Selling a House in Summer: Better than Spring?

You may or may not have heard that the so-called “Spring Market” is the best time to sell. Starting as early as January, Realtors start to contact home owners to sell them on the idea of selling their homes as soon as possible. For Sale signs pop up well in advance of the first flowers of spring. By March, there is always a great selection of homes to buy. So, should you add yours to the inventory? If you can’t get your house ready to sell until June or July, is it too late?

In fact, the best time to sell your house is very personal, because you’re not simply making an investment transaction. Your home is special and there are special considerations. The timing of your move will have many influences.

If you own a home and will be buying a new one, will it be a larger or a smaller home? Will it be an inter-generational home? Will you be moving into the same market, or out of town? Will children have to change schools? Are you moving because of a change in your employment or health? People have to move all the time for all kinds of reasons.

If you’re selling and not planning to buy another home, say you’re moving in with one of your children or into a retirement home, the timing of the sale of your house will have different influences.

The excitement of the spring market might not appeal to you. The greater number of homes on the market can mean tougher competition, fast decisions, and higher prices. And, higher selling prices mean higher buying prices, too.

A slower pace in the summer can be beneficial. You can wait for the right buyer to come along with the price you want. If the prices drop after spring, a slightly lower selling price can mean a lower buying price, and a lower mortgage.

Your house might look spectacular in the fall when the maple trees in your neighbourhood are in full colour. Or maybe it’s at its best in the winter, with a fire in the fireplace and a wreath on the door. Your not-so-perfect yard looks perfectly fine covered in snow. Maybe you can wait.

If you’re thinking about selling, talk to Harry, Your Friendly Realtor. Before you’re ready, before you start staging, have a patient and knowledgeable professional come over to look it over and to help you think it over. Each situation is unique. A good Realtor will understand and help, not judge or pressure you. Your home is important and your individual needs are important. Harry will make sure you understand what you're getting into and will make the whole process as stress-free as possible.

House Looking Good? Take a Picture!

Is your house looking really good right now? You've probably put some planters out front, and the grass is really green and lush. After our long winter, you're happy to spend time outside making the house look good again. Maybe you're having people over on the weekend and you're proud of how your house looks.

Take some pictures now!

Even if you're not thinking of selling this year, take some pictures of the exterior of your house now and throughout the summer, when your house looks good. Take a shot from across the street, get a good shot of the backyard, and be sure to show off your front door.

If you decide to sell when things are dry and droopy or covered in snow, you'll have pictures for your Realtor to post that show off your house at its best!

The spring market this year was slower than usual and one thing that was obvious was that almost every house on the market was pictured covered with snow. Buyers couldn't see the landscaping and many details were obscured. The odd house that had a summer picture looked fantastic, really outstanding!

Taking pictures of your house in every season also helps you with your own maintenance planning. You'll see issues on the house and in the garden that need attention. 

We Love Weekends!

I love weekends!

On the weekend, everyone is relaxed and happy and has lots of time to go house shopping with their Realtor!

I’m happy to hang out with my clients on weekends and love meeting people at open houses. Now that summer is on its way, there will be lots of longer weekends. There are the official long weekends, and there are people taking Fridays off or taking off early on Fridays! So, along with everyone else, I say “TGIF!”

Working on the weekend is great when you love what you do! And, when you have the flexibility to take time off during the week. I love it when I get to go fishing during the week, and I don’t have to “take the day off”.

Give me a call and we’ll hang out this weekend, it’s going to be beautiful!

Yard Sale: Do it!

If you need to declutter to get your house ready for sale, and even if you're just thinking about moving or downsizing, you really should consider holding a yard sale.

We had our first yard sale last summer, and it was quite an experience! 

There's a lot of advice online about how to hold a yard sale. People will tell you how to price stuff, how to display things, warn you about theft and early birds, and suggest where to buy supplies. You can make it as simple or complicated as you want. Google 'yard sale', search Pinterest, or do whatever you like to research, and you'll find all the information you need and more. I'll give you just a few words of advice. 

1. Make your signs clear. Keep it simple and big. You really just need the words Yard Sale and an arrow. Don't make it complicated. 
2. Let your neighbours know in advance. It's common courtesy, since your street will be busy early on a weekend morning. Plus, some of your neighbours might want to do a yard sale too, and you'll get more traffic. 
3. Be prepared for the weather. Have shade and cold drinks for yourself and your visitors if it's hot, and coffee for a cold morning. We had a very hot day and sold cold drinks for a good profit. Tarps are a good idea if rain is in the forecast. 
4. Talk to people. Say hello, and talk to people when you have a chance. You'll have great stories to share afterwards.

A yard sale takes some planning and a full day of work, but you will make some money and you will get rid of a lot of things. You'll spend some time with your neighbours and meet lots of interesting people from all over the place. You'll be surprised to find out how far people travel for yard sales. The best part will be how great your house looks with less stuff in it! You'll feel ready to sell, and you'll feel better about moving. 

Canada Day Move: Why so popular?

A Canada Day closing is stressful and hectic and the holiday means that lots of things will be closed and Lawyers won't be working on Canada Day. So why is it so popular?

• Canada Day is July 1st. It's the first of the month and it's the first real summer holiday, since the school year ends at the end of June. The weather is usually pretty good.
• Since the school year is over, if you have children, then you don't have to worry about changing schools. New school year, new school. 
• Canada Day long weekends are sometimes 4-day weekends, when Canada Day falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. So, you'll have more time off of work, without worries. 
• The Spring Real Estate Market is when buyers have the best selection of houses to buy.
• The Spring Real Estate Market is when sellers will have the most buyers looking at their properties. 

You still have time to buy or sell with a Canada Day Move. And, I've got a Canada Day Moving Deal for you! Give me a call, and get in on the action.

Canada Day Moving Deal

Moving is stressful.

I can help. 

I've got lots of experience with this, having physically moved myself and friends and family, and having moved many wonderful clients. When you choose me as your Realtor, you will have less moving stress. 

First of all, I've got a tip sheet for you here on my Blog.

And, best of all, I've got a deal for you.

Here's the deal: Any time you buy or sell your house with me:

• I'll pay for your moving van* 
• I'll take care of your moving day pizza**

Moving day is usually on the first of the month. Often, you end up moving out and in on the same day. Talk about hectic! I can help make it a bit less stressful. 

Everything needs to be booked and planned in advance, or you end up in trouble. Lawyers get booked-up, trucks get booked-up, elevators too. Have you got your boxes, your tape, lots of help, your friend with a pick-up? Are the dog-sitter and baby-sitter ready? A checklist will help. I've got one for you. 

There's so much to worry about and so many extra costs. I'll take away one more worry. I'll pay for your moving van. All you have to do is find a few friends to help fill it up and carry things out.

Once you're in your new home, and everything's unpacked, you'll be hungry. I'll provide pizza for you. 

The busiest time to move is Canada Day Weekend***, so I've got a special treat for you if you buy or sell your house with a Canada Day closing. 

I'll send over a yummy Canada Day Cake!

My job as a Realtor is to take care of my clients, to help them through the process of buying and selling their homes. In my opinion, that goes right through to Moving Day. 

Harry is a proud Canadian. Happy Canada Day!

* Harry will arrange for cube van to be at your disposal for the whole day

** Harry will have a pizza dinner delivered to feed your family

*** For 2014, this offer is valid from June 27- July 6

Some conditions apply.

Clean and Declutter: Ready to Sell

You don't always have time to "stage" your home. You don't always need to. 

You've been taking care of your investment all along, haven't you? No?

If you've let a couple of things go, it's best if you can fix them up before selling, but don't stress out if you can't get it done. 

There are buyers who look beyond the surface and see the potential for creating their own personalized space in your home. Some people will look for a home that they can update for themselves with the colours and styles that they want, not a perfect home with brand-new things that they don't like and will want to replace anyway. 

Clean as much as you can. Take away the clutter, including some of the furniture that's taking up too much space. Make the home look clean and spacious. Leave it to the imaginations of the buyers to fix it up the way they want it. 

You might not get the price that the spiffy home up the street got, but you'll sell just as fast and without all the headaches and costs of renovations.

Give me a call and we'll see how much you need to do and can do to get your house on the market. I'll give you an honest evaluation and professional and common sense advice. Call Harry, Your Friendly Realtor: 416-716-3112. 

Get Ready to Sell! Do Your Own "Staging"

You're thinking about moving. You're getting ready to sell your house.

First of all, call me, Harry, Your Friendly Realtor (416-716-3112).

I'll pop over to your place, give you a free evaluation, and we'll look at what you need to do to get the house ready to sell for the best price possible. Don't worry, you probably won't have to do much "staging".

There is a ton of information on the internet about staging homes to get the most money. There are companies who will do it for you. Get a quote and see what they'll do. Sometimes they do amazing things. But, you might not have the money to hire a staging company and you might not have the time and money to invest in a big DIY project either right now, and that's okay. You have to consider the cost to yourself in terms of time and money in relation to the effect on the selling time and price. Will it be worth it?

You might end up just doing a major cleaning and just change things around a bit. Maybe you'll have a weekend to do some painting. Even if you have a good-sized budget and a fair amount of time, I believe that you can do it yourself if you can think like a buyer. It's a bit difficult to look at your home and your stuff and think of it as someone else's. But, that's what you've got to try to do. And, I can help you with that.

Here's a link to a blog post that has some good common-sense ideas for things to do before inviting buyers in to your house. You won't have to spend too much time on the projects that they recommend. It's on a Blog called The Sweet Spot Blog.

The most important thing is also the easiest to do: declutter and clean. 

Have a yard sale to get rid of things you don't need, give things away, recycle, and then throw things out. Pack away stuff that you won't need until after your move. Store it, and maybe even a few pieces of furniture that are crowding your spaces, at someone else's house or rent a storage space.

Then, clean thoroughly. If you hate cleaning, then you can easily hire people to do it for you.

Don't forget the outside of your house! Curb appeal is actually a big deal. People do judge based on appearances, on first impressions.

The next blog post in the series on the Sweet Spot Blog is about getting the outside of your house ready for sale. I recommend that one too if you want to see some good tips.

I can also help you decide what you need to do to boost your curb appeal, if you need to do anything at all. 

You've been taking care of your investment all along, right? I'll tell you what it's worth "as is". You might be surprised at how little you really need to do.

I will help you make your move as stress-free as possible.

And, you'll save money: you'll get the best deal selling and buying with my help!

Focus on Kitchens and Bathrooms

Bathrooms and Kitchens: 

Keep these spaces up-to-date and clean to take care of your investment. 

Never underestimate the importance of bathrooms and kitchens. If they're tired and dirty, you'll turn buyers off. If you've been neglecting these areas in your home, you'll want to spend some time and money here before putting your house up for sale. 

At the very least, clean thoroughly and clear the counters and all surfaces of clutter. Pack away some of your stuff so that storage areas look organized and spacious. 

A weekend project can have a big impact. Some paint can do wonders, and there are tons of great ideas for fast fixes for kitchen cupboards and bathroom vanities. 

I love sitting around the kitchen table with my sellers figuring out what they can do to get the most for their homes. If you're thinking of selling. Give me a call. I'll come over and we can talk. 416-716-3112

Sell or Buy First?

Sell first and then buy. 

When people think of moving, they'll often call me and ask to see a bunch of homes. They just want to have an idea of what's out there. We're just shopping around. Most often, it's a waste of time for them. (Not for me. It's always a good experience to see homes. I can recommend things to other buyers.) 

When you go house shopping, you need to have your finances in order. If you already own a house, then your money will probably be tied up in that. Once you sell your house, the market will be different. 

Let's say you're shopping around while you're just thinking about moving and you fall in love with a house you see. How will you be able to make an offer on it? You can make a conditional offer. If there's another offer without the "sale of buyer's home" condition, then they won't choose yours. Let's say yours is the only offer and they accept it. Do you really want to sell your house under that kind of pressure? Can you get the most out of your present home if you are pressed for time? 

Take your time to prepare your house for sale. Get top dollar for your investment. Then, go shopping with the power to offer the strongest bid. 

Signs of Spring: "Open House Today!"

It's finally Spring. And, you know what that means. 

The signs of spring:  

Open House signs!

Now that we can see the houses that were hidden behind the snow banks, people are ready to move. They've been indoors for a few months, cleaning and packing and sprucing up their houses. Now, they've got the signs up.

There's one on your street.

And you're wondering, 

"What does it look like inside?" and 

"What did they do with the basement?" and

"What does a house like ours cost?".

So, you pop over during the open house. 

You avoid making eye contact with the Realtor there. You rush through, and go back home. 

But, now you're thinking:

"Our house is better than that. We could get even more!"

You drive around and pop in to a bunch of other open houses. Problem is, there's always a Real Estate Agent there, and they're trying to sell you the house. No thank you. You're just curious, right?

Wait! 

Stop! 

Call Harry! 

Call me, text me, or email me now. 

If you want to know what your house is worth, I'll give you a free home evaluation, no strings attached.  

If you're looking at other houses, you might be thinking that you could get a better house. 

Call me and I'll sit down with you and together we'll figure out what it is that you don't like about your present house, and what it's worth, and what else you can afford. 

As your Buyer Agent, I'll take you to see homes that are within your budget, that have the number of bathrooms and bedrooms you want and all the features you need. And, we can go any day. And, we don't have to deal with a sales pitch. We can objectively view and discuss homes that we already have information about. And, when you find something you like, I'll negotiate for you. I'll take the pressure off. You'll get the best deal. 

I'll take the pressure off.
You'll get the best deal. 

Your Most "Prized Possession"

Here's another reason to choose me, Harry Naghavi, as your Realtor.

Harry Naghavi respects your most prized possession and understands that it is more valuable to you than any dollar amount can express.

The Wikipedia entry for "home" says:

A home is generally a place that is close to the heart of the owner, and can become a prized possession.

It is often a house, apartment, or other building...

It is certainly the most expensive thing that most people own. But, your house or condo is really valuable because it's your home. It's close to your heart. You've put effort into keeping it well-maintained. You've renovated it and decorated it so that it reflects your personality and your values. It holds all the things that you love and the people you love best, too.

When you buy or sell a house, you need to do it right. Get the best, most professional help. Get someone kind and understanding who will respect your home, your needs, and your heart: Harry Naghavi, Your Friendly Realtor, me. Contact me today! 416-716-3112    harrynaghavi@gmail.com

Stuck in the house? Declutter!

One of the biggest jobs that you have to do to prepare to sell your house is something that most of us aim to do anyway. It's on most lists of New Year's Resolutions. It's usually right up there with going to the gym.

Get organized.

Get rid of junk and put all the stuff you want to keep away neatly and smartly.

Declutter.

It's been a long winter, and we're having another cold and icy weekend. If you're stuck in the house, why not get some work done? If you're considering moving this spring, you'll need to get your house ready to show. People will be looking at how well it works, how well the space can be used. You'll have to declutter.

You might as well do it now. When the weather is good, you'll want to be ready to go out and play.

One reason that people move is that they need more space to put stuff: more rooms, bigger rooms, more storage, a nice garage, a good basement, a shed in the backyard, etc. When you're a young couple, the two of you will accumulate things, and then when the kids come, the amount of stuff you have seems to increase exponentially. You'll need a bigger, better house to hold your growing family and all your stuff.

Even when people are downsizing, they want to see that a smaller space will hold all the things they want to keep. The space has to work. It has to be efficient.

Look at your home through a stranger's eyes. You'll see that a lot of the things you have and love, objects you cherish, will appear to others as clutter. Art work, souvenirs, wedding gifts, your parents' antiques, collector's items, knick-knacks make your home feel like home, but take up space. The wall of family photos going up the stairway is really cool, but might just be a messy bunch of strangers' snapshots to a buyer. If you can't walk through a room easily, maybe there's too much furniture. It's hard to think of the things you like as clutter, but if you try to see your home from a buyer's perspective, you start to see the unnecessary extras. Get rid of all the clutter.

If you don't know where to start, there are lots of helpful lists on the internet.

Here's a link to a simple list of tasks.

Here's a link to a more detailed method of decluttering from Home Storage Solutions.  I like their visuals, so here's one to get you inspired. All it takes is some time, some boxes and garbage bags, and you'll have a decluttered home.

Good luck!

Don't Do the Spring Cleaning on Family Day

There are lots of opportunities for staying indoors and organizing and cleaning in the winter, especially this winter! Clean out the closets, the storage spaces, the garage. Spruce up the kitchen and bathrooms. Have the draperies and carpeting cleaned. It's a great time to prepare your house for sale. Spring is around the corner (really!) and the housing market is going to pick up and take off soon. A long weekend is perfect.

But, I hope you didn't spend the long weekend doing any spring cleaning. Family Day is for having fun with the family. I hope you went out ice fishing or skiing, skating or shopping.

Today is the day after Family Day and we have another foot of snow.

Today, you'll be able to stay in and clean out the hall closet, or take a look at the kitchen cupboards (maybe you could update the hardware, count the handles). This weekend, you can paint the laundry room and fix the leaky faucet.

When you're ready, give me a call and we'll get your house on the market and find something better for you to move into once the snow is all gone.

Call me now and I'll give you some tips on what you can do to get your house ready to sell without too much time and effort. 

January/February Good Time to Sell, Really

You'll notice that the For Sale signs have started going up and the Real Estate Agents are sending more flyers.

January is the beginning of the Spring Season, believe it or not :-)

If you're aiming to move in April or May, then you sell and buy now. The market is picking up, but it's not yet super-busy. That will start in March (June and July closings). So you have people's attention now, your Realtor's and the buyers who don't have too many choices yet.

So, this is a pretty good time to sell your house.

With all the snow and harsh weather, you might think that it will be hard to make your house look its best, but the darkness and cold mean that it won't be too hard to make your house look like a warm and cosy home. Spruce up your lighting, turn up the thermostat, bake some cookies and invite buyers in. Just make sure the driveway and walkways are clear.

There's lots of advice online for selling a house in the winter, like this one, Home Selling in Winter. And I, Your Friendly Realtor, can make some suggestions too.

Together, we can sell your home for a great price and get you into something better for the Spring.

Best time to buy or sell

As a real estate agent, I’m always getting asked about when the best time to buy or sell a house is.

·         Is this a good time, or should I wait?

·         How is the market?

·         Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market?

·         Will interest rates go up or down?

·         Will my house be worth more in the spring?

·         Will my house sell faster if I renovate the kitchen first?

       

Some people think I’m a fortune teller! But, seriously, it’s hard to predict the market. I will honestly tell people what I know, what people in the real estate market are saying and what the newspapers say. It’s my job to keep up to date and knowledgeable about my industry.

But, I’m the friendly real estate agent, “Your Friendly Realtor” -and the honest real estate agent. I will also tell you:

The best time for you to move depends mostly on you!

The best indicators for the best time to move are your needs and wishes.

·         Do you want to be in your new home before Christmas?

·         Do you want to be in your new home before the school term starts?

·         Will you need to take some time off from work to move?

·         Do you want to move before it starts to snow?

·         How long will it take to sell your present home?

·         How fast can your home be ready for me to take pictures, and ready for an open house?

People buy and sell homes all year round, every day of the year. Someone might need to move because of a job transfer. Someone has to move because of a death or illness. Some retirement homes and nursing homes have waiting lists that don’t give folks much time to respond (It’s now or never, as Elvis sang.).

You could be just thinking about moving when a perfect house comes on the market. If you really want it badly, you might be willing to agree to a closing date that’s not at a perfect time and puts you under pressure to sell your present home quickly. But, if getting that perfect house is what you really want, then you’ll do what you have to do to get it. If it’s the best home for you, then it’s the best time for you.

When we work together to sell and/or buy a home, my first priority is to find out what your needs are. You are the most important factor, not the economy. I can help you to determine what those needs are, as people aren’t usually aware of all the variables. I’ve got experience that will help to guide you.

If you need to move quickly, I’ll do what I can to make it fast and smooth, and get you the best deal possible. But, if you want to take your time, I will wait with you. We can look at houses for as long as it takes to find you that perfect house- the one that fulfills your needs.

Interest Rates

Surprise!!! Surprise!!!  The interest rates remain untouched today but "they" still warn us about future rises!

Going back to 2010, "they" said the economy was too weak for a rate hike and the cold dark days of 2009 were still fresh in our memories. Too many folks had lost their jobs, closed their businesses and gone bankrupt in 2009.

However, as if by MAGIC, and after having a sunny and warm February, "they" decided to hike the rates anyway!

All those promises of not touching the rates until the Third Quarter simply went out the window in an instant. The results were quietly catastrophic!

More businesses suffered and fewer people found jobs. The weakening of the US Dollar resulted in the strengthening of the CDN Dollar which didn't help our manufacturing sector at all. The real estate market did not cool off as "they" had predicted either!

This year "they" seem to be smarter and are keeping their hands off the interest rates in hopes of stimulating the economy for real.

Having a Majority Government must have helped this decision if you ask me.

People are still buying and selling homes in the GTA, York, Peel, and Durham Regions and although activity level has gone down somewhat, home prices have not gone down.

I am no expert in financial matters, but I have learned not to listen to "them".

Just like the Weatherman, "they" can be wrong everyday without fear of losing their jobs!

So do what is best for YOUR family: If a move will help the quality of life for you, then just do it, and in my humble opinion, interest rates cannot go up that much in the near future (:-D