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The 4 Ps to Maximizing your Selling Price


When you sell, you’ll probably want to get the best possible price for your property. Who wouldn’t? Unfortunately, there are many ways to inadvertently leave money on the table – sometimes thousands of dollars.


How do you avoid that possibility? Just remember the 4 Ps:


Prep. Do everything you can to prepare your home so that it looks great to buyers. Clean, declutter, fix, make improvements. Home staging can also help. In fact, effectively staged homes have been shown to sell for up to 5% more than comparable unstaged properties.


• Price. Set the right asking price. That’s crucial. If it's too low, you'll attract only deal-hunters — and you might end up getting less than you should. If the asking price is too high, however, you'll discourage those buyers who might otherwise be interested and willing to make a good offer. Be careful with pricing!


• Promotion. There may be qualified buyers out there who would be eager to see your property. But, they need to find out about your listing and the great features of your home first! Reaching these buyers requires more than merely profiling the listing on the MLS. Homes that sell for top dollar often have strong marketing — directed to the right buyers.


Proposal. Once an offer comes in, there may be an opportunity to negotiate with the buyer to maximize the final price you get. This requires deep knowledge of the local market as well as street-smart negotiation skills. If done effectively, these negotiations can help put more money in your pocket.


These four Ps are easy to remember, but sometimes not so easy to implement! That's why working with a great real estate agent is so important.


Contact me to get the conversation started.

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Protecting your Home Gadgets from Hacking


Imagine your coffee maker switching on by itself, staying on for hours, overheating and becoming a fire hazard. That's not science fiction. As more and more appliances incorporate WIFI, the opportunities for hackers to play havoc with your home gadgets increase.


How do you prevent that from happening? Here are some safety tips:


• If your gadget uses a password to access the settings, change that password frequently. Ideally, change it once every 3 months.


• Some gadgets, such as alarm systems, come with their own connection to the internet. Learn how to turn that connection off if it becomes necessary to do so.


• Don't leave an internet-connected appliance or other gadget on constantly unless it’s necessary. For example, you don't need your home speaker system connected to your digital music providers all the time.


• Baby monitors with video are a common target for hackers. Use a password unique to that device and change it often. Never leave the monitor on when not in use.


• Never share passwords with anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Most home WIFI systems have a "guest" feature with a separate password and limited access. Use it.


In this age of internet connectivity — from coffee makers to stereos and even washing machines — it's smart to play it safe. Know what's connected and protect yourself.

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Finding a Great Home in a Hurry


Do you have only a few weeks to search for your next dream home? Don't panic. There are things you can do to find the perfect (or, at least, almost perfect) property — without getting too stressed out!


Consider these tips:


Pre-arrange your mortgage. You want to be able to make a good offer on a home right away, without worrying about financing. So, talk to your mortgage advisor or lender about getting a mortgage preapproval. Sellers will take your offer more seriously if you have financing in hand.


• Decide what you want. What type of home are you looking for? What type of neighbourhood do you want to live in? The narrower your focus, the less time you’ll waste looking at properties that don’t fit your needs.


Be open to possibilities. There are probably terrific homes on the market — right now — that are close to what you're looking for. So be prepared to consider properties that are less-than-perfect. Remember, what a home lacks today may be remedied with a renovation later on.


• Be flexible with your schedule. When you see a home you like, schedule a viewing immediately, even if it's at an inconvenient day/time, such as a weekday after work. Finding a great home, quickly, is worth some inconvenience.


Get alerted to new listings. As they say, the early-bird gets the worm. So arrange to be alerted to new listings the moment they come on the market. That way, you can see these properties right away.


Want more tips on finding a home, quickly? Give me a call.

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A Lukewarm Spring Comes To An End For The Victoria Real Estate market


A total of 740 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this June, 4.5 per cent more than the 708 properties sold in June 2018 but a 12.7 per cent decrease from May 2019. Sales of condominiums were down 6.1 per cent from June 2018 with 216 units sold. Sales of single family homes increased 10.4 per cent from June 2018 with 394 sold.


“June has trended lower than May for the past few years and tends to signal the end of the active spring market," says Victoria Real Estate Board President Cheryl Woolley. “The summer months of July and August generally see less activity than the spring, as people’s attention shifts to vacation and away from real estate. This year, we have seen slightly more sales compared to June of last year. We have also seen one hundred fewer new listings enter the market this year, which continues to make a challenging market for buyers who are hoping for more options.”


There were 3,040 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of June 2019, an increase of less than one per cent compared to the month of May and a 17.1 per cent increase from the 2,595 active listings for sale at the end of June 2018. The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in June 2018 was $898,500. The benchmark value for the same home in June 2019 decreased by 4.3 per cent to $859,600, slightly less than May’s value of $860,800. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in June 2018 was $509,000, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in June 2019 increased by 2.97 per cent to $524,100, higher than May's value of $519,300.


“It is possible that some buyers are waiting for the federal government’s new first-time home buyer incentive to roll out this September,” adds President Woolley. “The program is intended to assist first time buyers with their down payment. It’s hard to estimate how many local buyers may take advantage of the incentive, but because of the low threshold for maximum purchase price, the program may only help those in our area who seek to buy condos. This could mean a slight uplift in lower priced properties in the fall, if more buyers are enabled to enter the market. If you are interested in exploring options and strategies for either buying or selling, it would be a good time to connect with a local REALTOR®, who has the expertise necessary to navigate today's market conditions, neighbourhoods and property types.”

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Should You Replace Your Windows?


Here's a surprising statistic. Less than 30% of window replacements are the result of the old windows being worn, broken or otherwise in need of replacement.


Clearly, there are other good reasons to consider new windows!


One of the most popular motivations is cosmetic. Brand new windows have a huge impact on the overall look of a home, both on the inside and the outside. New windows can improve curb appeal — an important element when you sell a home. From the inside, new windows can dramatically improve the look of a room.


Another reason to replace windows is to address energy costs. Modern windows are packed with technologies that lower heating/cooling bills. From low-e/argon to special spacer bars to high-insulating construction, these technologies can provide savings you'll notice, especially if you're replacing very old windows.


A third reason is window style and characteristics. Simply put, you may not like your current windows! You may want more glass and less frame to enhance your view. Maybe your windows pull up (vertical sliders) when you'd rather have them open like a door (casements). Perhaps you'd like fancy blinds in-between the panes of glass. Replacing windows lets you get exactly the look and features you want.


Will new windows boost the resale value of your home? They might, at least a little. But there's one thing for certain: upgraded windows definitely make your home look more appealing to buyers.

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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.