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Our latest ramblings.
Enjoy! We definitely have important things to say!
Our latest ramblings.
Enjoy! We definitely have important things to say!
Painting may be the most affordable way to give a room a new look -whether you’re updating your current home to get it ready to sell, or planning on painting in your new home – but it can be an overwhelming decision. Thanks to Style At Home, they have shared their expert painting tips for you to paint with ease.
1. Selecting a Colour
Grab those paint chips! Be sure to have a look at the chips in the artificial and natural light. Test the colour you like by painting a couple coats in a few different areas of the room (3-foot by 3-foot) and then look at the colour in the morning, afternoon and night.Choose a good quality paint as it will create less splatter and will need less coats – saving you time!
2. Preparing
For the best paint adhesion, wash the walls, doors, and trim with a gentle solution, rinse with a damp cloth, and allow it to dry thoroughly. Sand the doors, window sashes and trim for a smooth finish before painting. To fill gaps and cracks use a molding compound. Also, remove doorknobs, cover plates, and ceiling-light rings for a clean paint job.
3. Priming and Painting
For the perfect finish, begin with a primer. Using a trim brush, ‘cut’ a border along the ceiling and the baseboards. To fill the entire wall, use a roller and start in the middle of the wall. This allows for excess paint to be spread out among the rest of the wall evenly. Apply at least two coats to finish all surfaces, including the walls, doors, windows, trim and baseboards.
4. Cleaning Up
For oil-based brushes and rollers, rinse the brushes with solvent, then with warm soapy water until the water runs clean. If you’re using latex paints, skip the solvent step. Wrap the brushes in heavy paper when completely finished.
Now you’re all done! Once your paint job is completely dry, start moving the furniture back in the room, add some decor, hang your pictures and watch the room completely transform!
For the full article on Style At Home’s Expert Painting Tips, click here.
Are you a busy professional with your hands full? See how we can solve your challenges below with a common scenario.
The Client: The Busy Professional
Cindy is in her mid-40’s and holds a senior management position at a consumer products company. She’s a working mother who juggles a busy work/life schedule. Cindy’s current family home, once thought to be their ‘forever home’, is no longer meeting her family’s demands – they need more space. Cindy has seen sold signs in her area but is unclear how her place compares to those homes and hasn’t had the time to find out. Both Cindy and her husband would like to stay in the same area for their children’s sake and have a good idea of which neighbourhood they want to move to.
The Challenge
When Cindy isn’t in the office or travelling for work, she’s at a family function, whether it is a dance recital, hockey game or a much needed vacation. Cindy is unsure about her current mortgage options but finding the time and energy to sort out her real estate situation becomes the larger issue at hand, especially when it comes to the little details like sourcing out movers or cleaners to help with the transition. Life as a busy professional doesn’t leave much room for finding, purchasing and moving into a new home.
The Solution
Cindy used the one-stop services of BrokerSmart. With dual-licensed agents, BrokerSmart was able to not only handle the mortgage and real estate side of the purchase and sale, they were also able to co-ordinate the lawyer, movers and house cleaners. Cindy didn’t need to sacrifice time with the family or work and was able to sign all the necessary documents at a convenient location of her choice and at a time that worked around her schedule.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca
Are you a first time home buyer? Click here. Or maybe you’re looking to upgrade? Stay tuned for next week!
The process of moving can be overwhelming and very stressful. At BrokerSmart, we focus on helping you at every single step during the entire process of purchasing a home. As big of a job as moving is, we want to share with you a few moving tips to make it as smooth, easy, and organized as possible.
You Move Me is a moving company that is dedicated to helping move you, not just move your boxes. Here are their 8 tips for a smooth move!
1. Label Your Boxes
Write on the box what’s inside to help with organization and efficiency during the move.
2. The Heavier the Item, the Smaller the Box
Make sure to not over pack one box with many heavy items. This is considered to be the Golden Rule!
3. One Box, One Room
Everything you put in a box should belong to the same room. Make it easy for when you’re unpacking.
4. Last in, First Out
Think about which items you will need first in your new home.
5. Paper Packing
Use regular paper instead of newspaper to avoid smears and stains on your items.
6. No Packing on Moving Day
It’s a busy day today! Eliminate any extra stress by having your packing done beforehand.
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Order Lots of Boxes
You just never know how many you will need. (Here is a plus: You Move Me will take back the unused boxes!)
8. Pack in All Sizes
With a variety of household items, a variety of boxes will allow to fit all of your belongings.
Simple moving tips to make the process as easy as possible. To check out You Move Me and how they can move you, click here.
Are you a first time home buyer? See how we can solve your challenges below with a common scenario.
The Client: The First Timer
Sarah is in her 20’s and holds an accounting position at a construction firm. She’s rented an apartment for the last couple of years but knows the value of home ownership and wants to buy a place to call her own. Sarah has been online and played around with a couple of mortgage calculators, getting an idea of how much she can afford with the hope that the money she’s saved is enough for a down payment. She also has her eye on living downtown but with so many units on the market to choose from, she doesn’t know where to start.
The Challenge
Many first time home buyers feel overwhelmed by the tasks of purchasing a home. Not knowing who to call or trust for advice can delay some from even starting the process. Sarah asks her parents for a contact at their bank and calls a realtor after a quick online search but she doesn’t get any form of reassurance that these people are willing to walk her through the entire process from start to finish. Plus, finding a banker or realtor that can work with her schedule or answer her questions in a timely manner becomes a challenge.
The Solution
Sarah uses the one-stop services of BrokerSmart. With dual-licensed agents to handle both the mortgage and real estate side of the purchase, BrokerSmart was able to answer all of Sarah’s questions, found the prefect place for her budget and negotiated on her behalf for a great mortgage rate. She was also able to sign all the necessary documents at a convenient location of her choice and at a time that fit her busy work schedule.
If you have any questions regarding the above, give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca
Are you busy professional? Are you interested in upgrading? Stay tuned for next week!
Ending off 2013, the Greater Vancouver market saw modest home sale and price increases with an overall steadiness throughout the entire year. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) have released their December Statistics Report, including a summary of the market behaviour for 2013.
Key Stats of 2013:
Sandra Wyant, REBGV Presidents states, “Home sales quietly improved last year compared to 2012, although the volume of activity didn’t compare to some of the record-breaking years we experienced over the last decade. It was a year of stability for the Greater Vancouver housing market.”
Key States of December:
*All statistics are from the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®)
To view the full report for the REBGV December Statistics, click here.
To download the complete stats package (PDF), click here.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca
The Fraser Valley housing market is characterized as quiet with balanced conditions throughout 2013. The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) have released their December Statistics Report along with a summary of the activity throughout the entire year.
Key Stats of 2013:
Ron Todson, President of the FVREB states,”It wasn’t the best of years, nor was it the worst. Generally speaking, 2013 overall was quiet. earlier in the year, we didn’t see significant price declines because our inventory also remained lower. When both buyers and sellers take a breather it has a balancing effect on the market where neither has the upper hand.”
Key Stats of December:
*All statistics are from the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®)
To view the full FVREB December Statistics report, click here.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please give us a call at 604-588-4466 or email us at info@brokersmart.ca
19978 72nd Ave. Unit 205
Langley, B.C. V2Y 1R7
P: 604-588-4466
F: 604-588-4483
info@brokersmart.ca