Blog - Billy Peshke

Do You Have “Recalled” Products in Your Home?

You’ve no doubt noticed the occasional news report about a product being recalled for safety reasons. For example, a car model with a brake problem, or a children’s toy that, under some circumstances, may cause injury.  You may not know that these news reports are merely the tip of the iceberg. For each product recall you hear about in the media, there are dozens that get little, if any, publicity.

 That means there may be products in your home that have been recalled — and you don’t even know about it. It’s a scary thought.  How do you find out about recalled products that may affect you? Here are two tips. 

 1. Always complete the registration that comes with many products. This is typically done by mailing in a registration card or filling out an…

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What Buyers Don’t Want to See in Your Backyard

When you put your home up for sale, you want it to look its best to potential buyers. That’s why you clean, tidy and de-clutter every room. 

 Some sellers, however, miss the backyard. You need to pay just as much attention to that space as you do to the interior of your home. The backyard is as important a living space as the family room. To some buyers, even more.  Buyers want to see an attractive backyard space, with the grass cut and the hedges trimmed. The more neat and tidy you can make it, the better.

 Be sure to sweep walkways and wipe down patio furniture.  Also, watch out for the following things that buyers do not want to see:

• Bags of garage and other waste.

• Doggie do-do. (Be sure to stoop and scoop!)

• Rakes and other tools…

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Calgary Stats - Oct.4th 2015

Active: 5787  

Sold: 1465

3.95 Absorption rate

25% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days

Average List Price: $473,589

Average Sale Price: $461,318

Average Days on Market: 40 Days

Sellers are receiving 98% of asking price. 

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Airdrie Stats - Oct.4th 2015

Active: 359

Sold: 120

2.99 Absorption Rate

33% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days

Average List Price: $425,921

Average Sale Price: $416,897

Average Days on Market: 51 Days

Sellers are receiving 98% of asking price. 

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How to Deal with a Low-Ball Offer

If you take care to price your home correctly — that is, at a price that is in line with what similar properties in the area have sold for recently — then you have a good chance of selling it at or near your asking price.  

That doesn’t mean you won’t get a low-ball offer. You might. So what do you do when that happens? 

First, understand that the buyer may not necessarily be trying to steal away your home at a bargain-basement price. He might simply be mistaken about its true market value. Of course, he might also be coming in at a low price in the hopes he’ll get lucky.  

You may never actually know the buyer’s motives. So it would be a mistake to get angry or dismiss the offer out-of-hand. That low-ball offer might end up being the beginning…

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Calgary Stats – Sept.1st 2015

Active: 5289

Sold: 1637

Average List Price: $477,807

Average Sale Price: $465,598

Average Days on Market: 40 Days

The absorption rate is at 3.23% meaning we are in a balanced market. 31% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days and sellers are receiving 97% of asking price.

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Airdrie Stats – Sept.1st 2015

Active: 357

Sold: 134

Average List Price: $387,996

Average Sale Price: $379,239

Average Days on Market: 42 Days

The absorption rate is at 2.66% meaning we are still in a balanced market. 38% of homes on the market today are expected to sell within the next 30 days and sellers are receiving 98% of asking price. 

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How to quickly improve indoor air quality

There are many reasons why the air quality in your home may not be at its best. A faulty furnace or an aged carpet are just two potential culprits. Until you get those issues addressed, how do you make your indoor air healthier — today? Here are some ideas:

• Check the furnace filter. This is one of the most overlooked maintenance items in the home. Any furnace repair person can tell you stories about filters they’ve seen caked in dust. Make sure those aren’t yours. Air passes through those filters before circulating throughout your home. Replacing a filter takes less than five minutes. 
• Clean the drains. Drains are a surprisingly common source of odour in the home. Most people only clean them when they’re clogged, but they should be flushed…

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Discovering that a home you like has “issues”

Say you’re viewing a home and are impressed with how it looks. The walls are freshly painted. Everything seems bright and new. You’re considering making an offer. Then, while standing on a mat in the kitchen, you hear a squeak below your feet. You lift the mat and see that some tiles are broken. Obviously the mat was there to, literally, cover up that defect. A few broken tiles are not a big deal. But now you’re thinking, “What else might be wrong with this house?”

There’s no reason to worry that every home will have maintenance issues hidden from view. However, it’s smart to do your due diligence to ensure the home you’re considering is truly as good as it looks. One way is to have a professional home inspector check out the property as a condition of…

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July 2015 - How Much Should You Budget for Home Maintenance?

If you own a car, you know there’s more to the cost-of-ownership than just finance payments and gas. You also need to budget for maintenance and repairs. If your car is older, those costs are going to be higher. That’s just common sense.  

The same is true of your home. It’s wise to budget for anticipated repairs and maintenance. Otherwise, you might be caught by surprise when you find that your furnace stops working and needs to be replaced. That can easily be a four-figure expense. 

Experts recommend that you set aside 1% of the value of your home for repairs and maintenance. For a $500,000 property, for example, that would be $5,000. That is, of course, merely a rule of thumb. If your home is older, you may need to budget more. 

Another…

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