Selling your home during the winter? Here are some tips from the Trulia Blog to make it successful...
Get them inside without a slip
If there is any snow on the ground, pick up that shovel and start plowing. You want to make sure all the walkways from the street to your front door are completely cleared of snow. Make sure to de-ice as well. Nothing ruins a home tour experience for a buyer like a slip-and-slide into a snow mound on their way in.
Create a landing area
If you have an outdoor front porch, make sure it is cleared of snow and ice and kept as dry as possible. If guests enter directly into the house, make sure you have a rug or mat by the door so they can wipe their feet. Once inside, have an umbrella stand for those wet umbrellas, and a coat rack to hang bulky winter gear. You can also purchase some shoe covers so guests can cover their wet boot soles. Bonus: Your potential buyer will be thankful you took precautions to keep stains off their future carpet!
Make your house cozy and inviting
Make sure the heat is on and the house is just the right temperature during the event. The front door will be opening and closing, so you will want to allow for that continuing loss of heat. But don’t forget that people will have on heavy clothes and be walking around — don’t crank up the heat and make things too cozy.
Getting involved in commercial real estate transactions in the North Okanagan is sometimes overwhelming, and both beginners and veterans will find it stressful at times. By researching and reading this article, it will allow you to feel less stress associated with the commercial real estate journey.
Location is a very important part of commercial real estate. Take the neighborhood of the property into consideration. Look at the growth of areas that are similar. You're not only thinking about the here and now; you want to look a decade down the line too. Pick an area with the potential for sustainable growth.
Commercial transactions are significantly more time-consuming, complex and involved than the home-buying process. The fact is that commercial real estate brings in a higher return, therefore the process must be more intense.
If you trying to choose between two or more potential properties, it's good to think bigger in terms of perspective. If you will be financing the purchase, you should take into account that doing so will require just as much time and effort for a small lot as it will for a larger lot. Generally, this is similar to the principle of purchasing in bulk; if you purchase more units, you will end up getting a better price per unit.
When selling a piece of commercial property, it is wise to ensure that you ask a realistic price. The value of your property is determined by an entire series of different factors.
If you rent or lease the commercial properties you own, keep them occupied as much as possible. Having unoccupied spaces mean that you have to pay for their upkeep. You need to ask yourself why properties are not getting rented and fix any issues you discover.
You need to think over the community any commercial property is in before you commit to it. In general, it's better to locate a business in a richer area because rich customers obviously have more discretionary income. If the service you offer would appeal to less affluent people, you should not set up your business in an affluent neighborhood.
Always have an inspector look over your commercial property before you put it out on the market. If anything turns up during the inspection, you should immediately address the problem.
Commercial properties can be difficult to find, regardless of how experienced you are. For that reason brokerages that specialize in commercial real estate exist to make it a bit easier when thinking about buying commercial property.
The Financial Post reported: "The Canadian economy tanked in the first quarter, and April’s data – like basically non-existent growth in consumer spending – don’t exactly make you feel things are going to get better anytime soon...But for now, there are few bright spots in the Canadian economy.
The Real Estate Agents and staff at RE/MAX Lumby are preparing their parade float. This year’s theme of “It’s Movie Time” has them busy making stars and clapper boards and searching for costumes. Lumby Days kicks off at the Friday, June 12 Midway and ends on Sunday. Check out the calendar below for all to do and see. Don’t miss it! If you are looking for real estate in Lumby, call the professionals at RE/MAX today!
Vancouver, BC – May 14, 2015. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 9,952 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April, up 28.7 per cent from the same month last year. Total sales dollar volume was $6.3 billion, a 45.5 per cent increase in comparison to the previous year. The average MLS® residential price in the province rose to $634,744, a 13 per cent increase since last April.
“Last month was the strongest April for home sales in a decade,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “The elevated level of buying activity this spring is now expected to push 2015 home sales to their highest level since 2007.”
“Consumers are taking full advantage of rock bottom interest rates and are demonstrating significant confidence in the housing market,” added Muir. “However, dwindling inventories combined with competition for detached homes in the province`s large urban markets is pushing home prices higher.”
During the first four months of 2015, BC residential sales dollar volume rose 37.1 per cent to
$19 billion, when compared with the same period in 2014. Residential unit sales increased by
24.5 per cent to 30,091 units, while the average MLS® residential price rose 10.1 per cent to $631,860.
Okanagan-Shuswap Housing Market Strong and Steady in April
Kelowna, BC – The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) reported April 2015 sales activity
of all MLS® property types improved 10% compared to the same month in 2014 and saw a 13%
improvement year-to-date over this time last year (January through April).
“Driven by confident local buyers, April home sales in the Okanagan-Shuswap were robust as the
market continued at a strong and steady pace – following the rising trend in most BC markets where
activity is being fuelled by pent-up demand,” says Christopher Miller, OMREB President and active
REALTOR® in the Central Okanagan.
“As demand grows, days on market for all property types in our Board area continues to improve,
and is now at 96 days on average compared to 103 in March, and 125 days to sell last year at this
time. This news is encouraging for home owners who are looking to list and sell in a more timely
fashion.”
Kelowna, BC – The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) reported March 2015 sales activity of all MLS® property types improved 21% compared to the same month in 2014 and saw a 14% improvement year-to-date over the first quarter last year (January through March).
“The Okanagan-Shuswap market continued to show strong growth in March with sales being driven by confident local buyers rather than recreation and retirement buyers from Alberta where the economy has taken a downturn. Days on market for all property types in our Board area continues to improve and is now at 103 days on average compared to 122 last year at this time,” says Christopher Miller, OMREB President and active REALTOR® in the Central Okanagan.
“The first quarter sales for 2015 in the OMREB are at a much stronger level compared to the same period in 2014. An increase in demand has outpaced supply in some segments that have edged firmly into seller’s market conditions. While selection has been reduced with the ongoing decline in inventory, the price of single family homes is steady and strong in most areas with modest gains seen in some locations where supply has tightened.”
To read the full release including specifics on the North Okanagan and Shuswap regions, click here.
Last week we compiled a list of reasons why we love small towns, but there's lots of great things about settling in more densely populated areas of the North Okanagan. To be fair, let's start with our TOP 5 REASONS TO LIVE IN THE CITY:
5. Cuisine - There's nothing like being able to pop downtown to satisfy a late-night sushi craving, and your chances of being able to do this increase significantly when you live in a city. More restaurants, more variety, and longer business hours are all reasons we love the convenience of city-living.
4. Amenities - Higher population areas offer residents a range of amenities that small towns simply can't match. This increased selection of recreation and education opportunities make a city more appealing to families seeking a community to help them thrive.
3. Services - Hospitals, police stations and civic organizations are much more abundant in cities. Knowing that help is close by in the event of an emergency can be huge motivator for older folks deciding where to buy real estate.
2. City Transportation - Helping to reduce the carbon footprint, city transportation authorities give residents the option to be part of the pollution solution.
1. Competition - Business owners know that it takes a big fish to survive in a big pond, and to grow their business, entrepreneurs are compelled to approach their clients more creatively, with competitive service and competitive pricing.
The agents at RE/MAX know about competition and what it takes to stand out. In the North Okanagan, RE/MAX sells more real estate* than any other franchise. They have the local knowledge, expert training, and competitive drive it takes to acheive the oustanding results you're looking for. Visit www.TheRightAgents.com to find the right agent for you.
*Based on MLS unit sales as reported by OMREB in 2014 for North Okanagan.
The Thompson-Okanagan region of British Columbia has seen strong population growth in its major cities of Kelowna, Kamloops and Vernon, adding to amenities and city appeal for tourists from all over the world, but there’s plenty of small-town charm left in BC’s beautiful back yard. Read more...
Located in the beautiful Thompson Okanagan area of BC, RE/MAX Commercial Solutions offers professional services in the areas of commercial and residential property management, rentals and leasing. Whether you’re looking for a rental property to call home or seeking professionals to manage your investment, our property management team makes it easy, doing the research and legwork for you. The Right Agents
The team at RE/MAX got a jump-start on Spring in February (you may have noticed the weather in the Thompson Okanagan do the same)!
At month-end, RE/MAX agents in the North Okanagan held 45% of the entire region's active listings and were responsible for over 50% of the months' sales (by dollar volume). In the Shuswap, nearly 58% of the area's sales (by dollar volume) are attributed to the professionals at RE/MAX brokerages, who closed 59% more transactions in the last 12 months than their closest competitor. RE/MAX maintained its #1 status in Kamloops as well, with more listings, transactions and dollar volume sales than any other brokerage.
This looming market share is no coincidence; it’s a carefully crafted
cocktail of intimacy with the market, local expertise, cutting-edge tech
tools and individuals who are truly passionate about what they do. If
you’re thinking about buying or selling a property, it’s easy to see why
RE/MAX is the place to start. Visit www.TheRightAgents.com to find the right real estate professional for you.
Real estate transactions can be stressful to say the least. The simplest way to reduce your stress is to choose the right agent to complete the sale. Be certain of their experience, especially in your area and price range. Make sure your service expectations are clearly outlined and that your agent is in sync.
“Stronger economic conditions both at home and abroad combined with favourable interest rates and population growth are expected to bolster housing demand over the next two years,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “After a year in which housing demand ratcheted higher across the province, the retrenchment of oil prices is expected to attenuate housing demand in some
regions while bolstering it in others.”
Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in British Columbia are forecast to rise 2.4 per cent to 86,050 units this year and a further 3.9 per cent to 89,400 units in 2016. The ten-year average is 82,100 unit sales. A record 106,300 MLS® residential sales were recorded in 2005.
The average MLS® residential sales price is forecast to rise 4.5 per cent to $594,000 this year, with most of the upward pressure being exhibited on the South Coast. Elevated consumer demand is expected to be partially offset by resale inventories and additions to the housing stock in 2016. As a result, the average MLS® residential sales price is forecast to increase by 2.4 per cent to $608,500 next year.
Vancouver, BC – May 14, 2015. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 9,952 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in April, up 28.7 per cent from the same month last year. Total sales dollar volume was $6.3 billion, a 45.5 per cent increase in comparison to the previous year. The average MLS® residential price in the province rose to $634,744, a 13 per cent increase since last April.
Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) residential sales in British Columbia are forecast to rise 2.4 per cent to 86,050 units this year and a further 3.9 per cent to 89,400 units in 2016. The ten-year average is 82,100 unit sales. A record 106,300 MLS® residential sales were recorded in 2005.