You have done it! Your Kelowna home is for sale!

Now here comes the hard part, you want to prepare your home and yard for the fall but are unsure of how to do it without making your home look bare! While your Kelowna homes for sale, you want to ensure it is in the best shape to set up a sale but you also want to ensure your home is prepared for the upcoming season!

Keep your Kelowna yard clean from leaves

lady raking up leaves for her Kelowna homes for sale

Keep your yard free of leaves

A hard task to keep up with but something very important! The fall season brings beautiful colourful leaves but the leaves fall onto your beautiful yard. Make sure your Kelowna home is in tip top shape by keeping your yard free of leaves. If you can’t keep up with your leaves everyday, we recommend keeping at least your front yard clean and free of leaves. A lot of potential buyers will do a drive by of your home before contacting their Kelowna realtor for a showing.

Keep up to date on your home maintenance

Just because your Kelowna homes for sale does not mean you should stop on your home maintenance for the idea you think your home will sell quickly! Your Kelowna home could take some time to sell or it could sell quick and have a longer possession. You do not want to delay on necessary maintenance to keep your home in its best shape. Ensure you get your furnace checked and filters changed before the cool weather comes quickly!

diffuser on a end table with lamp beside

Keep your Kelowna home smelling fresh

Keep your Kelowna home smelling fresh

In the summer time, we tend to keep our doors and windows open and allow in the summer breeze. In the fall, it tends to be a bit cooler and we close all of our doors and windows. The team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates, recommend letting in some fresh air before your showing. If weather allows, open up some windows to allow a cross breeze and freshen up your home!  If weather doesn’t allow for you to open your windows to freshen up your home, a simple diffuser shall do the trick!

With fall just around the corner it is time to ensure your Kelowna homes for sale is in its best shape! Keep up with your regular home maintenance and read our Livingroom DIY article , freshen up your home with the cool fall breeze and keep your yard in tip top shape! For more information on how you can prepare your Kelowna homes for sale contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. Our team of professional Kelowna real estate agents want to ensure your Kelowna home is in the best condition it can be to prepare for your sale! Call 1-778-760-2860!

The weekend is approaching quickly! Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Why not give your Kelowna living room a facelift. Try out one or all of these great living room DIY projects this weekend.

Style your bookshelf

modern living room with neutral tones

Style your bookshelf in your Kelowna living room

Do you have a bookshelf that is just in your Kelowna living room collecting dust? Another great weekend DIY for your Kelowna living room is to style your bookshelf! Adding things such as decorative objects or a pop of colour is sure to add that extra pop to your living room!

Reupholster an old chair or couch

Do you have an old chair or couch in your Kelowna living room that needs some updating? Quick weekend DIY that you can do to give it a refreshing look is to reuphoster it! If it is an old chair, try adding a fun print to add a pop of colour and print to your Kelowna living room!

 

collage wall on wall behind grey couch in living room

Collage wall behind living room couch

Add a collage wall

Is there a wall in your Kelowna living room that is lacking something special? A great way to liven it up is to add a collage wall. Take photos of your family and add some decorative objects such as a big letter of your last name and hang it all on the wall that is lacking something special! The key to a great collage wall is to have the objects and pictures not lined up but scattered around!

If you are updating your Kelowna living room to prepare it for sale, contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. On top of giving you expert real estate advice, we want to ensure your home is in perfect condition to set your sale up for success. This starts with small updates such as the ones listed above! Call one of our knowledgeable real estate agents today, 1-778-760-2860!

Is your Kelowna bedroom lacking a pop of colour? Are you struggling to make updates to your Kelowna Bedroom? The team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates are here to help! If you are looking to add a bit of colour to your Kelowna bedroom, you’ve come to the right place!

Add an Accent Wall to your Kelowna Bedroom

purple accent wall in Kelowna bedroom

Add an accent wall behind your bed

One way you can add that pop of colour to your Kelowna bedrooms is by adding an accent wall. The best spot to add an accent wall to your bedroom is behind your bed. For a more subtle pop of colour try one solid colour. For you daring couples out there, try adding a unique print!

 

Add colourful decorative objects

Another idea on how to add colour to your Kelowna bedroom is by adding colourful decorative objects! If you love the neutral colour look to your bedroom, adding some soft pastels can really transform a room! Right now, pastels and greenery are the new thing. They don’t require you to switch out your existing neutral decor as the greenery and soft pastels are an easy addition to any neutral bedroom!

neutral bedroom with a pop of bright pink accents

Switch out your bedding to add that pop of colour

Switch out your bedding

If you want to experiment with colours but are unsure of what colour you want, switch out your bedding for an easy and temporary fix! There are plenty of different, inexpensive bedding options you can try. This goes for seasonal as well. If you are looking to switch out your bedroom decor for the season, switching out your bedding is an inexpensive way that can be your best option!

If you are looking for different ways to spruce up your bedroom decor, contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates! Our team of professional real estate agents want to ensure your home is in its best shape in order to tee up the right sale! Call one of our knowledgeable associates today 1-778-760-2860!

Purchasing a Kelowna home is a great accomplishment but one of the biggest accomplishments after the fact is to pay off your mortgage. If you are looking to pay off your mortgage quicker than you have come to the right place! The team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates have some great tips on how to pay off your mortgage!

Add onto your monthly payment by rounding up

hand stacking coins on a table

Round up your monthly payments

One of the ways you can pay off your mortgage quicker is by rounding up your monthly payments. For example, if you are paying $1270 per month, round up your payments to $1300 a month. That is only an extra $30 a month that you have to put away which is not even a dinner out for two! The more you can put away each month the better, but even the smallest amount of money can make the difference!

Put away extra money to pay off your mortgage quicker

Did you get a raise from work? Just received a generous birthday gift? Did you win the lottery (okay, I know, we all wish). Put any extra money into your mortgage. This money is extra that you were not necessarily expecting and you may have not budgeted for. This adds up, it will help pay your mortgage off quicker!

sitting at computer looking for ways to pay off your mortgage quicker

Look for ways to pay off your mortgage quicker

Switch to Bi-Weekly Payments

One of the easiest ways to pay off your mortgage quicker is by switching to bi-weekly payments rather than sticking to monthly. By switching to bi-weekly payments you will pay more times per year and resulting in a decrease of how long it takes you to pay off your mortgage. You know what that means right? You are paying off your mortgage quicker!

If you are looking for more ways to help pay off your mortgage quicker contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. We work with some of the top mortgage brokers in Kelowna. We recommend before making any changes your mortgage options, consult with a mortgage broker to ensure that it is the right move for you and your mortgage!

graph showing statistics for Kelowna real estate market for the month of August

Monthly Statistics for August 2017

As the summer heats up in Okanagan, the hot Kelowna real estate market cooled off slightly. Posting an 8% decrease in sales from the month of July and a 14% fewer sale from the same month last year.  This decrease in sales is largely due to continued low inventory levels of homes for sale in Kelowna.  

New listings were at par with August of last year. As inventory remains low, the Kelowna real estate market continues to favor the seller. Days on market rose slightly, which is typical for this time of year. Average price for a single family home in Kelowna remains steady at $678,608.  

When comparing different categories of the Kelowna real estate market to the same time last year, there were some interesting numbers produced.

Single family homes

August of last year, there were 349 sales of single family homes in Kelowna where this year sales totaled 261.  The lack of single family homes for sale in Kelowna continue to factor into the decrease in sales.  Yet another major factor is the rise Kelowna real estate market prices.  It is becoming harder and harder for first time home buyers to buy a single family home. They are turning to condo and townhouse living.  

Condominium and townhouses

As condos and townhouses become the more affordable option in a red hot Kelowna real estate market, sales are at par to last year despite the lower inventory levels.  Last year in August there were 281 units sold and this year is nearly the same at 257.  This trend will likely continue as new developments of condos and townhouse complete and prices for single family homes remain out of reach for some buyers.

Lots

According to CMHC, by this time last year new home construction was up 65% over the previous year and lot sales were very brisk to say the least.  For the month of August alone there there were 57 lot sold compared to only 30 this year.  Rising building costs and lack lots for sale in Kelowna contributes to this decrease.  

Waterfront homes

The sale of waterfront homes in Kelowna has seen a significant decrease this year with only 14 sales registering for the month of August. Yet last year there was of 25.  Sales of waterfront homes are down due to the flooding of Lake Okanagan where over 200 docks lakeshore were damaged from the floodwaters.  Once docks are repaired and replaced,  the Kelowna real estate market could see an increase in listings and sales of waterfront homes.  

Luxury property

Luxury real estate in Kelowna in August is down 16 sales to 35 on a last year of 51.  Homes sold over 1 million make up this category. While inventory is the common theme for this year’s Kelowna real estate market statistics, there were environmental factor such as floods and fires.  Luxury homes with big lakeviews where difficult to apprecite because of the fires in BC.  It was surprising to see a decrease in this category because of the rise in the real estate values pushing more homes over that 1 million dollar mark.  

As summer winds down the we move into the 4th quarter, it is typical to see a slowdown from the busy Spring and Summer market.  Demand is still strong and with lower inventory, we remain in a seller’s market going into the fall.  This could change with new home starts in 2016. It is likely to see an increase in re-sale listings as homeowners get ready to take posession of their new build.  

To stay on top of the changing Kelowna real esate market, use the expertise of a professional real estate agent.  Quincy Vrecko and Assoicates is a top Kelowna real estate team with RE/MAX Kelwona focused on real estate trends. We can keep you up to date on listings even before they hit the market.

Moving is hard.  Not only on you as the designated packer, organizer, cleaner and mover but also on the whole family. Change can be good for everyone especially your little ones! One of the hardest things for moving to Kelowna can be preparing your children for what is to come. The team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates have great tips on how to prepare your children for your next move.

Discuss what is coming up before moving to Kelowna

parents and son unloading moving truck

Discuss what is coming up before moving to Kelowna

One of the best things you can give your children during this move is information. Is this the first time they are moving? They may not know what to expect. Inform your children why this is important for your family at this stage in life. If the move in within the city, take your children to the neighborhood and show them around. Bring them to a nearby park or nearby attraction! If the move is a distant move and you can’t show them the city until the move use the internet! Show photos of the Kelowna neighbourhood, use Google Maps to show the street your new Kelowna home is on and view videos of parks and attractions.

Keep them busy!

Are you planning on redoing the children’s rooms? Something that can keep your children busy during a move is letting them plan what they want their new rooms to look like. Give them some control over what they want it to look like. Narrow down some colour ideas for the walls and let them decide what colour they like best. Even though you narrowed down what you want the room to look like, they feel like they have some say if they can have the final decision.

couple walking in door of home

Narrow down your home choices and then involve your children

Involve your children in the process

If you have older children, it may be a great idea to involve them in the house hunting process. Get them excited for what is to come. If you have narrowed it down to one or two choices, excite them by showing them what could be their new room or playroom. If you are planning on renovating the house, tell them the fun ways you plan on doing it! Do you plan on knocking a wall down or fixing the yard so there is room for a trampoline? These kind of ideas can excite your children and also let them have something to look forward to.

Moving can be stressful especially when you are relocating to a new city. If you are planning on moving to Kelowna, check out our handy relocation guide. There is so much to do in the Okanagan so use our guide to get yourself familiarized with the city! From our team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates, welcome to the city of Kelowna.

Some may say that one of the biggest accomplishments is to buy a home. They dream of the day the real estate agent hand over keys to their new home. Some may never get to experience that, some may experience that later on in life. The team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates have some great tips on how to buy a home in your twenties.

Start with your Credit 

person sitting in front of desk on calculator looking for ways to improve credit to buy a home

Start improving your credit score

One of the hurdles that people in their twenties reach is having little to no credit. So, begin working towards improving or building up credit. Best way to avoid this is to apply for a credit card with a low balance and just continue to pay it off every month. Start using your credit card rather than your bank account for things and establish a credit score rather quickly! Make sure you pay your balances on time to keep up with the credit score you are working towards!

Get pre-approved for a mortgage to buy a home

There is no sense on beginning to look for homes without knowing exactly what you can afford. Once you are pre-approved, you will know what you can afford. We strongly recommend getting pre-approved for a mortgage for a few reasons, check out why should I get pre-approved for a mortgage for more information.

mason jar with coins inside with sign "down payment"

Start saving now!

Save for the next year, no excuses!

If you are truly serious about buying your first home in your twenties, it will require a lot of savings. Start now, no excuses! Start by figuring out how much you need to save up in order to make your dream to buy a home come true. Once you know approximately what you should save, divide that by how many months you want to and you have what you should be putting away each month. It is all worth it!

If you are ready to take the next step of buying a home, contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. Our team of real estate agents have years of experience assisting people with purchasing a Kelowna home. We are ready to help you with this big step! Call 1-778-760-2860 today! 

We’re into the second week of September. Are you struggling to find things to do in Downtown Kelowna this September? We have put together a great list of things such as where to eat or where to take the kids for a hike! No more searching countless websites for ideas, the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates have you covered!

Hike Here → Knox Mountain 

lady sitting on top of a mountain with her hands behind her head taking in the view

Knox Mountain in Downtown Kelowna

If you have lived in Kelowna or currently live in Kelowna, you are most likely aware of Knox Mountain. Knox Mountain has stunning views from their two lookouts. Located in Downtown Kelowna, this hike is moderate depending on where you decide to start from. Regardless of where you begin or end, you are sure to see some amazing views of all of Downtown Kelowna.

Shop Here → Downtown Kelowna on Bernard 

Summer is coming to an end but that doesn’t mean shopping Downtown has to! Take advantage of the nice fall weather about to come and stroll down Bernard this September. Home to lots of family run and small businesses. Support local! 

Eat Here → Krafty Kitchen + Bar

Located on Lawrence Street in Downtown Kelowna is Krafty Kitchen + Bar. More on the high end of restaurant’s in Downtown Kelowna. This farm to table restaurant is home to Kelowna’s only duck fat fryer… yes you read that right. For a full menu check out, https://kraftykitchen.ca

Sip Here → Sandhill Winery

If you are looking for a great winery to sip on local wine, head over to Sandhill Winery. Located in the heart of Downtown Kelowna down on Richter Street is this stunning winery. Act fast, the tasting room is only open until September 30th from 10:30-5:30PM.

http://sandhillwines.ca/Tasting-Room/

boardwalk with view of Okanagan Lake in Downtown Kelowna

Waterfront Boardwalk in Kelowna

Walk Here → Waterfront Boardwalk

This is a given, if you want to take an afternoon or evening stroll after dinner head to Waterfront Boardwalk. The boardwalk downtown is great for everyone in the family. You can walk for quite a while on the boardwalk and to top it all off it is along the Okanagan Lake the whole time!

Summer is coming to an end and the weather is going to start to drop more than it has already. Enjoy all that is left of this warm weather and take advantage of all that Downtown Kelowna has to offer. If you are interested in making a change in your lifestyle to accommodate the Downtown Kelowna living, contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. Our team of real estate agents have years of experience and are ready to help you find your next Downtown Kelowna home. Call 1-778-760-2860 today!

Are you looking to put your Kelowna home up for sale? One of the most important things you can do to your Kelowna home is have it professionally staged. Staging a home can take your home up to the next level and attract your potential buyer.

Professional stagers bring out the best in your Kelowna home

magnifying glass being held over a living room

Professional Staging companies bring out the best in your home

Professionals may notice things that you have overlooked. Maybe there is a unique way to decorate your living room to make the space look larger! Regardless of the home, professional staggers are there to bring out the best in your Kelowna home.

They stage your home to attract a wider audience

When you have a professional staging company stage your Kelowna home, they look for ways to attract a wider audience of potential buyers. You style your Kelowna home so it is convenient for you living in it every single day. A potential buyer is looking for their dream home, new family home, vacation home for themselves. Having your home professionally staged can attract your potential buyer who is looking for something different.

grey couch in living room clutter free

Professionally staged home that is clutter free

Professional Stagers take away the clutter

You may think your home is perfectly organized and clutter free but some may say otherwise. You may be blind to the fact that your home needs a facelift and a professional stager can do just that. Back to our first point, they bring out the best in your home. Professional stagers are there to clear clutter and find the best way to show your home. This may mean boxes of stuff will be put in your garage and away until your home sells! Be prepared, your home will look way better.

In most of our transactions, having a Kelowna home staged either sells the home quicker and/or for top dollar! If you are looking for a great staging company, contact the team at Quincy Vrecko and Associates. We would love to recommend great companies in Kelowna to stage your Kelowna home. Once your home is ready to be placed on the market, our team of real estate agents are ready to assist you with your real estate transaction! Call one of our knowledge associates today! 1-778-760-2860