TheHomesTeam responds to the Okanagan Real Estate Market with the highest standard of professionalism in meeting our obligations to our clients and providing result-driven service. 
 

 Russ Verhaeghe has distinguished himself by delivering the highest level of service and professionalism to all his clients, whether they were buying or selling, Residential, Lease land or Commercial. He recognizes each buyer or seller brings with them a unique set of needs and he goes above and beyond the call of duty to meet those needs. Client satisfaction is a passion to Russ and his years of expertise ensure success.

Russ has acquired a multitude of awards over the years; most recently, he holds multiple Platinum Awards of Excellence, a Master Sales Award and a President's Gold Award.

The Platinum Award of Excellence is presented by Royal LePage to their top producers.

Over 2 plus decades, Russ has become intimately acquainted with the areas he serves, which include Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, Westbank, the West Kelowna and Winfield.

To support his efforts in the Real-estate Market, Russ holds the following designations: B.Sc., e-agent®, Seniors Real Estate Specialist.

Russ has the wisdom and experience that can only come from years in the business, coupled with the energy, enthusiasm and creativity that are the expressed qualifications of top producers.

Revie Verhaeghe - Real Estate Marketing Specialist. 

Revie Verhaeghe is a Professional Marketing Specialist with experience of 30 years in marketing, and 10 years Real Estate experience. She handles the team’s advertising aggressively and creatively, creates sales flyers, brochures and edits their monthly newsletter.

Borrowing Young and Responsibly -   Key to Home Ownership

Young adults dreaming of home ownership need to do more than save  for a down payment.

Financial experts recommend anyone 18 or over apply for credit and use it Responsibly to build and strengthen their credit score. That means borrowing money and paying it back on time, every time.

“It’s important to start early because the longer you have credit reporting to the credit bureau , the stronger your  score and the better your chances of securing a mortgage,” says Dave Lytton.

Securing credit when you have no credit history can be challenging. Here are some suggestions:

· Use a prepaid credit card secured by a deposit to demonstrate your ability to make payments each month. Use the card for a year and then ask your bank to drop the security requirement and refund your deposit.

· Get a gas or department store credit card, which have  high interest rates but are often easier to get.

· Apply for a consumer loan to purchase something you need, like a car. Again, make payments on time every month.

· Apply for a GIC loan through companies like Lendit Financial and invest the money in a Guaranteed Investment Certificate that will earn interest and help you save for a down payment. Then make regular loan payments that will be reported to the credit bureau.

       To learn more about credit reporting

       visit Canada’s two credit reporting

       bureaus online at www.equifax.ca or

       www.tuc.ca

 If you are thinking of

Find out which home upgrades are least likely to return their full investment when you sell your home - some renovation upgrades, such as kitchens and bathrooms, are usually fairly reliable for adding to a home’s resale value. But there are others (and if you’ve gone househunting in the last few years, perhaps you’ve seen a few) that are just plain bone-headed.

What’s worth the cost and what isn’t?

Wall-to-wall carpeting
Once considered a selling feature, this is now a liability in many buyers’ eyes. Carpeting is incompatible with pets and people with allergies, and is perceived as hard to clean. If you have hardwood floors, have them refinished or consider installing them if you don’t.

Whirlpool baths, saunas and indoor hot tubs
Once considered chic, these are now often seen as just expensive, energy-guzzling extras.

Expensive built-in sound systems and home theatres
Some buyers will be attracted to this, but not everyone is an audio/cinephile, nor will they pay a premium for a house with this feature.

Colourful bath fixtures
These went out with poodle skirts. Chances are the buyer will just see them as a renovation to-do and will plan to get rid of them after the purchase.

Ornate chandeliers, wallpaper and paint treatments
Taste is very individual and idiosyncratic decorating can turn buyers off; stick with neutral, simple decor.

Odd rooms and walls
A wall bisecting a large bedroom into two unusably small ones or a cramped powder room under the stairs or in a closet … many buyers will see these as merely a future renovation expense. (Same goes for inexplicably missing walls, such as a bathroom that is open to the adjacent bedroom.)

Overly fancy appliances
Stainless steel-finish appliances are worth paying a few more dollars for (compared to equivalent white or colour models), but six-burner professional stoves, double dishwashers and a fridge big enough for a restaurant rarely recoup their initial cost.

Cheap laminate or vinyl tile flooring
Some types of laminate are attractive and practical; others just look cheap and fake. Especially avoid peel-and-stick vinyl tiles or be prepared to replace them when you put the house on the market. For not much more money, choose hardwood, stone, bamboo or cork.

Swimming pool
There is some debate about this among realtors; to some buyers, a swimming pool is a selling feature. But a pool rarely recoups its entire cost, and it will reduce the number of potential buyers interested in your home.


Turning a three-bedroom into a two-bedroom home
Even if that third bedroom is miniscule, it’s still a bedroom. No matter how spacious your newly enlarged master bedroom or how luxurious that new spa bath, the demand for two-bedroom homes is significantly smaller than for three-bedrooms, and they command considerably lower prices. 

Call Karen today!

(250)-859-4126

Don't sign that Mortgage Renewal - talk to me first!

Karen Shale
LendingMax
250-859-4126
karen@karenshale.ca
www.karenshale.ca