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5 Ways to Increase Value to Your Home this Weekend

Increase Value to Your Home: As much as we may love to reserve the weekends for sleeping in and spending time with family; if you set aside a weekend or two for a few simple projects, you could increase the value of your home so that you can get the most from your sale.

1. Paint Your Front Door

Painting your front door is a quick and easy way to instantly improve your home’s curb appeal and make it stand out. Choose a color that complements the color of the brick or siding and look for a glossy finish that is low maintenance and looks high end. If your door has windows or a storm door, then give them a good cleaning as well to better show off your new door color and your exterior.

2. De-clutter

Most of us are guilty of having too much stuff and when it comes time to sell, all of that stuff can really put off potential buyers. Make it a family affair and spend the weekend getting rid of any unnecessary stuff. Clear out closets and storage areas so that not only are your things better organized and easier to find, but so that potential buyers can see your homes true space and potential. Less is more after all and scaling back lets your home feel clean, open and airy—just what buyers want.

3. Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets

Whether you use one of the DIY cabinet painting kits on the market or paint recommended by your favorite decorating blog; painting your kitchen cabinets can make your tired and dated kitchen look new, which always results in more money when you sell.

4. Replace Doorknobs, Handles, and other Hardware

Replacing doorknobs, cabinet and drawer handles and pulls, along with other hardware and fixtures like faucets helps to create a cohesive look for a high-end appearance even if you purchase your new hardware and fixtures at Wal-Mart or some other discount store! Try to stick to a similar finish on all to bring the look together.

5. Give Rooms Purpose

If you have rooms that are doing double duty and being used for multiple purposes or even just sitting empty and playing the part of a catch-all for your junk; it could confuse buyers and make it hard for them to imagine what they would use the space for. Take a weekend to tackle these rooms so that your spare room looks like a functional home office/guest bedroom and your dining room as an actual dining room instead of your makeshift craft room or office.

Langley Real Estate – Selling your Townhouse?

Let’s face it; most couples who buy townhouses usually go on to outgrow them at some point and find themselves looking to upgrade to a bigger home. The key to getting the most from the sale of your townhouse so that you can afford to up-size is making sure that you make it more appealing to your target market, which is people who were where you were when you first bought it: singles or couples without kids.

Speaking with an experienced Langley real estate agent about your target market is a good place to start so that you have a better understanding of who you should be trying to impress, so to speak, when getting your townhome ready for sale. Along with insight from a real estate agent who knows the area, the trends and what people are looking, you can also use the following information to make your home more appealing to singles and couples looking for a townhouse for sale in Langley.

Executive Home vs. A Family Home

Young home buyers are looking for a home that works for their lifestyle, which for most doesn’t include kids. They want stylish and easy spaces that they can see themselves in relaxing, entertaining and often even working. This means removing toys and extra clutter that tends to accumulate when you have children, such as playpens, playhouses, etc.

Potential buyers should be able to walk into a space and envision their life happening there. If your only other bedroom has been decked out for a child, then removing wall decals and toning down paint is a good idea. The perfect second bedroom for appealing to your typical Langley townhouse buyer is one that works as a spare bedroom and office space. This doesn’t mean that you need to send your child to grandmas or move them into the basement. Paint out the room in a stylish and somewhat neutral color and stage it with a simple and uncluttered desk and a bed or foldout couch if space doesn’t allow for a full-size bed. This means that your child can still sleep in the room while the home is on the market—just be mindful to pick up toys and check for any hidden messes before showings.

Go through your home and pack up any knick-knacks, family photos and other memorabilia that isn’t in keeping with what your target market is looking for.  They need to be able to envision themselves in the home and that’ll be a lot easier to do if they aren’t bombarded with photos of your family trip to Disney or your child’s drawings and report cards on the fridge.

Talk to an experienced Langley real estate agent for other suggestions on how to sell your townhouse for more so that you can afford to upgrade to a family home.

This Might Help Your Property Assessment Blues!

To keep pace with rising property assessments, the BC government has raised the Home Owner Grant threshold to $1,285,000. The threshold is the maximum assessed value a property can reach to allow the property owner to claim the full Home Owner Grant.BC Assessment estimates the value of all BC homes on July 1 each year. The Ministry of Finance reviews this data and adjusts the Home Owner Grant threshold to ensure at least 95.5% of eligible home owners receive the full amount. Owners of homes valued above the threshold may qualify for a partial grant.

The basic Home Owner Grant gives home owners:

  • a maximum reduction of $570 in property taxes on principal residences in the Capital, Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley regional districts;
  • an additional grant of $770 to rural home owners elsewhere in the province; and
  • an additional grant of $275 to seniors aged 65+, those who are permanently disabled and war veterans of certain wars.

Basic grant for 2012 – the basic grant is reduced by $5 for each $1,000 of assessed value over $1,285,000, and is eliminated on homes assessed at $1,399,000 or more.

Additional grant for 2012 – the additional grant is reduced by $5 for each $1,000 of assessed value over $1,285,000, and is eliminated on homes assessed at $1,454,000 or more.

Canadian citizens and landed immigrants residing in their principle residence are eligible for the grant.

In November 2011, the government announced plans to create a further grant of up to $275 for low-income Canadian Forces veterans with more recent service in the event they do not already qualify as seniors or persons with disabilities. Details will be announced soon.

For information on the BC Home Owner Grant program, give us a call at 604-588-4466 or send us an email at info@brokersmart.ca