Technology has changed the way we do almost everything, including home buying, whether in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County, the Edmonton area or elsewhere.  Here are a few smartphone apps home buyers and investors might find useful.  (Many are available free for all types of smartphones; check with your app store.)

SHOPPING FOR HOMES

Google Maps and Google Earth for mobile can show you where homes are located, but you can learn much more about a property, giving you a feel for the neighborhood, the quality of other housing, accessibility, distance from busy streets and more.

Yelp Mobilewith its reviews of businesses can give you some idea about what a neighborhood has to offer (shopping, restaurants, gas stations, etc.).

Realtor.cais the official mobile app of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) with access to about 350,000 Canadian properties for sale on the Realtor.ca website.  Search using your smartphone’s built-in GPS for properties near your location or a specific address; receive listing details, photos and agent contact info.

Zoocasa[iPhone; free].  Similar to Realtor.ca.  Search for properties based on your current location and receive full descriptions of properties.  This app also allows users to email listings from within the app.

Home Tracker [iPhone; $3.99].  Keep track of all the details of the homes you visit with your REALTOR®.  “HomeTracker allows you to document each property in detail as you visit it. Properties are grouped into a Tour, which is a set of homes you visited with your real estate agent, or homes in a specific area. In addition to storing property information, HomeTracker can easily take Photos, Map a property, E-mail property information, and perform a Google search!”

MORTGAGE APPS

There are plenty of mortgage calculator apps out there but most are not Canadian.  One with some limited application to Canadian situations is Canadian Mortgage Calculator.

CIBC Home Advisor app provides mobile access to mortgage tools, advice, neighborhood information.

“The CIBC Home Advisor App for iPhone and BlackBerry lets home buyers:

* Track and compare properties visited by taking and storing photos and completing a home buyer’s checklist for each home

* View neighborhood maps and get immediate access to average property valuations and trends

* Request detailed neighborhood reports for properties of specific interest

* Post, tweet, text or email details of the properties and neighborhoods you are considering to share them with family and friends in real-time

* Access four different built-in calculators to help determine what the customer can afford, if they should rent vs. buy, the equity in their home, or mortgage payment options

* Request a CIBC pre-approved mortgage certificate for financing to lock in an interest rate

* Contact the nearest CIBC Mortgage Advisor and arrange to meet to get advice on mortgage options.”

RECalc – Real Estate Mortgage Loan Calculator [iPhone; free]  “RECalc is a Real Estate Mortgage Loan Calculator that is also a traditional Mathematical Calculator.  You can use RECalc to calculate the Monthly Payment, Term, Interest Rate or Loan Amount for a loan, as well as standard mathematical calculations as you would in any other calculator. Once you modify any of the Calculation variables you can re-calculate any of the other values. You can also figure in Annual Property Tax, Homeowner’s Insurance and Mortgage Insurance, as well as a Down Payment amount/percentage.  RECalc supports semi-annual compounding (Canadian Amortization) in addition to normal monthly compounding.”

MISCELLANEOUS

Flashlight [iPhone; 99¢].  Turn your iPhone into a flashlight!   This app allows you to choose from a variety of styles and colors.  For even more features, try Flashlight+ [also 99¢]

Evernote [free; available for all smartphones and computers].  This handy app allows you to create and save all kinds of documents:  text notes, web pages, video clips, your digital photo scrapbook, and much more.  Text-recognition software makes for easy searching.

Awesome Note (+ToDo) [iPhone; $3.99].  Get organized with this versatile and customizable app that allows you to create regular notes, notes with photo attachments, To Do notes, Post-It style Quick Memo for quick jotting, daily diary, travel diary checklists, shopping lists, schedules, and more.  You can send notes as email and even synchronize your notes with Google Docs and Evernote.

Do you know of a great app that should be added to this list?  I’d love to hear from you.  Call me at 780-910-9669, email me at btwynam@telusplanet.net, or contact me here.

You’ve just sold your house or acreage in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain or Parkland County.  That is, you’ve accepted the Offer to Purchase, and now all you have to do is wait for the proceeds to be deposited into your account, right?  Not so fast!  There are many things that could undo a sale.

Buyers’ Circumstances:

• Buyers not pre-approved for a mortgage.  After making an offer, they discover they can’t get a loan for the amount they need.  (Mortgage approval is influenced by
  • buyers’ source, size and stability of income;
  • their debt load, or “debt to income ratio”;
  • credit history;
  • size and source of down payment;
  • value of the property being purchased, and so on.  Watch for a future blog entry on this topic.)
• Interest rates increase; buyers no longer qualify for a mortgage
• New government legislation.  Ottawa has just announced a decrease in the length of time a mortgage can be amortized, from 35 to 30 years, making monthly payments higher and therefore out of reach for some buyers
• At closing, buyers are short of cash for the down payment and closing costs
• Change in life circumstances:  job loss, illness, injury, divorce, death, anything that affects the desire and means to purchase the property
• Buyers change their minds about the property:  family members don’t like it; buyers are unhappy with home inspection report; on “final walk-through” they discover damaged or missing property or agreed-upon repairs not made; etc.
• Buyers’ conditions, such as sale of their current home, cannot be met

Sellers’ Circumstances:

• Sellers change minds about selling:  job transfer falls through; marriage reconciles; suitable replacement home cannot be found; etc.
• Financial concerns:  proceeds from the sale will be less than anticipated; sellers discover they owe more than they will net from the sale; sellers learn their mortgage differential or penalties are much higher than expected; etc.  (Not sure what mortgage differential means?  See my blog entry entitled “Interest Rate Differentials”, August 2010).
• Unable to meet contract terms such as move-out date
• Problems with the property:  title not held free and clear; sellers short on cash and unable to clear up liens on property; sellers unable to complete agreed-upon repairs; undisclosed defects come to light; etc.  (Sometimes property problems are even more severe.  It’s rare, but occasionally an inspection reveals that a property is uninsurable or even unsaleable due to being structurally unsound, infected with mold, and the like.  And the ultimate problem affecting a sale:  destruction of the property before the final sale goes through!)

Circumstances Involving Other Parties:

• Buying and selling real estate is a complex business involving not just buyers and sellers and their REALTORS®, but also lawyers for each side of the transaction, mortgage specialists, appraisers, home inspectors and others.  If any one of the individuals is unavailable when needed, misses a deadline, or fails to complete accurately all the required paperwork, this could be enough to cause a sale to fall through.

A REALTOR® can often salvage a negative situation.  For example, if the buyer complains that the home is not in the condition in which he viewed it, the first step is for the REALTORS® on both sides to confer about how to make things right.  And – don’t tell anyone – I admit that I’ve taken it upon myself on occasion to personally make required repairs so that a sale will not be lost.  I also recently dealt with a situation where I knew that a buyer’s home was not going to be sold by the specified date or for the price required to get the buyer into the home he’d made an offer on.  Negotiating a later possession date for my client (the buyer) was easy.  Getting the sellers and their REALTOR® to recognize that the sale would be lost unless they were willing to renegotiate the selling price and accept less for their property was much harder, but ultimately, this allowed both buyer and sellers to reach their goals.

While it’s impossible to prepare for every eventuality, it is possible to minimize the potential for problems.  My best advice is to choose your REALTOR® carefully and leave the lines of communication open.  A successful end to a real estate transaction almost always occurs when everyone involved proceeds with good faith, patience and good will.

I would be pleased to help you achieve the  successful sale of your property.  Contact me here, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or phone me at 780-910-9669.

My clients in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton area ask lots of questions, and I’m happy to answer them!  Here are some of the most common questions they have about the process of listing and selling their home.

Why should I list with a Realtor®?

Only REALTORS® can place your listing on the MLS® or Multiple Listing Service®, the cooperative listing system operated by local real estate boards.  The MLS® is literally the “store front” where the vast majority of serious buyers come to look for housing.

Once listed, information about your property is accessible to all other REALTORS®, who all have the opportunity to sell your property.  This means much more exposure for your property and many people working on your behalf.  This all happens at no charge to you until your property sells.

What is a listing agreement?

The process of selling a home through a REALTOR® starts with the Listing Contract.  This is a binding agreement between you and the brokerage company the REALTOR® represents.  Information found in a standard Listing Contract includes the following, as well as various other terms, conditions, definitions and explanations:

• identification of the persons entering into the agreement, along with contact information
• details about the property, such as list price, detailed address, unattached goods (chattels) included with the property
• start and end dates of the agreement
• services offered by the REALTOR® and his/her brokerage, along with their obligations to you the seller, and your duties as seller
• remuneration in the form of a commission (a percentage of the selling price) available to listing and selling REALTORS®

It is important that the agreement accurately reflects your property details and clearly spells out the rights and obligations of all parties.  Both you and the listing REALTOR® sign the agreement, and each receives a copy.

How much should I ask for my house?

This is a major issue for anyone selling a property.  If your price is too high, your home won’t sell, and if it’s too low, you lose money on your investment.

You probably have an idea of how much your home is worth, but it’s important to get input from an impartial professional.  REALTORS® can use their research and experience to provide a market assessment of what similar properties in your area have sold for, as well as a history of the local market.   This should allow you to reach your goal of getting the best price you can for your home.

What do I need to do to prepare my house for showings?

People want to buy clean, well-cared-for, up-to-date homes.  When prospective buyers view your home, they picture themselves living there, and they are greatly influenced by the senses of sight and smell.  The best advice is to make all minor repairs, thoroughly clean and de-clutter your home from top to bottom, light it well, and remove as much evidence of your presence as you possibly can, including keeping all pets out of the way.  Your goal is to make your home feel as spacious, attractive and welcoming as possible.

What happens when I receive an offer?

Once a buyer is found, you’ll receive an offer in the form of a Purchase Contract which will detail how much money is being offered, what conditions are attached by the buyer (details of financing the purchase, request for property inspection, sale of the buyer’s home, etc.), when the buyer would like to take possession, and when the offer expires.  As an act of good faith, the buyer will usually make a deposit with the offer.

You don’t have to accept the offer as written.  Most people think an offer is about the price.  It really is more than that:  a combination of the purchase price, conditions (financing, inspection, sale of the buyer’s home, etc.), chattels (unattached goods, such as appliances and window coverings, for example), possession date, and in some cases, the deposit.  This combination of things has value to both the buyer and the seller, and as the seller, you basically have three choices:  accept the offer as is, reject the offer, or make a counter offer.  Counter offers represent one more step along the way to negotiating the final terms and conditions of the sale.

Do I need a lawyer to complete my transaction?

Yes, when working with REALTORS®, you must use a lawyer to complete the selling of your home.  Your lending institution may also require the use of a lawyer for any kind of property sale with or without the assistance of a REALTOR®.

When do I sign the papers with the lawyer?

Be prepared to meet with your lawyer about one week before the agreed-upon possession date to sign the important documents that will allow the transfer of funds for the sale of your property.

Who sends the paperwork to the lawyers and when does it go to the lawyer?

The real estate office that listed the property (that is, the seller’s REALTOR®) will send all the paperwork to both the seller’s lawyer and the buyer’s lawyer, and this will usually be done after all conditions have been removed.

What do I need to bring with me to the lawyer?

Each person listed on documents associated with the purchase (such as the Listing Contract, Purchase Contract, mortgage documents, etc.) should bring two pieces of identification (one with photo), such as a driver’s license or passport, major credit card, social insurance card or health card.

If you don’t see your question here, it might be answered in the Sellers Guide section of my website.  Or, feel free to contact me  here any time  or by email at barry@barryt.ca or by phone 780-910-9669.

Most of us wonder from time to time what our home in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or the Edmonton area is worth in today’s real estate market, and we may also wonder what prices are like elsewhere in Canada.

From the Canadian Real Estate Association:

“Each month, The Canadian Real Estate Association compiles the statistics of existing homes and properties sold through the Multiple Listing Service®. This provides an overview of the existing housing market in Canada, and tracks market trends for prices and properties sold.”

Here are CREA’s latest home price comparisons: 

Can we draw any conclusions from this data?

We probably knew already that the highest home prices are to be found in BC, but we can see a few other things:

• In October 2010, only 4 provinces/territories had prices above the national average:  BC, NWT, Ontario and Alberta, in that order.
• The average selling price in October 2010 for a home in BC was roughly 3 ½ times that of a home in the area having the lowest average price in Canada, PEI.
• Average prices were higher in October 2010 than the previous year in every area of Canada except Alberta, PEI and NWT.

The interactive map on this page of the CREA website also allows us to compare average selling prices for a few of the major cities in Canada.  For Edmonton and Calgary this is what we find:

Now why, we might ask, did Edmonton prices drop close to 10% during the one-year period between October 2009 and October 2010 while Calgary’s increased more than 1.5%?  The data provided by the Canadian Real Estate Association provide only the bare facts.  Chances are, we’d discover many complex reasons for this disparity:  things like types of property sold (single family homes vs. multi-family dwellings, condos, etc.), the number of homes on the market, along with features of the properties, such as age, size, condition, location, amenities, and many more.  Average home selling prices also don’t tell us about historical price gaps between Calgary and Edmonton, with Calgary prices usually being $50,000 to $60,000 higher than Edmonton.  In the end, determining a home’s value is a complicated business!

Interested in a free home evaluation?  Give me a call today at 780-910-9669 or email me at barry@barryt.ca.

My clients in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton area have lots of questions, and I’m happy to answer them!  This article is Part 3 of a series that addresses the most common questions I get from buyers.

How much do I offer?

This really depends.  Five factors to be considered include:

• what the current asking price of the property is and how well it is priced
• if there are other offers competing with your offer to purchase the property
• how important the property is to you
• whether the market is a buyer’s market or a seller’s market
• how long the property has been on the market

This is where the expertise and honesty of your REALTOR® comes in.  You must trust your REALTOR® and feel confident that he or she is providing reliable information.  As part of the services I provide to my clients, we assess the asking price based on comparable sold properties for the area.

Although every REALTOR® will have his or her own negotiating style, there are a few general concepts you should understand:

• An offer is a combination of these things: Price; Conditions (financing, inspection, etc.); Chattels (unattached goods); Possession date. This combination has value to both the buyer and the seller.
• There is no magical percentage for offers. For instance, not every offer should be 5 to 10% below the asking price. Some may be less and some may be more; it depends on how reasonable the asking price is.
• Not every seller HAS to sell his home. Some sellers will be more motivated than others. There are sellers who list their property just to see how much they can get for it, and they may not be willing to negotiate much lower than their asking price. There are other sellers who have to sell, and these may be more willing to negotiate the price.
• Be prepared to walk away. It is important to decide ahead of time the highest price you are willing to pay for the property, and then be prepared to say no to anything higher.
• Competing offers require a much different strategy. You will need the advice and experience of your REALTOR® to know how to handle this type of situation.

If my offer is too low, can my offer insult a seller?

In my opinion, yes, it can.  If your offer is too low, a seller may decide that he or she will not even counter your offer.  I do not recommend a low offer if you really want the property.  You do not want to push a seller’s insult button, because then you risk attaching emotion to the transaction.  If you insult a seller, you risk that person refusing to sell you the home at any price.  If you decide to drastically change your offer, the seller could interpret this as desperation and you could end up paying more for the property than if your offer had been more reasonable the first time.

What if I don’t find anything I like in my price range?  Should I look at houses over my price range in case there is a reduction in the price?

Normally, I suggest that it is reasonable to look at homes that are $5000 to $10,000 over your price range, but not more than this.  You will be very disappointed if you find a house that is more than you can afford, and the sellers will not budge on price!  For example, if you are approved up to $350,000, and you are looking at houses in the $365,000 price range, it could be that the houses at $365,000 have already had $30,000 in price reductions.  It could then be difficult to negotiate the price down to $350,000.  My suggestion to my clients is that we assess these properties on a case by case basis.

If I find a house I like, how do I make an offer?

This is where the expertise and experience of a REALTOR® is required.  You can expect to spend approximately one hour getting the paperwork together and signing the “Offer to Purchase”.  Once your offer is made, your REALTOR® will normally present your offer to the seller and the seller’s REALTOR®.  Negotiation typically begins here.  It is important that you are available by telephone or in person in the event a counter offer is made from your offer.  Once the offer is accepted by the seller, any changes to the contract must be initialed by all parties.  All offers must be accepted IN WRITING to be legally binding.

What happens after my offer has been accepted?

Assuming you have placed conditions on your offer, you will have timelines to fulfill these conditions before the property is sold.  The type of condition will determine what is required.  Remember:  conditions must be removed in writing prior to the expiry of the timelines, or you risk losing the property.  Here are some general conditions:

• Financing condition: Your mortgage broker or bank will need to have the information for your purchase immediately! As a service to my clients, I can fax a copy of the offer, along with a copy of the MLS® listing, to your mortgage broker or bank on your behalf.
• Home Inspection: A property inspection will need to be booked if a certified home inspector is going to be used. The buyer’s REALTOR® will attend the home inspection.

What are conditions in an offer?

Conditions allow for a set amount of time for the buyer to get things in order.  Conditions also ensure that the buyer’s deposit is protected.  If you cannot fulfill your conditions (for example, your bank will not provide you with financing), then your deposit will be returned to you.

What are some of the standard conditions?

• Financing Condition: This gives time for the buyer’s mortgage broker to confirm that the lender will provide funds for the purchase.
• Property Inspection Condition: This gives time for the buyers to have an inspector review the property.
• Condo Document Review Condition: This ensures the buyers receive the condo documents from the seller and gives time for the buyers to read through these documents and seek specialized advice if needed.
• Sale of a Buyer’s Home Condition: This allows the buyers time to sell their current property.

How much time do I get to deal with conditions and finalize the offer to purchase?

Typically, you will have 5 to 7 business days to get your finances in order (so make sure you are pre-approved with a lender BEFORE you write an offer!), have a property inspection completed, or review condo documents.

Is there more paperwork after I make the offer?

Usually there is.  If you placed conditions on your offer, you will have to remove those conditions once you have fulfilled them by signing a “Condition Removal” form.  If you have a variety of condition dates, then you may have to sign several condition removals.  Amendments to the contract may be needed as well, such as a change to the possession date agreed upon by the seller and the buyer.

If you don’t see your question here, it might be answered in the Buyers Guide section of my website.  Or, feel free to contact me any time by email at barry@barryt.ca or by phone 780-910-9669.

My clients in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and the Edmonton area have lots of questions, and I’m happy to answer them!  This article is Part 1 of a series that addresses the most common questions I get from home buyers.

How do REALTORS® get paid?

REALTORS® work on commission, a percentage of the selling price of a property.  This commission is specified in the Listing Contract signed by the seller and the REALTOR® who lists the property.  When a property is sold, the REALTOR® who listed the property for the seller shares the commission with the REALTOR® who sells the property to the buyer.  The buyer is usually not required to pay a commission directly (unless the buyer is under contract; ask your REALTOR® if you are not sure).

When should I start actually looking at homes with a REALTOR®?

As soon as you are pre-approved by your bank or a mortgage broker, you can begin looking at homes.  I would not recommend looking at homes prior to getting pre-approved because you may find something you fall in love with and then find out you do not qualify to purchase it! 

Do I have to call the REALTOR® who has the house listed to view the house?

No.  In Alberta, any REALTOR® can show you any house that is listed on MLS®.  If you have chosen to work with a REALTOR®, your REALTOR® would prefer to show you the property rather than you calling the REALTOR® who listed the home.  Remember, REALTORS® are paid based on a commission so if you are working with multiple REALTORS®, the only REALTOR® who may get paid is the one who writes the offer with you.  If you are looking for a REALTOR®’s full attention, you need to show you can be loyal. 

How do I choose a REALTOR® to work with?

Choosing a REALTOR® can be a difficult task.  REALTORs®, like people in any profession, are not all created equal!  Here are a few tips for picking a REALTOR®:

• Think about what you are looking for in a REALTOR®. Personality is a large part of this profession so think about what type of personality you are compatible with.
• Ask friends or family if they can recommend a REALTOR® to you. If not, start searching on the Internet or in the newspaper.
• Look through websites and see if there are testimonials posted. Do the testimonials give you an indication of the type of personality the REALTOR® has, and is this a fit for you?
• Interview more than one REALTOR® to get a feel for what different people have to offer.
• Find out if the REALTOR® is part-time or full-time and how often you will be able to get in touch with him or her.
• Find out what types of technology the REALTOR® uses: Internet, email, text messaging, social media, etc.
• Send an email to the REALTOR® and see how long it takes for that person to respond. This could be an indication of how attentive the REALTOR® will be to you.
• Ask how many clients the REALTOR® works with at one time. More can be less in this business. Do you feel the REALTOR® will have enough time for you?
• You want a REALTOR® who is client focused. That is, YOU need to be more important than the commission the REALTOR® will earn. The REALTOR® will earn his or her commission after all your needs have been met.

If you don’t see your question here, it might be answered in the Buyers Guide section of my website.  Or, feel free to contact me any time by email at barry@barryt.ca or by phone 780-910-9669.

In my business, as I travel around Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Parkland County and the Edmonton area, I see a lot of homes.  Very few of those homes, if they are currently being lived in, resemble “show homes”.  That’s because, let’s face it, living is messy.  Evidence of everyday life is everywhere, from wet towels flung over the shower in the master ensuite to children’s artwork clipped to the fridge with magnets given away by local businesses to untidy piles of unread mail atop the dining room table to empty bottles waiting to be taken to the recycle centre, along with the smells of this morning’s breakfast bacon and a cat litter box overdue for cleaning….  You get the picture!

***Given the competitiveness of today’s real estate market, it’s not enough to hang the towels neatly on a towel rack and spray the air with room deodorizer.  The fact that professional home stagers even exist suggests that having your home sell quickly and for a good price requires much more these days.***

Homebuying.about.com has this to say about Home Staging:

“Home staging is about illusions. It’s how David Copperfield would sell a house. It’s beyond decorating and cleaning. It’s about perfecting the art of creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy it.

 “Contrary to what you might think, it’s about more than preparing the house for sale. Staging is what you do after you’ve cleaned, de-cluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it’s all about dressing the house for sale.

 “It’s about adding the small details: the lipstick, mascara and, for simplicity, a stunning, single strand of Tahitian pearls.”

So, how do we get from the lived-in look I described in my first paragraph to the artistry of a staged home? 

Let’s start with de-cluttering.  If the very word makes you shudder, you are not alone!  But we all know it’s a worthy activity for many reasons, even more so if the home we’re living in is about to be put on the market.

In a perfect world, de-cluttering is something we do as part of our regular routine, along with sanitizing the bathrooms and vacuuming the carpets.  For example, mail gets opened over the shredder and the trash can, with just the essentials kept for future needs (stored somewhere handy and inconspicuous).  Daily newspaper goes into the recycle bin after being read.  And so on.  But clutter has an insidious way of building up to overwhelming proportions.  Yesterday’s perfectly acceptable possessions – take VHS videotapes, for example – are, all of a sudden, today’s clutter, no longer needed, wanted or useful.  How did that happen?!

And, more to the point, what do we do about it?  Where to start?   It may help to read books and magazine articles on de-cluttering and getting organized, or to visit some of the thousands of websites that tell you why and how to do it (see a few below), or even to hire a professional organizer, but at its simplest and yet most difficult, de-cluttering is about making hard decisions.  It’s about focusing on the life lived in the space, rather than the stuff in the space.  

We are the only ones who can decide what items are trash (throw them away!), what things we no longer need or want but still have value (sell them or give them away!), and which few items we really love and need and use on a regular basis (keep them!).

Ideally, we end up with just the things that contribute to the life we want to live in small enough numbers that our home appears tidy and spacious, yet still reflects the life of the occupants.  Then, maybe, our home is ready to be staged for selling.

De-cluttering Websites:

15 Great Decluttering Tips

100 Reasons to Get Rid Of It (from Martha Stewart)

Declutter, declutter, declutter!

Declutter Forever: Home Organize It!

Decluttering for Home and Head

Fly.lady.net:  How to Declutter [this is an excellent website for all kinds of home management tasks]

Green Interior Decluttering Process

Living Gently Quarterly: Spring Decluttering

Pitch, pile or file?

The Super Easy Approach to Decluttering Your Home

Tips for Decluttering Your Home When Downsizing

Why Declutter? 

Ready to put your newly de-cluttered home on the market?  Contact me here, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or phone me at 780-910-9669.

The phrase “Dress for Success” has a different meaning in real estate than it does in other businesses.  You know that before you put your Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Parkland County or Edmonton area home on the market, it’s important to clean it thoroughly, get rid of clutter, and make minor repairs.  But these days, in order to sell your home in the shortest amount of time and for the best price, that’s not going far enough.  The next step is home staging.

What is home staging?

Home staging is literally setting a scene and creating a mood – transforming an ordinary house into an attractive, welcoming home that any potential buyer might envision himself living in.   The key is universal appeal.

Secrets of home staging

Home staging doesn’t mean erasing all evidence of the people living in the house, but it’s important to remember that how you live in your home and how you sell your home are two very different things. 

Differences show up in the number and type of things on display, the size of furniture and how it’s arranged, and in the general state of cleanliness and tidiness.  This is one situation where “good enough” probably isn’t!  A perfectly staged home is going to resemble more a suite in a 4-star hotel – before a guest unpacks! – than the homes most of us grew up in or currently live in.  With that in mind, here are a few things to know about home staging.

Update.  The simplest and least costly upgrades, besides paint, include light fixtures, taps and faucets, door and cabinet hardware, switches and switch plates, and drapery and window treatments.

Neutralize.  Neutral colors for walls and floor coverings are best.  People must be able to visualize themselves and their own possessions in the home so the decorating must serve only as a backdrop.  Neutralize also means keeping things generic:  “middle-of-the-road” décor, furnishings and accessories.

Clean.  Really, really clean; mother-in-law clean; brand-new-home clean….!

Edit.  People must be able to see the space, not the stuff in the space.  Corners must be visible, rooms must appear to be open and airy, closets need to look spacious and unfilled, and so on.  This may mean that typical home sellers have to dispose of or pack up for off-site storage 30% to 80% of their possessions.  For example, your kitchen counter should be as close to cleared off as you can make it, with maybe just a coffee maker and toaster to suggest its functionality.  In the bathroom, remove all personal care items, cosmetics and the like from the counter, leaving perhaps just a fresh container of liquid soap next to the sink.  And so on.  Tip:  Take a photo of a room in your house.  Chances are the “too much” factor will be more evident in a picture.

Depersonalize:  Small numbers of family photos, personal memorabilia and items connected to hobbies are fine.  What isn’t fine is anything that detracts from a potential buyer seeing himself in the space.  People don’t want to look at your toothbrush or razor in the bathroom, dirty dishes in the kitchen sink, or piles of clothing on the laundry room floor, for example.  In other words, the place must not look used.

Tidy:  Whatever items are left after possessions have been edited need to be arranged as neatly as possible.  This means not only things readily visible but also everything in closets, drawers, cabinets and other storage spaces in every area of the house, including the garage and outdoors.   As always, the point is to make spaces appear as roomy and functional as possible.

 Sense it.  I’ve heard that 75% of the buyer’s decision is affected by the first 5 seconds through the front door.  Sight and smell are going to be the most important senses in that first impression, and their impact is instantaneous.  Never underestimate the effect of the sight and smell of fresh flowers!

 Light it.  Remember that home staging is about creating a mood.  Warm and bright will sell your home.

Suggest.  Of all the “secrets” of home staging, this is the most important.  Suggest a feeling of hominess and coziness by arranging a few pieces of furniture, such as a pair of modest loveseats and a couple of smallish tables and lamps, in an appealing vignette which will make the buyer want to be a part of it.  Add some accessories such as colorful cushions, a throw in a soft fabric, a couple of classic books or a tea service or a potted plant on a side table with a lamp turned on.  Keep the number and size of items small to trick the eye into maximizing the proportions of the room.  The phrase “less is more” is the very essence of home staging, employing subtlety, simplicity, refinement and classic design.  Everything in a space is there to highlight the best features of the space.  Tip:  Visit a store like Ikea and study the room vignettes.  These are perfect examples of home staging.

Accessorize.  Besides basic furniture appropriate to a given room, professional home stagers add a variety of accessories to hint at feelings or activities associated with that space.  For example:

• in the kitchen: a large bowl of fresh, colorful fruit; an open cookbook; a new matched set of tea towels and oven mitts
• in the bathroom: new clean towels tied with ribbons on the side of the tub; a spa basket of scented soaps and lotions on the counter; a small tray of scented candles
• in the bedroom: new bedcovering and extra pillows; a simple swag of fabric draped above the windows; a small ottoman with an afghan throw; small bedside tables with lamps turned on
• in the living room: mirrors; potted plants or silk flowers; area and throw rugs; a display of unusual knickknacks in a grouping of 1, 3 or 5 items
• on the patio or deck: a small patio table and a pair of chairs, with perhaps a potted plant on the table, to suggest a conversational grouping

While all of this may seem like a lot of work, most sellers who take the trouble to stage their homes really do see a better price within a shorter time frame.

 Ready to sell your Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton-area home?  Contact me here, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or phone me at 780-910-9669.

If you are one of those rare people who travels light through life, this article may not be for you.  But if you are like most people, and you’ve been in your home for a while, the thought of downsizing has probably crossed your mind, especially if your family and life circumstances have changed since you first moved into your home, whether in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Parkland County, the Edmonton area or elsewhere.

 There are many good reasons to downsize:

• saving money on home upkeep, insurance, taxes and utilities
• unloading some of the “stuff” most of us can’t help accumulating on our life’s journey but which we find we no longer need
• lessening our impact on the environment
• simplifying our daily routines to save time for more interesting and enriching activities
• preparing for a time when someone else may have to look after our affairs and possessions

Before you can downsize your home to a smaller place, you will probably need to downsize inside your home first, getting rid of many everyday objects found there.  This can be extraordinarily difficult.  The truth is that downsizing and de-cluttering often come with a huge pile of emotional baggage.  Making the decision to part with property and possessions you’ve used and loved for a long time, each item attached to memories, can be a wrenching experience.  Sometimes the sheer volume of physical and emotional “stuff” can be so overwhelming that it’s hard to even begin.

Most experts will tell you to start with a small space, like a closet or even a small room.  They suggest you remove everything from the area and sort items into several piles, with the ultimate goal being to throw away the trash, give away or sell things you no longer need or want but which still have some value, and keep only those items you really love and use.  Sounds sensible and simple enough, right?  Most of these experts will also provide you with all kinds of motivational prods to force you to get past your objections (“My grandmother made that old quilt!”  “I might have a use for that tool some day!”), along with questionnaires to help you decide what kind of hoarder you are and which pile something belongs in.

The fact is that none of this advice is going to be worth much until you are sure that you need or want to downsize in the first place.

A thought-provoking article published in the Montreal Gazette (“Boomers upsizing their downsizing plans”) suggests that maybe we shouldn’t be too hasty in automatically assuming that downsizing is for everybody.  Baby boomers once again are doing things a little differently from previous generations.  Some people when they reach a certain age are discovering that it actually makes sense to move into a bigger home, albeit one with a floor plan more geared to their current and future physical needs (for example, a bungalow with an open floor plan rather than a multi-level home), while others decide to keep the family home but renovate it to accommodate changing situations.  There are a number of reasons for this interesting trend:

• Family dynamics have changed. Children are taking longer to leave the nest, or are returning to the family home after relationship break-ups and the like. There are also many people in late middle age who find themselves raising their grandchildren.
• Work lives have changed. Some people realize they don’t want to retire in the way previous generations did. Instead they decide to modify their work so that more is done from home. This creates the need for a home work space.
• Many older adults have the money to continue to enjoy the quality of life that comes from living in a larger private space. This might include making room in the home for hobbies, exercise, more entertaining, etc.
• Keeping a house rather than moving to a condo or some other kind of communal living space may make good economic sense as equity in homes continues to rise.

So … to downsize or not?  Maybe our reluctance to part with possessions has less to do with procrastination and more to do with the need to make practical, realistic life choices.

If you’ve made the decision to downsize and you are interested in looking at smaller properties in the Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County or Edmonton area, please contact me here, email me at barry@barryt.ca, or phone 780-910-9669. 

1. Location

Real estate’s number one criterion really plays out in Stony Plain.  Located within Parkland County 8 km west of Spruce Grove and 17 km west of Edmonton, Stony Plain has easy access to all the amenities of both cities.  The town retains its rural roots while offering modern transportation options via Highways 16, 16A and 43, as well as rail and bus links.  Travel times:  roughly ½ hour east to Edmonton (great for commuters), an hour to the Edmonton International Airport, 3 hours west to Jasper, 3½ hours south to Calgary, 4 hours north to Grande Prairie.  Take a look at Stony Plain’s official website.

2. Lifestyle

Quiet small town atmosphere, 14,000 friendly residents, safe and secure streets, along with every convenience of modern life.

3. Neighborhoods

Many towns claim to cater to every taste and budget but Stony Plain truly does have something for everyone:  condos and low-rise apartment buildings in Downtown Stony Plain, mobile and modular homes in Meridian Meadows, all the way up to luxury homes on acreage properties within town limits in Country Plains Estates.

4. 100+ Years of History

AlbertaFirst.com (a website that has regrettably been discontinued) had this to say:  “The Town has a pride in its history which began in 1881 when the first homestead in the area was documented. In 1892 the area was known as Dog Rump Creek until a post office was named for the region and it became Stony Plain. In 1907, Stony Plain’s first Sheriff, Israel Umbach, made national headlines when he chained a locomotive to the railway tracks for non-payment of taxes and changed the course of history. In 1908 Stony Plain was officially incorporated as a town. Stony Plain’s history is kept alive through its murals program, numerous historic sites, and the Multicultural Heritage Centre.”   Interested in learning more about the rich history and interesting tales of this area?  Check out Along the Fifth: A History of Stony Plain and District.

5. Unique Downtown Character and Hospitality

Twenty-six larger-than-life outdoor murals, historic buildings such as the Stony Plain Hotel which dates from 1906, quaint shops, and one-of-a-kind restaurants make it a treat to stroll through the downtown core of “The Town with the Painted Past”.

6. Multicultural Heritage Centre

So much to explore!   Housed in two buildings, the Old Brick School built in 1925 and the Oppertshauser House which dates from 1910, the Multicultural Heritage Centre with its beautiful landscaped grounds and gardens features displays and exhibits of local history and pioneer life, a gift shop and art gallery, Wild Rose Library and archives, and the much-loved Homesteader’s Kitchen restaurant, famous among locals for its fresh pies!  Also worth a visit is Stony Plain’s Pioneer Museum (5120 – 43 Ave) which hosts the Pioneer Harvest and Old Time Threshing Bee in September.

7. Festivals

Summer festivals reflect Stony Plain’s strong rural traditions.  Late May/early June features Farmers’ Days and Kinsmen Rodeo, complete with parade, midway, carnival games, arm wrestling competition and more old-fashioned fun.  The Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival, attracting well-known names and world-class performers, takes place each July (celebrating 25 years in 2010), followed in August by the Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

8. Farmers’ Markets

Fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade goodies, and handmade craft items are in abundance every Saturday morning 9 AM to 1 PM from mid-spring to early winter at the Stony Plain Farmers Market at the Stony Plain Community Centre (5008 – 51 Avenue) and at the Heritage Farmers’ Market (located at the Multicultural Heritage Centre).

9. Recreation

Everything you can imagine!  Sports of all kinds for all ages (soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, golf, curling, skating, skiing, martial arts, BMX, you name it!), gymnastics, dancing, clubs of every description, and much more.  For specific details visit the Community Connections section of my website  and scroll down to Sports and Recreation.  But there’s more.  Stony Plain also has an extensive parks and trail system running through town, and is just a few minutes away from the TransAlta Tri Leisure Centre  with its spectacular sports facilities and the Chickakoo Lake Recreation Area in Parkland County, as well as numerous other lakes and campgrounds.

What a great place to live, wouldn’t you agree?  Contact me now for your Stony Plain Real Estate needs.