thing is informal. Even if they do possess a great working knowledge about homes, they don't know everything. That's not an insult to Uncle Greg, it's just a fact of life. Please do the right thing and hire a certified home inspector. These are people that have made an entire career of…

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When Your Home Buying Checklist Turns Into “Too Picky”

This is a tough subject to approach, for both Realtors and home buyers. Even though we all approach home buying with an objective-as-possible attitude, at the end of the day we’re all human. We all have emotions. Emotions are what make this subject so tough to approach. However, this is what makes this topic so important to talk about!

On one hand we have you, the home buyer. You do your homework, and you make a list of must-have home features to find a home that meets your needs. It's understandable how you can feel that the proper approach would be to include as many details as possible, in terms of applying intense criteria to your home shopping. On the other hand, we have the Realtor. They know the market like the back of their hand – what’s…

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How To: Make Your Laundry Room More Efficient

Do you find you are spending far too much time sorting, washing, and folding laundry? No one wants to be spending their valuable time stuck in their laundry room – no matter how big or small it may be! We are sharing our favourite tips and tricks to make your laundry room more efficient, and more beautiful. Let's look forward to laundry day from now on!

1) Create Effective and Appealing Storage Solutions

We all know the number of products it takes to get your clothes miraculously clean, but why put these mix-match product boxes on display? Instead, place your cleaning products in matching display boxes, baskets, or crates. For frequently used items, like detergent or dryer sheets, store them in clear jars for a décor piece. Remember to…

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Your Guide On Conditional Home Sales

Have you ever found a home that you were interested in buying, only to find that near the bottom of the page the status reads, "conditional sale" ? What does that mean? Is the home sold, or isn't it? Sold listings are taken down since they're no longer active on the market, so why is a home that is conditionally sold still up there?

A conditional sale is much like the photo above. Each domino represents each part of the agreement, and the action of the dominoes falling one after the other represents these parts being completed/agreed upon. The hand stopping the action represents a condition, or a part of the agreement, that has not yet been met. Simply put, when a home is ‘sold conditionally’, it means that a buyer and seller have come to an…

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Early Spring Maintenance

It's always an experiment to start your outside maintenance in March or April. Will it snow again 3 times, or 4? Will we flood, or will our sump pumps work alright? Once you're confident that second and third Winter have passed, you can get yourself on these 7 easy outdoor tasks:

Eavestrough Cleaning

Clean out all of the pesky pine needles, leaves, dirt and other debris in your gutters! Overflowing gutters and blocked downspouts can damage the siding and foundation of your home. If you want to be pro-active, you can install a gutter guard once it's clean, which allows only the smallest of particles through. All you have to do every now and again is wipe off the large debris.

A/C Condenser Cleaning

Find your big air conditioner…

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How To: Move With Kids And Pets

Looking at making a move with your children and/or pets? Here are some simple tips to help you with the process:

1) Prepare Ahead Of Time

Start a discussion with your kids, especially the younger ones, about the move. This gives them time to wind down, figure out the new situation and accept change. Have a question and answer style session with them. All of this helps with the transition! Moving day can be a very challenging day for young kids who aren't adequately prepared.

2) Visit The Neighbourhood

Take the kids and pets to parks around the new place. Let them see how much fun the new area has to offer! If there's a dog park, you have an excellent opportunity to socialize your dog and meet other dog owners. Just like kids…

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Cheap Painting Tips To Make Your Home Project Easier

Have you ever looked at the photos on a listing and been completely turned off just by the look of a room? Of course you have, you're human! It's a natural response. We all have different tastes, and it's bound to happen. Luckily, paint can be corrected without too much hassle. Don't give up on a house just because the paint is outdated or not exactly what you want! These kinds of painting projects can actually be a fun bonding experience with you and your new home. It helps to make the transition fun, and show you that yes - this house is indeed yours! Not all painting projects are created equal though, especially where budget is concerned. That's why we've gathered these budget friendly tips together to help you get the most out of every last (paint)…

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5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About

Hey, homeowner! If you've come here, you probably aren't sure where the really important things in your house are. You're likely a first time homebuyer, but maybe not. No worries if you are - everyone has to start somewhere! Regardless, you want to know what systems require your prioritized attention and care. Follow along with the list below as we shed some light on the important questions you have about your home.

1) Where is my main water valve?

Since homes are built by different people and different construction companies, every home layout is different. However, your main water valve is most likely on the interior of your home, near ground level. For most homes, it's right by your water meter. If not, think logically. The fastest…

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Don't Do That! First Time Homebuyer Advice

It's such an exciting time, buying your first home. The leap into homeownership is what usually marks a new chapter in life, especially for young adults. While the process is made easier by choosing a Realtor to be on your side, there are still some mistakes that are made by adventurous first time buyers. In order to help you better, we've come up with 4 tips that will help you avoid making mistakes - based off of common regrets of first time home buyers, and admittedly, personal mistakes we made in our home buying youth!

1) Don't Assume You'll Be Here Forever

A study completed 6 years ago by the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) estimated that the average Canadian will own 4.5 to 5.5 homes in their…

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3 Surefire Ways To Improve Your Credit Worthiness

As we all know, there are no quick fixes when it comes to your credit. There is no magic way or secret trick to rapidly improve your credit standing. However, improving your credit is something that you can get STARTED on rather quickly. After some time, your credit score will improve and other aspects of your financial health will reach a healthy level. Without further ado, here are our three surefire ways to improve your credit worthiness:

1) Only Apply For Credit If Absolutely Necessary

Financial institutions may take the opening of multiple accounts as a red flag. They may see you as being unable to repay any debt at all because this behaviour is common with those who are financially distressed. Lenders approve their borrowers…

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