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Market Updates – Stats are KEY!

Happy November everyone!

As a realtor, something I always be sure to keep an eye on is current housing trends and updates. These updates can prove vital to my existing and potential clients – paying attention to housing trends WILL help sell your home!
So… let’s take a look at some of these great and topical tips!

Today, in general across the country, there aren’t enough homes for sale to sustain the current market. This is an occurrence that happens very rarely, but it’s happening today! We are light on product in some of our really important price ranges in our local communities of Strathmore, Chestermere, Wheatland County, Langdon, and even Calgary! 

Although there are huge increases in interest in the market and real estate right now, we still need your houses on the market!

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Gosh, is it the right time to put our house on the market?”

YES!! It totally is!!

Potential sellers, this is your time to seize this opportunity and sell your home! Give me a call and let’s have a conversation about it! 

Make it a great day!

Garage Sale Season – Downsizing is KEY!

Make some extra money on duplicate or unused household items you have at home that are gathering dust and at the same time, create extra space!

Be honest and admit any buyer’s remorse you may have. Anything you do not use or do not love can make you money if it is in decent shape.

It will leave you with a sense of lightness and freedom – as well as the extra money of course!!

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Selling a House in the Summer

What better time of year to sell your home than in the summer? Whether you have a yard or not, you can still dress the space up with fresh flowers or a colourful plant. Natural light floods through open windows in the summer months creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. 

Potential buyers might prefer to see what is hiding underneath the 2 feet of snow in the winter backyard before they sign the dotted line!

The sunshine brings out the best in everything; be it a yard, the gentle Alberta breeze, the birds feeding their young, or just the feeling of optimism and joy.

Apart from vacations away, people generally have fewer distractions in the summer and can devote more time to house hunting and finding that perfect home. It is much less stressful moving furniture in and out during the summer weather than in -30c!

Embracing Outdoor winter activities…its KEY

You might ask yourself what does outdoor winter activities have to do with real estate?
I think it stems from being an active person myself.

I always look for highlights in any  Community or neighborhood that are related to activities that a buyer might enjoy.

 For most buyers, I find that interests and hobbies do play a big role in the community where they decide to buy a house. So knowing what activities are available within a reasonable distance in neighorhood, city or town is vital as a realtor.
RemaxKEY has a tagline “love where you live”
and its a Great example of what I look for when helping a buyer find the perfect home.

For  winter outdoor activities, there are so many ideas. Heck, we live in Alberta, so embracing the idea of winter outdoor activities is important.
Right now ,I am enjoying the view outside my front window of families skating on the outdoor rink at the park across the street from where I live. What an excellent example of what I’m sharing today.

When looking for at home these are important details to consider
Whether it is pathways to walk the  dog , scroll to my favorite stores or my favorite -running paths near my home… All of these things help create a quality of life that is important.
It’s not just about whether or not the house has the right number of bedrooms or a nice new kitchen… It’s also about what amenities are close by that you can enjoy.
So -when you’re looking for your new home and neighborhood, keep these ideas in mind. Add to your list of wants and needs  –
outdoor spaces like parks and playgrounds along with what activities are close by, ones that you will enjoy all year long. 

LIFE GOALS

Fresh update ☀️  sending out my Goalsetting Blog again for one enlightening reason.
Each quarter, I like to revisit any goals I’ve made.
Whether they are personal goals or work goals, I like to review, celebrate wins and adjust if needed. 
So…… Heres a point of view on Goal Setting

#itsKEY #lifegoals #carpediem  #homesbyhayley


Goalsetting… can feel daunting and put added pressure where I might not feel that  I want it – have you ever felt that?

But a wise mentor once told me that goalsetting is an awakening… it’s a FRESH start… it’s like opening a door that felt jammed shut.

So annually, I get together with my work partners, we go somewhere that might inspire us and we set our goals for the next year.
We take a good hard look at what our successes and missed opportunities were and sit out clear expectations for a
NEW YEAR

Goal setting  is something that I do in my personal life as well
When you WRITE ✍️ something down -put it on paper, it makes it feel REAL
It’s not just a dream any longer, it’s a commitment -something to strive towards
One of my favorite things to do is sit down with a new scribbler , open up a fresh NEW page
And with one of my favorite pen – I just write right down things I’ve been thinking about, opportunities  I’ve wanted to SEIZE  and NEW things I wanted to do. ☀️
Lookout 2021 … its going to be a BRIGHT NEW YEAR

#ItsKEY
#Goalsetting #Winning #It’sANewDay #SeizeTheDay #Carpediem #SeizeTheMoment #It’sANewLife #Let’sMakeOpportunitiesHappen #Grateful #Gratitude #ILoveMyLife

Life Long Learning

Lifelong learning is a KEY cornerstone to success- in whatever we decide to do. …It’s the idea of opening ourselves up to learning. As adults, once we are out of school, Somehow, we get the notion and think that we are done learning….that we don’t have to keep seeking out new ideas or even explore old ideas.
I am going to challenge everyone to consider the idea of lifelong learning.

BUT, The idea of learning can seem daunting.Here’s a little secret….. we can learn from ANYONE – If we are open to it .
⭐️ I learn a lot of lessons from my adult children and their spouses.
⭐️ My husband, Phil and I, explore new things to learn all the time (right now it’s Pickle ball, learning new recipes and effective storage room organizing…. but that one is best shared on another day.)
⭐️ My work partners are constantly bringing new ideas to the table that we look at, dissect, and plan strategies around, so we can effectively use those ideas – lifelong learning.

I take lessons from things that I read, shows that I watch, and my most favorite way to learn right now is from podcasts and audiobooks.

I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I didn’t say that because life is so darn busy, (did I mention that we are tackling the job of reorganizing a storage room)it’s hard to find a time to actually sit down and read a book… Yup- maybe it’s an excuse but I found audiobooks and podcasts.I put my headset on, and at the same, tackle other “low focus” tasks… its LISTENING & LEARNING … pure Magic in my opinion! ⭐️ So, there’s my little life hack for the day -podcasts and audiobooks…try them out.

What are you listening to❓❓Please share! Some of my favorites right now are: Impact theory w Tom Bilyeu, Joe Rogan, A bit of optimism w Simon Sinek, This Working Life, Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly and start with a Win w Adam Contos.

Right Sizing Your Home

It used to be back in our Grandparents or even our Parents generation when you bought a home it was with the idea that it would be your “Forever Home.” That was the GOAL – that this one home would be where a married couple would begin their life, raise a family & eventually retire & become empty nesters with room to host large family Christmas dinners. So the idea of a forever home is steeped with emotion. It all sounds very romantic. But, realistically that is asking a lot of one home… It is difficult to imagine that one home would be practical functionally or financially for all of these different life stages. 

Nowadays with technological advancements and globalization it’s easier for people to move around. There is also a growing movement to a more minimalist lifestyle with less stuff to weigh us down – think Marie Condo. And baby boomers are more likely to spend their Golden Years travelling or relocating entirely than previous generations. 

The current trend in Real Estate is finding the “Perfect Right Now Home.” Finding a home in an area that suits your needs at this point in time but not needing to know that it will still −it the bill in 10 or more years. 

Here are some reasons why your home may no longer suit your needs: 

Divorce – nobody plans for it to happen but a divorce drastically changes your family’s housing needs. 

Family – your kids have moved out or maybe they have just come back? Or maybe you need room for aging parents to live. 

Age – a 2 story home with a large yard was great to accommodate your growing family but now you can no longer handle the stairs or yard maintenance. 

Career Changes – a job loss or change can mean needing to move due to relocation or for financial reasons. 

Lifestyle Changes – what once mattered the most to you like school districts may no longer be applicable to your life. 

Change of Neighbourhood Demographics – your friends have all moved and your neighbourhood seems to be filled with families that look a lot like yours – only 25-30 years ago?? 

Change of Taste – styles change. What you once liked you may not anymore. 

Financial Reasons – maybe you want to free up some money so that you can travel more or to help pay for your children’s education. 

Any of these reasons may lead you to the idea of needing to “Right Size” your home to suit your life. Right sizing is updating your living space based on your current needs. Between the many career, hobby, family and activity changes that we experience it makes sense to −ind the right home for you. Instead of compromising to meet the needs of your current home, rightsizing offers a freeing alternative. 

Questions to ask yourself: 

  1. Do you really use all of the rooms in your home?
  2. Are there rooms that are used more for storage than any other activity?
  3. How many times a year do you use your formal dining room, living room, guest room etc?
  4. Are there routine activities that are uncomfortable or inefficient in your home’s current set up?
  5. Do you feel like you spend more time cleaning & maintaining your home than you do enjoying it?
  6. Does your current neighbourhood offer you the connections & accessibility that you desire?
  7. Do you feel like you are house poor?

It’s important to remember that right sizing does not necessarily equal downsizing. You may discover in this process that you actually need a larger home or maybe just a different configuration. Or you may find that your current home does or can suit your needs with a few changes. 

The most important thing to remember is – a home is where you and your family live at any moment. Once you leave that home it becomes just a house again & the next house you move into becomes your home.

Here are my lessons learned:

… and one ⭐️big HINT: start with one closet. Don’t look beyond one closet.

Professional organizers tell us that we get overwhelmed if we think about the whole project. Break it down into manageable tasks 

1. I started with a smaller closet because again- the idea is that I didn’t want to feel overwhelmed or discouraged. 

2. Next, I put 3 medium sized” moving boxes near the closet. I had to make 3 decisions… is the item going in the keep box? the recycle box? or the throw away box? ⭐️HINT: BE RUTHLESS with this process. If you haven’t worn or touched the item in 6-12months, you really need to consider getting it GONE! #mariecondoyourself  

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The Key Story

How did four women get together? And how did they know they were going to be successful?

When you have people that are full of passion and grace who are real about what the struggles and stressors in all aspects of life are, especially Real Estate and family,then you can pretty much make anything happen.

These women are masters of prioritization, scheduling,goal setting,and task distribution.Together with their staff they work competitively while always maintaining the highest level of respect for each other creating a culture that truly allows ALL to flourish!

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Did You Know?? Routines are a good thing…

I’m a routine kind of girl …. I LOVE routines. My day always starts the same way.

I make coffee for Phil and I, take my vitamins, make the bed, then I head into the yoga room for meditation & then I workout … Every day, like clock work this is how I start.

Now, you might ask WHY…. Why is a routine so important and what the heck does it have to do with real estate? … I’ll get there, I promise.

Morning Routines set the day off in the right direction. Experts say it’s not that important what the routine is. What matters is that you HAVE a routine – a plan that you follow every day. Many Studies show that morning routines increase productivity and lower stress levels significantly in people. I can attest to that theory. I WAS that person. Morning routines were for other people ….routines in general seemed too regimented, restrictive, maybe even dull. I thought that I didn’t need routines or lists. That was for other people, not me. Until, one day I missed an important project that was due at school (yep-way back when ) and that project was in a class with my favourite teacher. A person that I respected – a lot…. I was embarrassed and quite horrified when I walked into class and it was my turn to present my project. It was at that moment when I felt I had let my teacher and myself down – that I said never again!!

I bought a note book that day specifically for lists and it became my first day-planner before there actually was such a thing. And what happened was quite amazing …. no more stress about things I had to get done. I knew what the plan was and how it was going to get done. Routines became a part of my life.

Now, jump forward ….to present day and Realtor® life.

Here’s the story…..I get a phone call from a potential client and they share that they are getting transferred with work to another city and they need to be moved and settled within a certain time frame. As realtors, we hear this story often. This is life. And this is where routine steps in to help.

Over the years, it has become critical to have routines when selling a home efficiently. I am proud of what the REPS group have developed over time. We have taken the best of what we have all experienced and learned and then created routines that we share with our sellers all the way through the process. Guidelines and checklists to help our sellers through a very stressful time.

We have an 11 point routine that we share regarding getting ready for a showing and I am happy to share that with you. The REPs group believes that KNOWLEDGE is POWER. And Routine is knowledge. It helps you and gives you power.

Getting Ready for a Showing
– open up window coverings
– store personal items in the bathroom away in a drawer, counters clean.
– all dishes are washed and put away
– dirty laundry in the hamper
– all beds neatly made
– remove animal beds and store them
– take the garbage out with you when you leave
– ensure all personal items and valuables are stored away safely
– turn all lights on
– play soft “elevator” style music
– if time, leave some fresh baked cookies for the showing group to enjoy

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We have many many routine checklists that we have created for our clients. Selling a home doesn’t need to be overwhelming, and having a routine is part of the secret sauce. If you’ve developed a routine and embrace lists … Bravo! And if you haven’t figured out a routine but are curious…. it’s never too late. Start with a notebook, and let me know what you think

Hayley Poirier
The REPs Group
RE/MAX First