Buyer Tip: You Like it, Stalk it

When you’re interested in a house, act like a stalker. Drive past it at several different times of day. Park up the street to watch it with binoculars, and see what goes on in the neighbourhood. Research the town. Google the school, the recreation centre, the parks. Look them up on Facebook and Twitter.

Maybe you didn’t notice that the house is on a busy bus route or close to railway tracks. Maybe you thought that kids would be playing in the streets, but it’s all seniors living there. The dog walkers might bother you, or you might want to join them. You didn’t see all the basement apartments until you started looking for them. Would you be happy to have the income potential or are you nervous about the extra traffic?


If you’re looking at something in Newmarket, I can tell you that Newmarket is an excellent place to live! I can tell you about the different neighbourhoods, their advantages and disadvantages. When Harry Naghavi is your Realtor, you will get a thorough understanding of what you’re buying. I’ll even lend you my binoculars.

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!

Thinking about buying a house: Just Do It!

Just do it! Nike got to the point. Don’t think about it too much, don’t worry, don’t just dream about it, just do it. They want you to buy shoes; I want you to buy a house.

Here’s a quote from Mark Twain that has more for you to chew on:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

I like the image of taking to the water to explore and dream. I love being on the water, fishing, and dreaming, even working.

I’m getting to the point in my life where I’m starting to look back and evaluate things. I think about these things when I’m on a lake or in the woods. When I get back to “reality” I feel inspired to make a change, to go ahead and shake things up a bit.

I like to quote Newton’s first law of motion too: A body at rest tends to stay at rest. This appeals to me because it’s simple physics but it means so much more.

If you’re satisfied with who you are, what you’re doing, where you live, your weight, your hairstyle, then don’t make any changes. If you don’t change anything, chances are things will tend to stay the same- your weight, your income, everything. But, get out of your routine and you’ll see some changes, improvement. Leave the safe harbour behind.

Almost twenty years ago, Renate and I made some big decisions, took some risks and sailed off to Newmarket. We scraped together a down payment for a house, went over-budget, and bought our first house, a tiny old thing near Main Street and Davis Drive. That was the best thing we ever did! We could not have done it in Toronto. If we had stayed, we’d still be renting, stuck in the city. We never imagined that we’d someday own a house like the one we live in now!

Take the first step today. Call me or email me, Tweet or message me and ask me about getting into a house in Newmarket. We could also look at something in Bradford or Keswick. You can get a lot of house for your money up here. And, these communities are great places to raise your family and do business too.

Do it.

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.

Location? Price? Size? What's most important?

There's that old Real Estate story that everyone knows: When asked to state the top 3 factors in determining the value of Real Estate, a British tycoon said: "Location, location, location!"

I think it might be different when you're in the market for a family home. Sure, it's an investment. But, it's your home. Home is a powerful thing. Home is a powerful word. It conjures up all kinds of feelings, emotions, memories, associations that have nothing to do with dollar value. Location is a big factor, but I don't think that it's related to dollar value when it's considered. It's more likely to be in relation to other family members or work or school. If it's thought of in terms of cost, then it's likely about cost of travel to work.

Here is one possible list of Top 3 Factors in Home Buying

Price:
What can you afford? What are you willing to pay? This is where you have to start, really. How much do you have and how much of that are you willing to pay for your home? Will spending more on a home mean fewer holidays? Will spending less on a home mean more travel time, or will it just mean more travel-to-work time, commuting? You'll have to look at your finances and you'll have to talk to your family to see what they value. First, you have to determine the bottom line.

Location: 
Where would you like to live? What has value for you? Do you want to be close to or far away from family, parks and schools, work, nature, urban amenities, fishing holes? How far are you willing to go from your workplace? How far from Mom do you want to be? You'll need to think about the cost of your commute in terms of time and dollars. It might be a question of space vs time. In any case, the bottom line will be the determining factor.

Size/ Fit:
How much space do you need? Is your family growing or shrinking? Do you need an in-law suite, rooms for the grand kids, a fenced-in yard for your dogs, spaces for entertaining, space for your car, space for storing your boat, a wine cellar or a man-cave? When you consider how much room you need, the easy measures are the number of bedrooms and parking spaces, lot-size, and square feet (or metres). The numbers alone can't measure how your family will fit into those spaces. You'll have to walk through and visualize yourselves using the space. In the end, the cost might make you change your mind about what you "need."

You can use these 3 factors, Price, Location, and Size, in your preliminary home search, on my website. You can indicate a price range, a location, and the number of bedrooms or square feet, for example.

Other variables available on the property search are: garage spaces, bathrooms, acres, year built, and number of stories. Variables you can't type in: style, colours, smell, landscaping, does it feel warm and homey, will you fall in love with it?

You don't have to do an online home search at all. You can call me (416-716-3112) or email me (harrynaghavi@gmail.com).

Call me and I'll make it easier for you. We'll meet and discuss your needs and your desires. We'll talk about all the things your family has to consider in your specific circumstances. And, then I will search for you and provide you with lists of possibilities. I'll send you emails of listings, and we can meet and look at listings too if you prefer. I'll make appointments to go and see the houses you like. When you choose, I'll get you the best deal possible!

I will save you time and money.

And, buying a home will be as stress-free as possible. 

We'll find you a house you'll love, a house to call  home. 

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. 

Where do you want to live? What kind of home do you want?

If you're thinking of moving, unhappy with your house or apartment, how do you decide where to move and what kind of house you want?

How do you decide? This is an especially frustrating question for first-time buyers. 

The possibilities seem endless, and there are always more questions: 

• country or city
• commute or live close to work
• house or condo
• new or resale
• more house or more land
• modern or traditional
• close to family or farther away
• do you need to be close to schools or hospitals
• do you need public transit
• will you need room for guests
• will you need space for your family to grow
• can you do some renovating
• do you like yard work
• how many cars do you need
• what do your pets need
• what about your dreams 

The biggest and first question is always "How much can I afford?" 

The bank will tell you something, and so will friends and family. There are formulas for calculating mortgages and debt to income ratios, and there are always surprises, hidden expenses. Sit down with your bank information and your Realtor. I will help you to understand all the costs involved and I will also help you to see beyond the basics. Numbers don't always tell the whole story. Personality and individuality play a part, so you might need to look outside the box.

After you figure out approximately what you can pay, you need to narrow down your search. I can help you with that too. 

Sometimes it's easier to eliminate what you don't like first. Decide where you don't want to live. Think about what you're not willing to do, features you don't like, and anything else you want to avoid. Sometimes this direction of thinking will open up the ideas about what you do want too. This is a good time to write things down. Make a chart with 2 sides: Like/ Don't Like or Want/ Don't Want. Jot things down as they come to mind (and be prepared to change your mind). 

Go to my website and use the interactive search tool there. That will help. 

Most importantly, go and see homes with your friendly Realtor, me, Harry Naghavi. 

Wherever you are in your decision-making process, give me a call (416-716-3112). It will help to have a professional on your side to help you decide. I can take you to see all kinds of homes and we can take your list with us. When you actually step in to the homes that are available, and drive around the neighbourhoods, you will learn more than you can by sitting at a computer screen. 

We will choose a bunch of places to go and see and decide on a couple of dates that you're available. Then, I'll make appointments to go and see them. I'll set up a route, and we'll go and check them out. Remember to wear comfortable footwear that you can easily take off and put back on again. We can see as many homes as you need to, and take as much time as you need to. 

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

Move your Family and your Business to York Region

I love living in York Region, and most of my family and friends are here too, mostly in Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan. Newmarket is the centre of York Region, and my home.

If you're the kind of person who likes to see numbers, here are some impressive numbers for you to consider.

York Region has about 1.1 million residents. It’s the third largest municipality in Ontario and sixth largest in Canada. York Region is big; it covers 1,762 square kilometres from Lake Simcoe in the north to the city of Toronto in the south

The York Region Administrative Centre, on Yonge Steet in Newmarket

Here are some more facts about York Region from Invest in York, the region's business attraction program.

• 1st in population growth among Canada’s largest municipalities

• 42,000 Local Businesses - Ontario’s second largest business centre after the City of Toronto

• 528,000 Local Jobs - 0.8 million jobs projected by 2030

• 14 Fortune 100 Corporations have operations in York Region

• 3,700 ICT Firms - Canada’s second largest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry cluster

• 70 Employers with over 500 employees; 20 ¬firms with over $0.5 billion in revenue; 98% of businesses are Small-Medium size Enterprises (SMEs)

• 3rd largest residential construction market in Canada after Vancouver and Toronto

• 140M North American consumers within a day’s drive (500 mile radius)

The numbers add up nicely, don't they? So, come on! Give me a call and we'll work together to move your family and your business to York Region.

Family Getaway at Home in Newmarket

I had to work on a Sunday, as I often do, being a Realtor. But, I piled the family into the van and we all went on a beautiful drive in the country and then enjoyed a peaceful walk in the woods. We were only gone for a few hours, but we had an amazing afternoon retreat, reconnecting with each other and with nature.

From Newmarket, you can take a short drive or a longer drive and spend time in one of the many conservation areas and York Regional Forest tracts like this one. 

We extended our drive all the way up to Lake Simcoe, to Willow Beach, where we saw the incredible number of ice fishing huts that dot the lake in the winter. We also drove past our fishing spot on Cook's Bay, a little closer to home and not quite so busy.

Living in Newmarket, you can enjoy a good life in a great detached house in a quiet and safe neighbourhood with every amenity nearby, and you'll also be close to nature. 

Choose Newmarket for your Family and Business

If you’re considering moving to Newmarket, good thinking!

I moved up here from Toronto in 1996 and I love it. It’s been a perfect place to raise a family, to do business, and to enjoy life.

Take a look at the Wikipedia page for Newmarket. There is a ton of good information about our town, and lots of great reasons to make it your home. You can follow this link. 

Here are some simple facts from that page:

“According to the 2011 census, the town's population was 79,978. The York Region Planning Department projects a population of 98,000 by 2026. Newmarket's population density is just over 2000 inhabitants per square kilometer, ranking it third in Ontario and 33rd in Canada. 

English is the mother tongue of 77.4% of Newmarket residents, according to the 2011 Census. Italian is the mother tongue for 1.8% of the population, followed by French at 1.4%, and Russian and Spanish, each at 1.3%.

In 2005, the average household income in Newmarket was $96,680.00, far exceeding the provincial average for the same year of $77,967.00”

Check out that bottom line!

If you’re thinking of starting a business, start it here. Newmarket is not only a perfect place to raise a family, but also a great place to do business. People from all over the region come to Newmarket to shop at the Upper Canada Mall, along Yonge Street, on Historic Main Street and all around town. Highway 404 conveniently brings people up into town at Mulock, Davis Drive and Green Lane. 

Although many Newmarket residents commute to jobs in Toronto, something I did for a number of years as well, there are lots of jobs right here. And, the town is growing and improving constantly.  

Here’s what Wikipedia says about our economy:

“Newmarket features a diverse and growing economy based largely in the business services and knowledge industries, and the administrative, manufacturing and retail sectors.

The following are some of the Town's major public sector employers:

• Southlake Regional Health Centre

• Regional Municipality of York

• Town of Newmarket

• York Regional Police

• Royal Canadian Mounted Police Headquarters

• Ontario Court of Justice

• York Region District School Board

• York Catholic District School Board

• Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

• The following are some of the town's major private sector employers:

• Allied International Credit

• Flextronics

• TS Tech Canada Inc.

• Effem Foods

• CeDe Candy

• Exco Technologies

• Magna International

• Snap-On Tools

• Cintas

Notwithstanding these major employers, a large percentage of Newmarket's population commutes to Toronto for employment.”

Helping You get What You Want

What kind of house do you want? Sounds like an easy question, but it's not.
You might think you want a brick house, but then you'll see an amazing stucco house with a pool and a great family room, perfect kitchen and a real laundry room, and you'll decide that a brick exterior is not that important after all.
You might think you want a detached house, but there's nothing decent in your budget.
"You can't always get what you want."

Unfortunately, the reality is that your bottom line and the market determine what kind of house you get.

Fortunately, you can get a good idea of what's on the market from the comfort of your home, and you can call me up and we can find something suitable together.

Take a look at my website. There's a great tool right on the home page. You can search for available homes very easily. Type in Newmarket, for example, and click on Homes under Type in the red bar, and then click on Map in black. Houses will appear on the map, all around Newmarket and just outside of Newmarket too. Click on a picture and you'll get more info. You can name a price range too.

Give it a try!  Find out what kind of house you can get, because, if you try, sometimes, "you get what you need."

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!

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