Dawn-Lee McKenzie

Cottages for Sale, Homes for Sale, Waterfront Properties for Sale, RE/MAX Grey Bruce

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Five Things You Didn’t Know About Chocolate

 

  1.  It was a “classy” drink. Cacao beans were used by the Aztecs to prepare a hot, frothy beverage with stimulant and restorative properties. Chocolate was reserved for warriors, nobility, and priests.
  2. It makes you happy. We know what you’re thinking: “Of course chocolate makes you happy – it’s so
    good!” But there’s scientific evidence to back up those light-hearted feelings. Like other palatable
    sweet foods, consumption of chocolate triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s endogenous
    opiates. Enhanced endorphin-release reduces the chocolate-eater’s sensitivity to pain and contributes to the warm inner glow induced in susceptible chocoholics.
  3. It’ll help you live longer. Two of the world’s longest living people – Jeanne Calment (122 years old) and Sarah Knauss (119 years old) – were considered chocoholics by today’s standards. In fact, Calment habitually ate two pounds of chocolate per week before her doctor instructed her to give up sweets.
  4. Chocolate is complex. More than 300 different constituent compounds in chocolate have been identified. Eating large amounts may give you an energy boost. Chocolate contains caffeine, but the caffeine is present only in modest quantities. It is easily obtained from other sources. Indeed a whole ounce of milk chocolate contains no more caffeine than a typical cup of “decaffeinated” coffee.
  5. It decreases stress. Chocolate also contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. It is the rate-limiting step in the production of the mood-modulating neurotransmitter serotonin. Enhanced serotonin function typically diminishes anxiety.

Source: http://www.chocolate.org/

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Why Overpricing Your Home is a Bad Idea.

Most sellers want to maximize the sale of their home, which should never be a surprise to buyers. Unfortunately, some sellers do not understand why overpricing your home is a bad idea, which means they are listing their home at their own detriment. The motivation to get the most money possible for your sale can lead to overpricing your home. It is easy to fall for the common rationales behind overpricing, such as:

house and keys

  • My home is in high demand
  • Buyers will pay more because of the area
  • The amenities demand a higher price
  • A neighbour recently sold for top dollar
  • I do not have have to sell if I do not get the price I want
  • If I do not price high to start with, I will have to sell for rock-bottom prices later

More often than not, overpricing your home backfires and leaves you with nothing to show for your efforts but a stale listing. Incorrectly-priced homes can deter buyers, leave homes sitting on the market for months and sometimes years without an offer, and ultimately lead other buyers to believe the properties might be flawed because it  is not selling.

If you want to sell your home quickly, it’s important to understand that overpricing can hurt sellers regardless of market conditions. Rather than risk sitting on the market, learn why overpricing your home is a bad idea, and know the tools available to price your property to sell for top dollar.

While there are many reasons why sellers overprice their home, below are four of the most common. If you avoid these pitfalls you could be well on your way to a satisfying deal at a price that benefits all parties.

Overpricing in a Buyers Market 

If sellers in your area are trying to unload their homes to a limited number of buyers, setting your listing price too high can result in a lack of interested parties. In markets where sellers are competing against one another to sell their properties, buyers can afford to be more selective and find inventory within their desired price range. If your listing price is higher than comparable homes on the market, buyers tend to move on to other listings without even giving your home full consideration.

Buyers want to get the best deal for their money, so chances are they can find a similar home for cheaper in a market with a lot of for-sale inventory. Even if you do get some interested parties, potential buyers often submit offers below the listing price because they assume there is no competition.

Pricing your home at or below its estimated market value

can actually drum up competition, even in a market with plenty of available homes for sale. If your listing price makes the house seem like a lucrative investment, and other shoppers show interest, buyers are more eager to pounce on the opportunity before losing it to someone else.

Overpricing in a Sellers Market

In markets where demand for homes is high but inventory is limited, homes often sell for more than their listing prices because buyers compete for properties. It is tempting to overprice your home in such market conditions because the demand is clearly high. But, if your home is priced noticeably above other comparable homes on the market in your area, your home is likely to fall outside of many home buyers’ intended budgets, resulting in a smaller pool of potential buyers.

Counter-intuitively, you can actually create competition and increase the final sale price by asking for your home’s targeted market value. The lower your listing price is, within reason, the more potential buyers’ budgets it will suit, resulting in a wider pool of interested parties.

When for-sale inventory is limited and multiple parties want the same house, bidding wars often ensue and drive up the sale price of the available homes. By keeping the pool of potential buyers as wide as possible with your initial listing price, you can actually maximize your sale.

Overpricing and Dropping the Price

It can be tempting to list your home price high and then incrementally drop it until you receive offers. While this strategy seems like the best case scenario since you would either receive an offer above market value or drop it until the listing price reaches market value, it usually backfires.

Even if your listing price eventually reaches market value, buyers may ignore it because it has been listed too long. They will assume your house has not sold already because something is wrong with it and proceed to the next listing. The longer your home sits on the market, the more burdened you will be with costs such as maintenance, mortgage payments and property taxes.

Right price your home from the onset and avoid this pitfall altogether! 

The Importance of Pricing Your Home Correctly 

If you are getting ready to sell, taking the time to price your home correctly can help you avoid a stale listing. Research shows that homes priced above their estimated market values are slower to sell. In fact, homes priced 12 percent or higher than their estimated market value are a whopping 50 percent less likely to sell in the first 60 days than homes priced right around their market values.

Work with a local REALTOR® to research an appropriate listing price for your home based on recent sales of comparable homes in your neighbourhood. Put in the time to understand your market and price your home accordingly if you want to facilitate a quick sale. Remember to compare your property to similar homes in size, location, and amenities, and upgrades.

A savvy home seller takes into account home value, local market value and potential home buyers before listing. Taking the time to understand each of these factors may help you sell your home quickly and efficiently. While it seems logical that a higher listing price would net you an overall higher sale price, that does not always pan out in reality.

Listing your home at or slightly below its estimated market value can actually drive up prices by creating competition and maximizing your sale. If you want to sell your home for the best possible resale value, price correctly and start packing.

Are you FIT TO SELL?

with sold sign

The Bottom Line:  Overpricing your home is a bad Idea. 

I am here to assist you in the process of make decisions that will add to the quality of your life.  Contact me today.

Dawn-Lee McKENZIE, Broker for RE/MAX Grey Bruce Realty Inc.

I live here, work here and play here full-time, year round.

 

 

 

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So Many Possibilities……

So many possibilities… Wonderful history and tons of upgrades already completed. The historical Colonel Clarke`s Tavern was, for many years, the local watering hole.

Over the last decade, the building has undergone an extensive transformation in to a sit-down restaurant and then to a retreat-like lodge. The large main room is set up for dining with the original walk up bar and the floor to ceiling stone fireplace, which is a great lounging/conversational area.

The kitchen is divided into a prep area and cook area there is also a private back living room and dining room.

The upper level and guest quarters has seen the greatest conversion and now features a well-stocked library, a games room, a workout room 4 separate bedrooms plus a separate hotel-like suite with sitting area, a private bath and private patio.

All this on 7 acres, listed at $525,000…..So many possibilities.

YouTube video:

The bottom line:

I am here to assist you in the process of make decisions that will add to the quality of your life.  Contact me today.

Dawn-Lee McKENZIE, Broker for RE/MAX Grey Bruce Realty Inc.

I live here, work here and play here full-time, year round.

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Buying or Selling a Home? 5 Tips to Help

 

In the often confusing and overwhelming process of buying or selling a home, a real estate agent can serve as a guide, helping you to determine the best price at which to list your home and navigate complex documents and regulations. While most realtors are committed to serving you to the best of their ability, they are frequently busy juggling multiple clients and responsibilities. You can maximize your experience of working with a realtor by following some simple tips:

    1. If you are a seller, be realistic about the listing price for your home. Any home that you have lived in for a significant amount of time is likely to hold sentimental value. Therefore, you may be prone to perceiving it as more unique than it is and overestimating its worth. Before agreeing on a sale price with your realtor, try to emotionally detach yourself from your property and view it objectively, as a buyer would. Since properties that are priced too high at the outset are likely to linger on the market and ultimately sell for less than properties that were priced appropriately, you will help your realtor make the sales process go as smoothly as possible if you are willing to accept a realistic listing price. If you are a buyer, avoid making lowball offers without justification.
    2. While your home is on the market, keep it tidy and free of clutter. Consider hiring a professional stager or stowing excess belongings in storage until your home sells. Ensure that all necessary repairs are made and the yard is free of dead or overgrown shrubbery. By enhancing curb appeal, your realtor will be able to demonstrate your home’s full potential when showing it to buyers.
    3. Practice common courtesy. Most agents work with more than one client simultaneously, and will be deeply appreciative if you demonstrate respect for their time. By exercising simple courtesies like communicating when you are running late or cannot make an appointment, you will help lay the groundwork for a mutually respectful relationship. If you are a buyer, do not contact an agent until you are serious about making a purchase. If you have not quite reached the buying phase, consider going to open houses, conducting research about different neighbourhoods, and making sure that you understand the limitations of your budget before you contact a realtor.
    4. If you are a buyer, be clear about your expectations and desires, while being realistic about what you can afford. If you have a well-defined wish list that you share with your agent, he or she will be better able to help you find a property that meets your needs. Realtors understand that buying a home is a major decision and expect that you may change your mind about specifics during the course of your house hunt, but you will help your agent deliver the best possible results if you have a general idea of what you want and need before beginning the process.
    5. Do not ask your agent to do anything illegal or unethical. Realtors are bound by laws and strict ethical guidelines that may not always be obvious to laypeople. For example, the Fair Housing Act prohibits agents from disclosing information about the ethnic make-up of a neighbourhood or using certain words in advertising a property.

The Bottom Line:

I am here to assist you in the process of make decisions that will add to the quality of your life.  Contact me today.

Dawn-Lee McKENZIE, Broker for RE/MAX Grey Bruce Realty Inc.

I live here, work here and play here full-time, year round.

 

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Dawn-Lee McKenzie, Broker
Mobile: (519) 379-0792
Toll-free: (866) 379-0792
Email: dawnleem@gmail.com

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