RSS


During the Fall and Winter months we see our utility bills increase as we use more resources to heat our homes and stay cozy. However, without even knowing it, you can waste money by overlooking a few simple areas of your home. Here are a few tips to help you save on your energy bills this season.

 

1. Fix leaky faucets

If you live somewhere where you pay for your water consumption separately, you can be washing money down the drain- literally- with something as simple as a leaky faucet. To check, make sure your faucet is completely closed; if  drips of water continue to come out, check the washer or valve cartridges (in washerless models) and replace them if they are damaged or worn. 

 

2. Check your toilets

The same as above applies. Don't flush money away by having your toilet leaking water. To check, simply add some coloured bowl cleaner into the tank and wait several hours to see if it leaks into the bowl without flushing. If a leak is present, consider replacing the stopper in the bottom of the tank. 

 

3. Turn down your hot water tank

You might think you'll notice a difference in water temperature, but chances are you'll only notice a lower utility bill. You don't need to have your tank set to the highest heat to get the water to a satisfactory temperature. It can be surprising to see how much it's costing you to simply maintain the water at a certain temperature.

 

4. Look for drafts around doors & windows

You're spending hard- earned money to heat your home, and you don't want the warm air escaping through cracks around doors and/ or windows. If you notice a draft, chalking around frames can solve the problem. In some cases you may need to repair or replace windows or doors that are cracked or damaged.

 

Having an energy- efficient home not only saves you money, it's also a selling feature when you go to sell. Even at this time of year there is still plenty of competition in the market, usually with motivated sellers. Set your home apart and pay attention to details. For more info about selling at this time of year and to book an appointment, contact us today.


Image Source: Remodelaholic

Read

The leaves are changing colour, the air is getting a crisp edge, and soon Fall will transition into Winter. Just because the warmer months are behind us doesn't mean that listing your home at this time of year isn't without it's benefits. We found this great article from Morning Call that outlines the benefits to selling your home in the Fall & Winter. Read on to learn more.




Many home sellers choose to sit on the sidelines during the colder autumn and winter months and get in the game come springtime, when they expect greater interest from buyers. But with the right preparations, smart sellers can list now and sell quicker than expected, without hibernating through the winter, the experts say.

 
Many people consider fall and winter as the off season for real estate, with fewer shoppers hunting for homes and fewer listings from which to choose. That shouldn't necessarily dissuade people from listing their homes during the cold season, though, says Bruce Taylor, president of ERA Key Realty Services in Whitinsville, Mass.
 
The pool of prospective purchasers may be smaller, shoppers out hunting in fall and winter are usually more motivated and serious, often with a pressing need to close quickly and move in soon due to a job relocation or major life change. "These buyers out in the cold looking at homes are not 'tire kickers.' They want to buy a home and get moved in now," Klebba says.

 

Another advantage to listing now versus later is that there is less competition from other sellers."There are fewer houses on the market in the fall and winter, which may lead to more demand for your house," says Jack Gloriod, owner/agent with The Becky Gloriod Team, Colorado Springs, Colo.



 

Additionally, "Houses tend to show very well when decorated tastefully for the holidays, and buyers enjoy this," Klebba says. "And listing and selling in fall or winter could make it so the timing works out for the seller to take advantage of the coming new spring inventory and increase their odds of finding the perfect next home."


Exert from Off- season selling: Listing your home during the fall or winter brings advantages. Published on The Morning Call.


We're always looking to take on clients, even in the months that people view to be the 'slow season' in real estate. It's usually anything but slow! As realtors, we appreciate your referrals and are happy to work with clients we have developed relationships with, and new ones alike. If you or someone you know is thinking about selling this Fall or Winter, we would love to be the real estate team to help. Contact us to get things started!

- Drew & Team Steeves


Image Sources:

Yahoo Homes

Between Naps on the Porch

Read
Categories:   2015 market information | 55+ | adding value | advice | ammenities | apartment | apartment, | apartment, condo | apartment, condo, for sale, Fraser Valley, White Rock, South Surrey, attached, | apartments, condos, attached, house, home, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, market information, trends, baby boomers, | architectural details | arranging | attached | attached, | Bank of Canada | bathroom | bbq, grill, outside, outdoors, exterior, deck, patio, yard, Summer | BC, beautiful BC, lakes, fishing, outside, outdoors, activities | BC, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, market, | bedroom | buy a house | buyers sellers | buying | buying, | buying, condos, apartments, attached, houses, homes, Cloverdale, Surrey, detached | buying, condos, apartments, Surrey | buying, first time home buyers, investment | buying, selling | buying, selling Langley, detached | buying, selling, | buying, selling, Fraser Valley, market information, detached, townhomes, single family homes | buying, selling, Fraser Valley, Vancouver, Lower Mainland | buying, selling, house, home, | buying, selling, house, home, real estate | buying, selling, market information, Fraser Valley, Surrey, Langley, Cloverdale, South Surrey | buying, selling, mortgage rates, lending | buying, selling, property value, home evaluation | buying, selling, terms, information | buying, selling, Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, market information, detached, attached, condos, apartments, local | buying, Surrey, attached, bungalow, rancher | buying, White Rock, South Surrey, attached, condos, apartments, patio, deck | Canada Day, July 1, celebrations, family, buying, selling, Fraser Valley, Vancouver, Lower Mainland, cooking, baking, cake | checklist | Christmas, | cleaning | coffered ceilings | community, ev | community, events, garage sale | condo | condo, | condos | conserve energy | curb appeal | custom built | deck | deck, | declutter | decor | decorating | detached | detached, | detached, house, home, buying, Surrey, Fraser Valley | dining room | DIY | DIY, outside, outdoors, curb appeal, projects, garden, herb garden, patio, small spaces | DIY, yard, garden, outside, outdoors, exterior, curb appeal, backyard, fire pit, bbq, stone, Summer | doors | drafts | drain spouts | economic growth, economy, buying, selling, | emergency preparedness | emergency savings | energy | energy bills | ensuite | entertaining, Summer, bbq, patio, deck, yard, | entrance | entryway | expenses | exterior | exterior, interior, maintenance, curb appeal, Spring cleaning | Fall | Fall, | family room | financial advisor | fixed, variable, interest rates | for sale | for sale, | for sale, condos, apartments, South Surrey, White Rock, attached, | Fraser Valley | Fraser Valley, | furniture | FVREB, reports | garage | garland | get your home ready to sell | granite | gutters | hardwood floors | high rise | holiday | holidays | home | home maintenance, | home office | home staging | home staging, | home, | hot water tank | house | house inspection, home inspector, home evaluation, home safety, interior, exterior | house insurance, buying, selling | house showing | house value, property value, | house, | house, home, buying, selling, tips, advice, home staging,sell your home fast, | house, home, maintenance, outside, outdoors, exterior, curb appeal, advice, tips | how to | in case of emergency | in suit laundry | income property | income property, apartments, condos, flipping, virtual tour, Surrey, Fraser Valley, Vancouver | increase the value of your home | information | information, resources, advice, tips, BCREA | inside | inspection | interior | January | just listed | just sold, | kitchen | land | Langley | Langley, | large home | large lot | leaky faucets | leaky toilets | listings, open house, market information | local market | local, | local, Summer, family, daytrips | lock in your rate | Lower Mainland | Lower Mainland, | Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley | Lower Mainland, Metro Vancouver, | maintenance | maintenance, | make rooms feel larger | market information, advice, | market information, Fraser Valley | market information, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Canada, statistics, mortgage rates, lending, buying, selling, | Metro Vancouver | Metro Vancouver, | modernize | mortgage rates, | mortgage, info, advice, tips, interest, principal, buying, homes | nanny suite | new listings | off- season selling | office | open house | open house, selling, buying, Surrey | open house, White Rock, | ornaments | outside | outside, exterior, curb appeal, DIY, hanging baskets, planters | outside, inside | outside, outdoors, exterior, maintenance, Spring cleaning | outside, outdoors, yard, garden, maintenance, tips, advice, Spring, Summer, buying, selling | parking | parks, Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, activities, family, outdoors, outside, things to do, nature, Summer Vacation, Holidays | patio | pay down debt | penthouse | planning ahead | powder room | prepare your house for sale | private yard | property | property sales | real estate | real estate, home, house, investment property, tips, advice, realtors, real estate agents, | real estate, market, information, detached, attached, condos, apartments, houses, homes, | REBGV | recipes, | recipes, Easter, | recipes, fish, fresh, local, BC, | reduce your debt | reduced | renovated | renovation | renovations on a budget | renovations, home improvement, selling, kitchens, bathrooms, outside, inside, interior, exterior, decks, patios | repairs | residential, attached | resources, tips, advice, | retirement | retirement community | return on investment | roof | safety | save money | sell your home fast | sell your home fast, | selling | selling, | selling, buying, for sale | selling, home staging, Spring, decorating, decor, seasonal, tips, advice | selling, home staging, Spring, decorating, decor, seasonal, tips, advice, curb appeal | selling, renovating, DIY, bathrooms, powder rooms | selling, tips, advice | senior complex | smoke detectors | sold, | South Surrey | South Surrey, | space | split level | Spring, Summer, outside, activities, Metro Vancouver, Lower mainland, neighbourhood, community, local | stage to sell | stainless steel | statistics | storage | stress free | suite | suites | Sullivan Heights | Summer, family, activities, local, BC, roadtrip, travel, | Surrey | Surrey, | tips | tips, advice | tips, advice, resources, | top floor | townhome | townhouse | update | updated | updated, renovated, high ceilings, patio, deck, ocean, beach, views, | updates | updating | utility bills | Vacnouver, YVR, Fraser Valley, real estate, detached, attached, houses, homes, information, prices, market info | Vancouver | Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, | Vancouver, YVR, Fraser Valley | vaulted ceilings | walk in closet | water bills | White Rock | White Rock, South Surrey, Attached, condos, apartments, patio, deck, beach, ocean, open house | windows | Winter | winterize | wreath
Reciprocity Logo The data relating to real estate on this website comes in part from the MLS® Reciprocity program of either the Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) or the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board (CADREB). Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS® logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of either the GVR, the FVREB or the CADREB.