Edmonton Real Estate Blog

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.

Great! The point that you’re reading this article means you’re really interested in boosting the profit you’ll get out of your Edmonton home once it’s sold.

This might be common sense but still a lot of people don’t fully understand the benefits of providing improvements to their home before listing it to the Edmonton MLS. Simply put it this way, doing home improvements would help sell your home at a faster rate than the competition-and of course for a higher selling price!

Glorious things can be achieved by doing simple things.

Here are a few things you can do what definitely pay off big time!

NEW PAINT: Simple yet effective, providing a new paint job would brighten up the property. It will give off the effect to potential home buyers that the property is brand new. Keep the colors as relaxing and inviting as possible.

LIGHTING: This will complement the new paint. Rooms could be enhanced by installing good lighting fixtures. Double check all the lights inside your home for any issue. You would not want faulty lighting when the Realtor is showing your house.

Save energy by using LED light bulbs. This simple improvement will show the home buyers that the house is built to conserve energy.

LIVING ROOM: As the single most used room inside the house, it is important to keep this place as de-cluttered as possible. You can also rearrange the furniture to have that ‘open-space’ effect.

Keep in mind to make your home buyers wish that they live in there themselves, make them comfortable, and make them love your place.

BEDROOMS: Create an intimate ambiance by replacing the curtains, place candles and use perfumes.

KITCHEN & BATH: These two areas of the house are the most frequently used by the home buyers-not necessarily the kids. With that in mind, keep it simple, stage the kitchen by placing fresh fruits and flowers. A good trick to pull off when there are home buyers to check out the house is to bake a cake, the aroma of a freshly baked cake would stir feelings of coziness.

For the bathrooms, make it smell like those in the hotels. Also, take time to replace toilet seats and shower curtains.

All the small details count in this endeavor, so do your best to clean the property and make it look appealing. As they say, first impressions last!

Get inspiration from the newly listed homes for sale on the market, check out our new Edmonton MLS listings and once you’re ready to sell, give us a call, we’ll be glad to help.

Since its Christmas, we thought of posting a light hearted article for a change. This piece from Rochester’s Real Estate Blog caught our attention.

The listed Real Estate myths persist not only in Edmonton, but also all around the world. Check it out if you have also heard of them.

Oh, by the way, remember to check out our new Edmonton MLS Listings when you’re done for the latest and most up-to-date listings of homes for sale in Edmonton. Enjoy!

All Real Estate Agents Are The Same

One of the most common real estate myths is that all real estate agents are the same. This myth can lead to buyers and sellers making big mistakes when selecting a real estate agent to represent their interests. Every agent has different skills, different experience levels, and different traits.

For example, a real estate agent who has been selling real estate for two years and primarily works as a buyers agent is not going to have the same skill set as a real estate agent who has 20 years of experience selling waterfront property.

There is a significant difference between real estate agents who work with sellers and real estate agents who work with buyers. The saying, “All men are created equal,” is the complete opposite when it comes to real estate agents.

All Real Estate Agents Make Boatloads of Money

Successful real estate agents certainly can make a very nice income. The amount of time, effort, and money that top producing real estate agents need to put forth is significant. A common real estate myth is that all real estate agents make boatloads of money.

The general consensus is that real estate agents earn 6% of the sale price of a home, no matter what. This is not true. There are many things that effect the percentage of commission earned by real estate agents. First and foremost is the fact that commission is negotiable. Any real estate agent who says otherwise is likely violating rules and regulations.

Let’s assume that a seller is willing to pay 6% of the sale price of their home. The 6% commission is normally divided between the listing and selling brokers. The real estate brokers then take a “cut” of their respective commissions before distributing to the real estate agents involved in the transaction. In addition to their company taking their “cut,” there are many expenses that real estate agents incur that most don’t realize. Items such as health insurance, fuel, car maintenance, and advertising expenses are just a handful of the expenses that real estate professionals are responsible for.

Obtaining a real estate license is not difficult. Many people get their license thinking it’s an easy way to make boatloads of money. There are many considerations that should be made before getting a real estate license.

When Selling a Home, Price It To Leave Room For Negotiations

Correctly pricing a home is one of the top 3 important things when selling a home. Incorrectly pricing a home can be the “kiss of death.” There are several real estate pricing mistakes that sellers commonly make. One of these common pricing mistakes also happens to be a very common real estate myth as well.

Pricing a home higher so that there is room for negotiations with a potential buyer. This real estate myth, if believed by a seller, can lead to tons of frustration and potentially to a home that sits on the market for a long time. If you are selling your home, you need to understand who today’s buyers are and what they are all about. The internet has greatly impacted the real estate industry. Buyers are more savvy and educated than ever before, due to the amount of information available through the internet.

A buyer will not waste their time looking at a home that is overpriced by thousands of dollars. So before you list your home $25,000 higher than a top producing real estate agent suggests to leave room for “negotiating,” you need to understand that most buyers will know it’s over priced and may pass on looking at your home.

Using the listing agent to buy a home doesn’t always mean a better deal

Using the listing agent to buy a home doesn’t always mean a better deal

You Get A Better Deal When Buying a Home Through The Listing Agent

Buying a home can be a complicated process, especially for a first time home buyer. It’s imperative that when buying a home, you have a great real estate agent representing your best interests. A common real estate myth is that when buying a home, using the listing agent will result in a better deal on the home. The thought process behind this myth is the listing agent will cut their commission percentage because they are receiving both “sides” of the transaction.

Sounds like an ideal scenario for a buyer, right? Wrong. What a buyer may not understand is that the listing agent is also still representing the seller. While they do need to be honest, fair, and ethical to all parties and certainly there are real estate professionals out there who can be trusted to represent both parties, it needs to be understood that the listing agent still has to represent the sellers best interest as well.

If you use a listing agent to buy a home, consider how hard the listing agent is going to negotiate the price with the seller, who also happens to be their client. Same goes for any negotiations from the home inspection findings. It’s possible by using the listing agent a better deal could be had, however, the biggest consideration that needs to be taken into account is the representation that will be received.

Getting Pre-Approved Is Done After Finding Your Perfect Home

One of the hardest myth to break for real estate agents relates to financing. Many home buyers believe that getting pre-approved doesn’t need to take place until they have found their perfect home. This is a huge mistake for many reasons.

A buyer should be and want to be pre-approved for a mortgage before they house hunt. House hunting can be time consuming, exciting, frustrating, and many other things. Before getting involved in a full out search for that perfect home, eliminate the chances of any disappointment down the road by getting a pre-approval from a mortgage lender. A buyer can be devastated if they find a home they love, write an offer, and have it accepted only to find out in the future they have been declined for a mortgage.

Another reasons why a buyer should get pre-approved for a mortgage before finding their perfect home is in the event their perfect home is receiving multiple offers. A multiple offer scenario is a dream for a seller and a nightmare for a buyer. A buyer who has been pre-approved has a significant advantage in a multiple offer scenario.

Open Houses Sell Houses

Many sellers love the idea of their home being open every Sunday. A common real estate myth is that an open house is a great way to sell a home. The fact is that according to the National Association of Realtors, 2% of homes are sold as a result of an open house. Can a sale result from an open house, YES. Is it likely, NO.

You’re probably asking yourself why many real estate agents push open houses. When interviewing potential Realtors to sell your home, ask them why they want to hold your home open every Sunday. If the answer is because it will sell your home, you may want to reconsider hiring that prospective Realtor.

The primary reason why a real estate agent would swear by open houses is because they see them as an opportunity to pick up new clients. It’s possible that a buyer walks through an open house and does not have a real estate agent they’re working with. This is a great opportunity for the real estate agent to convert the potential buyer into a client.

Before deciding whether an open house is something you would want to take part in when selling your home, consider all the possible drawbacks of an open house.

Selling For Sale By Owner Can End Up Costing a Seller Thousands of Dollars

Selling For Sale By Owner Can End Up Costing a Seller Thousands of Dollars

Selling A Home “For Sale By Owner” Saves Lots of Money

The main reason sellers believe that selling their home “for sale by owner” (FSBO) is a good idea is because it will save them lots of money. This is a common real estate myth. Many sellers who attempt to sell their home FSBO believe that selling homes is easy. It would be great if selling homes was as simple as putting a for-sale sign in the front yard of a home, input the home into the MLS, and watch it sell, but it is not.

FSBO’s often will end up losing money by not hiring a professional real estate agent. This could be due to several different reasons. Did the FSBO overprice their home and it didn’t sell for 6 months? Was the transaction mishandled ending up in a buyer being declined after 3 months under contract? Did the FSBO not know how to negotiate the best price and terms for their home?

Real Estate Agents Only Can Show Their Own Companies Listings

Real estate agents who belong to their local real estate board and MLS have access to any listing that is multiple listed. A common real estate myth is that real estate agents can only show their own listings or their own companies listings. This is false.

For example, if a real estate agent works for Nothnagle Realtors, my Rochester, NY real estate company, they also can show properties that are currently listed by other real estate companies, such as Re/Max or Hunt Real Estate.

Real Estate Agents Say And Do Anything To Make A Sale

Real estate agents are held to a very strict code of ethics and also many rules and regulations. Many believe, however, that real estate agents will say and do anything to make a sale, because they don’t get paid until a home closes. This real estate myth can certainly be possible as there are real estate professionals who will say and do anything to make a sale, however, the majority of real estate agents will not.

Most real estate agents business relies heavily on referral business, word of mouth business, and repeat business. A real estate agent who blatantly lies to clients just to make a sale, is unlikely to receive any of the above mentioned business. When buying or selling a home, it’s extremely important to select a very trustworthy real estate agent who you can trust and are comfortable with.

A Home Doesn’t Need To Be Prepared For Sale

The real estate myth that homes don’t need to be prepared for a sale can cost a seller thousands of dollars. Properly preparing a home for sale can be the difference between it selling in a relatively quick amount of time or it sitting on the market and developing a negative stigma. It’s very important that you don’t list your home before it’s ready.

Why is it important to prepare a home for sale? First and foremost, today’s buyers are more often than not looking for a home that is move-in condition. Additionally, the first 3-4 weeks on the market are the most critical. If a home is priced properly, prepared properly, and marketed correctly, it should be under contract in the 3-4 weeks on the market. Simple preparations, such as staging tips, general cleaning, minor improvements, and pre-listing inspections can all help minimize time on market while maximizing the sale price.

The above real estate myths are too commonly thought of by the general public. While it’s understanding why these real estate myths could be true, they certainly are not.

This article was originally published at Rochester’s Real Estate Blog.

This morning I received an interesting article from Doug Bodtcher of Investors Group Financial Services Inc. Entitled “Achieve investment goals with less volatility”, articles like these is best shared to everyone.

While the city of Edmonton is enjoying a strong economic growth, it doesn’t mean you have to take higher risks to gain more profit. An excerpt from the article “The trade-off between risk and return is one of the most important decisions that an investor has to make.”

He further adds “A low volatility strategy is designed to produce less risk than the broad market. It allows investors to participate in positive market conditions and potentially shelters their investment from excessive market volatility.”

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The more investment knowledge you have, the better chances you’ll get in earning more money.

For real estate investments, do check out our Edmonton MLS listings. Updated daily for your convenience.