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Summer is here and it's time to make sure your gardens and outdoor spaces are in tip-top shape so you can enjoy some time outdoors. Among the list of things to do will be to mow the lawn, weed the gardens, and water the flowers. I thought this picture might give you some inspiration for a unique way to trim your bushes.
Your neighbor might not appreciate the view so much...
Summer is also the ideal time to explore houses currently on the market. Even if you’re not considering making a move this year, you might still want to do some “window shopping” or you might know someone who is. After all, you never know when the perfect home, in a great neighborhood, at just the right price, will become available.
If you have any questions, while you’re looking around, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. You won’t be pressured to list or buy. That’s not my style! I’ll just do my best to provide you with the answers you need.
Have a great day!
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Mortgage Payments Can Be Deceiving
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You see a great home. You pull out your mortgage calculator and start punching in the numbers. The estimated monthly payment is displayed on the screen. You think, “Yep, we can afford that!”
Can you?
It’s easy to be seduced by a mortgage payment calculation. However, mortgage payments aren’t the only costs of owning a home. You also need to consider:
- Property taxes
- Home insurance premiums
- Electricity costs
- Maintenance (especially a factor in older homes.)
- And more.
If you don’t, you could end up spending hundreds of dollars more per month than you originally expected. Call today for help calculating the true cost of home ownership. |
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Helping Buyers Feel Less Like Intruders
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When potential buyers visit your home, they often feel like intruders. After all, in most cases, they don’t know you personally. Yet, there they are, walking through your hallways, looking in your bedroom closets, and even checking out the cabinet space in your washrooms.
Obviously, you want buyers to feel comfortable when they are viewing your house. But how do you make sure they do?
Here are a couple of good ideas:
First, pack up family photos and other personal items you have dispersed throughout the home. Why is this important? When a buyer sees a diploma hanging on the wall, they get that uneasy “someone lives here” feeling.
Second, don’t be in your home during viewings. Instead, visit a coffee shop, go shopping, or take the kids to the park. Buyers feel really uncomfortable viewing a home when the owners are there. As a result, they may leave without giving your property serious consideration.
If you absolutely must be home during a viewing, try to remain out of the way. Don’t volunteer information or attempt to give buyers “the tour”. Instead, be available to answer questions, if asked.
Want more ideas on selling your house quickly and for the best price? Call today. |
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Beware of Home Hunting Burnout!
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House hunting can be a grind. If you’re not careful, it can easily take both an emotional and physical toll on you.
At the beginning, you and your family will be fueled by excitement, desire and enthusiasm – the raw ingredients of adrenaline. That’s what keeps you going.
After a while, however, a long day of viewing homes with fidgety kids and an empty stomach can leave you exhausted. When that happens, even the most ideal home can seem undesirable.
Since you don’t want exhaustion to result in a missed opportunity, it’s important to pace yourself. Here are some tips for doing just that.
- When it comes to endurance, everyone has their limits. If a child or spouse is looking tired, take a break. Just because one person is able to see a lot of homes in quick succession doesn’t mean everyone else in the family will have the same stamina.
- Never house shop on an empty stomach. Make sure everyone has a good breakfast, lunch, or dinner before heading out.
- If you have young children, find out where the local parks and playgrounds are located. These are great places to take a break and let the kids play for a while.
- Keep some bottled water and perhaps some light snacks in the car. You never know when someone’s stomach will begin to grumble.
- During an all-day excursion, avoid the temptation to eat a large lunch at a restaurant. It may make you feel sluggish and tired in the afternoon.
If you’ve been househunting for several weeks, all the homes may start to look alike. If this happens, take a few days off. It will help to restore your perspective. |
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notable, quotable... quotes!
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“To succeed in life you have to take chances. If Michelangelo didn’t take chances,
he would have painted the floor of the Sistine Chapel” Neil Simon, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright
“It’s a funny thing about life, if you refuse to accept anything but the best,
you very often get it.”
Somerset Maugham, Author
“Deciding to buy a home is like falling in love. It’s intoxicating, energizing, and scary…”
Alan Perlis & Beth Bradley, Authors of The Unofficial Guide to Buying a Home
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Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
©IXACT Contact Solutions Inc.
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