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Start the Home Selling Process this Month

If you’re thinking about selling in the spring, don’t wait until the new year to start planning. In fact, you’ll save yourself a lot of work and get ahead of the game if you start planning now.


What’s that old saying? The early bird gets the worm! In this case, by starting the process this month, you’ll be in excellent shape when you’re ready to list in the spring.


Here are just a few examples of what you can do in December to get the process started:


• Walk your property and note any maintenance issues that need attention.

• Decide which items to stow or sell to declutter your home.

• Determine what improvements you’ll need to make in order for your home to look great to buyers (i.e. painting.)

• Find out approximately how much your property will likely sell for in the spring market.

• Clarify the kind of new home you’d like to move into, including ideal neighbourhoods.

• Look into your financing options, so you’ll know the price range you’ll be shopping within.

• Connect with any professionals you may need, such as contractors, a mover, and a real estate lawyer.

• Take advantage of any December shopping deals for products you may need, such as home improvement project materials, packing supplies, etc.


As you can see, the more prepared you are this month, the more stress-free and successful the home selling process will be for you in the spring.


And one more tip: contact me to get the conversation started about selling your home in the new year. It’s coming fast!


Call Jay 778-363-0839

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Re-Evaluating your Home in a Brand New Year

After experiencing a year like no other, homeowners are still entitled to ask the question they ask every year, “What’s my home worth today?”


Determining that value starts with a professional understanding of several overarching market factors, such as the general real estate climate, your regional and local activity, as well as your neighbourhood’s micro-market. The value is then fine-tuned by drilling down to specifics, such as your home’s profile of features and deficiencies.


But there are other key factors to consider when selling your home – your wants, needs, intentions and expectations for your next home. You’ll need to think about where you want to live, how much you intend to spend, and how much your selling price will affect your buying power. While this won’t change the current value of your home, you shouldn’t overlook the correlation of the buying and selling markets when considering a move.


Those conditions will contribute to the ultimate decision – whether you should sell first or buy first. If you ever want to examine your real estate options, don’t hesitate to call.  Jay 778-363-0839 Royal LePage Kelowna.

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BUYING A HOME THAT NEEDS SOME WORK

Buying a Home that Needs Some Work


When you’re shopping for a new home, you probably want the property to be as “move in ready” as possible. That way, you can... well... just move in!


However, there are a lot of fantastic properties on the market that need some work. For example, you might see a home that has everything you need, but the kitchen is long overdue for a renovation. Or, you might view a property that requires a lot of repairs and painting — tasks that, at first glance, seem overwhelming. You don’t want to just pass on a property that might be a great buy.


On the other hand, you don’t want to purchase a home, only to end up with more renovations, repairs and expenses than you anticipated. What’s the solution? Here’s an idea. When you view a home that needs work, make a note of exactly what needs to be done. Stick to the important “must have” improvements and leave “nice to have” improvements for a later time.


Chances are, you’ll identify just one or two projects — such as “paint all the walls” or “replace the countertops in the kitchen”. Once you have that list, you’ll be in a better position to determine how long the work will likely take and the approximate cost. This will give you some needed perspective on whether or not to buy the home.


If a home you’re considering needs $15,000 in work that can probably be completed within two months, that might make the property worth buying. In fact, it probably would! So, when you see an otherwise ideal home that needs some work, don’t let your imagination make that work into more than it is. Take notes and get estimates. 

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OCTOBER 2020 SUMMARY STATISTICS

Local Residential Real Estate Market Pace Remains Strong


KELOWNA, B.C. – November 3rd, 2020. Residential sales for October across the region of Revelstoke to Peachland greatly exceeded October 2019’s sales by 70%, however came in shy of September’s 1,159 sales showing a decrease of 8%, reports the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB).


New residential listings decreased from 1,269 last month to 1,057 new listings. The overall number of active listings also lagged behind September’s inventory of 3,251 coming in 14% lower for October and 24% lower than October 2019’s active listings.


“Seasonally, we normally see the market start to calm down towards the colder winter months, however that was not the case for October,” says OMREB President Kim Heizmann, adding that “this seems to be a trend across the province as demand for more living space continues to drive consumer incentives.”


“The recent increase in COVID will likely facilitate a calming pace to more normal seasonal market conditions. However, real estate transactions can still proceed in a safe and responsible manner as REALTORS® have adapted to the new normal and have found ways to continue helping clients buy and sell homes while adhering to government guidelines and safety recommendations.”


The average number of days to sell a home, always a good barometer to watch, dropped 9% from September’s 90 days to 83 days for October. It is important to note that OMREB reports on all market statistics for the entire Board region and that the indicators will vary depending on home type and sub-region.


Contact your local REALTOR® to find out more about the real estate market and how they can help you achieve your real estate goals in a safe and socially-distant manner.


For additional information visit www.omreb.com

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