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Your Tried & True Guide To Prioritizing Your Home Renovations
Whether you’ve bought a fixer-upper you’re eager to DIY your way to your dream home in your top choice Saskatoon neighbourhood, your home needs an update, or you’re looking to sell in the near future, you might question where to start. An additional worry might be that how do you stop once you start? Giving your home a facelift can also be contagious, influencing you to feel like tackling them all at once. Instead of making costly mistakes or risking choice paralysis, simply follow our guidelines to get the most value from your home renovations.
Where To Start
Once you have assessed all the areas of your home in need of some TLC, the best advice one could possibly give is to first address the spaces you will get the most use out of and the ones with the highest potential for the best return on your investment. Identifying these critical areas of interest can help you budget effectively in your home remodeling journey.
Kitchens and bathrooms can have a hefty price tag, but they are the high-ticket items that sell a property. These are also the spaces used most often, and thus, addressing them sooner rather than later can help improve your lifestyle. Additionally, it is usually easiest to get the more significant, messier projects out of the way first. These are often done before you move in to avoid feeling too displaced and disrupting your routine. If you are selling, you can happily communicate all of this additional value to future buyers!
Any lower priority updates can then be done over time and in a more cost-friendly fashion. Also worth mentioning is that although we may be excited to give some rooms a splash of new paint, structural improvements should always come before surface and cosmetic enhancements.
Seasonality & Life Stage
If you have children, your home renovation needs will look different from the empty nester or retiree. While they might be okay with working their life around construction, those with children will need to consider how the project will affect how the family functions and what safety issues might arise. The different types of homeowners may also want to do similar projects for other reasons. A young family may decide to open up the kitchen and living spaces for better-lit spaces and improved sightlines to keep an eye on the kids. Alternatively, other homeowners’ goals may be more along the lines of opening the area to better entertain guests. It’s all about making the improvements that best suit your needs!
Weather is also a key player in the decision-making process. For example, exterior updates such as building a patio or painting cannot be done in the winter but switching out interior light fixtures can. The summer tends to be busier and promises more favourable weather conditions for renovations than the dead of the Canadian prairie winters. Wondering what you can tackle yourself right now? Check out our Spring Home Maintenance Checklist!
Saving You Precious Time & Hard Earned Money
Assuming funds allow, lumping multiple projects together can be the most cost-effective, especially when it comes to contractor labour hours and the inconvenience to your home life. For example, kitchen and bathrooms are often best done together as similar contractors are involved. If updates in plumbing are needed, it is easier to do it all at once. Sometimes, some decisions made at different times may not work cohesively, whether functionally or aesthetically. Thus, planning and budgeting accordingly are of the utmost importance.
It’s also easy to get drawn into the little things, so hiring a professional to care for the moving parts for specific projects can prove beneficial, allowing you to keep an eye on the bigger picture.
Whether you’re looking to buy your dream home or sprucing up your current home to sell and are not confident about where to start, you can count on our combined years of expertise and connections to guide you through!
Selling a Home With All 5 Senses
When selling your house, most people think about how it looks; you want your home to look as beautiful as the memories you made there. However, appealing to buyers’ other four senses can help make them feel fully present in your home. Our five senses play an important role in processing the world around us and triggering our emotional responses. You can create a positive emotional reaction in potential buyers by appealing to all five senses and helping them imagine living in your home.
Selling a House with Sight
This is the obvious one. Make sure to create a neutral clutter-free environment that buyers can imagine as their own. Neutral colours with an accent can help create a stylish and clean setting that is perfect for letting the imagination run wild. Try to tidy up as much as possible and keep the space appealing to your guests. If you have features in your home that make it feel more cozy, such as a fireplace, don’t be afraid to turn it on to make people feel comfortable.
Selling a House with Sound
Find some relaxing or comforting music to play in the background during the house tour. Keep the music to a minimum, so it doesn’t overpower the conversation. For genres of music, you could match it to the season, such as Christmas music during the holidays, or pick sounds suitable for any season, such as lo-fi or jazz.
If you have natural sound features, create a space where guests can enjoy them. For example, water fountains or other elements can add a relaxing atmosphere to your house. Wind chimes are another great way to welcome guests into the space and make them feel in touch with your home.
Selling a House with Smell
While some people recommend using strongly scented products for cleaning, some research says that buyers prefer neutral or lightly scented spaces when touring your home. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to skip on the scented candles or air fresheners, as buyers may feel you are trying to hide something.
Instead, use light or unscented cleaning products and find ways to add more natural scents to your house. For example, baking before guests arrive can add that homey smell to your space. Another trick, if you’re short on time, is to put some vanilla or lemon on the stove. This can give the same welcoming atmosphere while not being too overpowering.
Selling a House with Taste
While I wouldn’t recommend that you provide anything too labour-intensive, it may be nice to have some snacks or water for your guests. Consider buying in bulk and having a dedicated bowl of small candies for each walk-through to make it easy. Or, if you did that baking we mentioned earlier, consider putting some out for guests! This simple gesture will leave a lasting impression on your potential buyers.
Selling a House with Touch
Make sure to display a variety of fabrics and textures around your house. This also adds to the visual appeal of your space. You should also vacuum the carpets and well and wash your floors. Not only is this a great practice for general cleaning and home maintenance, it also keeps unwanted graininess away and adds extra bounce and comfort underfoot. Put out the fluffiest blankets on your bed and add some throw pillows to add depth and variety.
By engaging all five of a buyers’ senses, you can ensure that your house sticks out in their Saskatoon home search and maximizes its appeal for every tour. If you’re looking for additional help or support, you can contact us, and we would be happy to help you sell your home!
House Hunting with Kids? Here are 6 Kid-Friendly Saskatoon Spaces to Consider in Your Search
When looking for a new home in Saskatoon, your kids are often a big priority in how the house functions and what features are good for them. Extra bedrooms, a large backyard, and a nearby school are all important to consider, but what about recreation options?
Whether it be a local playground or a more comprehensive play area and activities, having a nearby place to visit regularly can really help your kids get out of the house and burn some energy. While most neighbourhoods have a local park and playground, here are some extra special spots in Saskatoon that you may want to factor into your home search.
Nutrien Wonderhub – Saskatoon’s Children’s Museum
City Park
Found in the City Park neighbourhood along the Meewasin Trail, this is an incredible place for kids and their grown-ups to spend a day. The Wonderhub is a safe space for children to explore, experiment, and interact with the natural and built world through exhibits and features. Kids can explore the rooms or sign up for a workshop and learn new skills. This museum is a wonderful addition to the neighbourhood that could be a great feature to have nearby.
University of Saskatchewan Campus
While you may not consider the university campus a blossoming spot for children to explore, there are several spots among the classrooms that your kids may enjoy. For example, the Museum of Natural Sciences located in the Geology Building is great for kids interested in dinosaurs and animals. The building features three complete dinosaur skeletons along with fish and geology displays. Additionally, the campus is home to a few art galleries and the Museum of Antiquities in the Peter Mackinnon Building, which may interest kids who are a bit older.
Suppose you are looking for a place where your kids can be more active. In that case, the PAC building offers both swimming classes and family swim times, as well as other classes and activities for the public. Another great spot is the Sculpture Garden, found between the Education Building and Diefenbaker Canada Centre, which has several sculptures that are accessible for kids to climb and explore. Just be sure to watch for gopher holes and perhaps limit the amount of running to keep your kids’ ankles safe.
The Stoked Centre
Brighton
The Stoked Centre, found in the middle of Wilson’s Greenery and Lifestyle Supercentre in Brighton, has much more to offer than home decor and greenery. Inside, the shop features a 200-foot zip line and suspended obstacle course to climb around on and a high-speed electric go-kart track. The facility also just opened a new restaurant, the Stoked Kitchen and Bar, adjacent to a 15-lane 10-pin bowling alley and one of Canada’s largest arcades!
The whole centre has many activities and surprises for those looking for entertainment. It can be a great place to bring your kids to blow off steam while you shop for plants and home decor.
Remai Art Gallery
River Landing
The Remai Art Gallery, situated in downtown Saskatoon along the Meewasin River Valley, can be a fantastic place for kids to explore and learn about art and our local art landscape. The gallery has many permanent and travelling collections, as well as a theatre for film showings. Additionally, the gallery hosts kid-friendly programming, including their “Something on Sundays” program held 1 PM – 4 PM every Sunday and different artmaking activities each week. This program is free to attend, with no admission or registration required. The gallery also has some other programming that can require museum admission to attend. Check their website for more information.
Western Development Museum
Exhibition
Take your kids to this highly interactive museum found in the Exhibition neighbourhood and help them learn more about Saskatoon’s history. This museum is best known for Boomtown, the lifesize representation of a 1910 Saskatchewan Main Street that recaptures the atmosphere and style of this bustling period and is great for kids to explore. The museum also features other permanent exhibits that kids would love, including a full-size steam locomotive!
Forestry Farm Park and Zoo
University Heights
The Forestry Farm Park and Zoo found in University Heights is a great place to let your kids learn more about the local flora and fauna native to Saskatchewan and even see more exotic creatures. The Zoo boasts more than 80 species of animals, and with tons of space to explore, even the most energetic kids will get their fill.
With so many great spots for kids around the city of Saskatoon, finding the right neighbourhood for you and your family can be challenging. If you need help finding your perfect home, please don’t hesitate to contact us for expert assistance in the home-buying process.
5 Conditions To Withdrawing Your Offer
Okay, so you have found the house you LOVE, you’ve submitted your offer to purchase, and you’re mere inches away from having those keys in your hands to your new abode. “Saskatoon Homeowner” has a nice ring to it! But what if your feet start getting cold? Or what if you get a fantastic job offer in a different location? Is there still time to withdraw your offer?
The short answer is “yes,” but there are some conditions. You can still back out so long as the offer or counter-offer has not been accepted and communicated by the seller and their agent. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when buyer’s wish to retract communicated offers.
A valid contract requires an offer and acceptance of that offer. For the seller’s offer to be valid, that acceptance must be communicated promptly to the Buyer that has made the offer.
Communication of acceptance through a telephone call, fax or email are all valid means of communication, as deemed by the Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission.
Confirmation of acceptance is not an essential element for the contract to be valid. Provided that the approval of the offer has been communicated to the Buyer, confirmation or acknowledgement of the accepted offer is not required for the contract to be valid.
Acceptance communicated to the buyer’s agent counts as a sufficient point of contact to establish the contract. Buyers or sellers need not communicate directly with the other party as the agent representing them is a viable placeholder.
The Buyer can be bound at any time after submitting the offer once acceptance is communicated to the other party. Be it by after-hours fax to the brokerage office or an unread email, the contract is cemented, and the Buyer is no longer free to withdraw.
The moral of the story is that it’s all about communication and that before submitting the offer to purchase, it is best to be as sure about the property as possible. If you have changed your mind and the offer is already submitted, you will need to contact your agent ASAP. Time is of the essence for your agent to act as quickly as possible in your favour to communicate the retraction to the other party before it is accepted, preferably in writing. If the offer is accepted before the Buyer’s retraction or the Seller disputes the retraction, you must seek legal counsel.
Our highest recommendation is to have a trusted and knowledgeable REALTOR® by your side, assisting you in navigating the local housing market. Whether it’s buying or selling, we’ve got all the tips and tricks to landing you your dream home!
Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
The snow is disappearing, daily high temperatures are reaching double digits and beach weather is quickly approaching. To be honest, we couldn’t be more excited to soak up the famous Saskatoon sun! But while you are searching for your shorts and sunscreen in preparation to spend more time outside of your home, there are a few spring home maintenance tasks you should check in on after our harsh Saskatchewan winters.
- Check for soil settlement at the foundation
- Fill where necessary to maintain positive slope for water to drain away from the foundation
- Check eaves troughs and downspouts for loose joints, clear any obstructions and ensure water flows away from your foundation
- Remove any large amounts of leftover snow near your home
- Ensure sump pump is operating properly, discharging water away from the foundation
- Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding
- These could be an entry point for unwanted house guests such as insects and small pests
- Check the teleposts to make sure they are sufficiently supporting the beam
- If you notice a gap, adjust as required
- Change furnace filter and clean Heat Recovery Vent (HRV) and over the range hood filters if applicable
- Check for signs of termites
- They like to swarm in the spring, so beware of winged insects flying out of a hole in woodwork
- Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
- Inspect the roof and associated exteriors finishes for damages and leaks
- Clean and service fireplaces and chimneys
- Check and clean out your dryer vent to minimize fire hazards
- Check caulking and weather stripping throughout your home
- Get rid of any standing water to prevent mosquitos around the home
- Clean windows, screens and hardware
- Check screen doors and windows for holes and tears
- Inspect garage doors, driveways and walkways for damages
- Inspect deck for required maintenance if applicable
- Staining and resealing exterior woodwork is always a good idea
- Inspect private sewage system if applicable
- Check in on sprinkler and irrigation systems
- Inspect for broken heads, adjust points that spray the house (especially windows), street, sidewalk or porches
- Turn on water to outdoor taps and inspect for leaks
- Adjust your programmable thermostat for the spring temperatures
- Optimizes efficiency and lowers costs
Refer to our spring home maintenance checklist to help you maintain the integrity of value in your home, not to mention avoiding any potentially pricey fixes later! Of course, regardless of if you’re buying or selling, our team of experienced real estate professionals are here to help you navigate the spring housing market.
