Month: June 2024

There’s a famous saying in the real estate business: “Location, location, location”. It simply means that where your home is located – your community – is just as important to potential buyers as the features of the property itself.
Sellers often make the mistake of creating a long list of home features while ignoring community features. They tout the spacious kitchen, and the newly renovated bathrooms, but say little about the area.

So, when you’re ready to sell your home, sit down and create two lists: home features and community features. Buyers want to know both.

On the community features list, include:

• Locations of schools and daycares.
• Major retailers and shopping areas.
• Proximity to major commuting routes.
• Theatres, night clubs and other entertainment.
• Rinks, gyms and other sporting facilities.
• Green space, walking trails, and ponds.

When buyers have their eyes on two properties which are comparable in features, the community is often the deciding factor.

This is a good time to visually check of all your utilities, fixtures and appliances to make sure they are not using expensive energy and resources inefficiently.
Start with the faucets. Ensure they don’t drip when closed. If they do, replace the washers (or in the case of washerless units, the valve cartridges).

Next, check that your toilets don’t leak. To check for leaks, pour coloured liquid bowl cleaner into the tank, then wait several hours to see if it appears in the bowl without flushing. If it does, you likely have a leak, and may need to replace the stopper in the bottom of the tank.

Then, make sure your hot water tank and/or pipes are not sweating. While you’re at it, consider turning down the tank thermostat by a couple of degrees – chances are you won’t notice a difference, except hopefully on your energy bill.

Finally, check that windows and doors are not drafty. If they are, consider caulking, repairing or replacing them.