BAP site syndication http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:56:28 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/images/M_images/ http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca BAP site syndication http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/homebuyer-appointment-wish-list-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-estate-e.html Looking at a large number of homes for sale in Lethbridge can be a confusing and time consuming process. There are many great homes for sale and many times the features of the homes begin to run together. Often real estate agents schedule viewing appointments one after another for their clients without consideration for how difficult it is to tell the difference between them. Oftentimes, Realtors will only show their Buyers their own listings, avoiding other homes that might better suit their Buyer's needs! This series of appointments should be groups of homes that fit the buyer's criteria. Having a good Lethbridge Realtor who has the skills to help you develop a good short list will ensure that your time is well spent and that you're only looking at homes that meet your needs.Looking at one home after another is an efficient use of time as well as beneficial to the decision making process, so long as they are the RIGHT homes. It is easier for buyers to compare similar properties to one another when they are viewed on the same day. However, viewing too many Lethbridge homes on the same day can become a confusing and even overwhelming process. Century 21 Foothills - ACTION TEAM suggests creating a list such as the one in the example below to help you keep organized while touring potential homes for sale in the Lethbridge area. If you bring along a digital camera, take a snapshot of the listing sheet given to you by your real estate agent prior to each home tour. If your camera has voice recording or video capabilities consider recording a few notes for yourself after each home tour. This tip will help you remember the differences between each house choice.Make a Wish ListMake a realistic list of what your ideal Lethbridge homes will look like. Think mainly of features and needs that are realistic and don't get caught up in all the things you'd "like" to have, but know you won't be able to afford. If a 6000 square foot coulee view home is not within your budget, don't include this on the list. Here are a couple good examples of a realistic wish list for most homebuyers: Attached two car garage Three bedrooms above grade 2 bathrooms plus an ensuite that has a standup shower AND a tub Near shopping No hardwood floors Fenced yard for dog Dishwasher Pie shaped lot Although many items on your list may be fairly easy and/or inexpensive to change (such as wall color or carpeting), if a home already fits your criteria, that is one less item you would need to change. In the end, if you are torn between two properties, the little details may be what make your decision. Courtney Atkinson, real estate expert, has seen many home buyers torn between two properties. The homes for sale in Lethbridge that come closest to the buyer's wish list will be the ones that will eventually form the Buyer's shortlist, one of which that will eventually be called "home". There is a lot of property for sale in Lethbridge and having a real estate professional on your team can help you to navigate the difficult process of buying or selling a home in Lethbridge. Call me at 403.795.7777 or email me at info@courtneyatkinson.ca to discuss Lethbridge real estate or Lethbridge land for sale and I will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Or, if you would like instant access to information about buying, selling, or building a home in Lethbridge, including Lethbridge real estate values and more, please visit the most complete website dedicated to everything Lethbridge real estate (http://www.busyagentpro.com/Lethbridge%20real%20estate) at http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca. Blog - Buyer Info Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:51:59 +0100 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/homebuyer-appointment-wish-list-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-estate-e.html http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/finding-the-perfect-home-in-profile.market-by-lethbridge-real-estate-expert-courtney-atk.html Buying a home in Lethbridge can be a wonderful experience for anyone. There are all kinds of things you have to look forward to: There's the first time you meet that great real estate agent who will work with you. There's the first very first home you ever set eyes one. There's the home you finally choose and fall in love with. That's the perfect home, right? But how does one find their perfect home in Lethbridge? Is anything really ever perfect? Does the concept even really exist? Let's take a look. Many potential first time buyers envision their next home as a home with all of the amenities. That home may even have hardwood floors, super high ceilings, a fireplace, and many other things like that that you feel you can't live without. However, oftentimes, people will see home after home without finding every single amenity they desire. Here's another thing that happens. Oftentimes, people find a home that has everything they need, but not everything they want. Sometimes a home has a lot of the things they want, but not what they need. The fact is that most professionals that are in the business of selling or showing homes will tell you that you will not find the perfect home. It just does not exist. You won't be able to discover a house that has every thing you have ever dreamed of and none of the things you don't want. Most real estate agents will tell you that what you should focus on is making a list of what's really important to you. There are many different factors to consider. Think about price, style, location, condition, size, the neighbours, surrounding schools, crime rate, or the number of bedrooms you'll need. The list of what is important to you could really go on and on. Writing things down is key. Planning to get a perfect home in the Lethbridge may leave you worn out because each home you look at just won't meet up to everything you have ever dreamed of. You may end passing up on a really good home in Lethbridge because you are so concerned with finding that perfect house. Worn out, tired, and aware that home prices are on their way up, you may end up just buying the last home you look at simply because you are fed up.You certainly want to have a much more pleasant experience than that when looking for a home in Lethbridge don't you? You can have one if you change your definition of "perfect" just a little. Perfect doesn't have to be an absolute. Allow for a few adjustments to your dream. Then, you will find a home that will come very close to being that perfect home you have always imagined. There is a lot of property for sale in Lethbridge and having a real estate professional on your team can help you to navigate the difficult process of buying or selling a home in Lethbridge. Call me at 403.795.7777 or email me at info@courtneyatkinson.ca to discuss Lethbridge real estate or Lethbridge land for sale and I will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Or, if you would like instant access to information about buying, selling, or building a home in Lethbridge, including Lethbridge real estate values and more, please visit the most complete website dedicated to everything Lethbridge real estate (http://www.busyagentpro.com/Lethbridge%20real%20estate) at http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca. Blog - Buyer Info Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:58:32 +0100 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/finding-the-perfect-home-in-profile.market-by-lethbridge-real-estate-expert-courtney-atk.html http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/idx-search.html Main Content - General Content Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:22:00 +0100 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/idx-search.html http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/how-to-find-the-best-builder-in-the-profile.market-area-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-est Finding the best builder in the Lethbridge real estate market is perhaps the most important part of building a new home. There are several factors to consider before choosing a builder. After all, the best builder is the one who fits your project criteria and best meets the requirements of your project. Communication is also a very important to consider. The person/company you hire is going to be a large part of your life for the next several months and beyond. You will be living in the results of their work for years to come. Communication is vital to the success of the project. Real Estate experts at Century 21 Foothills - ACTION TEAM suggest buyers interested in new construction make a list of criteria for their project. Another list should be made that includes what they expect from a builder.Gather a list of builder names that fit your requirements. Discuss your project expectations with each potential builder on your list. After interviewing all of the builders on your list, you will be able to make a short list of builders capable of fulfilling your project needs. Then you will be able to make an informed decision on which is the best builder to build your home in Lethbridge.Below is a sample list of questions to ask potential builders for your project. For a complete list of homeowner and builder questions email Courtney Atkinson at info@courtneyatkinson.ca (mailto:info@courtneyatkinson.ca) or by phone at 403.795.7777.Builder Interview Questions:Are you a licensed builder/contractor?Are you a member of any professional associations?How much experience do you have with building homes in the Lethbridge area?What manufacturers do you work with?Do you build the style/size/type of home in our project? (Hire a builder who has experience with the quality of home you are contracting.)Do you have a guarantee? (price, move-in date, etc.)Are you flexible with customization and/or changes?The professional real estate agents at Century 21 Foothills - ACTION TEAM can help you find the best builder for your new construction home in Lethbridge. Contact us today for more information. There is a lot of property for sale in Lethbridge and having a real estate professional on your team can help you to navigate the difficult process of buying or selling a home in Lethbridge. Call me at 403.795.7777 or email me at info@courtneyatkinson.ca to discuss Lethbridge real estate or Lethbridge land for sale and I will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Or, if you would like instant access to information about buying, selling, or building a home in Lethbridge, including Lethbridge real estate values and more, please visit the most complete website dedicated to everything Lethbridge real estate (http://www.busyagentpro.com/Lethbridge%20real%20estate) at http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca. Blog - Buyer Info Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:53:49 +0100 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/how-to-find-the-best-builder-in-the-profile.market-area-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-est http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/sell-your-profile.market-home-with-color-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-estate-e.html Colour schemes will directly affect the outcome of a sale of a home in Lethbridge. Prepare your Lethbridge home for sale with a fresh coat of paint prior to listing your home. This is a cheap fix that yields a big returns. Consider changing your current scheme to a more neutral buyer friendly hue. If you would like suggestions for popular colors in the Lethbridge area, feel free to contact me at info@courtneyatkinson.ca (mailto:info@courtneyatkinson.ca). I will be happy to discuss tips on preparing your Lethbridge home for sale. If you would prefer to discuss preparing your home prior to placing it on the market, I can be reached at 403.795.7777.Neutral does not mean boring. The purpose of creating a neutral color pallet is to appeal to the widest range of buyer in Lethbridge. There are ways to create interest using neutral colors. A great way to add interest without going overboard is with texture. Another trick for adding interest is using a tone-on-tone pattern. Consider using this technique on an accent wall to call attention to an architectural feature.Another way paint can be used to help sell your Lethbridge area home is by highlighting or minimizing certain features of the home. For example, paint wood trim a different color than the walls. The contrast of the color tones will call attention to the wood. This is especially important if you have crown molding, chair rails, or other architectural accents you want the buyer to notice. The professional real estate agents at Century 21 Foothills - ACTION TEAM can guide you through the process of choosing buyer-friendly colors to improve your home's marketability. Punches of color can be added to your home interior with fabrics and accessories. Designers recommend 60% of a room color should come from the wall color. 30% of the room color should come from cabinets and furniture. The final 10% can be punches of deeper accent colors brought into the room through fabrics and accessories. We can assist you with this. There is a lot of property for sale in Lethbridge and having a real estate professional on your team can help you to navigate the difficult process of buying or selling a home in Lethbridge. Call me at 403.795.7777 or email me at info@courtneyatkinson.ca to discuss Lethbridge real estate or Lethbridge land for sale and I will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Or, if you would like instant access to information about buying, selling, or building a home in Lethbridge, including Lethbridge real estate values and more, please visit the most complete website dedicated to everything Lethbridge real estate (http://www.busyagentpro.com/Lethbridge%20real%20estate) at http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca. Blog - Seller Info Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:47:01 +0100 http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca/sell-your-profile.market-home-with-color-by-profile.full-name-profile.market-real-estate-e.html