There's a reason why there are "kitchen and bath" stores, and even design magazines devoted to these rooms. A well-staged kitchen and bathroom can make the entire home look better. So, it's no surprise that professional home stagers pay particular attention to these spaces.

What do these pros have to say about bathrooms?

Professional stagers advise that you start by taking a picture of the room. Looking at that picture will give you a better sense of how others see your bathroom and reveal what needs to be changed.

Then, de-personalize it. When you’re showing your home to buyers, you want the bathroom to resemble a guest bathroom. So, no shaving kits, toothbrushes, sticky notes to self on the mirror, etc.

Stagers also recommend that anything worn be replaced. This will likely include the shower curtain and mats, which tend to wear and stain quickly.

Hang fresh new towels on the rack. (If you’re buying new towels for this purpose, choose white.) Put an unused bar of soap or hand cleaner next to the sink. Make it look like a freshly stocked hotel bathroom.

If required, paint the walls. Off-white colours, including beiges and light greys, work well.

As you can see, it doesn't take much to stage your bathroom and make it look its best for buyers.

Looking for more staging tips? Call today.

If you're thinking of listing your property, one thing that might be holding you back is concern about preparing your home for sale. You may be wondering how much work there will be. Is it going to take a couple of months? A couple of weeks? A few days?

That, of course, depends on the state of your property.

However, regardless of how close your home is to “show time” ready, there is plenty you can do to reduce how long that preparation takes. Consider these ideas:

• Sell stuff online. The less cluttered your home seems to buyers, the better it will show. So, make a list of items you want to sell, and then list them on one of the many local online market websites. Price items fairly and, chances are, you'll get rid of everything in a day or two.

• Have a repair day. Go through your home and make a list of everything that needs to be fixed. Then, schedule repair people to all come on the same day. Voila! In one day, all needed repairs (or, at least, most of them) are done.

• Get staging advice. Instead of guessing at what changes you need to make around your home to make it look its best, get expert staging advice. You’ll find out exactly what the experts suggest you do, and you'll save a lot of time and money. (By the way, I can provide you with that advice too.)

• Ask before making big improvements. Are you planning to convert a wood burning fireplace into a gas unit to help sell your home? Before doing any big improvements or renovations like that, talk to me. You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on an unnecessary project.

• Hire help. You don't have to do everything on your own. Get the help you need. For example, hire a painter, a cleaner, and/or a junk removal service. Those will significantly shorten the time it takes to prepare your home for sale and save you a lot of work. Also, the costs of those professionals may be off-set by the increase in the sale price of your home.

Bottomline: Preparing your home doesn't need to be overwhelming and time consuming. Contact me for more ideas to help get your home ready for sale, quickly.

It’s an honor to make this achievement.  To be there for my clients who needed me during these challenging & uncertain COVID19 times.  BIG THANKS to my BRAVE clients and to all who worked hard with me to make this happen. 

As an essential service and REALTOR® ABR® SRS® RENE, I will continue to help those who are in need of my help and adapt to the changes necessary to ensure the safety of all.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need my help.  

TOGETHER we can get through this.

STAY STRONG, STAY SAFE, STAF HEALTHY EVERYONE. ✊

Sales in Saskatoon were up 6.2%, going from 258 in March 2019 to 274 in March 2020, and up 7.2% in the overall region, going from 346 to 371. In both Saskatoon and the region, sales were less than 2.0% under the 5-year average while they were more than 10% below the 10-year average. Year-to-Date (YTD) sales in Saskatoon rose 8.2% over last year, increasing from 668 to 723, while YTD sales in the larger region also increased 8.8%, going from 891 to 969.

Sales volume was up 16.9% in the city, going from $81.4M to $95.1M in 2020 (1.3% above the 5-year average). YTD sales volume in the city was $240.2M, an increase of 12.6% from last year. In the region, sales volume was up 16.2%, going from $105.9M to $123.1M (1.2% above the 5-year average). YTD sales volume also increased 11.3% in the region, rising from $274.6M in 2019 to $305.7M in 2020.

Although total sales and sales volume were up, the number of new listings in March 2020 fell significantly from the number last year. In Saskatoon, new listings fell 14.2%, going from 702 to 602 (over 17.0% below the 5- and 10-year averages), while in the region the situation was even worse, with new listings falling 19.5% from 1,037 last year to 835 this year. Active listings also fell 9.9% in Saskatoon (down from 1,611 to 1,452) and 7.8% in the region (down from 2,864 to 2,641).

The sales to listing ratio was 45.5% in Saskatoon and 44.4% in the region suggesting somewhat balanced market conditions in the area.

Homes in Saskatoon stayed on the market an average of 55 days in March—down a modest 3.5% from 57 days last year (but still slightly above the 5-year average of 54 days). Homes in the region stayed on the market somewhat longer than homes in the city at 66 days on average in 2020, but also down from an average of 68 days last year.

Average home prices in Saskatoon went from $316,737 to $347,189 (an increase of 9.6%) and were approximately 3.0% above the 5- and 10-year average price. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI)—a more accurate measure of house price trends—is down 0.3% from $303,200 to $302,200. Average home prices in the region also increased 8.4%, going from $306,161 to $331,793, which is also approximately 3.0% above historical averages.  ~ April 2020 SRA News Release 

Looking for sound market advice?  As REALTOR® and Nationally Accredited Buyer Representative - ABR®, Seller Representative Specialist - SRS® and Real Estate Negotiation Expert - RENE, I can provide you with this advice. Call today.

No matter what you think of snakes, you must agree that they have a unique way of dealing with worn-out skin. When the time comes, they simply shed it — like an old jacket — revealing a fresh new skin underneath.

Your home's roof doesn't have that advantage! So, when the shingles wear out or become damaged, you need to have them replaced.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to determine whether your shingles need replacement right away, or whether you can hold off for another year. Assuming your home has the most common type of shingles — asphalt — here's what to look for:

• Corners upturned on some shingles.

• Missing shingles. • Shingles lifting during high winds and not settling back into place (flat) within a day or two.

• Heavy accumulation of shingle debris (particles) in the gutters.

• Shingle bits and pieces found on the ground around your home.

• Spots on your roof that still look wet a day or two after a rainfall. (This could be a sign of water infiltration into the felt or even the roof deck.)

If you have any of these signs, be sure to have a roofing contractor take a closer look.

Before investing in a new roof, be sure to check with the retailer or contractor who supplied the original materials. Your shingles might still be under warranty.

Bottomline: Don't delay. You don't want to wait until you hear drip drip drip before taking action!

Saskatoon and region continued to show growth in the residential real estate market. Sales of 230 in the city were up 9% from 211 in February 2019, and the region saw sales grow 11% from 283 last February to 314. Sales were above the 5-year average of 295, but still below the 10-year average of 338. Year to date (YTD), sales were up over last year; 9% in the city, from 412 to 449, and 8.6% in the full region from 556 to 604.

Sales dollar volume was also up. In the city there was a 3.2% increase of $73.7M over last February, and in the region, last month’s $93.5M sales were up 7.4% over 2019’s $87.1M. YTD sales dollar volume was up 10% in the city to $145.1M and up 7.6% in the region to $183.7M.

The number of new listings decreased in both the city, down 2.7% from 481 to 468, and in the region, down 3.2% from 709 to 686. The 2,588 active listings in the region were down from 2,699 in 2019 and the 5-year average of 2,781, however still above the 10-year average of 2,494.

The sales to listing ratio in Saskatoon is 49%, and 46% in the region. Balanced market conditions exist in the 40-60% range, while below 40% is considered to favour buyer’s, and over 60% suggests a seller’s market.

Homes were on the market an average of 82.9 days in the region, up from 69.4 days at the same time last year, and 73.7 days in the city, up from 58.5.

The average home price in the city was $320,249, down 5.3% from $338,268 at this time in 2019. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI), a more accurate measure of housing price trends, however, is up 1.1% from $282,500 last year to $285,600. In the region, the average home price was down 3.2% to $297,724.

“We see the trend of increased sales and decreased listings continue in Saskatoon and region,” says Jason Yochim, CEO of the Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association (SRA). “If this continues, we anticipate seeing prices increase. Upcoming changes to the mortgage stress test rules this April will likely start to positively affect our residential markets, as well, and we should see more potential home buyers qualifying for mortgages and subsequently entering the market.”  ~ March 2020 SRA News Release 

Looking for sound market advice?  As REALTOR® and Nationally Accredited Buyer Representative - ABR®, Seller Representative Specialist - SRS® and Real Estate Negotiation Expert - RENE, I can provide you with this advice. Call today.

Let's face it. Planning events, even exciting ones like an overseas vacation, can be stressful. So, it's not surprising that some homeowners — even those thrilled about moving — can slip into "worry mode" when putting their property up for sale.

Unfortunately, this anxiety can make the process of selling an unpleasant experience. Who wants that? So here are some things you can do to reduce selling stress and enjoy the adventure.

• Understand the selling process. The more you know about the steps involved in selling your home, the less mysterious — and, therefore, less stressful — it will be.

• Give yourself the time you need. Feeling rushed and stressed comes from trying to do too much in too little time. Even if you're selling quickly, it's important to block off sufficient time in your calendar for the things you need to do. 

• Take care of yourself. As television psychologist Dr. Phil often points out, you can't give what you don't have. When it comes to selling your home, that means you need to eat well and stay healthy, so you have the energy you need throughout the process.

• Make your home attractive to buyers. That not only means tidying up and doing a little home staging, it also means setting the right listing price. Nothing eliminates the stress of selling more than having flocks of qualified buyers interested in your home.

• Get the help you need. You don't have to do everything on your own. That's why working with me is so advantageous. I take care of the many details for my clients so that they can enjoy the journey.

Sure, there are going to be a few stressful moments. However, the process of listing and selling your property, while looking for your next dream home, can be an exciting experience. Let me help you. Call today.

Two of the biggest stressors for DIYers are projects that cost too much or take too long. Unfortunately, there’s no sure way to guarantee that one or the other (or both) won’t happen. But there is a lot you can do to minimize the probability.

When budgeting, a big mistake DIYers make is not considering the little things. For example, you might budget for drywall panels but neglect to include the cost of nails, tape and plaster. It's easy to overlook these small items thinking they won't add up to much of an expense. But often they do. In fact, for many renovation projects, the little things account for up to 20% of the cost.

Another expense that is often overlooked is taxes. When you find a bathtub you like for $399, be sure to budget for what you'll actually pay out-of-pocket. Also, don't forget possible delivery expenses.

A budgeting tip many experts recommend is to price everything you need and then add 10%. That gives you a buffer.

Regarding scheduling, consider whether or not you've done this type of project before. If you're laying hardwood floors for the first time, there's a learning curve. You'll likely take two or three times longer than you would if you were more experienced.

Even if you have experience with the type of project you’re undertaking, it's human nature to underestimate how long it will take. So, if you feel confident you can install that sink in an hour, give yourself two.

A lot of this, of course, is common sense. But if you take a common sense — rather than an optimistic — approach to budgeting and scheduling, you'll stand a much better chance of your DIY project going smoothly.

Imagine you're looking for a new home. You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list. However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria.

What do you do? You have a few good options.

First, you can take a second look at your list. Does your new home need every single feature on it? Are there one or two features you can do without? For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything else you want?

Often, buying a home that's close to perfect is perfect enough.

Second, consider what features you might be able to add to a home later, by way of a renovation or other improvement. If a property doesn't have a finished basement, for example, you might be able to get that done down the road. Indeed, there are probably many features you can add later to an otherwise desirable property.

Finally, consider the current level of activity in the local real estate market. Is it likely that a lot of new homes will be coming on the market soon? If so, your perfect home may come up on the market within the next few weeks.

Maybe even tomorrow!

In that situation, make sure you arrange to get immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria. You'll want to jump on each new opportunity before other buyers learn of the listing.

The good news is, in most cases you should be able to find and buy a great home, with most — if not all — of the features you want.

As you can probably guess, when you're preparing to move, you'll need boxes and tape — and, perhaps some bubble-wrap or old newspapers to use as protective wrapping for delicate items.

But that may not be all you need. Take a look at this list and see if you'll want any of these on hand while you’re packing or on moving day.

 • Color markers for labeling boxes. (Tip: Color coding boxes by room will make unpacking much easier.)

• Stretch wrap to protect larger items that can't fit into a box. 

• Small plastic bags to store dis-assembled parts, such as sofa legs, cabinet hardware, etc. (You don't want to lose them!)

• Moving blankets to protect floors.

• A dolly or hand truck to move heavy items. (You can rent these.)

• Mattress moving bag. This helps prevent stains and tears during your move. You can also buy specialty bags for sofas and tables.

• Reusable foam furniture sliders, to protect floors when furniture needs to be pushed into place.

• Foam corner protectors. This prevents furniture with sharp corners from banging and damaging other items during a move.

Planning ahead and having the right packing materials on hand will make your move less stressful and, hopefully, damage-free!

The Saskatoon residential housing market finished off on a positive note with yet another strong month of sales in December.

In the city of Saskatoon, there were 203 sales in 2019, up 24.5 percent from 2018 where 163 sales were recorded. Sales volume also increased by 8.3 percent from $55.2 million in 2018 to $67.8 million despite a slight decrease in the average home price of 1.4 percent from $338,471 to $333,857.

The region also saw increases over last year with 49 sales up from 43 – an increase of 14 percent. Sales volume rose 10.4 percent over last year from $13.6 million to $15 million, while the average price fell 3.2 percent to $295,743 from $307,764.

While sales increased, the number of listings in the city decreased 2.9 percent from 311 last December to 302 in 2019, bringing the sale to listings ratio to 67 – an indicator of a market slightly favouring sellers. Active listings have also been steadily declining year over year with 1,713 active listings at the end of December, down 5.5 percent from 1,813 listings a year ago and 4.6 percent fewer than the five year average.

The area surrounding Saskatoon, which includes Warman, Martensville and Dalmeny, saw a significant increase in listings, up 37.4 percent with 136 last month over the 99 at the same time in 2018. The region is seeing an opposite effect from the city in the sale to listings ratio, which at 36, tends to suggest a trend towards a buyers’ market.

“It’s great to end the year with strong sales in all regions,” says Jason Yochim, CEO of the Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association (SRA). “We are still well below 5 – and 10 – year averages in sales, listings and dollar volume, but things are looking positive and we hope to see trends continue in that direction.”

As the year comes to a close, the numbers seen in December reflect the overall trend for 2019. Saskatoon listings in 2019 totaled 7,745, down 2.64 percent from 7,955 in 2018, while the region saw very little change from 2,945 last year to 2939 at December 31, 2019.

Sales were up in the city in 2019 from 3,325 to 3,604 – an increase of 8.3 percent. The region saw a slight decrease of 3.75 percent from 986 to 949.

Total sales volume for 2019 in the city saw a 7.8 percent increase from $1.1 billion in 2018 to $1.2 billion. The region outside of Saskatoon, however, saw 2019’s $280 million down 7.5 percent from $303 million in 2018.  ~ January 2020 SRA News Release 

When buyers come to see your home, the first thing they notice is how your property looks from the curb. That first impression is powerful and lingering. If buyers don't like what they see, it can influence how they judge the rest of your property, regardless of how great it looks on the inside.

You definitely want to do whatever you can to boost curb appeal. Here are six affordable ideas to consider:

1. Driveway sealing. This makes the pavement look darker and less faded. It also helps cover up some of the cracks. Sealing won't give you the "brand new" look of repaving, but it's close — and significantly less expensive.

2. Exterior window washing. Washing the front windows makes them look clean and bright. In fact, the effect can be stunning. There are window washing products that connect to your hose to make this job easier. Check your home improvement retailer.

3. Maintaining shrubs, hedges and flower beds. Trimming the hedges, shrubs and other evergreens can make a big difference in how your property looks from the street. It's like giving them all a haircut! Flowering plants can also brighten up the look.

4. Front door painting. From the curb, a buyer's eye is naturally drawn to your front door. If your entry system looks old and worn, consider a fresh coat of paint. It can make the entrance look almost new.

5. Garage door painting. This is a bigger project that can take a day or two, but the effort might be worth it. For many homes, the garage door is the biggest item in the curb appeal panorama. Making it look better will have a big impact.

6. Removing unsightly items. Look at your home from the street. Are there items in your field of vision that take away from the curb appeal? For example, are there garbage cans and other items stowed along the side of the property and visible from the road? If so, move them.

If you're selling your home, making the best first impression is crucial. You don't want buyers to drive by simply because they don't like what they see from the outside. Use these tips to boost your home's curb appeal.