Real Estate Agent Ottawa

Things to Consider When Selling Your House: Ottawa Real Estate Agent

Choosing when to actually sell or buy a home is normally one of the most crucial decisions that an individual will make in their life as it tends to affect them their entire life. Whether an individual is moving or in the event of downsizing, Ottawa real estate agent Joanne Martin of House Curious suggests there a few things that you need to consider before selling their homes or even making it market worthy for potential buyers.

Listed below are some strategies that one can simply apply in order for them to be able to sell their home regardless of the current economic conditions or seasons which are normally not in one’s control.

Research the Local Housing Market

Regardless of one having lived in an area for a couple of years and have been able to gauge the market it is still important for one to look at the market and actually know it prior. One also needs to know how many houses are at the moment on the market in their region and the estimated number of days that they have been listed. This is essential as one gets to see which houses may end up being a competition.

Set a Reasonable Asking Price

When one is considering to actually put up a price for the house, they need to set aside their emotions as well as not look at the previous selling price of the house. One needs to understand that if a home is located in a very prime land that the buyers will be more than the sellers hence, the demand is normally high. But if the place is not a prime land then one need not put a ridiculous price for the house as one need to be at or slightly below market value in order to attract potential buyers.

Give the Home as Much Social Media Exposure as Possible

Social media is a very powerful tool if one knows how to use it well. It can either be used for good or for bad. There tends to be different platforms that one can easily list their houses such as Realtor.com, Zillow as well as Trulia. Another play form that realtors tend to use include YouTube videos, blogs, Facebook as well as Pinterest groups.

Get Rid Of Clutter

By clutter, this means the removal of all forms of elf in the house including photos, memorabilia among many other personalized items that may be located around the house. This helps give the house its own independence as well as this makes it very easy for staging purposes.

In addition, one also needs to repaint the house and do minor repairs should be done prior to staging the house. This tends to give the house a new appeal and make it look more attractive to the potential buyers.

Nevertheless, one may also have different furniture spread out in order to give the buyers an idea of how they can arrange their furniture in different spaces in order to meet their lifestyle needs as well as their desires.

Ottawa Real Estate : Staging Your Home

When it comes to staging one’s Ottawa real estate home for potential buyers it is key to take some things into consideration. Selling one’s house requires a few things to be put into perspective as the house by itself needs to be able to market itself with no problem at all. This helps increase the value of the house as well as the appeal. Hence, knowing how best to stage one’s house is important in the putting of the house on the market and having it sold within a lesser time frame.

Listed below are some tips that one needs to consider if they are planning to attract the largest pool of buyers by downplaying the house’s weaknesses and highlighting its strengths.

Grab Them from the Curb

First impression tends to matter a lot. With regard to this, while one is considering staging the home they need to understand that what people see is what attracts them to the house. Hence, one needs to maintain the garden, put flower pot as well as just take care of the environment round the home as first impression always matters.

Make It Sparkle

One needs to pretend as if they are having their mother-in-law visiting hence, everything needs to just be perfect. The cleaning, the vacuuming, mopping even the cat in the house needs to be clean. Buyers tend to look at the places one may think that they will not look at all and that’s where they end up looking. In addition, one also needs to pay attention to specific orders which may affect their first impression on their potential buyers. One may ask a third party to come and inspect the smell of the house.

Pay Attention to Color and Light

One needs to put into consideration the fact that they are trying to stage their home for whatever reason hence, their color scheme needs to be very neutral and accommodating for their potential buyers. In addition, a neutral home tends to look larger and may have a lesser chance of offending an individual.

In addition, one is advised to open up the draperies in order for sufficient light to come into the house as lighting tends to set a specific mood.

Depersonalize

One needs to de-clutter the house of them as this may offset the price of the house if there are too many personal items. The potential buyers need to be able to picture themselves in the house without one’s photos affecting the ambiance or imagination.

Make Repairs

Making of repairs is very essential as one may need to make sure that the small things don’t end up embarrassing them at all. Such include smudged paints, squeaking doors or chipped paint as the home needs to be a high-maintenance zone.

Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

Paint tends to change the house and make it look new and attractive at the same time. Having a neutral colour such as beige or taupe in the living spaces as well as a neutral green or blue for the bathroom will definitely increase the appeal of the house by far.

Contact Ottawa real estate agent Joanne Martin of House Curious with assistance in buying and selling your Ottawa home!

Ottawa Real Estate Agent: How to Buy a Home in Your Twenties

How to Buy a Home in Your Twenties

Helpful tip for buying your first home in Ottawa from Ottawa Real Estate Agent Joanne Martin.

Ottawa real estate agent recommend starting early these days as it it possible to own younger than you think! It may look impossible since most individuals at this time normally are either on their first or second jobs or have just graduated from university and are thinking what next. At this time one may not be in a position to even think about buying a house as they are still trying to fit and make sense of the new responsibilities that come with the age bracket. However, research has shown that it is actually very much possible for one to own a home in their twenties. Most individuals tend to wait until they are married, stable in their jobs or have a better idea where they would like to live.

It reaches a point where one gets offended by having landlords who are not respectful, not being able to change the house colour or Hammer a single nail into ‘one’s wall’ since the contract does not allow it and at times once the contract has expired one is forced to actually vacate. Hence, being in such a situation may become very much difficult and annoying over time.

Listed below are some ways in which one can easily save up money that may help them buy a house in their twenties.

Know Where You Want To Live

When it comes to picking a place to live permanently Ottawa real estate agents recommends being very firm on the place that they choose to live. This is because the place that one lives tends to influence their motivation to actually save up and commit to it. In addition, one needs to now know how much they can afford to learn and live within their means debt free.

Shore Up Your Credit

By this it means that one need to register for a credit card in the vent that they don’t have one. Once they’ve been able to open the credit card, they can then try to pay off the amount due on time every month as well as maintain a balance of 30% or below one’s credit limit so that they may boost their credit score. This in return helps one be able to get a mortgage approved.

Aggressively Save For 6-12 Months

If one is deciding to own a home then they must save and not only save on money but also cut back on few expenses for a certain period. This is because one after applying for the mortgage may end up needing to pay for the down payment which is key. This is one of the most important steps one could take in the process of owning a home.

Don’t Buy a House One Cannot Afford

At this age bracket one normally has a low salary and a couple of student loans to pay back hence, the need for them to actually live within their means. One needs to think of the mortgage, fees, insurance, taxes as well as the maintenance of a low budget while assessing one’s expenses. In addition one need not use up all the money given as they may as well look for something cheaper yet affordable and end up saving money in the process. Owning a house is a smart idea but it may be expensive if an individual is not well-prepared.

If you are ready to purchase your first home contact Ottawa real estate agent Joanne Martin from House Curious Ottawa to find the perfect home for you!

Real Estate Ottawa: Rent or Buy? What are the Benefits of Renting Opposed to Buying?

Making the jump from renting to buying? Here are some things to consider.

Given the fact that most individuals while starting up their lives find it hard to actually own in a home, most individuals opt for the renting of an apartment instead. Over a certain period however an individual is able to save up money while building their career and start a family which may trigger them to consider buying a home instead. However for real estate Ottawa homeowners who are nearing retirement normally opt for selling their houses, downsizing and becoming renters once again

Listed below are some benefits that have been attached to the option of one actually just renting out a home as compared to buying a house all together.

No Responsibility for Maintenance or Repairs

A renter is normally not responsible for home neither maintenance nor for repair costs. In the event that a toilet breaks or the wall needs new paint, one just simply has to call the landlord/land lady or superintendent to raise the complaint.

Relocating Is Easier

In addition, renter who keeps on relocating is in a better position to save money and time. Even if one has to move before their lease is over they are able to negotiate with landlord about subletting the apartment.in contrast, selling a home takes a lot of time and if one ends up selling they may end up selling it at a lower price and make a loss instead.

No Exposure to Real Estate

The value of homes tends to fluctuate over time with regard to the economy and at times the value of a home may end up declining. Hence, if one is a renter this is not their concern but the landlords concern.

Credit Requirements Generally Less Strict

Most if not all landlords tend to require that the renters go through a credit check, which is actually just a zero-sum proposition. One’s application for leasing a home is normally either approved or declined due to their current credit score as well as their credit history. In the event that one has no checkered credit report such as judgments and bankruptcies, then they can easily find a home with a landlord who would be willing to rent to them.

In contrast, if one has applied for a mortgage and by any chance the credit score changes then this can affect it drastically as it may end up increasing in thousands of dollars with regard to interest over one’s loan term.

Some Utilities Maybe Included

Most of the multi-unit building landlords normally cover the cost for various utilities including cable television. This saves the renter a lot of money because it doesn’t matter how much one uses the utility because its normally included in the rent hence, it’s not their concern after they’ve paid the rent. This is however not a common practice but has been possible for smaller building such as single family homes as well as duplexes.

If you are ready to make the jump from renting to becoming a home owner contact Joanne Martin at House Curious for assistance in your search for the perfect house for you!

Choosing An Ottawa Real Estate Agent

Finding a Real estate Agent That is Right For You.

Choosing an Ottawa real estate agent is a very important step in buying and selling a house. In fact, a good agent can make or break your idea and your project. For this reason it is very important to find an agent that has everything you need and assist you trough the entire process. This is true especially if you are on a first time purchase state of mind. A good agent will take care of all the problems and will make sure to allow you to sell your house or to buy one in a very fast and simple way. Below are some tips to let you know everything there is to learn in order to find and choose the best agent for you and your family. If you follow these guidelines we are sure that you will get a lot of good opportunities and that you will have no problem in buying or selling your house.

The first thing to consider is the network of the agent that you want to hire. In fact, one way that people in this industry operate is by working together and exchanging clients infiltration to get houses sold and bought quite quickly. If you are choosing an agent, we advise you to look for an experienced one that will have a lot of good connections and that will give you the possibility to work closely.

The second point that you should keep in mind is the cost of the agent. In fact, depending on the value of the house different agents decide to bump up prices, in order to match with the clients’ availability. It is important to check with your agent to see the percentage that you will be paying if you are selling your house , if you are buying it is different the seller pays.

The last point that is important to take into consideration is the fact that an agent takes time to complete the job and to sell a house or to find one to buy for you. You can look at reviews online and ask for past experiences with other clients. Get yourself the tools necessary to choose and select the agent wisely.

Contact House Curious for assistance in buying or selling your house.

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Joanne Martin

Broker