… For Buyers and Your Neighbours

The summer months are the perfect time to freshen up the exterior of your home. Whether it’s for your pleasure or to impress potential buyers, you’ll boost your home’s curb appeal with these good old-fashioned cleaning tips:

– Edge the gardens, clean out debris
– Pull the weeds and rake the leaves
– Prune the plants and wooly shrubs
– Plant some urns by the entrance and flowers to the beds
– Tidy the garage of winter trappings
– Dispose of rusty broken garden décor
– Put out a fresh welcome mat and oil the front door
– Paint the windowsills, mailbox, and anything else that is looking tired
– Place clear light bulbs in exterior fixtures, and ensure burned out bulbs are replaced
– Reseal the driveway
– Hide the garbage cans
– Sweep the step
– Fix the saggy gutters

Who says cleaning has to hurt? Get the kids involved! Borrow or buy a power washer and have fun cleaning siding, windows, sills, railings, decking and patio furniture.

Get the best value for your dollar

You’ve been pre-approved for a mortgage and have established a budget for buying a new home but aren’t quite sure what to look for to get the best value for your dollar – that’s where we can help

Consider location

Location is one of the most important determining factors when purchasing a new home. Make sure the neighbourhood has a good reputation, is close to essentials (schools, malls, grocery stores and hospitals) and is far away from unappealing or industrious areas.

Consider your lifestyle

Give some thought to your lifestyle and the features you need and want in a home. Can you afford the property? Is it accessible? It is suitable for a family?

Ease of access

Is the property easily accessible from a map? Is it close to a highway or major road? Is public transportation readily available? If so, what’s the cost?

Consider public areas and services

Take into account the condition of public areas, such as streets, sidewalks, parks and recreational facilities. Are they well maintained? Also consider public services, such as street cleaning, snow removal, garbage collection and emergency services.

Be objective

It’s easier said than done to be objective when it comes to buying a home, however, this mentality can quite possibly save you from getting stuck with a lemon.

Get help buying your new home and give real estate pro Riz Jadavji of Royal LePage Wolle Realty a call at 519-716-7253, send him an email, visit his Gold Book page, Facebook page or follow him on Twitter for more information and to stay connected.

Westmount Grand

Great New Home Listings!

With the frigid temperatures we are having I thought I would warm you up with news that “spring is just around the corner”. Don’t put it on HOLD…Call RIZ to get it SOLD!!

Calculate with confidence

Calculating a mortgage can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be with the help of experienced real estate agent Riz Jadavji of Royal LePage Wolle Realty in Kitchener, Ontario.

Whether you’re a first time buyer or are looking to upgrade or downsize, mortgages are a necessary evil. The best thing you can do for both you and your loved ones is understand the ins and outs of your mortgage.

To better understand your mortgage there are a few terms and numbers you’ll want to familiarize yourself with. These are: the actual loan or mortgage borrowing amount, the annual interest rate, the mortgage amortization period (in years) and your mortgage term (in years).

In Canada, all mortgages are compounded semi-annually as required by law. If you’re quoted an interest rate of six per cent, your effective annual rate will be 6.09 per cent based on three per cent semi-annually. Considering your mortgage payments usually occur on a monthly basis, a monthly rate must be calculated based on an annual rate and in this case your monthly compounded rate works out to just under six per cent (5.926 per cent to be precise).

The length of your mortgage amortization period can affect how much interest you pay and the shorter the term the more likely it is for you to pay less in interest. Likewise, a mortgage loan with a smaller mortgage term (an example would be a period of 10 years as opposed to 15 years) and higher monthly payments can save you thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars over the long term. If you can afford to make higher monthly payments and can handle a shorter mortgage term, it’s something worth considering as the savings can be considerable.

Riz Jadavji of Royal LePage Wolle Realty in Kitchener has more than 10 years experience serving the Kitchener-Waterloo area and helping customers find their dream homes. He will work with you and your family to get top dollar for your property when selling and receive the best bang for your buck when buying. He’s even designed a nifty mortgage calculator to make it easier for you to understand the financials of your investment.

Give the professional and courteous real estate pro Riz Jadavji of Royal LePage Wolle Realty a call at 519-716-7253, send him an email, visit his Gold Book page, Facebook page or follow him on Twitter for more information and to stay connected.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Winter Collection

Homebuyers wishlist this holiday season. Don’t miss out!

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Cooler winter temperatures and shorter daylight hours naturally limit the time we spend outside. Current interior design trends use nature punctuated with colour as a theme to rescue us from cabin fever. Here are some of this season’s ‘outdoor-in’ design essentials:

– Wreaths and Garlands: Made from traditional pine or more contemporary bay leaves, eucalyptus or holly. Live or faux, they are interwoven with brightly contrasting citrus fruits, pomegranates or berries for the most natural look. Glass-like beads and solid spherical ornaments in a shock of intense colour are also featured this season. Look for wreath stands to showcase your wreath at adjustable heights. Garlands look best along mantles, doorframes, windowsills and banisters, snaked among candles on tabletop centrepieces, and as trimming atop tall furniture like bookcases, wardrobes and entertainment credenzas.

– Trees and Topiaries: Like wreaths and garlands, trees and topiaries combine the same natural elements interwoven with vivid colours whether live or faux. This season, you can also find them made entirely of a single material, such as glass-like beads, holly berries, tinsel, or round ornaments, in either a uniform tone or a bouquet of colours. Available in a variety of sizes, they can be brilliantly illuminated with lights and garland, or they can sparkle alone with a pre-treatment designed to imitate frost, ice or dew.

– Faux Fire: Indoors or out, there’s nothing quite like sitting around a fire to add ambiance to quality time spent enjoying family and friends. It’s no surprise then, that sales of electric fireplaces are red-hot this season. They provide the romance and warmth of a traditional gas or wood burning fire without the requisite venting or gas lines, and at a fraction of the cost. Plug them into a standard 120-volt outlet to heat the room, or turn the heat off and appreciate the flame effect alone, complete with glowing embers! Electric fireplaces can be purchased as an insert for existing fireplaces or as a stand-alone piece with a mantle surround. Mantles are available in a variety of styles, colours and wood materials to suit a variety of personal tastes.

– Finishing Touches: Just as the snow sparkles outside, so too do those finishing touches. From decorative ornaments, to picture frames, to napkin rings, to cardholders, to candles and candleholders…think jeweled. If those finishing touches aren’t bejeweled with faux gemstones, then they glitter with the imitation effect of frost or ice.

Don’t Wait To List!

Once your home is updated with the winter season’s latest design essentials, it is most visually appealing to prospective buyers. Serious homebuyers are indeed active through the holidays and into the early months of the New Year. This means minimal disruption for you and your family and viewings from truly qualified prospects. Please contact me for more information about listing during the winter season.

Here are some great tips from Waterloo Regional Police for keeping your home, and your family, safe for Halloween.

The night is here when the streets will be filled with ghosts and goblins, not to mention princesses and fairies. As always, there are a few important Halloween safety guidelines that should be observed to ensure the night runs smoothly.

Around the house…

-Many people enjoy transforming their homes into eerie scenes. Be sure to keep the path leading up to your door free of obstacles for the little ones, especially those with masks who might have trouble seeing in dim light.

-Keep pets indoors on Halloween to protect them from hazards and preventing them from being aggressive to visitors.

-Before you light those candles in your pumpkin, consider using inexpensive safety glow sticks. Nothing says spooky like a glowing green jack-o-lantern!

Costumes…

It is important that when helping a child pick out a costume, safety should be the main concern.

-Wear a light-coloured or bright costume, reflective tape or arm bands to heighten visibility.

-Wear a costume that is properly fitted to reduce the chance of tripping on it.

-Select a costume that is constructed from flame-retardant materials.

-Make sure your vision is not restricted. Consider completing your costume with make-up rather than masks. Masks may require that the eye-holes be cut larger for the sake of good peripheral vision.

-Shoes should fit properly even if they do not go well with a costume.

-If a child’s costume requires the use of props, such as a flexible-plastic sword, make sure the sharp tip is cut or filed round.

-Glow sticks are also an excellent method to increase a child’s visibility. You might want to consider creating a fun necklace with string to ensure they will want to wear as part of their costumes.

-Accessorize with a flashlight!

Before the kids hit the streets, it is important that parents be aware of the route that their children plan to follow. If you are unable to take them out yourself, consider asking another parent, an older sibling or babysitter to do the honours for you. Ensuring your child is wearing a watch also allows you to establish an agreed upon curfew.

Teach your children to recognize the places along his/her route where they can obtain help: Police Station, Fire Station or any other well indicated public place.

Although tampering of loot is rare, remind children that they must have their candy inspected by their parents or guardian prior to eating them.

Some Rules for Trick or Treaters…

-Bring a flashlight;

-Walk instead of running;

-Stay on the sidewalks (If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left-hand side of the street facing traffic);

-Avoid jaywalking

-Do not cut across lawns or take short-cuts;

-Take masks off when walking from one house to the next;

-Do not go inside houses and do not get into vehicles;

-Only visit houses that are lit;

-Stay away from animals you are not familiar with; and

-Vandalism is not just a ‘trick’ – it is against the law and has consequences.

Above all, have a safe and ghoulishly good Halloween!

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