We are hoping this finds you healthy, happy, and optimistic about moving forward in your business, while also making plans to enjoy your summer.  

With the gradual re-opening of some businesses and loosening of some restrictions, I have noticed that Buyers and Sellers are preparing to revisit their Real Estate goals, and adjust to the new norms of viewing and showing properties. 

I am excited to provide Sellers Virtual Open Houses n Victoria that are marketed far and wide, hosted by me, and backed with a Marketing Team that has assisted in some of the most successful Virtual Open Houses to date. 

Scroll down to see how I can fill Virtual Open Houses with attendees.

Our phone lines and email remain open to you for all of your Real Estate Administration and Marketing needs, and our business is running as usual to serve our community. 

Please take care of yourselves and each other during this time. 

**Be healthy **Be happy **Be kind to each other

What if I told you that host over 200+ attendees at a Virtual Open House in Victoria BC? 

Our Virtual Open House Support Includes full set up and Real Time on line, LIVE support and Marketing- before, during, and after our Virtual Open House.

Here's how: 

• Online Marketing to promote your Open House on Matrix, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and 3 Free Online Platforms in 3 cities Canada Wide!
• Set up of Facebook LIVE Event / Zoom Event connection and paid promotion of Event 3 days prior 
• Attendee Management and daily engagement / encouragement
• Over the phone training with your LIVE support manager on how to conduct the Virtual Open House successfully, and engage with NEW Buyers and Sellers
• LIVE support and engagement throughout the VOH, greeting viewers, providing commentary, and reinforcing your comments and information (contact info for you, links to listing etc) 
• Collection of viewer information and attendees, as well as excel download of names of your virtual attendees to follow up with. 
• Handling any technical issues that arise during your Virtual Open House in Victoria 
• Downloading your LIVE Video, converting to MP4, and uploading to your social media channels for anyone that may have missed the LIVE. 

Homeowners tend to renovate their houses every few years. With the changing lifestyle, you might want to customize the existing spaces according to your requirements. However, it is also recommended to consider the aspirations of future buyers, in case you want to sell your house after a certain period of time.

Certainly, the house renovation should include house maintenance to expect a good return. However, making a few renovations will ensure the best resale value of the house. According to reports, approximately 58% of new house buyers undergo home renovation. So why not incorporate their probable needs to increase your house value?

Evaluating and shortlisting the areas of improvements can be a time-taking process. You need to prioritize the more valuables than others to optimize your home renovation process in a limited budget. Here we have shortlisted some of the most important areas which can result in the high resale value of your house.

∙       Landscape your garden

The very first space that catches a buyer’s attention is the outdoor green space. It adds to the aesthetic appeal to the house and makes a very good first impression. Also owing to the current situations of lockdown, people would prefer having an excellent outdoor area to spend their time outdoors. 

You can plan a patio or deck as a pleasant outdoor sitting or a theme-based landscape garden. It is recommended to consult a professional for landscaping or building a pool to ensure that your garden keeps up to the ongoing garden trends.

∙       Optimize floor area

If you happen to buy a house with differentiated living, dining, and kitchen area, try to eliminate partition walls to optimize the floor area. Moreover, people prefer open plan designs which promote a better visual connection between spaces. Retractable furniture will help you in making your living spaces multi-functional.

Houses with larger and open spaces tend to have a higher value, so plan your house accordingly. Or possibly convert a potential space into a bedroom, since most home buyers are always looking for more bedrooms in the house. This will hike your house value to a very considerable amount.

∙       Modify kitchens and bathrooms

According to Forbes, millennials are most likely to remodel kitchens and bathrooms as soon as they buy a new house. Since these are high- traffic and high-use spaces, buyers have a keen interest in acquiring an up-to-date bathroom and modular kitchen.

You can modify the kitchen by replacing the old flooring with the latest tile or vinyl flooring. Further, you can incorporate new cabinets with built-in appliances to create a trendy kitchen.

As far as bathrooms are concerns, you need to ensure tight sanitary fittings along with all the basic bathrooms accessories.

∙       Roof repair and maintenance

Home renovations must include a strict check on roof conditions. A strong and sturdy roof ensures good house health. If your roof has developed leakage or wear and tear over time, it is time to get it inspected and do the recommended actions to revive its strength. 

∙       Get your house inspected

Even after doing all the possible house renovations, it is always recommended to consult a certified home inspector to conduct a thorough house inspection. Professional help will enhance your knowledge towards ideal house health and you can plan your renovation accordingly.

If you plan to sell the house, your house has to go through an examination anyways, so why not do it beforehand? This will ensure your upper hand in front of the potential buyers and depict that you are way ahead of time in maintaining a health house throughout.  You can also dodge costly fixes or concessions asked by the buyers.

It is recommended to consult a real estate agent to get real-time updates on the on-going trends and demands of homebuyers in the market. No one can advise you better than the field professional of your city. So appoint an experienced agent to suggest potential home renovation spaces as per the trending requirements in your area.

Also, besides the tips provided, it is always advised to make your house more energy-efficient and maintain cleanliness. This will surely add up to your house value to great extents. 

Whether you are looking for renting a property or buying of your own, certain parameters affect your decision to a great extent. Finding a good neighbourhood is certainly one of them. You might want to spend the rest of your life at the same place and your surroundings will surely affect your lifestyle. So why compromise with finding the perfect location for your dream house?

Undoubtedly, choosing the appropriate neighbourhood requires a lot of research before coming to a conclusion. Here we have shortlisted some of the tips to shortlist a comfortable and convenient neighbourhood for you and your family.

∙       Safety first

Besides all the parameters, the safety factor is always a priority. You are not going to enjoy your homestay in an unsafe environment. Some neighbourhoods might have lower rents and house prices but might come with greater risk of theft or mishaps. The value of such a location is prone to decrease with time.

Check online sources to know the crime rates in the locality. Try to visit the place at different times to observe nearby activities. This will give you an overview of the neighborhood and whether you like it or not.

∙       Commute

You are most likely to find a place near your office. But it is further recommended to search for a place with a convenient commute within the perimeter. Look whether the locality has easy access to public transport, highways, etc.

Owing to the current scenario, people will tend to opt for traveling via walking or jogging to practice social distancing and maintaining a strong immune system. Hence, besides conventional commuting, check if the locality has active transportation including walking and cycling tracks.

∙       Study topography

The topological location of your house can affect your living experience in a lot of ways. In case you wish to live uphill with a beautiful scenic view, the price of the house is most likely to be high. The same is the case for houses near water bodies, countryside or mountains. Prioritize your choice accordingly.

 It is always recommended doing appropriate research if the locality is prone to any natural disaster. Check if the roads are properly maintained at times of snowfall or rainstorms because you would not want to be stuck in traffic at such extreme conditions in the future.

∙       Proximity of amenities

Besides finding a place near your workplace, look for a place that also has grocery shops, general stores, recreational spaces, and green areas in close proximity. According to your lifestyle and family, choose a neighbourhood that satisfies the needs. You might have to look for a good school for your kid in the future. Look for a community with easy access to schools.

∙       Observe your neighbourhood character

Everyone has a different way of living and it is necessary that your neighbourhood complements it. So, it is important that you examine the intangible aspects of the chosen neighbourhood. 

The first and foremost way of doing so is by talking to the people. Ask them what they like and dislike about the place, if the community is welcoming enough and if they have face any problem. No one can give you a better insight of the place than the residents. So however awkward the situation may get, don’t forget to take feedback. 

The next step is to observe. The type of community you would like depends on your lifestyle. You might like an interactive community with a lot of public events or a neighbourhood with minimal interaction. As per your requirement, observe whether the behaviour of the community suits your way of living or not. 

You can also choose a locality according to the type of people living there. Being a family, you might want to live around families which could help you in need. Whereas being a youngster, you would want to be surrounded by youth to hang out with.

∙       Rent before you buy

Following online reviews and talking to local residents might give you a fair sense of the community. But nothing is compared to the full proof assurance and insight you get when you live in the community yourself. It makes even more sense when you move in from far away and are not familiar with the know-how of the place. You would not want to be stuck in a place because of a contract. 

This will also enable you to make better home-buying decisions. Though the online buying platform can assist you in shortlisting but when it comes to the final decision, it is better to experience it in person.

Moving to a new neighbourhood might be a very overwhelming process. You might have to leave your loved ones behind and adjust to newer people and communities. But remember a new place comes with new opportunities to explore and make new friends. Finding the perfect neighbourhood for you and your family will make your moving process stress-free and worthy of all the efforts.

For more help contact Top Realtor in Victoria BC - Shirin Purewal :

The post-COVID world will see a drastic transformation in the real estate world. People will have changed priorities towards selling and buying houses. Those who already own a place might want to shift to a better and safer place to live. Let us see what the home buyers will look forward to a house after the market revives again.

Preference for a larger house

Owing to the prevailing circumstances, the office culture is bound to modify. Most of the offices will prefer to work from home to maintain social distancing. This will compel people to make changes in their house. Some might have to shift due to space constraints. That’s how it will have an indirect effect on the real estate market. 

This may result in a sudden demand for larger houses with open spaces. It can be expected that the demand for 3BHK or 4BHK is prone to increase drastically. People might preferably opt for independent houses to ensure a safer environment. Eventually, land prices will also increase with time.

Preference for open and green spaces

Until now, going out for leisure and recreational activities was a part of the lifestyle. This helped people in accommodating themselves in smaller spaces without the need for additional spaces for recreation. Moreover in congested cities, people would avoid open spaces to maximize the usable floor area.

However, due to the current conditions, the scenario is likely to change. As people are becoming more cautious about self-health and safety, they would prefer open spaces. They would choose to accommodate recreational activities within the house rather than stepping out. Green spaces would play an important role in creating a relaxing and rejuvenating atmosphere.

Preference for altered facilities and services

Generally a house or apartment’s price increases with the additional facilities it provides. Swimming pool, home theatre room, gym, game room are some of the most demanded amenities. 

It is most probable that people might change their priorities about the facilities provided. Rather than choosing the above-mentioned amenities, they would look for the proximity of medical facilities, hospitals, and general stores. They would look for more open spaces with gardens and playgrounds, as compared to restaurants. With the urge to maintain strong immune, people would prefer running tracks and sports facilities within the complex.

People would try to avoid travel, which would compel them to search for a house near the workplace. Infrastructure which would comply with work from home will incline more clients towards it. This will ensure a safe and healthy lifestyle for the people.

Preference for residing city

Due to high population density or lack of medical infrastructure, some cities would be more prone to the spread of COVID-19 in the future. With the growing concern of wellbeing and hygiene, people would take all the possible measures to ensure a safe living condition. 

The demand for houses in the suburbs or outskirts of cities with less population is most likely to increase. People would prefer larger green spaces than crowded city centers. Eventually, prices of such locations will hike.

The end of COVID -19 will lead to an altered preference of home buyers. Those living in smaller residences will seek for a bigger one. While those living in densely populated cities would like to shift to green suburbs. Whatever may be the case, the upcoming real estate market will see a huge demand from the home buyer’s side.