Susan Terry
About Susan Terry
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WHAT’S YOUR HOME WORTH?
The Grey Bruce real estate market’s constantly changing so if you’re wondering what your home’s currently worth, just reach out for a free, no-obligation home evaluation!
HALLOWEEN IN THE ‘HOOD
Halloween is a great way to get to know the people on your street!
It’s not often that the people on your street are out roaming around in full force which makes Halloween the perfect time to build some community spirit! Here are a few fun ideas to consider:
Costume Swap
Arrange a costume swap where neighbours can trade or borrow costumes to help make Halloween preparations easier and more eco-friendly.
Carve Out Some Fun
Grab some pumpkins, carving tools and refreshments to host a creative get-together that encourages your neighbours to carve out a spooktacular masterpiece!
House of Horrors
Organize a contest to see who can create the spookiest house on the block. Encourage everyone to get involved by casting their vote and then offer a small prize for the winner!
Haunted Housewarming
Forge new friendships by hosting an open house. Serve a few simple drinks and snacks and invite everyone on your block either before, after or during trick or treating.
Grossest Grub
Have all the families on your street bring a Halloween-themed food item and then vote on the grossest, scariest food to see who wins!
Getting to know your neighbours can sometimes take a while but Halloween provides the perfect backdrop for creating lasting connections with those who share your spooky spirit!
Everyone lets their guard down when they’re in a costume so this Halloween, make it a plan to build up your community with some spooktacular fun while making some new friends in the process!
FALL HOME STAGING TIPS
Make buyers FALL in love with your home with these simple staging tips!
The air is crisp and the leaves are changing which means fall is in the air!
As nature undergoes this captivating shift, it’s the perfect time to infuse your home with the inviting allure of the fall season.
Whether you’re preparing to sell your home or simply want to freshen up your living space, these staging tips will help give your home that fresh fall feel:
Curb Appeal
Your front yard is one of the first things buyers will notice when they pull up to your home so rake up the leaves, cut the grass and hide any excess clutter.
Perfect Porch
A nice clean porch with some comfortable chairs and a few fall planters will set an inviting, tranquil tone for potential buyers as they enter your home.
Lighten Up
Now that the days are getting shorter, it’s important to take advantage of your home’s natural light during the day and use soft, ambient lighting to help brighten things up at night.
Cozy Care
The fall season is all about feeling cozy, so add a few accent pillows and comfy throw blankets to give your home that warm, inviting vibe that’ll make buyers feel at home.
Make Scents
The nose knows what a comfy cozy home smells like, so set the tone with a few scented candles or simmer a pot of apple cider on the stove with a stick of cinnamon.
Fire It Up
A fireplace instantly creates a warm and cozy atmosphere so if you have one, light it up and make it a focal point of the room by arranging your furniture around it.
The fall season is traditionally a very popular time of year for home sales in the Grey Bruce area. After all, it’s a beautiFALL time to go out house hunting!
A well-staged home is much more likely to make a great first impression that will capture the hearts of homebuyers and make them instantly FALL in love with your home.
If you’re thinking of selling your home this fall, please reach out so that we can discuss your next move!
GREY BRUCE REAL ESTATE UPDATE – September 2023
Please don’t hesitate to reach out for detailed stats that are specific to your neighbourhood, or even if you’re just curious about what the place down the road sold for – it’d be great to hear from you!
HAPPY HOME HUNTING
Nothing makes me happier than helping someone find the perfect home! If you’re thinking about relocating, reach out so that we can discuss your next move!
ADJUSTING TO A NEW SCHOOL
Starting a new chapter at a different school can sometimes be a challenge.
Switching to a new school can cause children a considerable amount of stress. If your child has just started at a new school, the following tips may help them settle in:
Be Positive
Discuss your children’s fears while encouraging a confident approach to making new friends.
Fear Not
Chances are, you’ll be a little nervous too so be careful not to transfer your anxiety over to them.
Lighter Load
Consider dialing back chores for the first little while to give them a bit of extra time to relax and connect with their new classmates.
Join Up
Encourage your children to join school clubs/teams and participate in after-school activities so that they can have fun and meet new friends.
Lead the Way
Setting an example is key so consider attending field trips and other school events so that your kids will follow suit and become more involved themselves.
Moving to a new school can be a difficult transition so try to emphasize the positive when discussing the challenges and opportunities your children will face. If you encourage them to share their feelings with you, it’ll be much easier to help them adjust to their new surroundings.
BEWARE OF BUYER TURN-OFFS
Make sure to address these common turn-offs so buyers don’t run for the door!
When you put your home on the market, it’s important that it appeals to a large cross-section of buyers in order to generate a frenzy of activity.
That said, buying a home is such an emotional decision that even a seemingly small issue can create a bad first impression that will stop buyers in their tracks. Here are a few common buyer turn-offs to be aware of:
Get Out
Make yourself scarce during showings as nothing turns buyers off more than a stalking seller.
Something Fishy
It’s best not to cook fish, bacon or other strong-smelling foods while your home’s on the market.
Dog Gone
Pets and their associated smells will put many buyers off so relocate them before showings and hide their bed, bones, toys, etc.
Killer Clutter
Buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home but most can’t look past other people’s clutter, even if it’s tucked away in closets and cupboards.
Minimal Maintenance
If buyers see that basic items such as leaky faucets and loose hinges haven’t been taken care of, they’ll assume that more serious items, such as the furnace, have also been neglected.
Basement Blues
A damp and dreary basement is a huge turnoff, so do your best to air it out. If it’s unfinished, consider painting it an ivory shade to make it feel more bright and spacious.
Grubby Grime
It’s imperative that your entire home remains thoroughly cleaned, right down to the inside of your microwave. Neglected personal spaces like bathrooms will have buyers running for the door!
When you sell your home, your goal is to get the highest price in the shortest amount of time. Sometimes the best way to do that is to focus on the small stuff. It’s definitely worth the effort and the good news is that depersonalizing, decluttering and thoroughly cleaning your home doesn’t cost a fortune.
GREY BRUCE REAL ESTATE UPDATE – August 2023
Please don’t hesitate to reach out for detailed stats that are specific to your neighbourhood, or even if you’re just curious about what the place down the road sold for – it’d be great to hear from you!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN GREY BRUCE
Buying locally grown “farm to table” food helps support our amazing local farmers!
Supporting local businesses has been extremely important to our community over the past few years.
Buying locally grown “farm to table” food from our local farmer’s markets also helps support our amazing local farmers. Here’s some food for thought on buying locally-grown produce:
Nutritious
Minimizing the time from the farm to the table ensures that fruits and vegetables retain the maximum amount of nutrients.
Greener
Transporting food long distances is detrimental to the environment as it requires extra packaging and increased emissions from fuel.
Tastier
With no need for long-distance travel, produce is picked at peak freshness so it’s loaded with taste, pardon the pun.
Preservation
Buying locally grown food helps protect farmland and wildlife from sprawling urban development.
Convenient
Many neighbourhoods have agricultural groups such as Eat Local Grey Bruce that provide a weekly box of fresh, locally grown produce that can oftentimes be delivered right to your door!
So there you have it – buying local is miles better! For a fun day out, visit a “pick your own” fruit farm. Not only will you be able to eat the tastiest fruit around but you’ll also help support our hardworking farmers and local businesses.