If you’re thinking of selling, you’re probably planning to do a few minor improvements to make your property more appealing to buyers. That’s a smart idea.

So, what are the best small improvements to make? Here are a few ideas:

• Cabinet hardware. Upgrading the hardware on kitchen and bathroom cupboard doors and drawers can have a surprising impact on the look of those rooms. The best part is, this improvement is about as DIY-friendly as it gets!

• Cover plates. If you have older light and electrical switches, replacing the cover plates with something more stylish can make a difference. It’s probably the simplest way to give a room a more modern look.

• Countertops. Replacing kitchen or bathroom countertops isn’t cheap. However, it’s substantially less expensive than a full-on kitchen or bathroom renovation. And, new countertops make those rooms look refreshed.

• Kitchen sink and faucet. If your current sink is old and stained, replacing it is a fairly simple improvement that will have a big impact. Also consider updating the faucet to further enhance the look of the space. There are hundreds of styles available.

• Carpeting. Of all the types of flooring, carpets are the easiest and most affordable to replace. New carpets also create a clean and upgraded look. If you have old carpeting on the main floor or stairs, consider replacing it when selling.

• Lights and fixtures. If you have old light fixtures in your home, especially in key areas such as the foyer and kitchen, your lighting may be dim. New fixtures will not only make those spaces more modern-looking and appealing, but the lighting will probably also be better too.

Finally, don’t forget one of the simplest and most effective improvements of them all: painting. A freshly painted room almost always looks more attractive to buyers.

Imagine you’re shopping for a car. You find one that’s a suitable model, a recent year, and hasn’t been driven a lot. The price is right, too.

But, there’s a caveat.

The paint is worn off in several places. The driver’s seat upholstery is torn and requires repair. And, the tires needed to be replaced… a long time ago.

Would you still buy it? You might. However, unless you enjoy fixing up cars, you’d probably hesitate to make the purchase.

After all, in addition to seeing the car itself, you’re noticing the work that needs to be done to fix it.

The same holds true when selling your home.

The more “move-in” ready you make the property the more likely buyers are to become interested in buying it. Like when viewing a car, you want buyers to focus on all your home’s wonderful features, not on the repairs and updates that need to be done.

That being said, how important is it that your home be “move-in ready” when you sell?

That depends, in large part, on the market. If it’s currently a seller’s market in the neighbourhood — lots of buyers but comparatively few properties for sale — getting your home move-in ready is less important. There is already high demand for your property. (However, getting all repairs done and staging your property effectively will still provide a significant advantage.)

In a buyer’s market, where there are more homes for sale than buyers, you’re in a competitive situation. So, anything you can do to give your listing an advantage is worth the effort. That includes making it as “move-in” ready as possible.

September 1, 2022

A total of 478 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this August, 42.5 per cent fewer than the 831 properties sold in August 2021 and a 6.3 per cent decrease from July 2022. Sales of condominiums were down 57.1 per cent from August 2021 with 148 units sold. Sales of single family homes decreased 30.3 per cent from August 2021 with 249 sold.

“August is typically one of the slower months for real estate in the Greater Victoria area and this year was no exception,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Karen Dinnie-Smyth. “After two years of market conditions that favoured home sellers, sales have diminished in the past few months and inventory levels have been slowly increasing.”

There were 2,137 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of August 2022, a decrease of 1.2 per cent compared to the previous month of July but a 90.8 per cent increase from the 1,120 active listings for sale at the end of August 2021.

“One of the metrics we watch when we look at the market is the sales to active listings ratio – this is the percentage of available listings that have sold over the course of the month, which helps indicate the balance of supply and demand,” adds President Dinnie-Smyth. “A high percentage means more of the available listings have sold, which shows a high buyer demand and that’s generally a favourable market for sellers. The lower the percentage, the more properties available. In general, we look at the 15 to 20 per cent range as a balanced market. Right now, the ratio is 28.14 per cent, while at this time in 2021 we were at 94.91 per cent. We continue to trend towards a more balanced market. As conditions change, connect with your trusted REALTOR® to understand how your selling and buying plans fit into the current market.”

The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in August 2021 was $1,201,400. The benchmark value for the same home in August 2022 increased by 15.8 per cent to $1,391,700 but was down 2.9 per cent from July's value of $1,433,400. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in August 2021 was $509,000, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in August 2022 increased by 22.2 per cent to $621,900, down by 2.8 per cent from the July value of $639,900.

Until a couple of years ago, internet access was a nice-to-have for most homeowners. But these days, it’s fast becoming a necessity. Kids need good internet to do homework assignments. You may need reliable internet to work from home and attend online meetings.

So, when shopping for a new home, it’s wise to check if the property which you’re interested in making an offer on has good internet available. The last thing you want is to move into a home only to discover that the internet service is slow and faster options are unavailable.

There are many ways to do find out.

For example, most internet services websites have a feature where you can type on the address and find out what type of internet services are available. Pay attention to how the service is delivered to your home, as well as the upload and download speeds.

Traditionally, cable and fiber offer the highest speeds with the most stable connections. However, satellite and DSL can be very good, too, depending on the service provider.

For online meetings (i.e., ZOOM) you’ll need an internet service with 4Mbps upload and 3Mbps download. (Most internet service plan descriptions show those download and upload numbers.) Keep in mind that if you have several internet users in your home — watching a movie, playing a game, etc., — you’ll need higher upload and download speeds.

Your best bet is to call the internet service company and explain your requirements. Learn what service options are available for the home you’re thinking of buying.

Want more tips on finding and buying your next dream home? Call today.