Plus visit us at www.enrightandmolleson.com

Let’s go to some open houses! Here are some simple tips to arm yourself with for your open house travels:

• When picking your footwear selection for the day, opt for the easy-on, easy-off shoes.  Why?   Sellers want you to take off your shoes so that their flooring does not get dirty.
• If you are planning to head out to specific properties, plan your route ahead of time so that you can allow enough time to get through all the properties you wanted to view that weekend.  On the flip side, if you are just starting your search and have not set plans, grab the Whig Standard HOMES section, jump in the car and just start driving.  Most REALTORS place their open houses signs on street corners for that you can find us fast!
• Be prepared to sign in.  With the increase in trying to protect the property and for safety in general, you may start to find more agents requesting that you sign in before viewing the house.   So if an agent asks you to, please be courteous and if you don’t want to be marketed to then tell the agent, they will make sure you don’t get anything.
• Grab the flyer with the details about the house on your way in.  Take down some notes on your likes and dislikes so that you can recall these feelings when you get home.  I have a great check list for viewing properties, so send me an email if you want a copy for your open house tours.
• Remember that the REALTOR is there to help you.  Regardless of what agent is representing you, the agent in the house can still answer your questions and help you with your tour.  Then, if you decide want to take a second viewing of the house, call me or the REALTOR that represents you, and we’ll get you through the house on your our schedule.  If touring open houses is not your cup of tea, send me an email and I’ll build a property specific tour of homes for you to tour at a time that is convenient for you.

So where will I be this Super Bowl weekend?  I’m hosting two open houses, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.   Visit the links below for details:

www.341boxwood.com

www.36westmorland.com

Remember: It’s the season for BONUS AIR MILES Reward Miles for all my buyers!!

Figuring out what you want and/or need in your home can be a challenge. Here are some tips to get you started. Be sure to ask everyone in your house to participate and keep track of this “wish list” so that you can discuss it with your Real Estate Agent.

• Style of home – Bungalow, Two-Storey, Condominium, Townhouse.
• Number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, size of garage, main living spaces (eg. Family Room, Great Room, Dining Room, Living Room, Den etc).
• Open concept floor plan or more divided spaces.
• How much outdoor space you need and/or want, do you want a large deck, a fence, a pool?
• Proximity to your work, schools and amenities and public transportation to these if needed.
• School someone in your household attends or plan to attends if already have one in mind.
• Any interior finishing features you’d like, such as carpet or hardwood floor, vinyl or ceramic tiles, central air conditioning etc.

Buying a home is a big decision, but these tips should help get started. Contact me and I’ll help take this list to the next step – finding you a home that meets your vision.

Advantages of Buying a Resale Home

With an older home, for the most part you can see exactly what you are getting. And the things you cannot see, your home inspector will be your source of valuable details about the home. For a resale home, you are usually able to assess the characteristics of the neighbourhood if it’s established and you can see the traffic flow, local amenities and any other elements of importance to you as the buyer.

On a financial side, many resale homes offer a more finished home – eg. landscaping may be done, a deck may already be built, driveway already paved and the basement may already be finished. There are generally fewer move-in costs during the first year with a resale home (possible costs could be revealed by a home inspection). While there are a number of advantages, the age of the home and the overall condition can contribute to the overall cost to you in the future. A thorough home inspection is always recommended so that any anticipated costs for repairs or worn out / out of date items can be considered at the time of purchasing the home (eg. age of shingles, age of furnace etc).

Advantages of Buying a New Home
A brand new home also has advantages. While you may buy a new home from a plan or during the construction phase, in the end you usually have much more flexibility with a new home in customizing your decor and landscaping to suit your tastes. If you have particular preferences for design and layout, building a new home may be just the option you were looking for! Another plus for new homes is simple, when you move into you new home it’s all brand new. You walls are free from blemishes from wall hangings, painted in a colour you selected, your floor coverings are new and compliment your style and so on if you had the opportunity to select your finishes.

Newer homes often address such concerns like shortage of storage, room sizes and of course offer more energy efficient homes by following the new building codes for insulation, wiring, plumbing etc. Since all builders vary with their options and floor plans it’s always a good idea to review the building specifications and inclusions in details before proceeding with your offer. This is where I can help – after working as a dedicated New Home Sales Rep I can lend my expertise to help ensure your new house is the home you imagined!

So if you know which avenue you prefer – resale or new – or if you need help figuring out which option best suits your preferences, call me and I can help.