For Sellers: What Is Your Home Really Worth?
It’s true that as technology advances, there are several ways to find out the approximate value of a home almost instantly. Just recently, I tried out a new feature on a website called Zoocasa, where you can enter any home address and get an on-the-spot home evaluation.
Well, that was the plan.
Naturally, I wanted to test the little widget with a couple of recent sales. So I entered the addresses, hit the send button and — voila! The results came up. What I quickly realized was that, instead of giving me an accurate (or semi-accurate) appraisal, the resulting “guesstimate” was overpriced by $200,000, according to my own calculations. And this is not small change we’re talking about…
What am I getting at?
Technology alone is not enough, at least not yet. Just like proofreading or translating, as two other examples, technology can be incredibly handy but not always incredibly accurate. And when it comes to “correctly” pricing your home, you need more than mere numbers and figures taken from a website. You need comparables from the area. You need sold prices, and you should have someone come over for a quick inspection. It deserves to be seen in person, because the overall condition of your home will never show as well on paper as it does “live”. And that can make a (more than) SIGNIFICANT change in the way your property will be priced.
Ready to have your home appraised? Why not get a free, in-person consultation right now? For price strategies and marketing tips to get your home sold for more money, contact us now.
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/
Asking Price: Comparative Market Analysis vs Municipal Assessments
Image by Corbis
The asking price of a home should reflect the current market price, which is calculated quite differently from the municipal assessment. The city evaluates properties every three years (meaning they are often behind the going market values), and they base their assessments on the property itself and its neighbourhood.
To determine optimal asking price, a homeowner should get a comparative market analysis (CMA). This is done by Continue reading: Asking Price: Comparative Market Analysis vs Municipal Assessments
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/
Asking (Selling) Price Less Than Municipal Evaluation?
Sometimes you find properties that have a municipal evaluation higher than the asking price. In most cases, it’s the other way around. So as a potential buyer, you might wonder whether or not this is an error — how can it be that the person is selling for less than the municipal evaluation Continue reading: Asking (Selling) Price Less Than Municipal Evaluation?
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/
Should your house be staged before you sell?
To Stage or Not to Stage – that is the question! by Sveta Melchuk Updated from the Home Staging archives. Originally published on Jun 18th 2007. Staging a Home for sale will cost you money. Is it worth spending time and effort on it? After all, once the decision to sell has been made, you [...][Click on the title link to view the entire article]
How to Make a Small Room Appear Bigger
Updated from the Home Staging archive. Originally posted on May 08, 2007.
Small rooms are the bane of the home decorator. How do you achieve a pleasing look that doesn’t feel cramped and claustrophobic? Without to have to build an addition or knock down walls, you are limited to a few, but effective, decorating tricks that create the illusion of space.
Use color to your advantage
The strategic use of colour and light is the best way to achieve this. Choose light shades of paint or wallpaper for the walls. Lighter colours reflect light making for a brighter room. Use an even lighter shade of the same colour or white for ceilings and floors. A darker colour on the ceiling will make the ceiling look lower and tends to make the walls look as though they are closing in.
Avoid harshly contrasting colours. In fact, a monochromatic colour scheme that carries throughout the room into fabrics and accessories is very effective. Steer away from too many patterned items. The goal here is to blur perspective.
Anything you can do to bring light into the room will also give the effect of increased space.Try to vary lighting effects for interest. A skylight is a great way to add light to a room, but isn’t always practical or affordable.
Mirrors are a great solution for small rooms.
Place mirrors directly across from another for maximum impact. A mirror placed across from a window is also effective. Place a lamp in front of a mirror to add more light to your room.
If you have wood or patterned flooring, have it installed so that the lines run diagonally across the room. This makes for longer lines, which give the appearance of a larger space.
Furniture Size Matters
When furnishing the room, pick objects that are proportioned to the size of the room. For example, opt for a loveseat over a full-sized sofa.
Keep it tidy, keep it clean
Lastly, keep the clutter to a minimum. Avoid using a lot of knick-knacks and keep the room tidy and well organized.
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Posted By: Deya Bautista - Real Estate Broker working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in high end condos in downtown and Old Montreal. For buying or selling contact Deya at: 514.917.7889 http://montrealrealestateblog.com/
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2009 December’s Market: Looking Good
December’s market seem to be very active this year. No need for the monthly sales stats to confirm that. Normally it is a slow month, because of the Holidays. Most people are into Christmas shopping, Christmas dinner parties, and little time to seriously visit homes. But there are still buyers calling for information and getting their finances ready for the next year – which is only a few weeks away. Many people are waiting for the new year to seriously start looking at homes.
There are still plenty of agents working over the holidays, as most take their vacation in the summer. I skipped my summer vacation this year (well, partially), and decided to go away for the holidays instead – Don’t hate me for it. Sheila is staying to cover for me while I’m away, and several blog posts have been schedule for when I’m gone.
Back to this month’s market…
There should be activity right after Christmas Day. I find it amazing how people can be so dedicated to finding a home right after the customary family and social (and/or religious) responsibilities such as Christmas. From the 26th on, the phones shall be constantly ringing.
If you’re selling your home, that is good news. Although you will not get the same amount of prospective buyers as, say for example in February. But you can rest assure that those few people who are visiting during the holidays are seriously looking to buy a home. Otherwise, they’ll be staying in, eating the leftover turkey and drinking eggnog.
Posted By: Deya Bautista - Affiliated Real Estate Agent working as part of the McGill Immobilier team. Specializing in condos and revenue property in the metropolitan area of Montreal. For buying, selling or renting contact Deya at: 514.917.7889
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