Connected to your community/ Branchés sur votre communauté

By the way, we’re never too busy for your referrals!

En passant, nous ne sommes jamais trop occupés pour vos references!

Paul & Diane Laflamme

Agents immobilier

Royal LePage Village

dlaflamme@royallepage.ca 

Needs vs. Wants

       

Learn how your agent can help you assess your needs and wants so you can purchase the right home at the right price.
» More Home Buying Videos

Separating your must-have features from the ones you can live without

Just as you wouldn’t set out to buy the Thanksgiving Day groceries without a list, you shouldn’t start looking at houses before you know for sure what you want and need in a home.
Focus your home search early on by writing out the features your new house absolutely must have, and those features that, while nice to have, are not necessarily deal breakers.
You can start by asking yourself the following questions:

Cost

Knowing your budget will help you decide which of your desired home features should stay on your shortlist. Here are the two factors to consider:

• How much can I afford to spend on my new house?
• How much renovating and remodeling am I willing to do?

Neighbourhood

Some home buyers are willing to compromise on location, and for others location is everything. To determine how important it is to you, answer these questions:

• Where do I want to live? (community/general area)
• Is the quality and proximity of schools a factor?
• How far am I willing to commute to work?
• Is being close to public transportation important?
• Which amenities should be close by? (grocery store, medical clinic, mechanic)

The basics

These are the features every prospective home buyer must consider. Determine which ones you’re dead-set on, and which ones could go either way:

• Do I want a brand new house, or an older one?
• What style of house do I prefer? (ranch, colonial, split-level, multi-level, town home, condo, multi-family, bungalow, other)
• How big a home do I want? How many square feet?
• What sort of lot would I like? (small yard, large yard, fenced, garage, patio/deck, other buildings)
• How many bedrooms do I need? How many would I like to have?
• How many bathrooms do I need? How many would I like to have?

Special features

Although special features are less important than the basics, most home owners have at least a few they’re not willing to compromise on. Find out which are must-haves for you:

• What features are important in your new house? (air conditioning, carpeting, ceramic tile floors, hardwood floors, eat-in kitchen, separate dining room, formal living room, family room, den, library, basement, separate laundry room, fireplace, workshop)
• Do I have special medical issues that require accommodation, such as wheelchair access ramps?
• Do I have pets to consider? (fence, big yard, mud room)

Royal LePage sales representatives are your residential real estate experts. For helpful advice about buying a home in your area, contact Diane and Paul Laflamme, Real Estate Brokers. 

Market Analysis

It’s time to decide on an asking price. You know that setting the right price for current housing market conditions is crucial, and you’ve been told that overpricing can spell death for a new listing. But how do you determine the fair market value of your home if you don’t know the intricacies of your local housing market?
Wouldn’t it be great if you had some insider knowledge? Some sort of real estate cheat sheet that gives the inside scoop on the local real estate market?
It would have to contain valuable information that you could never determine on your own, like how much your neighbors’ houses are selling for and the current mood of the local housing market. And just what is that all-important asking price that will ensure maximum return on your investment without pricing you out of contention?
There’s good news! Such a document does exist, and you can have it thanks to your local Royal LePage real estate agent. When you sign on to work with a Royal LePage sales representative, you’ll receive a custom-prepared Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that indicates what today’s buyers are willing to pay for a house like yours in your area.
Your agent does this property assessment by comparing the market activity and prices of homes in your neighbourhood that are similar to yours. Prices for homes that have recently sold represent what buyers are prepared to pay. The price of homes currently listed for sale represents the price sellers hope to obtain. And those listings that have expired were generally overpriced or poorly marketed.
The CMA gives you a sales edge that your competitors may not have. The for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) crowd can’t access information like this. Real estate industry insiders have proprietary access to much of the data used in the analysis, and it’s your agent’s years of experience and intimate knowledge of the local housing market that makes him best qualified to interpret the data and make sound recommendations.
Sure, you may see what people are asking for their homes by studying MLS listings, but that doesn’t help you determine the actual selling price. The selling price almost always differs from the asking price, sometimes drastically depending on the state of the real estate market.
And because your agent earns their livelihood from the buying and selling of homes in your neighbourhood, you can be assured they have an ear to the ground where market conditions are concerned. By understanding and evaluating the local housing market, your agent can adjust the sales strategy accordingly.
The last thing you want is your unsold home languishing because the selling strategy was developed without considering whether it’s a seller’s market, a buyer’s market, or somewhere in between (balanced).
Understanding market conditions is as simple as knowing the basic law of supply and demand. When there are more homes for sale than there are potential buyers, house prices drop. When there are fewer houses on the market than there are buyers, house prices will climb. When the number of homes on the market is roughly equal to the number of buyers, it’s called a balanced market.
Here’s how the housing market could affect your approach to selling:

Seller’s market

This is the ideal position for a seller. With fewer homes to choose from, competition between buyers becomes a factor. This can spawn bidding wars that drive prices up.
You can expect to sell your home faster in a seller’s market, and when it comes time to negotiate, you may not need to compromise on any unattractive conditions requested by the buyer.

Buyer’s market

Your position as a seller becomes a little trickier in a buyer’s market. A buyer’s market means that you face more competition from other sellers. Your home may stay on the market longer, which can give the buyer more leverage.
Expect to sell for a little less, and be prepared to compromise or accept conditional offers more readily than you would in a seller’s housing market.

Balanced market

Selling in a balanced market is a much more predictable endeavour. With sellers and buyers in equilibrium, home prices stabilize and the atmosphere on both sides of the transaction becomes relaxed.
Contact a local Diane and Paul Laflamme at Royal LePage Village to  find out how they would market your home in the current housing market.

Analyse de marché

Le moment est venu de décider d’un prix de vente. Vous savez que la fixation du juste prix en tenant compte des conditions immobilières actuelles est cruciale, et on vous a dit que le fait de demander un prix excessif peut être tragique pour une nouvelle inscription. Mais comment déterminer la juste valeur marchande de votre propriété sans connaître les subtilités du marché immobilier local?
Ne serait-il pas formidable de posséder quelques connaissances d’expert? Une sorte d’aide mémoire immobilier qui vous tient au fait des primeurs du marché immobilier local?
Il pourrait renfermer de précieux renseignements que vous ne pourriez jamais trouver seul, par exemple le prix de vente des propriétés du voisinage, l’état actuel du marché immobilier local, et ce prix de vente à demander qui est si important pour maximiser le rendement du capital investi sans vous exclure du marché.
Et voici la bonne nouvelle : un tel document existe déjà, et l’agent immobilier Royal LePage de votre région se fera un plaisir de vous le remettre! Lorsque vous commencerez à travailler avec un agent immobilier Royal LePage, vous recevrez une analyse comparative de marché (ACM) personnalisée indiquant quel prix les acheteurs sont prêts à payer actuellement pour une propriété comme la vôtre dans le quartier.
Votre agent immobilier fait cette analyse de propriété en comparant l’activité du marché et le prix des propriétés semblables à la vôtre dans votre quartier. Le prix des propriétés qui ont récemment été vendues représente ce que les acheteurs sont prêts à payer. Les propriétés inscrites sont offertes au prix que les vendeurs espèrent obtenir. Les propriétés dont les inscriptions sont échues étaient généralement surévaluées ou mises en marché de façon inadéquate.
L’ACM vous donnera une marge relative à la vente que vos concurrents n’auront peut être pas. Les très nombreux vendeurs qui posent l’affiche « À vendre par le propriétaire » n’auront pas accès à une telle information. Les experts de l’industrie de l’immobilier bénéficient d’un accès exclusif à la plus grande partie des données de cette analyse. C’est pourquoi les nombreuses années d’expérience de votre agent immobilier et son étroite connaissance du marché immobilier local en font la personne la mieux qualifiée pour interpréter ces données et faire des recommandations avisées.
C’est vrai, vous pourrez voir quel prix demandent les vendeurs pour leurs propriétés en examinant les inscriptions SIA, mais cela ne vous aidera pas à déterminer le prix de vente réel. Celui-ci diffère presque toujours du prix demandé, parfois même considérablement selon l’état du marché immobilier.
Et dans la mesure où votre agent immobilier gagne sa vie en achetant et en vendant des propriétés dans votre quartier, soyez assuré qu’il est à l’affût de tout ce qui a trait aux conditions du marché. En comprenant et en évaluant le marché immobilier local, votre agent immobilier peut modifier la stratégie de vente en conséquence.
La dernière chose que vous souhaitez voir se produire, c’est que votre propriété ne se vende pas parce que la stratégie de vente a été mise au point sans tenir compte du fait que vous vous trouvez dans un marché vendeur, acheteur ou quelque part entre les deux (soit dans un marché équilibré).
Comprendre les conditions du marché est aussi simple que comprendre la loi de l’offre et de la demande. Lorsqu’il y a plus de propriétés à vendre que d’acheteurs potentiels, le prix des propriétés baisse. Inversement, lorsqu’il y a moins de propriétés sur le marché que d’acheteurs, le prix des propriétés grimpe. Et lorsque le nombre de propriétés sur le marché est à peu près équivalent au nombre d’acheteurs, on parle de marché équilibré.
Voilà comment le marché immobilier pourrait influencer votre approche à titre de vendeur :

Marché vendeur

C’est la position idéale pour un vendeur! Le nombre de propriétés à vendre étant plus réduit, la concurrence entre les acheteurs joue un certain rôle. Elle peut engendrer des guerres d’enchères qui feront monter les prix.
Vous pouvez vous attendre à vendre votre propriété plus rapidement dans un marché vendeur, et quand viendra le temps de négocier, vous n’aurez peut être pas à faire de compromis sur des conditions désavantageuses exigées par l’acheteur.

Marché acheteur

À titre de vendeur, votre situation devient un peu plus délicate dans un marché acheteur. Sur ce marché, vous êtes confronté à une concurrence accrue de la part des autres vendeurs. Votre propriété peut rester plus longtemps sur le marché, ce qui donne à l’acheteur une plus grande marge de manœuvre.
Attendez vous à vendre un peu moins cher et à faire des compromis ou à accepter des offres conditionnelles beaucoup plus facilement que vous ne le feriez dans un marché vendeur.

Marché équilibré

Vendre dans un marché équilibré devient un exercice beaucoup plus prévisible. Puisque le nombre de vendeurs et d’acheteurs est équilibré, le prix des propriétés se stabilise et l’ambiance devient plus détendue pour les deux parties dans la transaction.

Unmarried Quebec couples have no right to alimony, court rules

Unmarried Quebec couples who live together and then split up are not entitled to the same rights as legally married couples, when it comes to spousal support, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

By a 5-4 margin, the top court decision released Friday says the province's civil code is constitutional in its treatment of the financial entitlement of couples who are not legally married and who separate.

The decision means Quebec remains the only province that does not recognize "de facto" marriages.
The ruling has broad implications in a province where the 31.5 per cent of couples report being in de facto relationships, versus an average of 12.1 per cent in the rest of Canada.
Justice Louis LeBel, writing for the five-judge majority, said there was no charter violation at play because the current provincial law promotes autonomy.
"The Quebec National Assembly has not favoured one form of union over another," he wrote.
"The legislature has merely defined the legal content of the different forms of conjugal relationships. It has made consent the key to changing the spouses' mutual patrimonial relationship.

"In this way, it has preserved the freedom of those who wish to organize their patrimonial relationships outside the mandatory statutory framework."

While the province's Civil Code does not regulate the status of de facto spouses, some laws — including those governing social assistance, income tax and Quebec's Pension Plan — treat them as a couple.

The case that sparked the debate, known as Lola vs. Eric, had been making its way through the court system for years. It involved a Quebec couple who never married, but lived together for seven years and share three children.
A court order prevents the publication of the parties' real names.
Pierre Bienvenu, the lawyer representing "Eric," said his client is relieved the long court process is over and is satisfied with the decision.
"It is really by force that he was dragged into this long debate," Bienvenu said.

After separating, Lola sought spousal support, but Quebec's Civil Code provides no such provision for couples who are not legally married.
Lola had been seeking a $50-million lump-sum payment as well as $56,000 a month from her former spouse — a well-known Quebec business tycoon known in the case as Eric. Lola was 17 when she met the then 32-year-old entrepreneur.
When they split, Eric agreed to pay generous child support — but he rejected the lump sum and annual alimony settlement claim.
The woman took her case to the Quebec Superior Court in 2009, when a judge rejected her claims, saying that under existing law, partners in a de facto relationship have no rights, duties and responsibilities to each other — no matter how many years they've lived together.

Lawyer says 'ball back in legislators' court'

In November 2010, a Quebec Court of Appeal decision invalidated that section of the civil code, saying the law discriminates against unmarried couples, and the province was given one year to change the law.
The Quebec government described that ruling as a mistake, and appealed to the Supreme Court.
Guy Pratte, the lawyer who argued Lola's case, said Friday morning that he was disappointed with the decision, but it doesn't mean the matter is settled.
"The implication for Quebec society is that the ball is now back in the legislators' court."

Quebec Justice Minister Bertrand St-Arnaud said the decision "confirms the principle of freedom of choice which has always governed life in Quebec, in other words the freedom of couples who choose the rules that will govern their union."
He said there are already a number of options open to unmarried couples who want the same rights as married couples, including civil unions and a cohabitation contract.
St-Arnaud also said it may be time for a "general reflection" on the status of families under the law.

"It's true that in the last decade, our social and family realities have evolved, and is it time for us to start to think again about the regime in our civil code? Maybe."
Statistics Canada says nearly 1.4 million Quebecers are in what the federal agency calls "common-law" relationships, according to the 2011 census, and about 60 per cent of children are born to such unmarried couples.
With files from The Canadian Press

 http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDEQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbc.ca%2Fnews%2Fcanada%2Fmontreal%2Fstory%2F2013%2F01%2F25%2Fsupreme-court-ruling-eric-vs-lola-quebec-civil-code.html&ei=HwoDUcLMNc-K0QGvs4HwAQ&usg=AFQjCNGqZPWuv5OIm8BtBskJt8EA4fhabg&bvm=bv.41524429,d.dmg&cad=rja

Bank of Canada overestimated growth, rates to stay low longer

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is signalling interest rates will need to stay at super-low levels for longer than it previously thought, citing a deterioration in the economy that has reduced inflationary pressures and set back expectations for growth. As expected, the central bank's policy setting team kept the trendsetting interest rate at one per cent Wednesday, where it has been for almost two-and-a-half years.

But in a mild surprise, the bank went further by issuing a new advisory to Canadians and financial markets that the anticipated need to raise rates in the future is now less imminent.
It feels free to issue such an advisory, it said, in part because it is less worried about record levels of consumer debt and the housing market, both of which appear to be moderating. And inflation pressures, with evidence the consumer price index will stay around one per cent for some time, are at the lowest since the recessionary period.

"While some modest withdrawal of monetary policy stimulus will likely be required over time, consistent with achieving the two per cent inflation target, the more muted inflation outlook and the beginnings of a more constructive evolution of imbalances in the household sector suggests that the timing any such withdrawal is less imminent than previously anticipated," the bank explained.


The Canadian dollar dropped more than half a cent on the news and was trading at 100.09 cents US in mid-morning trading. Bank of Montreal economist Doug Porter said he believes the central bank will keep interest rates where they are for the remainder of 2013. "The prior reason for the seeming disconnect between the tough talk and a squishy soft economy was the bank's laser-like focus on the build-up in household debt," Porter said. "With the bank now sending some fairly strong signals that it thinks the path for household debt is moderating meaningfully, the case for rate hikes has receded accordingly."

The interest rate statement and accompanying monetary policy report — a comprehensive analysis of global and Canadian conditions — constitute of a bit of a climb-down for the bank's forecasting unit, which had been staying with its growth story for the economy as recently as October, when most private sector forecasters were downgrading projections.

The bank now says the just concluded fourth quarter of 2012 will see a below par growth rate of one per cent, rather than the 2.5 per cent it had predicted.
And it downgraded growth by three-tenths of a point for both 2012 and 2013, to 1.9 per cent and 2.0 per cent respectively. The bank still has faith the economy will return to strength, however, starting this year and picking up speed in 2014, when growth will average 2.7 per cent.

The bank's latest estimates appear more in line with the consensus of private sector economists, although it remains slightly sunnier than the International Monetary Fund, which released a new forecast Wednesday predicting Canada's economy would advance by 1.8 per cent this year.

The Canadian central bank's judgment is that the sharp downturn in growth at the second half of 2012 was due to weaker global markets for Canadian exports, uncertainty about how the U.S. would deal with its short-term budget crisis that kept business from investing, and temporary factors — such as shutdowns and pipeline bottlenecks in the energy sector. Along with lower prices obtained by western producers, the energy sector difficulties trimmed 0.4 percentage points from Canadian growth in the latter half of the year, the bank said. The damage will have lasting impacts. The economy has more slack today than it did six months ago, and will need until to the fall of 2014 to return to full capacity. As well, Canada's economy can no longer count on household spending and the housing sector to propel it forward.

In a change from previous reports, the bank says Canadian household debt is stabilizing at around the record 165 per cent of annual disposable income, and credit growth has sharply declined from a peak of 12 per cent in 2008 to 5.5 per cent in 2012, and 3.0 per cent in the three months to November.

Home sales have fallen, as has construction activity, and prices may follow suit.
This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, the trends are exactly what bank governor Mark Carney and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty repeatedly requested, given that an overheated housing market and high consumer debt puts the economy at risk long-term. On the other hand, the bank worries that too much of a good thing will be the medicine that kills the patient.
"If there were a sudden weakening in the Canadian housing sector, it could have sizable spillover effects on other areas of the economy," the bank warns.

Still, there was good news in the policy report. The bank believes there are fewer imminent risks facing global economies, which should boost Canadian exports and business investment going forward.

"The bank projects a return to above-potential growth in the Canadian economy through 2013," it says, "supported in particular by rebounds in business fixed investment and exports."
It notes, however, that the improvements in these areas will not be major.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Bank+Canada+says+overestimated+growth+interest+rates+stay+longer/7860237/story.html#ixzz2Iu2iZ9Eb

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Bank+Canada+says+overestimated+growth+interest+rates+stay/7860237/story.html

Home made bread on a cold, wintery day!

There's nothing like home made whole wheat bread on a cold, wintery day in Saint-Lazare, Quebec - Canada!!

Whole Wheat Bread – makes 2 loaves

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons sugar

2 packages or 2 tablespoons Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast

½ cup water

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons salt

4 ½ cup unsifted whole wheat flour

2 ¾ cups unsifted all-purpose white flour (about)

Measure 1 cup of warm water into a large bowl. Stir in 2 teaspoons sugar and yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, and then stir well.

Meantime, combine ½ cup water, milk, molasses and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until liquids are warm and butter melts.  Stir in 3 tablespoons sugar and salt.

Add liquids to dissolved yeast. Combine flours. Add 2 ½  cups of flour to liquids. Beat until smooth. Stir in an additional 4 ½ cups (about) of flour mixture to make a soft dough, (if necessary, add additional white flour to obtain desired dough). Turn dough out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Punch dough down, turn out onto lightly floured board. Divide in half. Shape into loaves and place into 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise in warm place, free from draft – until double in bulk (about 1 hour).

Bake in hot over (400 degrees) about 25-30 minutes or until done. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. I bake for about 20 minutes.

Recipe is from Fleischmann’s “Creative World of Baking” booklet. Published by Standard Brands Canada Limited.

Determining Property Value

It’s a common scenario. You love your old house. After all, your home was the one constant: it set the stage for many family events and cherished memories. Every scratch in the floor, and every nick in the wall, tells a story. And although the house no longer suits your needs, there is a part of you that is reluctant to part with it.
For many, this kind of emotional attachment and other factors unrelated to the home’s true market value end up influencing sound judgment when setting the asking price for a home. To let any emotion (be it nostalgia or financial desire) drive up your asking price is an amateur mistake that can end up costing you big in the end.
Those nicks and scratches that send you on a trip down memory lane? Unfortunately, they tell a very different story to prospective buyers. That’s just damage in the buyer’s eye, and it sure doesn’t offer anything in the way of value to them.
Remember, the buyer doesn’t know about you and the memories you associate with the house. For the most part, they aren’t interested in them. They just want to find a home to call their own and start creating their own family memories.
Determining the right home price is much more a science than an art. Think of it this way: the price for your house has already been established by the real estate market. There is a relatively narrow price range that buyers will consider for a particular home, with particular features, in a particular neighbourhood. The trick is in determining what that secret number is. Set the price too high, and your house is passed over. Set it too low, and you stand to lose thousands on the sale.

Factors that influence overpricing:

• Attempting to recover money invested in renovations and improvements
• Desire to use profits to purchase a higher-priced home elsewhere
• Original cost of the house was too high
• Lack of housing market information
• Building bargaining room into the price
• Adding on for perceived emotional value

The consequences of overpricing

Many sellers believe that if they price their home high initially, they can lower it later. Unfortunately, when a home is priced too high, it is virtually ignored by buyers and real estate agents alike. This is especially important when a home first goes on the market. New listings typically generate a flurry of activity as selling agents and potential buyers take notice. Overprice, and you stand to lose out on any potential business stoked by early market excitement.
And things don’t improve for the overpriced house as the weeks and months wear on. Gradually, the seller is forced to move the price down to market value, but by that time the home has been for sale too long, and buyers become wary and reject the property. Many will wonder why the house has been on the market so long, and will suspect there is something wrong with your house that is affecting its ability to sell.
You may also be tempted to think interested buyers will simply make a lower offer. But if your home is overpriced, buyers looking in a lower price range may never even see your home’s listing. Those who can afford a home at your asking price will quickly recognize that they can get better value elsewhere.

The benefits of pricing right:

• Your property sells faster, because it is exposed to more qualified buyers.
• Your home doesn’t become stale and lose its marketability.
• The closer your asking price to market value, the higher the offers you’ll receive.
• A well-priced property can generate competing offers.
• Real estate agents will be enthusiastic about presenting your property to buyers.

How is the market value of my property determined?

Enter your Royal LePage real estate agent. Your agent is an expert in the local real estate market, and will give you the facts you need to know to make an educated decision on asking price.
Your agent will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for your home based on the most current housing market information. The CMA will show you current listings, recent sales and expired listings (useful to check, because expired listings often indicate a house that was either overpriced or poorly marketed).
Together, you and your agent will establish a competitive list price for your home based on the following:

• Location
• Size
• Style
• Condition
• Community amenities
• Financing options
• Housing market conditions (Is it a buyer's or a seller's market?)

Once you’ve achieved a realistic sale price (along with a wise marketing strategy prepared by your agent), you can expect to sell your home for the best possible price in the least amount of time.
For information on how to secure the highest possible price for your property, contact Diane and Paul Laflamme. Royal LePage Village. 514. 715.4514 & 514.793.4514.

Questionnaire sur la mise en valeur de votre maison

Quel type de propriétaire êtes-vous?

Répondez au questionnaire et obtenez des conseils personnalisés relativement à la préparation et à la mise en valeur de votre propriété en vue de la vendre.

1. Que faites-vous lorsque vous avez terminé de manger?
   1. Vous laissez tout sur la table et revenez nettoyer plus tard.
   2. Vous retirez la vaisselle de la table, ramassez les restes et empilez la vaisselle dans l’évier pour la laver plus tard.
   3. Vous desservez la table, ramassez les restes et lavez la vaisselle sur-le-champ.
2. À la maison, votre bureau :
   1. est recouvert de papiers, de factures et d’objets divers.
   2. comporte une pile de dossiers. Il y a suffisamment de place pour vous permettre de travailler, et vous y trouvez tout ce que vous cherchez.
   3. est propre et net. Tout est à sa place, et vous classez vos documents sans attendre.
3. Vous venez de terminer la lessive. Que faites-vous?
   1. Vous laissez les vêtements empilés sur une chaise. Il est ainsi plus facile de les trouver plus tard.
   2. Vous pliez les vêtements et les rangez dans n’importe quel tiroir où il y a de la place.
   3. Vous pliez les vêtements et les rangez dans les bons tiroirs.
4. Que retrouve-t-on dans votre maison?
   1. Un chien ou un chat qui a le droit d’entrer à l’intérieur.
   2. Un fumeur qui fume souvent/toujours à l’intérieur de la maison.
   3. Aucune de ces réponses.
5. Comment décorez-vous votre maison?
   1. J’aime disposer des souvenirs personnels et des photos de famille un peu partout dans la maison.
   2. J’adore les accessoires décoratifs et aime placer des objets ethniques éclectiques et des antiquités un peu partout dans la maison.
   3. Je préfère les surfaces nettes et propres et je dispose peu d’articles décoratifs ou personnels dans la maison.
6. Lequel des énoncés ci-dessous décrit le mieux votre maison?
   1. Ma maison est éclectique, chaleureuse et agrémentée de couleurs vives et d’une multitude d’accessoires.
   2. Ma maison est classique et dotée de couleurs chaudes et de beaucoup de bois foncé.
   3. Ma maison est moderne et simple et comporte des couleurs neutres et peu d’accessoires.
7. C’est le printemps, et votre cour a besoin d’un peu d’entretien. Que faites-vous?
   1. Vous raclez la cour et ramassez la plupart des débris.
   2. Vous ramassez les débris dans la cour et tondez le gazon.
   3. Vous ramassez les débris dans la cour, tondez le gazon, enlevez les mauvaises herbes, épandez de l’engrais et plantez de nouvelles fleurs.
8. Lequel des énoncés ci-dessous décrit le mieux votre maison?
   1. Je n’ai pas eu le temps de bien décorer la plupart des pièces de la maison, et quelques-unes des plus petites pièces servent à des fins de rangement seulement. Quelques réparations mineures doivent encore être effectuées dans la maison.
   2. Les pièces principales de la maison sont décorées et meublées, mais je n’ai jamais pris le temps de bien décorer et meubler le sous-sol et la chambre d’amis. Quelques réparations mineures doivent encore être effectuées dans la maison.
   3. J’ai pris le temps de bien meubler et décorer toutes les pièces. J’ai aussi entrepris plusieurs projets de rénovation au fil des années.

Accordez-vous un point chaque fois que vous avez répondu a, trois points chaque fois que vous avez répondu b et cinq points chaque fois que vous avez répondu c.

Si vous avez obtenu entre 8 et 16 points...

Vous devez retrousser vos manches et commencer à préparer votre maison pour la vente. D’après vos réponses, votre maison aurait besoin d’un grand nettoyage avant le début des visites libres.

1. Nettoyez votre maison en profondeur en vous assurant que chaque pièce et chaque surface est impeccable. N’oubliez pas les appareils électroménagers, ni les fenêtres.
2. Éliminez le désordre pour permettre aux acheteurs de bien voir la propriété. Rangez les objets inutiles et assurez-vous qu’il n’y a pas d’appareils ou d’articles personnels sur les comptoirs et les tables. Si des pièces servent à des fins de rangement seulement, rangez les objets ailleurs et meublez les pièces de façon appropriée. Ne laissez pas de pièce vide, car les acheteurs auront de la difficulté à s’imaginer vivre dans un espace sans meubles.
3. Rangez les articles de collection et les photos de famille pour aider à dépersonnaliser votre maison. Les acheteurs seront mieux en mesure de s'imaginer vivre dans votre maison s’il n’y a pas d’objets personnels un peu partout.
4. Votre goût pour la décoration et les couleurs voyantes correspond peut-être à votre personnalité, mais optez pour la neutralité pour la vente. Appliquez une couche fraîche de peinture neutre et rangez les accessoires inusités pour vous assurer que votre maison attire un vaste éventail d’acheteurs.
5. Si des animaux ou des fumeurs habitent votre maison, n’oubliez pas que vous ne remarquez probablement pas l’odeur puisque vous vivez avec eux tout le temps. Demandez à un ami digne de confiance de vous donner un avis honnête, et nettoyez la maison en profondeur pour vous débarrasser des odeurs.
6. Enfin, n’oubliez pas l’attrait esthétique général de l'extérieur. La première impression est importante, et les acheteurs commencent à se forger une opinion dès qu’ils mettent les pieds dans votre entrée. Gardez votre cour propre, tondez le gazon, taillez les arbustes et désherbez les plates bandes. Rangez les jouets de vos enfants et les poubelles et nettoyez bien l’extérieur de votre maison, ou appliquez-lui une couche de peinture fraîche.

Si vous avez obtenu entre 17 et 32 points...

Voici quelques mesures simples que vous pouvez prendre pour rendre votre propriété plus attrayante aux yeux des acheteurs.

1. Nettoyez votre maison de fond en comble en vous assurant de porter une attention particulière à la cuisine et aux salles de bain. Rangez et réorganisez votre maison. Enlevez les meubles inutiles pour créer une impression d’ouverture et d’espace. L’espace de rangement constitue une priorité absolue pour les acheteurs, alors nettoyez et organisez vos penderies et espaces de rangement. Débarrassez-vous de tout ce dont vous n’avez pas besoin et assurez-vous que vos penderies ne débordent pas d’objets.
2. Égayez et rendez votre maison plus claire au moyen d’une couche fraîche de peinture de couleur neutre. Les couleurs neutres douces, comme les jaunes et les gris pâles, donnent à votre maison une allure raffinée qui attire la plupart des acheteurs.
3. Rangez vos accessoires éclectiques et dégagez les comptoirs et les dessus de table. Vos articles uniques expriment votre personnalité, mais ils peuvent aussi empêcher les acheteurs de se voir clairement dans votre propriété.
4. Enfin, dernier point mais non le moindre, réparez le robinet qui fuit et effectuez toutes les autres petites réparations que vous avez négligées.

Si vous avez obtenu entre 33 et 40 points...

Votre maison est en excellent état et ne nécessite qu’un peu de travail pour vous permettre de conclure la vente.

1. Créer une ambiance constitue une excellente façon de stimuler l’imagination des acheteurs. Placez des fleurs fraîches sur le manteau de la cheminée et dressez la table de la salle à manger pour un dîner officiel. S’il fait froid, allumez un feu de foyer. Examinez votre maison avec les yeux de l’acheteur et créez une ambiance qui l’amènera à s’imaginer habiter les lieux.
2. Afin d’améliorer l’aspect esthétique de l'extérieur de votre maison, embellissez vos plates bandes au moyen de nouvelles fleurs et de paillis pour donner des touches de couleur supplémentaires.

Pour savoir comment mettre votre maison en valeur et obtenir le meilleur prix possible pour celle-ci, communiquez avec Paul et Diane Laflamme. 514.793.4514. 514.715.4514. 

By the way, we're never too busy for your referrals!

  

By the way, we’re never too busy for your referrals!

En passant, nous ne sommes jamais trop occupés pour vos references!

Diane and Paul Laflamme

Courtiers immobilier / Real Estate Brokers

Royal LePage Village

4000 Saint-Jean, DDO, QC H9G 1X1
472B rue Main, Hudson, QC J0P 1H0

Email: dplaflamme@videotron.ca

Tel: Bureau:  450.458.5365 and 514.684.1141

Cell: 514.715.4514 Diane
Cell: 514.793.4514 Paul

Fax: 450.458.3394

 

Words matter

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=medium

1270 Explorateurs, Saint-Lazare - Vendu!

1270 Explorateurs, Saint-Lazare

Cette belle maison possède une véranda à l'avant pour vous bercer! Venez visiter cette maison familiale, charmante et ensoleillée. Planchers de bois et céramique partout aux deux niveaux. Salon et salle à manger à concept aire ouverte. Une salle de bain/salle de lavage commodément située au premier étage. La cour arrière est clôturée.

 This beautiful home has a front porch to rock on! Come visit a charming bright family home. Wood & ceramic floors are throughout both levels. The living and dining room are open concept. A convenient powder room/laundry room is on the main level. Backyard is fenced. Close to all amenities. AAA condition!

 Cette adorable maison de 3 chambres à coucher est située sur une rue tranquille, ce qui est idéal pour les jeunes familles.

La cour arrière est clôturée et privée. Vous y trouverez une nouvelle terrasse et piscine hors-terre. Assoyez vous sur la terrasse et profitez de l'été.

Un secteur trépidant d'activités. Tous les résidants ont accès aux parcs, ski de randonnée, pistes équestres et cyclables /sentiers de randonnée. Ski de montagne au Mont Rigaud à 15 minutes de route ou voile sur le Lac des Deux-Montagnes durant l'été. Vous préférez le golf, il existe plusieurs terrains publics et privés.

Il existe d'excellentes écoles privées et publiques dans le voisinage, des garderies, un nouveau centre médical à Hudson, de très bons restaurants, du magasinage de haute qualité et des fermes organiques.

Le complexe sportif offre un gymnase, un aréna et une salle de soccer intérieur. La bibliothèque communautaire est tout à fait unique. Elle représente évidemment le point central des livres, ainsi que le centre promotionnel des activités culturelles de toute la communauté.

Lighting

http://video.royallepage.ca/mediadetail/6416689-Lighting

By the way, we're never too busy for your referrals. 

Diane and Paul Laflamme

Courtiers immobilier / Real Estate Brokers

Royal LePage Village

472B rue Main, Hudson, QC J0P 1H0

4000 Saint-Jean, DDO, QC H9G 1X1

Email: dplaflamme@videotron.ca

Tel: Bureau:  450.458.5365 & 514.684.1141

Cell: 514.715.4514

Fax: 450.458.3394

Winter in Montreal

http://vimeo.com/56490557

This is a video of a young man named Seb Toots who snowboards down Mount Royal Mountain and exits onto Peel St and finally into the heart of downtown Montreal.  It looks like it was filmed at the end of December after one of the big snowfalls in Montreal, Quebec, CANADA

Enjoy!
 










Films made with Red Scarlet camera during 2 days of shooting!
Film and edit by : Sunset Films (Mathieu Cowan)
Twitter/Instagram: @sebtoots @sunsetfilms