Rob Smashnuk

When it’s time to sell your home, a bit of preparation can go a long way in bringing you top dollars. But preparation needs meticulous planning, simple upgrades to spruce it up and invite home buyers to rush to invest at once. Consider these suggestions to get there.

Disconnect

This is perhaps the hardest thing to do, especially if you’ve lived there for years. It is tough to disassociate yourself from the memories and emotions of living in a home for years. Think of it as a product to be sold rather than an album containing many memories. Focus on the future instead of the past.

Depersonalize

Once you have mentally disconnected from your home, it’s time to physically do so. Remove the photo frames, artifacts that hold sentimental value, and family heirlooms. Your personal belongings can distract potential buyers from focusing on the house and visualizing it as theirs. They may not be able to share your personal taste either. Your bright yellow sofas may not touch a chord with them the way they did with you. Keep understated pieces around and remove more personalized items.

Decluttering

This is the time to throw away anything you don’t need. If you have not used an item for over two years or even looked at it, it’s time to get rid of it. This includes books, knickknacks, clothes, and bed linen. There is no point in spending money packing and unpacking goods that you don’t really need. Plan ahead so you have time to hold a garage sale, sell online or give away to charity organizations.

Reorganize

Potential buyers are curious to check out every nook and corner. They will open closets and cupboards or peer into cabinets to look at the space inside. If your clothes and personal items topple out in the process, neither of you will be pleased. Rearrange closets, cupboards, cabinets and storage rooms. Keep your kitchen neat and tidy. Fold clothes and hang shirts properly in the closet. Line up the shoes. Make sure there is no dust, cobwebs, pet fur or dander lying around. The last thing you want is to make an excited potential buyer break into an allergic sneezing fit.

Storage Rental

If you have more items than you can handle coming in the way of decluttering, consider a storage rental to put away your stuff. It will make your home look more spacious and will be easier to clean too. Leave enough furniture to lend an air of cozy comfort, allowing enough room for buyers to walk around. Minor repairs for curb appeal add home value.

Repair and Replace

Replace cracked tiles and shingles. Patch holes in the walls. Fix leaking faucets and pipes. A fresh coat of paint will make your home look more attractive. Choose neutral shades when you do so. Bright bold shades may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Replace light bulbs, clean chandeliers and make sure the bathtub is scrubbed. A sparkling bathroom and kitchen can make a big difference. Recaulk tubs, showers, sinks and polish the mirrors and metals. Remove grout, steam clean carpets and replace worn rugs. Make your home look good as new. Your efforts won’t go in waste. In all probability, the returns will be greater if you invest time and money to do it up well for buyers.

Rob Smashnuk, Edmonton Real Estate

The Greater Edmonton real estate market is constantly changing but navigating the tricky world of real estate does not have to be an overwhelming challenge When you choose the Rob Smashnuk team, you choose honest, ethical guidance that you can count on to help you buy or sell a home in West Edmonton. Give us a call today!

Everyone is looking for ways to save some money, and you may notice, like so many other people, that your utilities are one of your largest expenses. Fortunately, there are a number of tips that you can use to help bring down your utility costs. These tips are generally easy to implement, but you will need to stick to them long term if you want to see the best results. Here are the top three ways to keep your utility costs low!

Turn It Down

During the winter we turn on the heat and in the summer we turn on the air conditioner. However, you need to consider if you are turning the heat and air conditioner up too high. In the winter you can bundle up, and in the summer you can wear shorts and a T-shirt to keep yourself comfortable. By lowering your heater by 2 degrees and increasing the air conditioner by 2 degrees you will find that you have significantly lower utility bills. Small increments like this will generally not affect your body but can save you a lot when it comes to utilities, and if you do notice the change then there are other options to keeping warm and cool.

Turn It Off

One of the worst habits that you can have is leaving lights and devices on when you do not need them. This even extends to leaving them plugged in because devices that are plugged in but off still actually use power! Taking the time to turn off your lights when you leave a room can save you more than you might imagine. It is important that you have a rule in your home to turn off all the lights that you do not need and ensure that everyone sticks to this.

You should also turn off devices that you are not using. Most people will place their TV on standby, but this still uses energy and will be adding to your utility bills. Any electronics that you are not currently using should be completely turned off and if they do not have a power button, you should unplug them from the socket.

Air Dry Your Clothing

If you have a clothes dryer, you are going to be using a lot of energy every time you run it. To save yourself some money, you should look at air drying your clothes instead. This will take longer, particularly in winter, but it will save your bank account. It is not only your clothes that you should be air drying, you should do the same for your dishes as well.

Most dishwashers will heat dry the dishes if you do not change the settings. This will use a lot of energy that you don’t have to sacrifice. All you need to do is change the settings and then open the door of the dishwasher once it is done to leave it slightly ajar. The dishes will come out nice and dry and you’ll be saving money.

Beginning September 17, Green Shack will be continuing in select locations during the school year!

Ages: 6-12 years
(children under 6 must be supervised by a parent or guardian)
Cost: Free

Join in games, sports, crafts, music, drama, and special events. You’ll find a list of upcoming activities and special events posted on the side of the Green Shack each week. If there’s a game or activity that you’d like to play, just ask the Program Leader. They are there to make your summer a fun one!

Programs are led by staff who:

Ensure participants play safely. Parents are responsible for their children at all times and must be available in the event of an emergency
Are easily identifiable by their blue shirts and name tags and may be assisted by volunteer leaders in training
Have completed a security clearance process, are trained in first aid and are certified specialists in FUN!

Programming is still available on rainy days but will be cancelled during severely inclement weather.

Thanks to all of our partners who contribute to the Green Shack Playground Program. Special thanks to Community Leagues for the use of facilities and assistance in funding.

The airline tickets are booked, bags are packed and your family is finally about to head out on a much-anticipated vacation, but that doesn’t mean you can forget about home sweet home just yet. Take a bit of time to follow these tips to deter a potential break-in and avoid home heartbreak.

Lighting

Deterring a potential intruder can be as simple as flicking on a switch. Mimic your daily routine by putting the interior house lights on a timer, that way from the outside it looks like business as usual inside. Installing external motion-detector lights also means sneaking up on the house is not an option.

Notes

While leaving notes on the backdoor (or on the counter that can be clearly seen from a window) for your dog sitter, gardener, caretaker or neighbour may be tempting when running out to catch your plane, don’t — it’s the clearest indication that no one’s home. The same goes for social-media sites. Do not broadcast your cool vacation plans online, as tempting as it is.

Sounds

If it looks and sounds like somebody’s home, burglars aren’t going to risk breaking and entering. Set up a radio or mp3 player on a timer so that it periodically plays music during normal waking hours. Place it by a likely entry point, such the backdoor or ground-floor window.

Phones

Intruders often check out a property a few times before making a move — a phone repeatedly ringing off the hook screams no one’s home. Put your landline on the lowest volume setting or call your telephone provider to see if they have a straight-to-messaging-system service that can be turned on while you’re out of town.

Mail

Newspapers piled on the lawn and flyers sticking out of the mail slot say, “I really like coupons and keeping up with current events but not right now because I’m on holiday.” Ask a neighbour to pick up any freebees that might be tossed into your driveway. Get your mail held at the post office and suspend your newspaper-delivery service while you’re away.

Snow

One of the reasons your family booked a trip to Hawaii (lucky you!) was to avoid that cold, white stuff for 10 days — but just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Keeping your paths clear of snow and ice is a clear sign someone’s at home, so arrange for prompt removal before heading out. Plus, in case of an emergency, crews can get to your front door easily.

Curtains

When leaving your home for an extended length of time, it’s a good idea to draw the curtains and blinds to the level you’d normally have them so nothing looks out of order. If you raise and lower them throughout the day, keep them closed at the back of the house in case a would-be burglar is looking for movement, but open them up at the front so neighbours can spot and report any suspicious activity.

The time of year has arrived where face paint flies off the shelves and spooky DIY The projects are well underway. From ghosts, goblins and witches to the latest pop-culture heroes and villains, this is the time of year where creativity hits an all time high as people far and wide celebrate the spookiest season of all, Halloween! While collecting candy and trying to get a scare out of your friends and family is all fun and games, worrying about the safety of your home and guests isn’t. See below for some Halloween home safety tips that will help you ensure the only thing scarier than your costume is the thought of your expanding waistline after consuming endless amounts of sugary treats!

Make a Clear Path for Guests

With costumes that include fancy wigs, complicated masks and endless accessories, eliminating obstacles is the main safety tip you need to keep in mind. Whether it’s clearing the walkway or eliminating debris from your lawn, a clear path to your front door will help you avoid any potential accidents and is one of our top Halloween home safety tips.

Avoid Accidents with Lighting

With the shorter days upon us, your guests will not be showing up until long after the sun goes down. Help them stay on course by lighting up the path to your door. Whether a couple pumpkins or some strategically placed string lights, a well-lit entryway will not only make it easier to choose your favorite costume, it will help keep everyone safe.

LED Candle vs. Real Candle

We just told you to ensure the pathway to your door is well lit, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a candle! LED tea lights are a great option for your outdoor décor that will look just as spooky as a candle, but will take away the fear of lighting a pumpkin on fire! These are also a good option for your indoor décor since you may not have the opportunity to keep a close watch on a candle burning inside your home throughout the night.

Keep Furry Friends Safe

Halloween is an exciting time, and my Halloween home safety tips aren’t only for you, but also your pets! To avoid them escaping, getting into the candy, or getting scared of your visitors, keeping them locked away in a safe room for the evening is advisable. Since they don’t get to enjoy all the fun, leaving them a Halloween treat will keep them happy until the activity has subsided.

Be a Smarty with the “Smarties”

If you are unable to come to the door when Trick-or-Treater’s arrive, or you will not be home to handout treats, leaving a bowl full of treats is not a good idea. Not only will it encourage people to come to your door when you aren’t there, it increases the risk of someone trying to tamper with the treats you have left out. A quick sign at the bottom of your driveway may be a good option and don’t forget to remind them you will see them next year!

If your current kitchen or bathroom tile is grimy and tired-looking, don’t jump to the conclusion that it’s beyond saving, and in need of an expensive renovation. Instead, look into the many products and services that can salvage the tile surface and clean up the darkened grout. Take a picture to help identify the problem, and consult the experts at your local home improvement store for industrial-strength remedies. In many cases, you can restore your existing tile to it’s lustre with a strong cleaner that can remove built-up soap residue and a professional-grade polish to bring back the shine. Grout lines often collect unhealthy mould spores due to lingering moisture, but fortunately there are specialized products for cleaning and refreshing them as well. If these solutions seem like too much work, look into the many companies that specialize in refurbishing and repolishing all types of synthetic and natural tiles and stones.

I hope to provide valuable information and helpful services to those in need. If there’s anything else I can do to help you with your real estate investment – such as offering additional advice, information or recommendations, please give me a call!

Rob Smashnuk