Should You Renovate Your Home Before You Sell It?

The question is definitely a dilemma. Is renovating before selling really worth it? Before heading to the hardware store to pick up thousands of dollars in paint, renovation tools, a new bathroom faucet, countertops, and other remodelling materials, find out the answers to these questions first. 

What Are Other Nearby Homes Selling For?

When asking yourself, “Should I renovate or sell the house as is?” do a little bit of market research. Check the real estate listings to see what other houses in your neighbourhood are up for sale. Then, see what they’re selling for. Did those houses go through a recent renovation and are move-in ready or is it a home listing that needs a little TLC from the new buyer? By doing this research, you should be able to figure out if a renovation to your house is worth the money, time, and effort based on the property-value of other homes in your community.

Can You Afford To Renovate?

Before you start taking down walls and gutting your bathroom, look at your finances and see if you can even afford to do a renovation. If money is tight, spend a little extra cash on new furniture to give your interior a modern look to increase property value and help potential home-buyers feel more comfortable when considering your place.

Do You Have What It Takes To Do A Remodel By Yourself?

If you’ve decided you’d like to go ahead with a renovation, whether it be to your kitchen only or to the entire house, know when a DIY home remodel is a good idea or whether it might be in your best interest to hire a professional. The last thing you want is to renovate your home with no experience only to make a costly mistake which results in little to no profit off of your home sale. When selling a property, there’s really no room for error, so if you’re unexperienced, it’s a good idea to spend a bit of extra cash to hire a professional.

Selling your house? Before putting up that for sale sign, find out what your property is worth by filling out the home seller’s form on my website. 

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Check Out These Frightfully Fun Halloween Events in Kelowna and the South Okanagan
Christmas, New Year’s, and Canada Day are always fun but for pure, unbridled joy and entertainment, it’s pretty hard to top Halloween in Kelowna! Sure, it’s not an actual holiday so there’s no extra day off but there’s no other time year where you get to dress up like your favourite hero or villain and scarf down as many mini Mars bars as you want, all in the name of fun.
Our city and the surrounding communities always offer a tonne of fantastic events so I figured I’d save you some time and round up a few of them here. Below you’ll find just a few of the top local Halloween events for kids and adults.
Kelowna Corn Maze
Anyone who grew up in a rural area knows corn mazes are a classic way to spend any fall day but The Kelowna Corn Maze adds some wonderfully spooky touches to theirs at night. Located on Valley Road, the maze covers three full acres of winding pathways that take a solid 20-30 minutes to work your way through. Afterwards, you can warm up by the fire pit and enjoy some apple cider. This is a great one for the whole family.
Halloween Haunted House
It’s not Halloween unless you’ve had the crap scared out of you at a haunted house and this one is the best in the Okanagan. It’s been evolving over the past 20 years and last year it was so freaky, Global TV came down to check it out. Kelowna’s Halloween Haunted House isn’t just about jump scares though. It’s also a fundraiser for the Kelowna Food Bank. Last year they gathered over 400 pounds of food and raised $400. Bring your donation and prepare to be terrified for a good cause!
Halloween Haunt
Here’s another great family friendly Halloween event everyone can enjoy. The Haunt is put on by the Kelowna & District Safety Council to help raise funds for children’s programs.  It’s ten dollars to get in (infants and their parents get in free) but there’s a TONNE of fun stuff including games, pedal cars, a zombie race, face painting, and a whole bunch more. Plus you get free pizza and treats with your ticket. Not too shabby!
The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Spooktacular
Horror movies have some of the best soundtracks around and this Halloween, you can listen to a bunch of them live! The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra will be playing some of the most famous and chilling pieces of music from your favourite films. Songs from Harry Potter, Psycho, Dracula, and more will be the highlights but there’ll also be readings of scary stories! It’s a classy way to be creeped out.
Spooktacular Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing
If there’s a more distinctly Okanagan Halloween event, I’ve yet to find it. The View Winery held the Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing for the first time last year and obviously it was a hit because it’s back again. Enjoy some sweet Halloween treats paired up with wines and ciders from The View. I have a hard enough time finding a wine that goes with supper so I can’t wait to see what their connoisseurs recommend for candy corn or peanut butter cups.
 
Obviously there are waaaaay more Kelowna Halloween events than that but if I tried to feature them all, I’d be writing this column until… well, probably next Halloween. This should be a good start for you but if you want to find more, you can always check out the Tourism Kelowna Events page for a great mix of fun and spooky things to do.
Speaking of scary, you know what else can be pretty frightening? Trying to buy or sell a home without a real estate agent! I can help take some of the mystery out of it. Contact me today and let’s see if we can’t find you a brand new Okanagan home to decorate for next Halloween!
 

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Check Out These Festive Holiday Events in Kelowna
Ho ho holy cow, it’s the holiday season! Sorry. I know that was cheesy but I didn’t have a good intro and I couldn’t think of any Christmas jokes that’d… sleigh you. OK, OK. I’ll stop.
Since my blog on Halloween happenings was so well received, I figured I might as well do another for all the Christmas events in and around Kelowna. This one’s going to be tough though. I thought there was a lot of stuff going in October but man oh man does the Okanagan go above and beyond when it comes to holiday festivities. I could easily write a post every day that highlights something different to do and still not cover them all by the New Year. Of course, then I’d have to start with New Year’s stuff and I’d be stuck at my desk forever! What I’m trying to get at is that our city knows how to do the holidays right. Here are a few of the best Kelowna Christmas events of 2017.
The Festival of Trees at Mission Hill Winery
It’s probably no surprise that one of our most famous wineries also puts on one of the most beautiful events. This year, in support of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Mission Hill Winery will transform itself into an enchanted forest filled with exquisitely decorated trees for The Festival of Trees Celebration. This is a must see if you love traditional Christmas settings.
Downtown Kelowna Light Up and Winter Street Market
Technically this is two events but they’re on the same day at the same place so we’ll count it as one. First is the Winter Street Market. This free family event is new to the city and will be held in Stuart Park on December 2nd. It sounds like it’ll be a fun one with live entertainment, food, and a few craft and cultural booths to check out. And at the end of it is the Downtown Kelowna Light Up! This is a city tradition that returns for its 29th year. Bring the kids and watch the giant tree get lit up!
Craft Culture Holiday Market
If you’re looking for unique gifts, you definitely don’t want to miss the Craft Culture Holiday Market. This two day market (December 9th and 10th) will feature over 175 artisans and crafters from BC and beyond. You’ll find everything from one of a kind housewares to handmade clothes to fun kid’s toys to you name it! The market is at Prospera Place so that should give you an idea of how big it is.
Winter Wonderland
Every year Arion Therapeutic Farm puts on a fantastic event for kids and this year’s Winter Wonderland is no different. Kids will get to pet dozens of animals, go on pony rides and hayrides, and do all sorts of fun activities. Santa’s going to be there too… as well as Okanagan World of Reptiles. I’m not sure if that means Santa’s traded in his reindeer for some snakes or what. Either way it’s worth checking out.
A Kelowna Christmas Carol
Let’s end with some culture. New Vintage Theatre is taking a Dickens classic and putting their own spin on it with A Kelowna Christmas Carol. Instead of Victorian era England, the play will now be set in the early days of our city, complete with original music. This is another fun one for all ages.
 
Whew! That’s just the start of what’s happening over the next month. Most of the wineries seem to be having their own special events, there are a bunch more Christmas markets, and plenty more plays, concerts, and festivals too. Trust me, you’re going to be busy!
After a day (or two) out on the town, there’s nothing quite like relaxing in the comfort of your home. If you’ve been thinking about buying or selling a new home in Kelowna, please get in touch. I’d love to help you go through your list, check it twice, and find something that’s more than just nice!
 

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It’s the end of another year which means it’s time for everyone to start making pie-in-the-sky promises about everything they want to do in 2018. We always makes personal resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, or learn something new but weirdly enough, we never seem to do it for our homes.
In the spirit of trying something new (one of my resolutions), I came up with a list of four things to try in the New Year to create a happier home.
#1 Declutter!
It’s amazing how easily stuff accumulates in a home. I know I’m guilty of hanging on to things for too long because “it’s still useful” or “I’ll probably wear that again”. Well no more! Go room by room and start picking out stuff that you don’t use, wear, or love anymore and make a big pile to be donated. I suppose you could save it for a garage sale but that defeats the purpose of clearing things out.
You’d be surprised how much better this makes you and your house feel.
#2 Safety First
When was the last time you checked the battery in your smoke alarms? If you had to think about it, it was probably too long ago. At the start of every year, one of your home resolutions should be to run through a safety checklist. Some other items could include:

  • Install carbon monoxide detectors
  • Have a test done to check for radon gas
  • Clean your dryer vent and ducts to clear out lint build-ups

I could go on but I’m sure you already have a few ideas of your own. A few small fixes and your home will be much safer.

#3 Lower Those Bills

You don’t need an electric car or a windmill in your backyard to go green. A few little changes around your house will cut your energy usage (and your utility bills!) down. Here are a few tips:

  • Install LED light bulbs in your home. They don’t cost much more, they last for years, and they’ll make a big dent on your power bill.
  • If you have a lot of electronics, turn them off or unplug them rather than leave them in sleep mode.
  • Consider buying a drying rack for your clothes instead of using your dryer all the time. Dryers are one of the home appliances that uses the most power.
  • Instead of turning your heat up, put on a sweater or move around more.

With all the extra money you’ll be saving, you can start next year’s Christmas shopping extra early!
#4 Prepare for Company
A common resolution is to spend more time with family and friends. To make that happen, why not make your home more inviting to guests? A fresh coat of paint and some colour in the form of a new rug or centerpiece on the table makes a world of difference. Or try rearranging your furniture so, instead of facing the TV, it faces each other. This really helps create a nice environment to converse with people in.
 
I’m sure you have your own ideas or traditions to polish up your home when the New Year rolls around. I’d certainly love to hear them. And if one of your resolutions was to buy a new house in Kelowna, please get in touch with me! One of mine was to help more people find their dream home so let’s make it happen.
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