Here are some helpful summer maintenance tips to keep your home in great shape. These tips are important when keeping a future sale in mind. A well maintained home keeps your future costs down and minimizes problems with potential home buyers.

Exterior:

Examine and repair caulking of the windows, stucco, and trim (to prevent water, dust, dirt and insects from entering your home)
Examine paint on siding, trim, and doors (paint is essential for protection and appearance)
Clean and remove debris from gutters if present
Examine roof for loose, cracked, or missing shingles/tiles and repair as necessary
Trim trees and shrubs away from home, including roof

Interior:

Examine and repair caulking at the windows for weatherization and insect control
Close the chimney damper to improve air conditioning efficiency
Clean and wax or oil cabinets to protect the finish
Examine and repair/replace (if needed) weather stripping on exterior doors and windows to reduce energy costs
Examine and repair bath tile grouting, if needed, to prevent moisture damage
Lubricate and adjust locks, hinges and latches
Examine window locks for proper operation and repair as needed
Adjust registers (balance flow) for cooling
Lubricate garage door roller shafts (not tracks) and tighten bolts
Examine cabinets, drawers, and hinges for proper alignment - tighten and adjust as necessary
Clean dryer vent duct and damper to remove any lint or obstructions
Have your a/c or heat pump, and/or evaporative cooler cleaned and serviced by a qualified technician
Replace heat pump or a/c filters

**Courtesy of 604Inspectors

The term For Sale by Owner (FSBO) is quite self-explanatory. It describes the process in which an owner has made the decision to sell their own home. Homeowners usually decide to pursue this route in the hope of saving thousands of dollars in real estate commission. But is this initial commission saving actually a saving? There are myths and misconceptions about selling your own home.

Although it is possible to sell your own home and save on real estate commissions, there can be obstacles associated with this personal undertaking.

· Pricing/savings. Can the initial attraction of saving on commission mean underselling your home? Absolutely. I’ve seen it happen where the FSBO seller decides to price their home and negotiate an offer that is less than the amount they could have received by using a Realtor, and that’s after commission. Equipped with the Multiple Listing Service, a Realtor is able to accurately evaluate the fair market price and negotiate close to it.

· Hidden expenses. Unexpected costs may arise after the buyer’s home inspection. There may be deficiencies that need to be addressed immediately. These could be very expensive fixes that the FSBO seller may believe is their entire responsibility in order to complete the sale. Additional “out of pocket” expenses include marketing and higher legal fees. Although the FSBO seller is not paying any commission to a realtor to sell their property, if a realtor brings a buyer, that realtor will expect to be paid the buyer’s agent’s commission, or negotiate a flat fee arrangement.

· Screening and prequalifying potential purchasers. The inability to accurately determine whether a buyer can afford to purchase your home can cause the FSBO seller huge headaches. When a Realtor is involved with a sale, they are required to prequalify their buyers ensuring that they are viewing a home they can ultimately purchase.

· Bringing strangers into your home. This can be a major safety concern. When you are selling your home and using FSBO websites, you are extending an invitation not only to potential buyers but also to people that may have no intention of buying.

·Exposure. FSBO websites are available when selling your own home however most purchasers are unaware that these sites exist and when made aware can be fearful of them. The majority of buyers search MLS-based websites like Realtor.ca or REW.ca.

· Legal liability. Selling your home can be very complicated. Realtors are insured in the event that a lawsuit arises due to buyer’s dissatisfaction usually caused by misrepresentation and/or non-disclosure. If such issues come up, the FSBO seller would be personally liable. Fact: Even Realtors are not advised to sell their own properties as they are not protected by their insurance.

Closing day is an exciting time. After all, you’re moving into your new home! However, it can be stressful as well. The last thing you need is to be confronted with something you don’t understand. So here is a quick list of common “closing day” terms.

•Disbursements

. This is the allocation of funds to the appropriate parties, such as the seller. Your lawyer will take care of this for you.

•Possession

. This is the moment on closing day when you are legally able to take possession of your new home. It’s usually when your REALTOR® or lawyer hands you the keys.

•Title

. This is a legal document that identifies the property and its owner.

•Closing costs

. These are expenses, excluding the selling cost of the property, that are due on closing day, such as legal fees, reimbursement for pre-paid utilities, utility deposits, insurance, and taxes.

•Closing adjustments.

These are expenses pre-paid by the seller that need to be reimbursed on closing.

There may be other terms you come across on closing day as well. Don’t worry, a good REALTOR® can help make the day go smoothly for you and your family.

Usually when you list your home, you would prefer to sell it quickly. It’s like being the first one served at a crowded ice cream parlour. It’s satisfying. However, sometimes there’s more to it than that. There may be a truly urgent reason why you need to find a buyer for your property as soon as possible, such as a sudden job relocation. If that’s the case, it’s important to explain your situation to your REALTOR®, who will be able to put together an action plan for selling your home quickly and for the best price possible. During that conversation, ask what you can do to help the process along.

For example, you may be able to:

•Spread the word to your friends and other connections on Facebook.

•Canvass your neighbours and tell them about your listing.

•Stage your home so that it’s more attractive to prospective buyers.

When it comes to price, be prepared to be flexible. That doesn’t mean you must settle for a price far below your home’s market value. However, you do need to be prepared to accept a good offer rather than try to hold out for a great one. Also be open to as many viewings and open houses as possible. Having many prospective buyers come through your home within a short period of time may be a little inconvenient, but the payoff might be an offer!

If you’re relaxing on a Caribbean beach, or enjoying a bus tour through historic Paris, the last thing you want to worry about is your home. Most people know the basics of keeping a home secure while away. Here are some additional tips that are easy to miss:

•Tell your kids not to boast about your fabulous vacation plans, especially on social media. The fewer who know that the house will be empty, the better.

•Ask a neighbour to pick up any mail and flyers dropped at your doorstep. But don’t rely on that alone. Also call the newspaper and post office to temporarily halt delivery.

•You can buy timers to automatically turn lights on and off. However, most will stop working if the power goes out and restart with the incorrect time when the power comes back on. That’s why you should keep at least a couple of lights turned on continuously, and not connected to timers.

•If you’re leaving in the evening, or before dawn, don’t forget to open the blinds. Closed blinds during the day are a dead giveaway that the owners are away.

Finally, experts recommend creating a home security checklist, so you don’t forget anything. That will give you peace of mind.