Selling Your House Using the Other Three Senses

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty
Direct:  519-495-1541
Office:  519-438-8000

Email: richardthyssen@kw.com
www.thyssengroup.com

	Do you find the real estate market confusing? If you answered "yes", it's not surprising. Just check inside your weekend paper and you'll find pages upon pages of information on real estate. Visit your local bookstore or library and the shelves are packed with books on buying or selling a home. Type "real estate" or "homes for sale" into Google® and you'll be greeted with tens of thousands of search results. It's information overload! That's where I can help. If you have a question about the local real estate market, give me a call. I can provide you with the answers you need.
Selling Your House Using the Other Three Senses
Most advice on how to prepare your house for sale involves how the property will look to a potential buyer. Appearance is, of course, very important if you want to sell a house quickly and for the best price. But there are three other senses you have to satisfy as well. Hearing. Check for creaks in the floor, a rattling washer or dryer, or any other unpleasant noise. You may no longer notice these sounds, but potential buyers will. Smelling. You might love the aroma of exotic cooking, but visitors may not. Also check for other obvious sources of odours: such as ashtrays, laundry hampers, garbage bins and toilets. Touching. Make sure countertops, door handles, floors and other surfaces are free of dust and dirt. If potential buyers feel the need to wipe their hands after touching something, they won’t leave with a good impression. Appealing to all the senses helps to ensure that your house shows well. Want more proven ideas for making your home show better? Call today.
Using “Conditional Offers” to Your Best Advantage
You find a home that you’re interested in buying. But you have concerns. Is it in a good state of repair? Will you be able to secure the right financing? Can you sell your current home in time? Any of these issues can prevent you from making a prompt offer and, as a result, cause you to lose the opportunity. The solution? Make a conditional offer. A conditional offer means just that. You offer to purchase the home so long as certain conditions, which you specify, are satisfied. Here are the most common example “Subject to financing”. You will buy the home if you’re able to arrange for a suitable mortgage.   “Subject to inspection”. You will buy the home if it passes inspection by a qualified home inspector of your choice. If he or she finds that substantial repairs are required, you can either walk away from the deal or renegotiate.   “Subject to selling my current home”. You will buy the home if you can sell your own home within a set period of time. For example: 45 days. A seller might agree to this if your home is competitively priced.   “Subject to the repair of ____”. You will buy the home if the seller makes certain repairs, at his or her own expense. This can range from something relatively minor, such as fixing a crack in the foundation, to a major repair like replacing the roof shingles. A conditional offer will protect you. However, there is always the risk that the seller will say “No.” If you’re in a competitive situation, for example, and another buyer’s offer is unconditional, you may lose the deal - even if your offer price is higher! So you really need to use conditional offers strategically, in just the right way, under just the right circumstances.
Shopping for a New Neighbourhood
Most people, who want to make a move, shop for a new home. They think about the number of bedrooms they want, the depth of the backyard, the quaintness of the recreation room, and the size of the kitchen. There’s no doubt about it. Making sure that a house has all the features you need is important. But when shopping for a new home, you should also pay close attention to the neighbourhood features. You’ve probably heard the real estate industry phrase: Location, location, location. The neighbourhood you choose has a huge effect on your lifestyle and that of your family. Think about the age of your kids, the schools in the area, the activities your family members are involved in, your commute to work, where you like to shop, etc. Then make sure the neighbourhood you select for your next home supports your family’s lifestyle. Shopping for a neighbourhood should go hand-in-hand with shopping for a new home. After all, you can renovate a kitchen, but you can’t make a nearby playground magically appear!
notable, quotable... quotes!     “…ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Harold Whitman   “…one smile begins a friendship… one candle wipes out darkness… one life can make a difference.” Author Unknown   “Buying a home requires extensive information; the more you know increases the chances that you’ll live there happily ever after.” Alan Perlis