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Painless steps for parting with ‘stuff’ that’s past its primeNo one is really sure how it starts, but over time, old collectibles, recipes, shoes and sports memorabilia can grow into overwhelming roommates.

The old rock collection lining the kitchen window; boxes of toys and scattered art supplies in the children’s room; stacks of cassette tapes and used electronics in the basement; piles of old bill statements, and expired beauty products bursting from your bathroom cupboards – clutter can be a real turn off for prospective home buyers.

Here are some tips for sorting and clearing clutter from your home.

The Box Method
The simplest way to organize clutter is to start with four large containers. Label them as follows:

• Resale/Donation – items that someone might enjoy as much as you once did
• Put Away – items you use now, that simply need to be organized
• Storage – items you use infrequently, that are taking up space in your home
• Recycle/Trash – defunct electronics and computer equipment, broken and obsolete items, expired medications and cosmetics, newspapers and magazines.

The above categories force you to make a decision.  If you have a lot of trash or recyclable materials, including large items like furniture and appliances, you may want to hire the services of a junk removal company.

Clothing and Shoes
Organized and spacious-looking closets are an attractive home selling feature.  In the spring, go through your closets and move winter clothing to storage.  Vacuum storage bags can significantly reduce the space taken up by clothing and bedding off season, and allow you to store them under your bed.

Simplicity is Everything
It is always important for a home to appear lived in – just keep it simple.  Less clutter gives the appearance of more space, and allows potential buyers to imagine your home as their own. 

So whether you are buying or selling a home, it’s always a good idea to get organized for that upcoming move!

AVID Ratings Co. is a customer loyalty and survey management firm that works with the home building industry. AVID recently released its annual survey of home-buyer preferences, revealing these 10 most-desired features of new homes:

1. Large kitchens, with islands and granite counter tops. These are most popular among buyers trading up or buying custom homes.
2. Energy-efficient appliances, insulation and windows. Rising energy costs are making these the most sought-after ‘green’ selling features.
3. Home office/studies as alternatives to formal dining rooms.
4. Main-floor master suites. These are must-haves for empty-nesters, says the survey.
5. Outdoor living rooms. Livable outdoor spaces are gaining popularity in both Canada and the United States.
6. Ceiling fans.
7. Master suite soaker tubs. Large showers with seating areas are also becoming desirable.
8. Stone and brick exteriors.
9. Natural surroundings. These include community landscaping, walking paths and playgrounds.
10. Two-car garages.

AVID Ratings Co. is a customer loyalty and survey management firm that works with the home building industry, and presents annual customer experience awards to builders in both Canada and the United States.

If you are interested in buying a new home, please call me today.  With years experiences selling new homes, we are well equipped to walk you through the new home buying process!

Source: Century 21 Canada

Their are four main types of mortgages offered by lenders in Canada.  They are referred to as closed, open, fixed and variable rate.  Many lenders offer products that can be combined with the mortgage type, so ask questions when you meet with them!

Here is an overview on the above mentioned types of mortgages:

Closed Mortgage

Within a closed mortgage, the payments remain unchanged for the duration of the load period (term).  This format provides stability but penalizes a borrower who wants to terminate the mortgage early.   Typically there are set terms for the loan, usually ranging from a term of 6 months up to even twenty years.  The norm is to secure a term of five years as this provides a locked in rate for a good number of years but allows you to change your mortgage after five years.

Open Mortgage

This form of a mortgage allows the flexibility of pre-payment of the mortgage which is in contrast to the closed mortgage format.

Variable Rate Mortgage

In a variable rate mortgage, the interest rates can change during the term.  The advantage of this format is that the borrow may take advantage of lower interest rates than in a fixed rate mortgage.  On the downside, this mortgage exposes the borrower to change, which could mean the interest rate could go up or down thus affecting the monthly payments.

Fixed Rate Mortgage

Here you have a mortgage that has a constant interest rate throughout the term of the loan, even if the rates rise in the marketplace.  On the flip side, if rates go down in the marketplace, the borrower is locked into the fixed rate until their term is up.  The desireable element of this form of a mortgage relates to the stability of the payments for the borrower.

There are a number of variations of the type of mortgages available in the marketplace.  To explore these more, I would encourage you to visit with a lender, be it a bank or a mortgage broker, to discuss what would be best suited to you & your lifestyle.  If you need a recomendation on where to start, please give me a call or email me. 

Upon pre-approval with a lender, let’s get started on finding you a new house or condo!