All Blog Entries by Justin Havre

A home needs to make a good first impression. The curb appeal of a home can turn a drive-by into a walk through. Homeowners do not need a hefty budget to improve their home's curb appeal. Some know-how and consistent maintenance can make the exterior of a home and surrounding property more attractive to potential buyers.

These easy tips can help any Jumping Pound Ridge homeowner instantly improve the appearance of the exterior of their home and property to prospective buyers.

Paint It

A fresh coat of paint can do much to mitigate scuff marks, dents and dings on exterior parts of the home. One area to paint to make a home stand out is those metal or vinyl gutters. Spray paint dull metal gutters to give a home a more cohesive and put

Utility bills can cost the average Canadian homeowner as much as $2,234 every year. Homeowners may not only save money when adding energy efficient upgrades, but also boost a home's value in the eyes of the eco-friendly buyer.

In addition to other key home improvements, know more about which upgrades are available that improve energy efficiency and offer a high ROI.

What Do Buyers Want?

When homebuyers are looking for a new home, energy efficiency was the second most important attribute to potentially influence their decision to purchase, according to a National Association of Home Builders survey. Ever-increasing energy costs may be driving interest in such upgrades. It has been found that millennials are among the buyers interested in

There are many factors to consider when trying to save for a down payment. Calculating how much you're going to need, determining how much you have already and making a plan to save more can help with the process. These tips will help you get organized as you save for a down payment to buy a home, whether that's in Glenbow, or anywhere else.

Decide How Much You'll Need

The amount of money you'll need for a down payment will depend on how much the home will cost. To decide how much you want to spend, talk to lenders and attend open houses. A lender can help you decide how much monthly payments will cost for homes in each price range. Visiting open houses can help you decide what types of homes will best meet your needs.

The minimum amount

When it's time to sell your home, landscaping can make the difference between a good offer and a great offer. Knowing how to make your home look beautiful and well maintained can leave buyers with a good first impression. Landscaping basics are simple enough: clean up the lawn and facade of the home to make the property look trim and clean. This process can be more involved than it sounds. These tips will help you get your home ready to be put on the market and seen by buyers.

Prioritize Lawn Maintenance

Green, trim grass makes your property look fertile and your soil seem healthy. Lawn maintenance is a multi-step process, and all the steps are important.

• Trim grass once weekly (or as necessary) during the growing season.
• Fertilize

Much like painting a home’s interior, doing the same to the exterior can seem like a large task. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional to get the job done. Following these steps can help anyone give their home’s exterior and curb appeal a fresh new look.

Check the Weather

Depending on how large the home in question is, painting the exterior may take several days. Before starting the project, check the weekly forecast to make sure the weather is going to be good for painting. Sunny days with low wind are the best for outdoor painting, but it’s also best to try to avoid humidity because it can drastically slow down the time it will take for the paint to dry and even change the paint’s texture.

Protect the Surroundings

Paint can

If there’s one thing you can do to make a move easier it’s starting the process well in advance. Most professional moving companies recommend that clients begin planning a few months before moving day to minimize stress and save money. To help you get a handle on making a smooth move, we’ve created a 60-day moving plan that hits all of the major milestones. 

60 DAYS BEFORE MOVING DAY

Start Researching Movers – Seriously. If you want to get the best moving company secured for a specific moving day you’ll need to line it up ASAP. 

Create a Packing List Plan – Prioritize your packing list so you can get started sooner rather than later.

Discuss the Move With Your Family – A move can come as a total surprise to some family members, especially

Most fixer uppers can require a lot of time and resources to become a functional, pleasant place to live. For first time home buyers, or for homebuyers who have never taken on a major renovation project, it can be hard to tell if a fixer upper is a manageable commitment. Before you sign a contract, these tips will help you evaluate your situation and decide whether or not a fixer upper is right for you. 

Evaluate Your DIY Skills

Even if you're a homeowner who plans to hire a contractor for the majority of the work, DIY skills can still come in handy. Homes with old plumbing, old electrical work and other neglected or aging systems often need a variety of repairs. Typical repairs a home owner may need to perform include:

• Fixing minor leaks

Buying a first home can be stressful as well as challenging. However, conducting proper research, knowing your priorities and finding a good real estate agent can help make the home buying process a little less difficult and a lot more rewarding.

Research Neighbourhoods

Researching neighbourhoods can help you determine the part of town where you'd like to buy a home. When researching neighborhoods, consider the following:

• Proximity to businesses and services. Look for homes in neighbourhoods close to relevant businesses, such as Cochrane Heights.
• Know the commute. Knowing how long it takes you to drive from each neighbourhood to your workplace can help you decide whether or not a neighbourhood is right for you.
• Crime and safety.

There are a number of things that can be done in order to make your home sell better. Among those things are home improvements, which can increase buyer interest in a home and cause the value to go up. That can mean a higher selling price, but it also often means a faster sale. Buyers who see the home will realize they don't have to do a lot of work, and they can just move right in, and move-in ready homes sell faster than homes that need work, so buying a home that doesn't need much work is going to make more sense for the majority of buyers. As a seller, making things as easy as possible for buyers is a great way to get a home sold fast and for more money, both of which are beneficial to that seller.

Landscaping and Yard Work

To get a home

"Curb appeal" is the term that refers to the attractiveness of a home as seen from the street. Curb appeal is what impresses home buyers when they show up and view a property for the first time. Curb appeal is achieved through a variety of home improvement projects as well as landscaping projects. Knowing how to boost your own home's curb appeal can help make your property more attractive to potential buyers and can also lead to bigger offers.  

Curb Appeal Can Be Achieved on a Budget

While expensive upgrades can be impressive, inexpensive DIY projects can still make a good impression on home buyers. For example:

• Repainting the front door. Repainting the front door can be done for as little money as the price of a quart of paint. To