Brrr, the big chill is soon upon us.  Time to get your yard ready for hibernation.  Here are 5 things to do to prepare your yard for the snow:

·        Mow and water the lawn, grasscycle

Water – grass may be growing more slowly, but it is putting energy into building the root system and still needs regular waterings

Mow – continue to mow so that water and sunlight can reach the plant

Grasscycle – leave grass clippings on the lawn to help your lawn become stronger and healthier

·        Fill in bald spots, control the weeds and fertilize

Fill in bare spots now with a grass patch repair kit, fertilize with some weed and feed to kill the weeds and give much needed nutrients to the grass over the winter.

·        Prune, mulch and transplant perennials

Prune back perennials to protect their extremities from extreme weather.  Place mulch around the roots to help insulate them.  If you need to transplant, do it now to give the root systems time to develop before the ground freezes.

·        Clean up annuals

Once your annuals stop producing leaves or flowers, they can be pulled from your garden and flower beds.  Plants are easier to pull out before the long winter has wilted them, plus it will make your yard look much neater.

·        Rake the fallen leaves

Leaves left on the grass during snow can suffocate it in the spring when snow melts.  They can also cause mold and fungal infections in your yard.  Rake them up as soon as they fall and compost them or dispose of them with your other yard waste.

 By doing this every fall, you can look forward to a gorgeous yard and less work in the spring.  Now go and enjoy a pumpkin spice latte, you deserve it!

First impressions are lasting, and how your house looks at first glance to prospective buyers can determine a successful showing or not. Imagine this: you are looking at pictures of a new listing your realtor has sent you. The inside pictures are stunning, the house looks like everything you want. You book the viewing and pull up at the curb. You see shaggy grass, unkempt flowerbeds, peeling paint in the window sills, overgrown hedges, dirty windows… Doesn’t make you feel very welcome, does it? No matter how good the inside looks, I would always wonder if it is cosmetic or if the owners really did things the right way and if they really cared about their house. Maybe they did everything right, and just are not outside people.

Spending some time making your house look like a star upon first impression can not only increase the number of showings, but it can increase the market value. Would you be likely to offer full price on a gorgeous interior with an exterior that needs hours and hours of work? I don’t think so.

Here is how to make great first impressions from the moment prospective buyers’ drive up:

1. Keep the grass trimmed.
2. Give the sidewalks a quick sweep to remove any debris, including leaves and grass cuttings.
3. Ensure your flower beds are not overgrown and out of control. Spend an hour weeding and cutting back plants that have taken on a life of their own.
4. Trim the hedges and bushes away from windows, doors and walkways.
5. Put a nice pot of flowers by the door. This will make the house look more welcoming.
6. Clean up any trash, toys, eyesores that are in view.
7. Touch up paint where needed.
8. Pressure wash the exterior, sweep away cobwebs.
9. Wash the windows.

First impressions are so important; make sure your listing makes a great one!

Tulips and daffodils are making themselves known, popping up out of the dirt, a sure sign that spring is here. It’s time to get your house looking and feeling clean, inside and out. Here is a checklist of things that need doing:

Outside:
• Put seasonal items away in storage (snow shovels, Christmas decorations, etc.)
• Pick up stray garbage
• Clean up after your pet
• Shake out entry mat
• Sweep the walks and deck/patio
• Rake the grass when it is dry
• Turn on hose bibs when the chance of freezing is over
• Put out hoses
• Power wash siding
• Wash windows and doors
• Clean outdoor light fixtures
• Clean outdoor furniture
• Trim trees, bushes, shrubs
• Prepare garden and flower beds for planting

Inside:
• Start at the top and work your way down
• Clean ceiling fans and light fixtures
• Dust ceiling corners
• Wash or dust walls and baseboards
• Clean air vents
• Wash windows
• Wipe all light switches and electrical plug covers and door knobs
• Dust all surfaces
• Clean all window coverings
• Polish furniture
• Clean floors
• Pull out appliances and clean underneath them

You’re looking to buy the perfect Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton area house, or condo, or acreage. You certainly don’t want a property that has anything wrong with it, but the law will protect you …. won’t it?

Well. Maybe, maybe not.

As a buyer, you should be aware that the rule of “caveat emptor” (buyer beware) applies to the purchase of real estate in Alberta. That means it is up to the buyers to satisfy themselves that the property is right for them in every way, including its physical condition (which is why I always recommend that buyers get a home inspection). Believe it or not, sellers have no legal responsibility to tell you everything that’s wrong with their property. They do not, for example, have to point out to you the leaky bathroom faucet, or the stains on the carpet, or the squeaky stair third from the bottom.

So, what IS the seller’s responsibility? What DO they have to tell you?

According to the Alberta Real Estate Association, sellers in Canada only have to tell you about material latent defects. These are defects that meet all three of these conditions:

1. The defect is not visible or discoverable through a reasonable inspection. That’s what makes it “latent”. (A “patent” defect, on the other hand, is out in the open. These are things like deteriorated roof tiles or cracks in the foundation. Sellers don’t have to tell you about these, because the assumption is that you or your home inspector will discover them for yourselves. BUT sellers had better not try to cover these up either, or they risk being charged with fraud.)
2. The defect is material (that is, it’s fundamental to the property; it’s serious and it matters!). This type of deficiency may make the property dangerous to occupants or unfit for habitation. Think about a building that is structurally unsound, or constructed on contaminated soil, or full of toxic mould. You may recall the Fort McMurray Penhorwood condos in the news since 2011. These buildings, which are now being demolished, were in such dire shape that owners and residents could not even return to the buildings to retrieve personal possessions. Definitely a “material” defect.
3. The defect is known to the seller. (Tough to prove this….)

Of course, legal stuff is rarely black and white, or cut and dried, or whatever other metaphor you choose! Plenty of “what ifs” and gray areas here.

• As noted, material latent defects are those that make a property dangerous or unfit to live in. But they can also include circumstances that make the property unfit for the buyer’s purpose. If the buyers’ purpose is to live in a home that has not been the scene of a crime, they would not be too happy to later discover that their dream home had been the scene of a murder or used as a grow op! (See my blog article “Murder, Mayhem and Seller’s Disclosure”).
• A material latent defect might also exist if:
  • the defect is very expensive or difficult to repair (like the Fort McMurray condos).
  • the sellers have received notice from their municipality that the defect MUST be remedied (and they haven’t done so); for example, a permanent or integral part of the building encroaching on public land.
  • the seller does not have appropriate permits for the property, such as finishing the basement or constructing a large deck or garage without permission.
  • the seller does not reveal that the basement floods every time it rains, or that inadequate wiring has previously caused a fire. (Note though, that if the problem occurred in the past but has since been adequately repaired, the seller doesn’t have to mention it. See what I mean about gray areas?)

What recourse do buyers have if they feel they’ve been victimized?

The buyers would have to sue the sellers and prove in court that all three conditions of material latent defects have been met. Damages could then be awarded for the cost of repairing the defect and damage caused by it, and maybe for loss of use and enjoyment of the property. However, the chances of getting reparation, especially in a timely fashion? Ask the poor hapless Fort McMurray condo owners! So much better, as a buyer, to do your homework! Communicate clearly what you will and will not accept, examine the property carefully, ask a million questions, and get a professional home inspection!

As an Alberta REALTOR®, I can help you avoid costly and stressful purchase situations. Call or text me at 780-910-9669, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or contact me here.