Why I Work By Referrals

This week, I'd like to share a story with you. It is the story of Grant and Cindy Crowson. Their story about living on a boat in Florida and finding a home in Nova Scotia. A story of...well, a day in the life of a real estate agent. Here is their testimonial...

In late 2018 I (Grant) was offered a position in Dartmouth. At the time we were alternating between Ontario in the summer and Florida (on a boat) in the winter. After much discussion, my wife and I decided that this would be a fantastic opportunity. We decided that a condominium would best suit our needs. But, we were living in Florida at that time and we felt this whole process was going be very complicated. We contacted a friend, who contacted a friend, who recommended Mary-Lou. From the outset we couldn’t have been in better hands. She was professional, courteous and very accommodating. Mary-Lou stepped up. She set up a link to our own page where she placed potential condos that fit our criteria. She was available when we called her and if not, she got back to us as soon as she could. We selected a condo. Being in Florida, she walked us through via Facebook messenger. She showed the condo, the building and storage area. All the while, making valuable comments and suggestions. We decided to buy the unit but the agreement was dependent on closing in three weeks. And...it was through the Christmas season. Mary-Lou coordinated the offers and counter offers. These were all done through electronic signing. The legal documents were complete via e-mail and the closing inspection. The entire sale went off without a hitch in a very short time frame. I cannot say enough great things about our experience with Mary-Lou. We were over-joyed with the results. The condo was more than we had expected. What a great feeling. Moving to a new province knowing that you have a place to call home in such a welcoming community!! Thank you so much Mary-Lou.

It was a pleasure working with Grant and Cindy. Knowing their restraint, I did the best I could to get them a home and it was a smooth transaction.  Being a real estate agent is more than selling and buying homes. It is the relationships I make along the way. Cindy and Grant are moved in and settled now and have had me and my husband over for dinner.  Our business acquaintance has turned into a lasting friendship which I value most in my line of work.  They know I am here for them to help them with any of their needs. Weather it is a mechanic, notary republic, or the best Chinese food in town. I am their go to...and that is why I work by referrals.

Thanks for reading. Until next time,

Keep It "REAL"

Spring is FINALLY here!

Spring is finally here, which means...Summer is just around the corner! Now that we have the house freshened up (https://youaremytoppriority.blogspot.com/2019/04/get-your-home-ready-for-summer.html), it's time to think of ways you can show it off! It's almost time for BBQ's, bonfire's and backyard parties...and here, is how we plan it.

THE WHEN:

1. Holiday weekends are great, but keep in mind, guests might already be going to another party, so send invites early!
2. Consider posting a poll on social media to find a date that works best for your friends

THE WHO:

1. Send invitations via social media, email or mail.
2. Will you keep it small or go all out?
3. Confirm attendance with guests a few weeks before to determine the amount of food and drinks you'll need.

THE MENU:

Determine what food you'll serve and how you'll prepare it. Choose one or a combination of these options:

1. Cook your own
2. Host a potluck
3. Hire a caterer

THE VENUE:

1. Make sure the patio or party space is refreshed!
2. Update or polish up old furniture
3. Consider adding fun amenities like string lights or a fire pit

THE ENTERTAINMENT:

Try these fun party activities for kids (and adults) of all ages:

1. Frisbee toss
2. Volleyball
3. Water balloons
4. Hula Hoops
5. Scavenger Hunt

Really, with planning a backyard party, the possibilities are endless for the amount of fun you could have.

Thanks for reading. Until next time...Keep it "REAL"

Get Your Home Ready for Summer

It is hard to spring into action and complete maintenance work during April showers. But, by going through your checklist, come summer, you can sit back, relax and even enjoy a hot dog from the barbeque. See below to give your home a smooth transition with the change of seasons.

1. Wash Your Home's Exterior

Depending on the siding you have, pressure washing can do harm. In most cases, a garden hose and a cleaning wand attachment is all you need. Remember to tarp your plants and shrubs!

2. Clean Your Deck or Patio

After cleaning a wooden deck, remember to treat the wood, stain and seal it once all is dry. You can freshen up most patio furniture with an all purpose cleaner. On furniture cushions, you can use soap, water and a soft bristle brush.

3. Tend the Garden

Lay down mulch to protect your plants from a drought, boost their growth and give a finished look to you yard.

4. Air Out Your Home's Interior

Open all the windows and run the air conditioning on low to get rid of any winter mustiness.

5. Swap Out Wintery Decor

Swap out your dark linens for a lighter look. Make the inside of your home look and feel like it is ready for summer!

6. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

Notice any chipping or peeling exterior paint? Consider a touch-up. If you hire a professional, you'll want the work done in the spring so it's ready by mid-summer.

There you have it. A few simple, easy tasks to get your home ready for summer. If you think you may need help with a few of these, let me know. I will be able to refer someone for you.

Thanks for reading. Until next time... Keep It "REAL"

Moving Out Through A Divorce

Today's post is one that seems to be all too common today. I will be talking about moving when you're going through a divorce.

Moving on a good day can be a hard and stressful process. Moving when going through divorce; well, that's adds emotions to the mix. For some, separating comes with many memories. Some are beautiful and some, not so much. Either way, packing up what was once your life with your partner can be emotional. Be gentle with yourself, it won't be easy.

I have put together some tips to help make the move a little easier and smoother during this time.

See A Lawyer

Make sure you know your legal rights. Go see a lawyer and make sure you know who gets what before you begin packing everything up.

Plan ahead

If you still need to divide up belongings in the home, keep your things separate from your partners. Label your things with stickers or post-it notes. Book movers or friends to help with your move. Book a storage unit if need be and call your utility companies and change your information. This way, everything will finished and you won't need to worry about them on moving day. Next, stop by the post office and have your mail forwarded to your new place.

Don’t do it alone

There is no need to do it all on your own. Call a close friend or a reliable neighbour to help you not only with the move, but if you need a shoulder to lean on.

Selling Your Home?

If you are selling your home, do everything you can to get the best possible price. Research the best real estate professional that suits you. One who may also be a professional stager to help with this process. You want to make sure you are on the right track before you allow potential buyers into your home.

Stay Organized

Put things aside you may need sooner rather than later once you move. Collect school and medical records, house information, and insurance paperwork. Put them in a manila envelope and put them in a box with other essentials you will need. For example, phone charger, medications, toiletries, an extra set of clothes. In another box, pack up cleaning supplies, toilet paper, garbage bags, light bulbs, and tools. Some dish soap, paper town, rags, and paper plates and plastic utensils. Most people don't get everything unpacked on the first day. This way you will have things to eat with, clean with and a fresh change of clothes.

Be Frugal

Packing material can be costly. If you are trying to save money use reliable garbage bags to pack clothes, bedding, towels. Visit your local grocery store and ask if they have any extra boxes you can have. Use those to pack up food items and cleaning supplies. You can also use laundry baskets to move items from your old home to your new one. Wrap glassware/dishes in towels and bedding so they don't get broken in transit.

Keep It Simple

For clothing, leave anything in your closet on hangers. Quick and easy way to move clothing is to organize items. Dresses in one pile, shirts in another...you get the idea. Secure the hangers together and put a hole in the bottom of a garbage bag. Put the bag over the hangers, and voila, you have your own makeshift garment bag.

Label Boxes

Once you decide what is going with you and what isn't. Label your boxes. It is easier to pack per room and label the box as you go. This way when you go to unpack, you know all your items from your bedroom, are in the labeled box "Bedroom".

Moving Day Plan

Have a plan for moving day. Make sure anyone who is helping you move knows what time to meet and where. If you have a few people helping, delegate jobs.

Once you're at your new home, plan to bring the larger furniture first. Place those items where they will more than like stay. Couch, beds, dressers...those kinds of things. If you get the big items out of the way, you won't be tripping over things throughout the day trying to organize.

Home Sweet Home

Make your new home your own. Fill it with things you love that you didn't have in your previous home. It will be more comfortable and easier to help you move on.

Thanks for reading. Until next time... Keep It "REAL"

De-Personalizing is NOT Personal

Depersonalizing your home is one of the most important steps in the home staging process.

When home buyers enter a home they're interested in, they look for neutralization. They do not want to see your personal touches. Depersonalizing is as simple as this - removing your personal taste from your home. This allows the potential buyers to visualize themselves in the space.

So don't take offense when your real estate agent tells you to "get rid" of all your personal things. Knick-knacks, photos, collectables in your home, they are all things that show who YOU are. And you're not "getting rid" of them, remember, you are taking them with you. You are selling your house, not your things.

How you have decorated your home is important to YOU. It is YOUR style. The country look with the barn board wall, the rustic stars on the walls and the knitted throw across the chair. That is who YOU are! Some buyers may not be able to see past that. Your goal when "depersonalizing" is to make them feel like your home could one day become theirs.

So, don't take depersonalizing, personal...it isn't about you, your style and who you are. It is simply about selling your home. Pack up those collectables and let's sell your house!

Thanks for reading. Until next time - Keep it "REAL"

How to Get Your Home Ready for the Selling Market

Did you know decluttering is an important key in selling your home!

There are many reasons for decluttering.

First of all, decluttering allows fewer distractions to the buyers. They will be able to envision their belongings in the space. This is an important piece of the puzzle. The potential buyers want to be able to picture what it would be like to live there. If they can't, the home will likely be scratched from their list.

Second - The home will look more spacious without the trinkets, photos and extra furniture. Space is what buyers are looking for so decluttering the home will make it look larger.

Third - Well organized and less cluttered homes raise the property value. It allows for better professional photos too. This will bring in more potential buyers.

So - how do we declutter?

Step 1 - Get ready to get rid of it. Get four bins and label them.

1. Throw it out
2. Recycle/Reuse
3. Sell it
4. Donate it

Step 2 - When decluttering, do each room at a time. It will seem less overwhelming and feel like you're accomplishing more.

Step 3 - Organize.

• Use the under-the-bed storage containers for shoes, scarves, and wrapping paper.
• Get shelf dividers for purses, sweaters, and hats.
• Get some of those mesh storage bags for your kids’ toys.
• Plastic bins come in many sizes. You can stash decorations, kitchen utensils, seasonal clothing away.
• Storage boxes. The paper/cardboard kind to organize photos, cards, and important documents.

Once you've completed the decluttering process...then what?

Well, now you can do a self-check.

• Can you open all the cupboards without any issues? Believe it or not, buyers will open them! 
• Can you open doors all the way? It's a feeling of less space when you can't open things to their full potential.
• Of course, this is a false way of living but think of it this way. Having most of your things packed up will make for less time cleaning. It will also be quicker to tidy and maintaining your home.
• Finally, get your agent to take your photos once you've finished decluttering. Your photos will look their best which will have more people coming to see your home. 

There you have it. If you are looking to sell your home in the future, then declutter so your home shows off its full potential. Maximize the space by minimizing your things. Show all your rooms and their use. Don't leave a room idle. The buyer may see it as wasted space and wonder why they're paying for it. Keep your home looking at its best while it's on the market. Sit back, relax and be proud of all your hard work while you wait for your agent to call with an offer!

Thanks for taking the time to read. Until next time - Keep it "REAL"

What is the Right Home Style for You?

Home styles are important because we want to live in a house that suits who we are. We want it to suit our likes, our dislikes, and our personality. Here is a list of home styles and a little bit about them.

Split Entry Homes

There are several types of split entry homes:

A split entry home is a style of house in which the floor levels are staggered. There are typically two short sets of stairs, one running upward to a bedroom level, and one going downward toward a basement area.  

Side Split

A side split is a split level home where the levels are visible from the front elevation. The garage is on one side while the other half of the house is the main living area. The kitchen and living room are on the main level. The split happens on the main level with a few steps going down to the lower level and a few going up to the bedroom area. Part of a story above the garage level and part of a story below the bedroom level. Grading or steps connect the exterior street to the front door on the main level.

Side splits separate bedrooms from living space without the need for a full flight of stairs. It is less land-efficient than a two-story house but more efficient than a bungalow.

Most side splits have a crawlspace that is half the size of the house. Which means the foundation is the same for both halves of the "split" house. Some others may have a split foundation with a full basement below even the lower main living area.

Back Split

Another split-level home but the split level is only visible from the side elevation. The front elevations shows only a single story and the two stories are in the back.

Bungalow

In a bungalow, all living areas are on a single-story and there are no stairs between living areas. A bungalow is a great fit for the disabled and the elderly as there are no stairs. Bungalows are one or one and a half stories, housing a loft. Planted trees and shrubs are usually used to block the view of neighbors. They provide cost-effective residences.

Ranch

Ranch style homes are one-story houses with an open and casual layout. The shape of the house is either rectangular or an "L" or "U" shape. Many ranch homes sit on a concrete slab, though some have a basement or crawl space.

Cape Cod

A Cape Cod house is a low, broad, single-story frame building. It has a steep pitched gabled roof, a large central chimney, and very little ornamentation.

Salt Box

A saltbox house is generally a wooden frame house with lots of space.

I hope this post has been useful to you and there is a style you've found that feels like "home" to you.

Thanks for reading - until next time...Keep it "REAL"