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Welcome to Nanaimo Real Estate Team's Blog

This blog will take a look into Nanaimo's real estate market, community news and events, and everything in between! We want to keep on top of things going on in this growing city, to help show our clients what Nanaimo has to offer. Take a seat, grab something to eat or drink, and have a read.

 

 

 

Oct. 23, 2020

Cozy Up Your Outdoor Space This Fall

In the midst of the pandemic, many people in the US spent more time enjoying their home’s outdoor space than ever before.

But as we move further into the fall, how can you adjust your space so you can still enjoy plenty of time outdoors—even as temperatures continue to drop?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined different ways to make your outdoor space more usable in colder weather, including:

    • Add a fire pit…A fire pit will not only make for a warmer outdoor space, but the fire also adds a cozy ambiance that can make your space feel more inviting in the colder months.

    • …or heat lamps. If you don’t want to have a fire pit in your backyard, you can also add extra heat with a few strategically placed heat lamps. For maximum warmth, make sure to arrange heat lamps near your seating area.

    • Add extra lighting. It doesn’t just get colder in the fall and winter months—it also gets darker. There are less hours of daylight during the fall and winter, so adding extra lighting to your outdoor space is a great way to make it usable all year-round—including on those days when the sun goes down at 4pm.

Just because the days get a little shorter and colder, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the outdoor portion of your home still!

Posted in Around the Home
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Oct. 15, 2020

Living Room Details You’ll Want To Get a Closer Look At During A Video Tour

Video tours have exploded in popularity in 2020. And for good reason! Video tours are a great alternative for buyers who are unable to tour properties in person (for example, buyers who are looking for a home in a different state or who have safety concerns due to COVID).

But while video tours can definitely take the place of an in-person tour, if you really want to get a detailed look at the condition of the property, you need to know what to ask your agent to focus on—and that includes in the living room.

A recent article from a realtor.com outlined some of the living room details that could prove tough to spot during a video tour (details you’ll definitely want to ask your agent for a closer look at), including:

    • Where the living room is in relation to the rest of the home. The living room might look perfect when you first see it on video—but unless you get a full walk-through, it can be hard to judge exactly where your living room is in relation to the other rooms. Make sure to have your agent show you where the living room is in reference to the rest of the house—including any potential obstacles (for example, having to walk through a bedroom to reach the living room or a narrow doorway or stairwell that might be challenging if someone in your household has special needs). Ask the agent if there is a floorplan of the house, so that you can get a visual of what rooms are around the living room.

    • Flooring. It’s important to not only confirm with your real estate agent what kind of flooring is in the living room, but what kind of condition that flooring is in. Ask your agent to put the camera close to the floor so you can see any scratches or other damages; if the floors aren’t in the best condition, it’s something you want to know before you make a decision on the home or how much to offer.

    • Finishes. During a video tour, it can be easy to get caught up in the size, shape, and staging of a living room—and not get a close up look at the finishes and smaller details. Ask your agent to zoom in on things like light fixtures, crown molding, and paint so you can get a sense of the style and condition of the finishes in the living room—and how much work and/or changes to those finishes would be necessary if you decided to buy the home.

The Takeaway:

Bottom line? If you’re using video to tour a potential property, it’s important to know what details tend to get missed on video tours—then ask your agent to zoom in on those details so you can get a better look and make a more informed decision about whether the home is the right fit for you. And that includes details in the living room!

Posted in Buying a Home
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Oct. 8, 2020

The Kitchen Trends That Will Never Go Out of Style

Renovating your kitchen can be a pricey endeavor. And while you might be tempted to embrace the latest trends in your kitchen renovation, if you want to ensure you’ll love the look of your kitchen as much 10 years from now as you do today, the best thing you can do? Choose a kitchen trend that will never go out of style.

In a recent article, home improvement website LifeRejoice highlighted 40 of the most timeless trends in kitchen design, including:

Pairing whites and cools. If you want to create a streamlined, organized look in your kitchen, consider pairing white with a cool neutral (like gray).

Statement tile. Intricately designed tiles can add visual interest to your kitchen and make for a unique (yet timeless) design. Just make sure to keep other design elements, like paint and fixtures, more understated to keep your kitchen from veering into “visually overwhelming” territory.

Using lighting or colour to define the kitchen. If your home has an open floor plan, strategically using lighting or colour can be a great way to define your kitchen space and separate it from your living area.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve been thinking about renovating your kitchen (and you want that renovation to have serious staying power) embrace one of these timeless design trends.

Posted in Around the Home
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Oct. 1, 2020

5 Stages of Grief After Losing a Bid on Your Dream Home (and How to Avoid Them)

When we think of real estate, we tend to think of the positives: a place to call our own, beautiful interior design, and—if ratings are any indication—all the wildly entertaining real estate TV shows.

Whether they admit it or not, most people dream of the day when they’ll get to sign the paperwork on their dream home.

But what happens when that dream goes awry and becomes a nightmare?

Sounds scary, right?

Picture this: you’ve finally found your dream home, and it’s perfect! It has everything you’re looking for (except a light fixture that needs to be replaced, but that’s not a huge deal).

You’ve waited years for this moment. You put in a bid—a great bid—and cross your fingers and toes.

But then you get a call with the bad news…the seller went with another offer.

Devastating.

Try as you might, you’re going to go through the five stages of grief after losing a bid on your dream home. They usually look something like this:

1. Denial

“How could they have gone with another offer? Don’t they know how much we loved this house? We bid over asking! There must have been some sort of mistake. I should call and schedule the movers just in case.”

 

2. Anger

“Who do they think they are? Nobody rejects me, I reject them! I hope they fail the inspection. If I can’t have this house, then no one should have it.”

 

3. Bargaining

“Is it too late to make another offer? Just tell me how much the winning bid was and I’ll add another $5,000 on top of it. Okay, make it $10,000! How about this: what if I offer to let them come back and use the pool whenever they want…they’ll go for it, right? They like dogs, maybe they’ll take a puppy to sweeten the deal.”

 

4. Depression

“This is terrible. It’s the only house I’ve ever truly wanted and I’ll never find one like it again. What’s the point of working so hard if I can’t even get an offer accepted? Why do I always have to settle? I wish I’d never gone to see this house so I wouldn’t have to think about what I’ve lost.”

 

5. Acceptance

“You know what? Everything happens for a reason. If I was meant to buy that house, then they would have accepted the offer. Let’s keep looking. Something else will come along, and it might even be a better fit. No use crying over spilled milk.”

 

Avoiding The Grief (And Aggravation)…

Losing a bid on your dream home can be painful, but the good news is there are things you can do to maximize your chances of an accepted offer.

  • First, make sure that you’re pre-approved well in advance, so when that dream house comes on the market, you’ll be ready to go.
  • Then, when it comes on the market, don’t hesitate. Go see it ASAP and put in an offer as soon as you can, and make sure to include your pre approval.
  • When submitting your offer, make sure it’s strong. If you want the house, don’t play around and try to offer less than you’d be willing to pay. If they go with another offer, you’ll want to know that you gave it your best shot.
  • And lastly, try to be accomodating with your terms. If you want the perfect house, you need to be the perfect buyer.

Don’t feel bad if you’ve “lost” a house that you love. It happens! And, it’s natural to go through the stages of grief. Sometimes out of your control and just due to the market—supply and demand. Just do what you can to avoid it happening time and time again.

As always, if you’re in the market for a new home and want to minimize the chances of going through grief, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Posted in Buying a Home
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Sept. 24, 2020

Planning a Long Distance Move? Use These Tips To Reduce Stress

Moving can be a stressful experience—and that’s especially true when you’re packing up your life and moving somewhere far, far away.

There are so many logistics that go into planning a long distance move. And if you don’t have those logistics in order, by the time you make it to your new home, you can feel completely stressed and overwhelmed.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! A recent article from realtor.com outlined tips you can use to reduce stress when planning a long distance move, including:

  • Choose the right date. Trying to move when everyone else is moving can make it more difficult (and more expensive!) to navigate your move. If you can plan your move during off times (for example, on a Tuesday instead of a Saturday or in the fall instead of the summer), it can be easier to coordinate and less expensive overall.
  • Do your research. Look into your options when it comes to movers. They are not all necessarily one size fits all. You’ll want one who has experience in long-distance moves. Knowing all of the possible options and doing your research into each one will help you make the best choice possible to avoid hiring a company that can’t provide you with the best, smoothest move possible.
  • Budget accordingly. The last thing you want is to move into a new home in a new city saddled with debt from a more-expensive-than anticipated move. Make sure you create a budget with a bit of extra padding in case you run into unexpected expenses during the moving process.
Posted in Buying a Home, Selling Your Home
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Sept. 16, 2020

9 Illusions Created by Home Buying Shows Which Simply Aren’t True

If only buying and selling houses were as easy “as seen on TV”!

It’s probably not all that shocking to you to find out that “reality” real estate shows are pretty far off from actual reality. But how they are different from reality may surprise you…

1. Buyers look at exactly three properties before making a decision

In reality, there is no set number of homes you need to see before making a decision. Some people find the perfect property right away, while others look at dozens before making an offer.

2. Decisions are made after a brief conversation

While there are people who can probably make big financial decisions after a thirty second chat over a few drinks and an appetizer, for most people, it takes at least a little more time and consideration before deciding on which house to buy.

 

3. Most couples in their 20s and 30s are buying expensive properties

The people you see on TV are the exception to the rule. Most young people start with starter homes, and there’s nothing wrong with that. As badly as most twenty-somethings want a fabulous penthouse, it’s usually not in the cards (yet).

 

4. Sellers always get offers after an open house

In reality, an open house does not guarantee an offer, though it can help drum up interest. If you watch enough HGTV, though, you might think otherwise.

 

5. Every property is perfectly staged

Staging isn’t uncommon, but it’s usually dependent on the seller’s living situation, their budget, and the particulars of the property. However, not all homes for sale are perfectly staged with pristine mid-century modern kitsch, and some are completely empty.

 

6. Renovations are fast, easy, and cheap

TV makes it look like a full remodel can happen in less than half an hour. In reality, renovations can be time-consuming, complicated, and—with some exceptions—fairly expensive. That being said, in many cases they can be well worth it.

 

7. After an offer has been accepted, it’s smooth sailing through closing

In reality, there is plenty of work to be done after an accepted offer, including the purchase and sale agreement, financing, inspections, title search, and taking care of anything else that might go awry.

 

8. The weather is perfect during every open house

As much as we want to, we can’t control the weather, and if it happens to rain or snow or be gloomy during an open house, the show must still go on. If you’ve only seen open houses on TV, however, you’d never believe it.

 

9. The real estate agent doesn’t have to do much

Agents on home buying shows look like they do little except show houses and call with good news. In reality, there’s so much more they have to handle, and plenty of behind-the-scenes, and in front of screens, that agents do to get you to closing.

Posted in Around the Home, Buying a Home, Selling Your Home
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Sept. 9, 2020

Preparing For An Appraisal? Focus On These Projects

An appraisal is an important part of the home selling process; you want your appraisal to accurately reflect your home’s value and your listing price. But if your home appraisal comes in lower than expected, it could cause issues with your home sale and put the deal at risk.

Which is why, as a seller, you want to do everything you can to get your home ready for the appraisal. But what projects should you be focusing on?

A recent article from Forbes covered the home projects sellers should tackle before their appraisal, including:

  • Curb appeal. You only get to make a first impression once—so your home’s curb appeal can go a long way in adding value and setting the tone for a great appraisal. Keep any trees, bushes, or shrubs pruned, make sure your grass is mowed and healthy, and, if you have the budget, consider adding flowers or other details to spruce up your outdoor space and add a pop of color.
  • Bathroom upgrades. Simple (and affordable!) bathroom upgrades, like repainting or updating fixtures, can have a major visual impact—and, as such, can have a major impact on your appraisal.
  • Kitchen cabinetry. New cabinets can completely change the look and feel of your kitchen—and, as such, can add serious value. Don’t have the budget for new cabinets? Swapping out the cabinet doors can create the same kind of impact (without the hefty price tag).

There’s no need to do an entire renovation on your house. Simply make sure that what you already have to work with shows in the best light possible. Just spending even a little time and money on things that will catch the eye and attention of an appraiser, should pay off.

Posted in Around the Home, Selling Your Home
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Aug. 27, 2020

Staging Your Home? Focus On These Rooms

When you list your home, you want to stage it in a way that appeals to as many buyers as possible. But unless you have an unlimited budget for staging, you’ll likely need to focus on staging a few spaces within your home to make the biggest impact on buyers.

So, the question is—which rooms should you focus on?

A recent survey from home lender Ally (outlined in a recent article from REALTOR Magazine) asked Americans to name their favorite room in a house. According to the survey, these are the top choices:

  • Master bedroom (27 percent)
  • Family room (14 percent)
  • Kitchen (10 percent)
  • Master bathroom (9 percent)

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re getting ready to sell your home, you may want to invest a bit of extra time and money in staging your master bedroom, family room, kitchen, and master bath. Because these rooms are the most popular, potential buyers are likely to give them a little extra attention—and if they’re staged well, it could be what pushes them towards buying the home (and getting to enjoy those rooms for themselves).

Posted in Selling Your Home
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Aug. 19, 2020

Upgrade Your Bathroom With These Instagram Design Tips

If you’re thinking about remodeling your bathroom, you’ll want your design to feel timely and on-trend. And a great place to explore the newest interior design trends—including bathroom design?

Instagram.

A recent article from realtor.com highlighted some of the Instagram’s biggest bathroom design trends, including:

  • Open shelving. Open shelving instantly makes a space feel larger, making it a great choice for creating the illusion of spaciousness in a small bathroom.
  • Gold hardware. Gold hardware—like a faucet, towel bar, or toilet paper holder—is not only on trend, but can add a sense of warmth to your bathroom space. Just make sure to tie in the gold with other design elements (like a gold-rimmed mirror) to create a cohesive look.
  • Floor-to-ceiling backsplash. If you want to embrace a bold Instagram design trend, try a floor-to-ceiling backsplash. This will not only add visual interest to your bathroom, but it can also make ceilings look higher—which will, in turn, can make your bathroom feel bigger.
Posted in Around the Home
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Aug. 13, 2020

Selling Your Home? Watch Out For These Stressors

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to selling your home—and for many sellers, those moving parts can cause a good amount of stress.

But what are the most stressful parts of the home selling process? According to a recent survey from LendingTree, some of the top stressors for home sellers include:

  • Buying and selling a home at the same time. 29 percent of home sellers surveyed named trying to buy a new home at the same time as trying to sell their current home as the biggest stressor in the home selling process.
  • Making costly repairs or upgrades. Depending on the condition of your home, you may need to shell out some cash on repairs or upgrades before you list—a process that 16 percent of buyers said was the most stressful part of the home selling process.
  • Fearing the home won’t sell. Even though a lack of inventory is making the market more favorable for sellers, 15 percent of sellers surveyed said that the fear their home won’t sell was the most stressful part of the home selling process.
  • Balancing advice from multiple sources. Your friends, family, and neighbors might mean well when they share advice on what you should and shouldn’t do during the home selling process—but 13 percent of those surveyed said fielding advice from multiple sources was the most stressful part of selling their home.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re stressed out about selling your house, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s normal. But, the more you know about the potential stressors of the home selling process, the better prepared you can be to deal with those stressors—and the less stressful your home sale will be as a result.

Posted in Selling Your Home
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