The Brantford Home Info Blog!: Brantford ON

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Thursday, August 2, 2012

Improve Your Brantford/Brant County Home This Month!

If there’s one piece of advice that I would give to those who are looking to sell their home in the Brantford/Brant County real estate market, it’s this: improve your home BEFORE listing it. The last thing that you want is for a buyer to give you a list of demands during the negotiation process. There are certain things that you can do throughout the year to keep your Brantford/Brant County home in tip-top shape. If you make an effort to do a few minor home improvement projects each month, then when it comes time to sell, you will see higher offers and a lower amount of contingencies.

Since August has just begun, I thought that I’d outline a few simple tasks that are ideal for this time of year:

Remove any and all pest magnets. There’s nothing like a pest problem to turn a buyer off from making an offer on your home. Summer means heat, and heat means that our favorite unwanted visitors are out to play. Keep the outside entryway clear of debris. Stacks of tools, lawn toys, lumber and yard waste are prime attractions for summertime pests. You can also avoid pests by storing firewood in a dry place that’s at least two feet from the house and 18 inches off the ground. This will eliminate a known hiding place for spiders and other insects. Other solutions include sealing garbage cans tightly, washing and rinsing items you intend to recycle thoroughly and keeping your gutters clear.

Give your lawn a little TLC. Very few people have the money or maintenance tools to achieve a pristine, golf course-style lawn, but you can still keep yours pretty and polished by mowing frequently. If you mow your lawn on the highest frequency that your machine can go, then you will discourage weeds and stimulate a thicker growth, which is appealing to passerby on the street. Using this tactic during lawn maintenance will also cause the roots to retain more water, meaning less watering work for you. If you’re going to fertilize, I’d wait until the end of the month. Doing so during hot weather can actually stimulate weed growth.

Give your water heater a little inspection. Once a year, you should pay attention to your water heater and ensure that everything is running smoothly. Neglecting to care for this particular appliance could cause your flooring to rot and will most likely hike up your energy bills. In order to get the most out of your water heating expenses, insulate yours with a thick blanket. This will keep all the heat in and will stop it from leaking in to the surrounding atmosphere. Next, check all lines and connections to the heat to make sure that they’re running smoothly. You should also keep an eye out for any leaks, as even the smallest amount of moisture can rot your flooring. Make sure to check the valve as well. Any time it gets stuck in an on or off position, it can result in an explosion.

These are just a few of the many things that you can do to keep your Brantford/Brant County home in peak condition. If you have any questions about how to prep your home for sale in the Brantford/Brant County real estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask. I’d love to help. I hope to hear from you soon!

Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage

Over 525 Closings!
515 Park Road North | Brantford, ON N3R 7K8 Direct: (519) 752-5400 & (877) 759-5900 | Cell: (519) 761-7400 | Fax: 519-752-3400

Before You Buy or Sell Your Next Home, Visit My Website at:
www.FreeBrantfordHomeInfo.com for FREE Information!

Connect with Me

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Find the Right Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent in Five Steps

Selling a home is a huge decision, and quite frankly, it’s also very stressful. That’s why so many people decide to hire a Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent to help them throughout their transaction. Each step of the process is tricky and complicated to navigate if you don’t have any experience, and hiring a professional takes that additional stress-factor off of your shoulders. Your agent will take care of everything on your behalf and give you the advice and guidance you need to prepare your home for sale. It’s a lot of responsibility to entrust to someone, which is why when you go to hire an agent, you have to be very careful about whom you select.

If you want to start your Brantford/Brant County Real Estate transaction on the right foot, then you’re going to want to take the necessary steps to finding the perfect agent for the job. Here are five things that you need to do to ensure that you find the right real estate agent for your home sale:

1.    Create a list of possible prospects. You can utilize websites like Trulia, Zillow and REALTOR.com to research various agents in your area of service. It would also be beneficial to get referrals from family and friends. It’s important to read reviews of the agents you’re considering and get a list of names from trusted sources. You’ll want to narrow down the list you make based upon the agent’s niche in the local market. You want the expert who will be the most familiar with your particular type of transaction.
2.    Don’t skimp on the tough questions during your interview. When you sit down and interview a potential Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent, you want to ask basic questions about their background and experience, but you also want to ask them some more difficult, probing questions that give you a sense of their work style and methodology. How familiar is the agent with your neighborhood? What is their plan to market your home? You’re going to want to hire someone who has a strong familiarity with your area and a clear-cut plan for marketing your listing.
3.    Get an idea of each agent’s agency relationship. Some real estate agents in the area participate in what is called dual agency, or representation of a buyer and seller at the same time during a transaction. This isn’t a bad thing, but you will ideally want someone who will only work on your, the seller’s, behalf. You’re going to want somebody who will go to bat for you and look out for your best interests, and that can get complicated when your agent is also representing the other party in the transaction.
4.    Does your agent have any backup? Most real estate professionals are incredibly busy. They’re always on the go. Since they’re supposed to be worrying about showing your home and negotiating with the buyers, they may not have the time needed to get the paperwork and administrative tasks done in a timely fashion. That’s why it’d be ideal for your agent to have an assistant or marketing team. They can be a point of contact for you, and you know that your agent has the manpower to get things done on your behalf quickly.
5.    Set your expectations. Before you sign a contract with an agent, you need to make sure that you have a clear idea of the timeline that will be in place to get your listing off the market. Most agents will ask for three to six months to sell a home. If you live in a luxury property, it may be up to a year. You need to know this ahead of time in order to know what to expect.

As an experienced Brantford/Brant County Real Estate professional, I believe that this is the best way to go about finding the right person to sell your home on your behalf. If you make a careful, thorough decision, then you are more likely to be happy with your quality of service. Feel free to contact me at any time if you’d like to know how to go about preparing your Brantford/Brant County Home for sale. I’d be happy to help you and answer any questions that you may have. I hope to hear from you soon!

Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage

Over 525 Closings!
515 Park Road North | Brantford, ON N3R 7K8  Direct: (519) 752-5400 & (877) 759-5900 | Cell: (519) 761-7400 | Fax: 519-752-3400

Before You Buy or Sell Your Next Home, Visit My Websites at:
www.BrantofordHomeInfo.com or www.FreeBrantfordHomeInfo.com for FREE Information!

Connect with Me

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Find the Right Mortgage For Your Brantford Home

It can be difficult enough to understand the intricacies of your mortgage loan, but when you are given a bunch of different options to choose from, things can get even more complicated. As a Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent, I have to be familiar with the various types of loan options in order to help my clients figure out which would be the best for their financial situation. I also have developed relationships with a number of lenders in the area, all of which I refer my clients to for top-notch and superior loan advice.

Finding the right mortgage is not an easy process. It takes a lot of thought and planning. You need to be prepared to do a lot of research and weigh a lot of options before deciding on the best plan of action. Using the right mortgage lender in the Brantford/Brant County Real Estate market and your agent, you will be able to choose the best financing option for your transaction. Here is where you need to start when selecting a mortgage:

•    Ask yourself some important questions. The key is to start with yourself. Don’t focus on interest rates, taxes, homeowner insurance or anything else at the moment. Those numbers are what they are in this market. Your ability to pay those fees depends on your current situation, which is why you need to ask yourself some important questions before you start shopping around for rates. These questions include factors like, “Do I have a financial plan? Do I plan on getting married or starting a family in the near future? How much can I afford to spend on a home in relation to my other expenses?” Notice how these are all questions that relate directly to your personal and professional life, not the particular transaction you’re entering. If you can’t answer these questions confidently and with a plan in place, then now may not be the best time to take on the responsibility that comes along with a mortgage loan.
•    Familiarize yourself with what’s out there. Pre-approved mortgage. Open mortgage. Closed mortgage. Bridge financing. Is your head spinning yet? These are just a few of the many types of mortgages available on the market today. You need to discuss your personal needs with your Brantford/Brant County loan officer and review all of the options available to you. Do your research and familiarize yourself with the various kinds of mortgages on the market. The more you know, the better you will be able to find the plan that will work best for your individual situation.
•    Use your Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent to help. Not only will your agent have the connections to loan officers in the area that can help you, but they’ll also be able to answer basic questions about mortgage loans. They’ll also be able to help you figure out some of the answers to the important questions above as they guide you throughout the entire buyer and seller process. This is one resource that you will definitely want to use!

If you start by focusing on your needs and what is practical for your financial situation, then, with the help of your Brantford/Brant County Real Estate Agent and loan officer, you will find the right mortgage loan. It’s all about planning ahead and being honest about what you can afford. If you have any questions about how to go about buying a home in the Brantford/Brant County Real Estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d be happy to help in any way that I can. I hope to hear from you soon!

Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage

Over 525 Closings!
515 Park Road North | Brantford, ON N3R 7K8  Direct: (519) 752-5400 & (877) 759-5900 | Cell: (519) 761-7400 | Fax: 519-752-3400

Before You Buy or Sell Your Next Home, Visit My Websites at:
www.BrantofordHomeInfo.com or www.FreeBrantfordHomeInfo.com for FREE Information!

Connect with Me

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Five Ways to See Investment Success in Brantford!

Many investors in the Brantford area have seen success, but that’s come with years of hard work and experience. If you’re expecting to see the cash start flowing in overnight, then you may be in for some disappointment. There are ways in which your business style and practices can influence how much success you see, so if you’re interested in becoming an investor in the Brantford Real Estate market, you need to make sure that you have the right work ethic and drive.

As a Brantford Real Estate Agent who has worked with investors, I think that it’s important to advise and guide my clients on the best way to navigate the local market. Part of that is developing strong business relationships, so if there’s any way that I can advise my clients on how to best accomplish that, I do so. Here are five things that you, as an investor in Brantford Real Estate, can do to develop the contacts that will help your career in the industry be successful.

Be honest about how much buying power you have. It’s unethical to lie about how much cash you have to put into investments. It’s okay to take some risks sometimes, but people aren’t going to want to work with an investor who spends more than they have. It could cause financial issues down the line, so in order to stay successful, make sure that you stay honest.

Don’t back out of deals on a regular basis. No property is perfect, so if you back out of a deal because of minor issues, you could be seen as unreliable or difficult to work with. It’s important to carefully consider a decision before making a commitment, so if you need some time to think on an investment, take it. That is better than having everything prepared for closing and then backing out at the last minute.

Know what you want. Sure, picking a location and place for your next investment is a huge decision, which is why you should figure out exactly what it is that you want in a Brantford investment property BEFORE you start your search. These transactions will take much longer if you go in blind than if you do your research and have a list of requirements going in to things.

Have goals! The only way that you’re going to continue to expand and grow as a Brantford Real Estate investor is by setting goals for yourself. Appearing to have a lack of motivation and drive will hold you back, and people will sense that you don’t have anything to bring to the table. By setting goals for yourself, you’ll hold yourself accountable for your success and allow yourself to grow.

Communicate openly with your Brantford Real Estate agent. My job as a real estate agent in the Brantford area is to help my clients, and I can only do that if we communicate openly with one another. If you give me a clear-cut, honest idea about what you’re looking to accomplish, I can help you achieve that. Part of seeing success in this industry is communicating well, so in order utilize my experience and skills in Brantford Real Estate to their fullest potential, we need to be able to be open with one another.

If you can implement these five qualities into your day to day operations as a Brantford Real Estate investor, then you will find yourself seeing success in an industry that is difficult to break in to. If you have any questions about how to get started, or would like to see some of the properties available on the Brantford Real Estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me! My many years of experience in the industry could help you throughout the entire transaction. I hope to hear from you soon.

Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage

Over 521 Closings!
515 Park Road North | Brantford, ON N3R 7K8 Direct: (519) 752-5400 & (877) 759-5900 | Cell: (519) 761-7400 | Fax: 519-752-3400

Before You Buy or Sell Your Next Home, Visit My Websites at:
www.BrantofordHomeInfo.com or www.FreeBrantfordHomeInfo.com for FREE Information!

Connect with Me

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Buy a Top-Performing Property in Brantford

Many investors on the Brantford Real Estate market see the words “foreclosure”, “estate sale” or “motivated seller” and think that they have found the best deal on a potential money-making property. It’s true that these homes might be priced in a range that is enticing, but as an investor, if you’re looking to succeed, you need to consider factors outside of price point. As a Brantford Real Estate Agent who works with investors frequently, I tell my clients to consider a bunch of different facets of each property before they commit to an investment. Here are a few of the more important elements to consider:

Look at the big picture. How is the national real estate market right now? Is it a good time to invest? What price point SHOULD you be investing in based upon market conditions? These are all very important questions to ask yourself before jumping on the next cheap Brantford foreclosure. Buy what you know, understand and can comfortably afford to take on.

Check out the specific area. Before you invest in one of Brantford’s many properties, you need to consider whether or not it is sustainable long-term. Will people still be living and working in the area 10-15 years from now? Areas thrive and fade all the time and you don’t want to invest in an area that is on the way down. It’s something important to consider.

Location is key. You want your investment property to be close to amenities, transportation and major areas of employment. That’s where you will see the most buyer traffic and a higher likelihood of profit. Do your research on the neighborhood in which the property is in and assess its location before putting in an offer.

Really examine the individual property. When it comes to investing, you need to make sure that the property you are looking to purchase will end up covering all of its costs and the work you will put into it either through resale or tenancy. It’s important to figure out what needs to be done, work-wise, on the features of the home before you choose to invest.

Check out the market. What are other investors in the area paying for their properties? You don’t want to overpay or be too far off from the norm. Do your research and have the stats to back you up during negotiations. Without doing this, you could overpay and end up losing money on the property, so you’re going to want to take this step seriously.

These are only a few of the many factors to consider as you search for the most profitable, high performing investment property on the Brantford Real Estate market. In order to see success in the world of investing, you need to make savvy business decisions that will benefit you, so paying attention to buzzwords that suggest “cheap” properties won’t always give you the best results.

If you have any questions about how to find the right investment property in Brantford, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d be happy to show you some of what’s available in the area and help you make the right choice. I hope to hear from you soon!

Wally Dufrat | Sales Representative
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Inc. Brokerage

Connect with Me