Thinking of Selling…Reduce Your Liability Now

By Dianne Conway

If your family has had the good fortunate of enjoying the hot summer months around a backyard pool, you’ll soon be making plans to winterize it. And if you’re thinking about selling your home in the spring before the pool is opened, this is not the time to make pool closing a do-it-yourself job — even if you’ve closed it successfully over the years. Consider this additional expense as a form of insurance.

By getting a third party to winterize the pool, you can potentially reduce your liability risks. This procedure, if not done correctly, could initiate an unwanted costly repair next spring. And with the proper paperwork on hand, you can alleviate additional costs down the road.

Before hiring a third party to close your pool, ensure they understand that you are planning on selling and get the details in writing when the work is done.

You’ll need:

• A receipt for the winterization service.
• Details of exactly what was done to complete the pool closure.
• Remarks on the condition of the pool at the time of the closure.
• All of the above written on company letterhead.
  

Store these papers in a safe place so you have them available when you’re ready to list your property. This will go a long way in making buyers feel more comfortable about purchasing your property with a swimming pool that they have not seen in operation.

Getting the paperwork complete at the time of the work is paramount. Potential buyers will want to see what was done. Recently, one family went to the expense of having their pool closed but neglected to get the necessary paperwork. When they went back to the pool company later, they were advised they would be charged to come out again, re-open the pool, and then to close it again properly — a costly proposition.

So, if you’re considering a move next year, be prepared. Have your pool closed professionally now — and get it in writing.

Dianne Conway is a Sales Representative with Sutton Group – Preferred Realty Inc., 181 Commissioners Road, West, London, Ontario. Phone: (519) 438-2222 Email: homes@dianneconway.com www.dianneconway.com

Tips for Selling Your Home

By Dianne Conway

First impressions count – and nothing makes a stronger first impression than a spotless home in mint condition. If the first impression is outstanding, potential buyers will assume that every part of the house has been equally well taken care for – something which serious buyers will pay a premium for.

Start from the outside. Take a look at your house, as a stranger would see it. Do the windows need painting? Are the eaves troughs overflowing with leaves? Is the grass cut and edged? Should the hedge be trimmed? Is there a clear, unbroken path to the front door? These are all simple methods to entice the potential buyer to walk through your front door.

Inside, a little time and effort are probably all that’s needed to give your home the feel of move-in condition.

• Remove clutter from all rooms
  
• Ensure rooms are neat, tidy, dusted, and vacuumed
  
• Spend extra time cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms
  
• Wipe down the cupboards and door frames
  
• Make sure all windows and mirrors sparkle
  
• Tidy the closets (yes, potential buyers will look inside)
  
• Remove excess furniture that crowd a room
  
• Store children’s games and toys
  
• Keep the rooms smelling fresh, especially if you have pets
  
• Remove fragile items and valuables for safety reasons
  

Most buyers have certain requirements in mind when they shop for a house, whether it’s location, the number of bedrooms, the size of the yard, etc. Once you’ve met those basic requirements, the trick is to appeal to their senses to make your house feel like it could be their home.

• Set out fresh flowers
  
• Entice visitors with the aroma of fresh baked bread or cookies
  
• Have soft music playing in the background
  
• Display colour photos of outdoor views during different seasons
  
• Make refreshments available – iced tea in the summer or hot apple cider in the winter
  
• Light a fire if possible
  
• Turn on lamps
  
• Get out of the house during showings and open houses – if that’s not possible, keep a low profile
  

Make your home priced to sell. If you’re serious about selling, don’t price yourself out of the market. Overpricing is the most common error sellers make. Too high a price could turn away potential buyers before they even see your home. You’re better to stay firm with a lower price and negotiate by creating value in other areas, such as including window coverings, major appliances, or gardening tools. If your existing mortgage rate is lower than current market rates and your mortgage is assumable, you could offer it to your buyers for savings they can count on after closing.

Selling your home will take some work. Make a plan and work through the process. It won’t be long before you see the SOLD sign and you can move on.

Dianne Conway is Sales Representative with Sutton Group – Preferred Realty Inc., 181 Commissioners Road, West, London, Ontario. Phone: (519) 438-2222 Email: homes@dianneconway.com www.dianneconway.com

Published in Networking Today, February 2004.

Your Home Buying Strategy

By Dianne Conway

Before shopping for a home, every buyer needs a solid strategy – a game plan that reflects his or her own needs.

The first step in building a strategy is to make a shopping list. This means to write down what you want in a new home.

• How many bedrooms and bathrooms?
  
• Do you want a separate family room? What size of kitchen do you want?
  
• Do you need a home office?
  
• Is an attached garage important?
  
• How big of yard do you want to care for?
  
• Does it need to be fenced?
  
• Do you want to live in a well-developed area with large trees?
  
• Do you want to be close to shopping, a library, recreational facilities, a bus stop, etc.?
• What school will your children attend?
  
• Do you require only one level or do you prefer multi levels?
  
• Do you want a pool?
  

The list can go on, limited only by your imagination and desires – and how important you rate each item. By prioritizing your list, you can determine if the house that contains five “wants” from your list out of eight will be disappointing in the future. You may not want to settle for less on certain features.

Next, you must examine your lifestyle and budget. Find out all the hidden costs involved in moving and purchasing a new home versus a “used” home or a condo. The closing costs for each vary and come with expenses that you need to know about up front.

If you already own a home you may wonder which you should do first – buy or sell. If you choose to buy first, make sure the offer to purchase is on condition that you sell your current house. Selling first can give you peace of mind in knowing exactly how much money you have for negotiating. Market conditions can make a difference as well. In a seller’s market, you’ll probably do better selling after you’ve purchased but in a buyer’s market, it makes more sense to sell first.

When you’ve decided what features you want in a home, sit down with your realtor and give him or her as much information as you can. It’s a waste of everyone’s time to view homes that don’t have the amenities you require. A good agent will weed through the masses of homes on the market and find a good fit for your needs.

Dianne Conway is Sales Representative with Sutton Group – Preferred Realty Inc., 181 Commissioners Road, West, London, Ontario. Phone: (519) 438-2222 Email: homes@dianneconway.com www.dianneconway.com

Published in Networking Today, November 2002.