September is just around the corner and with that comes an influx of post-secondary students looking for rental properties. While renting to students is not without its challenges, owning a rental property close to a university or college, or close to public transit means you will always have a steady demand for your space that makes for a profitable investment. The following are a few tips to help make the process of finding the ideal student renter as painless as possible.

  • Nerds Only. Looking for a studious, academically focused tenant? Explicitly state this in your rental ad. While this shouldn’t be your only tactic to try and protect your property from boisterous partiers, it does set the tone for your expectations right from the start.…

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Edmonton Real Estate Update:

Moving Into A New Home Checklist

When you’re moving into a new home, always remember that you’re facing a myriad of tasks that you can’t possibly keep track of mentally. That’s why you must always have a checklist drawn up before you move into a new home so you won’t forget anything. A checklist can help you plan everything from expected costs to finding a reputable moving company.

What should your moving into a new home checklist contain?

The names of potential moving companies

You don’t just hire movers right off the bat. Always do some research so you can put at least three moving companies on your list. You can then vet these companies further until you come up with one that gives you the best value for…

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Doesn’t it feel like just yesterday you were stowing away the lunch boxes for the summer, relieved of the pressure to come up with exciting lunch ideas that are healthy AND kid-approved? Well, it’s time once again to whip out the sandwich bags and stock up on juice boxes. Here are a few suggestions for great lunchtime ideas and recipes that will get kids (and parents) excited for lunches once again.

Two-Toned Sandwiches.  Using cookie cutters and two slices of different bread (ideally brown whole wheat and white whole wheat), cut out the centre of each slice and swap out the cutouts. Assemble your sandwich as normal.  Talk about taking PB&J to the next level!

School of Fish. If your kids love Goldfish crackers, give this cute, healthy snack…

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Edmonton Real Estate Market Update:

The Real Estate Market is constantly changing, making it difficult to always assess the current market value of your home. As a trained Real Estate Professional, I have the right knowledge and tools to determine your homes current value on the Edmonton Real Estate Market. What is your Home really worth in your neighborhood? Let me help you!

By utilizing the " Right Price Analysis ", I can assess what your property is valued at today. During the FREE HOME EVALUATION, I can advise you on: - Tax issues - How bank home appraisals work - Current Financing Options - About How to get your Home professionally inspected - How to sell your home for Maximum Dollar in the Least Amount of Time on The Market - Financing…

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Edmonton Real Estate Market Update:

If you have ever thought of selling your home "For Sale By Owner", have you thought about what type of home buyer is would show interest in  your home. A Serious home buyer would not purchase for sale by owner when they can get the services of a Realtor and his or her Brokerage to help in the purchase process at no costs to the buyer at all, and all the benefits of being legally covered in case there is an issue with the property ( where as if the home owner is not under contract with a Brokerage they do not have to disclose any hidden defects ). There are professional home buyers that do prey on For Sale By Owners for one of many reasons - to try to low ball the home owner and to save commissions!

The home buyer…

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Edmonton Real Estate Market Update:

Getting your house in good condition before you sell can demonstrate pride in ownership and quite possibly get you a higher sale price for your home. A home that is visually appealing and in good condition will attract more potential buyers, particularly those driving down the street.

A good rule of thumb - try to view your home through a prospective buyers eyes. - Are the lawn and shrubs well maintained? - Are there cracks in the foundation or walkways? - Are the gutters, chimney and walls in good condition? - Are garbage and debris sorted out of sight? Strong curb appeal will lure potential buyers inside....then you have to live up to their expectations. there are lots of easy improvements you can make to your…

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Edmonton Home Sellers:

Walker Lake Estates Acreage Sold For 101% of Asking Price!

 

 Selling your Edmonton home is not an easy task and it is imperative that you seek the best Realtor for the job. There are many factors that go into selling a home, the property must be positioned properly on the Edmonton Real Estate Market and must be fit to sell in order to get the most amount of money possible in the least amount of time with little hassle to you the home seller and an Experienced, Qualified Realtor knows exactly what needs to be done to get the job done right the first time.

I listed an acreage for sale a short time ago in the community of Walker Lakes, just a few minutes outside of Edmonton. This home had been for sale with other…

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They say that hindsight is 20/20. When it comes to making one of the most important decisions of your life—buying a house—the more you can learn about what to avoid, the better. Here is a list of the top 7 regrets that haunt home buyers:

1. Not buying sooner. According to TD Canada Trust's First Time Home Buyers Report for 2012, 55% wish they had purchased a home sooner and not wasted money continuing to pay rent. Many people get stuck waiting for the 'perfect moment' to jump into home ownership and when they finally do, they realize that the process wasn't as daunting or risky as they thought. It doesn't take long for new home owners to see the benefit of their investment. And with mortgage rates so low, it's a great time to get in there and just…

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If your garden gnomes could speak, what would they say about you?

When you give guests directions to your place, do you describe your home as "the one with the half-dead elm tree and a canoe on the lawn?"

Or do you count down the days until it is warm enough to unveil your springtime spectacle that puts the Griswold's Christmas display to shame—complete with three-tiered waterfall and working windmill?

There's a reason why experts stress the importance of a home's curb appeal when an owner is preparing to sell. It really is about creating a good first impression. Even if you're not selling your home, when was the last time you evaluated your yard worthiness? 

Read on to determine whether or not your yard is a jewel in the community crown…

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Edmonton Home Buyers Tips:

While your low offer in a normal market might be rejected immediately, in a buyers market a motivated seller will either accept or counteroffer. Full-price offers or above are more than likely to be accepted by the seller, but there are are considerations involved: * Is the offer contingent upon anything, such as the sale of the buyers current home? If so, a low offer, even a full price offer, may not be as as an offer without that condition. * Is the offer made on the home as is, or does the buyer want the seller to make some repairs or lower the price instead?

* Is the offer all cash, meaning the buyer has waived all conditions including financing and property inspection? If so, then an offer at less than asking price…

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