Articles

April 5, 2022

Buying a home remotely

Over the years we have helped many clients relocate to our area. Often this would involve the clients visiting in-person to tour various homes — then, some or all of the home-buying process would be done electronically. Although home buyers ideally want the tactile experience of viewing a home in-person, during the pandemic, this hasn’t always been possible. It is doable to purchase a home remotely, especially with the right agent guiding you through the process. Here are our top tips to consider when buying from away: Choose a seasoned REALTOR® who is knowledgeable of the market in your desired […]
April 5, 2022

How the Saint John Real-Estate Market has Fared Throughout Fall 2020

As we mentioned in a previous article “How COVID-19 Has Impacted Our Local Real-Estate Market”, the market in the Saint John area proved to be very strong throughout the summer months. We were much busier than what we expected at the beginning of the pandemic. The market has remained strong throughout the fall. In fact, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association, Saint John led the pack in home sales across the country in both August and October 2020. The Saint John Real Estate Board reports that Saint John residential sales for the month of October increased 25.8% over October 2019 — […]
April 5, 2022

How COVID-19 Has Impacted Our Local Real-Estate Market

It’s been an interesting several months to say the least…Who would have thought six months ago that by mid-March we would be in the midst of a global pandemic? We’ve had a lot of people ask us how COVID-19 has impacted the local real-estate market, so we thought we would provide our thoughts on how things are going. While COVID-19 has presented challenges for all of us, it has also brought about a reset on many fronts, forcing us to take stock of what’s truly important in life. For instance, the need to isolate at home in the spring, made […]
April 5, 2022

COVID-19: Should I List my Home Now?

Spring is usually a time when many people think of listing their homes, but this spring is anything but usual! Have you been thinking of selling your home and wondering if it’s still a good time, given the current situation with COVID-19?  From an inventory perspective, this could be an excellent time to list. The number of listings in the greater Saint John area as of December 31, 2019, was at a 16-year low. In the past few months, that number has dropped even lower. For sellers, this may be a silver lining. The real-estate market continues to function, and […]
April 5, 2022

Do Homes Sell in the Winter?

Houses don’t sell in the winter, right? Wrong. With the cold temperatures and shorter days, it may be hard to imagine anyone listing their home at this time of year, let alone buying one — but actually, homes sell year-round in the Greater Saint John area. We often hear homeowners expressing concern about the appearance of their property in the winter. Your home may look more attractive in the summertime but so do the homes of the competition, and there’s usually much more competition on the market in the spring and summer than in the winter months. From a supply […]
April 5, 2022

Our Approach to Client Service

Selling or buying a home is one of the biggest — if not the biggest — business transactions individuals will be involved with in their lifetime; and for many, just the thought of selling or buying a home brings about feelings of stress.  We understand that there’s a lot to consider and to navigate when selling or buying a home, and we make the entire process as smooth and seamless as possible. Our # 1 job is to achieve the best outcome for our clients while managing their anxiety. How do we do this? We make it a priority to […]
April 5, 2022

Preparing your home for colder-weather showings

As the last of the leaves fall and the days are getting shorter and colder, homeowners, who either have their homes listed already or are considering listing, become concerned about fewer sale opportunities. Having your home on the market in the summer and early fall is, of course, easier — everything is more aesthetically pleasing…lush grass and foliage, flowers blooming in the gardens, planters and window boxes planted, no leaves to rake or walkways to shovel. In the greater Saint John area, however, homes sell in all seasons, not just the prettiest ones! In order to get top dollar for […]
April 5, 2022

Negotiating the Sale of Your Home

The moment you have been waiting for since listing your home has arrived. You receive a call or text from your real-estate agent saying that he or she has an offer to present to you. While this may be exciting, it can also be nerve-racking. Most homeowners are not equipped with the necessary skills to work through the negotiation process. That is why it’s important to have an agent, who is a skilled negotiator, working for you. We often hear more about the importance of marketing a home that’s for sale than the importance of the negotiating that brings a […]
April 5, 2022

Preparing your Home for Sale

When preparing to sell, homeowners often focus on their home’s imperfections and wonder if potential buyers will, too. It’s true that in order to get top dollar for your home, it has to be presented in the best possible light. It’s important to find a balance, however, between the work you do to your home in advance of listing and the potential payoff. Your REALTOR® can help you determine which renovations and repairs will have a positive impact on sale price. Regardless of whether you decide to undertake more major projects prior to selling, there are certain items that in […]
April 5, 2022

Setting a Competitive List Price for your Home

According to data reported by the Saint John Real Estate Board, June 2019 residential sales in the Saint John area were the highest recorded in over a decade, and the year-to-date residential sales for the first half of 2019 saw an increase of 14.9% over the same period in 2018.* If you’re getting ready to list your home, this is good news. But, favourable market conditions is not the only thing that determines whether your home will sell. From my years of experience selling and buying homes for clients, I know that the pricing, the condition and the location of a home […]