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Trying to sell your home or condo can be a trying experience, especially when nothing happens. There may be several factors as to why your property is not moving. The first and possibly the most obvious is the recent economic crisis felt all over the western hemisphere. The housing market was severely affected and is only now starting the long and slow process of recovering. Gone are the days where your home would likely sell overnight.

That being said, the housing and condo market in Edmonton, Alberta has been recovering much faster than other cities in Canada.

If you want to sell your home, you need to do look at some basic elements and compare them against certain standards in order to figure out what needs to done. Typically there are 6 reasons why a property does not sell.

They are:

A lack of Planning: Many people think that they can put up their home for sale and sell it themselves. Unfortunately the percentage of sales by owner is very low. Get a Realtor with proven marketing skills and experience. The advantages of having a real estate agent in your corner far out ways the little extra they may cost. As a side note, did you know that Realtor get 7-25% more for their clients compared to private listings, dispelling the myth that not having a Realtor will save you money.

Listen to Advice: Your Realtor has one job, to sell your home. Take their advice and expertise to heart. Do not be surprised if your real estate agent makes several suggestions concerning repairs, upgrades or the cosmetic appearance, this is done in order to make the property more appealing for potential buyers and will typically get you more money for the home. On the subject of money, it is important to understand the market value of your home and what you can realistically expect to get. Many people are misinformed on the current market value of their home and are still under the impression that their property should be worth as much as it was during the boom. Unfortunately the economy simply is not what it was and the housing market has gone done significantly. Do your research and take the consul of your real estate agent.

Stay tuned for part 2

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Comments (0) Feb 18 2010

When you buy a home, you are not just making a purchase, but you are making a major life investment for you and your family. Because it is such an expensive investment, you must make sure you have the correct knowledge about the factors that need to be considered when buying a home. The result will be the purchase of a dream home that you can afford.

The following are a number of factors that should be considered when buying a home:

1. Before you start searching for homes for sale, you have to calculate how much you can actually afford to pay. One tool to help you determine how much you can afford is using an online mortgage calculator. These calculators are available on many mortgage and home buying websites. You just have to enter some information regarding your financial status and other information. You then click submit and you will be provided with an estimate of the price you can afford for a home. You should consider this an estimate because you have to consider such other expenses as legal fees, title transfer fees, taxes, the down payment, interest rate, appraiser fees, real estate agent commission fee, closing costs…etc. This way you will know how much you can afford which will help narrow down your search. Interest rates should also be considered. A fixed rate is where the rate does not change. A variable rate will fluctuate according to housing market conditions. You have to consider if you can afford a sudden increase in interest rates.

2. Once you have determined how much you can afford to pay for a home, you can then start looking for a home. You not only have to consider what type of home you need now, but what you will need in the future such as if you have children. Consider the following: geographic location, size of the house such as one level or multi level, number of rooms, number of bathrooms, proximity to such places as work, schools, hospitals, and stores and malls, As well, consider the climate of the area. Is it prone to hurricanes, flooding, wildfires…etc? You have to make sure that you have a house that can withstand bad environmental conditions and that you obtain the appropriate homeowners insurance.

3. Once you have located a home you love and can afford, you need to enlist the services of a home inspector and home appraiser to make sure you are getting good value for your money. An appraiser will determine the value of your home by assessing the house and property as well as looking at the values of the other homes in the area. The appraiser will tell you if the sale price is fair. A home inspector will inspect the home for structural damage and defects. The inspector will look at such features as the roof, basement, electrical wiring, and the plumbing and septic, and how well the home’s structural framework was built.

When buying a new home, you should know what you have to do to make sure that you get exactly what you want at a price you can afford. A little knowledge and research will go a long way to ensuring that you and your family accumulate a lifetime of memories in your dream home.

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Comments (0) Feb 16 2010

Buying your first house can be stressful, but is also very exciting. There are many things that go into a house purchase in real estate, it is not just about getting the house and moving in. First you need to find the right homes on sale. Once you have made the decision to purchase a house, it is time to move forward with bank loans and finding the perfect home.

So, before you even begin to look at homes, you need to have an idea how much you can afford. This is not just how much the bank will approve you for, but how much those monthly payments will be. The last thing you need, in your new home, is to be financially uncomfortable. It is pointless, and quite frankly a waste of time to look at houses without knowing what price range is good for you.

After determining your price range, you can start looking at the areas you want to live. Depending on the area, you will notice that houses go up and down in price. Another good reason to know how much you can afford, it will help eliminate or add geographical locations to your search. The area you live is completely up to you, some choose based on schools, others choose based on ease of access. Obviously you will pick what is best for you.

Now that budget and area are determined, you can start your hunt for your new home. There are tons of new homes for sale, just about everywhere, but here are also plenty of used homes to choose from too. Keep in mind, there are pros and cons of both in the real estate market.

With a brand new home you are starting from scratch. This means you get to pick your lot, address, and everything that goes into the house. Most new homes focus on energy efficiency, which means your overall cost of living will be a bit lower than it would in an older home. To some this is very important; to others it is not enough to make them buy a smaller home. Overall, there are typically less speed bumps when purchasing a new home as well.

On the other hand, older homes are typically a bit bigger than the new homes of today. This means that you and your family will have more room for the money. Additionally, new homes have a lot of quirks like cracks and nail pops. These issues are usually already fixed in the older homes on the market.

As you can see, there are advantages to either side of the fence. It is up to you and your family, your budget, and the area you choose as to which you purchase. Regardless, buying your first house is a memorable experience; make it worth it.

Looking to buy your home in London, Ontario? We have the resources you need on London Ontario real estate! We have information on the agents, homes for sale, and much more.

Comments (0) Feb 16 2010

This article focuses on the management of a condo building for first time buyers.

What are common areas? Common areas are pretty self explanatory. Anything that more than just the owner of an individual suite makes use of is typically considered common. These areas’s fall under the building responsibility to maintain and are a part of condo fees. Depending on the building windows, decks and pipes may be considered common property. Though having windows and pipes included in common property may benefits some owners, be warned that should major repairs take place, such as new windows for the building, a levy may be required to the tune 20,000 or higher.

What are Condo Fees? Condo fees are a monthly payment that covers repairs, common property and some, if not all, utilities. When you first buy a condo it is important to check the reserve fund and the state of the building. A portion of condo fees go towards building the reserve fund encase of emergencies or larger building expenses.

Condo Levies: Condo levy can strike fear in the hearts of condo owners. A levy is a mandatory charge of x amount of dollars to every owner in a building and is done when major repairs or renovations must take place (or a voted upon) that cost more that the reserve fund can handle.

Condo Boards: A condo board is a group of owners that act on behalf of the building at large to manage the state of the building as well as finances, future projects and concerns of other owners. Structured as a corporation there is a president, vice president, secretary etc.

Renovations: When renovating your condo you must ensure two things: 1) get permission in writing from the board. 2) Get a contractor that can tell you what you can and cannot change, removing a structural wall can spell disaster that you are liable for.

Your Pet: Be aware of the buildings rules surrounding pets. Many condo buildings in Alberta do not allow pets and have been backed legally. Take a look at the buildings policies to be safe.

Condos in Edmonton is your new top real estate website. Bringing you the latest listings, excellent articles, news and advice with Edmonton’s top Realtor Darlene Strang.

Comments (0) Jan 31 2010