What Buyers Want To See When They Walk Into A Room

When a buyer views your property, they're likely to visit each room and look around. Their imagination is turned on high. Often, within just a few moments in a space, they'll form an impression - ideally, a positive one! 

So, how do you ensure each room shows well? Here's what buyers want to see: 

1. Space. Buyers will often mentally fit their furniture into a room when they see it. So, make sure each room is uncluttered and staged in a way that showcases its spaciousness. 

2. Functionality. Buyers want to see the room for what it is. So, if it's a bedroom, but you've turned it into an exercise room, it might become a distraction to buyers. Consider restoring the room to its original purpose. 

3. Themselves. Buyers want to imagine the room is part of their home, not yours. They want to see themselves in it. That's why it's smart to depersonalize the space as much as possible. For example. replace the family picture on the wall with a landscape print. 

Anticipating how buyers will view each room will help you stage your property effectively. 

Products For the Kitchen & Bathroom

Without question, the most popular home renovations include upgrades to kitchens and bathrooms. So, it makes sense to keep track of the many new products available for these rooms before budgeting and planning a project. Here are just a few items you might take into consideration, as part of a modern upgrade:

• A kitchen faucet that responds to verbal commands like a smart phone or home tub, allowing you to call for hands-free temperature settings and volume control. 
• A kitchen compactor that looks like an ordinary trash bin for scraps and refuse, but automatically compacts it to minimize trips to the curb and reduce landfill volume. 
• An "aromatherapeutic" showerhead that infuses essential oils into the waterflow and disseminates aromatic scents. 
• A bath faucet and showerhead combination that lets you set the temperature remotely by smartphone or program ahead like a thermostat, so it's ready for you the moment you get out of bed! 
• For a less expensive upgrade, a decorative drain cover that catches hair for easy removal before it can clog pipes. 
  
• If money is no object, an "infinity" bathtub that overflows into a floor drain and a fully "touchless" toilet. 

7 Quick And Easy Ways To Refresh Your Home On a Budget

At one time or another, most of us have experienced the feeling of looking around our home and no longer being satisfied or inspired by its interior. Maybe you tried a few trends that don’t look quite as fresh as they once did or perhaps the wall color you once loved now feels drab or outdated.

Regardless of your reasons, it’s nearly inevitable that at some point you’ll feel ready to refresh your home with new and inspiring updates. However, sometimes our budgets aren’t quite as big as our motivations for change.

Fortunately, there are quite a few interior updates you can apply that will make a big difference while costing very little time or money on your part. If you’re ready to fall in love with your home all over again, be sure to add the following interior updates to your to-do list.

1. Replace Your Hardware - It really is amazing what a difference new faucet, appliance, and even door handles hardware can make on your overall aesthetic. And your options for this are both endless and affordable. You can add trendy brass pulls and a matching faucet. You can add patterned ceramic knobs in lieu of standard pulls; or, you can mix and match your metals to add layers of visual intrigue. The possibilities are endless.

2. Add A Statement Wall - A statement wall is a great way to make a major change without spending much time or effort to do it. And they have a special knack for making your design look more rich and dynamic. Consider a playful pattern or you can simply paint one wall your favorite color. If you’re worried about making a commitment you might regret, then consider that there are a ton of beautiful removable wallpaper options out there that you can take advantage of without committing too much.

3. Update Your Window Treatments - If your room is a photo, your window treatments are the frame, so switching these up is a super simple move that can completely transform the look of your space. Plus, there are truly endless options. You can opt for sheer flowy curtains, a set of roman blinds, or you can combine the two window treatment setup. 

4. Swap Out Your Throw Pillows - Throw pillows are basically makeup for your living room—you can switch and swap them depending on your mood and the season, and the effect is nothing short of transformative. If your space is feeling a little dull, consider adding a few pillows in vibrant colors to bring more uplifting vibes. And if you’re moving toward a boho aesthetic, then adding pillows featuring organic hues and textures.

5. Bring In A New Rug - Rugs have a special ability to add warmth and definition to the spaces they’re in. So, if you’re looking to redefine your space, there’s no better way to do it than with a new area rug.

Of course the colors and patterns of the rug you choose are important, but the placement of your rug makes an impact as well. 

6. Give Love To Your Walls - A statement wall isn’t the only way your walls can help you revive your space; your walls are brimming with refreshing possibilities. You can artfully arrange a few floating shelves to showcase some of your favorite knick knacks, add a big piece of statement art, or create a chic and sophisticated gallery wall. 

7. Change Up Your Bedding - Your bed is essentially the centerpiece of your bedroom. Therefore, if you’re looking to bring some more life to your bedroom design, then there’s no better way to do it than by updating your bedding. From a cozy hygge-inspired bed featuring layers of big comfy blankets to cheerful pops of color and compelling textures. Your options on this front are limited only by your imagination.

GTA REALTORS® Release September 2021 Stats

September marked the transition from the slower summer market to the busier fall market in the in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Every year, we generally see an uptick in sales, average selling price and listings after Labour Day, and September 2021 was no different. Sales increased relative to August and were also at the third-highest mark on record for the month of September. The average selling price was up both month-over-month and year-over-year.

GTA REALTORS® reported 9,046 sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in September 2021 – up in line with the regular seasonal trend from August. Compared to last year, market conditions tightened noticeably, with sales representing a substantially higher share of listings, and a significantly lower number of new listings across the board. Resurgence in the condo market was a factor in the higher share of listings sold. The total number of sales was down 18 per cent from 2020’s record September result, in large part due to the lower number of new listings, which were down 34 per cent from the same time last year.

“Demand has remained incredibly robust throughout September with many qualified buyers who would buy a home tomorrow provided they could find a suitable property. With new listings in September down by one third compared to last year, purchasing a home for many is easier said than done. The lack of housing supply and choice has reached a critical juncture. Bandaid policies to artificially suppress demand have not been effective. This is not an issue that can be solved by one level of government alone. There needs to be collaboration federally, provincially, and locally on a solution,” said Kevin Crigger, TRREB President.

The MLS® Home Price Index Composite Benchmark was up by 19.1 per cent year-over-year in September 2021. The average selling price for all home types combined was up by 18.3 per cent year-over-year to $1,136,280. “Price growth in September continued to be driven by the low-rise market segments, including detached and semidetached houses and townhouses. However, competition between buyers for condo apartments has picked up markedly over the past year, which has led to an acceleration in price growth over the past few months as first-time buyers reentered the ownership market. Look for this trend to continue,” said Jason Mercer, TRREB Chief Market Analyst.

TRREB MLS® New Listings September 2021

 

TRREB MLS® Sales-to-New Listings Ratio September 2021

 

TRREB MLS® Average Resale Home Price September 2021

 

TRREB MLS® Sales September 2021

 

How To Pack When Moving House

Packing up when moving house takes longer than anyone imagines, so the first step is to decide if you're going to do all the packing yourself, if you’re going to employ someone to do it for you, or if you’re going to settle on a combination of both.

Whichever route you choose, start early, and if you’re doing your own packing, set aside a good amount of time each day to dedicate to it if you can.

Moving house kits containing boxes, bubble wrap, tape, stickers and marker pens are available online – see Amazon for a wide selection of contents and prices – or from your removal company if you’re using one. There are also specialist packing boxes available – with dividers for plates for instance, or hanging rods for clothes. Equally, you can save money on things like bubble wrap by wrapping precious ornaments in towels or clothing, or sandwiching bigger things, such as mirrors, between curtains or bedding.

Pack one room at a time - tackle the less used rooms first – not forgetting the garden shed – and then move towards the main living room, kitchen and bathroom. This way you’ll see the results quickly, and you can use the space to store the boxes from busier parts of the house.

Create labels for your boxes - so movers know where to put them in your new house. Stick the labels on the sides so that they’re easily seen when the boxes are piled on top of each other. Be specific – 'bedroom' isn’t enough unless you’re moving to a one-bedroom property, nor is 'child's bedroom' if you have a family of four. It’s best to number the bedrooms and then when you arrive at your new house, label the relevant doors with their number so there's no doubt where each box goes.

Write on the label what each box contains - This way, the mover knows what’s fragile, and can also judge how heavy the box is going to be.

Take care not to overfill each box - or make it too heavy. If you’re packing books, for instance, only half fill the box, and then take up the rest of the space with super-light items such as cushions.