Reference

Here's a sweet reference I received from a happy client today.....

"Considering we met you by chance, we have been very happy with how everything turned out. Overall, the process of buying and selling went very smoothly due in part to your hardwork, dedication, work ethic and knowledge. You always had an answer to all our questions, were friendly and fun too! We have nothing but good things to say about you and how you conducted yourself. I'd like to say we'd use you again but I'm hoping to never have to move...way too much work!:) With that being said, we would definitely recommend you to our friends and family and of course, if for some reason we decide to move again you'll be the person we call. We love the new house and really feel like it's home..."

.....makes me so happy when my clients are happy! :)

Private Buyers/Sellers

I don't like to harp on the dangers of buying and selling privately, but we hear these horror stories all the time. So, I thought I'd pass one along. Here's a true experience that was brought to our attention recently....

"Mrs. B decided to become an “instant” realtor by selling her home privately and save all that commission. A Buyer was found and the Agreement of Purchase and Sale drafted up by the (“instant" realtor) her lawyer. The offer was conditional upon financing.
Mrs. B decides to purchase a Power of Sale, and asks her lawyer how things are with the financing on her home. Her lawyer advices her that all seems in order and to make an offer on the P.O.S. which needs a “clean” offer to make it go as she is competing against another offer.
Mrs. B now has an agent to put in the offer. Agent asks Mrs. B to make sure she has her house sold. Agent is told that all is OK and to go ahead. (can you see it coming?) Mrs. B’s offer is accepted.
Mrs. B buyer however backs out of the deal on her home, due to (you guessed it) non qualifying for mortgage. Apparently her (“instant” lawyer mortgage advisor) guessed wrong.
Mrs. B still has her house for sale (privately) and owns 2 homes (soon) or will get sued."

SMART RENOS

So, perhaps you've been thinking about renos.... I often get asked which renos give back the most return...which ones are "worth" doing. It's a great question, and whether you're thinking about staying put or moving it's an important aspect to keep in mind when making those reno decisions.

Here are some Re/Max stats on Smart Renos....

Bathrooms - keep it neutral and spa-like. Bathroom renos on average get you 56% better return on your money.

Landscaping - aim for low maintenance and great curb appeal. Landscaping renos on average get you 7% better return on your money.

Kitchens - plenty of cupboard space, keeping in mind entertaining and work flow. Kitchen renos on average get you 44% better return on your money.

Flooring - neutral, neutral, neutral. Flooring renos on average get you 22% better return on your money.

Painting - again, keep it neutral, use your splashes of color in your accessories. Painting renos get you 29% better return on your money.

So, there you have it. Kitchens and baths have the most value to a buyer and doing those renos can get you the best return on your money, especially if you're willing to roll up those sleeves and become a little handy yourself! :)

Want more indepth info on this topic?
http://www.remax.ca/Reno/

LOFTS VIRTUAL TOUR AND NEW HOMES

I'm up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep....a rare phenomena for me! I like to sleep in! So, figured I'd spend some time updating things here.

Alison, Kathi and I are in full swing at the Grand Lofts at 25 Concession St. now. We've got the pictures and virtual tour done. We had a professional come in and do them (jury may still be out, but I think I still like my own better! :).

So, take a peek http://www.venturehomes.ca/VirtualTour.asp?TourID=16428

The model at 25 Concession St. is open Sat, Sun, Mon 2-4, and Wed 5-7. Come and check it out! (I'm there tomorrow!)

This morning I'm heading to meet S&T at a model home as they prepare to put a deposit down on a new home. Often buyers go into model homes and feel that the expected process is that you just deal with the agent at the model. One thing to remember is that the agent there is working for the seller/developer not you. There is the odd builder that will give you a better deal if you don't bring your own agent in, but nowadays those builders are rare in KW. The benefit of bringing your own agent in is that although there is very little room to negotiate with new home prices, sometimes there is with upgrades. And having your own agent gives you an objective opinion on the builder you're contemplating, the pros/cons of the floor plan or upgrades you may be choosing. Also, which updates are better done with the builder and which are better done on your own after possession. And generally, having someone with your best interests in mind as you walk thru the process is a real asset. Certainly, if you're considering purchasing new it's still wise to call your own agent (well, me, of course! :).

Great People I refer to....

As you know, I receive most of my business through referrals. Clients, friends, acquaintances, letting others know that I am a real estate agent and that I'm good! :)
I, in turn, find this practice to be very important in how I deal with others as well. Nothing makes me happier than to pass on the name of a professional whom I have had a good experience with for someone else to experience.
And in my line of work I'm often asked for the name of a good professional or trades person that you can rely on. Some of these are real estate related...and some not! Generally, I feel that if someone gives me outstanding customer service and does their job well, then they deserve to be referred!
Just be sure to let them know that I referred you to them! :) Here are just a few to get you started.....I'll add more to this as time goes on....

FLOORING:
Fred Ayoubi - Factory Flooring 519-571-0550
- Dave and I (that's hubby) have used Fred a number of times of the years. We were pleasantly surprised that the carpet installers 6 yrs after the first time we used them were still the same guys! Quality work for sure! Factory Flooring has competitive prices (and they'll match other companies if you find a sale) and I've had great experiences with their installers.
Just tell Fred you want the best Krista rate he can give you!....he'll laugh, but he will be kind!

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Click Photography - Christine Kufske http://www.clickphotography.ca/

- I have hired Christine to do my business pics, and family pics.....a few times! LOVE HER! Great to work with, great sense of humour and she has a real talent for photography.

She'll go to where ever you want her to as well! She did my biz pics in my living room.....just cuz she liked it!




HOME INSPECTIONS:
Denise Larocque - Amerispec http://www.amerispecnet.ca/lma/story.cfm?story=news&headline=Meet_the_office
I've had the opportunity to follow many home inspectors in the past few years. Some of them great and some of them....not so great.... Usually I recommend a few to my clients so they can choose for themselves. Denise's name is always passed along. She has a real knack for explaining things really well, especially to first time buyers. She's also very good about being quite realistic about issues that pop up. Not afraid to point out the "scarier" ones, but definitely in such a way that is objective and informational.

JEWELLERY:
Jennifer http://www.justperfectdesigns.com/
I've got a new addiction to Jennifer's jewellery! Yep, all the teachers this year are getting 'em! (ok, except for the male teacher....his wife might appreciate it, but he's getting movie tickets instead!)
Jennifer designs the jewellery, makes it, and it's all out of sterling silver and great prices. You might have caught her at the Waterloo Arts Festival last weekend or seen her Jewellery in and around KW and St. Jacob's. Check out her website and see what she's got! And if you have something specific in mind, don't be afraid to ask her to design something. She's working on a piece for our Breastperate Housewives Team (we walk for the Run for the Cure for Breast Cancer in the fall) to sell and raise money for research (stay tuned...once it's available I'll be sure to mention it again!)

Looking for someone for a specific job? Don't hesitate to pop me an email and I'd be happy to pass along the name of someone I know who does a great job! And if you know someone looking at buying or selling a property, please pass along my name! :) Thx!

Eco-Energy Audits

Eco-Energy Audits:

Do you own a house that's 15, 20, 25+ yrs old? Then listen up! There's free money to be had!

Did you know that you can collect money from government grants just for doing upgrades to your house that you'd likely be doing anyway! If you're thinking about replacing a furnace, air conditioner, windows don't do it before looking into getting an Eco-Energy audit. Basically how it works is that you hire a qualified inspector (ie. Amerispec is a great company!). They come in and assess your home and give you recommendations as to how to make your home more eco-energy friendly. You then have an 18 month period to do some or all of these recommendations. Call the inspector back and they apply for the appropriate grants on your behalf. The cool thing is that the provincial government will match what the federal government s offering. And in March of this yr they upped their grants by 25%!

Does it work? Well, that's just say that if you're planning on doing the reno's anyway, you can use the grants to put in more eco-energy friendly products (ie. higher efficiency furnaces, energy star windows) without the extra cost. I've had some clients who ended up getting more money back than the reno's cost because they did it themselves (ie. in the case of adding extra insulation).

Check it out for yourself and certainly if you have questions or would like me to recommend a qualified inspector just let me know!

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/home-improvement.cfm?attr=0

http://www.en.amerispec.ca/specialty-services/new-ecoenergy-retrofit-initiative

Reference Letters

Ok, so a few people have told me I need to post some of my reference letters here. I often get letters or notes from clients who have been happy with my services (sometimes they even send them to my boss!). Here are a few of my most recent. I guess I'll let my clients toot my horn for me! :) Thx for reading!

"Dear Krista,

We can't tell you how HAPPY we are about the results of our buying and selling adventures with you! Thank you for making it so easy and for your honesty and integrity throughout the whole process. We are SO IMPRESSED! We'll be sure to recommend you every chance we get! " M&S

"Dear Adrian, (my boss)

We first met Krista at an Open House over a year ago while looking for a condo. Although she offered to work with us, we were reluctant based on previous experiences with several other agents. After a short discussion during which she explained how she works, we agreed. In her quiet self-confident manner she assured us she could and would meet our needs. It was one of the best decisions we've ever made.
During or search for the "perfect" condo, Krista always answered emails promptly and always made sure we were informed of new listings in a timely manner. She showed us each and every condo we requested to view, always greeting us with a warm smile and a cheerful hello. She was so gracious that we were never made to feel that we were inconveniencing her in any way. She told us it was a pleasure to show us anything we wanted to see.
When viewing listings her keen eye would often spot details that we hadn't noticed. She would draw these to our attention sow we could consider future implications. She always had all the angles covered.
We quickly became accustomed to her professionalism, and although we decided not to purchase a property at this point, we knew that she was the one we wanted to list my parents' house. Both (my husband) and I had complete confidence that if she couldn't get the job done, nobody could. How right we were!
When faced with the task of pricing this house, Krista was in a difficult position because of the lack of real comparables. We sincerely appreciated the fact that she sought your opinion and invited you to view the house. Yet another example of how she goes the extra mile to do the best job possible for her clients.
Throughout the whole process she has kept us well informed and has consistently looked out for our best interests. Her kind, patient, and calm manner helped keep us focused through what could have been a very stressful process. I should also mention how much we both appreciated her gentle sense of humour. What an asset!
We had high expectations of Krista when we began working with her. I can't begin to tell you how much she exceeded them. It was certainly a great pleasure getting to know her. Your company is indeed extremely fortunate to have her. " - C&R