Sandra Lamoureux Home Dreams

Waking up yesterday, it felt like a fall day. I had to throw on slippers and a big sweater before pouring my first cuppa joe! I wasn't quite ready to turn on the furnace but was immediately craving anything pumpkin. Love fall!
Here is a checklist I came accross this morning on Houzz.com that has me inspired to get some stuff done around the house in the next couple weeks. Check it out!

 http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/30173423?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u631&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery1

In the business of real estate, we get asked all the time to evaluate client's homes when they're thinking about listing. For us this process involves viewing a home, going back to the office and pulling as many "comps" or comparables that we can find that are similar to the home. This is how we create your Comparative Market Evaluation. In a smaller town like Port Alberni the comps aren't always in the same neighborhood, but more importantly we review and compare the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square feet, and features...The most important thing to look at as a Seller, is not so much what is currently listed on the market, but what's actually been selling, and for how much. 
This is also helpful for Buyers considering offers. Have your Realtor (r) ( a memeber of the Alberni HOME Team, of course), pull comps for you, so you can make an educated decision! Your Realtor has access to these magical "comps" so we can help you!  Just another reason to use a licesed Realtor(r) to buy or sell in Alberni Valley! 

Tomorrow, April 25th, is Jean's Day for BC Children's Hopsital Foundation. Wear your jeans and pick up a button for $5 to support and raise awareness for our BC Children's Hospital. We are HUGE supporters of BCCH and Children's Miracle Network, and feel that  it's important to give as much as we can to help support these amazing foundations that help dozens of our local kids each year! 
We're proud to be part of RE/MAX Mid-Island Realty who maintains the status of being the local "Miracle Office", which means every Realtor in our office donates to BC Childrens Miracle Network on our clients behalf with every home sale! AWESOME, right!? Last year the HOME Team was able to contribute over $2500 to CMN from our home sales alone, thanks to our clients!
Click on the highlighted text for more info on Jean's Day as well as  Chilidrens Miracle Network! 

This morning was nasty  and rainy but there were a few new listings on tour that made going outside worth it. There were 7 listings to view today. So here's some of what we saw...

1. A retro South Port family home. Dated, but in great shape with loads of potential- 3 bedrooms, and 1.5 baths, all for under $170,000. 

2. A really great family sized home, well over 3,000sq ft on .52 of an acre in a country semi-rural setting. This house has a great home business space already in place. Super unique! 

3. Deal of the Day- A fixer upper in upper North Port for only $139,900. This little 2 bedroom rancher needs some updating, but at this price is a GREAT investment opportunity for a first time home buyer, invertor or retiree.

4. Cherry Creek Home- Home in popular Cherry Creek area with four bedrooms on .22 acre under $280k.

5. FEATURED LISTING- Amazing West Coast Design with lake views! This home is great for a large family or could be a lovely B&B. Five bedrooms and 4 bahrooms- $597,000. 

For more pictures and info check out- http://albernihometeam.com/mylistings.html/details-28905799

If you or anyone you know might be interested in any of the above mentioned properties, we'd love to hear from you! Cheers!  info@albernihometeam.com

We love our town with our beautiful spring/summer months, and mild winters,  but the fog and rain can make it seem like the winter months drag on and on. For tips at home that can help you improve your blues, check out the the attached link below "Boost Your Energy With Natural Light". 

Grow it! Rosemary:

Use it: Tea made from a thumb-sized piece has been known to lift spirits in people suffering from SAD (and hangovers too ;) ). Infuse warm red wine with rosemary, cinnamon and cloves to soother winter colds. From www.organicgardening.com 

If you're one of the many folks who suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), this is a great ariticle from Houzz.com. Lifting your spiritcs can be as easy as opening your blinds first thing in the morning, moving furniture in your home closer to windows, and taking a few moments to just look outside. Check it out! Click "Boost Your Energy with Natural Light".

Welcome to our first edition of "What we saw"! Every Tuesday morning all the Realtors go out on tour (or should go on tour), to see all the new listings that have come on the market in the past week. It's fast and furious. We jump in our cars and drive from one end of town to the other taking about two minutes to run through each house so we can get familiar with what's out there for you! 

All in one morning we'll see many different kinds of homes.  We see new homes, fixer upper's, tear-down's, character homes, luxury homes...Some houses look and smell like the animals have never been let out, and some are beautifully constructed and designed...The best ones (this doesn't happen all the time) are the ones that smell like fresh coffee and cookies, because there is fresh coffee and cookies. You know who you are, and we thank you! ;)

Here's what we saw today:

1. An awesome brand new rancher under $400k with with three bedrooms and two bathrooms in a newer subdivsion. This house has a nice open kitchen/living room with a really unique stonework fireplace. Best part...NO HST!

2. A unique 3 bedroom, 2 bath rancher on a quiet no-thru road with cute backyard. Listed under $340k.

3. If you're looking or staring to think about looking for your first home, or possibly just downsizing there were 4 houses on tour under $200k. 

4. Deal of the Day! There's always one listing that stands out. Today it was a home in a great North Port neighborhood. This beauty had bedrooms and 1 bath up, and two bedrooms 1 bath down. Totally updated, with wood floors and a ton of character, and a super cute fenced backyard. Under $180k. I'm betting this one will be a gonner in no time. 

To sum up today's tour, there was a couple great houses for folks that are looking to get into a nice rancher in great neighbohoods,and there were some decent home's for the first time home buyer, or retirees. If any of these peek your interest, you know how to find us! Thanks for stopping by!

It is unbelievable what we see on a daily basis in this business. We understand that life can be hectic and it can be hard to keep up with the dishes, laundry, toys, weeds, etc...But when it comes to selling your home, staging can be one of the most important, and beneficial things you can do (asides from pricing it right). ;)

"What is Staging" you say?

"Staging is preparing your home for sale so the Buyer can mentally move in" says Barb Schwarz, President of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals.

Why Stage your home?

Well this answer is easy. It works! It's been proven that a staged home leads to faster sales, and much more money in the sellers pocket on completion day. Statistics show the cost of staging your home will be less than you first price reduction.

If you can't afford to properly stage your home, don't worry, there's still a lot of tips here that won't cost you a thing!

Here are the basics:

1. Declutter & Depersonalize- This is so important. As much as you love your knick-knacks and keepsakes, tuck them away for the duration of your listing. A buyer needs to visualize their own life in your home, and those things along with too many family photo's can distract from their over-all impression.

2. De-odorize- If a home smells bad, it's hard to get the Buyer through the front door. Seriously! On many occasions, we've gone to show homes, and you open the front door, and WHAM! A nasty smell slaps you in face and your buyer says they dont need to see that one, as they head back to the car...You may be used to how your dogs favorite spot on the couch smells, but the your potential Buyer isn't. If you have pets (which we love, trust me), vaccuum and wash potentially smelly surfaces. Remove as much pet hair as you can.
Avoid cooking certain dishes the night before showings (fish, or foods heavy in spices). It may be time to have your carpets steam cleaned. There are a couple great local businesses we'd be happy to recommend. Don't burn or spray overly perfumy candles or sprays. Those too, could be off putting to somebody with sensitivities.

3. Curb Appeal- It's most important to get those potential buyers into your house. Most buyers shop online before calling their Realtor(r) to schedule showings, and the first thing they see is a picture of the front of your home. Hang a flower basket or two, maybe add a couple shrubs near the front door. Make sure that your lawn has been mowed, and open your blinds and have some lights on inside so it looks inviting! 

There are more great home staging tips in the link below. We're always available to help make suggestions on preparing your home to sell!