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BBQ!

Don’t we all love a good BBQ? Sometimes, we enjoy taking charge of the process ourselves – prepping the food, setting up the grilling station, taking our time perfecting our craft, perhaps even sipping on a cool bevvie.

Other times… well, I’ll get to that.

How’s your grilling station at home? Is it a BBQ on some classic concrete blocks that have sit on a slight angle as we forget to take the time to fix it? Is it a magazine worthy set-up with the propane bbq, a couple smokers, the mini fridge – the works? Or is it somewhere in between?

Regardless, I think most of us enjoy the process of grilling, some more than others. And by some, I mean those among us that have it so figured out that most of their meals end up on Instagram – you know who you are!

If you don’t love your home bbq set-up, I’m more than happy to help you look for a better one – there’s home on the market currently with amazing backyard spots!

The great thing about grilling is that it brings people together. Having friends or family over & serving up some burgers and ripple chips just feels good. It feels even better when we are proud of our outdoor space and everyone can just relax.

As for those other times that I mentioned earlier, specifically to those of you that prefer that someone else does the cooking… I have great news!

Swing by our Coldwell Banker office in Steinbach TODAY between 4-7pm while our agents and staff serve up hot dogs, chips and drinks to say thank you for being a part of our “family”. It’s a great way to give back to our clients and the communities that have been the reason for our successes.

If that doesn’t work for you – check out Main Street in town this weekend, and find some great street food (& rides for the kids) at Steinbach Summer in the City!

Yum!

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The learner’s permit.

My daughter recently took the first step to teenage driving freedom – the learner’s permit. Sure, she’s all smiles and confidence, but papa has had that moment of worry when the gas pedal gets pushed instead of the brake.

We’ve all been there – that’s why it’s called the learners permit.

Things have changed since I got mine 30 years ago (gosh, could it be that long ago?!?)… the process takes a little longer and there now seems to be endless amounts of information and videos online for them to watch and learn.

All of which is a good thing, the more we are aware as drivers, the better.

One thing that hasn’t changed though– having a drivers ed instructor take them on the road to teach them all the rules. I mean, I have a pretty good handle on things, but I bet there’s a few items I may forget from time to time.

The same can be said for buying or selling a house! The process has changed over the past 30 years, it can take a little longer, and sure, there’s plenty of information out there to try and figure it out for yourself.

But it can be complex and like the rules of the road, you may forget a detail or two. The good news – I’m more than happy to be your “driver’s ed instructor” and take the wheel when it comes to figuring out the small details of your next real estate move, buying or selling.

Let me be your guide, and keep you out of the ditch while you get to your destination – home.

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Puddles.

So many puddles. They are great as a kid – jump around in them, make mud pies, have all the fun! For some reason, it seems they aren’t as great when we get older.

The pooling water on our yards and our roads can only mean one thing. It won’t stop raining! Certainly, it appears that’s the cycle we are in now, with sun one day meaning that almost guaranteed rain is happening the next.

It’s interesting how something that can bring so much joy as a child, can also bring on some stress as an adult. Especially if you’re a homeowner. Even more so if you happen to not be home when the storm rolls in.

The worries start popping in our heads – how much did it actually rain? Are my downspouts actually down, or did I forget them after cutting the grass last time? When did I last check my sump pump? Are the dogs going to run away if it starts to thunder?

These are all valid – and some of those questions have turned out not so great for me. Downspouts have been forgotten, pumps have failed, dogs have run away…

Let’s make sure these don’t happen to you. If you haven’t already, check the sump pump in your home, ensure those downspouts are down (and clear of debris), and if need be, make sure the pets are taken care of!

Looks like we may see some sunshine again soon but we may be fighting with puddles until this time next week – so today is a great day to check that list.

Let’s keep these basements as dry as possible as we likely stay indoors and if you’re like me, enjoy the Stanley Cup Playoffs!

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Free!

With the economy lately, and prices of nearly everything headed up, I’m quite certain every one of us appreciates a good deal, a great deal, or even better, hitting the jackpot… and getting something for FREE!

It seems those free deals don’t come around nearly as often as we’d like, and so often, when they do, we’re worried there’s going to be some sort of catch. Am I right?

I’ve got great news for you!

As a buyer working with me as a Realtor, you get my professional, prompt, and friendly service absolutely free!! The only catch is that you get a great home for you and your family to enjoy. Sounds like a pretty great deal, if you ask me!

No matter which agent has the home listed, as long as it’s marketed on realtor.ca, I can show you the home as your buyer agent. And by working with me early in the process, I can refine your search and provide you up-to-the-minute alerts on properties that hit the market and meet your defined criteria.

When you find potential matches you’d like to see, I will set up showings, personally tour you through them, find out additional information if needed, and then take care of the paperwork when you find the one that you feel is perfect for you.

So give me a call, let’s get that started for you.

All for freakin’ free!!

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The First Impression.

You only have one chance to make one. Some say it takes only seconds for that impression to stick. Sounds pretty important, if you ask me.

In our day to day, we focus on taking care of that for ourselves. We curate our clothing, we do our best to look good, and try to present the best version of ourselves to the world – especially to those we are meeting for the first time.

For your home, one of the things I focus on as your realtor is to help make those first thoughts of the next potential owner be as positive as can be.

I am working with a couple of clients with listings coming to market in the near future. I was in both of those homes this week – one could use a kitchen facelift, the other needs some tidying up and addressing those lingering little things that always seem to find their way to the bottom of the list.

Admit it – you have that list too!

My advice – let’s take a bit of extra time to present the best version of your home, so we can get the interest your home deserves, and ultimately, get the best price possible. After all, money talks, right?

If you’re considering selling – I’d love to help you. And it helps to get me involved early in the process, so we can talk about those things that will provide the best return for your unique situation.

When those potential buyers first walk in your home, let’s have them saying WOW!
In the best way possible.
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Green!

The spring season seems to bring out the most vibrant green colours that we get all year long. The leaves are starting to bud, the grass has woken from its slumber, and the sun just seems to make it pop that much more.

The warmer, longer days bring a renewed energy to all of us – and it’s a great time to take on those projects we’ve dreamt about all winter long. Doing some landscaping around the yard, finally putting that addition on the house that you’ve been waiting so long to do, or maybe you want to do some exterior updates or shingles this year.

(Pssst, if you have some green trim on your house and you live in town, it might be time to consider changing that up!)

The other thing that’s heating up lately is the real estate market! We’ve still got a back load of buyers looking for their new home, who are looking to move in summer (I mean, sounds more fun than hauling boxes and couches in the snow right?). While we have more listings coming on the market, there are still many communities with very low inventory (Morris, St Jean – I’m talkin to you!)

So if you’re considering a move in the next while, let’s chat about what that could look like for you. I’m happy to do an in-person evaluation of your home and provide my professional opinion of how much equity you really do have right now. (It might surprise you!) I mean, we could all use a little more green in our life, right?

And for those of you content to take on that project, tackle that next big thing, or just need to have a little encouragement to get started or keep going, don’t worry…

You got this!
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Tick, Tick, Tick… BOOM!

It seems like that’s the timeline. Things have been humming along for years, building momentum, and then seemingly, in the past few months, it seems like the whole thing just blows up and has taken the world by storm.

Female sport.

Yep, real estate can hope that it feels the surge that female sport has. We’ve seen it at highest levels with professional leagues taking hold, many of us locked into NCAA basketball playoffs and watched Caitlyn Clark elevate her game (again) and bring millions along for the ride on TV, and we see it happening at the grass roots level with female athletes growing in our home towns.

It’s amazing to watch, and so fun to be a part of!

I get to experience it first-hand. My older daughter plays soccer & volleyball… my younger daughter just finished her first year of hockey on an all-female team and practices setting a volleyball against the wall pretty much every day, and my stepdaughter plays high level female hockey & softball (and manages to slide volleyball & badminton into the mix too!). The energy and the team interaction are just different with the girls.

Good different. They constantly encourage and support each other and truly cheer for the success of every one of their teammates.

I was able to take in my first PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) game this past weekend with my 2 girls and a few of their hockey teammates. The atmosphere was fun & energetic, and honestly, a notch or two above the NHL game experience. It was so great to see so many young female athletes there while they dream of what could be in their own futures in a few short years.

So as a proud girl-dad, I’m blessed to watch the growth of sport through the unique lens of these girls. They work hard, they make great friendships, they learn so many awesome life skills and even if the scoreboard sometimes tells us otherwise, I’d say they are winning.

Big time.
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GGWP.

What the heck could that mean? My old school lender friends may have it figured out. I first saw this acronym during my banking days while looking at a credit application from the 1980s.

“Good guy. Will Pay.”

That’s it. That was the credit write up. No credit checks, proof of employment, appraisals, etc… just neighbourly lending at its finest. Shake hands, and that’s the only security we need.

Man, have things changed in 40+ years. Not just in banking, but in everything we do. The same is true in real estate. Selling and buying property isn’t the same it was in previous generations, it can be a complex transaction with many moving parts. It's important to get the details right.

There’s certainly times when we all miss the deal written up on the napkin at the coffee shop.

However, for good reason, documentation of promises and intentions are here to stay. It makes it clear, for everyone involved, what is expected and when the steps need to happen. When buying & selling properties with me, I do my best to make that process as seamless as possible, even though it may seem like the forms to sign may never end!

Don’t worry, just because times have changed and yes, we do need to submit more documentation to buy the house or get the loan, some things have stayed the same.

Believe it or not, GGWP still exists.
Professional realtors and lenders can sense those 4 letters in the first few seconds of meeting you.

Be the good guy.
It pays off in the end.
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The Window seat.

Anytime I fly, I’ll choose seat A or F. The window seat. I don’t fly a lot, but when I do, I always prefer to be beside the window.

And why not? It’s the literal window to the world. Flying over the mountains, seeing irrigation circles from 40,000 feet, trying to figure out what city you’re going over, seeing the sun set in the west with the most gorgeous array of colours you’ve ever seen.

So, yeah, give me seat A or F.

But why save that only for when we are up in the air. The windows of our homes give us the view into the world too.

My papa always said he could never have enough windows in his home. His old farm office was all windows. He loved having the sun rise to do his morning paper work before we all woke up. And most of the windows in the house faced the yard - after all, that’s where the action was.

It has always stuck with me.

So, be honest. How are the windows in your world treating you. Do they bring you the joy that you want? Think about how finding more light could change your mood, how seeing your kids playing in the back yard could bring you peace.

If you’re thinking you may need different windows in your life, reach out. A different home may help you find the view you truly seek.

Pick the windows to the world.
Every time. Enjoy the view.

Choose A or F.
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New jeans.

It’s one of those simple pleasures in life, they just feel good.  This past weekend, I picked some up on the way to a concert – I wanted a new pair to go with my boots.  Yes, my cowboy boots – the ____ kickers.  They don’t come out very often, but when they do, might as well go all out.

You see, I didn’t need the new jeans, but they sure felt and looked a lot better than my old ones.  And dang, they were comfy! 

I think sometimes our homes can be the same way.

Perhaps, we don’t really need a newer home, but we may want one.  Like jeans, sometimes our homes get a little too tight and other times, there’s some extra space, or maybe, they are just simply worn out and it’s time for something different.

If you find yourself feeling that way, let’s go shopping for new “jeans”.  

Give me a call, and we’ll find the right size, cut, and colour for you. 

Never know, along the way, we might even go lookin at houses too.

Oh yeah, Lainey Wilson & Chris Stapleton blew the roof off!

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Don’t beat a dead horse.

In other words, don’t keep saying the same thing over and over again. This saying came to mind this week as the temps rose, the sun came out, the spring real estate market has woken up and I felt like repeating myself!

However, at the risk of feeling like I’m a skipping record, I’ll say it - it’s a GREAT time to sell!! After all, a great time to sell, usually means the best return on your investment! Which is ultimately what we’re all after.

It’s an interesting saying though, isn’t it? I’m sure it came to be many moons ago, but the origins of it, I’m just not sure. But first of all, let’s be kind to the animals, especially a horse. Secondly, who has really been near a dead horse lately? My assumption is most of us haven’t.

Well - I have.
While camping. In a town campground. Sitting around a bonfire. Horse comes through the fence. Stumbles, falls, and takes its last breath. Right there in our camp site. True story!
Call me - I’ll tell you about it… it’s a good one! (I promise, no beating of the dead horse occurred, just care to take him to his final resting place)

ANYWAYS, got a little off track there…

All that to say I’m encouraged by where the market is at. There are many buyers searching for a home, and there are still very few homes to choose from – the ones that do come to market usually sell pretty quickly.

So, if you’re considering making a move – I dare say it again – it’s a great time to sell!!
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Paperwork.

Admit it, you love it. Right??
It’s one of those things we all have to do. Whether it’s for your job, or keeping track of the family budget, we just can’t get away from it.

Some of us are pretty good at it (I like to think I am), but sometimes, it’s in our best interest to get some help with it.

Given the time of year, let’s take filing taxes as an example. We can gather documents, find some software (or old school paper & pencil, if you wish!)to file it to CRA, and hope that we’ve done things right. However, many of us have chosen to use an accountant to ensure that our taxes are done correctly and all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. After all, that’s what professionals are for.

I’d say that real estate is much the same.

Investing in a professional Realtor to sell your home ensures that those i’s and t’s are taken care of. In the market we are heading into, it will be competitive. There could be multiple offers and conditions of sale. Your buyer may have a home to sell before they can officially buy yours. The complexities can add up quickly, and it’s in your best interest to get it right the first time.

So call me.
I’ll get your home sold quickly and…I’ll take care of that paperwork for you, too.
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