Easy-to Miss Home Security Tips for Your Vacation

If you’re relaxing on a Caribbean beach, or enjoying a bus tour through historic Paris, the last thing you want to worry about is your home. Most people know the basics of keeping a home secure while away. Here are some additional tips that are easy to miss:

Tell your kids not to boast about your fabulous vacation plans, especially on social media. The fewer who know that the house will be empty, the better.

Ask a neighbour to pick up any mail and flyers dropped at your doorstep. But don’t rely on that alone. Also call the newspaper and post office to temporarily halt delivery.

You can buy timers to automatically turn lights on and off. However, most will stop working if the power goes out and restart with the incorrect time when the power comes back on. That’s why you should keep at least a couple of lights turned on continuously, and not connected to timers.

If you’re leaving in the evening, or before dawn, don’t forget to open the blinds. Closed blinds during the day are a dead giveaway that the owners are away.

Finally, experts recommend creating a home security checklist, so you don’t forget anything. That will give you peace-of-mind.

If you have any questions on buying or selling your home please do not hesitate to call!
 

Bathroom upgrades using overlays

If you're considering a bathroom update, you're probably familiar with the typical approaches, such as replacing a countertop or toilet, or removing all the fixtures and finishes to complete a floor-to-ceiling renovation.   However, there is another, far less expensive way to make an older bathroom look brand new: using overlays.

An overlay is simply a new surface applied over an existing one. For example, instead of replacing an old and worn bathtub – which is costly – you can purchase an overlay system (called a tub liner) that fits on top of the existing bathtub. It's a little like giving your tub a facelift! You can do the same thing with your bathroom countertops and floors.
Overlays come in a wide variety of styles and finishes – some of which can make your bathroom look significantly more upscale. Compared to a major renovation, the installation of overlays is relatively straightforward. A tub liner installation, for example, can be done in a day.

You can learn more about overlays at your local home improvement centre and at specialty bathroom showrooms.

Some places to check out in YEG are

Grantie Transformations

Bath Fitter

and many other independant contractors.

Are you wondering what to do to your home to get it ready to sell?  Call us anytime and we can help.

780-975-3918

Making Your Kitchen More Attractive to Buyers

What's one of the most important rooms in your home? When it comes to  selling your property quickly, and for the best price, the answer is clearly the kitchen. In fact, one of the most common explanations a particular buyer gives for not making an offer is, "I liked the house, but I wasn't too keen on the kitchen." That doesn't mean you must do a major renovation. However, you should do what you can to make the kitchen as attractive as possible to buyers.

Here are some ideas:

First, clear the countertops. Put away the toaster and other items. You want to make the entire countertop area seem as spacious as possible. If the cabinetry is old, you can spruce it up by installing new knobs, handles and other hardware. A fresh coat of paint on the walls and ceiling can also make the kitchen look like it has had a major renovation – and it will only cost you a few hundred dollars. According to an article on the website HDTV.com,

"The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware."

Replacing the countertops is a more expensive renovation, but it may be worth it if the current counters are old and worn. Finally, when preparing your kitchen for a viewing, make sure it's clean and tidy. The garbage and recycling bins should be empty. Buyers will open cabinets so make sure items on shelves are neatlyorganized with the front labels facing forward.

There are many other ways to make the most important room in your home look great to potential buyers.

Call today for more ideas.

5 Tips for Selling Your Home Quickly

There are several reasons why you may need to sell your home quickly. For example, a job change may require a speedy relocation to another city, or you may have purchased another property and don't want to be stuck too long with two mortgages.

Here are some tips that can help get the sold sign on your front lawn sooner.

• Be realistic with price. If you set the listing price higher than the
current market value of your home, then you're not going to get
many, if any, viewers. You want the list price to be attractive, which
means listing at the current market value.

• Get things fixed. You probably don't have time for a major
renovation. So just make sure everything in your home is in good
working order. Deal with any obvious maintenance issues, such as a
leaking faucet or a gate hanging precariously on one hinge.

• Ensure your home shows well, inside and outside. Eliminate
clutter. Trim hedges. Make sure every room has adequate lighting,
especially the basement. Imagine that a special guest is visiting your
home, then clean up and prepare accordingly.

• Be flexible with viewing times. You want as many potential buyers
as possible to see your home. So don't restrict viewing times to just
Saturdays. Make sure your home is as "available" as possible for
showings. This may cause you and your family some inconvenience,
but the reward will be selling your property sooner.

• Work with a good REALTOR®.  Find an agent who understands the
area and the local market well. He or she will be able to recommend
a variety of strategies that will help sell your home faster, and for a
good price.

Of course, there's no way to guarantee that you'll sell your home within the
time frame you want. But these tips will certainly increase the chances that
you will.

Looking for a good REALTOR®who knows the area well? Call today.