How Buying a Home (Especially a First Home) is like Buying a Coffee!

Seriously, this is so similar I nearly spilled my morning coffee just thinking about it. 

It goes like this: 

Once Upon a Time…

You and your friend were having coffee and she was telling you all about the great coffee she had – the big cup, two kinds of flavours, extra hot with fluffy whip on top. It even had sprinkles! Deflated, you look down at your own coffee – a real cup of coffee. Black, hot, not in a fancy cup, and wait! – totally not as big as your friends either. But, you remind yourself – it’s just the way you like it… isn’t it?! You look down at your coffee again, it’s looking rather boring now. 

She said her’s was so good. Maybe I should look at something bigger and better too? Should I?

You decide to take a look at the menu. Oh wow! Why didn’t you look at this before? So many choices, so many sizes,  so many toppings, so EXPENSIVE! (now sugar plums are dancing in your head!) 

Hmmm. You look at your wallet: 3 bucks. 

Well… you do have apple pay, and debit, and credit… 

But you also have those bills to pay and those other payments…

You look again at the menu – it looks so good though! 

But, then you think – well, I really don’t need THAT much coffee. And I don’t even like dairy in my coffee. And sprinkles? Really?! No, that’s not for me. You take a sip of your coffee and sigh. I really do like this coffee. 

You take another sip and laugh. What was I thinking? I don’t need a fancy drink just because someone else has one. 

I love my black coffee just the way it is. Although maybe next time, I could use one a bit larger. After all, I am really only looking for a coffee I LOVE – I could just use a bit MORE of it.

Sound familiar? House shopping – before you make a plan? Before you make a budget? Before you even know what’s working and what’s not working in your current home? 

Take the time to plan your move, plan your search. Take time to work your plan.

The best thing is you DON’T have to do it by yourself. That’s what a good REALTOR© is for… helping you find the home according to your needs and budget. And that is exactly what I will help you do!

Let's RECAP

1. Have a Budget - Know Your Numbers

2. Have a Plan {Write things Down} 

3. Get a good REALTOR©  

If you are thinking of buying or selling call me and let’s talk….

Donna Hunter

Helping you move, Confidently!

P.S.  Enjoy Your Coffee… Just the way YOU like it!! 

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when selling or buying a home? Call Donna Hunter at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today.  

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Finding the List Price “Tipping Points”

Setting the right list price for a home is a mystery for many sellers. How do you begin to determine what buyers are likely to pay for your property? After all, no two homes are exactly alike.

Yet, setting the right price is crucial. You need to avoid the two price “tipping points” that, if crossed, can cause you a lot of problems.

The first tipping point is a price that’s low enough for buyers to begin thinking something is wrong. They wonder, “Why is your price so low? What are you not telling us about your property?”

But that’s not even the worst problem with this tipping point. If you do get offers at that low price, you’ll have a bigger issue – leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

The other tipping point is setting your price so high it discourages buyers from giving your listing a second look. When your price is that high, you’ll get few enquiries and even fewer people coming to see your property.

Of course, you can lower your price later, if necessary. But experience shows that reduced prices make potential buyers skeptical. Most sellers who price high in the hopes of getting a windfall actually end up selling for much less than they would have if they had priced their properties correctly in the first place.

So what’s the right price to list your property? The answer is somewhere in-between those two tipping points.

Call today for help determining the right price for your property.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when selling or buying a home? Call Donna at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Should You Move or Renovate? Three Things to Consider

Determining if you should buy a new home or fix up your current one isn’t easy. In fact, the decision can be steeped in so much drama they make reality TV shows about it!

So if you’re considering whether to move or improve, here are three things to consider.

1. Will a renovation truly fix what you don’t like about your property?

If you’re tired of a small kitchen, for example, it might not be possible, given the layout, to make it any bigger. On the other hand, if you’re craving a spacious rec room with a cosy fireplace then a renovation could make that happen.

Of course, there are some things you may want that aren’t specific to your house, such as an easier commute or nearby park. Those are features you may only be able to get by moving.

2. How much will a renovation cost? How does that compare to the cost of moving to a new home?

It’s important to get accurate estimates of each so you can make a smart decision. This is where a good REALTOR® can help.

Keep in mind that renovations have a habit of costing more than you originally anticipate. As mentioned earlier, the final result should be a home you want to stay in for quite some time.

3. Beware of compromising versus settling.

Whichever decision you make — renovate or sell — you can expect to have to make at least some compromises. That’s normal.

For example, consider adding an extension to your house. That’s a major renovation. Is it the ideal way to get the extra room you want? Do the benefits of renovating outweigh the benefits of finding a new larger home designed to include the space you need?

Yes, it’s a tough decision. If you’re in the midst of making it, call today, to get the facts you need to make the best choice for you.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when selling or buying a home? Call Donna at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Helping you move, Confidently! 

Surprising Ways Buyers Find Homes

Do you ever wonder how most people find the homes they eventually buy? You might imagine them driving by a “For Sale” sign or seeing a home for sale in the newspaper and then calling to enquire.

Of course, many buyers find out about listed properties that way. But, according to research by the National Association of Realtors, there are many other — sometimes surprising — ways buyers find their next dream home.

For example:

• 88% of buyers find a home with the help of a real estate agent.

• 90% of buyers search online as part of the home buying process. (Such as viewing a property’s profile on the agent’s website.)

• 69% of buyers searching for a home using Google, use a specific local term, such as “Whitby-south homes for sale”.

• 29-46% of buyers attend an Open House as part of their home hunting activities.

Overall, the research shows that buyers are using a multitude of ways — combining online and offline methods — to find homes. 

What does all this mean to you? If means that if you’re preparing your home for sale, you need to ensure your marketing plan takes into account all the ways buyers are finding properties — so you can be sure that they will find yours.

Looking for a REALTOR® who knows how to market your home for maximum exposure? Call Donna today. 

Follow us on :  Facebook Instagram Twitter 

No one wants to deal with a burglary. How do you reduce the chances of one happening?

Fortunately, burglaries are a well-studied phenomenon — especially by law enforcement. These studies have identified specific things you can do to cut the risk dramatically. Here are some ideas:

• 34% of home break-ins occur through the front door. Experts recommend investing in a door with a top-quality locking mechanism. (The best are those that lock at three points of contact.)

• 50% of burglars will be deterred if your home has some sort of video monitoring system. A thief doesn’t want his face on YouTube!

• Unfortunately, signs and window stickers warning of an alarm system do not deter thieves. However, 62% of burglars will immediately run away when an alarm goes off. Always turn on your alarm system when you’re not home!

• 22% of burglaries occur through a sliding glass door or patio door. Make sure it’s locked and also use a solid metal jammer.

• Some thieves use frequency scanners to gain access to garages. Police recommend changing your remote entry code regularly and putting blinds or curtains on garage windows so thieves can’t see (and be tempted by) any valuables inside.

As you can see, there are many simple things you can do to reduce your chances of a burglary dramatically. The effort is worth it.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when selling or buying a home? Call Donna Hunter at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today.  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Helping you move, Confidently! 

How the Wrong Pricing Strategy Can Cost You Thousands

As you’re probably aware, the list price you set for your property has an impact on how quickly it sells — and how much you earn on the sale.

What you may not realize is just how significant an impact it has. Consider the following examples.

Example 1:

You price your property well above its current market value. As a result, many buyers don’t bother to see it because it’s outside of their price range. Those who do see it are confused by the high price tag, (and may even be suspicious.) They may wonder, “What’s going on?”

In this scenario, the home will likely languish on the market for weeks or even months. You might even have to lower the price dramatically to re-ignite interest.

Example 2:

You price your property just a couple of percentage points lower than what is necessary to gain the interest of qualified buyers. That might not seem like much of a problem. How much can a couple of percentage points matter?

Those points matter a lot.

On a $400,000 property, pricing your home just 2% lower than necessary could cost you $8,000 on the sale. That’s a serious amount of money!

So, as you can see, pricing your home right is serious business. Fortunately, a good REALTOR® knows how to set the right price.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when selling or buying a home? Call Donna at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today.  

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Helping you move, Confidently! 

Keeping Houseplants Alive when You’re Away

When you’re out-of-town, there are plenty of kennels and other facilities that will mind your dog or cat. In fact, the pet-care business is booming! However, the same options aren’t available for your houseplants. So what do you do?

First, keep in mind that plants can go for several days or even a couple of weeks without water. This frequently happens in their natural habitats. So if you’re gone for just a few days, your flora will probably be fine.

Flowering plants tend to need the most water. Give them an extra dose just before you leave. Also, make sure they are in indirect, rather than direct sunlight. That will help them conserve water.

If you’re going to be away for a week or more, consider one of the several products on the market that water plants automatically. Many of these allow you to adjust how much water each plant gets — and when.

You’ll find plenty of do-it-yourself instructions for making your own automatic waterer on the internet, from plastic cups with tiny holes in the bottom to upside-down bottles with wicks. These might work, but you’ll want to test them first.

Of course, your best option might be to have a friend or trusted neighbour take care of the plants for you. Just be sure to give them clear instructions.

Your houseplants will thank you. 

When your home if for sale keeping your houseplants looking healthy is important. If your plants are well cared for, buyers will feel your home is well cared for as well.

And remember house plants help to keep your air clean!  

When you make an offer on a home, it’s a smart idea to have a professional home inspector check it out from top to bottom. This inspection will ensure that the property doesn’t have any unexpected “issues”. After all, you don’t want to buy a home only to discover that the roof needs to be replaced, immediately, for thousands of dollars.

That being said, you might question whether you really need to invest the few hundred dollars it costs for a professional home inspection. “The home we want to buy looks like it’s in very good shape,” you might be thinking. “I can’t see anything wrong with it.”

However, a professional home inspector can see things you can’t. When you view a property that’s on the market, you might be able to notice obvious issues, like a crack in the foundation or a dripping faucet. If you’re experienced with home maintenance, you might even notice roofing tiles that look like they’re overdue for replacement.

But you won’t pick up all the issues a home inspector can.

A home inspector will, for example, use a special device to check for moisture build-up in the washrooms – which can be an indication of mould. He or she will also inspect wiring to make sure everything is safe and compliant with the building code.

That’s not all.

Like a determined detective, a home inspector will investigate the property’s structure, electrical and plumbing systems, insulation, and other components — and then report the findings to you.

In the end, a professional home inspection gives you peace-of-mind and protects your investment. So getting one is highly recommended — even for recently built homes.

A good REALTOR® can recommend a trusted home inspector for you.

Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when buying a home? Call Donna at The Barrie Home Hunter Team today. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.