Merry Christmas from the Dion-Ivans Real Estate Group!!

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Home Viewing Checklist

General upkeep

Home is clean and uncluttered
Lawns are cut
Walls are clean and free of chipping
Paintjob on walls is in good shape

Signs of water damage

Ceilings and walls are free of stains
Ceilings and walls are free of bulges
No loose grout or caulking around bathroom and kitchen tiles
No crumbling grout or caulking around bathroom and kitchen tiles

Appliances and fixtures

Lights work well
Faucets work well
Toilets work well
Furnace works well
Air conditioning works well
Major appliances included with sale work well

Floors

Floors are smooth, even and solid
No soft, springy sections
No excessive squeaking

Doors and windows

Doors fit snugly and operate smoothly
Windows fit snugly and operate smoothly
No flaked paint
No loose caulking
No drafts

Drainage in yard

No soggy areas near the foundation

Signs of structural damage

No deep cracks in foundation
No loose mortar or bricks

Room for my furnishings

I measured the rooms
My furniture will fit

Storage space

There is storage space on each floor
Enough clothing and linen storage
Enough storage for tools
Enough storage for gardening equipment
Enough storage for sports equipment
Enough storage for miscellaneous items

Hidden surprises

I looked behind all closed doors
I looked behind suspiciously placed wall coverings and area rugs

Professional inspection

I want to buy the house – order a professional inspection

Royal LePage Canada

The Dion-Ivans Group

Top 10 Things to Avoid when Selling Your Home over the Holidays, According to Royal LePage

Vacation time and slower work schedules create an ideal time for open houses. However, as homes fill up with presents, decorations and visitors, sellers are often faced with the challenge of striking the right balance between cozy and crammed. Keeping your home tidy and sparingly decorated doesn't mean sellers can't celebrate the season in style, but remember that buyers are looking for just the right amount of sparkle.

"Potential buyers expect that there may be some decorations, but when they arrive they are trying to envision how they would spend their day-to-day lives in the home," says Phil Soper, president and chief executive, Royal LePage Real Estate Services. "Keeping the holiday decorations to the right level will be easier if you remember the goal is to bring out the home's structural charm," Soper adds.
We know that potential buyers can be put off by a home that has too many personal items. So while trying to manage the Christmas clutter, sellers should also remove items that remind buyers that the home belongs to someone else. To assist sellers, Royal LePage compiled a top ten list of things to avoid when selling a home during the holiday season.

1. Too many lights: A home will dazzle more if lights are kept to a tasteful minimum. Sellers should opt for white lights instead of multi-coloured flashing bulbs to provide a more neutral glow to a home.
2. Forgetting to clear the snow:  Snow can look beautiful on trees, but driveways and walkways should be cleared as soon as the flakes fall.  Buyers should be able to move freely during an open house so it's important to remember all the outdoor paths and patios around your home.
3. No life or landscape: Give buyers a chance to imagine the potential in your landscape. Frost-resistant plants like flowering kale or miniature trees allow sellers to liven up walkways without taking away the buyer's ability to envision his or her dream outdoor spaces.
4. Not cozy: Everyone appreciates a warm, cozy home - especially in the winter. Set the thermostat at a warm temperature for the whole day, and be mindful that some thermostats have low temperature pre-sets during the day when no one is at home. When the home is attended, fireplaces and candles could also be lit to create a comfortable environment throughout the day.
5. Engage the senses: Simmering a pot of cider with cinnamon during open houses or showings will create a warm and festive feeling.
6. Lingering odours: Be aware of those holiday dishes that may leave a strong odour. If possible, wait until showings are completed before cooking those traditional favorites -- potential buyers will appreciate a neutral environment.
7. Hiding a home's seasonal bests: Photos of the home's back and front yards, gardens and patios in spring and summer will show potential buyers what the house looks like when it is not buried under snow and when the leaves are still on trees.
8. Don't let the tree take over: A smaller Christmas tree, with minimal decorations, will create the appearance of more space. A huge tree, on the other hand, will make the room look smaller, and busy decorations can intensify clutter.
9. Presents should not be present: It is important to cut back on clutter when showing a home; hide the wrapped presents to keep them out of eyesight.
10. Too many decorations: Remember, when selling a home during the holidays, less is always more. Whimsical ornaments can be great accents during the holidays, but be mindful not to go overboard. When it doubt, remove it!

The Dion-Ivans Real Estate Group

Holiday Safety Tips Inside

Christmas Tree

• If you're buying a live Christmas tree, buy a freshly cut one.
• Place tree away from ignition sources like fire places, heaters, candles, radiators and combustible materials.
• Water your tree regularly to keep it fresh.
• Buy a fire resistant tree. Remember that fire resistance does not mean that the tree won't catch fire, it only means that the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• Avoid lead-based materials when cutting or decorating your tree - they are hazardous when ingested by children.
• Avoid sharp objects when decorating your tree.
• Avoid tree decorations that may break.

Lighting Safety Tips

• Check the label when buying lights to make sure that it conforms to safety standards.
• Don't put electric lights on a metallic surface/object - it may charge the object and shock those who touch it.
• If putting lights outdoors, make sure that the light is certified for outdoor use.
• Avoid potential shock by plugging all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters.

Information provided by:

Craig.Hostland@pillartopost.com
www.pillartopost.com

The Dion-Ivans Group

Lee Ivans - Bio
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Panoramic lake and canal views from West Kelowna condo.
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New Real Estate Listings Before They Hit MLS®!

We're doing everything we can to make buying your new home as easy as possible. By signing up to receive New Listing Alert's, you will be notified of new listings and price reductions that fit your search criteria  via e-mail. This FREE service allows you to view new listings before they hit MLS®!! Simply fill out your search criteria below and then let us know when you see something that interests you.

 

http://kelownahomefinders.ca/new-listing-alert.html

 

Rob Dion - Bio
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Home prices in Canada expected to keep rising next year

OTTAWA — Canadian home prices should continue to rise next year, despite sales levels flattening in most major markets, said Re/Max in a report released Tuesday.

The real estate firm said home prices should, on average, rise three per cent to $350,000 by the end of 2011, while existing-home sales will remain flat.

It forecast that home sales this year would be down five per cent to 441,000, with prices growing seven per cent to $340,000.

The Re/Max report said fewer homes on the market have offset the diminished demand this year, helping to keep prices rising.

Some of the factors Re/Max said will continue to push prices up and keep sales steady in the years ahead include land scarcity as housing is intensified in urban areas, immigration, the strength of the market for higher-end homes and the prospect housing presents as a stable investment.

While the lack of growth in sales, along with price gains that are merely in the single digits, mark a change in pace from recent years, Michael Polzler, an executive vice-president for Re-Max, said it's more a "return to the traditional real estate cycle" than a "new normal."

"The past decade was truly unprecedented; never before have we experienced a run-up that was as strong or lasted as long," he said in a statement. "As we have digressed from the typical pattern, people have forgotten what the usual healthy cycle looks like, but all the hallmarks are there."



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© The Financial Post

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/real-estate/Home+prices+Canada+expected+keep+rising+next+year/3938917/story.html#ixzz17XUk52ZA

 

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Kelowna Real Estate Stats - November 2010
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So....What's Next?

As we head toward the end of the year, we always like to reflect on what has happened and also try to figure out what is coming next. Trying to figure out what is going to happen in the market is difficult as even the top economists and other pros have differing opinions. Some of the opinions are based on trends, statistics and the big one . . . gut feeling. We have some buyers that feel the market is going to drop and they will get a better price for their dream home if they wait, but we also have sellers that believe if they wait until spring to sell they will get more for their home . . . but it probably can’t go both ways. One of the biggest questions we get being in the Real Estate industry is, “What do you think the market is going to do?” If the top economists have different opinions, it is fair to say that Real Estate Agents do, too. So based on . . . you guessed it, trends, statistics and gut feeling here are some things we do know:

CREA predicts in 2011, Canada overall will experience a decline of 0.9% in house prices. There is another national report that suggests the average home price will climb by 1.6%. CREA also predicts that sales will decline by 7.3% while the other national report suggests that they will go up by 5.5%. Interest rates are expected to rise in 2011, most seem to agree on this. While at historical lows, any hike in interest rates can have a big effect on pricing and the market. If you are a home buyer it is important to realize that if the market went down only 5% and you were approved at that price, even a 1% interest rate hike could make it hard to qualify for this home. What we can learn from this is, if you like the home you see and can afford it, it is a great time to buy. It is almost impossible to time the market, we usually know it is at its lowest when it has already started going back up. At the end of the day there was a great quote from Mark Twain, "Buy land, they're not making any more of it". Story from Royal LePage Kelowna.

Your Perfect Home in Kelowna Awaits

Has a new job or a new direction necessitated your moving to Kelowna, British Columbia? Or perhaps you visited, fell in love with one of BC’s fastest growing yet laid-back communities and have decided to retire there. Whatever it is drawing you to Kelowna, you’ll best start the process of finding a Kelowna home by approaching a qualified Kelowna Real Estate agency. When it comes to Kelowna properties for sale, no one’s going to have their thumb on the pulse of the market quite like the friendly folks at Royal LePage Kelowna.

First and foremost, their realtors won’t aim to find you a house, condo, townhouse etc. – they’re goal is to find you a home, and the definition of what is an ideal home differs with every individual and every family. Being receptive to the particular needs and wishes of the client is of the utmost importance and a value every Royal LePage Kelowna realtor places front and center in their service. Anyone can evaluate any number of Kelowna homes for sale on their own. Where a quality realtor provides real value is in fine tuning your search by combining his or her market expertise with an understanding of what distinguishes you as a buyer. It starts with a lot of listening, is followed by a lot of hustle and ends with a satisfied homebuyer.

The consistency seen in the large numbers of quality Kelowna properties for sale is a testament to the way the city has grown and the attractiveness it has for people at different stages of their lives. Like any mid-sized city, folks come and go but those who are on their way in are sure to feel good about what Kelowna has to offer. It features a burgeoning economy with a growing high-tech sector and other similarly strong industries. In addition, there is a real quality of life in Kelowna that is buoyed by the ample opportunities available to one and all to enjoy its spectacular natural beauty.  Add to it all the fact that Kelowna homes for sale and their properties offer good value for your dollar and some might say it’s a slam dunk in favour of BC’s interior gem of a city.

Do yourself a favour and weigh the many Kelowna properties for sale with the help of one of the experts at Royal LePage Kelowna. They’ll narrow the field of Kelowna homes for sale that meet your criteria and streamline the process of getting you into the one that’s perfect for you. Visit http://kelownahomefinders.ca and get the ball rolling.

Completely remodelled home with absolutely stunning views of Okanagan Lake! http://ping.fm/wSMKm

Real Estate Investment Trust will have a tax advantage in 2011

Four years ago the federal government announced that publicly traded income trusts, which provide big tax advantages over traditional corporations, would lose that edge by the end of 2010.
The market reaction was swift and terrible, erasing $25 billion from the market value of income trusts and raising a cacophony of anger from investors who had put many of their eggs in the income trust basket.
But one type of income trust was mostly spared by Ottawa: the Real Estate Investment Trust, or REIT. With the approach of the Dec. 31 deadline for other income trusts to lose their tax advantage, REITs are poised to become a popular investment option, especially for aging baby boomers looking for high-yield investments to fund their retirement.
The government's reason for striking down income trusts, despite an earlier promise to leave them alone, was twofold.
Income trusts were felt to be a drain on the federal treasury since they paid no tax. The perception was that they were also bad for the economy because these businesses distributed most of their profits rather than reinvesting them and growing their businesses.
No policy reason was given for the preferential treatment of REITs except that other jurisdictions -most notably the United States -had a similar exclusion.
The REIT tax advantage works like this: REITs, like all income trusts, distribute their profits to unitholders. When a REIT makes a distribution to its unitholders, it is allowed to deduct that distribution when calculating the tax it would owe. So, as long as the REIT distributes at least as much as its taxable income, it pays no tax. Corporations get no deduction whatsoever for paying dividends.
This is a big part of the reason that income trusts were so popular in the first place. Some large corporations pay dividends, but they are normally low-yield such as two or three per cent.
They can't afford to pay much more because they would then not have the cash to pay their taxes. A REIT can pay five or six per cent in distributions because it will have no tax to pay.
What would-be investors need to understand, however, is that after Dec. 31, only REITs that earn income strictly from passive real estate activities such as earning rent or mortgage interest are entitled to the tax advantage; they can't have land development profits. Hotels and nursing homes also don't qualify. For this reason, several Canadian REITs are spinning out their non-qualifying business lines so as to fit within the exemption.
REIT units are eligible investments for tax-deferred plans such as RRSPs and RRIFs and for tax-free plans like TSFAs. Where REIT units are held in such plans, there is no tax payable on the REIT income at either the entity level or the unitholder level until the funds are pulled out of the RRSP or RRIF.
It may well be that REITs will trade at a premium to other investment vehicles in 2011 due to their ability to pay high distributions.
This will allow them to raise more capital without diluting the existing holders, which will in turn allow them to grow their business, their profitability and their ability to make distributions. Other investment vehicles will only be able to look on with envy.
Ross Freeman is a nationally recognized tax consultant and partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

By Ross D. Freeman, Special to the Sun December 2, 2010

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/real-estate/Real+Estate+Investment+Trusts+will+have+advantage+2011/3915644/story.html#ixzz16zRkfAhZ

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/real-estate/Real+Estate+Investment+Trusts+will+have+advantage+2011/3915644/story.html#ixzz16zQwKICN

 

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The Informed Home Buyer/Seller - Issue 12, 2010. http://ping.fm/7Q3Zu

Two story Dilworth Mountain family home for sale in Kelowna, BC!! http://ping.fm/HKIqD