HomeownershipHomeownershipLifestyleSelling May 6, 2022

Your Top Tips For Downsizing

Summer is quickly approaching, which for most folks means that it is time to undergo the great purge–getting rid of unnecessary clutter in exchange for feeling refreshed and ready for some much-needed relaxing. That is perfectly understandable, considering the unbeatable summers that Saskatoon offers. However, chances are that if you’ve ended up here, you’re likely preparing for the big move and don’t want to be carrying around the extra stuff you’ll end up throwing away later. Or, maybe you’re retiring and looking to cut back on expenses. Perhaps there’s just too much extra space as the empty nest syndrome starts to kick in? Either way, downsizing to a smaller home is looking better and better. 

The Perks

As counterintuitive as it sounds, switching out for a smaller space can be incredibly freeing. Larger homes can take a lot of upkeep, and you can find that you feel you’re constantly cleaning, exhausted from fixing maintenance issues or spending a small fortune for others to do it for you. Moving into a smaller home or condo can be more suitable to your needs while also decreasing your property taxes, home insurance, maintenance expenses and house utilities, freeing up your cash flow for breathing room. 

Additionally, your property has likely appreciated over time, making for a satisfactory return on your investment. Especially with the current need for housing inventory, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to allow some growing family to make the most beautiful memories in the home as you did. 

Downsize vs Declutter

Depending on where you are moving, a simple declutter may be in order. However, if there’s a drastic change in square footage, there will need to be a different approach. The difference between decluttering and downsizing is the purpose of appearance and functionality. Instead of storing it away, you remove it from your home entirely. 

Tips

Anyone that has ever moved before knows all about the stress of it. Therefore, it’s best to start downsizing as soon as it is decided. We know it’s not simple, so here are some top tips for a successful transition!

  • Measure the new space and evaluate what is really important to you
  • Find a place for everything
  • Divvy up sentimental items 
    • Sometimes it is easier to offload your belongings knowing that it is going home to someone that will appreciate them
    • Be a generous giver
  • Be a generous giver
  • Start small and focus on one room at a time 
    • Ask yourself: 
      • Do I want it?
      • Do I use it?
      • Do I need it?
      • Do I like looking at it?
  • Minimize the duplicates
  • Have a yard sale
  • Go digital as much as possible 
    • Bills, paperwork, music, movies, etc

Thinking about selling and haven’t found your dream home for this next exciting new chapter? We can help!

BuyingBuyingHomeownershipLifestyleSelling April 29, 2022

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!

Buying April 8, 2022

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!