The Riz Team Blog

… 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.

Help us Celebrate Royal LePage’s 100th Birthday! Fill out a Ballot at Royal LePage Wolle Realty’s Weekend Open Houses from June 8th- June 22nd 2013 for a chance to WIN!!

The contest starts this Saturday June 8th and will run until Saturday, June 22nd. Ballots can only be filled out at the open houses. You must attend participating open house to participate. There is no purchase necessary and no skill testing question required.  Contest is not open to agents or employees of Royal LePage Wolle Realty. Contest closes at 4pm on June 22nd, 2013. Winners will be announced June 28th, 2013.

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s one-day charity garage sale to raise money for women’s shelters and violence prevention programs will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Royal LePage offices across the country. Since 2009, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation has raised close to $1.2 million at the National Garage Sale for Shelter to help stop the cycle of violence and provide a safe haven and new beginnings for women and children.

We need your help and the help of our community to reach our goal! You will be helping women and children in our community safely escape violence. 100% of the proceeds goes to a local women’s shelter and to education and violence prevention programs in our community.

How can you help?

DONATE! We are looking for gently used (& new)  items to sell at our Garage Sale (no clothes or large appliances please).

-March 25th-May 9th – Items can be dropped off at AMJ Campbell, 305 Industrial Rd., Cambridge, 877-211-0021, during regular business hours. Please let them know it’s for Royal LePage Wolle Realty Garage Sale.

-May 6th-10th – Items can be dropped off at Royal LePage Wolle Realty, 842 Victoria St., N., Kitchener, between 9:00am-7:00pm.

-May 9th – AMJ Campbell special pick-up day. Please call 519-578-7300 before MAY 8th to arrange to have your items picked up this day. This is for the local Kitchener/Waterloo Area only

SHARE! Please help spread the word.

-Print up our poster & share it in your condo building, public venue or business.

-Like  Royal Lepage Wolle Realty Garage Sale for Shelter on Facebook

-Invite people and share the Facebook Event

-Tell a neighbour or family member about the event

SHOP! Be sure to join us Saturday May 11, 2013.

You will find us in Royal LePage Wolle Realty PARKING LOT located at 842 Victoria Street North, Kitchener (the corner of Victoria & River Road). We would love to see you there!

If you have any questions or need help please contact us at 519-578-7300

Q. We are thinking about selling our house on our own, without using a Realtor, to save money. Do you have any advice?

A. If you are thinking of selling your home without a Realtor, there are many things to consider.

• Do you have a background in real estate? Do you know what your house appraises for? Do you know the value of your home compared to other homes in your area? How does your house show compared to other homes in the same price range? How well do you understand real estate contracts? What will it cost you to have your attorney view the offer and other documents?
• What have you budgeted for advertising? How do you intend for others to find out that your home is for sale? Have you checked into the cost of running ads?
• Do you have a plan for showing your home to potential buyers? Are you able to put your life on hold every time someone wants to tour your home? How frustrated will you get if they make multiple appointments to view your home but never show up? Have you considered yours and your family’s safety when letting strangers in to view your home?
• Will your feelings towards potential buyers be affected if they criticize your decorating style, cleanliness or landscaping?
• How are your negotiating skills? Just as you, the seller, want a good deal, so too does the buyer.

Do you have the time to research the answers to the above questions so that you’re well prepared to sell your home yourself?

Sellers may believe that if they sell their home themselves, they’ll get more money for their house. At the same time, the buyer often believes he or she is entitled to a lower price if a Realtor isn’t involved in the transaction. Without a Realtor, when a buyer and seller try to agree on a price, there’s no one to negotiate the deal. The sellers are on one side and the buyer is on another, so the deal falls apart.

Buying and selling a home is a complicated process. Unless you have a background in real estate, you should reconsider selling your own home on your own. Because your home is your most valuable asset, wouldn’t you want professional help so you get the best deal possible when you sell it?

Realtors have all kinds of resources and experience that you may not. They have access to multiple listing services, or the MLS. This is a site many potential homebuyers visit. Many Realtors also have their own websites. Even if you took the time to create your own website about your home, how would potential homebuyers learn about the site to visit it?

There are so many reasons to seek out a professional to help you sell your house. I’ve seen too many deals fall through because sellers try to sell their own home but lack the necessary expertise, and they won’t negotiate with the buyer.

Good luck as you make a decision about selling your home

That’s why I say……Don’t put it on HOLD….call RIZ to get it SOLD!!! ™