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Megan and Trina

Top 5 Questions to Ask Every Agent to decide if they’re a good fit

Interviewing real estate agents is like team tryouts

Before adding a new team member, you need to make sure they have the right skills, share your values and fit with the rest of your team (aka family).

So, interviewing a prospective real estate agent for a key position – the captain of your buying or selling team – is essential. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist a small sports analogy. We’re missing hockey!)

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Home Project

Hire a Pro or DIY?

How to decide whether to hire a pro real estate agent or do it yourself

6 Things Smart Sellers Consider

We say it a lot but we think it really IS worth repeating: selling your home is one of the biggest transactions of your life. The process is already stressful. Doing it yourself, without the support of a professional real estate agent, makes it even more difficult.

Hiring a limited service, discount or DIY company (also called For Sale By Owner) could leave you with unexpected consequences – and expenses. Money is still going out the door but you’re without the benefits a REALTOR® brings to the table.

Here are a few things you should know before you decide:

1. How commissions work

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Man Walking

Dower Rights. Yes, it’s a thing.

DID YOU KNOW that Dower Rights apply when a couple is legally married, but only one spouse is on the title for the marital homestead? What does that mean? Long story short, HIRE A REALTOR. While we are not experts, we leave that up to Real Estate Lawyers, we have been educated and come with many years of experience to recognize Dower Rights and when they apply. Under the Dower Act, neither spouse may sell or mortgage the homestead without the other’s written consent.

Dower Rights do NOT apply when a couple is not legally married, or if both spouses are on the title for the property. Dower Rights DO apply when only one spouse is on title. What does that mean? The spouse not on title has legal rights to the marital home. This is very important for situations when a couple is separated, but not legally divorced.

If…

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Wood Foundation

Preserved Wood Foundations, What’s The Deal?

Preserved Wood Foundations or PWF have sadly be given a poor name when compared to concrete foundations, so we are going to take a closer look. Let’s first begin by stating that in no way are we experts; we are however, realtors who have helped numerous clients buy and sell homes with preserved wood foundations. Preserved wood foundations came onto the scene back in the 60s and were used as a cheaper alternative to concrete. We have scoured the websites of Canadian and American home inspectors to gain first-hand experience with PWFs. Our research shows that there are numerous homes throughout the province with PWFs. Statistics out of Fort McMurray show around 3% of homes have wood basements. Cost is the main driver for the decrease in the use of PWF in and around urban areas, where it is easy to bring in concrete. However, it is still a viable…

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Cleaning

Spring Cleaning

Is it safe to say that Spring may be on its way? It’s starting to feel like Spring cleaning is in the air!

Let’s take a moment to discuss what a deep and thorough Spring cleaning includes. Regular home maintenance is always important, as well as taking this time to ensure your home is market-ready, so you can take advantage of the Spring Market. The Spring Market is typically the busiest time of year for buying and selling, as most people hope to be settled before summer holidays. We do have to add a caveat for the current market. In light of this unprecedented time of COVID-19, our typical real estate market isn’t so typical. The height of the Spring Market may be delayed or even extended due to families staying home.

However, now that the snow is melting, exterior maintenance is very important. Clearing the snow away from your…

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