YOUR MONTHLY GTA REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2022

When to Increase your Budget when Shopping for a Home

When you set a budget for a new home, you’re obviously hoping — maybe even expecting — to find the ideal property within that price range.
 
But, it doesn’t always work out that way.
 
In fact, there are many circumstances in which you might have to rethink your budget and possibly even increase it, to get the home you want.
 
For example, you might find that properties in neighbourhoods you’re targeting are selling for more than you expected. In that circumstance, you might have to look for a home in a different area, or see if you can bump up your budget.
 
Another scenario that often comes up is changing wish lists. You may view a few homes for sale and realize that a particular feature is more important to you than you initially thought. For example, you might have budgeted for a three-bedroom home, but once you’ve seen a few properties with four, you think, “Okay, we definitely want four bedrooms!” That might result in a budget bump.
 
Finally, you might find that you view a property and fall in love with the place. It’s perfect. It has everything you need. You’ve got to have that home! But, its price is outside your budget.
 
In that case, you’ll need to weigh paying a bit more against getting a home that will have a significant and positive impact on your lifestyle and happiness.
 
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a home and trying to stay within a budget.
 

• Before you begin the project, make sure you have everything you need: hammer, boxes, tape, garbage bags, etc. Think of the supplies you’ll need on hand and the tools that will make tasks easier. You don’t want to have to waste time on frequent trips to the store.
• Consider renting a small moving trolley (AKA hand truck.) That will make it much easier to move heavy objects, such as furniture, as you’re cleaning. Most local home improvement centres rent these.
• Plan how you’re going to dispose of waste and unwanted stuff. Find out where you can donate clothes, toys, furniture, and other items. Note the location of your local garbage disposal site and its hours of operation.
• Divide tasks into “Heavy work” and “Light work” and then do the heavy work first, such as moving furniture, reorganizing rooms, etc. Only after completing the heavy work should you dive into the “light work”, such as packing boxes and sweeping.
• Consider getting help. There are many services available that will assist with cleaning, painting, junk removal, repairs, and more. You can even hire a student to assist you for a weekend.

Spring cleaning can be a big project, but these tips can help make it a lot easier. And, keep in mind that if you’re thinking of selling this year, getting the spring cleaning done will be a big plus.