Most people understand curb appeal without giving it much thought. When you see a house painted in a colour you like or don’t like, curb appeal kicks in. The colour of the house provides a first impression of your home. That first impression begins the process of building interest or lack of interest in your home from a potential buyer.

With a multitude of colours, it is impossible to please everyone when it comes to your house colour but there are many things you can do that will appeal to almost every potential buyer. Each little thing you improve on adds to the overall curb appeal of your home.

Work on the five tips below. These tips will help to move your home’s curb appeal to a higher level. For other FREE tips that can make a big difference in the selling price of your home contact me. Contact | Jack Latimer, RE/MAX Right Move (getjack.info)

If you are thinking about changing the outside colour of your home, Home Decor specialist Emily Bihil has some thoughts at 8 Designer-Endorsed House Colors to Seriously Upgrade Your Curb Appeal (mydomaine.com). Ashley Knierim also has 18 house colours to consider at 18 Exterior Paint Color Ideas for a Beautiful Home (mydomaine.com)

Welcome to October

Besides celebrating Thanksgiving in October, if you also celebrate a birthday this month did you know that you could have a messy home and a praiseworthy backyard. Those are two things that identify people born in October.

Those born in October can also often have vivacious personalities and can connect well with others. They’re often the life of the party. And, when it comes to making decisions in life – or in their home décor – they tend to be bold risk-takers.

If you were born in October or you know someone who has a birthday this month find out more about those born in October and the style of their homes HERE.

Before you renew your mortgage it is important to review where you’re at, where you want to go and what is best for you.  That involves doing a little homework before you sign for your mortgage, but it can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. 

One of the biggest errors many people make when it comes time to remortgage is not asking for better rate.  Just because you have a mortgage, it doesn’t mean you have to remain with your current lender when it is time to renew.  There could be other options that are much better for you and rate is only one thing to consider.  

Cory Davis provides you with 10 Things to Consider Before Renewing Your Mortgage at this Real Estate 101 feature through Realtor.ca

For years brass has been on the sidelines, but it’s making a comeback. Here are ways homeowners can incorporate the finish to add glamour and help homes stand out.

After years of chrome, stainless steel, and nickel being the shining stars of interior metals, brass is back and starting to steal the show.

As with many home furnishings trends, the comeback was inspired by what’s occurring in fashion. In this case, gold and rose gold watches became influencers a few years ago, says Chicago designer Tom Segal of Kaufman Segal Design, who thinks that home furnishings styles tend to be cyclical. Now he’s adding small brass details to rooms in the same way a gold watch might peek out of a shirt cuff.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

The last five years has once again shown that rising house prices make buying the right house a good investment. However, that can’t be said for all buyers. 

With the wrong mortgage, even the right house can turn into a financial disaster for a buyer.

The rules surrounding being approved for a mortgage can be frustrating for some, but they are in place to actually protect you from heading into something that is not right for you. 

Simply put, finding a mortgage while having a poor credit rating isn’t totally impossible, but what becomes possible isn’t always good for you. You need to ensure you are getting into a manageable mortgage or your dream of getting a house can quickly become a long term nightmare.

Among other things considered in approving a mortgage, the lender checks credit scores. To qualify for the best interest rate, you typically need good credit and good credit scores. Most established mortgage lenders do not offer loans to people with bad credit, but some lenders might lend to borrowers with lower credit scores.

For a buyer recognized as having a low credit score the mortgage funds, if secured, will normally come with a higher interest rate than the average posted rates from leading lenders. The reason for the higher rate is understandable.  The lender sees the borrower as a higher risk. The source of funds for lower credit score buyers can sometimes be found through private lenders who are willing to take a chance on someone with a lower credit score, but the private lender will want a higher return in doing so.

In Canada, credit scores range from 300 (just getting started) up to 900 points, which is the best score. 650 is the magic middle number – a score above 650 will likely qualify you for a standard loan while a score under 650 will make things difficult.  

Whether you have a good credit score or a low credit score it is advisable to shop around for the best mortgage rate and mortgage terms. You need to know in advance of agreeing to a mortgage of any possible hidden costs in the event you ever need to be relieved of the mortgage commitment down the road. 

As an example, there might be a penalty if you were to sell your home prior to the expiry date of the terms of the mortgage you agreed to. You also need to ask if your mortgage would be portable to another home purchase and if there is any cost in doing so.

There can be large financial penalties with some mortgages when you go to sell and you have not reached the full term of your current mortgage.

Higher interest rates can mean higher mortgage payments and a can also mean a longer time to pay down the mortgage principal depending on your payment schedule which can be a huge added expense over the long haul.  

Being approved for a loan can be a happy day for a potential buyer, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you should get over-excited until you do your homework about the terms for that approved mortgage.

Deal with a trusted lender who clearly outlines all the details of your mortgage. There are many banks, credit unions and mortgage brokers who can assist you in this area and I would be happy to provide you with several contacts. 

Whatever you do, don’t stick your head in the sand to many of the realities that exist surrounding getting a mortgage from just anyone.

There is no cost or obligation for you to utilize any of my buyer services including details you should consider when getting a mortgage and how to go about it.   I would be happy to answer some of your questions and put you in contact with a qualified mortgage consultant. Contact me if I can assist in any way.

Many of the buyers I take through homes, in fact, I would say nine out of ten buyers seem to always say “Wow, I Love That” when they see this in a home.  

If you’re looking for something to add a wow factor to a room in your home, the barn door might be the right way to go if it fits the decor.

Plain unfinished barn doors can be purchased for a couple of hundred dollars, however, when it comes to catchy designs the price tag jumps considerably.  ( It seems to always be the catchy designs that get more wows.) 

The attractive Urban Woodcraft Barn Door in the picture above can set you back close to $1,000, but you can build a barn door with a modern twist at a fraction of the cost and here’s how.

 I came across the plans for the door below which might start your creative juices flowing to create your own design.  Get all the materials needed for the door and the step- by- step plans from Michelle’s site at Breaking Down The Box  (Click HERE. ) 

If you’re planning to sell your home I would be happy to provide other ideas to add value to your home.   Contact me for a FREE home-evaluation and tips on what you should do and don’t have to do to sell your home fast and for top dollar.