1. Start with the most obvious things – If you can only do a few things to spruce up the exterior of your home, start with the most glaringly obvious.  For example, if your garden is overrun with weeds, the front lawn hasn’t been cut in awhile and remnants of last spring’s garage sale are still on the front porch, mow the lawn, pull the weeds and get rid of the mess.  A messy front yard will be the first thing a potential buyer sees and it might tell them not to look any further.  You don’t have to have a prize-winning rose garden to attract potential buyers, just a yard that looks tidy and well cared for.

2. Add planters – Adding planters (even store bought, ready-made ones) can go a long way toward creating the perception of a well loved home.  In winter time you can replace the plants with decorative sticks, branches or dried ornamental grasses.  These ideas not only add colour to a porch or patio, they’re eye-catching and give the impression you spend time improving your surroundings.

3. Ensure consistent window treatments – Matched blinds and curtains can add a lot to the perception of quality and thought put into a home.  This creates a consistent and uniform look on the exterior of the home.  It is also very important to wash your windows; this is something that has an impact on the inside as well as outside of your home.

4. Wake up your driveway – Since the driveway is one of the first things prospective buyers will notice, it’s a good idea to freshen it up.  Adding a sealer can refresh a tired driveway.  In winter time remember to have the snow removed and clear any ice build-up on the driveway and walkways.

For More Great Tips – Contact Rebecca TODAY!

5. Add cedar mulch – Adding red cedar mulch goes a long way to freshening up flowerbeds even in early Spring when plants are small or non-existent.  Mulch comes in several colours, but red is great for its nice punch of colour.

6. Create a welcoming porch – An empty porch can look stark and cold.  If you have a porch large enough to accommodate furniture, set up a welcoming grouping such as two exterior club chairs and a table or a bistro set for dining.  It’s also a good idea to add some colour with plants in containers.

7. Put down new sod – A lawn in poor condition does not create a good first impression and is something you should consider replacing if you’re trying to sell your home.  It’s a lot faster to put down new sod instead of seeding and waiting.

8. Add mature plants – When working on flowerbeds, adding larger mature plants or shrubs is a lot easier (and in some cases, less expensive) than buying several flats of annuals.  Larger more mature plants also tend to have a greater impact.

9. Spring for new accoutrements – Adding a new mailbox, house light and house number is a cheap and cheerful way of updating your home’s exterior.  Big box stores like Home Depot and Rona usually stock simple yet stylish, well-priced options for these items.

10. Repaint – Giving the exterior of your home a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for curb appeal.

11. Replace windows – Replacing windows is expensive but has a definite impact on curb appeal.  It can make your home look polished and give the impression you’ve upgraded more than just the windows.
For a FREE consultation on how you can prepare Your Home to Sell
Contact Rebecca Lewis Today!

For this article and more great tips on creating curb appeal, go to www.styleathome.com, “11 curb appeal ideas”, By: Jessica Padykula.

Looking for a home can be an exciting and exhilarating experience.  Before you start your search, you first need to figure out where you want to live and what your housing needs will be both now and in the future.  Sometimes people are unsure of what they are looking, but they still have a basic “wish list” of criteria and know what features they don’t like in a home.  As we work through the details, it becomes more clear as to which home will suit their lifestyle best.  Then the process begins of looking for that Perfect Home.

To help you find the home that’s right for you, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) suggests you ask yourself the following questions:

• How large a home do you need?
• Do you need several bedrooms, more than one bathroom, a home office or a two-car garage?
• Are you planning on making any lifestyle changes in the near future, for example, are you planning on having children?
• Do you have teenagers who will be moving away soon? Or are you close to retirement and looking to downsize to a smaller home?
• Are there any special features you’d like your home to have, such as air conditioning, a swimming pool or a spare room for a hobby?
• What kind of neighbourhood do you want to live in? Remember to take into account such features as how easy it will be to commute to work, whether your children will have a school close by, and how close you will be to family, friends and safe recreational areas and facilities.
• Would you prefer to live in a new home or a resale? New homes offer such advantages as more personalized choices, up-to-date appliances and finishings, and often lower maintenance costs.  But resale homes can provide easier access to more established services and mature landscaping, and may save you from having to pay GST/HST on your purchase.
• What type of home would you feel most comfortable living in? The choices available on the market today range from single-family detached houses, semi-detached and duplexes to townhouses, modular homes and condominiums.

Take the Easy 1st Step to Buying Your Next Ottawa House or Condo -

Contact Rebecca TODAY!

Finding Your Perfect Home is Easy when You
Get Rebecca Working For YOU!

For excerpts from this article and other great home buying resources, visit www.cmhc.ca, search “Homebuying Step-by-Step” or call Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) at 1-800-668-2642.

To help you select your next neighbourhood, start by looking for some of the following features:

• A village atmosphere – Does it have safe, pleasant streets for walking, meeting the neighbours, or where your children can play safely?
• Value for the money – Consider long-term expenses, such as the energy savings that a smaller house with shared walls, like a townhouse, can bring, or living where you only need one car, or none at all.
• A safe, active neighbourhood – A mix of homes, shops and offices means that the neighbourhood is active throughout the day and evening, allowing people to look out for each other.  This is also a neighbourhood where cars move slowly.
• A place where daily trips can be made on foot, bike or bus – Living where work, schools, shopping and recreation are close enough to walk, ride your bike or take the bus to can mean spending less time in traffic, not to mention being good for your health and pocketbook! Less car use is also better for air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• A neighbourhood that preserves the countryside – When land in the neighbourhood is used efficiently, rural and natural areas outside it are preserved and costs to preserve its services are lower.
• A neighbourhood you can stay in, year after year – A neighbourhood with a wide variety of homes lets you stay close to where you’ve put down roots, even as your age, income, family and housing needs change.

To determine whether your next neighbourhood meets these and other criteria, try asking yourself a few simple questions, including:

• Can I use my car less or not at all?
• Can I save money in the long term by living here?
• Could I stay in the neighbourhood if my housing needs change?
• Is it easy to get to know my neighbours and local shopkeepers?
• Is it a safe, pleasant place to walk?
• Have natural areas in the neighbourhood been preserved?

For this article and other great home buying resources, visit www.cmhc.ca, search “Homebuying Step-by-Step” or call Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) at 1-800-668-2642.

Hope to see you there!

Honesty and Integrity
Most real estate professionals in our province are members of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and only members of OREA can call themselves REALTORS®.  When you work with a REALTOR®, you can expect strict adherence to provincial laws, which includes a Code of Ethics.  That code assures you will receive the highest level of service, honesty and integrity.

The Agency Relationship
When working with a REALTOR®, it is important to understand who the REALTOR® works for.  To whom is the REALTOR® legally obligated?

REALTORS® are governed by the legal concept of “agency.” An agent is legally obligated to look after the best interests of the person he or she represents.  The agent must be loyal to that person.  A real estate brokerage may be your agent – if you have clearly established an agency relationship with that REALTOR® with a representation agreement.  But often, you may assume such an obligation exists when it does not.  REALTORS® believe it is important that the people they work with understand when an agency relationship exists and when it does not – and understand what it means.

In real estate, there are different possible forms of agency relationship:

1. Seller Representation
When a real estate brokerage represents a seller, it must do what is best for the seller of a property.  A written contract, called a listing agreement, creates an agency relationship between the seller and the brokerage and establishes seller representation.  It also explains services the brokerage will provide, establishes a fee arrangement for the REALTOR®’s services and specifies what obligations a seller may have.  A seller’s agent must tell the seller anything known about a buyer.  For instance, if a seller’s agent knows a buyer is willing to offer more for a property, that information must be shared with the seller.  Confidences a seller shares with a seller’s agent must be kept confidential from potential buyers and others.  Although confidential information about the seller cannot be discussed, a buyer working with a seller’s agent can expect fair and honest service from the seller’s agent and disclosure of pertinent information about the property.

2. Buyer Representation
A real estate brokerage representing a buyer must do what is best for the buyer.  A written contract, called a buyer representation agreement, creates an agency relationship between the buyer and the brokerage, and establishes buyer representation.  It also explains services the brokerage will provide, establishes a fee arrangement for the REALTOR®’s services and specifies what obligations a buyer may have.  Typically, buyers will be obliged to work exclusively with that brokerage for a period of time.  Confidences a buyer shares with the buyer’s agent must be kep confidential.  Although confidential information about the buyer cannot be disclosed, a seller working with a buyer’s agent can expect to be treated fairly and honestly.

3. Multiple Representation
Occasionally a real estate brokerage will represent both the buyer and the seller.  They buyer and seller must consent to this arrangement in writing.  Under this multiple representation arrangement, the brokerage must do what is best for both the buyer and the seller.  Since the brokerage’s loyalty is divided between the buyer and the seller who have conflicting interests, it is absolutely essential that a multiple representation relationship be properly documented.  Representation agreements specifically describe the rights and duties of everyone involved and any limitations to those rights and duties.

4. Customer Service
A real estate brokerage may provide services to buyers and sellers without creating buyer or seller representation.  This is called “customer service.”  Under this arrangement, the brokerage can provide many valuable services in a fair and honest manner.  This relationship can be set out in a buyer or seller customer service agreement.  Real estate negotiations are often complex and a brokerage may be providing representation and/or customer service to more than one seller or buyer.  The brokerage will disclose these relationships to each buyer and seller.

Who’s Working for YOU?
It is important that you understand who the REALTOR® is working for.  For example, both the seller and the buyer may have their own agent which means they each have a REALTOR® who is represeting them.  Or, some buyers choose to contact the seller’s agent directly.  Under this arrangement the REALTOR® is representing the seller, but may provide many valuable customer services to the buyer.  A REALTOR® with a buyer may even be a “sub-agent” of the seller.  Under sub-agency, both the listing brokerage and the co-operating brokerage must do what is best for the seller even though the sub-agent may provide many valuable customer services to the buyer.  If the brokerage represents both the seller and the buyer, this is multiple representation.

Code of Ethics
REALTORS® believe it is important that the people they work with understand their agency relationship.  That’s why requirements and obligations for representation and customer service are included in a Code of Ethics which is administered by the Real Estate Council of Ontario.  The Code requires REALTORS® to disclose in writing the nature of the services they are providing, and encourages REALTORS® to obtain written acknowledgement of the disclosure.  The Code also requires REALTORS® to submit written representation and customer service agreements to buyers and sellers.

REALTOR® is a registered trademark of REALTORS® Canada Inc., a company owned equally by the Canadian Real Estate Association and the National Association of REALTORS® and refers to registered real estate practitioners who are members of The Canadian Real Estate Association.

Article printed September 2008, OREA

This dynamic group will be performing seasonal brass music and the audience will enjoy a short carol sing-along.  You will want to invite your family and friends to what is sure to be one of the best concerts offered this holiday season.  Don’t miss out – this is Guaranteed to be a sold out show so get your tickets NOW!

Tickets cost: $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors

Tickets available at: Leading Note, St.John’s Music and CD Warehouse

To learn more visit: www.capitalbrassworks.ca

In its third quarter Housing Market Outlook, CMHC is more bullish on new construction prospects for Ontario in 2010 than resale housing.  “Sales in resale markets have overshot expectations in recent months,” says Tsiakopoulos.  “New home building is typicaly a lagging indicator that follows the resale trend so while we are expecting a cool down in resales, we believe new housing starts will rise.”

Some of the reasons for the recent surge and expected decline in the resale market include less demand as many prospective buyers rushed to get in before rates and prices rise.  Even though the Bank of Canada has made a commitment to keep short term rates steady until spring, Tsiakopoulos says bond yields which are tied to mortgage rates are poised to increase.  “We will likely see a one-quarter to one-half percentage increase on five year rates,” he says.

Here are a few details specific to Ontario from CMHC’s Q3 Housing Market Outlook Report:

Single starts have started to recover and will continue to trend higher in the second half of 2009.  Single starts will reach 20,150 units this year before stabilizing at 20,625 units in 2010.  Multi-family home starts will also trend higher in the remaining months of 2009, reaching 28,525 unit starts, down from just shy of 44,000 units in 2008.

Ontario existing home sales have staged a remarkable come back this spring when compared to activity in late 2008.  The strong pace seen in the second quarter of this year reflects, in part, activity that was delayed in the previous two quarters and is not likely to be sustained.  The level of sales will move back closer in line with improving economic conditions.  As a result, MLS® sales will average 174,000 units this year.  A gradual recovery in Ontario labour markets combined with low mortgage rates will help stabilize existing home sales at 166,750 units in 2010.

After experiencing buyers market conditions in early 2009, Ontario resale markets have tightened and balanced market conditions will be restored.  As a result, Ontario existing home prices will grow by 1.6 per cent and 0.8 per cent in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

Article reference: “On the Markets”, REALTOR® Edge, October 2009 edition.

Many of the companies I contacted never returned my phone call and one particular company is set-up with a call centre in the US and wouldn’t forward me to an Ottawa dealer directly.  I came across Ottawa Home Services and they were very prompt at returning my phone call.  We dealt with a gentleman named Brian McDonald, who was extremely helpful at explaining the differences between makes and models and discovering the best A/C system to suit our needs and budget.

We would highly recommend Ottawa Home Services for all your Heating and Cooling needs.  They have excellent customer service and their installation crew is extremely professional.  They even mailed us a thank you card for our business, which was signed personally by the owners.

Ottawa Home Services is an example of Excellent Customer Service!

Check out their website: www.ottawahomeservices.ca

According to the CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) website, the average price of an Ottawa home in June 2008 was $298,336. The results for June 2009 show an increase to the average Ottawa home sold – $307,793! This increase is both encouraging and exciting for the Ottawa housing market. We have proven, once again, that the housing market in Ottawa can remain stable…and even show growth…during some of the lowest points in the history of our global economy.

For more information, visit CREA website: Home Sales Rebound in Second Quarter