Another Sleepless Night

Having been in the business a while now, I like to tell my clients what they can expect as honestly and realistically as possible.

The other night, I was talking to a couple who were preparing to put an offer on a property the next day in a multiple offer situation. I warned them they may not sleep well, or not at all.

When we're getting a home prepared for sale, there are a lot of deadlines, things to do, changes to make and of course the emotional upheaval of letting strangers into your home and moving on. I warn clients that they may hate us at times in this process, and that's ok.

Circumstances sometimes force people to be in one or both of these situations, but most of the time it's for great reasons.

No matter what the scenario, I get to see people at their best and their worst.

Here is what I've learned and how you can deal with the stress of selling and buying, and maybe life in general.


1. Even though it feels like it at the time, things are not as bad as they seem.

When your primary focus is buying or selling a home, it can become all-consuming. So when one thing happens that is not in your control, it can feel like a gargantuan problem.

When we were selling our own home, my wife was trying to get my daughter and our dog out of the house. My daughter had a complete meltdown, wailing on the threshold of the front door while the dog kept running back inside. Meanwhile, the agent and his buyers were on their way up the front steps for a showing.

I received a phone message that I can't repeat but she now looks back and laughs at the situation and realized that it was just 10 minutes of hell because she didn't give herself enough time to leave.


2. Things really do work out the way they were meant to.

If an offer isn't accepted on a home, a buyer is just one step closer to geting the right one. It doesn't feel like it at the time, especially when part of the buying process is envisioning yourself and your life in a home, only to have it taken away if it doesn't work out.

But when you sit back and enjoy that first glass of wine in your new house, you'll know it all worked out for the best.


3. Everything feels personal, even thought it's not.

When buyers are offering on your home and don't give you the price you want (right away :) it's not becauase they are trying to hurt or offend you, they are just trying to get the best possible deal for themselves.

Same thing goes when someone rejects your offer. That's what agents are for...to be more neutral so that they can see the strategy and plan the next move, not get ticked off and react emotionally.

I learned that when selling my own house - even though I am an agent, I didn't have that advocate to buffer the emotions and it definitely impacted me.


4. Sometimes, emotions will overwhelm you.

Selling and buying a home is usually related to a major life event. Your family is growing, you have changed jobs, your kids have left home.

It also means leaving a home that you may have a big emotional attachment to. Perhaps your kids were born there, or it was your first home as a married couple.

Whatever the reasons, there is a lot of emotional baggage that comes with moving. Don't let it creep up on you. Acknowledge that it's a milestone and let it go.


5. Second guessing is bad.

Because a lot is at stake, many people start second guessing their decisions and let the advice of poeple who are not necessarily professionals sway them against their gut instincts and the advice they are getting from those who are in an educated position.

I give my clients what my opinion is based on being in the market every hour of the day, and my understanding of what they are trying to achieve. But I also tell them that they have to be 100% comfortable with any decisions they make as ultimately they are the ones who will be living with the outcome. That covers everything from when to buy, what to pay, how much to sell for and when to make a move.

Be comfortable with your decisions but make sure they are not clouded by emotion, greed, or your good old uncle who suddenly becomes a real estate expert. And trust your real estate agent. :)

Our Newest Feature - Jenny Shops!

Welcome to our new feature - Jenny Shops!

As our resident designer, Jenny helps our clients maximize the value of the homes when they are selling and helps make the most of the homes they buy through her design expertise.

That means a lot of shopping!

Clients often ask where they can find great furniture, accessories, and the best deals for home improvement supplies.

Now, each month we're going to feature Jenny's favorite sources, suppliers and stores.

Want to know where to find what you're looking for?

Just ask!

jenny@markrichards.ca


BIG DEALS:

Located in the Beach, a great garden and outdoor accesory store Cool, Green and Shady is having a 40% off sale as they are moving to Kingston Road in a few weeks. Check them out for stunning laterns, gardening supplies and great planters.


Cool, Green and Shady
2012 Queen Street East (Across from Kew Park)
416.699.4004


THIS MONTH: Patio Season

With summer and the hot weather just around the corner, everyone is thinking outside the house. After scouring the city for quality, value and style I found Southport Home.

Whether you are looking for a contemporary look or a more traditional feel, this store offers a lot of options at either end of the spectrum.

Here is why they are different from a lot of other patio furniture stores.

Value
They offer all-season wicker with Sunbrella fabric for half the cost of other designer stores with the same look and quality. They also don't charge extra for removable fabric with zippers!

Speed
Many other suppliers will take 4-8 weeks on average because they have their cushions made off-site. Southport Home has an in-house seamstress and a massive on-site warehouse so you can get most items within 1-2 weeks.

Customer Service
The staff are great...friendly and knowledgable. They deliver when they say they are going to deliver and offer full assembly and placement.

Check out their site for products and contact info at http://www.southporthome.ca/

Yard Sale for the Cure - May 30th!

On Saturday May 30th, founding partner RE/MAX is sponsoring ‘Yard Sale for the Cure, a one-day event that brings neighbourhoods across the country together for a massive yard sale in support of breast cancer research and patient care.

The event, which provides homeowners a unique opportunity to clear clutter and unload items no longer in use while simultaneously raising finds for breast cancer, is the natural evolution of RE/MAX’ involvement with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation -- Ontario Chapter.

RE/MAX has been instrumental in programs such as Primary Prevention Research and Breast Care and Health in Ontario since 2004.

Please join us in our fight against breast cancer by holding a yard sale or shopping for bargains and treasures on May 30th, 2009.

Interested homeowners can register on line at http://www.yardsaleforthecure.com/ to get a Yard Sale for the Cure kit.

Kits are available for $20.00 and includes a lawn sale sign, hat, posters, pink balloons and information package. One hundred per cent of funds donated will support breast cancer research and patient care.

Only by working together will we find a cure for breast cancer.

Casting Call for Pure Design Room Makeover!

Do you have a room in your home that could use a makeover while being eco-conscious?

Pure Design is hosted by the fabulously creative Samantha Pynn, design editor for "Style at Home" magazine.

Hip and stylish with a passion for eco-friendly design, Samantha creates the ultimate in living spaces that both reflect and stimulate your life, while being mindful of reducing our carbon footprint when possible.

Samantha and her design team combine style with sustainability, while using innovative designs to transform a room from dated to divine, into a space that is livable, functional and purely beautiful.

If you are a home dweller who…

- Owns your own home (no renters please)
- Is upbeat, outgoing and between 25-49 years of age
- Has a space that could use Samantha’s help (space should be at least 15 x 15 square feet)
- Is interested in renovating the space between May-August 2009
- Lives inside Toronto’s core (not the outlying GTA)
- Can contribute a minimum of $5000 toward the makeover

...they’d love to hear from you.

Please email the following information to puredesign@omnifilm.com:

- A brief description about yourself, other members of your household, and your lifestyle
- Tell us about your home and its character (Please include photos)
- How would you describe your style?
- Describe the room that could use improvement (please include photos).

- Why has this particular room caused you design grief?
- What is the size of the room? (This room should have two entrances for filming purposes and be at least 15 x 15 feet).
- Contact info (phone and email)

Markets & Mortgage

In April 2009, Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 8,107 sales – down seven per cent from April 2008.

While April sales remained lower than last year, the housing market gained momentum on a month-over-month basis.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales in April, at 80,900, was up 26 per cent from March and up two-thirds compared to January’s ten-year low.

“Conditions in the resale housing market have improved markedly this Spring,” according to TREB President Maureen O’Neill.

“Home purchases have increased as households have taken advantage of low interest rates and
slightly lower home prices.”

The average price for April transactions was $385,641 – down three per cent from last year.

“The rate of average price decline continued to diminish last month. This is due in large part to a tightening in the resale market,” stated Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “The level of sales relative to
new listings increased in April.”

For the full April Toronto Real Estate Market Watch click here.

From the Desk of Peter Majthenyi - My Mortgage Planner...

Building wealth using a re-advanceable mortgage

Re-advanceable mortgages with home equity lines of credit continue to gain in popularity.

What makes this mortgage such a great fit for many Canadians is that those of us in our homebuying years are always juggling to find a balance between paying off our homes and investing for the future.

Using a re-advanceable mortgage that includes a line of credit (LOC), we can actually do both.

Click here to read more.