Jorge Branca - Blog - Jorge Branca

Recent Blog Posts by Jorge Branca
Why Work with an Acredited Buyer Representative ?? Buying a home may be the largest and most complex financial transaction you ever undertake. If you’re ready to buy a home..., Wouldn’t you prefer to work with the most qualified real estate professional you can find? An Accredited Buyer’s Representative stands out in the crowd. If your REALTOR® holds the ABR® designation, you can trust that they have the extra edge ... Posted by Jorge Branca on April 27, 2012		More
How to decide if you should replace your windows One of the most prominent features of any home is the windows. When they are well maintained they have a positive impact on the impression people (such as potential buyers) will have of your property. The opposite occurs, of course, when your windows look old and worn. So does that mean you should replace your windows? That depends on a number of factors. Window replacement can be an expensive ... Posted by Jorge Branca on April 11, 2012		More
5 FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS MISTAKE TO AVOID Before you purchase any big-ticket item, you should do your homework. Buying a home for the first time is no exception to this rule. Fortunately, many homebuyers that have come before you have paved the road of success. Learn from their mistakes so you can avoid making the same ones. It’s All About the Mortgage Payment Many first time homebuyers make the mistake of focusing ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 16, 2012		More
How do you determine WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ? Say you’re a homeowner wanting to sell your two-storey, detached home. You sit down and make a list of things that need to get done to make your property as attractive as possible to buyers. You consider the backyard. “Hmm,” you think. “Doesn’t our deck need a new finish and our flowerbed need new edging stones?” Then you think about the basement. “The carpeting. ... Posted by Jorge Branca on February 17, 2012		More
FIVE THINGS THAT BUYERS HATE TO SEE When you show your home to prospective buyers, there is probably a long list of things you’re hoping they’ll notice. For example, the beautiful chandelier in the foyer, or the spacious backyard and large deck, or the kitchen with the island big enough for a family to sit down for breakfast. But what about those things you’re hoping buyers will not zero in on? Every home has some ... Posted by Jorge Branca on November 17, 2011		More
Six Signs it's Time to Buy a House If you've been considering buying a house but you're still unsure, consider some of the personal and economic conditions that favor home purchases. If you find that a number of these signs ring true for you, it might be time to contact a real estate agent and start shopping. 1. You're Ready to Commit First and foremost, if you're not ready to commit to owning a home, you should not buy a house. ... Posted by Jorge Branca on July 8, 2011		More
"Juicy" House Hunting on the Internet The internet can be a wonderful tool to help find a new home, or it can be a frustrating time-waster. It all depends on how you use it. Let’s first take a look at the upside of using the Web when home shopping. A good REALTOR® can point you to websites and specific web pages where you can: • See pictures of homes available, including in some cases individual rooms ... Posted by Jorge Branca on June 17, 2011		More
What do you know about Reverse Mortgages?? Reverse mortgages enable seniors who own their homes to tap into the home equity. These homeowners can generally access between 20 and 30% of the equity in their homes while continuing to live there. The money can be used for day-to-day expenses, home repairs, in-house care, or any other needs. In most programs, the loan and accumulated interest is not repaid until the house is sold or the homeowners ... Posted by Jorge Branca on May 2, 2011		More
The Crisis in Long-Term Care Ontario’s long-term care system is paralysed, and failing its most vulnerable residents. More than 600 government-funded homes are supposed to provide high quality, around-the-clock care to the frail elderly. But a Metroland Special Report shows seniors stuck on record wait lists, entangled in bureaucracy and subject to pressure tactics that jeopardize their rights . Ontario facts and figures ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 7, 2011		More
Understanding the Home Buying Process The more you know about the best way to reach a goal, the more likely you are to get the result you want. So, whether you’re hunting for a new job, assembling a backyard BBQ, or training for a 3 mile run, you’ll want to use a proven process to help you get there. That certainly holds true when shopping for a new home. There is a proven process to getting the home you want, in the ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 4, 2011		More
MAKING A SMALL ROOM BIGGER TO BUYERS When you’re putting your property on the market, you want to make it seem as big and comfortable as possible. Let’s face it...Buyers are attracted to space. However, you probably have at least one room in your home — and perhaps even more — that feels small and a little cramped. Of course you don’t want the buyer’s first impression of the room to be its ... Posted by Jorge Branca on November 11, 2010		More
LITTLE TOUCH UPS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE You are probably already aware of the major things you need to do around your home to get it ready for sale. These include getting rid of clutter, doing minor repairs, and making everything clean and tidy so every room is as much of a showcase as possible. But there are a myriad of little touch ups you can do that you may not have thought of before… touch ups that can make a big difference ... Posted by Jorge Branca on May 5, 2010		More
FOUR HOME SHOWINGS MISTAKES and HOW TO AVOID THEM When you’re showing your home to a potential buyer, you obviously want to make the best impression possible. You don’t want to make a mistake, and miss out on an opportunity to sell. So here are some of the most common home viewing blunders and how to avoid them: 1. Being inflexible with scheduling Don’t be too strict about when you’re willing to schedule a viewing. ... Posted by Jorge Branca on April 12, 2010		More
GIVE YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE A "WASH & HAIRCUT" When preparing a home for sale, most people focus on making the inside look as appealing as possible. But the outside of your property deserves your attention too. After all, it’s the first thing a potential buyer sees. You can dramatically improve the appearance of your property by giving it a “wash and haircut”! Clean the driveway, walkways and deck or patio. A pressure washer ... Posted by Jorge Branca on April 12, 2010		More
THE MOST IMPORTANT "ROOM" IN YOUR HOME When you’re preparing your house for sale, you want to make sure every room looks its best. But pay particularly close attention to the kitchen. Many buyers will spend a lot of time determining whether or not it meets their needs. In fact, some buyers will even form an impression about the entire property based primarily on how they feel about the kitchen! How do you make it look its best? ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 16, 2010		More
Attention Buyers !... "WHAT TO VIEW WHEN VIEWING A HOME" Shopping for a home is a little like shopping for a car. Unless you know what to look for, you risk being swayed by first impressions and buying something that does not truly meet your needs. For example, you might fall in love with the basement recreation room — complete with a bar and a dartboard — and unconsciously overlook the fact that the home doesn’t have enough bedrooms ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 8, 2010		More
Should I buy this property? "ASSESSING A PROPERTY'S LONG TERM POTENTIAL" You see a home on the market that you like. Should you buy it? Before you make an offer, it’s a good idea to get a sense of the property’s long-term potential. After all, a property is not just a potential home, it’s also an important investment. Here are some things to look for when viewing homes on the market: • Is the area’s average income increasing? The more ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 6, 2010		More
STAGING THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME Probably you are familiar with the term “home staging”. It involves cleaning, de-cluttering, reorganizing, and decorating specifically in order to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. Furniture stores do something similar when they “stage” a bedroom suite in a showroom. Most sellers focus their staging efforts on the inside of their homes. But the outside ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 5, 2010		More
THE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING PRE-APPROVED One of the best things you can do to ensure you get the home you want is to arrange for financing before you go shopping. This is often referred to as getting “pre-approved”. Getting pre-approved simply means that your lender has calculated how much of a mortgage they’re willing to offer you, depending on your down payment and current financial situation. In most of the cases, ... Posted by Jorge Branca on March 4, 2010		More
FOUR SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOME IRRESISTIBLE There are dozens of ways to make your property more enticing to potential buyers. For example, you can invest in getting your home professionally “staged”, which involves making it look a little like a model home. Or, you can do a major renovation to improve your home‘s look and value. But what if you don’t have a lot of time and are on a limited budget? What can you do ... Posted by Jorge Branca on February 24, 2010		More
REFUND of LAND TRANSFER TAX in ONTARIO If you are (or were) a First Time buyer, you should visit this website today: www.rev.gov.on.ca/english/bulletins/ltt/1_2008.html Maybe you can get some money back and you didn't know it yet !!! Posted by Jorge Branca on June 25, 2009		More
9 BUYER TRAPS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM No matter which way you look at it, buying a home is a major investment. But for many homebuyers, it can be an even more expensive process than it needs to be because many fall prey to at least a few of the many common and costly mistakes which trap them into either: paying too much for the home they want, or... losing their dream home to another buyer, or... (worse) buying the wrong home ... Posted by Jorge Branca on June 24, 2008		More

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