Check out Certified Master Inspector, Dave Watson’s tips and tricks on how to properly maintain your HRV.
(click on the image to access the video)
Organizing an Edmonton home available to be purchased is basically setting up a house to be sold. There are various perspectives to organizing, yet there is a straightforward establishment to every last bit of it.
Procuring an expert stager is justified regardless of the venture on the grounds that they address all parts of arranging. Be that as it may imagine a scenario in which you have no arranging plan.
There are a few steps you can take to stage your Edmonton home available to be purchased — and a hefty portion of them don’t cost a dime. Here are five free things you can do to set up your Edmonton home to offer.
Clean!
The most obvious thing individuals consider while in a house is whether they trust it is clean. A home that is totally flawless shows too looked after.
Clean all windows all around. Clean all entryway edges, light installations, roof fans and blinds. Don’t leave a solitary spot in your home untouched. Potential purchasers look all over, so verify the whole home is clean.
Depersonalize the house
Pack up pretty much all individual photographs and family mementos. On the off chance that you have an extraordinary photograph of your family getting a charge out of an outdoors excursion or other family movement, you can forget it on presentation if your house is being showcased to families. This one family photograph plants a seed of satisfaction in a purchaser’s psyche, making them think how content their own family could be existing in the home.
All different photographs, representations and mementos must be pressed away out of perspective — and in a perfect world, put away outside the home. All in all, family photographs and souvenirs attract a purchaser’s consideration regarding your family and keep them from seeing your home as their potential home.
You’re not offering the family, you’re offering the house — so dependably let that be the inside of consideration.
Pack — and pack some more
You could most likely live agreeably for a brief time with about a large portion of the things you possess, particularly on the off chance that you have existed in your home for more than a couple of years. We every one of the have a tendency to gather things. Whether we utilize them or not doesn’t make a difference, however what does make a difference is showcasing the space your home brings to the table potential purchasers. You can’t showcase rooms that are loaded with stuff — particularly a lot of furniture.
Pack up as much as you can live without, then store it offsite if conceivable. Store pressed boxes and additional furniture conveniently far from living spaces regardless. On the off chance that you need to store things in the carport, make certain you leave enough space for an auto.
Beauty treatment on outside spaces
Open air living is currently a piece of regular life for the greater part of us. Potential purchasers will totally consider the open air spaces as discriminatingly as they do indoor spaces. In the event that you don’t have the financial backing to rouse the scene with blossoms and enhancing things, you can in any case verify the yard is splendidly manicured.
Keep your yard watered, and slice grass to more or less 3 inches high. Any shorter detracts from the new green look, and any more begins to look unkempt.
Foliage ought to be extremely slick and appropriately molded to match your neighborhood. Trim the trees so that a 6-foot-tall individual can without much of a stretch pass under them. This makes the trees show up taller, and gives the yard a clean, clean look.
Force wash the walkway, yard, deck, garage and wall. You will be astonished what a distinction this will make in the look of your home.
Lighten up
At the point when indicating or shooting your home for potential purchasers, open each visually impaired and blind in your home, and turn on every light. Indeed the lights over the stove and inside the broiler ought to be on. (Keep in mind, the apparatuses are flawless — they have to be flaunted!)
Purchasers are searching for “light and splendid,” not “dull and troubling,” so provide for them light. Help them perceive how clean and decently administered to your house is. Don’t be hesitant to move a light to light up a space on the off chance that you have to. May there be light — and parts and heaps of it.
It can be a considerable measure of work getting your home prepared to offer. Indeed with no arranging plan, you can in any case take the time to roll out a couple of improvements that will have a significant effect on your Edmonton home for sale.
To find out what the latest trend is in Edmonton home staging, check out our new and improved Edmonton MLS listings.
With home value increases abating in many parts of the nation, Edmonton home sellers will be searching for approaches to get top dollar for their posting. Cleaning and arranging have an enormous effect. Yet for a few dealers, for example, financial specialists looking to bring an Edmonton property up to neighborhood benchmarks before the deal redesigning work may be the ticket.
As the 2015 Renovating Expense versus Quality Report makes clear, substantial scale occupations aren’t liable to return Edmonton home sellers their full cost. At the same time there are enhancements worth doing in reckoning of an up and coming deal. Some will return just about 100 percent of their expense. Others might not have as awesome a payback, yet they can enhance the business sector position of the Edmonton property in connection to the opposition. (Consider the effect of delightful kitchen photographs on online Edmonton home customers.) also, a few pricier undertakings can furnish managers with a couple of years of pleasure while as yet offering a not too bad payback not far off.
When in doubt:
More straightforward, lower-expense tasks have a tendency to return more prominent quality. The national normal expense for a steel entryway substitution was $1,230, for instance. That is the slightest extravagant extend on the rundown, and it positions most elevated on the payback scale, giving back 101.8 percent broadly by and large. Truth be told, in 43 of the 102 business sectors overviewed, REALTORS® said the new entryway would recover more than 100 percent of its cost. Different tasks anticipated that would beat 100 percent payback in various markets: the midrange carport entryway substitution, the upscale carport entryway substitution, the midrange wood window substitution, and the minor kitchen redesign. Notice an example? Except for the kitchen occupation, they’re all substitution ventures. All in all, substitutions cost less and give a greater payback than redesigns or augmentations.
Early introductions are vital. The substitutions that offer the best payback are the ones that are most evident to purchasers when they first view a house in individual or on the web, for example, new entryway or carport entryway. Siding substitution likewise gives extraordinary worth at resale—especially the current year’s one new extend, produced stone lacquer, which is required to recover 92.2 percent of its cost broadly by and large.
Kitchens still offer the most renovating value for the money. The main renovating occupation softening into the main 10 up terms of payback is the minor kitchen rebuild with a national normal expense of $19,226 and a national normal payback of 79.3 percent.
Main 5 undertakings broadly as far as expense recovered:
1. Section entryway substitution (101.8%)
2. Fabricated stone polish (92.2%)
3. Carport entryway substitution mid-range (88.5%)
4. Siding substitution, fiber concrete (84.3%)
5. Carport entryway substitution upscale (82.5%)
Expect greater adjustments in the West. Notwithstanding reporting national midpoints, Redesigning magazine separates Expense versus Esteem information by Enumeration locale. In the Pacific area which incorporates The Frozen North, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington—six undertakings are relied upon to main 100 percent payback. The closest contender is the East South Focal district Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee—where two activities are required to main 100 percent payback.
Exactly how much dealers can hope to recover from home changes relies on upon the occupation and the district of the nation they live in. There are additionally considers that fluctuate from house to house and deal to deal, for example, what overhauls are commonplace for the area, the nature of the work, and how vital the change is to a specific purchaser. Keeping in mind you can’t make a difference this information straightforwardly to any particular house or neighborhood, you can utilize the Expense versus Worth Report as a beginning stage in discourses with purchasers and venders about the expense and benefit of renovating.
Check out our complete list of available newly renovated Edmonton homes for sale at our new Edmonton MLS listings.
It’s been almost a mythical belief that the best time to sell an Edmonton home is during spring and summer season. That is most certainly not true. Although, selling in spring and summer poses “some” advantages, listing your home today would be one of best strategies you could do.
It is possible to sell your home quickly and for a better price this off-season due to a shortage in inventory. Remember, most Edmontonians are busy preparing for the holidays so there are few competitions out in the market!
During the spring and summer time, there’s an influx of newly built homes so that gives buyers more options, which in turn could force you (or the other sellers) to reduce the selling price.
Again, to emphasize, the off-season will provide you with less competition. Yes, we needed to underscore that part. Most people hibernate by this time of the year, some would just choose to watch the Edmonton Oilers game (like Serge and Dan) rather than sell their homes so all the odds are within your favor!
Lastly, off-season buyers would love it when they know and see for themselves that your most cherished house have been performing terribly well against damaging weather conditions; heavy rains, freezing temperatures.
Pick-up your phone and call Team Leading Edge now at 780-634-8151 so we could start selling your home.
We don’t need the ‘Nights Watch’ to remind us that winter is coming. As Serge puts it “I would just like to indulge for a moment and think of Edmonton with more than 2 seasons – winter and construction season.”
Since almost everybody now is in the winter state of mind, we at Team Leading Edge would just like to conduct a friendly reminder to those who have yet to prep their homes for winter. Winter is no laughing matter so better take this seriously if you would like to experience another awesome holiday.
LEAKS!
Leaks have a special place in our hearts so it is but appropriate to put it first on this list. Leaks can make your life miserable so checking it should be on the top of your priority list!
10 to 15 percent of your hard earned money would be wasted if you have an improperly sealed home. The most effective way avoid this wasteful consumption of energy is through caulking and weather stripping. Doors and windows are the main culprit for leaks, do a thorough inspection on all your doors and windows and caulk all holes you see to prevent heat from escaping.
MAINTENANCE!
To keep your heating system at 110% performance, equipment maintenance is the most important thing to do. Failure to check your heating and cooling systems from dirt would result in an under-performance and might possibly ruin your equipment.
A licensed contractor would be your best friend in time of need so it’s best to schedule a fall check-up with him.
HEATING!
Okay, we want to emphasize the importance of your heating system come winter time. DO NOT let October pass without checking and making sure that the heating system is working to its fullest.
Test run the heating system by cranking the thermostat to 80 degrees, this should turn the furnace on and let warm air circulate within minutes. If and when this doesn’t happen, you can try to check where the problem is coming from through your gas furnace troubleshooting guidelines (I do hope your furnace came with that). If you wouldn’t want to fix it yourself, a gas furnace technician would be your best bet in fixing the problem.
THE PIPES!
If you’re from Edmonton, busted pipes in winter isn’t a ‘new’ thing, still, this doesn’t mean you have to let it happen this coming winter! Nope! Nope! Nope!
Having your pipes burst would surely cause huge household damage, the best way to prevent that is through pads. Cover exposed pipes in unheated areas like the attic and basement with tubular pipe insulation sleeves. Cover every inch of exposed pipe including joints and bends, once done, duct tape would be enough to help you seal the seams.
THE WINTER STORM!
It’s better to be safe than sorry. That would prove to be a lifesaver in case of a winter storm. Rule of thumb, always have an emergency kit that’s fully-stocked ready. The emergency kit must consist of warm clothes, blankets, water, non-perishable food, battery-powered radio (yup, don’t rely on your iPhone!), meds, pet food and of course a first aid kit. Three to five days worth of stock would be perfect in this kind of emergencies.
So, there you have it, simple reminders to get you prepared for winter. Following these won’t consume much of your precious time, do it now. Carpe Diem!
Check out our new and improved MLS real estate listings for the best winter ready home for sale in Edmonton.
This fall, your furnace is one of the most important features of your home that should be checked for functionality and efficiency. We gathered a few simple ‘must-do’ work that you should consider taking actions on, in order to have a warm and cozy fall season just like last year. Don’t wait for disaster to strike, act now before it’s too late.
ANNUAL MAINTENANCE: To keep the furnace in great running condition, you should always schedule an annual tune-up by a licensed technician. It’s best to do this in early fall to give you ample time to schedule any repairs that needs to be accomplished.
In order to avoid any emergency furnace repairs, maintenance work should be done regularly. Your technician should check for cracks or damage on the heat exchanger and that all safety systems are in place in order to make sure the furnace is running efficiently.
CHECK SAFETY: If you would consider doing the maintenance on your own, safety would always be the number one priority. To avoid getting electrocuted, always remember to turn off the power if you if you will be performing more than just changing the filter.
Gas leaks are one of the most serious safety issues, if you detect any gas-like odor, immediately call the fire department. You should not attempt in fixing the furnace on your own in this scenario, you will be putting not just your life, but everybody inside the house in danger.
MAKE IT EFFICIENT: Here at Team Leading Edge, we have always emphasized the need for home efficiency. We try to include little tips and tricks whenever we could and this furnace maintenance is now exemption. As we have mentioned in our previous post 5 Ways To Minimize Home Energy Consumption, installing a programmable thermostat can ensure to help you achieve optimum energy efficiency. Since gas furnaces takes up a big chunk of the electric bill during the fall and winter season, a programmable thermostat will come in handy by adjusting the heat automatically in scheduled intervals.
Investing your time in these little ‘must-do’s’ will provide great ROI in the form of home efficiency and safety. Carpe Diem!
Your house is one of the biggest investments you would ever have in your lifetime so it is but right to protect this valuable investment in the best way possible. Here at Team Leading Edge, we care not only in assisting you find a home in Edmonton but also in helping you protect against the loss of it.
Home insurance is the best form of protection against any unforeseen tragic events towards your home, here are 5 of the most important things to remember when getting home insurance.
Like life insurance policies, the bigger the amount of coverage, the higher your premium would be.
Provided that you could prove that an alarm system is regularly tracked, certain insurance providers will give you a hefty discount since they will consider you as a low-risk client.
Bottom line, understand the insurance contract and if you have doubts or questions, clarify it immediately with the insurance agent/broker until you are satisfied. If something seems off, move on to the next insurance provider.
Remember, there are some things in life that are beyond your control, so being thoroughly prepared for unforeseen events is the best possible way to counter its negative impact.
Team Leading Edge can assist you in choosing the right home insurance provider in Edmonton. Call the team now at (780) 634-8151 to get you started.
From the first day that you decide to sell your house to the last day when you hand over the keys, it is a cooperative effort between you and your Realtor to get your home sold fast and for the most money possible. Yes, you also play a big part in selling your home. Here are some helpful tips to make the transition from owner to seller a much easier process:
1. Mental Transition: You need to start here if you want to sell your home. Stop thinking of it as your place of zen, where you lay your head at night, etc, and start thinking of it as something that is going to put a lot of money into your pocket.
2. Remove all personal items: During showings, you want people coming through the house thinking of where their pictures will go and not feel like they’re walking though someone else’s memories.
3. Clutter-be-gone: Throw away the things you haven’t seen or used in ages – meaning, if you haven’t needed it in the past two years, chances are you’re not going to. If you are serious about selling your house, you will be serious about moving out of it. Start going through your belongings and get rid of everything that you don’t use which will help de-clutter your spaces and make your move an easier one.
4. Don’t forget to clean/organize the small spaces: Expect that when people are walking through the house, they are going to look through the closets and kitchen cabinets. Pride of ownership will be apparent to prospective buyers when they see that even the nooks and crannies have been tended to.
5. DO sweat the small stuff: Burnt out light bulbs, drippy faucets, a squeaky door, etc, are minor things that you can do yourself to get the house ready for those all important showings. The less a prospective buyer has to do, the better, as a multitude of small things can add up to one big “no”.
6. From the windows to the walls: Put yourself in the buyers shoes – if you walked into a house and saw a greasy counter top, dirty bathroom sink, bugs on the window sills, etc, what would you think? Wash or clean anything with a flat surface and dust everything else. Be proud and show off the house in the best light possible!
7. Create Rubber-necks: As important as it is to keep the interior maintained, the exterior is the first thing people will see when coming to the house. Cut the grass, collect the mail, clean up cobwebs around your porch light, etc, and you can ensure that the people walking up or driving by will continue on without the idea that the inside of the house may look as bad as the outside.
These tips can make the difference between listing your home and selling it, specially in Edmonton.
For more helpful tips and information, visit us online at FindMyHouse.ca.
Brought to you by Team Leading Edge and Re/Max Elite
This past few months, I’ve been contemplating on whether or not to convert the spare bedroom into my very own home office. It seem I’m always either too busy or too lazy to do it (sometimes both). I finally came around today and decided to do it already. Just like any young ordinary men in their 20’s, I have little or no clue as to the design of a home office. I knew I needed to throw in tables and chairs but wondering as to what kind exactly? This burning question led me to ask the almighty Google for answers-and I was not disappointed.
With my work function managing the online marketing campaign of the team, my job entails that I work 90% of the time in front of the computer, this could get a bit tiring and dull when done in a not-so-engaging environment a.k.a the living room. The only time my work environment change is when I go to my favorite coffee shop. Well, now it will all change because I would finally have my own little nook of an office!
With this excitement I chose to share with you the best of things I found on Google. Unsurprisingly enough, majority of the great ideas came from Pinterest where there’s a truck load of different designs ranging from the beautiful to the weird. Luckily for you I filtered it out to what I subjectively see as awesome and simply doable ones. I arranged it from simple to elegant.
1. The small but workable: We start off with this light hearted design. The simple materials used such as vintage table and chair (with a very cool pattern) makes it seem doable. The moss green wall background blends perfectly with the setup. The little add-ons too makes it more creative.
The only con that I see is that there isn’t a lot of table space or cabinets to put materials in.
Photo courtesy of McKelden Creative
2. The maximized: One thing that immediately stand out when I saw this design is the print on the floor, it creates the illusion that the room is bigger than what it really is. The deciding factor that landed this on the number 2 spot is its great use of dead space-the table barely fits! A few file holders, some motivational photos on the wall (the dollar) and plant furniture make it affordable.
The only downside that I see in this photo is the overhead light fixture, being 5’9’’ I see myself bumping my head into it 95% of the time when I stand up-it’s clever, I have to give them that.
Photo courtesy of Pink Ronnie
3. The ideal kind: As the title says, this is one of the most ideal designs in the list. Overhanging cabinets for storage, front window for natural lighting, multiple drawers for more storage and the hand painted leather desktop just makes it so sleek!
Photo courtesy of Alan Design Studio via houzz.com
4. Storage Galore: I always tried to be organized… keyword = tried. With this design, I might just be able to succeed in the endeavor. Plenty of overhead storage, side by side drawers and a generous desktop real estate all provide an environment of success, especially in my side of the business. The diamond-shaped cross laces also looks aesthetically good and utterly functional-you can pin pictures in it! I can populate it with notes in a week! Though small, the flower creates serenity, it would specially be useful in relaxing the eyes after starring long hours at the computer screen. Based on a Time Magazine article (http://time.com/3257927/you-asked-can-computers-ruin-eyes/) starring for long hours at the computer screen could ruin your eye sight so it is best to have something to look at elsewhere every few hours.
Photo courtesy of Samantha Hackradt
5. The 1%: I added this last one just for fun. I was looking for a Don Draper kind of office design but unfortunately Don Draper doesn’t work at home so this would do. This is the design I would most probably have in my late 30’s. It’s classic, elegant and most of all functional. Everything is within reach and the ladder shelves are just ingenious. The taker in this photo is the front view of what I assume is a beautiful landscape. Huge windows provide natural lighting which complements the nature-inspired theme of the room. See, even the dog like it. There are a lot of people who are working at home now but only a very few would most probably have this kind of home office design.
Photo courtesy of Rey
Here’s a bonus. Wouldn’t it look good on any kind of office? It’s functional too, aesthetically and metabolically.
Photo courtesy of Chris Carmody
So there you have it, a dose of inspiration for what would I hope to be a successful project. I wish you luck in your next home office!
Subscribe to our blog roll to receive more updates.
*About the author: Jake Nasol Loria is the Internet & Social Media Marketing Director of Team Leading Edge.
What we’re reading today