Why Hire A Realtor

How about 35 reasons....to start! (Just some of the things we do...)

Pre-Listing Activities

1.  Research all comparable currently listed properties; sales activity in the area from MLS® database; and days-on-the-market for similar properties, location, and price

2.  Review property tax roll information

3.  Prepare comparative market analysis (CMA) to establish fair market value

4.  Research property’s ownership and how it is held (deed)

5.  Check municipal tax records for lot size

6.  Verify the legal description from public records

7.  Check planning department of municipal offices for current zoning

8.  Check for land use restrictions or special zoning

9.  Verify legal names in the Registry Office (or deed)

10. Determine whether property is subject to a shoreline road allowance (if applicable)

Listing Appointment Presentation

11. Review and confirm all legal descriptions and ownership details

12. Measure exterior and establish the square footage above grade

13. Note any lot line fencing, easements, and variances

Once the Property is Listed

14. Measure and record all room dimensions

15. Have mortgage verification forms signed and submitted to mortgagee

16. Verify with lender any penalties, terms, and current rates and if the mortgage can be discharged

17. Check whether the existing mortgage can be assumed and under what terms

18. Confirm supplier of hydro or any other provider of this utility

19. Calculate the utility usage for the past 12 months

20. Verify the availability of any septic bed layout or permits at time of installation

21. Water – if municipal check on rates for the past 12 months

22. Determine natural gas, heating oil or propane supplier’s name and telephone number

23. Prepare a list of property features such as pool, sauna, whirlpool, landscape pools, and special plants

24. Prepare a list of chattels included or excluded from the sale of the property

25. Compile a list of recent improvements, repairs or maintenance

26. Arrange for installation of ‘For Sale’ sign

Marketing The Listing

27. Create both print and Internet advertising

28. Prepare flyers and feedback faxes

29. Obtain pre-qualification letter from mortgage officer

30. Negotiate all offers, setting condition time limits and closing date

31. Prepare and convey all counter offers, acceptance and/or amendments to buyer’s representative

32. Arrange for appraiser to inspect the property and give any information, including comparables, survey copy, etc.

33. Order septic tank inspection, if applicable

34. Deliver water test results from health unit to mortgage company

35. Arrange other inspections as required by financial institution and/or insurance company (i.e., mould, termite, WETT, inspection, etc.)

To access the unabridged list, go to http://www.orea.com/Buyers-and-Sellers/Why-use-a-REALTOR.

DIY Igloo

Learn how to build your own igloo! Complete instructions with photos here. If you do build one in Sault Ste. Marie, please send me your photos and I'll post them here and on my Facebook Page!  All houses are different! Amazing!

Hollywood North-North = The Soo (Sault Ste. Marie)

Time to invest, enjoy life, own, buy, sell...get 'all excited' about living, working and playing in Sault Ste. Marie!  It's now called 'Hollywood North-North'.  Directors, Producers and more film-types from L.A. and other parts of the world are beginning to snap up properties in the Soo, knowing production will continue to grow - thanks in part to Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp.

I thought it would be fun to document the glitzy goings-on of  Hollywood North-North here on my blog!

(I'm also looking for the best chocolate place, florist, Photographers, Artists....but that's a whole other story...more to come soon!)

Producer Bill Marks (Casino Jack) has spent so much time shooting in Sault Ste. Marie lately, he bought a house there recently. Not only does he have Compulsion opening next year, he also produced The Truth, starring Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria and Forest Whitaker;The Story of Luke, with Seth Green and Cary Elwes; and Collaborator, starring David Morse, Martin Donovan and Olivia Williams. All were shot in the Soo.

Confessions of a Girl Gang — a remake of the 1996 film that was among Angelina Jolie’s early roles — were shot in Sault Ste. Marie.

“For Ontario, it is the combination of all the things we bring to the table,” said Donna Zuchlinski, Ontario film manager with the Ontario Media Development Corp.. The province boasted a record year in 2011, with $1.3 billion spent on production — a 10 per cent hike over its previous best year.

“We have great crews, infrastructure, cast and crew. It gives a producer a comfort level that everything they need can be found here and that they can really maximize their tax credit, (which is) based on what you spend in the province,” she said.

“We are growing the industry,” agreed Melanie Muncaster, Sault Ste. Marie-based manager of program services for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. “We’re seeing a crew base, post-production companies starting to emerge, rather than shipping people up from Toronto or Detroit, employing people in sectors that never employed them before.”

I hope you enjoy this ongoing series here on my blog and if you are in the film industry and want to purchase a home, lease a home or property - or location...please contact me! (Privacy and Confidentiality)

I would love to be your Hollywood North-North Agent!

Like A Hawke,

Susan

Sault Ste. Marie

Collaborator: Starring Martin Donovan, David Morse and Olivia Williams

Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster: Starring Scott Speedman, Kelly Reilly and Kevin Durand

Foxfire: Confessions of a Girl Gang: Starring Tamara Hope, Ali Liebert, Madeleine Bisson and Claire Mazerolle

The Story of Luke: Starring Cary Elwes and Seth Green

Source

Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation
70 Foster Drive, Suite 200
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 6V8
fax: 1-705-945-6701

Kitchen Refresh: $500

It is no secret that the kitchen is the one room in the house that could be considered the most important when  selling your home - or buying a home - we love our kitchens! But what if your kitchen is a little tired or dated?  (and what if you don't have a $10,000+ budget to make it sing?) Have no fear, super famous/ultra talented Designer, Linda Merrill is here!  She has 5 Tips for making your refresh work.

See the whole story here.

From Country Woman:

"1. Know Your Taste

Eco-friendly burlap has a texture and homespun feel that keep the gathered skirt and matching window treatment from looking too precious. Burlap’s popular right now, and you can’t beat the price, about $2 a yard. But if I hadn’t liked the look, and some people don’t, it would be no bargain. Make choices you can live with.

2. Shop Around

Find deals online or at local thrift stores, and be flexible. The clear cabinet pulls I liked in an upscale showroom would have cost $700. I bought similar ones on eBay for less than $50, mixing two similar styles because I couldn’t find 20 that were identical. They’re not crystal, they’re not vintage, but they look like it. I even played up the mix by installing some oval pulls vertically and others horizontally. Another savvy substitute was embossed wallpaper instead of pricey beadboard. Four rolls, at $22 each, covered the walls. Crown molding installed around the room’s perimeter hid edges where wallpaper met the ceiling.

3. Keep What You Can

My Formica countertops and cabinets were both in decent shape, so I saved them. Fresh paint made a world of difference for the cabinets. I used two shades of dark-green exterior trim paint for the outside, then sanded with fine steel wool to “age” it. The hinges and brackets were reused and I repainted the cabinets’ interiors apple green. My existing pot rack, made of plumber’s copper pipe, just needed polishing before I reinstalled it to hold my copper pot collection. Keeping my flooring, sink and faucet also saved money.

4. Experiment!

Realize that not everything will work out as you plan. But never let that stop you from trying something else. My original plan to cover the cabinet shelves with burlap proved impractical. But the repurposed door as counter worked wonderfully! I can even drop appliance cords through the doorknob hole. Velcroed to the wall for added stability, the counter rests on a lumber frame we built, with plastic shelves underneath for storage, and the whole piece can be removed if the appliances need to come out. Those triumphs make a project not just budget-smart, but fun, too."

- From Country Woman

Notes from Linda's Blog:

My kitchen makeover was completed just about a year ago and I've been loving it ever since. It is my favorite room in my house. I've been very lucky that it also appealed to several media outlets including The Boston Globe, Shelterpop, Apartment Therapy and now Country Woman magazine.  I received a call in October from Country Woman asking if they could feature my kitchen and the $500 makeover process. And what was really fun was that they wanted to re-shoot the kitchen! The original photography, shot byMichael Lee, was beautiful, but it featured a cocktail bar set up that wasn't quite the homey feel Country Woman prefers. So, Michael was hired to re-shoot the kitchen which we styled with a Springtime/Valentine's tea time feel as the issue the kitchen is being featured in is their February/March issue.

Photo Credits - Michael J. Lee

Homebuyers' Road Map

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) created a new tool to help new homebuyers navigate the complexities of purchasing a home. CREA partnered with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) to launch the Homebuyers’ Road Map, which could now be found at crea.ca.

The initiative came after a recent Nanos Research survey commissioned by CREA had found that more than 63% of Canadians need more information about the financial details of buying a home. That figure rose to 70% for respondents between the ages of 18 and 29.

“As REALTORS®, we appreciate that young Canadians and first-time homebuyers are craving more information about the financial details required to purchase a home. The purpose of the Homebuyers’ Road Map is to empower consumers with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions about one of the largest purchases they will ever make,” said Gary Simonsen, CREA’s CEO. “We’re proud to have collaborated with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada to develop this guide.”

The guide will help Canadians better understand the home buying process as well as appreciate the importance of negotiating with lenders and researching government programs.

The Colours of Success in Real Estate

Farrow and Ball have some of the loveliest colours to dress a home for selling success. It's class all the way to suit all decor styles!  You can shop online too!

Black: The New Neutral?

Black, navy, soot - all considered the new neutrals.  I'm wondering, as Buyers, how do you feel about dark walls in homes you are considering purchasing?  

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