Your final walk-through gives you the opportunity to examine your almost-home a few days — or sometimes hours — before closing. 

As you envision where to put the couch or where your favorite piece of art will hang, the excitement of closing may take over. However, a final walk-through can help you determine if the home is in the same shape it was during the inspection. It also gives you a chance to make sure there are not any unexpected surprises, like flooded floors or insect damage.

Come prepared with this checklist during your final walk-through.

• Run water in sinks, bathtubs and showers, looking for any leaks or water issues.

• Turn on and off all appliances.

• Run garbage disposal and test exhaust fans in kitchen.

• Open and close any garage doors.

• Flush all toilets.

• Turn on and off all light switches.

• Test all outlets. (Hint: Bring your phone charger with you to test)

• Inspect all floors, walls and ceilings, searching for water damage or other issues.

• Turn on and off both heating and air conditioning.

• Open and close all windows and doors.

• Ensure all debris has been removed.

• Check perimeter of home, inspecting gutters, siding and landscaping.

• Compare list of items included with the home with what is actually there, like appliances or shelving.

• Verify any repairs that have been made since the inspection.

While there may be other items you specifically want to look for, I hope this list helps get you started. I am here to answer any questions you may have before we sign the papers!

Buyer Tip: Tax Deductions

When you’re buying a house for the first time you’re mostly worried about all of the costs that come with being a new home owner. It can seem overwhelming as you'll have closing costs, lawyer fees, REALTOR® fees (if applicable), moving costs, etc. Luckily, there are a few great ways to get back money back on your new investment. Check out these deductions and make sure to save this post for tax time next year!

1. The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive helps first-time homebuyers without adding to their financial burdens. Eligible first-time homebuyers who have the minimum down payment for an insured mortgage can apply to finance a portion of their home purchase through a shared equity mortgage with the Government of Canada.

2. The Home Buyers’ Amount offers a $5,000 non-refundable income tax credit amount on a qualifying home acquired during the year. For an eligible individual, the credit will provide up to $750 in federal tax relief.

3. The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) is a program that allows you to withdraw up to $35,000 in a calendar year from your registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or for a related person with a disability.

4. You may qualify for a rebate of part of the GST or HST that you paid on the purchase price or cost of building your new house, on the cost of substantially renovating or building a major addition onto your existing house, or on converting a non-residential property into a house.

5. The Canada Greener Homes grants and loans are helping Canadian homeowners across the country improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their energy bills. Eligible homeowners will be able to receive grants and loans to make energy-efficient retrofits to their homes.

Contact us today to learn more! 

Island Homes Group

David Silletta *PREC | Agustin Torres *PREC

☎️ David: 250.888.6924 | Agustin: 250.886.8520

info@IslandHomesGroup.ca

www.IslandHomesGroup.ca⁠

Open House Etiquette

Let’s talk about open houses. We love hosting them, but sometimes we see buyers that just don't know what to do to get the most out of their showings. Or they feel awkward because they don't know some of the common etiquettes of touring someone else's home.

So here’s how you can put your best foot forward at your next open house visit!

1. Open houses are for you to go and attend without having to schedule an appointment. Just show up and view at your own pace.

2. Gauge the competition. Take note of how many other buyers are there. If it's busy, you may have some competition.

3. Redefine your non-negotiables. Seeing homes in person may give you a better sense of what your real needs and wants are in a home.

And make sure to follow these etiquette rules:

DO

- Focus on listings that fit your criteria for budget and location.

- Walk in, unless a sign is posted that tells you to knock or ring the bell

- Ask if you can take photos or a video

- Take notes on your phone

DON’T:

- Bring anything messy. Yes, this includes food, drink, pets, and children.

- Use the bathroom—they're not public!!!

- Touch things. You wouldn’t want someone touching your stuff while you’re away, right?

- Criticize the owner’s style. You never know who is listening, so take photos and save it for the car

And remember, if you like this house, you can always schedule another showing with your agent where you get to investigate in depth.

Don’t forget these tips for your next open house!

Island Homes Group

David Silletta *PREC | Agustin Torres *PREC

☎️ David: 250.888.6924 | Agustin: 250.886.8520

info@IslandHomesGroup.ca

www.IslandHomesGroup.ca⁠

5 common myths about selling your house...⁠

1. Overpricing will give more room for negotiations and get a better price. Overpricing your home often leads to the home sitting and not receiving much interest. If a home is priced competitively from the beginning, the chances of attracting optimal traffic from the beginning greatly increases. 

2. All Agents Are The Same, Charge Too Much & Will Get You The Same Results. Although the general process of buying or selling and the ensuing chain of events are similar, no two agents are the same, nor is their approach to real estate. Successful real estate agents are committed to excellence, devote endless amounts of time and energy into working with buyers and sellers and are highly adept problem solvers.

3. The First Buyer to Make an Offer Will Always Lowball You. Low offers can be insulting to sellers and are generally not a good way to open up a transaction. If you really want the home and it is priced reasonably, offer close-to or at list price. In some markets, you may even want to offer over list price to secure the home of your dreams. This is where a great agent will help you come up with a winning offer-strategy.

4. Home improvements will pay for themselves. Don’t expect to see 100% return on your remodeling investment in your home. The return rate averages just 64% of your initial outlay. That said, some upgrades can add significant value to the price of your home. The most recent analysis by the National Association of Realtors cited door replacements such as upgraded garage doors, mid-range wood window replacement and steel outer doors as the only items returning 100% of their cost. Minor kitchen remodels offered the highest rate of return at 79.3% of remodeling costs.

5. A home doesn’t need to be prepped for sale. The real estate myth that homes don’t need to be prepared for a sale can cost a seller thousands of dollars.  Properly preparing a home for sale can be the difference between it selling in a relatively quick amount of time or it sitting on the market and developing a negative stigma.  It’s very important that you don’t list your home before it’s ready.

If you are thinking of selling and want to know more about the process, get in touch!⁠

David Silletta *PREC | Agustin Torres *PREC

Island Homes Group

David: 250.888.6924 | Agustin: 250.886.8520

info@IslandHomesGroup.ca

www.IslandHomesGroup.ca⁠