Home sellers who have pets at home can have a hard time imagining the negative attitudes that potential home buyers may have against a beloved furry family member. But if you want to get the best price for your home, you should consider these factors that may influence the sale of your home when you have a dog, a cat or other types of pets at home.

Unpredictable Reactions

Even if you consider your pet to be well behaved, it is a lot to ask of them to be calm and welcoming while people they don’t know arrive unexpectedly at your house.  You really can’t predict what your pet might do, and as such, their behaviour can turn home buyers away.

Fear or Nervousness

Pets can make some people very uncomfortable. As a result, it may cause them to shorten a showing or to not really look at all the features of the home with an open mind.

What To Do With Pets When Your House Is On The Market?

While this can be hard and frustrating for pet owners to hear, removing pets from the home, if possible, while the house is on the market is the best option. At the very least, pets should be out of the home during an open house. See if a friend or family member can give them a temporary home or look into local kennels or boarding options.

Regardless of whether you move your pet out of the home when you are trying to sell or not, other tips to make your home more welcoming to all buyers include:

• Removing cat litter boxes or dog pee pads. You will also need to clean and sanitize the area to remove lingering odours.
• Hire a professional carpet cleaner to remove pet stains from carpets.
• Put away toys as well as food and water bowls.
• Pack up crates, carriers, leashes and other items used for caring for your pets.
• Clean your yard and make sure you have picked up after your pet.

When you put your house up for sale, it’s no longer about you or your pets. Before you list your home, you need to create an environment that will give potential buyers the most favorable impression of your property. It should be easy for potential buyers to visualize themselves making your house their future home.

Getting Your House Ready To Sell

One of the many ways that Sue Heddle Homes makes it easy for clients to sell their home is by offering free home staging. Staging can help eliminate signs of pets in your home and will also help your home sell quickly, meaning that your pets can be back with the family as soon as possible. For more information on how we help our clients sell their homes, take a look at our Seller’s Guide. We invite you to contact us at any time to find out more about how we can help you sell your Oakville, Mississauga or Burlington home.

Change is just about the only thing you can really count on, and the real estate market is no different. As we battle inflation and higher interest rates, the real estate market in Halton and across the GTA has started to cool off. 

Many economists have suggested we are entering a buyer’s market, which means that buyers are in a more advantageous position because the number of listings are greater than the number of buyers. Homes tend to sit on the market longer and there can be a softening of selling prices.

With over a decade of experience in the real estate market, Sue Heddle Homes has successfully supported clients in a buyer or a seller’s market. With award winning marketing tools and expert local knowledge, people wanting to sell their homes can still get good results, as long as they choose the right agent, like Sue Heddle!

Things You Can Do to Help Your Listing Attract Attention

Selling your home with a professional and experienced agent has so many benefits, just one of which is understanding home buyers and knowing what will catch their interest. When you list your home with Sue Heddle Homes, you’ll receive free home staging. Home staging is one of the most effective ways to reduce the number or days your home stays on the market and to help you get the sale price you want.

Sue Heddle Homes only uses professional photography for all listing photos and includes an interactive 3D home tour as part of every listing. It’s these high-quality details that can make all the difference when it comes to attracting buyers.

In addition to listing with the right agent, like Sue Heddle Homes, here are some other ways you can help make sure your listing gets noticed:

1. Declutter before you list your home for sale.
2. Update your home with neutral paint colours before listing.
3. Make your space inviting for viewings and open houses by appealing to the senses.

Sue Heddle Homes – The Only Oakville Real Estate Agent You Need

As the market continues to shift and change, it’s critical to have someone on your side that can help you make the most of the current climate. From providing smart advice on listing your home to helping you prepare your space to be the best it can be, Sue Heddle Homes is a trusted agent that delivers results. To find out more about what your current home is worth and to have any questions answered, contact us 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. 

What design style catches your eye? Are you familiar with Scandinavian farmhouse style? This charming style and design trend is gaining in popularity. In fact, we’re seeing more and more homes listed for sale that have been renovated to reflect this calming type of environment.

Newly listed, this beautifully renovated home in Milton that has just hit the market is best described as a modern Scandinavian farmhouse. The attention to detail put into this cozy but spacious home makes it a perfect space to welcome friends and family. With two acres of lush property and luxurious wood finishes throughout, this home has been designed with style in mind.

View the listing for this modern Scandinavian farmhouse.

Scandinavian farmhouse style can be recognized by the inspired use of rustic and woodsy elements matched with practicality that results in a beautiful, but very livable space. Some of the most recognizable features include unfinished wood throughout the home, a white colour palette, large windows, and some simple black contrasts. Additional décor throughout the space is minimalist, but does include plants that provide pops of green as well as cozy textiles. 

How to Incorporate This Style into Your Home

Love what you see in the listing photos? If you aren’t ready to move but feel drawn to this style of décor, here are some ways to incorporate Scandinavian Farmhouse Style into different areas of your home.

• Kitchen – wood cabinets, white shiplap, farmhouse sink, dark countertop.
• Dining room – using a mix of light woods for your table, chairs and sideboard with a light and bright chandelier.
• Living rooms - warm textiles added to simple furniture, with wood accents and a cozy rug. Adding books, plants and picture frames will make the space visually interesting.
• Bedrooms - Cozy textiles and pillows in neutral tones on a simple bed frame. Rustic nightstands and warm white walls make bedrooms feel inviting.
• Bathrooms - Rustic floors matched with large windows to deliver as much natural light as possible. Adding exposed wood to ceilings can add uniqueness as well as adding simple metal light fixtures and greenery.

When it comes to the exterior of your home, Scandinavian farmhouse style favours white washed paneling or a warm white paint with black window and door frames to provide a striking contrast. 

Finding A Home That Matches Your Style

If you’re ready to find a home that matches your style and works for your family, reach out to Sue Heddle Homes. With unparalleled industry knowledge and local Oakville and Halton area insight, Sue Heddle can work with you to find what you’re looking for. With award winning strategies and a commitment to client satisfaction, you can count on Sue Heddle Homes to make your real estate transactions a success. To learn more about how we support home buyers and home sellers, contact us today at 416-906-7998.

It’s been common past practice to add a synthetic air freshener to your Oakville home when you’re trying to make it smell pleasant for a showing. However, if you’re doing so in the hopes of improving the chances of selling your home, you might want to think twice. 

Smell is one of our most important senses and is closely linked with memory. Good smells can evoke happy memories and experiences while bad smells can do the opposite. Smell is also highly emotive, meaning different fragrances can convey a vast array of emotions and feelings. So, it should be no surprise that smell can come into play when you’re trying to sell your home.

Increasingly, more and more people find it difficult to tolerate synthetic perfumes, which can come across as overpowering and uninviting. If you use one in your home, there’s a good chance that a potential buyer may be sensitive to these types of scents, making it hard for them to make it past the front entrance, let alone be able to really get a sense of whether or not your home is right for them.

Three Simple Ways To Add Pleasant Scents To Your Home 

Give your prospective buyers extra incentive to purchase your house by making it smell like a home they can see themselves in. Your goal is to make every guest feel like they belong. By using scents that evoke only the best memories and feelings, you may end up adding the factor you need to make the sale.  Keep reading for some suggestions from Sue Heddle Homes on how to use scent to help sell your home without relying on synthetic products.

Now, before you make the effort to include some pleasant scents as part of your selling strategy, it’s best to make sure you don’t have any negative scents working against you! Empty every garbage, make sure the laundry hampers are emptied too, make sure appliances are clean inside and out (especially front-loading washers which can develop a mildew smell), and use natural/unscented cleaning products. 

1 - Essential Oils.

In addition to offering a lovely smell, essential oils have many health benefits as well. For example, peppermint oil has been known to reduce stress, tension and headaches. While lavender oil is thought to be a great way to relieve anxiety. All of these are exactly the emotions you want potential buyers to feel when they are in your home. Avoid using strong scents that can have a polarizing effect such as patchouli, sandalwood, or ylang-ylang. Other great options include grapefruit, rose, or bergamot. These smells can evoke the atmosphere of a luxury spa.

2 - Fresh Flowers.

This may be the simplest option, as it’s easy to run out to a florist and pick up a beautiful bouquet. Not only will flowers add to the visual appeal of your home, but the scent of fresh roses, for example, can often encourage people feel happy and relaxed.

3 - Open The Windows.

If you have time before a showing, open all the windows for 15 minutes or so. Yes, even in winter! Outside air can do wonders when it comes to removing unwanted odours from a home and leave the space feeling fresh. If it is cool outside, you can close the windows back up after a few minutes, which will still give the home time to warm up before prospective buyers arrive. 

Sell Your Home With Sue Heddle Homes

For more tips on selling your home, contact Sue Heddle Homes. Sue Heddle is an experienced Oakville realtor that always goes the extra mile to ensure her client’s get the results they want from the sale of their home. From free home staging, to understanding that the little things really do matter, working with Sue Heddle Homes will reduce the stress that often comes with real estate transactions. Call Sue today at (416) 906-7998 – we’re ready to help you sell your home!

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.

In 2000, the Pantone Colour Institute created the Pantone Colour of the Year as a trendsetting concept. For the very first time, the Pantone Colour of The Year for 2022 has been created especially for the occasion. As this new year begins, the Institute wanted to recognize the significant ways our lives have changed with the pandemic and, as a result, how our collective creativity is expanding to new levels to meet our current reality. 

Prior to 2022, all previous colours were chosen from the existing colours in the Pantone Color System. Without further ado, the brand-new colour and the 2022 Pantone Colour of the Year is Very Peri!

Incorporating the Pantone Colour of The Year

For those looking to buy or sell a home this year, you may notice that this purple hue will start to pop up more and more. While it’s not always helpful to incorporate trends into a home you’re trying to sell, here are some smart ideas that can help your home look fresh and inviting for prospective buyers:

• Add pops of colour to living spaces by adding a vase, a thrown pillow or a blanket in Very Peri.
• Add plants or flowers to spaces that have the same hues as the Pantone Colour of the Year.
• Go bold and paint an accent wall in Veri Peri.

For those looking to renovate our update your home in 2022, blending in this new hue with peaceful neutral colours can be a great way to help you create a home that feels both relaxing and welcoming.

Since the colour is designed to bring out joy and creativity, there may be an even bigger uptake when it comes to embracing this new colour trend as we make our way through 2022. You can even count on seeing this colour more and more in marketing and branding materials for products and services across all industries.

Create the Space Your Love in 2022 

It’s so important to create a space where you and your family can thrive. If you think it might be time to find your next home, contact Sue Heddle Homes. With over a decade of experience helping people find the right home for their needs, you can count on the Sue Heddle Homes team to provide the exceptional service you’re looking for. With free home staging for all listing clients and award-winning strategies that consistently get results, it’s time to let us help you find a space you love in 2022. 

While the real estate market in Oakville and across Canada can experience many changes on a typical year, a full year of living in the COVID pandemic meant that there were even more ups and downs to handle!

The Sue Heddle Homes team had another positive year and it was our pleasure to help so many clients with their real estate needs in 2021. Despite uncertainty, price increases, limited supply and COVID restrictions, we were still able to provide top level service and help buyers and sellers navigate real estate during a pandemic.

In addition to working with our clients, we also provide helpful and insightful real estate content on our website blog. It’s always interesting to look back and see which posts resonated with people the most, so without further ado, take a look at our most popular blog posts from 2021.

1. Sue Heddle earns Scott McGillivray Trusted Agent endorsement for Oakville

2. Interior Design Trends Going Away in 2021

3. Top House Hunting Mistakes

4. Sue Heddle Contributes to CBC News Article on Current Rental Market

5. What Features Do First Time Home Buyers Look for in a Home?

6. Wondering How You Can Help Your Child When It Comes to Buying a Home?

7. 3 Things to Ignore When Buying a Home

8. 5 Signs It’s Time to Move to A Bigger House

9. What You Need to Know About the Proposed Changes to The Mortgage Stress Test

10. What You Should Know About the Real Estate Market in 2021

As we head into 2022, we know that there will still be plenty of unknowns thrown our way. Regardless of what the market may do next year, you can count on Sue Heddle Homes to help you navigate through in all with expert knowledge and professionalism. Thinking about buying or selling in 2022? Now’s the time to get organized! Give us a call at 416-906-7998 and let’s talk about how we can help.

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!