Real Estate Blog - August, 2015

Dos and Don’ts of Buying an Investment Property

Purchasing an investment property can be a really great financial opportunity—or it can be a nightmare.  To make sure you end up with the former result instead of the latter, follow these simple dos and don’ts before you buy your investment property.

 1) Do your homework

 Research the property market, tax breakdown, and standard rental rates in the area.  Make sure you do a number crunch to ensure that the rate you will have to rent your property at will be enough to cover all the expenses that will come with your property—including any repairs that may crop up.

 2) Don’t get emotionally involved

 Don’t get emotionally or personally invested in your building.  Keeping yourself detached and professional can ensure you are always making the best…

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Top 3 Selling Mistakes

Top 3 Edmonton Selling Mistakes to Avoid

Is this your first time selling your home?  There are a few mistakes that are all-too-frequently made when it comes to selling a home for the first time.  Here are a few tips on how to avoid these Edmonton selling mistakes so you can be sure your home doesn’t sit on the market too long.

 1) Avoid overpricing your home

 One of the top Edmonton selling mistakes involves asking for way too much for your home.  Property values do tend to fluctuate, so make sure you are basing the price of your home on its current value.  Take a look at some other similar properties that are currently on the market around you to get an idea of value, too.  You should expect to get offers that are less than the price you list,…

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Top Tips For Moving With Your Pets

No matter how far away you are headed, whether it is just across town or across the country, moving can be hard on your furry companions.  Cats and dogs alike can experience a lot of stress from the commotion and unfamiliarity of moving.  Here are a few tips for how to keep your critters happy before, during, and after the move.

 1) Move slowly.

 Pets aren’t usually very big fans of change, so introducing the change gradually can ease a lot of tension.  Bring your moving boxes in early and take some extra time packing things up so your fluffies don’t feel overwhelmed by the chaos.  It is also a good idea to pick a quiet and more shut-off room in your home to designate as the safe space for your pets.  Don’t pack this room up until the last, and…

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Quick Tricks to Help You Save on Your Hydro Bill

If you are new to home ownership, you might be more than a little surprised at how much electricity a home can suck back compared to an apartment. Fortunately, there are a few tricks that can help you save a bit on your next hydro bill.

1) Upgrade your windows.

Having windows that seal tight and don’t let drafts through can help keep you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer so you can turn your heat or your a/c down a bit more.

2) Solar power!

You don’t have to have a solar panel for the sun to help you out on your hydro bill. Use a clothes line or drying rack instead of the dryer, and air dry your dishes in a sunny spot instead of running your dishwasher through the drying cycle.

3) Turn it off.

Turn off your lights, computer,…

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4 Tips To Help You Avoid The Big Decorating Mistakes

Planning a makeover for the interior of your home? There is a lot you can do with your space, but there is a lot you should avoid doing if you want your space to be as functional and fabulous as possible. Here are 4 tips you should make an effort to follow for the sake of your own sanity.

1) Make sure your furniture isn’t just chic.

Your furniture should look great—it should capture the atmosphere (and attitude) of your space—but it shouldn’t just look great. You want your newly remodeled home to be as functional as it is formidable, so make sure your furniture is comfortable and suited to your needs.

2) Swatch what you’re doing.

Fabric swatches, carpet swatches, paint samples—these things are your friends. Use them, wander around your space…

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How To Sell Your Edmonton Home Now

Okay, so the real estate market in Edmonton has been a little shaky of late.  That said, all hope is not lost when you are looking to sell your Edmonton home.  Here are a few tricks to help your home sell faster without having to drop your asking price

 1) Put on a show.

 You want your home to grab some serious attention once it hits the market, so make sure you have it staged well, both inside and out.  Get rid of your personal effects and anything that can create clutter—but don’t empty it of all its furniture completely.  Sometimes you have to do some staging to sell your Edmonton home; show potential buyers all the features that make it pop.

 2) Landscaping.

 The exterior of your home is just as important as the interior when you are…

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What Homeowners’ Insurance Doesn’t Cover

Insurance is a part of life and a part of owning anything with any value. It’s important that you protect your assets, like your home, vehicle or precious items, with the appropriate insurance .One thing some people aren’t aware of, especially if they’ve never owned a home, is that some situations aren’t covered by your home insurance.

Flood Damage

If you live in an area prone to flooding, your home insurance likely will not cover this type of damage. If they did, for everyone in the area, they’d be bankrupt as soon as a flood hit. To protect yourself, you often need to purchase and additional policy known as a ‘rider’ to supplement your regular home insurance.

Business Coverage

If you run a business out of your home, your home insurance will…

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The Importance Of Realtor Networks

Not all realtors are created equal. The extent of a realtors contacts, or network, is as important, if not more important than the realtors actual skills and knowledge. Why is this? There are several reasons but we’ll stick to the ones that affect the buy and seller the most.

Sellers

When you are putting your place on the market, advertising only makes up a portion of the exposure your property gets. The people, including sellers and other realtors that your realtor is in contact with are very important. The bigger the network of individuals they associate with, the greater the chance of them finding someone within their network interested in your property. If a realtor does not have an adequate network then your sale will depend massively on the…

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Is An Underpriced Home Always A Red Flag?

This is tough, because, generally speaking, no – you can’t assume that there is something wrong with a place because it is undervalued; but, in some cases there may be. You really need to investigate the circumstances surrounding the property before you decide.

Reasons For Undervaluing – The good

A home may be sold on the cheaper side of things if a seller is trying to snag a quick sale and the profits aren’t necessarily the most important part of the equation. This can happen if the homeowner has passed away and the family is trying to unload the property quickly. It can also happen if a home is under threat of foreclosure and the owners are trying to right the ship before it’s too late. Quick sales are also important in situations where homeowners…

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The Edmonton Job Market

Life goes on in Edmonton. The Edmonton job market has taken a hit in recent months, but all is not lost. Companies that have relied solely on the energy sector for employment contracts have been hit hard, but lots of companies branch out into multiple industries, and therefore have suffered a bit but aren’t destroyed. Employment in the oilfields, however, has declined greatly.

Not all industries have been affected, yet, and if the situation rights itself in a reasonable amount of time, many industries won’t feel the pinch. Some of the industries hit the hardest in the Edmonton job market by the oil crash have been the transportation sector and the fabrication sectors.

Many companies in Edmonton focused a great deal of their workload on fabricating…

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