Just Around the Bend

When buying a home, you want to make sure you’re searching in ideal areas. An average family, for example, will look for areas that have short commutes, parks, and schools that are in the area of the home that they are touring. An average older person, however, would be looking for places that are nearby places of worship or recreational centers for their quieter lives. Things like these make all the difference in your home buying choice that can also add on to the price of the homes. Making small sacrifices will most likely be a part of your overall decision but will be completely worth your while, assuming that they would only be small sacrifices.

There are also certain things that you should avoid when buying. Areas that surround water treatment plants aren’t too great, the smell can be too overwhelming some days. Being too close to train stations and yards including subway underpasses can be noisy and dangerous for anyone. You’ll probably want to avoid Fire Houses, Hospitals, and Police Stations as well. Even though they are keeping us all safe, it’s not very appealing to live where sirens will be sounding. Busy highways and streets are a huge factor when you’re making a home buying decision. If it makes you’re commute a little less dreadful then that’s ok, but you really shouldn’t live near them when you have smaller children. The streets are not regulated with “Watch For Children” signs and they’re bad news for many accidents. Searching in slummier areas should be something else for everyone to avoid, too. You never know what types of people are lurking in alleyways and on quiet streets so avoid being near clinics and bars.

Another factor is weather. Does it rain a lot? Are there worse storms that blow through this area? Do Tornados come through here? Depending on the lifestyle and home that you are looking for, weather can be very important to avoid or strive for in an area. You could be looking at a very nice home with a really ideal price but did you ever stop and think that weather might hit this area very hard? Lots of rain can affect your basement and sewage. If the home floods too much due to weather conditions, it’s not really worth the buy.

You will also want to avoid looking in places that make you go over budget, staying at least $10,000 under your budget should allow a little wiggle room for any possible changes that might need to be made. Looking in newly renovated homes will not please you in price so look at home that could have the carpet torn up to reveal a rustic hardwood or kitchen cabinets that could be painted over easily.

I found a checklist the other day that will be useful when looking at homes. You can print it off or you can hire me as your agent to get as many as you need and as you tour homes, you can write down what applies to the homes.

You’ll want to make several copies of this checklist and fill one out for each home you tour. Then, comparing your ratings later will be easy: http://www.sarahlunn.com/account/3fb6b08b597d28e4/pdfs/checklist.pdf

September's Final Weekend Events

This weekend will be featuring a few small events that the whole family might enjoy. First up, there is the Pumpkin Festival which will be hosted at Chappell Farms in Barrie on Penetanguishene Road, Just off of Hwy 11, next to the 400. Next, is the Culture Days event, where you can choose to spend this weekend to celebrate your culture, like going to see a Bollywood movie or eating in a Tavern. You can also tryout for under 17 rep soccer teams in Innisfil on the 30^th in Innisfil Beach Park. Please see schedules below for more details on all of these events.

Pumpkin Festival

HOURS OF OPERATION
9:00am - 5:00pm

ADMISSION
Weekdays:
$6.00 per person, which includes HST
Children under 2 are free
Weekends & Holidays:
$11.00 per person, which includes HST
Children under 2 are free

ATTRACTIONS
Farmyard animals - Hay Maze - Corn Maze - The Boo Barn

Trike Track - Sand Diggers - Play Area
Pick your own Pumpkin

Added attractions on weekends and holidays:
Magic Shows - Live Entertainment - Jumping Castle (weather permitting)

The Haunted Barn "theme changes yearly"
Agile Canines Performance Team Information

 

Innisfil Rep Soccer Tryouts

Innisfil S.C. Competitive Tryouts for 2012/2013

Age based on 2013 Location Time Dates

Under 9 Boys & Girls Select Born 2004 Innisfil Beach Field 1 9am - 10:30am

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 10 Boys & Girls Select Born 2003 Innisfil Beach Field 2 9am - 10:30am

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 11 Boys & Girls Rep Born 2002 Innisfil Beach Field 1 10:30am - 12pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 12 Boys & Girls Rep Born 2001 Innisfil Beach Field 2 10:30am - 12pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 13 Boys & Girls Rep Born 2000 Innisfil Beach Field 1 12pm - 1:30pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 14 Boys & Girls Rep Born 1999 Innisfil Beach Field 2 12pm - 1:30pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 17 Boys Rep Born 1996 Innisfil Beach Field 1 1:30pm - 3pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

Under 17 Girls Rep Born 1996 Innisfil Beach Field 1 1:30pm - 3pm

Sept 29, 30 & Oct 6

One Time-$10 Tryout fee - Location: Innisfil Beach Park, Innisfil ON
Innisfil Club Office: 7328 Yonge Street, Innisfil, ON L9S 4B9 info@innisfilsoccer.ca 705-431-4516

 

I hope that everyone has an excellent weekend with their families and friends! Please call me at any time if you spot a property that you like that is for sale while going to these events.

Take Charge

 

Have you ever had a person speak down to you, as if you were lesser? Has it ever been done to you by a real estate agent? Some agents may think that they know a lot more than others and can control how you sell your home or what you buy. If you won’t buy something that doesn’t look good on you from Le Chateau or H&M, then why should you buy a home that just doesn’t feel right?

I support the knowledge of the client. If you brush up on your real estate knowledge and current real estate sales, no real estate agent should get in your way. As a client, you are entitled to opinion, suggestions, or even changing your mind about buying or selling your home.

Unfortunately, there are adult bullies that think that their own opinion matters most.  You should never let someone push you around and force you into hastily making a very big decision. If there’s ever an issue will your agent, whether they’re lazy or just plain rude, you can always seek refuge with me. All you have to do is search for homes that you like and if they’re off the market or a bit out of price or commute range, I can give you some suggestions on other houses that fit your criteria. We can look for as long as you need to, there is never any rush and I am always just a phone call away. There will always be an answer.

Never let someone bully you into making big decisions way too fast. If you aren’t satisfied then don’t keep in touch with them. When buying a home, find a real estate agent that fits you and a home that will cater to all of your needs. And, if you ever want a place in the area, just let me know!

 

-Sarah

Rainy Days and Real Estate

We all know that a nice looking car can seem so much more appealing when water runs down the side of it and washes all the dirt off. Question is; how can rain benefit the real estate business? Houses that have siding instead of brick tend to look a lot cleaner in the rain. Make sure, however, to always clean the siding when selling your home. No one wants to move into a place that always looks dirty. Rainy days also hit a home with a certain natural light. Your home needs to look good in both the sun and in the rain.

If you’re interested in gardening, take advantage of that on the warmer, sunnier days! Small flowers and trees along with statues can make a house look so much more inviting. Rain gives gardens plenty of water which makes plant life look much livelier. As for statues, like cherubs and engraved pathway stones, they become cleaner and stand out more on a gloomy day. Just like today!

Not to mention, the interior must also look good in the rain. You want a feeling of softness and warmth, not an empty, harsh lighted head ache. Try getting a light dimmer or put some lamps in a few rooms to give more variety for a buyer to look at. On rainy days let the lamps be the winner, not the overhead fixture. This goes for both light and dark rooms. Darker rooms need a yellower light to tone it up but in a lighter room setting, they look good in anything, just make sure it looks inviting. The lighting inside should not overly clash with the sun outside, whether it’s rain or shine. Let the lights blend and the house might as well sell itself!

So, if you’ve got a couple of buyers coming in for showings or you’re out looking at homes, both you and them should be able to stop by a place that looks happy in the rain and enjoy your once gloomy day!

"Lazy" Houses on the Market

When to Know Your House is “Lazy”

Let’s face it, it’s a new century and as we come up to the end of 2012, we might all start to rethink about our choice of living space. Some questions to ask are:

Do I feel happy to come home?

Is my commute too far?

Can I afford to move?

Am I too old to be on my own?

Can I afford to keep this house now?

If you start feel excited about the idea of moving, it might be time to. These questions can help answer this gloominess that you’ve felt for so long in your home. First you have to start by searching for a new home, or a few to get an idea of where you want to go in your search. Then, you call a realtor (like myself) and start talking about all the options. You will eventually get through an easy process of finding the perfect place, when suddenly; you think “I have to sell my place now, too!” Over time, some houses don’t stay as appealing asthey were at first which means the house is “lazy”. Feelings of surprise andconcern arise when the flow of other buyers stop wanting to look at your place. Have you considered small renovations? A small action, such as painting can mean a lot to the market value and appeal. In the time that you have lived atthis home, you’ve essentially come to be a part of it. The décor and rooms have caught the fever of your personality and that can be hard to pass on to someone else. You have to make the space neutral, a place to spark ideas and to stir up an other’s imagination. Let’s face it; it is no longer your place. Being a smart seller doesn’t mean that updating your home will be cheap, but it will benefit everyone. And if you are in fact too elderly for these DIY jobs,explain this to your realtor and they will get the house on the right track. Ask and you will receive!

That’s also what I’m here for. My creativity and motivation will get us both far. Visit my Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook pages for some ideas and give me a call assoon as you can. There is always an answer for any buyer or seller. Have a great day to all!

-Sarah