MENU		WHEN SHOULD YOU SELL?		SEASONALITY
		There are a number of reasons why people sell their homes and some impact the options regarding when to sell. If you want a bigger home to accommodate a newborn, or because your family has outgrown the home you are living in, you are in a perfect position relative to today's marketplace. You can afford to put in enough time to sell at the right price and then find a home that suits your requirements. If you are planning to retire, you might consider a "cashing in" of assets or buying a condominium to ease the workload involved with maintenance and upkeep. It is wise to look far enough ahead in order to use the market to your advantage and sell at a good price. There is the obvious issue of relocation if a new job or promotion takes you to a different city. In this case, selling most often becomes a necessity. We have all heard of "buyer's" and "seller's" markets. These terms refer to the proportion of people wanting to buy versus the number of homes on the market. If the number of homes for sale outstrips potential buyers, then it is a buyer's market. If there are not enough homes to satisfy demand, then it is a seller's market. If you are selling for financial gain, you will obviously want to do so in a seller's market. But, if you plan to purchase another home after selling, the type of market condition is less relevant. In a seller's market, you may sell your home more quickly and for a better price, but you will be facing the opposite challenges when purchasing. In a buyer's market, you may have to wait longer to get a fair price, but you will have more selection and pricing options when looking for your new property. Right now, interest rates are at their lowest in decades. This has lead to unprecedented opportunities for those wishing to buy. Often, mortgage payments will be less than rent on an apartment or townhouse. Therefore, a large number of consumers are considering ownership, many for the first time. For sellers, this holds the potential for a huge boom. Source: Ontario Real Estate Association		"Seasonality" is a term that Realtors use to gauge when home sales are expected to climb. Although this is only one factor to be considered when selling, in Ontario, springtime tends to be a time of higher activity. Buyers with children especially prefer to start house hunting in the spring in order to settle in a new home before school begins in the fall.
				GET THE HOUSE READY
				A house that 'sparkles' on the surface will sell faster than its shabby neighbour, even though both are structurally well-maintained. A 'well-polished' house appeals to more buyers and will sell for a higher price. In getting your house ready for sale, consider how much you should spend on the exterior and curb appeal, and preparing the interior. In preparing your home for the market, spend as little money as possible. Buyers will be impressed by a brand new roof, but they are not likely to give you enough extra money to pay for it. There is a big difference between making minor and inexpensive "polishes" and "touch-ups" to your house, and doing extensive and costly renovations. Your real estate sales representative can tell you what improvements need to be made. Don't hesitate to ask for advice.
		MAKING YOUR HOUSE MORE SALEABLE		TIP
		Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When you want to attract buyers, try to look at your home from the buyer's point of view. If the outside, or "curb appeal" looks good, people will more likely want to see what is on the inside. Walk up to your home and pretend you have never seen it before. How do you feel about what you see? Does the home seem inviting? Well-maintained? Making a good first impression can mean the difference between receiving serious offers for your home or being subjected to months of lookie-loos dropping by but never buying.		CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER Buyers won't purchase a home they can't see. Get rid of anything you don't need or use. Rent some storage-space or hold a garage-sale.
		EXTERIOR AND CURB APPEAL
		Concentrate on the exterior first. A fresh coat of paint will make the house cleaner looking. Before painting, scrape any blistered or peeling paint, repair gutters and down spouts and replace wood showing dry rot. If the entire house does not need a paint job, paint only the front shutters, doors and windows. Make sure the lawn is well manicured. For weeds and flower beds remove and replace dead plants and trees. Water the garden regularly during growing season. With desert landscaping, make sure that no underlying plastic is exposed, rocks and sand are tidy and the weeds and grass are removed. Check the patio and walkway for broken paving stones. Remove overflowing trash cans and children's toys from the driveway. See that the garage door opens freely and if you have an automatic door opener, make sure it is in good working order. A nice display of outdoor furniture on a patio looks appealing. If necessary, borrow some furniture from a friend to enhance the "show ability" of your property. If you have a swimming pool, keep the water clean, hose dust and cobwebs from filtration equipment and store chemicals and tools neatly away. Clean windows until they sparkle. For extra dirty windows, try vinegar or ammonia. Repair or replace torn or bent screens and any cracked or broken panes. Pay attention to foliage near a window. A window framed in ivy can give a warm, homey feeling but cut it back if the foliage is restricting the light coming into the room. Paint the front door if needed. You may wish to use a colour different from that of your house so that the entrance stands out. All doors with holes should be repaired. Check to see that all doors open and close freely including closet doors and patio or sliding glass doors. Source: Ontario Real Estate Association
		INTERIOR APPEAL
		With just a few minor repairs and decorative ideas you can spruce up the interior of a home. A cluttered look in the living room implies lack of organization. Too much furniture or too much stuff can prevent a prospect from appreciating the room's true features. The least expensive way to improve "show ability" of your home is to open up as much space as possible. Overstuffed rooms and closets give the impression of being smaller than they really are. Open up storage areas by getting rid of items you are not using. With counters and cabinets, overcrowding gives the impression of inadequate space in the bathroom and kitchen. As with exterior painting, nothing freshens up a room like a new coat of paint. Patch all major holes in wallboard and plaster before you paint. Outlandish colours may overwhelm a prospect. White, beige, cream and bone are safe, conventional colours. Pastels also coordinate easily with most furniture. If you have a fireplace, make it the focal point of the room. Add a wood or marble mantel, or enclose the opening with a glass door. Loose floor tiles should be cemented firmly in place: missing or damaged pieces of tile should be replaced. Don't forget to polish and wax your floors if needed. Steam cleaning is the best solution for soiled carpets; shampooing seldom does the job. If pet odors are present, clean the carpet some time before your home is placed on the market to be sure odors have been eliminated. The atmosphere of a house should be airy and bright. Raise the blinds and pull back the drapes. If showing in the evening, leave on the porch light and any outdoor or garden lighting, plus room lighting. Every light socket in and around the house should have a good bulb of adequate wattage. Repair or replace wall switches, outlets, and light fixtures that don't work. If you are not fully competent to handle these repairs, call in a professional electrician. Fewer places in the home can get dirty as fast as the bathroom. Vanity, sink, faucet hardware and mirrors are the focal points. But don't forget to clean up soap residue in a shower, a moldy shower curtain, accumulated dirt in the track of a sliding shower door, stained toilet bowls and dirt on a battered bathmat. Badly chipped  stained sinks and tubs should be re-enameled, patched or replaced. Like bathrooms, kitchens are a constant battle to keep clean. Most buyers will inspect this area carefully so extra time invested here is well spent. Clean the stove inside and out, replace badly stained or corroded reflector plates under the heating elements on the electric range tops. Try to eliminate all potential sources of bad odors. Flowers add colour and a pleasing scent to a room. Replace all used towels with fresh ones before a showing. When the house is being shown, keep dirty laundry in the utility room, garage or storage area; this applies especially to a diaper pail. As a first step, move the cat's litter box out of the house. You may want to remove your pets entirely when showing your home. Some people are allergic to animals and nobody likes muddy paw prints on a clean suit or dress. Dirty ashtrays are both unsightly and a source of objectionable odor to non-smokers. Keep them clean. TIP: Baking a fresh pie, blueberry muffins or bread is a common tactic, but one that is guaranteed to work. The inviting smell of baking gives your house hunting visitors something they will remember. On the other hand: refrain from cooking fish for a while. Finally, remember most people will not relax and inspect a house closely if the owners are present. So try to arrange to turn your house over to your real estate sales representative and be absent during the showing. Source: Ontario Real Estate Association

CONTACT INFORMATION
		Rick McGuigan Toronto real estate sales representative Coldwell Banker Case Realty Phone: 416-696-5100 Pager: 416-461-0925
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