Real Estate Word -- New Year's Resolutions & Home Inspections January 2006 Dennis & Arleen Galandy Sales Representatives ----------------------- 100 - 32555 Simon Avenue Abbotsford, BC 604-855-0800 (office) 1-866-350-0461 (toll free) www.GalandyGroup.com Greetings! Happy New Year! It's that time again -- we start thinking about our New Year's resolutions and the changes we want to make in our life. This month, we’re discussing how to set New Year's resolutions and more importantly, how to stick to them! Buying a home is such an overwhelming experience not to mention probably the largest investment you'll ever make so we’re discussing the importance of getting a home inspection whether you're a home buyer or a seller. Lastly, did you know that baking soda is nothing short of a miracle cleaning agent? The best part is that it's cheap and natural too! Let me know if you have any comments regarding these articles or if you have any general questions about the real estate market. In This Issue... New Year, New Resolution? Getting a Home Inspection Provides Peace of Mind Creative Cleaning -- The Magic of Baking Soda! New Year, New Resolution? For many of us, New Year’s resolutions or goals are a great way to plan for the coming year. Others however are filled with the dread of potential failure. Here are a few tips to help your resolutions succeed so you can accomplish your goals. There are many benefits to setting goals at this time of year because your enthusiasm is high. You’re therefore better motivated to steadily move towards achieving the results you really want. This in turn boosts your self-esteem, confidence and belief in your ability to make things happen and feel in control. However, don’t forget to balance this with living in the moment. Looking too far into the future can take your focus away from enjoying your life right now! Setting goals often helps eliminate the stress of feeling out of control and powerless. That said, we often set too many resolutions or set the bar too high and become disillusioned in the first couple of months. The trick is to look at our resolutions more as realistic goals that will lead to your greater happiness. The last thing we need is to feel bitter and unhappy because it seems like we’ve ‘failed’, so make sure your goals are specific and break down any larger goals into more detailed "bite-size" pieces. Once you’ve set your goal, formulate a plan to explain what you’re going to do next and how you’re going to complete this goal. Perhaps you long for your own home so saving for the downpayment could be on your list of goals. Start by preparing a budget to show how you’re going to save the extra money that’s needed (see my November 2005 article). Try and balance your goals as you do your life -- some could be family and home, and others could be financial or career oriented. So this year, enjoy the process of outlining your goals and resolutions and reap the benefits of sticking to them! You have to believe you will achieve your goals and most importantly make sure you write them down -- research suggests this is the best way to ensure your success. Place them in a prominent place and review them regularly. Give yourself a pat on the back as you work towards your goals and have a wonderful, Happy New Year! Getting a Home Inspection Provides Peace of Mind You’ve just toured your prospective new home, fallen in love with it and want to put an offer in immediately! Buying a home is an emotional investment as well as a financial one and the last thing you want is to have unpleasant surprises after you’re all moved in. Having the home professionally inspected from top to bottom can help you avoid this. For just a few hundred dollars, you can have peace of mind knowing you’ve made the right decision. Many problems with a house can result in large, unexpected repair bills so at least if you’re aware of these problems ahead of time, you can factor them into the price of your offer. This recommendation doesn’t just apply to buyers. More and more homeowners are having home inspections done before they put their property on the market. It’s best to be prepared -- the last thing you want is the purchaser finding out a new roof is needed and it costing you the sale of your home. Whether it’s your home or a home you’re buying, it’s important to be familiar with the condition of the property. Ask around for recommendations of an experienced, certified home inspector and ensure the cost includes a written report. The piece of mind you'll gain is well worth the extra expense. Creative Cleaning -- The Magic of Baking Soda! Baking Soda can make your life easier in so many ways! You’re probably already familiar with its deodorizing properties and have a box tucked away in the fridge to absorb odors. But, did you know it’s also an economical, safe and natural cleaner that’s environmentally friendly. Here are just some of the amazing uses of baking soda: 1. Clean your bathroom by using baking soda just like a dry cleanser to clean the tub, sinks, tiles and toilets. 2. Pour in half a cup of baking soda to every laundry load for extra clean clothes. Stained clothing comes out much cleaner and smells fresher too! 3. To eliminate odors from your carpets and upholstered furniture simply sprinkle baking soda on and leave for about 15 minutes, then vacuum. 4. Pour half a cup of baking soda down a partially clogged drain and then add a cup of vinegar. After it has bubbled for a few minutes, run hot water down the drain. 5. If you’ve been cooking with onions or garlic and can’t seem to get rid of the smell from your hands, wet them and rub with baking soda and rinse. There are so many other uses but the five above are sure to make your life easier. After you’ve spent time trying out these ideas, relax in a bath with ½ cup of baking soda -- it’ll soften your skin! P.S. Are you sick of scouring the paper and MLS sites looking for homes? Tired of playing telephone tag with agents only to hear the home's already sold? Sit back, relax and let me do the work for you! Just visit my website and check off the features you're looking for. Whenever a home matching your criteria hits the market, it'll be automatically flagged and emailed to you so you'll never have to worry about missing your dream home. This service is free and there's no obligation! Click here to get started. Created by RealEstateWord.com