“Keep Calm and Carry On” was a motto used by the British government in 1939, intended to strengthen the morale of the British public in the face of World War II.  It could just as easily be used to punch up the spirits of home sellers, especially in the current market in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton area where perfectly good homes can languish on the market for months.

An article in the December 10, 2011 Edmonton Journal, entitled “Park your emotions when selling your home”, is one of those “couldn’t have said it better myself” articles that I’d like to share with my clients.

Author Marnie Bennett starts by stating that “feelings and emotions muddy home-sale waters.  I can’t stress enough to keep them as far away from your business decisions as possible.”  She goes on to outline five “rules” to help sellers detach emotionally from the sale of their home.

Number one on her list is “Choose your agent wisely”, opting for a business-like approach that will maximize profits and minimize hassle.  Setting the proper price for your home, negotiating from a position of strength, staging your home to show off its best features, and above all, keeping one’s emotions out of the deal round out Ms. Bennett’s list of rules.  We’ve heard this good solid advice many times before, but it’s the kind of advice that deserves to be repeated and heeded by anyone trying to sell a home.  Why is this such good advice?  I encourage you to read the full article!

If it’s time to sell your home, I would be happy to guide you through as stress-free a process as possible.  Please call me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

If you’re shopping for a mortgage in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County, the Edmonton region, or elsewhere, you have no doubt been faced with choosing between a floating, or variable, mortgage rate, or a rate that is fixed for a period of time.  Five-year fixed-rate mortgages are especially popular because they provide mortgage holders the security of knowing exactly how much they will pay over the term of the mortgage.  People choose fixed-rate mortgages despite the fact that variable-rate mortgages have been shown over time to save significant amounts of money.

But a recent article on the CBC News website entitled “5 reasons why a fixed-rate mortgage could be your best bet” could make the variable-rate mortgage crowd rethink their choices.

The article points out several factors that suddenly make fixed-rate mortgages attractive for reasons other than no surprises about the amount of your payments.  Posted mortgage rates are being discounted more than they used to be when a consumer locks in for 5 years.  Secondly, the gap between the higher rate for fixed-rate mortgages and the discounted variable rate is narrowing.  That is, the variable rate is not being discounted as much, and fixed rates have dropped.  What’s more, mortgage brokers may be able to negotiate a fixed rate that is considerably lower than the fixed rate offered by the big banks, a rate that is in fact only slightly higher than the variable rate.  Combine these bargains with a variety of fixed terms, some as short as two years, and all of a sudden the fixed-rate mortgage is a contender!

The article concludes by stating that rates are and will likely remain at historic lows so consumers can’t really go wrong no matter what kind of mortgage they choose.  Please read the full article for all the details.

I work with several mortgage brokers and would be happy to help you get pre-approved for a mortgage prior to showing you just the right property!  Call me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.

An article with this compelling title in the December 2, 2011 edition of the Stony Plain Reporter and Spruce Grove Examiner newspapers stopped me cold the other day.  We hear so much about the evils and perils of credit card use that many of us feel a little shamefaced to be caught pulling one out of our wallets.  Could it be that credit card use is actually advantageous?  Yes, says this article, as long as you pay off your balance in full every month, and you use one of the many cards that give you rewards, such as cash back or reward points redeemable for merchandise or travel.  And you don’t have to pay a fee for these cards either, as many of them allow you to collect the goodies without paying anything beyond the cost of the items you’ve charged.  Pretty sweet deal, especially at this time of year when our wallets get pulled out a lot!  Check out the full article here:  Save by Spending on a Credit Card from TorontoSun.com. 

While I can’t take a credit card in payment for your house purchase, I can help you save money when buying real estate!  Call me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.