A Question of Neighbours

Once in awhile the question gets asked – “What do you know about the neighbours?” or “Who lives next door?” Whether the question is directed at me representing a buyer or directly to the seller or their agent, this is basically an open mine field for anyone who actually wants to attempt to answer. The question it seems gets asked more frequently by folks looking at high and medium density complexes as opposed to single family residential neighbourhoods. Closer living quarters equals closer contact.

The reasons why buyers ask are usually based around personal safety, level of interaction and how people tend to get along, noise, expectations of participation etc. (Though in my experience they aren’t actually able to define what they want to know clearly) All very difficult for anyone to assess and pass fair judgement. And that’s what it is – a judgement based on personal experiences, perceptions, expectations, desires, personal like and dislikes. Some people do have biases about who the people who maybe living around them but how someone else describes another person is very subjective. Is it the realtor to suss out ‘kind of people’ will live near you? There’s also a bigger question of ethics underlying the smaller question of wanting to know about the neighbours.

If you ask someone about neighbour and they tell you he has a slight mental health problem – what exactly does that mean? It means nothing really because there is no substance behind the statement. If you ask the woman who was cheated on by her husband by a neighbour, she may have nothing nice to say even though the “culprit” maybe a very nice individual. Maybe someone doesn’t like kids – or at least the neighbour’s kids. Maybe a neighbour doesn’t like certain cooking smells and has made an opinion of someone based on that. This could go on indefinitely. It happens all the time and it’s all about a point of view.

If a buyer is truly concerned (and they should be) about criminal activity, sex offenders and drug houses, and property crimes, that information is easily accessed by anyone including the realtor through local crime statistics and a quick search on the internet of community news stories. This is fact based information and part of my role to help people make educated decisions about where they want to live.

If a buyer truly feels the need to know about neighbours, than they need to do the legwork themselves of driving around, talking with people, knocking on doors, asking personal/private questions, talking with property managers etc. The can then form their own opinions based on the opinions of others.

I have had the pleasure of showing homes to all kinds of buyers (singles, couples, first timers, downsizers, families) in many different communities such as across the Greater Vancouver area and the Fraser Valley including Ladner/Richmond/Tsawwassen to Chilliwack and all points in between. 

For the most part, sellers want to sell their home and are happy to have you come through and see if their home will become your next home. That said, there a few tips that I think will help to make your "house viewing" experience as fun and enjoyable as possible! 

1. Everyone in your group, including children should wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off. With few exceptions, you will need to remove your footwear before going through a home. It can be a challenge juggling purses, bags, cameras, umbrellas, children etc.

2. Do not bring food, drinks, candy, gum, chips whatever into someone's home.  And we can deal with any garbage you may have somewhere else. If, for some reason I am doing a "marathon" showing tour with clients, especially those with children, I schedule a break into the day for bathroom, coffee and food.

3. Sometimes it helps to sit on the couch or chair to get some perspective on a room and to see how the space "feels". I understand this. However, it think it's best not to lie down on the bed. 

4. Speaking of children (I have a blended family of 4 boys) please keep them within your view and under control. The contents of the fridge are not for the taking, the toys are not to be played with, drawers are not to be sifted through. Beds are not for jumping on etc. 

5. Whether you love the house or have not much good to say about it - tell me outside of the house, preferably at my office. Some sellers have nanny cams and some sellers may actually be at home. No one wants to feel insulted by their taste in decor, design or housekeeping skills. Not every home is for everyone. On the other hand, we don't want to tip our hand if you really, really love it!

6. I encourage my buyers to bring along a notepad & pen, as well as a camera (a picture's worth a thousand words). I do have a note about photos - not all sellers are comfortable with having photos taken other than the ones taken by the listing agent. I once had a home listed of a prominent individual who had certain rooms off limits to photos. As your agent/buyers representative, I do my best to confirm photo taking in advance.

7. Sometimes circumstances come up, but try to be on time. A lot goes into scheduling showings and having people leave their homes sometimes with kids and pets in tow.

8.There are occassions where extra sensitivity is required on our part and as a realtor I will likely know in advance what the issue is - estates, foreclosures and tenancy where the tenant may not want to move.

9. In all of this, if you are not really ready to commit yet to purchasing and are "just looking for fun" I would like to suggest that you visit open houses or display suites until you are ready. Booking showings with private homes requires a lot on the part of the seller to have the home ready to show and to make arrangements to be out of the house.

As always, it will be a pleasure to help you find the house of your dreams that fits your lifestyle and financial goals. House hunting should be a fun and exciting time!  

I would say "cheap" as well, but that word is interpreted differently by everybody. I generally tend to think that most people notice the same things I do (this is mostly from experience of going through so many homes with so many people). That said, there are a couple of things that can be done easily or moderately easy by anyone within what I consider reasonable cost. 

1. If the caulking around your tub/shower/toilet/sink is showing signs of mold or mildew either clean it to pristine white (not as easy as you think) or remove it and replace it. There are so many "DIY" videos on the web or 1 hour courses available at places like Home Depot (I have seen them offered on the bulletin board at the Richmond, BC location) that I won't go into the details here. I'm sure Rona offers similar seminars. I've done the replacing in my 3 bathrooms in my Ladner home and have done it before in my Steveston condo) and it's not that hard to do.

2. A fresh coat of a neutral coloured bathroom paint (yes there are different types of paint - bathroom paint is made specifically to handle the moisture content) always refreshes and brightens a room and can cover up minor flaws. And don't forget to paint the trim around the floor, window frame and door.

3. If you have a bathroom fan and it full of lint, dust, rust or just looks gross try and have it replaced - ditto for a very outdated light fixture. (you may need to hire an electrician if you don't know one or can do this yourself).

4. Towel bars, toilet roll holders and shower rods can be very inexpensive and are generally very simple to install. So, if you are painting, remove these items first; make any repairs and then replace. Light switch plate covers are super cheap and dead easy. Knobs and draw pulls are easy and cheap as well. Ditto a toothbrush holder, garbage receptacle and soap dish (personally I prefer a liquid soap at the sink - much neater). 

5. Linens and shower curtains - if your home is going on to market, pick up a few fluffy white towels and a nice white/neutral coloured shower liner (you don't need a full curtain set). Put the towels out only for showings. It's amazing how pristine clean packs a punch with a prospective buyer.

6. I like to keep bric a brac in the bathroom to a minimum - of course, space usually dictates how much is out. A single large candle, a small flower arrangement, no toiletries except a great bottle of cologne. Be careful with scent, it bothers a lot of people. If your home is being shown put the hair products (shampoo and stuff included) away. 

7. Probably one of  the most important thing is a super deep cleaning. Got guys in your house? Ever looked at the wall behind the toilet?????  I'm just saying. 

8. So, if you have extra cash and feel the need to do a little bit more decide on what YOU notice that you don't like. Is it the flooring? the sink? the mirror or wall cabinet? The tub? The shower or surround? These are things that may take you in the realm of needing a little more expertise and assistance which costs money on top of materials. And some of these materials are not cheap either. 

If you have any ideas you would like to add or things you have had success with, please feel free to post! Would love to hear from you. 

First Steps in starting to think about selling your home.

So, you've made the decision to sell your home either to upsize, downsize or free up some needed equity. As a realtor, while I'm happy to hear from you and look forward to going on this journey with you, I want to know that you've had the most important conversation to start the process . . . the one with your mortgage broker, lender or financial adviser.  It can sometimes be a painful process for a homeowner to find out too late that there are penalties or other costs that make it impossible or at the very least difficult to buy their next home. Even if you are buying down you may have debts, liens, charges, penalties etc. that may prohibit your next purchase. You could also end up with a rate that messes up your comfortable monthly payments.

Make sure your understanding of the money related to your home is in order before you sell or start looking for your next home regardless of buying up, buying down or just trying to free up equity. A lot of folks are surprised not only by the costs attached but what sometimes isn't there! I have spoken to several homeowners who believe that because Vancouver has a robust real estate market that home values across the board have soared! It isn't the case everywhere and the perceived equity may not exist.

Buying out your mortgage early or moving it can cost a lot of money. If you are selling a home, then that also means that you are not a first time home buyer and your next purchase is subject to Property Transfer Tax. This can be and will be several thousands of extra dollars. Considering moving to a condo or townhome? Those monthly strata fees can push the costs outside of what you are approved to purchase.

Your mortgage specialist will walk you through the process and ensure that you know how much you are working with, the best rate possible and then you can decide if this is the right to sell. 

GOING GREEN