Spring is in the air! And so is the house hunting
season. We already have several people who have
either listed their homes for sale in anticipation
of a posting message or who have recently received
their messages and are in the process of getting
it on the market. We are also talking to several
buyers who will be arriving in the upcoming weeks
and who are watching what's coming on the market
in the Trenton and Quinte area from afar. If you
are thinking of selling your home this spring
or summer, or if any of your friends, family or
colleagues are moving, give us a call soonest
so that all incoming buyers get a chance to include
it on their list of hopefuls.
As you can see, we have changed the way we are
distributing our e-Newletters and are including
them as part of our new website. Not only are
the Newsletters easier for us to develop, but
sending you the link to new editions should be
less bulky for your mailboxes. We are very pleased
with the new look of our website, so please take
a minute to check us out at www.davidweir.com.
Although the majority of the work has been done,
we still have a few areas that require some tweaking
and we are trying our best to finish up during
this very busy season. As always, we welcome feedback
and ideas for new topics.
One of our new website features is David's
blog. Here he posts regular updates
on happenings in the Trenton and Quinte Real Estate
market and lets you know about the value-added
services he is providing for his clients. Recently
he talked about Home Feedback which is an electronic
system that gives selling clients feedback after
their home has been shown to a prospective buyer.
All you have to do is enter a username and password
to view direct feedback on your home, anytime
you wish. It's fast, easy and effective! Be sure
to ask for more details when you list your home
with Team David Weir.
Thank you to everyone who particpated in the draw
for the Luxury Resort Giveaway. Of the many entries
we received, Jim and Pat Wiersma were the lucky
winners! See 'David's Giveaways' for upcoming
chances to win other prizes. The odds of winning
are better than most!
We hope you enjoy the articles we have selected
for this edition of the Newsletter. If you have
a topic area that you would like to see included
or if you have an article that suits our Newsletter
format, feel free to send it to Donna.
Enjoy!
Last year, David offered
his buying and selling clients 2 hours of
complimentary 'Handyman' labour or 'Home Staging'
by an accredited Stager. It was so well
received that he intends to offer the same service
to his clients again this year. Choose between
2 hours of touch up work and a complimentary staging
CD or a 2 - 3 hour staging consultation. You
will notice that a few REALTORS® now offer
to stage your home themselves, but David believes
you are paying him to sell or help you buy a house
not decorate or move furniture. That is why he
hires a professional to work for you on his behalf.
If you or anyone you know would be interested
in this value-added service, please contact David
at david@davidweir.com.
Tom
Cochrane in Concert at the Empire Theatre
The Tom Cochrane show
is quickly approaching and we have very few entries
for this contest which was announced in the February
newsletter. David is giving away 2 tickets to
see Tom Cochrane and the Red Riders performing
at the Empire Theatre on Saturday March 24th.
Tom Cochrance is a multi Juno Award winner, Grammy
nominee, and Canadian Songwriter Hall of
Fame inductee. Tom Cochrane, along with the
stellar musicianship of Red Rider will present
all his best and great new songs from his new
CD "No Stranger". If you have
not already entered your name and would like to
participate in the draw for the ticket giveaway,
please send Donna an email at donna@davidweir.com.
Draw date is 20 March. Don't miss out! Increase
your chances of winning by sending us the name
of someone you know is in the market for real
estate services. Every referral is another entry
in your name.
Jann
Arden Tickets
Another favourite Canadian song-writer
and performer, Jann Arden, will be coming to the
Empire Theatre for two shows on Sunday April 22nd,
both of which are already 'sold out'. David is
offering 2 tickets to the 8:00 PM show for the
lucky winner of this next draw. Once again, a
quick email to Donna
with your contact information is all that's needed
to take part. Increase your chances of winning
by sending us the name of someone you know is
in the market for real estate services. Every
referral is another entry in your name. Good luck!
Empire
Classic Rock Festival
Keep an eye out for our June Newsletter
in which we will be offering tickets to the Empire
Classic Rock Festival featuring Cheap Trick, George
Thorogood & The Destroyers, and Pat Benatar.
Check for additional details HERE.
National News The
average selling price in Canada's major markets
last month was $299,318, according to data from
the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). That's
up more than $30,000 from January 2006. Rising
home prices have prompted CREA to ask Ottawa to
boost the maximum loan available under the Home
Buyers Plan from $20,000 to $25,000. Read the
entire CBC article HERE.
Quinte West
Happenings ... WOW, The Market is Still Strong!
Bell Canada
Launches Home Watch Service - a
new, customizable surveillance service that is
controlled by the homeowner via a secure personalized
Web site. Clients can go online from anywhere
they have Internet access and customize their
service by deciding what they want to be alerted
about, who should receive alerts, and how to receive
the alerts ... by phone, e-mail, or text message.
Round-the-clock professional monitoring is also
available. Home monitoring costs $19.95 per month
and the starter kit is $299.99.
Product
Clears Foggy Failed Windows - Crystal
Clear Window Works offers a product
for cleaning and restoring the insulating value
of fogged thermal-pane windows. The process involves
drilling 2 holes in the affected units, cleaning
the interiors with environmentally friendly solutions,
vacuuming them out, sealing one hole and installing
a one-way valve in the other that continues to
let moisture escape. To date, these repairs have
kept four million square feet of glass out of
landfills.
Tax Tips
for Charitable Donations - Most taxpayers
are aware that you may be able to reduce your
income tax by donating to a registered charity.
But did you know that you do not have to claim
all of the donations you made this year on your
current-year return? You can actually claim them
on your return for any of the next five years.
Married couples or common-law partners can pool
their donations and claim them on one return.
This is important because the first $200 you report
on your return is eligible for a lower federal
tax credit (15.25% of the donation amount) than
amounts over $200 (29% of the donated amount).
Check with Revenue
Canada for more information.
According to the Ontario Association
of Home Inspectors (OAHI), the following are the
most common updates for home sellers. All are
relatively low cost and many are safety items.
Most are expected in a home no matter the age
and would increase or, at minimum, guarantee fair
market value if completed:
fix any
basement cracks and get a warranty, especially
when the home inspector tells you it has leaked
... regardless of how little or how much
extend the downspouts to discharge
water well away from the house
prep and paint the exterior
wooden trims, frames, doors, etc.
put a handrail where needed
make sure the smoke alarms
test and work properly and are on every floor
repair or replace defective
GFCI outlets
upgrade to a 100 amp service
with a combination panel and breakers
Not just
a 'buzzword', title insurance is a cost-effective
protection that shields homebuyers from many of
the major risks that can affect the ownership
and/or future marketability of title to a property.
What are the benefits of title insurance or when
might a homeowner utilize his or her policy?
unpaid
utility or property tax bills from the previous
owner
building code issues ... for
instance, if you discover a previous renovation
was not done to code and the whole house must
be re-wired before you can proceed with your
plans to put an addition on the house
if the house is not located
on the property accurately and encroaches onto
neighbouring land or if your pool is actually
on a neighbour's property. A title insurer might
buy the piece of land that has been encroached
upon.
condominium owners who believe
they have bought a unit that is different than
what they get ... and in most cases
they have paid for something of lesser value
fraud protection and, in some
cases, the costs involved in defending their
ownership in the property and restoring their
title to the home
negligent errors by lawyers
title
insurance often eliminates the need for an up-to-date
survey by protecting against any title-related
issues that would have been identified by that
survey
As with other types of insurance,
certain exclusions will apply. If you are thinking
about purchasing Title Insurance, be sure to ask
the Provider for specific details.
More homeowners are reading magazines
and watching television shows dedicated to renovation
and decor. As a result, buyers are very educated
about what they want and the latest trends. If
you are thinking about doing some major renovations
or buying a new home from a builder, consider
this list of 'least-wanted' items that
may make your home less attractive to future buyers:
walls
painted in builder's beige and trim in stark
white. A clean, crisp, brown-enhanced beige
or soft greys with warm brown undertones are
preferred, as are creamy-coloured trims.
stippled
or stuccoed ceilings. A simple, flat ceiling
is best.
natural
coloured oak cupboards, floors, banisters and
pickets. Painted cabinets, especially white
and off-white, and dark-stained floors are the
trend.
spaces
too small for homeowners' favourite furnishings
or for new pieces, which are getting larger
round-topped
windows that are impossible to fit with window
coverings
foyers
too tiny to make a statement or allow for tables,
sconces, and more
archways
in doorways, especially in small 30-inch openings
You've packed your passport, travel
insurance, and suitcases, but what about the possessions
you're leaving behind? To ensure the safety of
your home ... and your peace of mind ... create
a checklist to follow each time you go away!
Stop
mail service and newspaper delivery or have
someone pick up your mail.
Adjust
the thermostat ... in cold weather, no lower
than 13 degrees; in warm weather, set the
air conditioner no cooler than 29 degrees.
Shut
off gas to the water heater or turn temperature
control to 'vacation' setting.
Make
sure appropriate appliances are off (make
a list).
Unplug
appliances such as computers, TVs, etc.
Set
auto timers for lights at staggered hours.
Make
sure water is not running (toilets, washing
machine, dishwasher).
•
The reason firehouses have circular stairways
is from the days of old, when the fire engines
were pulled by horses. The horses were on
the ground floor and figured out how to walk
up the straight staircases.
•
Of the 206 bones in the average human adult's
body, 106 are in the feet and hands - 52 in
the feet and 54 in the hands.
•
In the Mona Lisa painting, Mona Lisa has no
eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance
Florence to shave them off.
•
The military salute is a motion that evolved
from medieval times, when knights of old raised
their visors to reveal their identity.
•
All four kings in a deck of playing cards
represents a great king from history: Spades
- King David, Clubs - Alexander the Great,
Hearts - Charlemagne, and Diamonds - Julius
Caesar.
•
Due to the shortages of lead and metals during
World War II, toothpaste was packaged in plastic
tubes and have been ever since.
Trenton Real Estate • CFB Trenton • Trenton
Ontario Real Estate • 8 Wing Trenton • Trenton Realtors •
Trenton Homes for Sale • CFB Trenton Housing • Trenton HHT
• IRP • Military Relocations • Quinte West Real Estate
• Quinte Real Estate • Quinte Homes For Sale • Real Estate
For Sale • Trenton • Frankford • Belleville • Brighton
• Royal Lepage • Military • DND • National Defence
• MLS Houses • Quinte Homes • Houses For Sale •
Real Estate Listings • Home Sales • MLS • Relocations
• Realestate • Buyers • Sellers • Mortgages •
Ontario
David proudly supports
Women's Shelters locally & nationally.
