Archive for March, 2008
Two Easy Vancouver Condo Improvements For a Faster Sale
March 31st, 2008 Categories: Definitions
Paint is your best improvement investment for getting a greater return on your money
Paint makes the whole property smell clean and neat. If your house has chips, exposed wood or looks faded, it is time to paint. If your carpet is worn, dirty, outdated or an unusual colour, you may need to seriously consider replacing it. Many houses do not sell because of this problem. Don’t think that buyers have more money than you have to replace it. They don’t…they simply buy elsewhere!!
Think of prospective buyers as your guests and prepare your home’s interior accordingly. Keep these points in mind…
*fresh paint
*clean up clutter
*clean kitchen
*make bathrooms sparkle
*clear out closets
*clean the fireplace
*roll out the welcome mat
*add special accents to make your house appear comfortable and inviting. Think of prospective buyers as your guests and prepare your home’s interior accordingly.
Clean Facts – Most people are turned off by even the smallest amount of dirt or odour when buying a resale home!
Sellers lose thousands of dollars when they sell because they do not adequately CLEAN! The perception in the buyer’s mind…lots and lots of work which translates into money!
If your house is squeaky clean, you will be able to sell your house faster and net hundreds, or thousands, of dollars more. If you are planning on moving, why not get rid of that old junk now, so that your house will appear larger? Make more space. Odours must be eliminated, especially if you have animals, or smoke. You may not notice the smell, buy buyers do!
Most realtors have a difficult time communicating to their sellers about odour. By employing me to get the most amount of money for my sellers, do not take offense if I must confront you about odour problems.
Freshen your kitchen by sending a lemon through your blender or garburator. Sweeten your fridge with a box of baking soda. Add some fresh flowers to the living room. Spray the bathrooms with lavender!
If this is too much for you to do, hire a staging company.
Weigh in! What improvements work best for you?
A clean home is a saleable home!
when it’s time to sell your Vancouver condo, talk to Maggie
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Lions Gate Bridge Plunged into Darkness for Earth Hour
March 30th, 2008 Categories: Green Condos, Vancouver
The Aussies are basking in the success of Earth Hour, which was started in Sydney in 2007.
This year it started in Christchurch, New Zealand on Saturday, to raise awareness that generating electricity from coal and oil that produce greenhouse gases which are contributing to climate change.
The lights shut down over 14 time zones and 25 countries, the last being North America’s west coast. 1000,000 Canadians signed up.
In Vancouver the Science World went dark.
Do you think Canada should go nuclear for its electricity? BC Hydro has announced it will be raising our hydro costs 7% per year going forward, in order to build more infrastructure, rather than buying the shortfall.
What were the Canadian results?
Want to weigh in? Did you participate? Do you think Earth Hour was a success? How big will it grow next year and what will be the overall impact on the environment? Will it spin off to other things?
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Six Pre-Closing Expenses To Remember
March 29th, 2008 Categories: Definitions
Closing costs are a big part of the condo buyer’s budget but many buyers forget the pre-closing costs, which add up.
Are you hiring a mover? Most people do! Do you select a national company or the local hood guy? Or rent a truck and do it yourself.
What insurance does the moving company carry? If you rent a vehicle does your home insurance cover you should your belongs get stolen along the way. Read the rest of this entry »
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Earth Hour In Vancouver
March 28th, 2008 Categories: Green Condos
On March 29, 2008 at 8pm join millions of people around the world by making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.
All the City of Vancouver, B.C. Hydro and Vancity buildings have already committed to powering down for Earth Hour and BC Hydro will measure the drop of activity use for the hour.
Sign up for Earth Hour 2008, get involved, reduce your impact, create your own event, tell a friend.
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What You Should Know About the New FINTRAC Regulations
March 28th, 2008 Categories: Definitions
Starting June 23, 2008, changes to the federal Proceeds of Crime Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act impact how Realtors and their brokers conduct business.
FINTRAC The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, is the Federal Government Agency created to provide suspicious transaction information to police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
FINTRAC collects and analyses reports from accountants, banks, casinos, insurance companies, real estate professionals and trust companies as part of Canada’s push to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. Read the rest of this entry »
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Should I Sell First And Then Buy? Or Vice-Versa?
March 27th, 2008 Categories: Definitions
It’s a first time sellers dilemma for Vancouver condo owners.
A client called me last month and told me they’d had a baby and wished to move up to a larger condo. When I met her at a place she wished to view, we had an extensive conversation about the best way for her to get from A to B.
When she left the rental market and bought her first condo it was easy. Now she must figure out how to get her equity out of one condo so that she can purchase another one. Read the rest of this entry »
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Wordless Wednesdays
March 26th, 2008 Categories: Wordless Wednesdays
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Get Rid of Vancouver Realtor’s Conflict of Interest Once and For All
March 26th, 2008 Categories: Definitions
Limited Dual Agency refers to a realtor representing both the Buyer and Seller in a Vancouver real estate transaction.
Unfortunately, not all Realtors fully co-operate, as set out under the MLS code of ethics, particularly when they have an opportunity to make double the commission. In many cases, they give our industry a bad reputation. Read the rest of this entry »
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Give Me One Minute – and I’ll Give You Three Secrets About Malcolm MacLean
March 25th, 2008 Categories: Coal Harbour, Downtown
Malcolm A. MacLean was the first elected mayor of Vancouver, founded Stanley Park and the Vancouver Real Estate Board.
Let’s recognize a famous Vancouverite!
Born in Scotland in 1844 he lived in Ontario, Winnipeg (before the CPR) and had a summer home in Saskatchewan. He died in 1895. Read the rest of this entry »
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Here’s a Quick Way to Improve Vancouver’s Water Quality
March 24th, 2008 Categories: Real Estate
North Vancouver’s Capilano Creek was dammed in 1888.
This was two years after Vancouver was founded. “Former CPR surveyor George Alexander Keefer (1836-1912) (Keefer Street in Tinseltown) and his partners incorporated the Vancouver Waterworks Company. His nephew, George Henry Keefer, hiked up into the mountains of the North Shore looking for a suitable water source. He found is in a creek named Capilano, after the famous Squamish warrior.
Read the full story about Vancouver’s Waterworks Company. Read the rest of this entry »
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