Real Estate Information – The Evans Real Estate Group Blog

Market Update – Orleans

Hey Everyone,

In this segment I’m going to go through the beginning of the Suburb Series, which means this week I’m going to go through the stats year over year for Orleans, and in the coming weeks you’ll see me and my team go through Barrhaven, Kanata, Stittsville, Nepean etc.

Here goes for Orleans:

Year over year, prices were DOWN 2% on average.

For the same time period, days on market were UP 46% on average.

Here are the stats:

April 2015

Detached 113 @ 443K in 31

Towns 54 @ 311K in 26

Condos 41 @ 311K in 47

April 2016

Detached 125 @437K in 41

Towns 55 @ 309K in 33

Condos 34 @ 219K in 51

What does this mean? If you are thinking of selling, you need to invest in a GOOD agent who can do some damage control and make sure you are getting as much money as possible. If you are looking to Buy, it’s a GREAT time to buy as prices are down on average and sellers are hurting a bit.

If you want some specific information on any type of home in any type of area – please call me at (613)739-5959 or email at Mevans@evanselattar.com

See you soon!

Real Estate Sales, Uncategorized

10 Ways to Boost Curb Appeal

Aubrey’s tips appeared in the Sept. 10 syndicated column, “At Home with Marni Jameson.” Jameson, a columnist and author of “House of Havoc” and “The House Always Wins,” interviewed Aubrey for the piece, which appears in more than 30 U.S. and Canadian newspapers reaching over 7 million readers each week.

Here’s an excerpt featuring Aubrey’s 10 tips on curb appeal:

Take a fresh look. After living in a house, it’s easy – and convenient — to stop noticing what needs fixing. For sellers in denial, Aubrey, known for his tough-talking approach to real estate, shows the seller pictures of competing homes, and says: “Buddy, if I were a buyer picking which home to see, yours would come in last.”

View your house as a portrait. Create a composition where everything – hardscape, softscape, entryway, exterior walls and roof — works together. Have the big picture before you proceed.

Green up the grass. If it’s brown, or has bald spots, fix it. While you’re at it, prune, weed and clean up the rest of the yard.

Fill flowerbeds. Plant flowers and shrubs that will look good now and later. That is, after summer annuals go, have something in planters that will bloom or change color in fall. Tier planters so taller shrubs are in back, smaller ones in front.

Refresh paint. If you can’t afford to paint the whole house, at least repaint the trim. Make doors and windows pop. “If a buyer walks up to a door that’s beat, they think, ‘This is a project house.’” That can kill a deal.

Color it carefully. Pick a palette that conforms to the neighborhood yet sets your house apart — a fine but critical line. “Neutral isn’t the same as boring,” says Aubrey, adding, “Don’t be that house where people drive by and say, ‘What happened here?’”

Revisit your approach. Design a welcome path from street to door, which should be the focus. Punch up walkways and driveways. If replacing them with good-looking pavers is out of the budget, add a stone or brick border. Fix or replace uneven or boring walkways.

Add polish. If your outdoor light fixtures look weathered, or your door handle looks worn, repaint or replace them. Shiny, new metal makes people say, “Oooo.”

Tend to the little small stuff. Simple details like new address numbers, a new doorbell, a handsome mailbox and a fresh doormat say you care.

Add an element. A pediment over the entry, an upgraded front door, a cover over the porch, or some columns can add major drama for less money than you’d think.

Real Estate - ANALYSIS, Uncategorized

The Real Estate Bargain Bin

Where to find the best deals? Here are the best ‘bins’ to keep your tabs on:

1. Estate Sales

An unfortunate effect of the beautiful lives we all lead, is that one day we will eventually pass away. What happens to a person’s home once they pass? Quite often, the family sells the property and gives the proceeds to whichever direction the will intended, and all the bills and debts are paid.

Why is this an opportunity? Quite often these Sellers are looking to unload their property quickly and just want it SOLD so they can move on – giving YOU, the buyer, an opportunity to walk in and potentially acquire the property for a discount.

2. Power of Sale

High credit card balances? Line of Credit out of control? Budget completely blown? Many people will answer YES to this question, and to these people, sometimes it is just TOO MUCH and they need to sell their homes to downsize and decrease their debt payments. Sometimes these people can’t even pay the mortgage or taxes, and the bank will seize the property and appoint a Realtor to sell it to re-coup the loan!

Why is this an opportunity? Again, motivated Sellers – that’s the key. These people need to sell their home and get their bills paid asap. Money talks, and if you can get yours in front of them first – it might give you an edge.

3. Handyman Specials

Nice personality, but needs a little lipstick? Look no further than your neighbourhood ‘handyman specials’. These homes come from a variety of sources – from those that can’t keep a house to those that tried to flip but flopped. Pick up these homes at a bargain!

Why is this an opportunity? Well, a property that is hard on the eyes is often hard to enjoy. A property that is hard to enjoy is hardly valuable, and hence comes at a discount because there is little to no demand in the regular everyday market. These sellers realize quickly that their home wont sell for the average price, and may need simply be in dire need to move on.

4. Private Sellers

These Sellers have opted to sort through a riff raff of buyers themselves, and learn to pre-qualify them, negotiate with them, and close them. Let me tell you – not as easy as it sounds. Some of them even decide to work exclusively with un-qualified buyers that share the highest level of incompetence and advertise that they do not want agents to bring quality buyers to them!

Why is this an opportunity? Knowledge is power, and these folks, quite often, have little of either. Now there will be the odd exception, however the mass of these sellers did not price their homes correctly and can therefore not defend their price properly, they do not know how to negotiate (and are not even aware of) terms and conditions in a contract that can make a deal even MORE favourable than a low price, and therefore are not best suited to get the best advantages in a deal. Now I have never, and will never be unethical or unprofessional with a Private Seller, however; when I represent a buyer it is my obligation to get them the best deal possible.

Tricks of the Trade: I am able to manipulate the MLS database to search for homes by Seller (i.e. Contains “ Estate” or “Bank”) and can also search by keyword (i.e. Contains “handyman”, “tlc” or “flip”). Furthermore, I can have listings that match these criteria automatically sent to my clients inboxes the minute they are uploaded by other realtors, bypassing the overnight delay by the Ottawa Real Estate board, and therefore giving my clients a window of opportunity to view listings before the public does. This also really limits the homes my clients see to what they really want, instead of filtering through a hundred listings that “might work”. Pretty much any information that is related to a listing, I can transform into search criteria and can sort, sift and organize automatically and have sent out. These aren’t generic searches either (price range, location criteria), I’m talking digging deep and going above and beyond to get the cream of the crop. With regards to private sellers, most are open to working with me once I talk to them about the calibre of buyers I work with and the other ways in which I can help them, but they are really leaving themselves open to all kinds of pitfalls. Not only is pricing an area where they are at a disadvantage, but they are also (quite often) not well versed in legal matters (yes – contracts are complex legal documents), but also in the coordination and timing of all the related professionals that will all play a role in the success of the deal.

I hope you enjoyed the insight into the Real Estate Bargain Bin!

If you would like access to the BINS, and keep your tabs on any of them, simply visit www.RealEstateBargainBin.info

Cheers!

Real Estate - ANALYSIS

The 4.5 Best Tips To Attract More Buyers and Make Them Pay More For Your Home.

1. Price Your Home Right

This is by far the most important part of the selling process; after all, anyone can sell a house if it’s priced below what the true value should be, right? Heaven forbid you price yourself too high, and then your home might not sell at all. Don’t rely on other comparable listing prices – aim for SALE prices. Remember – properties for sale are also properties that haven’t sold, so why would you base your price in relation to them? You want to SELL, so find out what the comparables SOLD for, and price accordingly.

Try This: Contact the Land Registry office in Ottawa at http://www.ontario.ca/en/ services_ for_residents/STEL02_165696 for sale prices. Another great way to obtain these prices would be to get a Comparable Market Analysis (CMA) from a Realtor.

2. Provide Maximum Exposure

This is Marketing 101: More Exposure = More Buyers = Higher Demand = Higher Sales Price. You need to make sure you are getting as much exposure as possible; an internet posting and a Home Depot sign on the front lawn will simply not suffice in this day and age.

Try this: Spend some time uploading your listing on as many websites as you can, and use keywords in your listing description that will come up in searches. Put an information package together on your property and send it out to the top-selling agents in the area, and leave some at home for potential buyers.

3. Take Your Home Seriously

Is there ever was a time – this is it. You want to make sure that your home is portrayed in the best light as possible. Potential Buyers should feel privileged to purchase a home as desirable as yours, right?

Try This: Clean and de-clutter. Invest in some storage organizers and get your home in order. Revive your home with a Spring Cleaning regardless of the season. If you can’t take great pictures, pay someone to. Professional photography brings out the best in your home, and will give it that WOW factor.

Have a look at www.FitToSell.ca for ideas!

4. Focus Marketing on ‘Premium Paying’ Buyers, and Filter out Bargain Hunters

Why would anyone shop purely for private sales? To find a bargain, that’s why! Don’t attract a swarm of bargain hunters and set yourself apart from the rest.

Try This: Insist that buyers either bring a letter from their lending institution saying that they are qualified to purchase a home such as yours, or that they are accompanied by a Realtor. Not only should Realtors should only be showing a buyer properties that they are qualified to purchase, those very buyers that are working with Realtors understand that they are viewing homes with commissions ‘built-in’, and are therefore prepared to purchase a home that will have a slight premium attached to it. Which would you rather, a swarm of bargain hunters, or a swarm of premium payers? Realtor’s attract premium payers because Buyers trust the brokerage, feel confident in it’s abilities and reputation, and require professional results. Offer as much money to a cooperating brokerage as you feel comfortable. You will attract the cream of the crop Realtors and Buyers – and the Realtors will have more incentive than ever to close a deal with more commission at stake, so you may very well be able to re-coup the commission in your price and/or negotiations.

4.5 Consider a Professional

Remember, homeowners have ALWAYS had the ability to sell their homes privately, right?

So ask yourself – why was the industry ever created in the first place?

A few reasons include (but are not limited to):

Professional execution of the four points listed above
Strong negotiations that retain money and protect interests
Ensuring the coordination and cooperation of all parties involved (lawyers, inspectors, appraisers, engineers, other Realtors, other buyer/sellers), so that a deal is not fumbled due to miscommunication or incompetence.
Professionalism and experience to protect clients from various legal pitfalls.
Proper completion of various legal documents
Full time efforts and advocacy for properties

Would you spend a dollar to earn two? With a good Realtor, commission is an investment that will NET you more money at the end of the day (Notice I specified – with a GOOD Realtor?).

After all, what is more important – how much you invest in a professional, or how much money you NET?

I trust this information was helpful to you! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time personally at (613)868-4383

For a FREE and NO-OBLIGATION Comparable Market Analysis of your home, email me at MarcEvans@remax.net

Ask about the 6 smartest home renovations!

Real Estate - ANALYSIS, Uncategorized

Selling Your Home Yourself? Remember These 5 Important Points

PRICE – Pricing the Home – MOST MONEY POSSIBLE

Know exact Value (Past Trends and Comparables)
Know Acceptable Mark-up (Street Specific)
Price to Situation (Low if you need to sell, higher end all else)
Do NOT overprice (worst thing you can do)

EXPOSURE – Marketing the Home – BEST ODDS OF MOST MONEY

De-Clutter and Stage
Signage (Front Lawn + Directional’s)
Print Advertising (Magazine, Newspapers)
Website Advertising
Local Advertising (Flyers, Feature Sheets in local stores)

QUALIFY – Qualified Buyers – BRING MONEY TO THE TABLE

Make sure they have been pre-approved
Verify personal circumstances to make sure they can act and aren’t wasting your valuable time
If they are working with a Realtor, you can be assured they are qualified

NEGOTIATE – Watch bottom line – KEEP MONEY IN YOUR POCKET

Remember your pricing strategy and stick to your guns
Play the Buyer’s role and try to identify your own weaknesses
- Deal with them before the Buyers do

CLOSING – Secure it – FOLLOW MONEY TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

Contracts, Clauses and Conditions
Schedule Conditions and Manage them
Be diligent until deal is tendered

Be smart, be prepared, work hard and a Profitable Sale can be made – I do it all the time.

To get you started, I would be glad to offer you some of the basic sales statistics in your area to give you a better idea of how to price your home– no obligation.

If at any time you would like to hear how I can significantly increase the odds of bringing good money to the table, keep it in your pocket and make sure it gets to your bank account – please do not hesitate to ask me. It’s my job and I am very good at what I do.

Real Estate - ANALYSIS, Real Estate Financing, Thought Process - THOUGHT PROVOKING

The Best Things in Life are Free

You know what really threatens people? INFORMATION.

Information about them, information about where they live, what they do, what language they speak, and what religion they practice.

One would think that we are fortunate enough that by living in Canada, we don’t have to worry about these types of differences causing any kinds of major problems, right?

Now I’m not so ignorant to think that small prejudices don’t exist and won’t impose themselves on people in their everyday lives –but there really isn’t any reason, in my opinion, to want to hide anything.

As you know, I work in Real Estate. I am blessed to be doing something that I love, with co-workers that are incredibly devoted, and I get to work with people in an exciting time of their lives. One thing that I like to do with my clients – is provide them with INFORMATION. I give them insight into different areas and housing types, specific information and research on certain specific houses, sales history, sales trends, and surrounding sales comparables. Quite often enough, my clients are blown away by the resources that I have at my disposal – and rightly so. I think they are pretty darn powerful myself! After all, in this day and age, privacy is a thing of the past, right? My affiliations within Organized Real Estate (Municipal, Provincial and Federal) give me access to a tremendous amount of information from the Land Registry System, Statistics Canada, Various Boards of Director’s professional opinions, and a seemingly limitless amount of related professionals to tap into (Mortgage Brokers, Lawyers, Home Inspectors, Engineers etc). All of this is INFORMATION – and I am not afraid to give it to you.

But there are people who are.

Some people would rather hoard information as to make it seem like they are pulling magic strings and digging up this information from a mixture of expertise, elbow grease and connections in the marketplace. As a matter of fact – my mentor and Broker at Partners Advantage GMAC , Dr.Bruce Firestone, has advocated ‘free information’ for YEARS! On his personal website – http://www.dramatispersonae.org – he writes:

“MIT has taken the position that it will put all of its course outlines, course materials, even examinations on the web for free. The engineers at MIT are among the smartest in the world. They feel confident that this will enhance the MIT experience- essentially; they are saying that they don\’t care if someone on another part of the planet wants to teach a MIT course or use their material. They believe that the spread of knowledge can only benefit humankind. MIT will instead, as my friend Professor Tony Bailletti says, sell the \’delta\’ factor- that is, the opportunity to actually be in a classroom with the creators of the material; to be exposed to their minds; to experience first hand the Socratic method of student/teacher interaction”

So where am I going with this? Here is my dilemma – I want to give out INFORMATION, and I am a week or two away from doing so. I want to provide my people with relevant information about their housing types in their areas so they can make informed decisions, have accurate opinions, and make good judgments about their own property values. How would you feel if you got a monthly report card in your mailbox that outlined the location and size of sales activity in your neighborhood? I think it would be pretty cool. I think it would not only help people as I described above, but I think it would help stabilize the equilibrium in our Real Estate market – albeit a small effect as it may be. What I mean is – people would not think their property is worth 30K higher or lower that it really is, as they perhaps would have had they not had access to such information I want to provide them with. People just don’t know! And its not their fault. I want to help. If the prices on the marketplace can more accurately reflect what their true market value should be – then the marketplace will be more efficient. People will sell their houses faster, no parties would be getting ‘ripped off’, and all stakeholders would benefit from the transparency and logic of free market influence. What is so scary about that?

As I said earlier – some people would rather protect that information and make it seem like they are the experts that came up with this information on their own, and it is part of their value proposition. Well – it is part of a Realtors value proposition.

Here is the key – its only PART of my value proposition. A very small part. I would call it a given.

I am not afraid to make that information available and risk a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) try to sell their homes themselves. I am not afraid of people taking this information and going to another Realtor out there. I am not afraid of other Realtors copying my idea and giving you the information in my place. Why? Because the information is NOT what makes the difference between me and others. The information is FREE – take it. I want you to be more informed!

Regardless of who out there has information – I would bet I am in the top 1% of the hardest workers out there in the game. The difference that I bring to the table is I push the limits of effort exerted for my client’s interests. I get out on the street and I work HARD. Part of my business model is to focus on my core competencies and make my own ground rules (within rules and regulations of course) that brings Real Estate activity to a platform where I am king – where I am the new common denominator and I do it best. I wont be part of the rat race and focus on getting the biggest ad in the paper, or getting the nicest pair of shoes to woo my clients. Im not about perception – Im about substance. I believe that people are savvier than ever and can recognize the difference between style and substance. A quote that I like is “You can pile on the lettuce and tomatoes and special sauce, but people are looking for the beef, the content that you offer”.

So that’s my spiel. Style Shmyle. Im young, healthy, I exercise and dress well enough to hold my own in that department – but Im not going to pretend like that is why you should do business with me – because of my style. I don’t have to rely on an image to speak for me. My results speak for themselves.

So take the information and run with it if you want – I can make it available and I plan on doing it soon – shake things up a little.

But when you get tired running around between 8-10 different parties at once, trying to navigate legal documents, prepare marketing campaigns and sales strategies, crunch numbers, find and rationalize market data, negotiate price, terms and conditions, all while being at work or at home trying to eat dinner on a Sunday night – and potentially all for someone who is not qualified or experienced enough to hold up their end of the bargain – THEN you might think about getting a hard worker on your side. One that is smart, sharp, and able to get the job done.

I am one of those people.