Mike Bolger REALTOR® in Kitchener / Waterloo

Selling your luxury property for the highest value may require some home improvements. A very good home improvement strategy with additions and improvements is expected to give you the best odds of being profitable. When your residence does not have a true family room or has one that can be staged can cost you huge, a family room is an excellent way to get a nice return to your investment by adding some additional square footage. Several sellers with a single story home have looked into adding another floor to it to be competitive in their market. For a few luxury home buyers, they desire a two-story home, and they won't even consider searching for any other choice. This could possibly be due to needing a family room on the first floor and a luxurious master suite on the second. By having an additional floor it will help to give your home a profitable edge at the time of selling. You can potentially add additional bedrooms, a bigger home office, walk-in closets, and more. Y...

Smell is one of our most valuable senses. This sense is linked with your memory. It is known by experts that very good smells can evoke cheerful memories and experiences. Distinct fragrances can communicate a vast array of sensations and feelings.  This is where the smell of your home can affect how long it takes to sell your home . There is a reason why waterloo  REALTOR®s  always think about the very best scent for home staging before a showing. Experts say that a house that smells like freshly baked cookies can bring to mind a warm and homey feeling while a refreshing and clean smelling house can stir up feelings of potential and new opportunities. Here are some tips that are known to help with smells in a home Use Baking Soda To get rid of any undesirable smells in your residence it is wise to use baking soda. If you own carpets or rugs, spread some baking soda out to help remove tough smells and leave you with a simple pallet. Let the baking soda sit for 1...

If you are setting up to sell your home next spring, you should get a head start during the winter season to save time and stress? Your home could most likely be ready to be listed for the early spring. Here is some guidance of what sellers should be doing now to guarantee for an immediate sale next spring. 1. Your Home’s Condition Does your home have a "move-in ready appeal" that will “amaze” experienced buyers? Look for the following issues:  Chipped paint on moldings and trim  Paint is mismatched  Wallpaper is ripped and peeling  Carpets are worn out  Hardwood floors look dull   Paint has marks and looks dull  Tiles and Grout is dirty  Appliances are old and worn out  Window treatments dated and heavy   Landscaping needs work I highly suggest that you consider looking at your house through the eyes of your buyers and determine what needs the most attention. Also, consider Millennials with families. They can ...

People who can afford their mortgage payments but cannot afford anything else are called House Poor. You don’t want to find yourself in this situation. Buying a home that you can't afford will place significant restraints on your financial life. Here are some things that can assist you in finding a house that you can realistically afford. The first affordability rule, as set out by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), is that your monthly housing costs that include the mortgage principal and interest, taxes and heating expenses (P.I.T.H.) should not exceed 32% of your gross household monthly income. For condominiums, P.I.T.H. also includes half of your monthly condominium fees. The sum of these housing costs as a percentage of your gross monthly income is your GDS ratio. What is your GDS ratio and can you pass the mortgage stress test? Use this mortgage calculator , no more than 30% to 32% of your gross annual income should go to "mortgage expenses...

Smart home upgrades are the most popular craze this year and home buyers want them. Research done from the Washington Post says that 65 percent of buyers, specifically millennials, are prepared to spend more on homes that are equipped with smart devices. Today’s definition of a move-in ready home has changed. It isn’t really about fresh paint and refinished hardwood floors any longer. An increasing amount of buyers do not consider a property “move-in ready” until it’s set up with smart gadgets. It is vital to understand that upgrading your home with smart devices is a must. Buyers want permanent gadgets and favor upgrades that stay with the home after you sell it. The most desirable upgrades have these features: Temperature control Security and safety Convenience Compatibility with mainstream voice control devices  You do not have to spend a bundle of money to make your listing more interesting. The good news is that many of these devices are sold for under $...

These days, selling your property takes more than finding a real estate agent and placing a “For Sale” sign in the front yard. Having your residence in order is the first step to an effective offer. The key is to give prospective buyers the chance to envision their “stuff” and family living in the home. It's a good idea to show your home in the best possible light. Here are some recommendations to jazz up your home staging to enhance your chances of an offer. Remove Your Belongings You could be attached to your stuff. However, the first rule is to clean up. Begin by clearing out the unnecessary stuff and pack it all away. If you do not, it can restrict new buyers from visualizing the house as their own. Pack away personal items like family photos  Hide toiletries, clothing, jewelry and accessories Remove excessive clutter Make sure the bathrooms are spotless Invest in covered containers for under the bed or in the closet Make Your Rooms Appear Even bigger You need ...

Shopping for a home might be an extended process. Dealing with it appropriately from the beginning can save a good deal of time and effort afterward and help strengthen your possibilities of finding the most suitable home for you. Make a List of Everything That You Want in a Property Deciding precisely what to look for in a home search is often the most challenging part of the process. Homes come in different types of shapes and sizes, with different colors and characteristics. Focusing on all of these details can become difficult, triggering you to lose focus. The simplest way to prevent this is to take a moment beforehand and make a list of the most important factors of the home you want to buy. To illustrate, you likely have a specific number of bedrooms that you have in mind. Probably you want to be in a particular school district, or perhaps you want a much larger kitchen. Several professionals recommend having a secondary list of desired features that you can do wit...