What about our pets? This is a question that is often asked in real estate sales.

If you have a dog or cat, chances are you love your pet. But, while pets are great for your emotional health, they don’t help you sell your home. When you decide to put the house on the market you will need to do some serious housecleaning and repair work before you can command top-dollar for your home.

So how do you go about selling your property with pets?

1 | TEMPORARILY RELOCATE YOUR PETS

Plain and simple, it’s easier to show-and-sell a home (and keep it clean), if pets are not present.

This is the time to consider boarding your pet, or leaving them with family or a friend that is willing to help out. This gives you the chance to eliminate or reduce the signs of having a pet in the house – which can reduce a home’s value.

In an ideal world, your home should be pet-free not just during showings but the entire time your home is up for sale.

2 | REMOVE PET ODOURS AND STAINS

Our sense of smell has a powerful effect on our emotions, our memory and on our perception of things. Humans have something called ‘sensory adaption’ meaning constant bad smells like pet odour or smoke become normalized and aren’t recognized by our noses anymore.

An initial urine odor on entering a house, can leave a buyer with a bad impression, and may stick with them during the entire showing and afterwards.

So don’t trust your own nose. Before listing your house for sale: have your carpets, upholstery and flooring professionally cleaned, with a focus on removing pet odors. If the staining or odors are extensive, consider replacing carpet in problem areas. If your pet has a history of accidents on a particular area rug, get rid of it.

3 | DE-PERSONALIZE, EVEN YOUR PETS

The first task of home sellers is to create an environment where buyers can picture themselves. This means giving them the space to envision living there, space that is free from too many of your personal things – including pets and all they bring with them.

So when removing all the family photos throw in the photos of your pet as well. Beyond that, hide their beds, toys and equipment.

4 | CLEAN THE YARD

One of the best tips, when selling a home with pets, is to make sure you don’t neglect the yard as this is just important to some buyers as the inside of the home. Not only pick-up any messes in the backyard, but have any sod replaced and other damage repaired as necessary.

5 | IF THEY HAVE TO STAY

And if you do decide to keep your pet at home during the sale, you’ve got to keep a lid on the fur. Unless you have a hairless cat or a non-shedding dog, there’s going to be some fur in the house. which may involve cleaning multiple times a day. Another option is to limit your pet’s access to just certain parts of the house.

Get a litter box with a cover and place it in an non-obvious spot.  Try to avoid air fresheners. That suggests you are hiding something. Instead work towards keeping things odour-free with enzyme cleaners.

And during showings, take the family for a walk and that means the pets too!

Selling a home with pets takes work, but it’s worth it in the long run! We’re happy to help!

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Our team of real estate sales professionals would be thrilled to work with you. Call us today!

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Buyer’s Corner | Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Credit: The Brel Team, The Balance
Photo Credit: HomesSoldBeautifully, Urbaneer

Household energy costs consume a significant portion of a household budget. So it makes sense to ensure you are taking all the necessary steps towards becoming energy efficient.

In a recent newsletter,  Pedro Giorgana a professional home inspector with InspecHomes identified strategies that will reduce your household energy consumption and help to stabilize the utility bills. We are reprinting an edited version with his permission.

• THE ATTIC:

  Approximately 40% of home energy costs are consumed by heating and cooling ALL of the living spaces within the home. Identifying the ‘unused spaces’ and making sure they are properly insulated goes along way to reducing energy costs. The attic is a case in point.  Most new homes are insulated with R values up to R-40 and R-50. However, this may not be the case in older homes where insulation can be considerably less. Adding insulation to the attic  (usually blown in cellulose or fiberglass) can provide a marked improvement in the comfort level in your home. Even a few inches of added insulation can fill gaps in older insulation that may have previously contribute to air losses. CAUTION: – Do not block the existing ventilation spaces that are necessary to permit the proper flow of air in the attic. In fact, this might be one of those home tasks best left to the professionals.

• AIR BARRIERS:

  Create an air barrier by sealing gaps and penetrations in the attic space (ceiling electrical fixtures, exhaust fans, wiring and duct penetrations) with plastic to prevent heated or cooled house air from escaping the building envelope. Insulate the attic hatch with a layer or two of rigid foam board insulation and add compressible weather stripping to complete the seal. Adding latches to the hatch can also help ensure a tight air seal.

• SEAL THE DRAFTS:

  Reduce potential air loss in your home by sealing drafts around windows and doors with caulking, ensure all exterior vent closures and wall penetrations are well sealed. Worn out door seals and sweeps should be replaced. Insulate electrical outlets and sockets using foam insulation gaskets designed to fit inside the covers. This can be especially helpful to stop drafts in older homes in which walls are not well insulated.

• FURNACE FILTERS:

  Change your furnace filter at appropriate intervals, clean duct work and have the furnace inspected annually. A well maintained appliance will operate more efficiently, and as an added bonus the operating life of the system is likely to be extended.

• PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS:

  Programmable thermostats may not provide the large savings as first thought. It’s in those regions where there are larger seasonal variations that see the immediate effects. But there is always benefit from not heating or cooling your home when you are away or asleep.  Program the thermostat to a setback of perhaps 10 degrees when heating or cooling is not required.

• TANKLESS WATER HEATERS:

  Other than space heating, more energy is used to heat water in the home than almost any other household activity. In the majority of Canadian homes storage tanks are commonly used. The water in the tank is continuously heated to maintain the temperature whether or not needed. Tankless water heaters (“on demand” or “instantaneous water heaters”) use high inputs of gas or electricity to instantly heat the water when required. Because the hot water is only heated when needed, High Efficiency tankless systems can reduce the amount of energy used to provide hot water to the home. To fully understand what is required in your home consult a professional installer.

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We hope that you found this information useful. When you are ready to sell or buy a home, our team of real estate sales professionals would be thrilled to work with you. Call us today!

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings

Credits: Newsletter content from Pedro Giorgana (printed with permission). 289-928-5689 pedro.giorgana@inspechomes.com. See also: Pedro Giorgana Talks Thermal Home Inspections.
Photo Credit: GraceHillSettlement.com and Gosolargroup.com

October 2017

With September wrapped up, we are now fully engaged in the fall market. Historically this is a very active seasons in the Southern Ontario region. Although it hasn’t felt like fall weather quite yet, we are seeing signs of the market gaining the momentum that is associated with this time of year. Demand has not waned from a summer market that was particularly active.

LOW LEVEL OF LISTING INVENTORY

What we have not seen, thus far, is the high level of listing inventory that typically hits the market after Labor Day. While inventory did bump up from August levels, it was not to the same degree that we are accustomed. That is particularly true in the lower priced segments of the market, where competition among buyers is strongest.

Days on market, average listing discount, and median sales price remained relatively unchanged from August to September. As we enter October, we expect these positive indicators to marginally creep up; however, the market is relatively consistent at present and, in general, has normalised after the frenzied market from January to May. As we have been reporting for some time, the market is still skewed in favour of sellers in the lower end and towards purchasers in the higher end. This does vary to some degree between differing ‘micro-markets’ .

NEW NOTICEABLE TREND

One trend which has become increasingly noticeable is the shrinking pool of cash buyers. For several months it felt like cash buyers were the norm and buyers that were financing had to go to great lengths to have their offers heard. Hand in hand with the drop-off in all-cash buyers is the larger pool of prospective mortgage brokers and banks are competing for this business.

Despite tougher lending guidelines put in place after the Spring frenzied market, banks are looking to use mortgages as a vehicle to attract new depositors to their banks. Besides offering incredibly cheap money, many banks are still tight on their lending and focusing on the relationship with the client to determine their appetite for loans. Whether it is an issue with the borrower’s credit history or income, banks are taking a broader look at the overall economy and a common sense view of the safety of the loan.

We will continue to keep you up to date on recent happenings and trends in the market. We hope that you find this informative and useful and, please, as always, reach out with any questions on how you can take advantage of these current trends or how to protect your real estate assets.

Also, feel free to reach out with any questions regarding a specific trend or segment of the market. We are here to serve your family, friends and neighbours.

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Our team of real estate sales professionals would be thrilled to work with you. Call us today!

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

The post originally appeared in our October E-Newsletter: The Real Estate Times

Owning your first home is a great way to learn all the ins-and-outs of buying real estate. Building your real estate portfolio is a beneficial way to diversify and save for the future.

Increasingly, people are opting to purchase an investment property to help save for their children’s education or for retirement.

There are many benefits to owning a second or third property and if this is something you are considering, the following points should help you make you decision!

OTHER PEOPLE ARE PAYING YOUR MORTGAGE

Acquiring an asset without having to pay the monthly retainer is a smart business move. Having a property full of renters who pay more than your monthly mortgage means you’re gaining the equity on your home, without paying the bills and you’re earning some cash flow! While you are still responsible for the general maintenance on the home, there are cases when it makes sense to have the tenant pay the most regular of home costs such as hydro.

YOU ARE PROVIDING A PLACE FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO CALL HOME

Landlords who make their rentals into desirable places to live often get better, long-term tenants. A good rule to follow is ask yourself: “would I live here”? If your answer is no, it’s time to upgrade the place to attract the type of tenant you want.

IF YOU OWN ENOUGH PROPERTIES, YOU COULD EARN A FULL TIME SALARY

Most people would probably opt-out of a regular 9-5 job if given the chance.  It’s possible to generate a full-time income from managing multiple rental properties and enjoy the flexibility of being self-employed.

LEARN LIFE LESSONS

When you take on tenants and multiple dwellings, you are dealing with real life situations. Being organized, firm but charitable are traits that will ensure that you and your tenant maintain a long term and satisfying relationship. There is an unlimited amount of learning when you engage in rental properties from: financial management; multiple mortgages, renovations; complaints; understanding by-laws, legal issues, city regulations  and more.

But all of these perceived annoyances eventually will transition you into a better property owner.

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Our team of real estate sales professionals would be thrilled to help you find that perfect income property.

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Credit to posts by HGTVs Scott McGillivray.

There are many reasons why it may be time to sell your home. You may need more space to make room for a growing family or are in the process of downsizing now that your children have left the next. Whatever your motivations, timing is key.

If you sell when home prices are plummeting, you may end up losing on the deal. However if you place your home on the market when prices are at their peak, there may be a shortage of buyers.

So how do you know when it’s a good time to sell? A professional real estate agent can assess the market conditions, conduct a home evaluation and strategic marketing measures that will sell your home for top dollar in a timely fashion.

But there may be other time-tell signs that indicate, this might be the time for a new home.

YOU’VE OUT GROWN YOUR CURRENT HOME

Whether you are expecting another child, caring for an aging parent, or have taken in your adult children, when you’ve outgrown your home, it may be time to sell it. Buying a bigger home is one of the main reasons why homeowners choose to sell. Consider the permanency of the change. Will the kids be there for a long time? How long will you be able to care for your aging parent?

YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE

Change is inevitable. Maybe you’re tired of shoveling snow and you want to shift to a condominium where those types of chores are taken care of.  Are you looking to move and chase that dream job or be closer to family. When change requires a move then selling your home is necessary.

HOME PRICES ON THE RISE

This can be a somewhat of a risky reason to sell your home. True you may get more than you expected for your home , but you may also have pay more for another home. This is where your real estate agent is can be of assistance is making the transition from home-to-home easy, affordable and headache free.

YOU NEED TO DOWNSIZE

As the baby boomer generation is moving into their golden years, they are selling their homes in order to downsize. The kids are all out of the house and all that extra space becomes a chore. Many homeowners have used real estate to boost their retirement finances. This is where your real estate agent and your financial planner can work hand-in-hand to best represent your interests.

YOU CAN NO LONGER AFFORD YOUR HOME

Sometimes, life changes (divorce, illness, death, job loss or other drastic financial circumstances) can force a home sale sooner than you are ready. Dealing with the situation early, could mean less financial impact later on.

Every situation is different and your personal home ownership situation is unique. An experienced real estate agent is key to helping you achieve your personal goals.

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Our team of real estate professionals would be thrilled to work with you. Call us today!

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

The following article appeared in the The Real Estate Book | October 2017

It has been quite a roller coaster so far this year in the real estate market in Burlington. We started out exceptionally strong, carrying on from 2016 but with even stronger price appreciation and lack of inventory in the first quarter.

But there has definitely been a cooling off period in the last few months. The number of sales has been declining since March, and there were only 325 closed transactions in June 2017 compared to 649 in 2015 and 466 in 2016.

At the same time, we have finally seen a higher number of listings coming on to the market, probably tempted by the opportunity to take advantage of higher prices. Through most of 2016 and especially in the first quarter of 2017, the number of homes available for sale was less than half what is typical in Burlington. For example, at the end of March there were only 315 active listings, compared to 854 in 2015 and 468 in 2016. A balanced market in Burlington normally has between 500 and 700 active listings, and it appears we are back into this range again now.

So what about prices? Again, things seem to be moderating compared to the crazy price gains of the early part of the year. Burlington has historically been a very recession proof market, and the long terms trends have seen house prices go up by 5% to 6% per year. By the end of June, we were getting closer to these historical norms.

So what does this mean for local home buyers and sellers? Firstly, with a more balanced market and plenty of supply, agents have to work harder to sell listings. Buyers have more choice again, and they can safely present offers with the more typical conditions to safeguard their best interests. And sellers will need to moderate their price expectations, and recognize that they may not be able to achieve the valuations that we saw at the peak of this market in March.

As a team of professional realtors, we welcome a more balanced market, and look forward to more typical conditions in the second half of this year.

All Data From The Realtors’ Association of Hamilton-Burlington

For more information on the Burlington Market, please contact us today.

Karen Paul & Associates | Real Estate
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

“The measure of life is not its duration but its donation”

WOW! WOW! WOW!

How proud I am to be a part of Keller Williams International, headquartered in Austin Texas.

Can you imagine losing your home that is your comfort zone, not to mention your life savings? Pets, belongings, and treasures never to be replaced.

Keller Williams has an established 501(c) charity called KW CARES in which EVERY Keller Williams AGENT in EVERY office in the world contributes to from their commissions earned with EVERY transaction that comes through a Keller Williams office.

I bet you did not know you were helping with relief efforts around the world when you listed and bought through a KW agent!!

To date: Keller Williams has committed to donating $20million of your/our money to the disaster relief and recovery of Houston, Texas. KW CARES owns multiple 18-wheelers for transporting supplies that they were able to purchase in bulk.

Keller Williams also works side-by-side with the RED CROSS and other charitable organizations by sending in supplies or even flying into disaster areas, hundreds of agent volunteers.

And all the admin costs? They are being handled personally by our KW Chairman Gary Keller and Vice Chairman of the board Mo Anderson.

Learn more at KWRelief.org. You can donate right on the website or sign up to volunteer.

Merci!!

 

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As your local agent, the Burlington area is our home.
If you’re new to the area, we would be happy to help you get situated and introduce you to our favourite spots!

Karen Paul & Associates
Ontario Is Our Game ~ Come Play With Us
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Real Estate Agents for Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

When it comes to home security, the statistics are surprising.
SGI Canada recently released the following stats on home invasions.

• A residential break-in happens every 90 seconds in Canada.
• More than 80% of break-ins occur during daylight hours.
• Most illegal entries are made by amateur burglars without the use of sophisticated tools.
• Most burglars enter through a basement or ground-floor door or window.
• Most burglars rely on concealment, speed and force to gain entry to a home.

Summer time = vacation time often providing the perfect opportunity to review how well your home stacks up against the ‘home invasion’ test.

Nothing is 100%, but there are preventive measures that will act as a deterrent to even the most professional burglars.

Securing Your Home When You Are Away.

• Enlist the support of your neighbour to cut the grass, shovel the snow, collect and put out your garbage bins, pick up parcels and mail – even park in your driveway.
• Cancel all deliveries and if someone can’t pick up your mail, pay to have it stopped.
• Maintain normal lighting patterns and consider leaving a radio on. Both of these can be managed with electronic timers.
• Avoid posting your vacation photos on social media until you return. Locating someone’s home address using basic information from their social media profile is surprisingly easy. In fact, one survey of convicted burglars, more than 10 percent said they used social media to determine who was out of town.

Securing Your Home When You’re At Home!

• Consider installing a monitored alarm system, the statistics are pretty compelling. Not only is the chance of experiencing a home invasion significantly reduced but the stats show that the amount of property stolen from homes equipped with an alarm system is reduced.
• Make your home look lived-in – particularly during the day when at work.  Stats show that most home invasions are occur during the daytime between 12:30 -2:30PM. Lock all the doors (including patio and garage doors), keep windows obfuscated – don’t make it easy for the burglars to scope out your belongings.
• Check the outside of your home. Keep shrubs trimmed from windows and doors preventing hiding places. Tall bushes offer burglars an obstructed view from the street and an easy way to hide from neighbors. A clear and well-lit view of your front porch can act as the best defense. Secure any exterior doors, possibly with dead bolt locks. Add extra security to patio doors and basement windows, an entry point for many break-ins.

What should you do if there is a break-in at your home?

• Leave immediately. Go to a neighbour’s home and contact the police.
• Never confront a burglar or bock the exit route. The safest thing to do is allow them a safe way out.

We would be thrilled to work with you and host your open house. Contact us Today!

Our team of real estate sales professionals is committed to finding you, your dream home. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, the Karen Paul team is here to help with any questions.

Just a quick note to say thank you so much for the gift card at the LCBO. That was very sweet. I will definitely recommend your team. It was a great pleasure to work with you and your son. Since we met years ago I have always liked you and respected you.

I recently was at the house and met with the couple who bought it. They have already done some lovely things to it and plan to keep the house as is and not do a rebuild. I’m sure they will have to do some major work in the basement however

Wishing you all the best. ~Joanne

Our customers say it best…

Our team of real estate sales professionals is committed to finding you, your dream home.
Whether you are looking to buy or sell, Karen Paul & Associates is with you every step of the way.

905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Real Estate Agents for Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter

On May 11, 2017 – RED Day – over 100 Keller Williams Edge Associates gathered at Food for Life (Burlington) to package over 20,000 lbs of frozen food for distribution throughout Halton to those in need through community partnerships.

First introduced in 2009, RED Day (Renew, Energize and Donate) is  the dedicated annual day of service for Keller Williams Realty agents. On the second Thursday of the month, KW real estate agents around the world spend the day away from their businesses serving worthwhile community organizations.

RED Day is an example of the KW promise to give where you live.

Local RED Day chair Susan Williamson MacKey and her committee also thank The Watermark Taphouse and Grille and Karmel Sakran Law Office for the BBQ.

Along with Karen, Justin Loncaric, Kim Perosa and Michael McQuinn, rounded out the Karen Paul & Associates Team.

#KWEDGE #REDDAY #KELLERWILLIAMS #GIVEWHEREYOULIVE

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As your local agent, the Burlington area is our home and we want to be involved in the community.
If you’re new to the area, we would be happy to help you get situated and introduce you to our favourite spots!

Karen Paul & Associates
905-333-6234 | karenpaul.com | info@karenpaul.com
Real Estate Agents for Burlington • Oakville • Hamilton • Milton • Niagara
Free Home Evaluations | See Our Listings | Subscribe To Our Newsletter