How to host a successful yard sale

If your annual spring cleaning ritual has produced a mountain of unused and unwanted items, you may want to think twice before you simply toss them out. How about a yard sale to turn some of that "junk" into someone else's "treasure?"

Each weekend in spring and summer you'll find yard sales popping up in neighbourhoods everywhere. And, where there are yard sales, there are yard sale "junkies." For many people, scouring yard sales for a bargain on a Saturday morning is an art. Why not take advantage of that fact to make some cash off your cast-offs and have fun while you're at it.

The Ontario Real Estate Association and your local REALTOR® offer the following tips to host a successful yard sale:

First, settle on a date and time for your sale. Weekends are virtually universal for yard sales, and most run from 8 or 9 a.m. until 4 or 5 p.m. You'll also need to set a rain date, usually the next day if your sale is on a Saturday, or the following weekend if your date is Sunday.
Most sellers advertise by posting signs on lamp posts and hydro poles. This is a more effective way of letting people know you're open for business than you might suspect. Veteran buyers (see below for more) will scout a neighbourhood during the week looking for telltale flyers. Many of your customers will use this method.

Have someone present at all times. Theft is unlikely, but many sellers have learned the hard way that it does happen. Placing valuable items closer to your sales desk is a good idea.
Running out of change is also a problem that plagues many sales. As most of your transactions will involve small amounts, it never hurts to have $50 or more in small bills and loonies and twoonies at hand. Buyers will often stop at a bank machine before they come, so expect to get a lot of tens and twenties early in the day.

Think like a yard sale buyer. The ability to deliver the kind of goods and service that buyers want is perhaps the most important factor in the success of your sale. There are a number of items that are always in high demand: art, antiques (even distressed pieces), furniture, appliances, electronic equipment, tools, and lately, computer games and accessories. If you have goods in any of these categories, mention them in your flyer or ad.

Surprisingly, many veteran yard salers are not interested in old clothing. Unless you've got something special to offer, you can expect to turn much of your old wardrobe over to charity.
As to pricing your goods, nothing turns away a potential buyer more than a price that is too high. You can always expect haggling, but most won't even bother if you price an old lamp at $20, when similar items can be had for $5. The best plan of action is to attend a few sales the week before, and find out the going prices.

How you physically place your goods can also make a big difference. Don't clutter up your yard, and make sure your items are separated by category. This is a great opportunity to be creative. For example, there is a mini‑boom in memorabilia from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Believe it or not, the old Lava Lamp you consider trash, might be exactly what someone else is looking for.

Another good tip that will help make a sale is to offer free coffee to your visitors. A friendly face and a free cup of java can do wonders. Or if you want to get the kids involved, have them set up an old-fashioned lemonade stand and charge five cents a cup.

Depending on the type of items you're selling, you can expect to make as little as $20 or as much as a couple of hundred.

Finally, the success of a yard sale is measured by the amount of additional space you have in your house after the yard sale is over, and the amount of money you make. Now you may be tempted to run out and purchase more items that will likely end up in your next yard sale. But, why not celebrate your success by spending the money on dinner at a nice restaurant for the family and whoever helped at the sale.

REALTOR® is a registered trademark of REALTOR Canada Inc., a company owned equally by The Canadian Real Estate Association and the National Association of REALTORS® and refers to registered real estate practitioners who are members of The Canadian Real Estate Association. Used under license.

Don't Miss Out on this Opportunity

Get Your Home Energy Saving Audit Today!

For More Information Go to http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/conservation/?page=ohesp1

Read Before Breaking Your Mortgage - By Rob Carrick

Hi Everyone,

We've got an interesting article we'd like to share with you from the Globe and Mail written by Rob Carrick published March 25, 2o10.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/read-before-breaking-your-mortgage/article1511428/

It's a very informative article that you don't want to miss out on.

Cheers.
Leslie Benczik Team

The Housing Market

STEVE LADURANTAYE a real estate reporter for the Globe and Mail wrote a really great article about the housing market. Have a read. Click on the link below.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/frantic-housing-market-ready-for-calm/article1501678/


Enjoy,
The Leslie Benczik Team
Free Home Evaluations Anytime!
905-477-7766
1-888-762-7081

The Spring Market has really heated up!

How Can I Get Multiple Offers for My Home?

We are starting to see more inventory coming out and are talking to many sellers about whether holding offers to try to accomplish a multiple offer scenario is the right strategy for them and their home.

While multiple offers are still prevalent in today's market, there are a few key strategies for making sure your home is positioned well for this type of sale.

PRICE: Consider pricing your home just below market value to attract more buyers to your home vs. the competition. When we meet you with a comparative market analysis, we can help you determine the best marketing price depending on the strategy you are comfortable with.

STAGING: The condition of your home is very important, especially when buyers have more homes to choose from and you want to attract more than one offer. Consider hiring a professional stager to transform your home. As part of The Leslie Benczik Team's service, we provide a complimentary consultation with our professional home stager. Home builders spend thousands of dollars upgrading and decorating their model homes. When you put your home on the market, it's imperative that you set it apart from the other homes your buyer's may consider.

MARKETING: While it seems that buyers are everywhere today, as more listings hit the market, you need to differentiate yours from the competition. How and where your home is advertised is as important as the price and condition. It is our job as realtors to expose your home to as many people as possible. This results in more money for your home!

We are always happy to discuss a tailored strategy for you and your home!

Happy Spring Market!

Leslie Benczik Team

Low inventory levels set stage for heated Spring market in most major Canadian centres, says RE/MAX

Lack of inventory will be the greatest challenge facing housing markets across the country this Spring, according to a report released today by RE/MAX.

The RE/MAX Market Trends Report 2010, which examined real estate trends and developments in 16 markets across the country, found that unusually strong activity during one of the traditionally quietest months of the year has led to a sharp decline in active listings in 81 per cent of markets surveyed. The threat of higher interest rates, tighter lending criteria, and in British Columbia and Ontario, the introduction of the new HarmoSnized Sales Tax (HST) have clearly served to kick-start real estate activity from coast-to-coast, prompting an unprecedented influx of purchasers. As a result, 87.5 per cent of markets posted an increase in sales in January. Average price appreciated in 81 per cent of markets surveyed.
"There have never been so many motivating factors in play at once," says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. "We're in for a heated Spring market that will, in all probability, spill over into the summer months, as the window of opportunity draws to a close. The supply of homes listed for sale has been drastically reduced, housing values are once again on the upswing, and banks and governments are moving in unison toward stricter lending policies."

Source : Re/Max Ontario Atlantic
Wednesday February 24, 2010

Flaherty Moves to Cool Mortgage Boom

New Rules and Their Effects! Read More About What the Government is Planning On Doing! Great Article From the Globe and Mail, published by JEREMY TOROBIN, TARA PERKINS AND STEVE LADURANTAYE on Wednesday, February 17, 2010.

Read More Here http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/flaherty-moves-to-cool-mortgage-boom/article1470693/?cmpid=tgc