Archive for October 6, 2007

Laurin Jeffrey | October 6, 2007
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Three Goals of Pricing

Pricing with the Competition

In the final analysis, it is buyers who determine what your home is worth. How do buyers determine the value? Buyers learn about value by inspecting and comparing various homes that are for sale during the same time period. This process of comparison is used when buyers decide which homes they want to see.

If your home is not priced in accordance with similar homes, you will not realize as many showings as those homes that are competitively priced. When attempting to price your home with the market, don’t rely on hearsay or rumour about recent selling prices. Get the facts by asking your Realtor for a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA).

Pricing to Negotiate

Traditionally, in the home selling business, most buyers expect to negotiate. Everyone likes to think they got a “deal”. In order to satisfy this need to negotiate, you should price your home so that you will be willing to accept somewhat less than the asking price. Although market conditions will certainly affect the amount of negotiating, most homes sell within 5% of the asking price. A poor market will make this percentage larger while a strong market may experience more full price offers and sometimes offers above asking price.

Pricing for the Highest Return

Although pricing for the competition and for negotiation are important, the asking price must deliver the highest financial return for the seller in a reasonable period of time with the least inconvenience.

Like most other facets of our lives, properly pricing a home is best done by specialists who have all the necessary tools. Retain the services of a Realtor to sell your home.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

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Category: Ajax Real Estate, Pickering Real Estate, Selling Real Estate | Tags: , ,
Laurin Jeffrey | October 6, 2007
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Staging Helps Sell Houses

Selling Tip – Creating a Welcoming Entryway

Carol & Randy Heimpel, Home STEPS
416-686-9943 | carolann@consultant.com

A foyer sets the tone for the home and is very important to address when staging. Foyers require closed storage units such as cupboards or armoires to hide items that are not used everyday. Accessible open storage such as hooks and hall trees should not be overloaded and should only be used to hold items which are used on a regular basis. Many homes fail to offer the necessary storage in this area which is a significant design flaw in the organization of the home. This situation must be rectified at the time of staging the home for re-sale.

The addition of a flat surface in the entry is another indicator of good organization in defining the functionality of this space. Placing a bench, console table or small mounted shelf in the foyer provides a space to deposit mail, keys, loose change, and any other important items at the time of entering and exiting the home. Decorative pieces added later can give the arrangement greater personality and warmth. An accompanying mirror can serve to reflect light and open the space. It also provides an opportunity for a last minute appearance check on the way out.

The best flooring for the entryway is easy to clean and serviceable. Tile or linoleum in a neutral shade is a safe choice. Avoid hardwood or laminate floors in this area which will not do well with moisture. An area rug will serve to catch debris, but should be removed at the time of a showing.

Overhead lighting in the foyer should set the tone for the rest of the home. It should be tasteful, but not overwhelming. Auxiliary lighting from a small table lamp will soften the space.

Consider providing some seating arrangement in this area which can serve double duty as a potential storage unit and a location for adding and removing footwear. Such an item can take the form of a bench or a stool (which can also double as a tabletop). Even a folding chair hung on the wall is an excellent choice when the floor space is limited, and can add an interesting decorative element to a plain wall surface.

Though a home may lack a formal entry defined by walls and/or a staircase, many of the key elements we’ve mentioned can be added to the space to delineate the foyer and give this space a greater sense of balance and purpose.

Hope these tips have been of some benefit to you in offering suggestions for preparing a home for re-sale. In this competitive market, it is increasingly important to recognize that staging sells houses and that our job at Home STEPS is to simply teach economical practical solutions to design challenges for you.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

Category: Selling Real Estate, Staging | Tags: , ,
Laurin Jeffrey | October 6, 2007
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Improving water quality through reverse osmosis

A reliable supply of clean drinking water is always a concern for homebuyers of rural and recreational property. Many homes in these areas obtain their drinking water from a well which may contain microbiological, chemical, or other types of contamination. But that concern for high quality drinking water has spilled over into larger communities, even where the drinking water is supplied by the municipality.

The quality of drinking water can be improved through a water filtration system installed in the home. A reverse osmosis system is one type, and it is becoming more commonplace to see these installed in new homes. A reverse osmosis filtration system is frequently used to help remove up to 95% of dissolved solids and minerals in drinking water. Reverse osmosis (R/O) systems purify water by forcing pressurized water through a very fine, plastic membrane.

Drinking water from wells and other private sources should be tested periodically to determine if it is safe as well as to discover what specific contaminants or minerals are present.

How R/O works

According to a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) fact sheet, during the initial filtration stage, tap water or well water (pressurized by a booster pump) is passed through a particle filter (a pre-filter) that removes silt, sediment, sand, and clay particles that might clog the R/O membrane. The water is then forced through an activated carbon filter that traps minerals and contaminants such as chromium, mercury, copper, chloramine, pesticides and chlorine.

Water is then transferred under pressure into the R/O module, allowing only clean water to pass through the small pores in the membrane. Impurities unable to pass through the membrane are left behind and flushed down the drain. The treated water is then sent to a storage tank and passed through an activated carbon filter before use to further improve the water’s taste and smell.

Reverse osmosis units can be purchased at department and hardware stores, and are also sold by water equipment dealers. The cost for a reverse osmosis unit ranges from $400 for a portable or under-sink unit to $2,500 for a larger, stationary (basement) unit where a booster pump and a pressure system are installed. Replacement pre-filters will cost approximately $100 – $200 each.

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Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information – 416-388-1960

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Category: Miscellaneous, Renovation and Maintenance | Tags: , ,
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