Rob Smashnuk

With so many housing choices, especially in urban areas, many first-time home buyers are confused about which kind of residence to invest in. Any kind of dwelling, whether it is a condominium, townhouse or detached home have their respective pros and cons. Before looking into the pros and cons of each property type, it is essential to know what kind of property options are available in the market. Understanding the basic differences between the types of homes can help to make a prudent judgement, especially if you are a first-time buyer.

What Is a Townhouse?

The physical characteristic of a townhouse is a narrow, multilevel residence that is attached to other residences on a street. However, some areas have condominium communities that have two or three-story attached residences. These residences, though physically resemble a townhouse, are in principle condos.

One of the most defining features of a townhouse is its ownership. In the case of a townhouse, the owner usually owns the land on which the house is situated. This ownership is also extended to the front and backyard in conjunction with the residence. Irrespective of the size of a townhouse, the house’s exterior belongs to the owner. In addition, as most townhouses come under the homeowners’ association’s (HOA) regulation, they have to follow several guidelines pertaining to aesthetics rules, fencing, etc. Owners also need to pay for costs involved in insurance and maintenance of the community’s common areas, trash pickup and snow removal.

Condos

Just like townhouses, condominiums (or condos as they are generally called), provide the most hands-off approach to home ownership. The responsibility of maintaining condo exteriors lies with the condo company. However, the costs for maintaining the area are typically borne by the condo owners through their monthly cost and maintenance fees. As compared to a townhouse, condo owners to need to pay for monthly HOA fees as these fees are expected to cover many accessory costs pertaining to condo exterior maintenance, the insurance that covers costly repairs, up keeping and replacements such as that of roofs, elevators, and parking, trash and snow removal. The condo is most suitable if you are eyeing real estate as an investment.

House

Land, exteriors, garage, garden and just about everything else is in your ownership. If this is something you wish for, owning a house is perfect. Detached homes provide the maximum freedom to their owners. Whether it is changing your exteriors, levelling your driveway, decorating, painting or renovating, as a house owner you can make almost all major decisions single-handedly. A house includes ownership and cost of land.

Houses do demand a lot of maintenance and upkeep, whether it is getting your roof fixed, shovelling the snow or maintaining your yard, owning a house requires a major commitment to maintenance. If you are a small family, it may be a little overwhelming to do everything by yourself. In this case, a condo or townhouse may be a much suitable option.

Choosing a home can be overwhelming and confusing, especially if you are not sure which option to choose. Contact Rob Smashnuk Remax. Our agents can help you with making the right choice. No matter what the question is, we have all the answers when it comes to real estate.

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!

If you are trying to sell your house, you will want to maximize profits to help you offset fees associated with selling a home and to give you the best financial boost possible. You also want to sell fast, and not have your home lingering on the market where it will just continue to go down in price. There are many things that you can do to get your home ready to sell so that it goes fast and fetches you a great price. Here are some tips from the Rob Smashnuk team to help you sell your home faster and get a better price!

Declutter
We all accumulate so much stuff over the years, but when you are selling a home, you need to get this stuff out. You can get a storage locker, a POD portable storage unit (which you can then ship to your new home), or go on a purge mission and get rid of things you no longer want or need. Either way, decluttering helps put prospective buyers in the home, they can better envision themselves in the house and will be more likely to make an offer. You should also consider taking down your art. Not everyone will have your taste, and while some well-selected works of art or photography can help sell your home, some art can be off putting (word art decals are notoriously off putting), and you want to take them down before you have open houses.

Clean Up!
This one should really go without saying, but you would be surprised how many open houses happen in houses that have not been cleaned. Clean up and make tiny repairs that are needed. If you have been putting off reattaching a towel rack that fell off now is the time to fix it. Also, tidy up the garage if you have one so that prospective buyers can get a good look.

Fresh Paint
Painting every room of your house in a nice neutral colour (you can go with colours other than white, and your real estate agent can give you great suggestions for showing friendly colours) will help sell your house faster. You may have loved your lime green kitchen or your child’s primary colour bedroom, but prospective buyers won’t. It is easier for them to imagine themselves in the space when it is neutral, and fresh paint means they can move right in and not have to worry about painting right away. Fresh paint can also really help cover up old cooking smells, pet smells, and cigarette smoke if you were a smoker.

Fix it Up
If you have an unfinished basement or can make an addition above the garage or put in a sunroom, then do it. You will recoup the costs on the sale of your home, and so if you can live through the renos, then you can profit off of them and sell your house faster.

Sell Your House or Condo with Rob Smashnuk
If you are looking for houses for sale or condos in Edmonton, then you need to contact the team at Rob Smashnuk. We can help you get your home ready to sell so that it goes from the market fast and you get top dollar. Don’t wait, contact us 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.

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!

Marginal dips in prices and unit sales signal a stable market!

Edmonton, September 2, 2016: August’s all residential average sale price in the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) remains consistent with last August at $369,956, down 4% from July of this year. The price of single family homes in August dropped 4% relative to July from $450,366 to $434,362. Year-over year prices remained stable decreasing by less than 1%. The average condo sale price for August 2016 of $251,526 is down 2% month-over-month (m/m) and 1% year-over-year (y/y). The average duplex/rowhouse sold for $344,377; down 2% y/y and down 1% (m/m).

“Alberta’s economy has been under enormous pressure for some time, but the residential real estate market in the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area continues to hold. Prices and unit sales for all residential homes are consistent with last year, down less than 1% and 2% respectively,” said Steve Sedgwick, Chair of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton.

At 1,433 units reported sold, all residential sales in the Edmonton CMA were down 5% m/m and down 2% y/y. 861 single family homes were reported sold in August 2016, down 3% from the previous year. Reported condo sales at 406 were down 6% over August 2015. Duplex/rowhouse sales at 136 were up 11% over last year. New residential listings were down 5% m/m and over 6% y/y.

While this is one of the most active times of the year, we are seeing both listings and sales tapering off as we move into the fall months. This is standard in our local real estate cycle. While unit sales for condos have been impacted the most, prices remain stable. This is thanks in part to the continuing trend of unit sales of over $750,000 that are keeping average sales price of condos elevated by almost 3%.

The number of days the average home in the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) took to sell in the month of August was 55. This is consistent with August 2015 and down one day from July 2016. On average, single family detached homes sold in 49 days in August 2016, while condominiums sold in an average of 62 days and duplex/rowhouses sold in 56 days.

There were 7,908 residential properties available in the Edmonton CMA at the end of August, down 2% from 8,048 in July 2016, but up 9.4% from the 7227 properties available on the MLS® System at the end of August 2015.

Over the years that you’ve owned laptops, smartphones, tablets, speakers, and other portable electronic devices, you have probably accumulated a number of electrical adapters, and may even have kept them for potential use on a replacement device. This can be dangerous. Most portable devices have specific types of batteries that require very specific power input. Incompatible pairings can cause severe damage, as well as render a device’s warranty null and void. Each adapter delivers a precise amount of electricity from a standard 120 volt AC wall plug by calibrating the electricity so it is compatible with the lower voltage DC batteries within the specified device it is designed to power. An improper match could cause hazardous overheating or frustrating underperformance, compromising delicate circuitry. For this reason, it’s risky to presume that older adapters with matching fittings are actually safe for your device, especially if you’re travelling to countries with different electrical systems. Fortunately, newer adapters that use USB connections tend to have a broader range of compatibility, although you should always follow manufacturers’ guidelines before usage.