Nice View from here

For all of those people who are always telling me that what they really want is a home with a fantastic view. Here you go folks!

Making the best of your Renovation Tax Credit

The renovation tax credit is a great incentive, and fantastic for home owners to get those upgrades that will put value on your home.

Here are a few useful tips to remember when you are renovating.

Make sure you spend your money wisely. Great things to upgrade are flooring, windows, counter tops in Kitchens and Bathrooms. All these things will give you a great return when you decide to sell.

Always remember to be consistent with your renovation. Make sure that you are renovating to the worth of your home and the neigbourhood you live in.

For instance, if you live in a neighbourhood where the homes are valued at the $600000 plus range. Do not put in laminate floors, and a cheap off the shelf kitchen. The sort of buyer that will be looking to purchase your home will be expecting Hardwood, and probably Granite as standard.

Alternatively if you live in a townhouse valued at around $200000 then laminate is great. Not only is it hardwearing, but it looks great and can make all the difference to the look of your home, and even refacing kitchen cupbaords and counters will make a big difference. Please make sure that you get a qualified Kitchen installer to do the work, doing it yourself can result in expensive mistakes.

If you are installing new windows, do so wisely. Do not replace an opening window with one that does not open. It is not a smart thing to do and will affect the resale value of your home.

When all is said and done, it comes down to common sense. Always consult the experts. Real Estate agents will be only too happy to discuss your renovations with you and guide you through the pitfalls to make sure that you get the very best value from your renovation tax credit. Don't cut corners, engage professionals to do the work, and your home will reflect the time and money you have spent. Not only that, but you will likely get every dime back when you decide to sell.

Until next time Happy Renovating.

When to sell - Tipping the balance in your favour..

Its been a funny old year. Well to be honest it's been a funny couple of years in the world of real estate.

Last September, due to the economic climate, the real estate market died. We couldn't sell anything. It did not seem to matter how reasonable the price, or how fantastic the property or the location. No one was buying. It was a worrying time to be sure.

Then, in the Spring of this year, the tide turned, and suddenly, everyone was buying, with the result that there were not enough homes on the market to fulfil the demand. So the competition for each home was so strong, that it almost reached fever pitch, there were multiple offers on almost every home, and sellers were acheiving prices way above their orignal asking price, leaving many of them very happy indeed. This has lasted for 8 months, and since it has lasted this long, there is no telling how long it will continue and could be poised for a change.

Sadly I can not predict what will happen next year. If I could do that I would be a very rich woman indeed. However, what I can glean from talking to my clients is that if everyone of them who tells me that this will list in the new year, does so. Then the market will tip the other way, and there will be a huge inventory of homes, and not enough buyers to go around.

My advice is this. If you want to cash in on the current trend, then list your house now. Do not wait until everyone around you is listing, and miss out on getting an amazing price for your home. I know, you may not want to move until the Spring. Well, you don't have to. You can list now with a long closing date and have the best of both worlds. You can sell your home for a great price, and when the market turns around in the New Year, you can grab yourself a bargain.

So, give me a call, and list now, you'll be glad you did.

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