There’s an interesting psychological characteristic of clutter. We tend to notice it more in other people’s homes than in our own. In fact, we may not even realize a room in our house feels cluttered and uncomfortable to visitors.

That’s why making each room look neat and spacious is so important when you’re selling your property.

Although the task may seem daunting at first, decluttering is relatively easy to do.

The simplest technique is to box things. You’re going to move anyway, so boxing makes sense. You can store the boxes of items you’re keeping in your garage. If you have a lot of boxes, renting short-term storage is an option.

When decluttering, you’re bound to come across items you no longer need or want. You can create separate boxes for items to trash, donate, or sell online. Deal with these right away, so they’re not included in your stored boxes.

An uncluttered home shows dramatically better to buyers. When they see a cluttered space — even if it’s neatly organized — it creates a reason not to buy. So, declutter your way to a faster sale at a higher price!

Want to save money in 2025? There are many money-saving opportunities — including tax savings — that you can realize if you take action before the year ends. Here are just a few examples of what to consider:

• Do you own a business? Even if it’s just a side-hustle to make extra money, you can save on taxes if you make planned purchases this month. For example, if you need a new printer, buy it in December. That way, you may be able to take a deduction this year.
• Check your subscriptions. Many types of subscriptions — publications, online apps, memberships — automatically renew in December. If you subscribe to something you no longer want, cancel it this month. Otherwise, you might be stuck paying the renewal fee.
• Review your investments. Sit down with your advisor and go over your investments and other savings. You may be able to take advantage of year-end opportunities. Also check for investments or financial instruments that may be set to automatically renew this month.
• Watch for price hikes. It’s common for companies to raise prices at the beginning of a new year. Review your bills for announcements of fee increases. Some of those may be negotiable. You might also want to make other changes to reduce the impact.

Taking time this month to review expenses and investments could save you a bundle in 2023. It’s worth the effort!

Usually, a home inspection is done after an offer is made to buy a home. The offer will typically include a condition that the property must pass such an inspection. The buyer then hires the inspector, who goes through the home, top to bottom, inside and out, looking for issues.

However, you can also get an inspection done as the seller. In this case, you are paying for an inspector to produce a report on your home — before you sell. In fact, this is often called a pre-sale home inspection.

Why would you do this?

A pre-sale home inspection can make your property more attractive to buyers. This is especially helpful if you’re selling in a buyer’s market, where there are more homes like yours for sale than there are buyers. The report serves as an enticing feature of your listing because it reassures buyers that there are no unknown issues.

So, getting a pre-home inspection is something worth considering. For a buyer deciding between your listing and another home for sale, it can be a determining factor.

Imagine you find a home on the market that checks all the boxes. There’s only one issue. It needs work. Perhaps the paint has faded, or the kitchen is old, or there are repairs needed.

Should you make an offer on that home? That depends on many factors, of course.

The first thing you should consider is whether or not the home is otherwise ideal. If it has everything you want — location, size, style, number of bedrooms, etc. — then you may only be a few improvements away from a real gem.

You should also consider how much those improvements are likely to cost. Cosmetic projects — such as painting, replacing light fixtures, etc. — tend to be more affordable. In many cases, those projects are also DIY-friendly. However, major improvements, such as upgrading the kitchen with new countertops, sink, and cabinetry, can be expensive.

Fortunately, homes that need work don’t show as well as pristine listings. So, the cost of doing the improvements you need might be offset by getting the home at a lower price.

The bottom line is, buying a home that needs work is definitely worth considering.

When you sell your property and buy your next dream home, closing day can come faster than you might imagine. Before you know it, it’s just weeks away! So it’s important to make the proper plans to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Here are the most common plans you’ll need to make:

• Contact the post office to get your mail forwarded. No matter how thorough you are in updating your address with companies you deal with regularly, you’re bound to miss a few. Using the mail forwarding service will ensure you get that mail.
• Double-check that your home insurance will be transferred on closing day, so your new home is covered from day one. Also, don’t forget to update vehicle and personal insurance (medical, life, etc.)
• Make arrangements with utility companies – phone, electricity, heating, etc. – as soon as possible. Remember, you might be closing some accounts and opening new ones. That can take time.
• If you are upgrading your internet at the new home, a visit from a technician might be required. Make that appointment now.

There may be more arrangements to make before closing day. Create a checklist to make getting it all done easier and less stressful!

Is it really possible to improve your kitchen’s look for about the cost of a takeout gourmet dinner with the family?

Obviously you’re not going to be able to do anything major, such as replace the cabinets within that budget. But, there are many surprisingly low-budget ways to spruce up the kitchen. Here are a few ideas:

• Do you have old cabinets? You’d be surprised by how much newer they can look simply by replacing the knobs and/or handles. Pick a style that blends, rather than contrasts, with the cabinets.
• Does your sink have a few stains? That’s not unusual! There are special cleaning products available to get out the toughest stains without damaging or scratching the sink’s finish.
• Lighting can have an enormous impact on the look and feel of a space, particularly the kitchen. Experiment with new lighting ideas. Try different bulb wattages. Consider a new lighting fixture that looks good and distributes the light more pleasantly.
• Often you don’t need to upgrade anything – you just need to do a little redecorating. Consider new window coverings. Declutter to create a greater sense of space. Play with design touches such as placing trendy cookbooks on the counter, adding a plant, or putting an attractive fruit basket on the counter.

Sure, depending on your choices, some of these ideas may cost you more than $100. However, any of these low-budget improvements can make your kitchen look considerably more attractive.

You’ll notice the difference. And, if you’re selling, so will buyers.

When you have a buyer coming to view your property, you want to make the best impression possible. So, you do the usual things. You clean, tidy and declutter. However, some details are easy to forget.

For example:

1. Is there a mat by the front door for shoes, umbrellas, etc.?
2. Did you air out the home as much as possible to get rid of any lingering smells from a pet, recent cooking, etc.?
3. Did you empty trash bins?
4. Is the buyer (or his or her agent) aware of any doors that may have special locking mechanisms? If not, leave a note with instructions. For example, “To open the patio door, pull up the deadbolt lock at the bottom.”
5. Are there any kids’ toys on the floor that might accidently get damaged or be a tripping hazard?

The better your home shows to buyers, the more likely you are to get an offer.

When considering whether or not to sell their home, many people think about market conditions. They consider whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market. They look at trends. They try to time the sale to get the best price for their property.

While market conditions certainly can play a role in deciding whether you should sell now rather than later, many other factors can influence that decision too.

For example, you might have outgrown your home and need more space. Perhaps you need an extra bedroom or a larger kitchen. If you wait until market conditions are perfect, you may languish for months — or even years — in a home that’s too small for you.

The same can be said for downsizing.

Another “non-market” reason you might want to sell your home sooner rather than later is the neighbourhood. Is there another community more suited to your lifestyle that you want to get into? If it’s a particularly desirable area, you don’t want to wait too long to make a move. If you do, you might lose some good opportunities.

There’s also the emotional side of the decision to consider. You might simply want to move for no other reason than you need a change. That’s as good a reason as any to put up the For Sale sign and find your next dream home.

Other non-market reasons for selling include:

• Wanting a shorter commute to work.
• Adapting to a change in your family situation.
• Wishing to live closer to relatives and friends.
• Yearning for a particular property feature, such as a backyard with mature trees.

So, don’t just consider market conditions when deciding to sell. Look at all the reasons and then move forward with confidence. After all, you can sell and buy in any market.

When you put your property up for sale, you want to make sure that potential buyers get all the information they need on the features of your home and its surrounding area. If, for example, a buyer doesn’t realize there is a great school just a couple of blocks away, he might cross your property off his shortlist.
An effective way to make sure something like that doesn’t happen is to create three lists.

1: The “I’ll miss it” list.

Chances are, there are things about your home that you’re really going to miss when you move. It may be the spacious living room, ideal for entertaining. Or maybe it’s the nearby park with scenic trails, perfect for walking and biking, or the large deck that has just the right combination of shade and sun to make spending time on it so pleasant. Whatever you’ll miss, put it on the list! Those are features that will probably interest buyers too.

2: The “Just the facts” list.

What are the facts about your property that a buyer needs to know in order to consider purchasing it? This may be a very long list including such items as total square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, property taxes, size of the lot, and more. This list should also include special features such as upgraded kitchen features and the nearby golf course.

3: The “repairs and improvements” list.

Buyers are interested in the state of repair of your home, and in any improvements you have made to it. On this list, include all repairs you have done during the past three years and, if possible, attach receipts. It’s especially important to include anything that has been replaced, such as a furnace or roof. If you’ve done any major remodeling or renovations, include the details on those too.

Want more tips on selling your home? Call today.

Until recently, even the latest home security system could become obsolete overnight. But, newer whole-home integration systems are much more compatible with interchangeable parts and innovative add-ons.
As a result, it’s now possible to have a multi-faceted security system that watches over many of the functions and activities in and around your home. For example, you can organize and control your home’s exterior cameras, motion detectors, door locks, window coverings, lighting, entertainment, appliances and HVAC with one system.

If you’re buying an entirely new system, there are many established and emerging brands available, so consider their functions, cost, convenience and reliability. But, if you want the whole-home system to manage existing utilities and appliances, things can become challenging. You will need to ensure that your specific devices can communicate with your new hub, which means you need to identify the protocol under which they can share information. Because their compatibility is not certain, it’s advisable to identify the make and model of your existing equipment and check for compatibility before you purchase a new security hub or system.