Your Complete Guide to Pest-Proofing This Fall

To prevent an onslaught of pests from occupying your house as the weather cools, simply  follow the National Pest Management Association guidance presented in this post from Bob Villa. Seal cracks in the exterior envelope, especially where utility pipes enter, with silicone caulking.  Fill larger gaps inside your home with steel wool. Pests avoid the […]

How to Stage Your Home for Fall Showings

  This Zillow.com post by Nathalie Wise suggests that the time and cost of staging your home can result in higher sale prices and less time on the market.  Remove clutter, store items that could distract viewers and move furniture away from walls to make your spaces appear larger.  Clear counters and deep clean everywhere […]

8 Deer-Resistant Elegant Evergreen Shrubs to Plant This Fall

  Shrubs bestow privacy, a sense of enclosure and a splash of colour during winter.  In this houzz.com post, Brian Barth gives hope to discouraged homeowners who are tired of watching the local deer population feast on their shrubs.   Needle-bearing shrubs like the juniper will survive deer grazing, but they can lack artistic appeal.  […]

How Will Real Estate Markets React To The Liberals’ Election Victory?

  The Liberal Party’s successful election campaign included a promise to stimulate the economy by increasing infrastructure spending with deficit budgets. How will these changes effect the country’s real estate market? Until details are released, the exact consequences are difficult to determine, but some possibilities have emerged.   Foreign Investment   We don’t know what […]

Winter Lawn Care: 4 Steps to Protect Your Turf

In the fall, homeowners may be surprised to discover that lawn care is much more important than it was during spring. Fall seeding ensures optimal root growth and mulching over raking leaves will help maintain a healthier appearance for your outdoor space all season long! Fall can have you fooled into thinking there’s not too […]

6 Misperceptions About Home Staging

  In this insightful Realtor Magazine post, interior decorator and professional stager Patti Stern explodes six myths about home staging.   The Cost of Staging For example, some sellers consider staging too expensive.  In reality, it actually saves you money because 95 percent of staged homes sell in 11 days or less and sell for […]

Home Improvements – Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional?

Completing a DIY project can be tremendously fulfilling and financially rewarding. But, bite off more than you can chew, and you might be looking at some major expenses to fix the damage or, even worse, a catastrophic incident. Before grabbing your toolbox, accomplish a quick risk-reward analysis. Then, determine if you have the skills and […]

4 reasons to buy a home before the end of the year

Does cooler weather mean that you should cool down your house hunt?  Absolutely not!  Sellers who have homes listed during the colder months are usually motivated to sell and list prices are typically lower in December…but wait…there’s more! Traditionally, housing markets cool down at year end, but this Business Insider post suggests taking advantage of […]

How Will Legalized Pot Affect Canadian Real Estate Markets

  No matter what you think about the ethics or morality of legalizing marijuana, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has promised to do just that during their first term.  The fact is, we started down that path when medical marijuana was legalized. So, how will this impact real estate markets in Canada?   The Colorado Housing […]

Market Update | Ottawa Real Estate Stats October 2015

  Here are the latest statistics from the Ottawa Real Estate board.  Statistics are useful in establishing trends but should not be used as an indicator of an increase or decrease in value of specific properties.  If you are curious about the value of your home and/or specific neighbourhood statistics  please contact us anytime, we would  love […]