You can’t call yourself a dentist unless you have specific hard-earned
credentials. Just about anyone, however, can hang a shingle and call
himself a home improvement contractor. That’s why choosing a reputable
one is so difficult. Here are some tips:
• Find out if he or she is truly in business full-time. A part-time or
occasional contractor may not have the experience necessary to do a
great job.
• Ask about licenses and other credentials. Some contractors have
accreditations from professional and trade associations.
• Review his or her project portfolio. A reputable contractor will have
photos and other evidence of work completed for similar clients.
• Check online for reviews. If there are more than five poor reviews
within the past three years — that’s a red flag.
• Ask for references. Then, call at least one.
Finally, the best contractors are those that get recommended by people you
trust.
Looking for a contractor recommendation? 

Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today!!

Figuring out how much time you should spend viewing properties for sale is
a little like asking, “How long should I spend trying on shoes?”
The answer seems obvious: As long as it takes to make a decision!
Buying a home is significantly more complex than purchasing shoes – and
the stakes are higher too! You need to make sure you have all the
information necessary to confidently make the best decision.
There are basically three stages to viewing a property:
1. Macro
2. Micro
3. Professional
When you view a home on a macro basis, you’re looking at it from an
overall perspective. For example, you may do a general walk-through to get
a first impression and determine if the property has the basic features you
need, such as the number of bedrooms and the size of the backyard.
Macro viewing is often the fastest stage in the viewing process and can
sometimes take just a few minutes.
If you like what you see, then it’s onto the micro stage. At this stage you
take a closer look at the details of the property. You might, for example,
spend extra time in the master bedroom imagining how your furniture would
look and fit.
The micro stage takes longer simply because the home is now on your
shortlist. You’re interested and are considering making an offer.
Finally, the professional stage involves getting a qualified home inspector to
go over the property with a fine tooth comb. That typically occurs after
you’ve made an offer.
As your REALTOR®, I will guide you through a viewing so you’ll know what
to look for and can make a smart, informed decision.

Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today!!

Setting the right list price for a home is a mystery for many sellers. How do
you begin to determine what buyers are likely to pay for your property? After
all, no two homes are exactly alike.
Yet, setting the right price is crucial. You need to avoid the two price “tipping
points” that, if crossed, can cause you a lot of problems.
The first tipping point is a price that’s low enough for buyers to begin
thinking something is wrong. They wonder, “Why is your price so low? What
are you not telling us about your property?”
But that’s not even the worst problem with this tipping point. If you do get
offers at that low price, you’ll have a bigger issue – leaving thousands of
dollars on the table.
The other tipping point is setting your price so high it discourages buyers
from giving your listing a second look. When your price is that high, you’ll
get few enquiries and even fewer people coming to see your property.
Of course, you can lower your price later, if necessary. But experience
shows that reduced prices make potential buyers skeptical. Most sellers
who price high in the hopes of getting a windfall actually end up selling for
much less than they would have if they had priced their properties correctly
in the first place.
So what’s the right price to list your property? The answer is somewhere inbetween
those two tipping points.
Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today for help determining the right price for your property.

When is the best time to meet with a REALTOR® like me? Chances are,
you would say, “When I’m thinking of buying or selling a home.” You’d be
right, of course!
However, there are many other good reasons to meet with me. Here are just
a few:
• You want a professional opinion as to the current value of your
property, so you know what it would likely sell for in today’s market.
• You notice a home listed for sale in a desirable neighbourhood, and
you’re interested in learning more — even if you’re unsure you want
to make a move.
• You’re thinking of moving within the next couple of years, and you
want to find a REALTOR® like me, that you can get to know and
trust.
• You want some recommendations for preparing your home for sale
and especially determining what repairs and other work needs to be
done.
• You want an honest assessment as to the state of the local market,
and the best time for you to buy or sell.
• You have real estate-related questions and you want to talk to an
expert who knows the local market well and can provide you with
answers.
As you can see, there’s a lot of value you can get from talking to me as your
REALTOR®. Call The Dion-Ivans Real Group today!!

Imagine if you dreamed of owning a special limited edition vehicle. What
would you do to ensure that your dream vehicle would someday be parked
in your driveway — with your name on the ownership papers? 

You would probably start by doing some research. You’d find out how much
that vehicle would cost, what features are available, and so forth. You would
likely visit a local dealership and take a test drive if a model is available on
site. You would keep an eye on the market for any that come up and let the
dealer know you’re looking for just that car. 

If you did, then, some day, you’d probably be the proud owner of the limited
edition car of your dreams. 

What does this have to do with real estate? 

Well, you can take the same approach when there’s a neighbourhood you’d
love to live in someday. You can target it, learn what homes typically cost in
that area, and keep your eye on that market in case a property becomes
available that meets your criteria.

By focusing on a specific neighbourhood, you increase your chances of
someday living there, simply because you’re focusing on it. 

Of course, neighbourhood targeting isn’t as simple as aiming to own a
specific car someday. That’s why you need a great REALTOR® who can
keep an eye on that neighbourhood on your behalf and alert you to
opportunities that become available. 

Then, when there is a listing that’s a good fit, you can decide whether or not
to make a move. 

Is there a dream neighbourhood you’d like to live in some day? 

Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Ream today to start making it happen!!

No one wants to deal with a burglary. How do you reduce the chances of
one happening? 

Fortunately, burglaries are a well-studied phenomenon — especially by law
enforcement. These studies have identified specific things you can do to cut
the risk dramatically. Here are some ideas:

• 34% of home break-ins occur through the front door. Experts
recommend investing in a door with a top-quality locking mechanism.
(The best are those that lock at three points of contact.) 

• 50% of burglars will be deterred if your home has some sort of video
monitoring system. A thief doesn’t want his face on YouTube! 

• Unfortunately, signs and window stickers warning of an alarm system
do not deter thieves. However, 62% of burglars will immediately run
away when an alarm goes off. Always turn on your alarm system
when you’re not home! 

• 22% of burglaries occur through a sliding glass door or patio door.
Make sure it’s locked and also use a solid metal jammer.

• Some thieves use frequency scanners to gain access to garages.
Police recommend changing your remote entry code regularly and
putting blinds or curtains on garage windows so thieves can’t see
(and be tempted by) any valuables inside.

As you can see, there are many simple things you can do to reduce your
chances of a burglary dramatically. The effort is worth it.

Thinking of buying or selling?? Contact The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today...

Determining if you should buy a new home or fix up your current one isn’t easy. In fact, the decision can be steeped in so much drama they make reality TV shows about it! So if you’re considering whether to move or improve, here are three things to consider.

1. Will a renovation truly fix what you don’t like about your property? If you’re tired of a small kitchen, for example, it might not be possible, given the layout, to make it any bigger. On the other hand, if you’re craving a spacious rec room with a cosy fireplace then a renovation could make that happen. Of course, there are some things you may want that aren’t specific to your house, such as an easier commute or nearby park. Those are features you may only be able to get by moving.

2. How much will a renovation cost? How does that compare to the cost of moving to a new home? It’s important to get accurate estimates of each so you can make a smart decision. This is where a good REALTOR® can help. Keep in mind that renovations have a habit of costing more than you originally anticipate. As mentioned earlier, the final result should be a home you want to stay in for quite some time.

3. Beware of compromising versus settling. Whichever decision you make — renovate or sell — you can expect to have to make at least some compromises. That’s normal. For example, consider adding an extension to your house. That’s a major renovation. Is it the ideal way to get the extra room you want? Do the benefits of renovating outweigh the benefits of finding a new larger home designed to include the space you need?

Thinking of buying or selling?? Contact The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today!!

Do you ever wonder how most people find the homes they eventually buy?
You might imagine them driving by a “For Sale” sign or seeing a home for
sale in the newspaper and then calling to enquire.
Of course, many buyers find out about listed properties that way. But,
according to research by the National Association of Realtors, there are
many other — sometimes surprising — ways buyers find their next dream
home. 

For example:
• 88% of buyers find a home with the help of a real estate agent.
• 90% of buyers search online as part of the home buying process.
(Such as viewing a property’s profile on the agent’s website.)
• 69% of buyers searching for a home using Google, use a specific
local term, such as “Whitby-south homes for sale”.
• 29-46% of buyers attend an Open House as part of their home
hunting activities.

Overall, the research shows that buyers are using a multitude of ways —
combining online and offline methods — to find homes.
What does all this mean to you? If means that if you’re preparing your home
for sale, you need to ensure your marketing plan takes into account all the
ways buyers are finding properties — so you can be sure that they will find
yours. 

Looking for a REALTOR® who knows how to market your home for
maximum exposure? Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today!!

The Latest in Kitchen Fire Prevention. What You Need to Know.
More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room. Those fires can be
expensive; since even a minor incident, with no injuries, can result in
significant damage. That’s why it’s important to keep up with the latest in fire
prevention.
The most recent research tells us:
• Never leave cooking food unattended. Doing so is the number one
cause of kitchen fires.
• Make sure cooking appliances, especially deep fryers, are safety
certified by the appropriate government agency.
• When using oil in a frying pan, always heat slowly at no more than a
medium heat setting.
• Always turn off stove burners and other cooking appliances
immediately after cooking.
• Never attempt to put out a grease fire with water. Use baking soda or
a fire extinguisher.
• Never remove or cover up a smoke detector due to nuisance alarms.
The one alarm that isn’t a nuisance may save your life.
Finally, experts say that if you can’t put out a fire immediately, get everyone
out of the home and call emergency services.

As you’re probably aware, the list price you set for your property has an
impact on how quickly it sells — and how much you earn on the sale.
What you may not realize is just how significant an impact it has. Consider
the following examples. 

Example 1:
You price your property well above its current market value. As a result,
many buyers don’t bother to see it because it’s outside of their price range.
Those who do see it are confused by the high price tag, (and may even be
suspicious.) They may wonder, “What’s going on?”
In this scenario, the home will likely languish on the market for weeks or
even months. You might even have to lower the price dramatically to reignite
interest. 

Example 2:
You price your property just a couple of percentage points lower than what
is necessary to gain the interest of qualified buyers. That might not seem
like much of a problem. How much can a couple of percentage points
matter?

Those points matter a lot.

On a $400,000 property, pricing your home just 2% lower than necessary
could cost you $8,000 on the sale. That’s a serious amount of money!
So, as you can see, pricing your home right is serious business. 

Fortunately, a good REALTOR® knows how to set the right price. 

Call The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Team today!!

When you’re out-of-town, there are plenty of kennels and other facilities that
will mind your dog or cat. In fact, the pet-care business is booming!
However, the same options aren’t available for your houseplants. So what
do you do?

First, keep in mind that plants can go for several days or even a couple of
weeks without water. This frequently happens in their natural habitats. So if
you’re gone for just a few days, your flora will probably be fine.

Flowering plants tend to need the most water. Give them an extra dose just
before you leave. Also, make sure they are in indirect, rather than direct
sunlight. That will help them conserve water.

If you’re going to be away for a week or more, consider one of the several
products on the market that water plants automatically. Many of these allow
you to adjust how much water each plant gets — and when.

You’ll find plenty of do-it-yourself instructions for making your own automatic
waterer on the internet, from plastic cups with tiny holes in the bottom to
upside-down bottles with wicks. These might work, but you’ll want to test
them first.