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Closing day is an exciting time. After all, you’re moving into your new home! However, it can be stressful as well. The last thing you need is to be confronted with something you don’t understand. So here is a quick list of common “closing day” terms.


Disbursements. This is the allocation of funds to the appropriate parties, such as the seller. Your lawyer will take care of this for you.

 

Possession. This is the moment on closing day when you are legally able to take possession of your new home. It’s usually when your REALTOR® or lawyer hands you the keys.

 

Title. This is a legal document that identifies the property and its owner.

 

Closing costs. These are expenses, excluding the selling cost of the property, that are due on closing day, such as legal fees, reimbursement for pre-paid utilities, utility deposits, insurance, and taxes.

 

Closing adjustments. These are expenses pre-paid by the seller that need to be reimbursed on closing.

 

There may be other terms you come across on closing day as well. Don’t worry, a good REALTOR® can help make the day go smoothly for you and your family.

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Do you have a renovation project in mind – and wonder how much value it will add to your home? Remodeling Magazine recently did a study of renovation projects, comparing costs to added value. Here are some of the results:

 

Replacing a main entry door has a return on investment of over 95%. After all, the entrance to a home is one of the first things a prospective buyer notices.

 

Adding a new deck also adds a lot of value. Depending on the materials used, you can expect to get back three-quarters of the money invested.

 

Another high-payback project is the garage door. This once again demonstrates the importance of a home’s “curb appeal.”

 

If you’re tackling a big project, such as a basement renovation, you’ll be glad to know that, according to the study, a project like this adds a lot of value.

 

Finally, minor improvements to bathrooms and kitchens – such as adding new countertops or cupboards, can also be good investments that mostly pay back when you sell your home.

 

Of course, these figures are averages and can vary widely depending on location, type of property, and other factors.

 

Need help determining how a particular home improvement might impact the selling price? Call today.

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The Victoria Real Estate Board today released its report on real estate activity in the Victoria area for April 2015. A total of 840 properties sold in the Victoria region this April, a 26.5% increase compared to the 664 properties sold in the same month last year.


“We’ve seen modest sales increases in the area for the past two years, which we’ve attributed to a growing consumer confidence in the market,” Victoria Real Estate Board President Guy Crozier says. “The past three months have been exceptional, and I think have surprised most people watching the market; I certainly haven’t seen forecasts even close to the numbers we see today. It’s possible that consumers who were hesitant to make a move or purchase their first house during the recent economic downturn may have waited to see conditions like we see now – the favourable interest rates, good selection of prices and properties, and increased confidence in the local economy.”


There were 3,945 active listings for sale on the Multiple Listing Service® at the end of April, 10.4% fewer than the 4,404 active listings in April 2014.


The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core this time last year was $562,000. The benchmark value for the same home this month has increased by 3.5% to $581,700.


“The last time we saw this many transactions in an April was in 2007 when we saw 898 sales,” President Crozier adds. “The market is good, but prices aren’t crazy - despite the activity levels, values in our local market are still recovering from the peaks we saw in 2008 and 2010. Depending on the area, single family property values are as much as nine percent below the 2010 values. It is a great time to buy or sell property in our area.”

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MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.