Each new year we set personal goals and resolutions; however, have you ever thought about setting some resolutions for your home?  Home improvement goals will make it more efficient, cleaner and a beautiful place to spend time.  As the premier real estate agent for all your NOTL real estate needs, I would like to share the following home New Year’s resolutions with you.

Take the Minimalist Approach

If you are feeling overcrowded in your home, disorganized or just want to reduce the amount of clutter, why not take a minimalist approach?  Over the course of a year (or many years) we tend to accumulate a lot of unnecessary items that can begin to take up the limited space in your home.  Set a New Year’s goal to either reorganize or remove all your excess items.  To start, make three piles that include:

• A donation pile for the items that you are no longer using, have outgrown or just want to move on.
• A throw away pile for the items that have either worn out, are broken or are no longer of any value or worth.
• A recycle pile for the excess paper and electronic items or used batteries that cannot be put into a landfill.

Take the time to go through each room in your home thoroughly and be honest with yourself.

Here’s the Deal:

If you haven’t used an item in a year and it is not seasonal, it probably needs to be put in one of the three piles.

Go Green

A greener approach to your overall lifestyle is a great goal to set, not matter what the time of year.  A greener home will not only help you reduce your carbon footprint, but it may also save you some money in the long run.  Here are some very easy ways to become more energy efficient and save some money this winter.

• Turn down the thermostat. Try turning down the heat when you go to bed or when you leave the house.  Even turning the temperature of your home down a few degrees will save you money on your next heating bill.
• Turn off the lights in the rooms that you are not using. This simple tip will save you money and energy.
• Turn down your hot water tank by a few degrees. You won’t even notice the difference and again, this simple trick will save you money on your next heating bill.

Set a schedule

Time management is always a popular New Year’s goal.  While you are setting schedules for yourself, why not set a schedule for your home as well?  A weekly cleaning schedule is a great way to designate family chores and keep your home in tip-top shape.  Try to break your home cleaning schedule into two parts:

• Daily chores – tasks such as dishes, dirty clothes and hanging up or putting away clothes can all go under this list or schedule.
• Weekly chores – vacuuming, cleaning the toilet and bathtub or shower, organizing or picking up a room and taking out recycling etc. can all go under this category.

By setting a schedule and creating lists, you should be able to enjoy a clean and well organized home.  Make it fun and make it an entire family activity.

This New Year’s make sure to set a few goals for your home – you will not be disappointed.  If you are interested in other New Year home goals or would like to see some of the exciting real estate properties that are available in the NOTL region, please contact me today.  I look forward to working with you soon.

Happy New Year.

Typically, the spring season offers buyers a larger choice and selection of homes, so if you have been looking to get into the Niagara on the Lake real estate market, now is the time.  I would like to share the following tips that will find you your Niagara dream home this spring.

Find the Right Real Estate Agent

When you are looking for that perfect home, it is so important that you find a neighbourhood specialist.  A great understanding of the local real estate market and knowledge of the town and its distinct neighbourhoods cannot be over-stated.  Make sure that your real estate agent:

• Specializes in the area and has sold other homes similar to what that you are looking to buy.
• Is well respected and liked by other real estate agents – this will open up a large number of properties to you.
• Has a great sales record can be recommended by other buyers.
• Is friendly, professional and hardworking.

Get Pre-approved

Before you decide to go house hunting, sit down with a local bank or lender and see how much you will be pre-approved for.  There is nothing more frustrating when you find your perfect home only to find out that it is too far out of your price range.

Find a mortgage number that you are comfortable with and make sure to not over extend yourself, so that you are house poor.  You want to enjoy your new home, not be stressed out each month by trying to make a payment that you can barely afford.

Be Prepared

Although the spring real estate market brings a larger choice and selection of homes, it can also bring a wider group of potential buyers, which translates into a more competitive market.  Make sure that if you find a property that you like, you are prepared to put in an offer and are prepared to pay list price for that home.  Try not to get hung up on the asking price, but rather focus on what the home is worth to you.

Here’s the Deal:

If you find your dream house at a price that you can afford it will not matter if you pay a few thousand dollars more or less for that home over the course of 25 years.

Focus on the Home

When you are buying a home, make sure to focus on the home and not the sale or the owner.  It is of no importance whether the home is a foreclosure, a short sale or being sold by the original owner.  Rather focus on the location of the home and how that home will serve your needs.

Niagara on the Lake spring real estate market is the perfect time and place for you to find your dream home.  If you would like to see some of the new listings that are available or are interested in living in the Niagara on the Lake area, contact me today.

Fall is one of the most spectacular season in Niagara on the Lake.  The colours of the leaves combined with beautiful sunny weather and crisp mornings all make fall a special time of year.  Fall is also a great time to take advantage of the mild temperatures and do some much needed prep work on your home.

Here are some tips from the premier Bosley Real Estate team to help get your home in tip-top shape this fall.

Outdoors

Many of the fall preparations that should be done to your home are on the exterior.  Make sure to pick a few gorgeous, warm fall days, head outside and get your home fall ready.

Your focus should be on the eavestroughs and gutters.  It is important that these are free of leaves and other debris to allow for proper drainage.  Clogged gutters can quickly lead to pooling water, flooding or water damage, so make sure they are thoroughly cleaned as to avoid them plugging with the first big fall storm.

While you are up on your ladder inspecting and cleaning your gutters, take the time to inspect your roof as well.

Here are some tips on what you will want to look for while you are up there:

• Inspect all of the shingles on your roof and make sure none are curling or broken. Usually, shingles should last anywhere from 15-20 years before needing replacement, but it is a good idea to inspect them annually.
• Look at the flashing between the gutters and shingles to make sure that it is uniform and flat with no damaged pieces. Proper flashing means a watertight seal between your roof and gutters.
• Take the time to look at all seals and caulking around any vents on your roof. If the sealing looks damaged, replace it.

Finally, get out and rake your yard.  Not only do fallen leaves and other debris look unsightly, they can also pose a safety risk as well as a flooding problem if they clog storm sewers.  Dispose of the leaves in proper recycling bags.

Indoors

Not all of your home’s fall preparation is outside.  There are some very important jobs to do to prepare the interior of your home for fall and the upcoming winter months.

The most important indoor fall preparation tip involves weatherproofing all windows and doors in your home.  Improperly sealed windows and doors are the number one energy waster.  You will want to stop all cold air from entering your home before the chill of winter arrives.

Make sure to inspect the weather stripping on all doors and windows.  If the weather stripping is cracked or brittle, replace it.  Make sure that the new weather stripping is thick enough to provide a proper seal.

Here’s the deal:

For doors, sometime weather stripping isn’t enough, in this case, consider using a door sweep to seal the space at the bottom of the door and keep out that cold weather.

It is also a good idea to ensure that your smoke alarms as well as your carbon monoxide detector are working properly.  Replace any faulty alarms or replace the batteries as needed.

Niagara on the Lake in the Fall

Just one look outside your window or a drive through the picturesque scenery in and around Niagara on the Lake will show you what a special time fall really is in the area and why the region is such a coveted place to call home.  If you would like to see any of the gorgeous homes that are for sale in the area, please call today.  I would love to show you Niagara on the Lake in the fall.

The largest percentage of home buyers these days are Millennials.  This is a new generation of couples and families who are looking for features and qualities in homes that are quite different than your traditional home buyer.  To make your home more appealing to this large audience, Bosley Real Estate would like to offer the following guidelines to show you what Millennials are looking for in a home.

It’s What’s on the Inside that Counts

The traditional home buyer loved to think of all the possibilities in a potential home.  A new coat of paint, a quick interior redecoration, or perhaps even a renovation, were all part of the home buying process.

Well, with Millennials all of that is out the window.  Millennials are looking for a move-in ready home.  They have no interest in renovating or changing the colours on the wall.  To make your home more appealing to the Millennial set, I highly recommend that you show your home with a fresh coat of paint and a move-in ready look.

In addition to a move-in ready home, Millennials are looking for a modern feel to their home.  This means an open concept floor plan.  Believe it or not the two most important rooms to Millennials are the bathroom and the kitchen.

Besides an open-concept layout in the kitchen, other modern features that appeal to the Millennial set include:

• Granite counter tops.
• Stainless steel appliances and fixtures.
• A kitchen island.
• Sleek looking cabinetry.

Here’s the deal:

If you have been thinking about a renovation in your home, I suggest that you spend your money in either the kitchen or the bathroom.  Not only will these changes attract a new set of clients to your next open house, they may also increase the final sale price of your home.

Go Online

A strong online profile is another key to attracting Millennial buyers.  More than 90% of home buyers start their home search online.  This means that without a strong online home profile, you will be missing out on a huge percentage of possible buyers.

Make sure that your online portfolio includes bright, clear photos of your home as well as a brief video of your home that showcases each room in your house.  The entire rationale behind a strong online profile is to bring people to the next open house or to arrange private showings.

Location, Location, Location

The location of a home can be more important than either the modernity, square footage or even the home’s layout.  Many Millennials are looking for homes with access to green spaces, parks and high walkability scores.  Make sure to feature your home’s proximity to major landmarks such as community centres, downtown and trails to peak interest in your home.

Luckily, Niagara on the Lake is one of the most spectacular places in the province and its location is a huge selling feature.  If you would like more information about any of the listings in this special part of Ontario, please contact me today.  I look forward to working with you soon.

During my long career as a Niagara on the Lake realtor, I’ve assisted countless home buyers find their dream home. While there are a variety of considerations to make when purchasing a new home, the one that matters most in my experience is the neighbourhood where a home buyer chooses to live.

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Niagara-on-the-Lake real estate sits on land that has been settled for over 200 years. Everywhere you look, you see sites steeped in history. Our community is fortunate to have people passionate about this history. From ages seven to 77 and beyond, our local residents care enough to fight to preserve this history rather than see it fade away forever.

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