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All Posts By

Raeann Abbott

Jun 16
0
74 Sunset Blvd-43

Amateur Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Property

By | For Buyers

Having a house or a condo that you can call your own is a blessing. It rids you of the hassles of lease, rent, and repeatedly having to think of better living choices. Buying a house would be the most significant commitment in your life. If you are looking to buy but are overwhelmed with the whole process, this article is definitely for you.

Though there are experts that do the work for you, it is beneficial to know the basics and avoid naïve mistakes.

4 Amateur Mistakes to Avoid When Buying A House

  1. When you start looking for a house, make sure you know your financial status and your budget. Choosing a property higher than the budget could cause financial and mental distress.
  2. If you find a house you like, see that it fits your lifestyle, and it’s close to your social and economic needs. You should also consider future maintenance costs and factor that into your lifestyle.
  3. A house away from essential amenities can be troublesome. It increases your expenses in terms of time, energy, and money. Decide if you are content living out of the city or want something surrounding the hustle and bustle.
  4. If you are buying a secondhand home, make sure the previous owners have been appropriately maintaining it. You don’t want unpaid taxes or concealed defects showing up later in life that cost you an arm and a leg.

There are a few reasons you may be ready to buy a new home. You may plan to live in it for ages and consider if it will be sufficient for yourself and your family. You may want to rent it, and you’ll have to think about nearby amenities, schools, neighbourhood, etc. If you are buying for investment and plan to sell it later, consider possible renovations and repairs you might need.

How Can I Avoid Making Mistakes When Buying a Home?

Surround yourself with trusted professionals who can anticipate any obstacles. Real estate professionals are there to guide you and make sure that no matter what happens, you end up happy in a new home.

Buying a house can be intimidating, and slip-ups are always close by to happen, but with a solid real estate team by your side, it can be the best choice you’ve ever made.  

May 08
0

The Skinny Home Trend

By | Home Staging & Interior Design

Skinny homes are a trending movement that can be spotted all over our beautiful city. These skinny homes are economical and sometimes profitable spaces for comfy living. Skinny houses have also become the most publicly accepted form of infill housing in certain neighborhoods.  

Skinny homes usually have a modern yet minimalistic look and most of them are custom built allowing for your unique tastes to come out!  They are built in a way to accommodate all the amenities of a traditionally larger home. Many younger families appreciate the nod to minimalism and simplicity (think Marie Kondo) and flock to the opportunity to downsize. Downsizing is not only economical, it is very much less complex and intimidating than buying a big house.

Many buyers are choosing skinny homes as investment properties and choose to rent out parts of the house. Although these homes are skinny there is a lot more space than what meets the eye.

Will I Have Enough Options in a Skinny Home?

Definitely! It’s also dependent on the space, but working with a custom builder allows you to pick and choose different amenities that are important to you.  For instance, in the bathroom, you will need to decide if you want to have a bathtub or if you feel better with just a standing shower. You will typically have a smaller but complete kitchen to let you make an enjoyable meal and a living room cozy enough to lounge around in. In addition to all the rooms, the skinny houses can also have a cute outside patio and lawn area! 

With the news that property prices have reached (another) record high, it’s hardly surprising that property buyers are having to stretch their finances further to buy what is, sometimes, quite literally nothing more than a room with enough space to turn around in. Would you buy a skinny property? 

Contact us to explore the skinny houses available on the market.

 

Apr 11
0

Juggling Multiple Offers on Your House

By | For Sellers

What a problem to have! Having multiple offers on your for sale home is very exciting but can also be a bit nerve-wracking. Luckily you’ve hopefully hired the Sarasota team to guide you through this process.

When time is of the essence, and you have one clear stand-out offer, you can opt to speed up the process by choosing to move forward with the winner and reject the rest. When you receive an offer from a buyer, you (or your agent) have no ethical or legal obligation to keep it a secret. In some cases, sellers may make other buyers aware that your offer is in hand, or even disclose details about your offer to another buyer in hope of convincing that buyer to make a better offer.

This type of scenario marks the makings of a true bidding war.

Your agent will know whether buyers in your market can traditionally stomach the stress of a bidding war. In competitive cities filled with high-profile business professionals and a fast-paced way of life, it might be the best way to go. This might not be the case in smaller towns or cultures where people put a premium on being polite and easy to work with.

You want to get the sale done as quickly as possible, naturally. But you might be surprised to find that the buyer making the best offer wants months to close the deal. If you have the time on your hands and are not in a hurry, it may be worth it to get the higher offer. For most sellers a quick closing is ideal. You can get your money, move into your new house and get on with your life.

With multiple offers on a home, the time to close is usually a significant consideration for both the buyer and seller. You may have to weigh what is most important to you if one buyer doesn’t blow you away with the exact terms you would like. Having a bidding war of your house really gives you the opportunity to get the terms and conditions out of the sale you want. With bidding wars, you are in the driver’s seat dictating the outcome as you would like to see it unfold.

Mar 08
0
moving-with-pets-st-albert

How to Move Stress Free with Pets

By | NEW

Moving day is stressful for everybody in the house, including your four legged friends! They are unable to understand the hustle and bustle around them nevermind the moment they actually reach the new house. It’s important to take care when moving with pets to keep the transition as easy as possible as you settle into your beautiful new home.

HOW TO MOVE STRESS FREE WITH PETS

During moving day it is ideal to have a family member be responsible for your pets. If possible it may be a good idea to leave them with a trusted friend to avoid them being underfoot when moving boxes in and out of the house. Cats are particularly territorial and do not like being moved to and from houses. In this case, keeping a cat in a confined space like a cat-carrier or a small bathroom can help ease their nerves. Dogs are typically more easy going but can also get anxious or overly excited by all the movement in the household.

Congrats! You have made it out of your old house and into your new one. Now comes the fun part of unpacking and organizing. While it might seem like a good idea to simply let out your animals to explore their now house, experts suggest a slow introduction. Allowing your pet to get used to one area of the house first may make the transition less overwhelming. Start by allowing your pet to adjust to one room as their “home base” and leave food, treats, waster, toys, and a litter box for them to use. This is only a temporary home base and the litter box can be moved once your animal has settled in. Although you are likely busy unpacking, make sure to give your animal some extra love and attention during this unsettling time.

With time and patience your four legged baby will be ruling the new house in no time!

Feb 05
0
SR-45

Costs to Prepare for When Selling Your Home

By | NEW
Before you start asking around for realtors, you should consider the costs involved in selling your home. Some expenses are negotiable, but sellers should expect to foot all or part of the bill for the various costs to sell a house.

Home Repairs

If you’re thinking about selling your home, it’s likely there are things you could do to enhance the appeal of your place and potentially raise its value. If you’ve been putting off sprucing up the exterior of your property, painting the inside or repairing a staircase or a leaky faucet, now’s the time to make those changes. Before the home gets listed you may incur some expenses to get it ready for the market. Fresh paint may cost a few hundred or a few thousand. Landscaping and other repairs may come into play as well and require substantial investments depending on what needs to be done.

Staging Costs

What will it take to make your home appeal to potential buyers? If you were selling 30 years ago, tidying up and painting would probably have been enough. Today, if you look at real estate listings, you’ll see that sellers do a lot more. Painting, yes, but also moving out most of your furniture and even renting art. The cost can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on how much fixing up your place needs. You may be able to save by doing the staging yourself. But prepare to pay for things like storage space. Some real estate agents provide staging as part of their services.

Home Inspector Pre-Inspection Reports

Sometimes Sellers have their house inspected prior to putting it on the market. This report can give assurance to buyers contemplating submitting an offer on the property. Pre-inspection reports tend to be priced in the four to six hundred dollar range. Your Realtor can advise you whether or not to get a pre-inspection report.

Home Inspector Pre-Inspection Reports

Early Discharge of Mortgage Penalty

If you have to discharge your mortgage upon completion of your sale, you may incur a discharge penalty from the mortgagee to do this. Talk to your mortgage broker or bank to find out what these costs may be. Even open mortgages can incur a processing fee to be discharged.

Moving Costs

It is difficult to estimate how much one should budget for this, as there are so many factors to consider. Moving costs can run from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Your bill will depend on where you’re moving and how much stuff you have to shift. That is, of course, unless you have your own truck and friends who will work for pizza and beer.

Real Estate Brokerage Fees

Most Realtor fees are based upon the selling price of the property. The real estate commission is usually the biggest fee a seller pays — 5 percent to 6 percent of the sale price.

There are many factors to consider when selling your home. Sarasota is committed to transparency and open communication around the process. Get in touch with us today!
Feb 01
0
buying-vs-renting-st-albert

Buying vs Renting Pros and Cons

By | NEW, Uncategorized

Are you on the fence as to whether or not you should buy or rent? Below are some pros and cons of each to help you decide.

BUYING VS RENTING PROS AND CONS

Buying

Pros.

You are investing in a major asset

Buying property is a fantastic investment and, as long as you meet your mortgage payments every month, after a few decades you will fully own your own piece of property.

You can make your home your own

Unlike renting, owning your own home means that you can customize your house as much as you want. From painting it in bright colors to fitting a new bathroom, the choice is entirely yours!

You have a sense of belonging

Owning a property can help you to have a sense of belonging in your community.

Cons.

It is difficult to just pack up and move.

Selling your home is a long (and sometimes costly) process and it is not as easy to just pack up and move whenever you feel like. Owning a home is a commitment that some people just aren’t ready to make.

You are responsible for repairs and maintenance.

While you may have great interest rates with your bank and reasonable monthly repayments, if something goes wrong, you are responsible for the costs! For example, if your roof needs repairing or replacement, this could set you back at least $10,000!

Renting

Pros.

You can move around as much as you want.

If you are not ready to decide where you want to live, renting is a great option to help you discover more about various neighbourhoods.

 Your monthly expenses are predictable.

When renting, you have fixed monthly expenses since you are not responsible for repairs or maintenance.

Cons.

You may feel like the home is not your own.

Even though you have a signed lease, your rental home is not yours and you may feel like you are just a temporary resident.

You may be forced to move when you don’t want to.

Renting involves signing a fixed term lease but your landlord may want you to move out after the lease term, even if you don’t want to.

You have to follow your landlord’s rules

Since you are renting someone else’s property, you have to follow certain rules, such as having no pets or not being allowed to paint the walls. For those who like to do what they want when they want, renting may be difficult!

Jan 08
0
how-to-choose-realtor-st-albert

How to Choose Your Realtor

By | NEW, Uncategorized

Looking to buy a house in the near future? If so, you will need a competent realtor to help you find the home of your dreams, as well as guide you through the purchasing and closing process.

So, how do you pick the perfect realtor? Here are some ways to find your perfect realtor.

how-to-choose-realtor-st-albert

1) Your realtor should have sound knowledge of the area.

This is very important, especially if you are moving into a new area. Your realtor should be able to tell you about the schools, transport routes and local amenities near the property and should be able to answer any questions you have about the local area.

When your realtor has excellent knowledge of the local area, they will be able to find you the perfect home that is close to everything you need.

2) Ask for referrals.

An easy way to find a good realtor is to ask for recommendations. Do you know a friend who has recently moved house in your desired area? Ask them if they were happy with their realtor and ask for the realtor’s details.

3) You should feel comfortable with your realtor.

Realtors are only human and they each have their own, unique personality. You should feel comfortable with your realtor and you need to be happy with the way they communicate with you and answer your questions.

A great realtor has the perfect balance between professionalism and friendliness.

Remember to trust your instincts when you first meet a realtor!

4) Choose a realtor who has a lot of listings.

A very good indication as to the level of competence of your realtor is the number of listings they have.

As a general rule of thumb, the more listings they have, the better indication that they are good at what they do and well-liked.

We are proud of our team here at Sarasota, and will do everything in our power to help you find that perfect fit.

Dec 28
0
home-staging-st-albert

Staging: What Should I Know About Staging My Home?

By | NEW, Uncategorized

Are you in the process of selling your home? If so, the way you stage your home can make or break a sale. There are a few things to keep in mind when setting up your home for the viewing process.

STAGING: WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT STAGING MY HOME?

Focus on the best rooms – If the thought of staging your entire home seems overwhelming or you simply don’t have the time, take a breath and focus on the main rooms that are likely to be deal breakers. Rooms like the living room and bathrooms are heavily examined by most buyers. It’s ideal to stage every room in your home, but if you can’t do this, be strategic and focus on the main areas.

Declutter as much as possible – A cluttered room can be a huge turn off to buyers as it often makes the space seem smaller. Buyers are quick to make a first impression on your home. So clean up and remove excess clutter.

Make your home impersonal -Sounds a bit off? Think of it like this. Your style is highly personal and may not resonate with a potential buyer. When you’re selling your home, it’s not the time to showcase your individual style and taste. It’s a better play to be safe and remove knick knacks, ornaments and other personal items that you normally keep lying around. Buyers want to imagine themselves in your home, personal pictures splashed across the wall may be a deterrent.

Your Home Staging Checklist

  • Turn on all the lights.
  • Open windows to let in fresh air and let the house breath.
  • Open curtains or blinds to let in natural light and show off views.
  • Whatever amount of furniture you have in your living room, remove a few pieces to make the room feel spacious.
  • Remove family photos, personal collections, and medications.
  • Secure valuable items, including cash and jewelry.
  • Use bright, coordinated accessories like accent pillows and throw blankets for a chic splash of color.
  • Remove those fridge magnets and give the door and handles a good cleaning.
  • Scrub dirt, grime, and stains from walls, cabinets, and backsplashes
  • Keep all toilet seat lids closed.
  • Hang fresh towels.

Home staging doesn’t have to be a costly, time-consuming process—especially if your house is already in good shape. In fact, it can be a lot of fun and an enjoyable part of the selling process. Keep these few tips in mind and ask your realtor any questions you may have.

Nov 28
0
signs-time-to-move-st-albert

Signs it May Be Time to Sell Your Home

By | NEW, Uncategorized

When it comes to packing up and moving it may not seem like there is ever a “right” time. Beyond the stress of listing, packing, finding something new there’s a lot of history in a home and it can be a difficult thing to move on from. A home carries emotional baggage, so it’s not simply a matter of buying low and selling high.

However, there are a few signs that may be telling that the time has come.

SIGNS IT MAY BE TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME

The Market is Strong

It’s likely you have a general idea of housing prices in your area, and if not that’s what realtors are for. When looking at selling prices and trying to determine the market make sure to look at the average number of days houses are taking to sell. Is the number decreasing? Taking a look at similar homes for sale in your area and seeing the sell price can also help determine if it’s a price you’d be happy with. If so, it may be time to sell!

Lifestyle and Family Size is Changing

A family is an ever changing structure. To children being born, to adult children moving away, there are big lifestyle changes that can determine the needs in a home. It can be freeing to sell a large home with empty rooms and then pay cash to downsize to a home that better fits your needs.

You are Emotionally Ready with a Plan

Leaving your home may tug at your heartstrings when considering all the memories attached to the space. On top of that, buying a new home while selling your current home is tricky.The important thing is that you’re able to come up with a game plan that doesn’t jeopardize your financial future or leave you without a place to stay. If you have the resources in place to facilitate a smooth transition to your next home, the timing to sell may never be better.

A real estate agent can certainly help you decide whether the time is now when it comes to selling your home. It’s a good idea to have a backup option in the case your home sells quickly, so you are not stuck rushing into a new home that may not be the perfect fit.

Work with a Real Estate Agent to Determine if it’s Time to Sell

A Sarasota real estate agent can help ensure you are as ready as can be before putting your home on the market. Get in touch with our team today to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Oct 23
0
call-me-fred

Spooktacular St. Albert

By | NEW

Tour Spooktacular 

St. Albert

We've collected a list of local HALLOWEEN HOMES for you and your fellow spookies to tour!

More than 13 streets have made the list so far...
Happy Haunting!

WICKED WEST

LAYDON DRIVE
DOUZIECH CLOSE
NORMANDEAU CRESCENT
NICOLET COURT

SPOOKY SOUTH

GRENFELL AVENUE
GRANDVILLE AVENUE
GEORGIA PLACE
HERITAGE DRIVE

EERIE EAST

AMHERST CRESCENT
ANDREW CRESCENT
ADDISON CRESCENT
FOREST DRIVE
SYCAMORE AVENUE
WILLOUGHBY DRIVE

Comment below or message us on Instagram @sarasota.realty  to add other halloween homes to our list!

HALLOWEEN

SARASOTA REALTY p. (780) 460 2222 f. (780) 458 4821 25 Carleton Drive St. Albert, Alberta T8N 7K9