Selling your home doesn't have to be overwhelming

When some people think about selling their home, they imagine all the
things they will have to do: paint the kitchen, clean closets, prepare for
viewings, find another home, arrange financing, start packing, etc.
It can all seem very overwhelming very quickly.

In fact, the long to-do list you imagine you’ll have to deal with may dissuade you from making a move!

Selling your home doesn't have to be overwhelming!

There are many ways to make selling your home and buying another relatively simple and easy.

Of course, there will be some work to do. You may need to prepare your property
so that it looks appealing to potential buyers – cleaning, decluttering, doing
some repairs, etc.   You will also need to view some properties for
sale in order to find your next dream home.

These activities may not be as time-consuming or difficult as you had
imagined. In fact, you and your family might actually enjoy the experience –
and see it as an adventure.

The trick is to work with the right REALTOR®, someone who can guide you
through the process, show you the shortcuts, and generally make things
easier for you.

It's a little like baking your first cake from scratch. The task seems daunting,
unless you have a master baker by your side to guide you step-by-step
through the process. Then it's a lot easier, and even fun!

 Call us today and let us  take the "overwhelming" out of your next sale and/or purchase.

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
Office: 519-438-8000
Email: richard@thyssengroup.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Avoid these first-time Home Buyer mistakes

When it comes to counseling first-time home buyers, the real estate agent is a tremendous resource to help overcome knowledge deficiency.
That home buyers lack knowledge about the process only makes sense when you understand that shopping for a home may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some.  The process is foreign and the pitfalls are hidden. This is why it's so important to find the right real estate agent to assist you along the way.
Let's take a look at how to avoid these common first-time Home Buyer mistakes.

Not Being Clear About Money

Going into a home purchase with your eyes closed to your finances is probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make during the process. Nobody likes unpleasant surprises, yet that's what you open yourself up to when you are ignorant about where you stand financially.
See a lender to determine exactly how much you can borrow for a home.
Finally, when you have that figure, don't be tempted to shop for homes priced at the limit. Give your post-purchase budget some monthly wiggle room by purchasing at the middle of the price range, or a bit more.

Not Being Clear About Your Wants and Needs

While you may not get everything on a wish list, it's a good idea to compile one – especially if more than one person will be living in the home.
Understand that your wish list isn't set in stone and you can plan on it changing once you start viewing homes. During the home-shopping process, you will get a better idea of which items are feasible with your budget and which will have to be struck from the list. Knowing what you want and need in a home is vital to your long-term satisfaction, so it's worth the time it takes to sit down and make a list.
Don't neglect the neighborhood wish list either. Do you need to be close to public transportation? If you'd like a family neighborhood with lots of kids for yours to play with, put that on the list.
The bonus to getting clear on your wants and needs is that when you share the list with your real estate agent, your time won't be wasted by viewing homes that don't fit your criteria.

Making Big Changes

The best part of the home-purchase process is that point during the transaction when inspections are complete, all the conditions have been removed, and it feels like smooth sailing to the close.
Unfortunately, this is a danger zone for rookie home buyers. This is typically when they start picturing themselves actually living in the home and the urge may be overwhelming to shop for furniture, appliances and other big-ticket items.
Any big changes you make, such as large purchases or getting a new job, may effect your financial position going in to a new home mortgage.
Keep your pocketbook closed and remain on your current job until you walk away from the closing table.

Waiving the Home Inspection

Although foregoing a home inspection was unthinkable a few years ago, in a seller's market where multiple offers are common, it's tempting to agree to waive the home inspection as an incentive for the seller to pick your offer. It's also not very wise.
A professional inspection,  may be the only way you'll know whether you're buying a lemon or a plum - a money pit or a smart investment.
When you forego a professional home inspection, you're essentially buying the home "as is." Without the inspection condition, the buyer waives his right to ask for repairs or money to make the repairs.
Waiving the home inspection is never worth the risk.

Knowing how much home you can afford is paramount to a successful home purchase. Making the decision to remain within a certain budget, doing all you can to clean up your credit to get the lowest interest rate possible, and becoming clear on your desires and expectations all help to make the home-buying process as error-free as possible.

Call and let us assist you buy your new home!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
Email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

How to Clean and Maintain Your Eavestroughs

Your eavestroughs take care of your house, but who's taking care of them?
Cleaning and maintaining your eavestroughs is just as important as changing the oil in your car.

Why Eavestroughs Need Cleaning

When your eaves get clogged, you'll see waterfalls pouring from their edges in warmer weather, and icicles glittering along the bottom in winter. That's not the worst of it. Improperly cleaned and maintained eaves can lead to:
Water leaks inside your ceiling and adjoining walls: Water exerts a tremendous amount of pressure. Like most things, it will find the path of least resistance. For some homeowners, this spells water damage inside the ceiling and walls (which leads to further problems).
Siding issues: Invading water can lead to mold and rotting wood – not what you want inside your home's walls. Unfortunately, by the time the damage becomes obvious, it's typically too late.
Damaged or detached eaves: The weight of waterlogged debris can cause detached eaves to give away.
Basement and foundation damage: Water is relentless. If it doesn't drain away from your house properly, it can seep into the basement or crack the foundation. It won't get better without repair.

Tips for Cleaning Your Eavestroughs

Most homeowners need to clean their eaves twice a year. First, in October, or when the trees are almost done shedding their leaves. Late spring is another good time, if a second cleaning is needed. If they haven't been cleaned for a very long time, the job may be more difficult.
Keep these tips in mind:
Wear leather gloves and long sleeves while to protect your hands and arms. You may encounter sharp edges, hidden screw ends, or other hazards.
Spread plastic sheeting over shrubs and decorations you do not want exposed to the cleaning.
Position a wheelbarrow, trash bin, tarp or plastic sheeting on the ground under your work area. Throw the debris onto the tarp instead of carrying a garbage bag up the ladder with you.
Set up your ladder on a stable area near a corner of the house (close to a downspout). Never reach more than a couple of feet to the sides to prevent falling.
Avoid resting the ladder against the eaves.
Starting at the corner downspout, work away from it, scooping out any leaves, dirt and debris.
Scrub inside the eaves, if needed, with a soft- or wire-bristled brush.
Flush, using a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle in order to create water pressure. Move the water through the eaves and out the downspouts.
Snake any downspout that appears clogged.
Clean the outside using hot, soapy water, and wash away any splatter or spills on the siding.

Eavestrough Maintenance and Repair

Slow down the debris accumulation in your eaves to make maintenance and cleaning easier. Some repair and maintenance tasks you may be able to perform yourself include the following:

Adjust the slope if water doesn't flow readily and the downspouts are clear. Eavestroughs should run downhill toward the downspouts.
Install mesh screens or a leaf-catching system. If you decide to buy one of these systems, be sure to get a type that can be easily removed when it's time to clean.
Check your system every time you clean it. Look for rust, leaks, or loose connections.
To fix small holes, leaks or loose connections, use silicone caulk or sealant as directed.
If your house is taller than two stories, consider hiring a professional. Get estimates from three companies before choosing the one you want to work with.

Proper maintenance will keep your eavestroughs working effectively for many years.

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Keep the exterior of your home looking its best!

It’s hard to believe that the fall season is upon us.  With the summer months over,  it is now time to take a look at your home’s exterior, especially if you are entertaining the idea of listing it for sale this season. Here are a few tips to help you keep your property looking its best:

·     Rake up leaves on a frequent basis. 

·     Inspect your eaves troughs and remove any debris that has been trapped.

·     Continue to weed the garden beds and walkways.

·     Remove annual flowers that are no longer blooming and plants that are past their prime.  Dead    foliage gives the impression of a home that is not cared for.

·     Keep an eye on the rain amounts.  In warm, dry fall weather, you will still need to irrigate your           lawn.

·     Fertilize your lawn before the ground freezes.  This will give your grass a head start in the                   spring. 

·     Adjust the timers on outdoor lighting since it now gets dark earlier.

·     Give your gardens some fresh colour by planting fall flowers such as mums. Choose a color that compliments the exterior of your home.

·     Redesign your urns and flowers pots to a fall theme.

Add some decoration and attract attention.  Create a simple design for the front porch. Pumpkins add color and provide a welcoming feel for the season.

Add cushions in fall colours to an outside chair or swing to add to your decorative theme.  If you pay this much attention to the exterior of your home, buyers will be anxious to see what is behind the front door. 

These are just a few things that will help keep the exterior of your home looking its best!

Feel free to add a comment with your fall ideas!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
Email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Curb appeal and the front entrance of your home

Curb appeal and the front entrance of your home is the first impression you will make on perspective buyers.

Creating an attractive and welcoming entrance is a good investment should you decide to sell your home.

These affordable ideas will help you get your home in shape and cost as little as a few hundred dollars.  Most of these ideas can be completed in a few hours and will add value and enjoyment.

The front door.

A weather-beaten front door can detract from the front of your home.  Painting or refinishing the front door is not costly and takes only a few hours.  Try painting the door a contrasting shade that coordinates with the other exterior colors of your home.

Replace hardware.

New hardware is a quick and easy way to update your front door.  Key less entry is also a popular choice because of its streamlined, modern appeal and ease of use.

Entry way.

Dated light fixtures, a poorly looking mailbox and doorbell greatly take away from your home’s curb appeal. Take a good look at yours.  These items may need to be replaced or in need of a good cleaning and a fresh coat of spray paint.

Add house numbers.

Highly visible house numbers help make your home easy for friends, service professionals and others to find, plus they add instant curb appeal. There are a wide range of decorate yet functional house numbers available that will enhance your curb appeal as well and visibility.

Edge and mulch the front beds.

Your front garden beds will look neater and more cared for with edging and a fresh layer of mulch. You can either buy mulch in bags or have bulk quantities delivered at a reasonable cost.   Dark brown or black mulch looks the best and the most natural.

Prune plants.

Cutting back landscaping plants to below windows and/or porch railings gives any home a clean appearance, as well as leaving the doorways and windows exposed helps with security.

Light pathways and/or driveway.

A dark, unlit house is unwelcoming. Landscape lighting adds ambiance as well as security.  Solar lighting is the most affordable but also the least dependable. If you have basic wiring skills, you can install affordable landscape lighting yourself.

Add architectural interest.

Painted shutters, window boxes, decorative molding, columns or brackets can go a long way in adding appeal to your home.  Great deals can be found at resale shops, garage sales and flea markets.  Use your artistic flair!

These pointers will create curb appeal and the front entrance of your home will give a fabulous first impression.

Call us anytime for more ideas!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record

Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative

Direct: 519-495-1541

Email:  rthyssen@rogers.com

www.thyssengroup.com

Selling Your Home: 3 Must-Knows Before you List

Sometimes the hardest part of selling a home is making the decision to sell it. Our homes give us roots, provide sanctuary, house memories and, hopefully, give us some financial security. It's a huge decision to sell a home.
Once made, however, additional decisions will come fast and furious, so take some time now, before the frenzy, to understand three salient points about the successful sale of a home in today's real estate marketplace.

What is Market Value?

One of the most challenging aspects of selling a home is determining the list price. Many homeowners will go online to find homes nearby that are for sale and base their price assumption on those that are most similar.
The list price of a home, however, is a fantasy. It represents an amount of money the seller thinks, or hopes the home will bring. Until the home sells, he may be right or he may be wrong.
Buyers set market value for homes. What a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured buyer pays for a home is the home's true market value. Therefore, when pricing a home for the market, one must always look at the sold prices of similar homes nearby.
This is the method both real estate agents and appraisers use when determining a home's market value.

First Impressions Matter

Chipped or peeling paint, sagging window and door screens, and overgrown or dead landscaping do not make a good first impression.
Before you do anything else, clean your house, inside and out. Make cosmetic repairs, especially outdoors where the house makes its first impression. Even if it's merely a new coat of paint on the front door, shiny new house numbers and some fresh mulch in the planting beds.
Don't neglect the interior either. If you don't know where to start, take a look at some websites with ideas on how to declutter and stage the home.

Don't Attempt This on Your Own

Of course we will not tell you to take the for-sale-by-owner route. So, we won't ask you to take just our word for it. Let's look at the cold, hard numbers.
First, only 9 percent of homeowners attempt to sell their homes without the aid of an agent, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Of those, almost half said they took this route because they were selling their home to someone they knew.
The next most commonly stated reason that a homeowner gave for not using an agent was that he or she didn't want to pay the real estate commission. That's understandable when one isn't sure exactly what an agent does to get a home sold. Once you get a look at the list of what we will do, you'll understand that you definitely get what you pay for.
You should also take into consideration the fact that a home that is for sale by owner is considered a bargain to most home buyers. Many will walk in expecting you to kick back some of that money you're saving by not using an agent. This is why, according to NAR, homes sold by agents sell for 16 percent more than those sold by owner.

Selling a home is a big deal. When it's time to sell yours, start with the basics, as outlined above, and you'll be ready to list your home before you know it.

If you would like to know what your home is worth in today's market, call us anytime!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
Email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

What home buyers love to see

Buyers are more likely to make an offer on your home if they see a lot of
things they love about it. So what do home buyers love to see?

One of the main things they like to see is a lot of space. Of course, you can't
change the size of your rooms, but there is a lot you can do to make small
spaces in your home seem more spacious.

Buyers also love to see a clean and uncluttered home. Think of how inviting
a hotel room looks at first glance, with everything neat and organized.  The more neat, clean
and attractive you can make each room, the better.

One thing buyers don't love to see is potential maintenance issues. So as much as possible, get things fixed or updated.

In fact, the more "finished" and "move in ready" your home looks, the more likely a buyer is to make an offer.

Don't forget the surrounding neighbourhood either. A buyer may not take the time to explore the area, so be sure to make a list of the most appealing features. You might want to take a picture of the brand new playground just down the street or print off a local map showing nearby shopping, schools and other points of interest.

It's all about creating a good impression, making your home look its best and
drawing attention to the most enticing features.

Want more home selling tips? Call us today!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
Email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com