Tips and Tricks

Have you been pre-approved for a mortgage?

Have you started looking for your starter home and or your dream home? Maybe you are wondering what you need to know and what you should do before you begin checking out open houses.

We’ve already covered the timeline to possession in a previous blog but we thought it would be beneficial to understand house hunting etiquette in order to best understand the viewing process and in order to best utilize your time.

1) Show up on time:

We get it, life happens. No problem. If you are running you late call ahead and let your agent know you will be late. This is good etiquette for any situation in which you might be late. They might have other showings after you that they need to move back a little but to

Life has a funny way of changing

When you buy your first home it could be that you bought it as a forever home but as life moves on things change. Jobs, kids and a multitude of other things can happen. Lets face it moving is not the most of relaxing life events (rated the third most stressful life event) and added to that the stress of selling makes for a difficult time. Then there are other factors that can effect the process, weather, seasonal issues, so If you are contemplating listing your home, here are a few tips you may find helpful:

1. DE-CLUTTER WELL IN ADVANCE

Even before your realtor sets an eye on your home - and at least a month prior to listing (make that two months if you still have VHS tapes) - confront your basement and open your

If you have bought a house before you are most likely aware of the steps required to get pre-approved, approved, compile a deposit and the many other steps that fall into buying a home. However, if this is the first time you are buying a home you might not know where to start.

Rest Assured, I am here to help! I want to ease you through the guess work of home ownership and take off the stress of the unknown.

Let me help you get ready to buy your first home. All of the times suggested are of course dependent upon the market, time of year etc. so don't use them as a hard and fast rule.

Step One – Getting started

Timeline = 1 - 3 weeks

Sounds easy enough but there are a few steps that are required from you before you can walk into your

There’s an undeniable thrill in house hunting

After all, for most of us, a home is the most expensive and important thing we’ll ever buy. Chances are, your search will turn up a lot of properties that don’t fit into your plans at all, so the excitement of finding a potentially suitable place in your sights can certainly be overwhelming.  It’s got enough rooms, the neighbourhood seems nice, and it’s in your price range. Where do you sign – right?

Well, perhaps it is the Shangri-La it seems to be – but there’s no harm in pinching yourself a few times to make sure your dream home isn’t just a mirage. By asking a few tough questions now, you can ensure the right answers down the road.

Here are 5 ways to make sure the house you are considering has

Imagine walking up to a home that you are considering buying; The first thing you notice is that the roof shingles are curling. Then you walk up to the door and notice the paint on the front door is chipped and peeling. What kind of first impression would you have of this home?

I am commonly asked by my seller clients if they should put the time, effort and most importantly money into their home or to simply price it well and sell it as is. I decided to write this post to help sellers easily make the decision to fix or to not fix.  Most times a small investment on your part will result in a quicker sale, more positive feedback and hopefully an great offer (or maybe even multiple offers if you’re lucky!)

Obviously, there are few people who wish to

If you have been thinking about selling your home, you probably heard that it’s best to wait until spring.

Many people think of the spring as the best time to sell their home because people are not overwhelmed with the holidays. Plus, school is just coming to an end in the spring, making it the ideal time to relocate your family. If you want to sell your house before the holidays, here’s how to do it fast.

Take Advantage of Less Competition

One of the biggest perks of selling your home right before or during the holiday season is less competition. In general, most people wait until spring to list their homes. What this means for you is that there are going to be fewer houses for buyers to look at, increasing the competition in your favor.

Looking to buy or sell a home in Kamloops? Need to get a great Kamloops Realtor?

Will you be looking to sell your property in the next year? Want to know the essential qualities of a great real estate agent? Need to know how to identify agents with these qualities? If your answers to these questions is YES then read on and learn how to get the right Realtor.

When seeking real estate agents, experts agree that locating a good agent will make a difference in your real estate experience. Good inspectors, contractors, attorneys and other professionals are also important for the same reason.

No one asking a real estate agent if they are efficient, honest or knowledgeable has ever heard an agent say “No.” They will say, “Yes,” because they believe

Step 1 and 2 – Decide If You’re Ready To Buy And Hire A Realtor®

Let me start by saying there are more (way more) than nine steps to buying a house but, the purpose of this post is to give home buyers a general overview of the process. There’s no blog post or infographic in the world that can replace the expertise of a local Realtor® and once you’re decided you’re ready to buy a house the very next step is to find an agent that is highly recommended, actively representing buyers, and someone who you feel comfortable with. Talk with friends and co-workers about their buying experience and if they had a great one ask for their agents contact info. If you aren’t sure if you’re ready you can always reach out to an agent and talk with them, get your

Absolutely!

Are we just saying this to get you to sign a listing contract with us? No way.

Let’s be honest, our job as Realtors is to make a living, right? The only way to make a healthy living in real estate is by creating strong relationships with clients, which is contrary to the popular belief of just selling more homes. Reason being, we are after referrals; the only way of earning a referral is by doing an outstanding job.

When we advise clients to list their home during winter months, it’s because we firmly believe that it’s in their best interests. We’re not being salesman, because like we said above, we are in the business of creating strong relationships.

CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE VALUE OF YOUR KAMLOOPS HOME

Buyers move for two

Real estate trends vary a little from year to year

Sometimes it’s a buyer’s market, and other times sellers are favored. Knowing what is going on in financial and investment sectors can often signal you whether it’s time to buy or sell. 2016 is in it's the last quarter with some very low inventory available in Kamloops, we are seeing homes in the average price range and lower are selling fasteroften going into multiple offer situations. Millennials (born between 1982 and 2002) are finally beginning to invest in real estate in larger numbers, which should continue to rise. This is still a year that favors both buyers and sellers in various markets.

The Millennials

As more and more Millennials are considering their future retirement, eighty-percent