Real Estate in Saugeen Shores including Port Elgin and Southampton: April 2012

Port Elgin Spring 2012 Newsletter

Not intended to solicit persons/properties currently under contract with any other representative or brokerage.

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.

Trademark owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license

Monday, April 23, 2012

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Title Inurance

During a real estate transaction, and sometimes beforehand, your agent should discuss Title insurance. Are you still unsure of what it is? Was it explained to you properly?

First and foremost, Title insurance is an insured statement of the condition of title of real property at the time the policy is issued. Think of it this way; you insure your car against theft, and accidental damage. This is basically what you are doing by adding Title insurance to your home. You are protecting your home against title damage, and theft. I will explain further down.

Today most major lenders will not finance a property without Title Insurance. Did you know that Lawyers are required by the law society to discuss Title insurance with you, including benefits, risks, costs etc?

Some coverage of Title Insurance: unmarketability of title; property taxes left unpaid by the previous owner; defects in the title; priority of some construction leins; defects that would have been revealed by an up-to-date survey; lack of access, survey errors and more. A few of the benefits include protection against forgery, fraud, duress, incompetency, incapacity or impersonation such as documents being forged in an example like identity theft.

One thing to be clear of, Title insurance does not replace an up-to-date survey especially if you are planning to build an addition, tear down and re-build or add a swimming pool.

The amount of insured is based on the mortgage amount or the purchase price of the home. The policy will last as long as the insured owner retains interest in the property. There is a 200% inflation coverage for the home owner and a onetime only premium is paid. Even if you didn’t purchase title insurance during the transaction when you bought your home, you can purchase a policy anytime during ownership.

Definitely talk to someone that has knowledge of title insurance. Call one of the listed companies that can offer title insurance in Ontario, talk to your lawyer, or Call Jason Steele – Broker 519-377-2147 cell/text.

Jason Steele

Broker

Coldwell Banker, The Property Shoppe Real Estate, Brokerage

(independently owned and operated)

519-377-2147 cell

Not intended to solicit persons/properties currently under contract with any other representative or brokerage.

Trademark owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license

Friday, April 13, 2012

Open Houses

Open Houses – are they productive?

While some may say yes, others in the business say that they don’t produce action. IN my opinion what an open house does is provides me a list of ideal candidates for a home sale. In other words, I may not find the right buyer for your home, doing an open house at your home but I may find the right buyer while doing an open house at another home. So it plays out in the long run, that open houses work in creating potential buyer lists. I have sold a couple due to the open house, but it is rare. Now someone that comes through may go back to their agent and bring an offer a couple weeks later as well.

Here are some tips if your agent is planning an open house.

If you do agree to conduct an open house, here are some tips:

• Make sure proper home staging is done in advance so your home appeals to the maximum number of potential buyers.

• Do not stay in the house during the open house. You are more than likely to volunteer too much information, including why you are selling. This will hurt your negotiating position later.

• Make sure your agent will be there the entire time.

• It is not against the law to ask for identification in order to allow someone to enter your home. If they refuse to provide it, tell your agent to refuse them entry.

• Sometimes criminals will come in pairs; while one distracts the salesperson, the other is going through drawers. If a lot of people are expected make sure your agent brings an assistant.

• Ask your agent to check all windows and doors before they leave your home to make sure everything is properly secured.

• Remove all valuables or store them in a safe, if you have one in the home. This includes your laptop and any discs that may have your personal information on them.

• Keep all of your bank and credit card statements out of view, as this could lead to identity theft if someone takes them.

• Take pictures of each room so you can check later if something is missing or damaged during the open house.

Whatever you decide regarding an open house, make sure you are properly prepared in advance

Jason Steele

Broker

Coldwell Banker, The Property Shoppe Real Estate, Brokerage

(independently owned and operated)

519-377-2147 cell

Not intended to solicit persons/properties currently under contract with any other representative or brokerage.

Trademark owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Real Estate Port Elgin MLS - Port Elgin Real Estate listings homes for sale Port Elgin and area. Jason Steele Coldwell Banker The Property Shoppe Real Estate Brokerage

Real Estate 101

The importance of knowing what you are buying: So yesterday I am sitting in a classroom of real estate representatives all looking for the same common ground. To further or update their education and fulfill the credit requirements governed by the Real Estate Council of Ontario. One question that came up from the administrator of the class was "how many people in the room write down the serial number of the appliances that are included with the sale of the home on the buyers offer?" I immediately put my hand up, and looked around the room in amazement. I was the only one! Did you know if on an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, the included Chattels read something like this [ fridge, stove, washer, dryer] then that is what you are getting? It doesn't say what fridge or stove, it just says fridge or stove. Now the Seller can legally turn around and replace those newer stainless appliances with some Thrift Store specials! or if the original stove breaks before closing, he can just replace it with something found at a garage sale, provided it is working. This is why it is important to at the very least have a description of the appliances such as "White Maytag two door fridge" as seen on January 4, 2012 (showing time). Chattel Warranty ON many agreement of purchase and sale forms you will likely see a clause that reads something like this : The Seller warrants that the chattels as included shall be in good working order and free from all leins, encombrances and defects. this warranty shall survive and not merge on closing but apply only to the state of the property on closing.... Most people scratch their heads at this and wonder what it means...well in a nutshell it means that as a buyer, you are being told that the appliances are in good working order and that on closing they will be. If on the day of closing you go in and something isnt working, then you have a day or two to notify your lawyer and hopefully it will be fixed or replaced. Basically it gives you a reasonable amount of time to make a claim as the courts know that the day of moving in is hectic and maybe you didn't get a chance to call anyone because the deal didn't close until 6pm etc. However, if after 3 days, something breaks, well....Caveat Emptor (let the Buyer Beware) I always tell my client whether a buyer or seller the following : I don't sell appliances, I sell homes. You pay me to negotiate the best deal for you and in that negotiation it may include appliances. Remember that the Seller is not an after market warranty company, and over a used $400 appliance, you are likely going to pay as much in legal fees to try and recover that. Bottom line is, make sure it is spelled out on the offer "exactly" what you want.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Listing and Selling

Have you decided to list your home? Have you been educated on the various ways that a listing can play out? For example, if I list your home on a Friday afternoon, did you know that it likely wouldn’t get very much exposure on the public market until at least Tuesday morning? Why is this? Well, first, I take your listing; then I upload it to our board office; then depending on how busy our board office is it could take a few hours until it get input into the system; then from our system it usually takes approx 24 hrs to upload to the national system. And there you have it, your listing process in a nutshell!

Why am I telling you this? Well, for example, if you list on a Friday, and your agent brings you an offer first thing Saturday morning is that going to be your best offer? Perhaps if they are bringing you that offer so quickly, the house was priced real well! Stop and think though, an offer that quick; iIf your house hasn’t had time to be exposed on the open market, maybe, just maybe there are other offers that could be coming in! Don’t rush in accepting the offer. If they are that interested, the chances of losing them as a potential buyer are low.

I had two buyers interested in a home that went through this similar situation. Unfortunately for the seller, it was too late. (my one buyer knew the home and said he would have paid, well, a little more than the listed price!)

Jason Steele

Broker

Coldwell Banker, The Property Shoppe Real Estate, Brokerage

(independently owned and operated)

519-377-2147 cell