1 DO your best to create a warm and welcoming space that looks clean, bright, well cared for and up-to-date. The majority of potential buyers are seeking a place that is ready for their decorating touches but not in need of a major overhaul.

2 DON’T put your trademark on everything. If you’re committed to selling your home, you have to be ready to say goodbye to it before you sell. Once you make the commitment to list, get ready to start erasing your personality from the space, so the largest number of potential buyers can envision putting their stamp on it. In other words, that midnight blue living room you love should be repainted white or sand before you list. (If a bold colour really makes the space, leave it on one feature wall and paint the other walls a neutral colour.)

3 DO invest in relatively low-effort, low-cost, high-yield facelifts, like repainting the walls, replacing dated lighting or faucets, sealing your driveway and so on. Make a list and tackle one project per weekend afternoon. Small cosmetic changes add up to make a great first impression of your home.

4 DON’T invest in high-effort, high-cost renovations that you hope will net you a sales premium. Listing your home and buying a new one is stressful enough, so don’t frustrate yourself with overly ambitious plans you may be forced to abandon or cut corners on. Think refresh, not renovate.

5 DO invest in upgrading yard features like a deck or patio. Potential buyers love decks, so make yours look its best by repairing any damaged planks, refinishing the surface, and even investing in a nice barbecue and outdoor furniture set, which can help “sell” a relaxing outdoor-living lifestyle.

6 DON’T splurge on big, watery backyard investments like a swimming pool, hot tub, or large pond. You won’t make back your investment and in fact, may alienate many potential buyers who are put off by the work involved in maintenance.

7 DO bring your kitchen up to date with a facelift. You don’t need premium bells and whistles. A neutral palette, new-looking cabinetry, unblemished countertops and floors, recent-model appliances (stainless steel is a plus) and a welcoming, clean vibe will help you get – or exceed – your asking price.

8 DON’T create the grand cucina you’ve been always dreaming of. At least not here: save it for the home you’re moving to. Let potential buyers visualize what they could do with the space instead. If your deluxe vision isn’t in line with theirs, they won’t spend top dollar to underwrite the work you did.

9 DO tread lightly on the earth when getting your home resale-ready. Donate home fixtures that are in working order to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores across Canada, and use low- or no VOC paints on your walls. Consider refacing or repainting kitchen and bath cabinetry rather than replacing them, and if you’re refreshing your flowerbeds, opt for native perennials and shrubs, which tend to be more drought-resistant than exotics.

10 DON’T assume a new buyer will be wiling to pay a premium for your eco-friendly retrofits. The solar panels or tank-less water heater you install are great for the environment but not necessarily recoverable in your sale price. Have them installed in your next home instead, where they’ll pay for themselves through energy savings.

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When selling a house or buying, there are two very important documents needed. One being a clear title and the other being an up-to-date certificate of location. Without either of them, the sale won’t pass at the notary. Now, I’ve had situations where an agent would say, well it’s been ordered and since it won’t be ready in time for the sale, we’ll give it to you afterwards. I still haven’t found a notary that will pass a sale without one. Even with title insurance (that’s a whole other blog). So you need one.

The importance of the certification is this: It shows you exactly what you are buying, everything right and wrong about the property and where it all stands. Meaning you’ll find out about servitudes of view, right of ways for neighbours, utility company access, property lines, fences, bushes, where the house is situated and if anything is non-conforming. Non conforming could mean that the pool isn’t the right distance from the property line, or maybe the cabana is an inch on the neighbours property or the fence isn’t exactly on the property line.

This story is about a fence was off. So you may think no big deal? Think again.

For a lot of notaries, agents and buyers, we see a lot of fences that are not on the property line. In fact, it’s pretty normal. Is it an irregularity? And how off is considered an irregularity

? In the promise to purchase in clause 6.5 titled “Defect or Irregularity” it states: “Should the parties be notified before the signing of the act of sale, of any defect or irregularity whatsoever affecting the titles, or in the case of non-conformity with the guarantee of the SELLER contained herein, the SELLER shall, within 21 days following receipt of a written notice to that effect, notify the BUYER in writing, that he has remedied that defect or irregularity at his expense or that he is unable to remedy it.”

To summarize, if the buyer is not satisfied with the non-conformity of the certificate of location he/she may quit the deal by following the rules. So this is the story of my deal:

When the buyer’s received the certificate of location is was noticed that the fence was off a bit, within the property for sale. It was visually off on the layout and wasn’t stated in the text as to how much. They called the land surveyor and he said it was “about” 44cm. The buyers then called me and said that they wanted the fence moved to the property line because when they resale the property (they were flippers), that it may cause a problem. .

In the end, after hours spent on the telephone and email to notaries, surveyors, contractors and dealing with the buyers, we finally noticed a stake (in the tall grass) that was put there by a land surveyor (when the neighbour put in his pool) and realized the fence was only off by 1.5 inches. The land surveyor gave the wrong information over the phone. Luckily for us both parties came to an agreement and the fen

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Not always the case. Even if it comes with its own separate cadastre number, doesn’t mean that it has its own title.

Condos are separated into common and exclusive areas. The garage is usually what’s known as a common area. People come and go in and out of it and the condo association is responsible for maintenance and repairs. Within those walls, you have exclusive right of a parking space.

To find out whether or not you can sell it, you would have to make sure that it comes with its own separate title. If it does, this means that you can sell it to whomever you want. The flip side of it, you are not even allowed to sell it to your next door neighbour.

This can make a big difference for some people. I’ve found that some buyer’s get really excited knowing that a condo is being sold with two garages, thinking that they can sell one separately. An underground garage in downtown Montreal can fetch between $25K-$50K and sometimes more depending on area.

Be sure to check the condo by-laws and regulations of a condo pertaining to the garage as well. Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.

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How does property become an undivided condominium?
No specific formality is required. A condominium is undivided once a building becomes commonly owned. It can also result from a judgment, a succession (section 1012 C.C.Q.) or a contract (hereafter “Agreement”). In this case, the document must be

published if it is to be set up against third persons (section 1014 C.C.Q.), although it is valid between undivided co-owners in spite of the absence of this formality. The shares of undivided co-owners are presumed equal, unless the Agreement states otherwise (section 1015 C.C.Q.).

Can an undivided co-owner request the partition of a property?
Undivided co-owners may state, in the Agreement their right to request partition of a property. Such postponement may not exceed 30 years, but it is renewable at the end of the term (section 1013 C.C.Q.). If such terms are not in place, each co-owner may request a partition of the property at any given time (section 1030 C.C.Q.).

Who manages the building?
Unless otherwise indicated in the Agreement, all undivided co-owners of property manage it jointly (section 1025 C.C.Q.). Administrative decisions are made by a majority in number and shares of the undivided co-owners (section 1026 C.C.Q.). For example, if three co-owners respectively own 10%, 30% and 60% of the building, any decision must be accepted by at least two undivided co-owners, including the one holding 60% of the building.

However, certain decisions require unanimous approval, such as those relating to alienation, partition of the undivided property, the act of charging it with a real right, changes in destination or substantial alterations to it.

Finally, undivided co-owners are liable proportionately to their shares for the costs of administration and the other common charges related to the undivided property (section 1019 C.C.Q.).

What are the rights and obligations of undivided co-owners?All undivided co-owners have the same rights and obligations as an exclusive owner, in proportion to the share of building they own, unless otherwise indicated in the Agreement. Undivided co-owners can therefore sell, give or even mortgage their share. This share can also be repossessed. However, a mortgage granted to only one undivided co-owner on his or her share cannot apply to the whole building. Therefore, when one
undivided co-owner mortgages his or her share, the other undivided co-owners do not become mortgage debtors.

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How much is the HRTC worth?
You can claim the HRTC for eligible costs over $1,000 but not more than $10,000, for
a maximum credit of $1,350. The HRTC can be claimed on your 2009 tax return for
all eligible costs incurred to February 1, 2010.

Example
The 2009 budget documents provide the following example: Sally and Ed recently
purchased a house. To take advantage of the HRTC, they decide to replace their old
windows and improve the insulation in their home in 2009, incurring $10,000 in
expenditures. After taking into account the $1,000 minimum threshold, a 15 percent
credit will be available on $9,000 in eligible expenditures, providing tax relief of
$1,350.

What kinds of renovations qualify for the HRTC?
You can claim renovation costs for projects such as finishing a basement or remodelling a kitchen, along with associated expenses such as building permits, professional services, equipment rentals and incidental expenses. Most renovations or alterations to an eligible dwelling qualify, provided the renovation is of an enduring nature and is integral to the dwelling.

Examples of eligible expenses you can claim include:

Expenses you cannot claim for the credit include:

If you live in a condominium or a co-operative housing corporation, renovations on
your unit will also be eligible for the credit, as are your share of eligible costs used to
improve common areas.

If you rent out part of your home or have a home office for earning business income,
you can claim the credit for personal-use areas of the home only. You can also claim
the credit for part of the cost of common area improvements and renovations that
benefit the housing unit as a whole (such as re-shingling a roof). In this case, you
must divide the cost between personal and income-earning use. The qualifying
amount of your costs is calculated based on the personal-use fraction of your home
(i.e., calculated in the same way as your deductible home office expenses).

Note that you cannot claim the credit if the renovations are done by a related person
(e.g., a parent, a brother, sister, or brother- or sister-in-law) or a non-arm’s-length
person unless they are registered for Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales
Tax.

What qualifies as an eligible dwelling?
Generally, a housing unit is considered eligible to be your principal residence where it
is owned and ordinarily inhabited by you, your spouse or common-law partner or your
children.

Who can claim the credit?
Because eligibility for the HRTC is family-based, your spouse or common-law partner
can share the credit with you. If you share ownership of a house, cottage or condominium unit with another family, both families are eligible for their own HRTC credit.

Example
In a second example provided in the budget documents, Karen and Heather are
sisters who share ownership of a condominium unit.

They each incur $7,500 in
expenditures renovating the kitchen in the condo. Karen and Heather each claim a
$975 credit on eligible expenditures of $6,500 ($7,500 – $1,000 × 15%).
You can apply for the full amount of the HRTC even if you receive other government
tax credits or grants. For instance, if you make an eligible expenditure that also
qualifies for the Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC), you can claim both the HRTC
and the METC.

Keep your receipts
In order to take full advantage of the HRTC, you must document all eligible
expenditures. Agreements, invoices and receipts must clearly identify the type and
quantity of goods purchased or services provided, including the following information:

You do not have to file your receipts with your 2009 tax return, but you must keep
them on hand in case the CRA asks to see them.

New credit for first time home buyers
If you plan on acquiring your first home this year, the 2009 federal budget also
introduced a new non-refundable tax credit for first-time home buyers. This credit is
available for qualifying home purchases that close after January 27, 2009 and is
calculated based on the amount of $5,000 times the lowest personal income tax rate
for that year (currently, 15%). Thus, the current maximum value of the credit is $750.
The credit can be claimed by you or your spouse or common-law partner. In general,
to qualify, neither of you can have owned nor lived in another home in the last five
years, up to the year the new home was purchased. A qualifying home is one that is
currently eligible for the Home Buyers’ Plan (see below) that you or your spouse or
common-law partner intend to occupy as the principal place of residence not later
than one year after is acquisition.

The credit is also available for certain home purchases by or for the benefit of
a disabled family member who is eligible for the disability tax credit.

Home Buyers’ Plan threshold increased
In addition, the budget increases the amount that first-time home buyers can
withdraw tax-free from a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to
purchase or build a new home to $25,000 (up from $20,000). The new limit
applies to withdrawals made after January 27, 2009.

This information was gladly passed by
Marc-André Rocher a Mortgage Specialist at RBC Royal Bank Montreal South-West
Tel: 514.591.3815
marc-andre.rocher@rbc.com

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If you aren’t going to work with a designer and you would like to do it yourself, I suggest going to the library or buying a bunch of up-to-date home style magazines to get ideas of what’s in right now. Most everyone wants something chic and stylish. Something I like to call “urban chic”; a lot of clean lines, minimalism and bright open spaces. A Zen like approach. That look is selling to the mass market right now.

First impressions are always important, so the outside of the house needs the most love. Don’t go boring either. Chose exciting colours like grey/mauve, terracotta or sage. Paint everything that needs it, wood, railing, mailbox, light fixtures, etc. I’m not talking all one colour, have some black or white in their for contrast. If it can’t be painted, replace.

If there isn’t any landscaping or it’s shot, you need to revamp the look. Take out or trim everything that is overgrown. Be ruthless if necessary. Cedars are great when they are green and small, however if they are yellow and too tall, get rid of them. Keep the look short, so you can see the entrance way. Weed the grass if any, add more seed. In the garden, clean out the dirt of debris and weeds, add more dark earth and mulch. Make a nice clean line between the grass and garden. I would invest in a couple of bushes that contrast each other and some bright annuals that light up the front.

INSIDE: Floors are the most important. They make such a big impact. They have to be nice. If there is hardwood I suggest refinishing them. Staining them dark is always a nice touch. Parquetry looks incredible stained chocolate. It goes from a bad 1970’s look to something modern and Asian looking. If the floors need to be replaced, bamboo and other sustainable flooring are trendy right now. If the lino is old, change it. If you can afford tile, do it.

Kitchen. If the kitchen is an old wood 1950’s style, no need to rip that out and redo it and spend all that extra money. Paint it glossy cream and add stylish knobs. You could even add a moulding.

Picture of kitchen: Click Here

If it’s white melamine, you could either paint it with special paint, or keep it as is. Sometimes it’s the surrounding area that can buff it up and make it not look so “melaminy”. Meaning, add a trendy tiled backsplash, a new countertop, and knobs. If the melamine has a 1980’s boarder that can be taken off, remove it for a cleaner look. If you have the 1990 oak cabinets, they look incredible painted as well. If the cabinetry is hanging from the ceiling dividing the eating area, you could take those down and reuse them somewhere else. Now you’ve just created an island.

Extra touches:

Bathrooms are easy because it all lies in the choice of the tile and counter top. White tub, sink and toilet are always in and if they are in good condition they won’t need replacing. The cabinetry can be painted a black, chocolate, white or cream. It will update any look.

Picture of bathroom: Click Here

So there are a few suggestions. For pictures and other ideas, please go here

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