Royal LePage has put together a list of recommendations to assist home sellers sell their home during a cooler market.

• DO – Make the first impression count
• DON’T – Forget about the little things
• DO – Declutter and depersonalize
• DON’T – Overspend on the upgrades
• DO – Practice good showing etiquette
• DON’T – Think in the past

Details here.

Sellers

A recent post from Royal LePage details how to maximize your return on investment with regards renovations. Of course, I always add that unless you have experience, be careful of do-it-yourself projects – if not done correctly or professionally, it may not add the value you expect. Another point to consider is don’t make any renovations too personal, try to keep it to something that will appeal to more people and not get dated. Or, if it is something that will get dated, limit how much of it there is and so it’s cost to replace is limited.

Buyers

When looking at the asking price of a home and comparing to other recently sold properties take the above points into consideration.

Royal LePage has put together a blog post on improvements that increase your home’s value. Not surprisingly kitchens top the list. Details here.

Amusingly I stumbled upon another post that lists those improvements that decrease the value of your home. Some listed are dated updates, but some are current choices. Two that stand out for me are combining 2 rooms – I think that can be good according to how many rooms you have, but converting a two bedroom condo into a one bedroom is not necessarily a good idea. And my favourite, or I should say least favourite: do it yourself. If you do improvements yourself be sure they are done properly otherwise they are improvements that a buyer recognizes as something that must be redone.

People find the most intriguing things in their houses when they’re doing renovations. Click here.

Royal LePage proposes New Year’s resolutions for new homeowners. The list includes:

• Create a list of quick, inexpensive fixes and get those done first;
• Spend your time and effort on the space that will make you the most happy;
• Make your home more functional;
• Invest in art to find your style and create interesting spaces;
• Make your home more energy efficient;
• Join the community and explore your neighbourhood.

Details here.