The warm and sunny days of summer are slowly coming to an end. The change of seasons will soon be here and perhaps that has you thinking of changes as well. If you’re at all considering selling your Oakville home this fall but aren’t sure it’s the right time, think again. 

While the spring season tends to be known as an ideal time to list, there’s no doubt that fall is also a great time to get your home on the market. There are many key advantages to selling your home during the fall season and Sue Heddle Homes is the team you need to help you navigate the current market.

5 Reasons to List Your Home This Fall

Having the right real estate agent will make a significant difference when it comes to finding success. While the fall market can be a great time to sell, you still need to work with someone that has experience in your location and knows how to attracts buyers.

If you’re still not sure that the upcoming fall season can work for you, let’s take a look at five advantages home sellers have during this time period.

Things do tend to slow down over the summer, but the number of people looking for homes starts to increase as we head into fall. This is great news for home sellers as there are typically a lower number of homes for sale in the fall which helps to put sellers in the driver’s seat. Low inventory, which is a great thing for sellers, will help your listing get more interest.

2. Another predicted interest rate hike.

The Bank of Canada is predicted to announce another interest rate hike in early September. Buyers with pre-approval will be very motivated to act fast and make a purchase before the pre-approval period expires. Overall, fall months typically bring more serious buyers who are very interested in closing on a new home before year end. This can result in fewer, but more serious showings that lead to offers.

3. Shorter transaction times.

Since the fall season isn’t as busy as spring, you can expect a quicker turnaround time when it comes to mortgage lenders, lawyers, and home inspectors. This can result in quicker and smoother transactions as well as a quicker closing period, all of which can result in less stress for sellers. 

4. A visually appealing time to sell.

Beautiful fall foliage is hard to resist! Embracing all that the fall season has to offer can help you present your home in the best way possible. Adding seasonal décor inside and out is a great way to help a buyer enjoying family time, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, in their new home.

5. Moving can be done by the holidays.

There are many buyers who want to start the new year in their new home. Listing in the fall offers plenty of time for sales to be processed before the end of the year. It also gives sellers a chance to be settled into their new space and start their next chapter.

Sell Your Home This Fall with Sue Heddle Homes 

As you can see, fall is a great time to list your Oakville home! Now’s the time to get your home ready to sell so that you can take advantage of the opportunities the fall months can bring. With more than a decade of helping clients with their real estate needs, Sue Heddle Homes knows what it takes to help you facilitate a successful sale. Please reach out for a free home evaluation and to discuss working together. 

Home sales in Oakville and throughout all of Halton and Mississauga have slowed down compared to this same period last year. With the changes in the market, homes may not sell as quickly, which means that selling your home can be a bit more challenging. So, what can you do to make sure your home sells during a market slowdown? Most importantly, make sure you’re working with an experienced realtor that consistently demonstrates success and has the tools and abilities to make sure your home and listing are expertly prepared.

Sue Heddle Homes has more than a decade of experience selling homes in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Mississauga. With an award-winning seller’s guide, free home staging, digital marketing tools and top negotiating skills, you can count on our team to ensure your listing gets the attention it deserves. Choosing the right realtor will make a huge difference when it comes to attracting buyers in a slower market. Give us a call at (416) 906-7998, we’d be happy to speak with you and provide more information on how we can help with all of your real estate needs.

Sue Heddle Homes Knows How To Stage, List and Market A Home 

1. Pricing Your Home For The Current Market.

 When selling in a slow market, it’s critical to price your home correctly. Selling in 24 hours and receiving multiple offers is not the current market reality, and you so you need to price accordingly. Sue Heddle Homes is familiar with the Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington and Milton markets and can provide you with an up-to-date market evaluation.

2. Exposure.

We’ll make sure your home is listed on the local real estate board MLS (Multiple Listing Service), Zillow, as well as other online listing sites to ensure you listing is getting maximum exposure.

3. Professional Photographs.

Your listing with Sue Heddle Homes will include professional photographs so that your home makes the best first impression for potential buyers.

4. Home Staging. 

Home staging is proven to help your home sell faster and for a better price. When you list with Sue Heddle Homes, you’ll receive home staging for FREE! We have a warehouse full of on trend furniture and accessories ready to make your home as inviting as possible for potential buyers. 

5. Keep You Informed.

Selling your home can be a very emotional process. Our expertise will help you understand the current market, making it easier to be patient. We’ll provide timely information and updates to help reduce worry and stress, like sharing recent nearby comparable sales and new listings entering the market.

Sell Your Home With A Professional Oakville Realtor

There are so many details that go into creating a professional and appealing listing. As the real estate market continues to change and evolve, it’s more important than ever to list your home with someone who understands the market and has experience effectively selling homes. If you’re ready to list your home, contact Sue Heddle and let us take care of everything you’ll need to create a desirable listing.

As part of the 2022 federal budget, the Canadian government wants to provide initiatives designed to make homeownership more affordable. One way they plan to accomplish this is with the new First Home Savings Account (FHSA).

Aimed at first time home buyers, this new program will give prospective homeowners some tax relief as well as make it easier for them to achieve their homeownership goals. The FHSA does not replace the RRSP Home Buyer's Plan that already exists, however, it’s important to note that the two programs cannot be used in tandem. While the RRSP Home Buyer's Plan requires withdrawals from the account to be repaid, the FHSA does not.

Learn More About First Home Savings Accounts

First Home Savings Accounts are expected to be available in 2023. There will be eligibility requirements, as well as rules and conditions, so it’s best to consult with a mortgage broker or financial institution to determine if and how you can make this new option work for you.

In the meantime, here are some top things to know about this new savings option:

• You’ll be able to contribute up to $8,000 annually, up to a lifetime maximum of $40,000.
• Contributions made to an FHSA are tax deductible.
• Funds can be withdrawn from an FHSA tax-free, as long as the funds will be used for a first-time home purchase.
• It is likely that funds in an FHSA will be able to be invested to support growth in limited ways such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, but these specifics have not been confirmed by the government.
• Any income made from investing FHSA funds will also be tax free. 
• Transfers can be made from an RRSP to an FHSA but are subject to the FHSA annual contribution limit.
• Transfers can be made from an FHSA to an RRSP or RRIF if no home is purchased and this will not affect RRSP contribution room. This provides great flexibility for first time buyers who may end up buying a home with someone else who also has an FHSA.

All in all, there is no downside to the new FHSA as a savings vehicle and this very well could be a big step in the right direction when it comes to making buying a first home easier.

Let Sue Heddle Homes Help You Purchase Your First Home

Buying your first home is a very exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming. With an experienced Oakville realtor like Sue Heddle, you’ll get local expertise, excellent negotiation skills and more than a decade of proven success helping clients find a home they love. If you have any questions about the current real estate market or about the home buying process, contact us. We’d love to help you find your first home.

Housing affordability seemed to be a priority of the 2022 Federal budget; however, it will remain to be seen how effective some of the actions will prove to be. Buying a home in Canada has become increasingly out of reach for many Canadians, but will this new budget be enough to change the current market?

“TRREB is encouraged that governments at all levels continue to make housing affordability a priority, but it is critically important that governments take actions that will have meaningful impacts. All levels of government should be implementing evidence-based initiatives that address the real cause of affordability challenges, which is an inadequate supply of homes for sale or rent,” said TRREB President Kevin Crigger.

While the Toronto Regional Real Estate board is in favour of the budget actions intended to increase housing supply, it did express concern when it came to the effectiveness of policies intended to suppress demand. In particular, they feel that the focus on reducing foreign buyers only represents a small percent of the problem for buyers and doesn’t focus on some of the real issues plaguing the market.

How Future Home Buyers May Benefit from the 2022 Federal Budget

 While it will certainly take some time to see the benefits of new measures implemented, a quick summary does demonstrate that hopeful home buyers could finally be getting additional support. To start, the goal is to double new housing construction by 2032 which will provide more options for future home buyers.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the details:

• A new housing accelerator fund totaling $4 billion over five years, starting this fiscal year. This will provide support to municipalities in an effort to speed up housing development. 
• Creating at least 6,000 new affordable housing units, with at least 25 per cent of funding going towards women-focused housing projects. 
• A new multigenerational home renovation tax credit that can provide up to $7,500 towards a secondary suite for a senior or an adult with a disability, starting in 2023. 
• A new tax-free first home savings account where first-time buyers can save up to $40,000 tax-free. Contributions would be tax-deductible, and withdrawals to buy a first home would be non-taxable.
• The first-time home buyers’ tax credit is increasing to $10,000, providing up to $1,500 in direct support to home buyers, applying to homes bought on or after January 1, 2022. 
• Anyone selling a property they’ve held for less than 12 months will be taxed on their profits as business income, effective January 1, 2023. Exceptions will be made for sales due to life circumstances.

Home Buyers Get the Support They Need from Sue Heddle Homes

Once of the most helpful things home buyers can do is find an experienced real estate agent that can help decipher and navigate the current market. With more than a decade of proven experience, award winning Oakville realtor Sue Heddle Homes can help make your home buying experience more successful and more enjoyable. With incredible industry knowledge and effective negotiation skills, let Sue and her team help you find the home you want. Ready to get started? Call Sue at 416-906-7998.

Time to finally shed our winter coats as spring has definitely sprung across all major real estate markets within Ontario! The trend of significant over asking bids continues across all housing sectors, from condos to semi-attached and single-family homes.

Below you can find current hot housing markets and key indicators to watch out for. Are you ready to list or buy? Have questions? Looking for tips on how to market your home to increase resell potential? Sue Heddle Homes has only your best interests in mind whether you're selling or buying.

Key Insights to Note & Detailed Stats by Area

• Consistent sales growth continues across all markets.
• Hamilton and Niagara are rebounding from previous sales lag and are an affordable choice for families and commuters to major city centers.
• The number of residential units sold also continues to be on the decline across all regions due to limited supply. This corresponds with an even shorter downward trend of units being sold faster than last year.

Take a minute to review the detailed stats shown below. Please reach out anytime if you're looking to buy or sell a property, and for any real estate market questions at 416-906-7998. 

Most people want to gather as much information as they can before they make a decision. Let’s be honest, asking Google for an answer is something we all do, likely on a daily basis! However, it’s so important to make sure you’re getting accurate and up to date information that’s relevant to your particular situation.

This is certainly true when it comes to real estate and making the decision to sell your home. You absolutely don’t want to make decisions about listing your home based on bad information. Not only can this have financial implications, but it can also make the process longer, more stressful, and you’ll end up with results that weren’t at all what you were looking for.

Sue Heddle Homes Provides the Real Estate Information You Need

As a trusted Oakville realtor with more than a decade of experience, Sue Heddle Homes can help you wade through all the information that’s out there about the current real estate market in Oakville, Burlington and Milton. 

When it comes to real estate, you want to make sure you get the most accurate information possible, based on the most up-to-date data that pertains to the Halton region. Not only can Sue Heddle Homes provide that, but we will also share our key insights that will make the available information relevant to you and your situation. For example, we’d be happy to tell you approximately how much your home would likely sell for today. 

Unfortunately, too many sellers don’t seek out the right information and end up listing their home for the wrong price. Just because you have a sale price you want to get for your home, doesn’t mean that’s what prospective buyers will pay!

Even if you’ve done many updates, it doesn’t mean that prospective buyers think they’re worth paying for. Additionally, your upgrades won’t be to everyone’s taste. We’ll help you look at similar neighbourhood comparable sales and with the right information, arrive at a sale price that will attract buyers and get you the best selling price possible for your home.

Find The Best Oakville Realtor Near Me

The start of every new year typically gets people thinking about goals and plans for the upcoming 12 months. While there are many areas you can focus your efforts, don’t forget that you can apply these same ideas to your home! 

Whether you’ve just moved into a new home in Oakville or have been living in the same place for decades, make this the year you dedicate some time to making your home the best it can be. 

How To Help Your Home This New Year 

When talking about home improvements, most assume it means renovations or perhaps a home décorupgrade. While those may be part of your plans, there are many other ways to improve the safe and functionality of your home without any major overhaul plans. In fact, investing time and effort into the ideas listed below will keep your home in good condition and help you retain your home’s value.

Take a look at a few ways to improve your home in 2022:

1 - Pay attention to your home’s exterior.

If you’ve set aside money to invest in your home, it should first be spent on your home’s exterior. If you have problems with the roof, the foundation, windows and doors or the insulation, it will only be a matter of time before those issues start to cause major problems. Take a proactive approach and address concerns as soon as they are known.

2 - Clear out clutter.

From boxes that haven’t been unpacked in years to items no one uses anymore, clutter takes up space that could otherwise be used for a better purpose.  Clutter makes it harder to create a relaxing home environment, and also makes it harder to see potential issues in your home, particularly in basements or garages. Make a strategy and then make this the year you tackle all the unwanted and unneeded things in your home.

3 - Go green

Think about what you can do in your home to reduce your carbon footprint. Are you consistent about turning off lights when you leave the room or keeping your heating and cooling systems at reasonable temperatures? This year, make it a priority to switch out your lights for LED bulbs, learn more about low-flow plumbing options and using solar power. 

Trust Sue Heddle Homes to Help You Find the Home You Want 

If you’ve recently realized that the time has come to move and find a new home, Sue Heddle Homes can help. With more than a decade of experience helping clients successfully buy and sell homes in Oakville and the Halton area, you can trust Sue to deliver on your expectations. With free home staging and an award-winning marketing strategy, our clients are able to maximize their real estate transactions. Backed by HGTV’s Scott McGillivray, you won’t find a better Oakville realtor than Sue Heddle! Call 416-906-7998 and let’s get started.

When you’re searching for a home, making appointments to view listings can feel really exciting. You start to imagine yourself in these new spaces and it’s hard not to personalize things as soon as you set foot in a home that caught your eye.

As a top Oakville realtor for over a decade, I’ve certainly seen potential buyer’s excitement turn to disappointment when they finally get the chance to tour a listing that they were interested in. When you’re touring homes for sale, it really is important to keep an open mind, which can sometimes be easier said than done.

What’s Okay to Ignore When Looking for A Home?

Not to worry, as a trusted and experienced Oakville realtor, I’ll always make sure that important concerns are never overlooked. Things like electrical or structural issues, disrepair, or evidence of leaks certainly require attention and may be a reason to forgo putting in an offer on a home. 

However, there are three things that shouldn’t dissuade you moving forward in the home buying process.

1. The seller’s style.

As hard as it may be to think about, someone else does currently live in your dream home. As such, never let a terrible paint colour put you off of a home you like. You can always repaint, which is actually something most people do within a year or so of moving anyway. Same thing goes with any other décor that doesn’t suit your style. Decor can be easily changed and you’ll have plenty of time to tailor things to your own tastes.

2. Mess and clutter.

Sometimes a seller doesn’t do a great job of cleaning up before a showing. Try to overlook the mess and clutter. If their house has been on the market for a while, it really is a lot of work to always make sure it’s buyer ready. Try your best to focus on the overall condition of the house and not the mess. 

3. Unsolicited opinions.

If you’re bring family or friends to showings, know that everyone will have their own opinion. From the location to the exterior brick or the layout of the kitchen, not everyone will see eye to eye. Remember that you’ll be the one living in the home so ignore any advice that feels unhelpful. The only people that need to love the home are the people that are going to live in it!

Sue Heddle Homes Brings Helpful Insight to Home Buying

There are so many things to consider when buying a home. That’s why it’s so important to work with an Oakville realtor that has experience and that you can trust. At Sue Heddle Homes, our commitment to our clients is unparallel. We are dedicated to helping you find the best home for your needs, for the best price. Ready to get started? Give us a call at 416-906-7998.

As a busy Oakville realtor, I hear from people all the time that they’re worried their children will never be able to afford to buy a home. It seems to be a common topic of discussion with home prices continually rising while requirements for down payments remain out of reach for many.

Whether you think your children will be interested in living in Oakville or another part of the GTA or would prefer to settle down in a smaller town like Guelph, the thought of buying a home as a young person just starting out can certainly seem overwhelming.

How Parents & Grandparents Can Help the Next Generation

Having the means to help your grown children or grandchildren buy real estate is a blessing and a luxury. However, before you hand over cash or sign on the dotted line, it’s important to take time to explore the best options for everyone involved. 

Based on current home prices it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that most young people receive some kind of homebuying assistance from their families.

More specifically:

• Receiving a cash gift. Families are providing first time home buyers with a cash gift substantial enough to serve as a down payment.
• Receiving a gifted down payment. This can help home buyers secure the financing they need in order to make an offer on a home. Parents or grandparents sign a gift letter for the financial lender that says the funds are gifted and repayment is not required.
• Getting a co-signer. This means that parents or grandparents assume a shared legal responsibility and would be held accountable for the mortgage if their child/grandchild is unable to uphold payments.

What To Consider Before Offering Financial Assistance

As with any real estate or financial transaction, do your due diligence. Being able to help your adult child can be a positive experience, but that doesn’t mean practicality and a risk analysis shouldn’t be part of the equation. 

Here are some things you’ll need to consider:

• What will this do to your own financial security? 
• Are you setting a precedent? Depending on how many children or grandchildren you have, can you help each of them equally? 
• Even if you can help with a down payment, will your child or grandchild reasonably be able to handle everything else that comes with homeownership? 
• Is anyone else involved? If your child is going to be living with a partner, be aware that this person will have rights to the property in the event that the relationship ends. Additionally, if you provide a down payment, are your child’s in-laws co-signing the mortgage? While it may feel impersonal, getting the support of a real estate lawyer can help avoid future complications.

First Time Home Buyers Need Sue Heddle Homes

There is so much that goes into finding your first home. From getting your finances in order to knowing what type of space you’re after, it can feel overwhelming at best. Sue Heddle Homes has over 10 years of experience helping first time home buyers navigate the real estate market and find a home that works for them. With expert market knowledge, top notch negotiating skills and a dedication to each and every client, you can count on Sue Heddle and her team to make the experience as positive as possible. Ready to start house hunting? Call Sue at 416-906-7998 and let’s get started!

After the decision is made to buy a house, many people debate about whether they should buy new or purchase an older home. If you are looking to buy a house in Oakville, you will certainly have options when it comes to the type of home you might be looking for. Interestingly, real estate stats report that the percentage of those who strongly or somewhat prefer buying a newly built home weighs in at 41%. So, for the most part, prospective home buyers still favour existing homes.

What To Consider Before Buying An Older Home

Here are some of the more popular reasons to buy an older home.

• Old world construction. Older homes have stood for decades and tend to have genuine craftsmanship with meticulous attention to detail. You will often hear people say “they don't make them like they used to”!
• Larger yard. Years ago, when land was cheaper, builders built on larger lot sizes.
• More character. Interesting architectural features are more common in older homes such as arches or stained-glass windows.
• Longer-term neighbours. Some older homes are passed down through generations. Many neighbors know each other. 
• Established neighbourhood. Zoning changes are unlikely to occur in older areas. 
• Mature trees. It's not uncommon to see 50 to 100 year old trees providing canopies in yards and boulevards. 
• Closer to the core. Older areas tend to be located closer to downtown areas.

Of course, along with examining the pros of buying an older home, we also have to look at the drawbacks. Some of the reasons why people don’t want to buy an older home include:

• More maintenance
• Expensive to replace wiring and plumbing. Tree roots break up sewer pipes. Galvanized pipes are rust-prone. Knob and tube and aluminum wiring needs to be upgraded or replaced.
• Smaller closets, storage spaces, and garages.
• Might require updates to kitchen and bathrooms.
• Can be more expensive. Homes that are closer to the core of the city tend to sell for a higher price. 

What To Consider Before Buying a Newer Home

Even if you are drawn to the charm of an older home, many people still opt for a newer home as they prefer the following benefits:

• Little maintenance. Buying a newer home means you will not likely have to replace the roof or the water heater any time soon.
• Modern conveniences. Newer homes have been designed with features like primary suite baths, mudrooms, home gyms and media rooms. 
• Energy efficiency. New appliances use less energy. Walls, ceilings,​and floors are insulated. Dual pane windows retain more heat in winter and keep the home cooler in summer.
• Built to current code.
• Less expensive. If the new home is not custom, it's likely to cost less per square foot than an older home in the city. People looking for their first home are flocking to suburban areas for precisely this reason.

On the other side of the coin, drawbacks to buying a newer home are:

• Similar floor plans. Newer homes have less individuality. 
• Immature vegetation. It can take years for trees to grow. 
• Longer commuting distances. Newer homes are pretty unlikely to be located at the core of a downtown area. So if you need to get to work in rush-hour traffic, the distance from downtown might make a difference to you.
• Lack of amenities. If you buy a home in a newer neighbourhood, you may have to wait for retail and other amenities to catch up! This means you may be without amenities for a while, including parks and schools.

Find The Home That’s Right For You

The first step to finding your next home is to find an Oakville real estate agent. There are some fantastic new and existing homes are out there in Oakville and the surrounding areas, and Sue Heddle Homes can help you find the one that works for you. With more than 10 years’ experience working with clients all across the GTA, our commitment to our clients is unparalleled. Give us a call at (416) 906-7998 when you’re ready to take a look!

When it comes down to it, you should decorate your home in a way that makes you feel comfortable, calm and happy. However, if you’re looking for some inspiration, natural wood tones are popping up more and more as people work hard to create a home environment that helps block out modern day stresses.

As a trusted Oakville realtor for more than a decade, Sue Heddle Homes has seen many home design trends come and go.  While natural wood is certainly not new, the next few years may welcome back this neutral option with open arms and see it make a serious comeback in both traditional and modern Oakville area residences. 

Adding Natural Wood Tones to Your Space

Natural wood is classified as a classic design trend, which means it’s very versatile and can be brought into almost any space or paired with any taste. In addition, it’s also easy to mix and match natural wood furniture, although it’s best to stay with three or four wood finishes to avoid looking to muddled. 

Neutral Tones and Colour Palette

Whether you choose to add natural wood with flooring or with furniture, the final result will bring in soft neutral tones that bring any space together and make it feel connected to nature. 

Even those who typically opt for a minimalist décor will appreciate what even a small amount of natural wood can do when it comes to adding dimension without overpowering a streamlined space. For those looking to make small changes, natural wood is ideal for adding more depth to what you already have in your home by adding some subtle sophistication.

Creating Comfort

Another wonderful benefit of adding natural wood to a space is its ability to increase comfort. Natural wood shines when it comes to creating a warm and cozy atmosphere that feels personal but also stylish enough to impress your guests. 

It can offer a bit of a rustic feel if that’s the style you’re after, but it can also add warmth and brightness to minimalistic rooms looking for something to elevate the final look. It really does have the power to create a sophisticated, yet vintage feel all at the same time. No matter your taste, natural wood can do a lot for your home. 

Find the Right Home for Your Family with Sue Heddle Homes

An experienced realtor will help you find a home that meets your needs. Oakville realtor Sue Heddle has the local knowledge and expertise to help you make the most of the current market and navigate the real estate process by making it as stress free as possible. Whether you’re looking for your forever home or want to downsize, you can trust our team to support all of your needs. Contact us or give us a call at 416-906-7998 to learn more about our award winning process.