Are you considering a rural property or a home on a lake or by the seashore?  If your considered property is not on a municipal water system, make sure that you have the water tested for potability.  You want safe drinking water, low in bacteria / pathogens.  The homeowner will give you the results from their latest test but be cautious.  The homeowner may be a wonderful person, kind to children, dogs and Buyers but water can be contaminated quickly and Sellers sometimes get anxious to sell.  That water may have come from somewhere other than the property.  Take the sample yourself.   Your agent should not take a water sample for you.   You want to be completely in control and possession of the sample.  Take it or send it to a water testing facility.  Read the results carefully.   Wate... 07/06/2011

Buyers will look in your shed.  This weekend, I took some Buyers to a house that was in need a some TLC (tender loving care).  In addition to walking around the house, the husband went to the shed for a good look.  He was not impressed with the state of the building nor the state of the interior.  It was added to the list of why the house was not worth the asking price. Before selling, declutter your shed. This is not a place to hide your excess stuff.  If the exterior is in bad shape make a decision to either tear it down or fix it up.  Don't just leave it thinking that Buyers don't dar.  Finally, don't be tempted exclude the shed in your sale.  It will be too much trouble for you to dismantle and not likely to make the trip across town or country.  Make it part of the real estate you... 05/24/2011

I listed this wonderful home this afternoon.  It is about 34 - 40 minutes from downtown.  Located on almost 2 acres of property with a pool, porch, back veranda and huge play area.  There are 5 bedrooms and 4 baths. I have a wonderful photographer who managed to take over 60 photos plus video.  If you are interested in seeing more about this house, please feel free to view the photos and video and to contact me for a showing.    The photo in this post was taken by Emily, the daughter of the owners, last year.  She has a nice eye for photography and I am happy to show you her photo.  04/20/2011

  PHYSICAL NATURE OF CLOTHES CLOSETS If you are in the enviable position of designing a home with a huge closet, remaking your current closet, or just looking for anything that will help you find your clothes quicker then here are some things about closets that may help you.  Hangers - the days of the wire hanger are over.  They are worthless.  Buy good wood hangers and thick plastichangers.  You might want to buy a second colour for your spouse (if you have to share a closet with her). Lighting - Use the blue tone fluorescent bulbs if possible.  Halogen lights and the old incandescent bulbs go give off heat.  How long do you stand inside the closet trying to decide what to wear?  It can get warm.  Can you wire the light so that it goes on and off when the doors are open or shut? Paint ... 04/09/2011

You might want to show off how big your dining room is by taking the leaves out of your table and pushing in the chairs.  Your thinking may be that the room will look bigger because there is more free space around the table.  In fact, as long as there is enough room so that the chairs can be pulled out, leave the leaves in the table.  Most Buyers want to know if a crowd will fit around the table at Thanksgiving.  Now look at the floor, do you have hardwood or tile with a puny little rug under the table?  If you pull out the chairs to sit down, do the chair legs come off the area rug?  If that happens then your rug is too small.  It will make your dining room look off balance and odd.  The fastest and cheapest correction is to remove the rug.  Remember, your house will be a product not ... 02/27/2011