Buyers

6 things to do when moving into a New House

Moving into your first home is exciting! But it also means you’ve got work to do.

1. Change the locks. You really don’t know who else has keys to your home, so change the locks. That ensures you’re the only person who has access. Install new deadbolts yourself for as little as $10 per lock, or call a locksmith — if you supply the new locks, they typically charge about $20-$30 per lock for labor.

2. Check for plumbing leaks. Your home inspector should do this for you before closing, but it never hurts to double-check. I didn’t have any leaks to fix, but when checking my kitchen sink, I did discover the sink sprayer was broken. I replaced it for under $20.

Keep an eye out for dripping faucets and running toilets.

Here’s a neat trick: Check your water meter at the beginning and end of a two-hour window in which no water is being used in your house. If the reading is different, you have a leak.

3. Steam clean carpets. Do this before you move your furniture in, and your new home life will be off to a fresh start. You can pay a professional carpet cleaning service — you’ll pay about $50 per room; most services require a minimum of about $100 before they’ll come out — or you can rent a steam cleaner for about $30 per day and do the work yourself. I was able to save some money by borrowing a steam cleaner from a friend.

4. Wipe out your cabinets. Another no-brainer before you move in your dishes and bathroom supplies. Make sure to wipe inside and out, preferably with a non-toxic cleaner, and replace contact paper if necessary.

5. Give critters the heave-ho. That includes mice, rats, bats, termites, roaches, and any other uninvited guests. There are any number of DIY ways to get rid of pests, but if you need to bring out the big guns, an initial visit from a pest removal service will run you $100-$300, followed by monthly or quarterly visits at about $50 each time.

6. Introduce yourself to your circuit breaker box and main water valve. It’s a good idea to figure out which fuses control what parts of your house and label them accordingly. This will take two people: One to stand in the room where the power is supposed to go off, the other to trip the fuses and yell, “Did that work? How about now?”

You’ll want to know how to turn off your main water valve if you have a plumbing emergency, if a hurricane or tornado is headed your way, or if you’re going out of town. Just locate the valve — it could be inside or outside your house — and turn the knob until it’s off. Test it by turning on any faucet in the house; no water should come out.

New Listing 2161 Mary Hill Rd, Port Coquitlam

Beautiful, Bright and Spacious, this family home is a gem! East facing living room with vaulted ceilings, large windows, fireplace and adjoining dining room. Updated Kitchen with new stainless steel appliances and neighbouring family room with fireplace. Fully fenced west facing yard that backs onto Central Elementary School. Lower level consists of a 2 bedroom suite with long term tenants, a spacious laundry room and another bedroom/office. Updated include; New flooring, New hot water tank, new roof, new blinds, new upstairs bathrooms and pot lights throughout the upstairs. First showing at Open house; Saturday July 8th 12-2pm and Sunday July 9th 2:30-4:30pm.

Link to Virtual Tour: http://real.vision/2161-mary-hill-rd-port-coquitlam

 

 

 

 

Listed by Maureen Seguin Personal Real Estate Corporation Century 21 In Town Realty

New Listing – 110 1948 Coquitlam Ave

Bright and Spacious ground floor suite priced for under $200,000!! This home boasts an efficient floor plan with a beautiful updated kitchen, King- sized bedroom & a large sunny north facing patio. Freshly painted and MOVE in Ready!! EXCELLENT investment/holding property as there are no restrictions on rentals. Close to shopping, west coast express and the new evergreen line.

Open House Saturday 230- 430pm and Sunday 12-2pm.

Listed by Maureen Seguin Personal Real Estate Corporation Century 21 In Town Realty

New Listing 310 12207 224 St, Maple Ridge

Centrally located with Mountain Views! Corner suite, spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom boasting over 1000sqft. Open Kitchen, large dining room and living area with gas fireplace. Serene private covered patio with lots of sun. Well maintained building with a healthy contingency fund and no upcoming assessments. Pets allowed with height and size restrictions and no rentals allowed.

Open Houses Saturday June 17  and Sunday June 18 2-4pm or call to book your own private showing.

Listed by Maureen Seguin | Century 21 In Town Realty

Price: $309,000

5 Things First-Time Buyers Should Look For In A Home

There are few events more exciting than the first time you buy a home. You are going to graduate from a renter to an owner, with all the benefits that such a transition brings. But as with anything, because you are buying a home for the first time, it can be challenging to know exactly what you should be looking for in a home. Fortunately, while this may be your first time buying, plenty of others have gone before you, which means you can build on their insights when going about your own purchase.

A good neighbourhood.

While what defines a good neighbourhood will vary depending on the buyer, there is no denying the importance of buying in an area you will like living. No matter how inexpensive the home, if it is in a neighbourhood that will make you miserable, it is not going to be the right place for you. Young professionals often like neighbourhoods that are close to restaurants and nightlife, while new families may prefer quieter neighbourhoods where the kids can play outside. What you want out of your neighbourhood is just as important as what you want out of your home, so think carefully about where you conduct your home search. Here are some great tips for choosing a neighbourhood. Look over the list and see what makes the most sense for your stage of life.

A home you can be comfortable in – or can fix up to be comfortable in a reasonable amount of time.

If you are into doing your own home repairs and renovations, it can make a lot of sense to buy a fixer upper. You’ll save money upfront and you have the ability to improve the condition of the home on your own. However, many first-time home buyers make the mistake of thinking they will fix up a home, only to discover that they do not have the ability, motivation or finances to make the repairs necessary to get the home into the condition necessary to be comfortable. You are are making a big financial commitment with your purchase, so be certain you will be able to live comfortably with your choice before you make the leap. Some of the best first time home buyer advice is getting clear on what you want.

A home that fits your lifestyle and goals.

You are going to encounter a number of different options when you start home shopping and be faced continuously with trade-offs (unless you have an extremely high budget). You can afford a better location, but a smaller house. Or a bigger home, further out of town. One home may offer a bigger back yard, while another will have virtually no yard, but a balcony. No matter how hard you look, you are going to have to choose between options that are imperfect. That is why it is so important to clearly define your goals and aspirations for the home you buy. You need to know what is most important to you in a home because ultimately you will need to trade some less important things to get the ones that matter most to you.

A place you can see yourself living for at least five years.

Most experts agree that the minimum amount of time you should live in a newly purchased home, especially as a first-time buyer, is five years. It will usually take at least five years to make the purchase benefit you financially. Sell before then and you risk losing money – unless you happen to in a really hot market. One of the most common home buying mistakes is not purchasing a property that is suitable for longer term goals. Because you want to make smart financial choices, you need to be careful to find a home that you can reasonably expect to live in for a five-year period.

A home that is priced well within your budget.

If at all possible, you want to avoid spending every last cent you have on your first home. You want the home to be a source of happiness and security, not a lead weight that threatens to drown you financially. Ownership costs money – more than just the mortgage. Things break, maintenance must be done, and other costs will pop up that you need to be able to cover. By purchasing a home that is in the middle of your budget, or even on the lower end, you give yourself much more breathing room.

New Listing 303 2425 Shaughnessy St, Port Coquitlam

Most Affordable Condo in Poco, priced under $160,000. Top Floor, Sunny Eastern Exposure with Mountain Views!! King-sized bedroom with in-suite laundry, 1 LARGE storage locker and covered parking spot. Building is well cared for and has recently updated the roof and boiler system. Less than 5 minutes to West Coast Express, Groceries, Restaurants, Schools, Coquitlam River, Coquitlam Centre and Skytrain. No RENTALS & PETS allowed.

Listed by Maureen Seguin Personal Real Estate Corporation

Century 21 In Town Realty

Why I say it’s a great time to buy

Don’t wait to buy real estate, buy real estate and wait

If you’re on the fence about buying – keep in mind that the longer you wait, home prices will rise, mortgage rules change and all that rent you’re paying is really helping your landlord pay off their mortgage faster!

Buy where you can afford and rent where you want to live

If you can’t afford the neighbourhood of your choice, buy an investment in an area you can afford. As your tenants pay down your mortgage, you’ll build the equity you need to be able to purchase in the area you desire.

Best time to buy is when you can afford to

Mortgage rates at the moment are FANTASTIC and soon will go up! It’s not good to just buy because it’s cheap too – Do your homework and if you can afford to financially then jump in and make a real estate splash.

Don’t list your home for more than it’s worth (and other pricing problems)

In a hot market or a cold one, pricing your home accurately is always important. Under-pricing a property to attract multiple offers has been a successful strategy in the past, but even that appears to be turning buyers’ stomachs in the current climate. It seems my job these days is the complete opposite: talking clients out of over-pricing their homes. I get these same questions and comments every time I sit down with sellers:

“Another agent said it was worth more.”

It’s no secret that a lot of agents will “buy” listings by quoting the highest price, but if four agents said your home was worth $600,000-ish, and one agent said $700,000, that should concern, not excite, you. Beware of the realtor who wants your listing at any cost. He’s just going to rope you into a six-month listing, and hope you gradually decrease the price.

“Let’s try it at our price for a month or so first.”

The highest price you’ll get as a seller is within one to five days of listing your home, not 30 days later. I know I can get the full asking price, or more, if I can sell the property within that short timeframe. All the work should be done ahead of the listing, so the property will sell ASAP. After a house or condo unit spends a full month on the market unsold, you’ll attract low-ball offers from buyers still looking at your stale listing.

“People always offer less than asking anyway!”

Not always, and not if it’s in that initial one-to-five day period when you have all the leverage as a seller. And if the property is over-priced, they’re not going to make any offer, let alone one that is less than asking.

“Nobody knows the value of my home better than I do.”

Selling your home is an emotional experience that can leave a homeowner vulnerable, especially when your own bias causes you to over-inflate the value of your house.

“We’ll include all the furniture to get our price.”

This is a last resort. The depreciation on furniture and household products is massive. Your five-year-old couch that you paid $1,800 for is probably now only worth $300, sorry to say. That 42-inch Panasonic flat screen TV cost $1,400 in 2008, but technology has changed and you can get a better one today for half the price. Furnishing a house or condo is something today’s buyers look forward to. Most of them wouldn’t take your furniture for free, let alone pay for it.

“My neighbour’s house sold in two days for over asking!”

Right: your neighbour’s house, not your house. These are two different products, with different lot sizes, bedroom/bathrooms, sizes, styles, and upgrades. You can compare the two houses, so long as you contrast as well.

“We need to get at least this much out of our house.”

N-e-e-d is one of the worst words in real estate. Hey, I “need” a date with Ryan Reynolds, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to get it. People’s “needs” are typically more of a “want,” and ultimately a need or a want doesn’t change the fair market value for a given property.

“A higher price will make buyers think it’s worth more.”

I understand the thinking here. But buyers in Metro Vancouver are far too savvy to be fooled by that pricing nonsense. They all have access to sales histories in condominium buildings and on neighbourhood streets, and charging $25 for a $20 bill is never going to fly.

I’m a competitive agent by nature, and I get excited by the prospect of netting my clients extra couple of thousand for their properties. But even I can’t get somebody 120 per cent of fair market value, no matter how badly they want it.

The 10 House Rules You Need to Embrace Once and for All This Year

KEEP YOUR PHONE OUT OF THE BEDROOM.

If you’re like 71% of Americans, you probably tuck your smart phone in bed with you. But if you resist and leave it outside of the bedroom, you’ll have an easier time falling asleep, wake up feeling more rested, and more.

PUT CLOTHES AWAY AS SOON AS THEY’RE FOLDED.

Everyone’s guilty of leaving a stack of clean clothes out, then pulling from it throughout the week. But all this does is create clutter where it’s not needed, which is why we want to break this bad habit once and for all.

MAKE YOUR BED EVERY MORNING.

It’s so easy to abandon this task when you’re running five minutes late, but when you force yourself to make your bed you’ll start your day off on the right foot, sleep better at night, and return to a much happier home at the end of the day.

CLEAN YOUR COFFEEMAKER DAILY.

Even though this might feel excessive, it’s actually one of the germiest spots in your kitchen. So to ensure your cup isn’t contaminated in the morning, wash removable parts after every use and wipe down spills on the outside as needed.

REPLACE BED SHEETS EVERY WEEK.

Sigh, there’s nothing like crawling into a bed with fresh sheets — so why don’t we do it more often? Not only is this better from a health perspective (see you, germs), but this will also help your linens last longer and prevent them from losing their shape.

DON’T LEAVE DISHES IN THE SINK.

It’s so easy to say “I’ll do it tomorrow,” but what this really means is you get stuck doing dishes before you can even start cooking dinner the following night. Give yourself a break and rinse up the night before. Your growling stomach with thank you.

NO SHOES IN THE HOUSE.

Research has shown that things like the chemicals you use to treat your lawn or the coal tar that’s used on asphalt roads can easily get tracked into your house on your shoes. That, along with the fact that they bring in dirt and ruin hardwood floors, is why you should follow this rule this year.

SANITIZE YOUR SPONGE EVERY WEEK.

The good news: You don’t have to replace this cleaning tool when it gets germy — but you do have to clean it more often than you might realize. If you make zapping it in the microwave a habit this year, you can rest assured that your dishes are as clean as can be.

PACK YOUR LUNCH AT NIGHT.

Be honest: If you leave this chore for the morning, chances are it won’t happen and you’ll just end up buying (again). But if you embrace this rule, you’ll also help yourself stick to your budget resolution. Talk about a win-win.

SQUEEGEE YOUR SHOWER AFTER EVERY RINSE.

By taking on this one-minute task every time you wash up, you’ll save yourself some gross shower experiences and an unpleasant deep clean that would end up taking way longer (and require a lot more elbow grease) in the end.