Jack & Matthew Wiebe Phone:  (403) 585-1171 Email:  wiebegroup@shaw.ca Website:  wiebegroup.net       Dear Clients, There’s no doubt it’s difficult to predict the future. After all, no one beyond a few data scientists in a backroom at Google predicted that AI would become so prevalent so quickly. But, as difficult as it is to see what’s coming next, it’s not entirely impossible. In the real estate world, for example, it’s not easy to anticipate the ups and downs of the market. However, someone who studies the market data and has the requisite real estate savvy, can give you a fairly good sense of what the market will be like two, three, or even six months from now. That’s good news for you. If you’re thinking of selling in the next few months, you can get a rough ballpark idea of what the market conditions will be, how long it will take to sell your home, and how much, approximately, it will sell for. That information is definitely advantageous. Of course, no one has a perfect crystal ball. But, we can help you get a reasonably good idea of what the market will be like — and that will help you make a more informed decision. So, when you need a peek into the near future, reach out to us.  We would be happy to provide you with the answers, insights, and advice you need, anytime.   Matthew Wiebe, Broker Beacon Real Estate wiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-585-1171 Certified Condo Specialist and Seniors Real Estate Specialist®   Jack Wiebe, REALTOR® Beacon Real Estate jackwiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-680-6220 Seniors Real Estate Specialist® wiebegroup.net How to Sweeten an Offer without Raising the Price   If you’re making an offer on a property, obviously the price you go in at plays a big role in whether or not you get that home. That’s especially true when there are other competing offers. However, while the price is important, it’s not the only factor. There are other ways to make your offer more appealing. For example, the closing date may be important to the seller. They may be relocating out-of-town and need to move on a specific date. If you can accommodate the closing date, that’s likely to be an attractive benefit to the seller. Having your financing in order and being able to attach a pre-arranged mortgage certificate to your offer will also sweeten the deal. Knowing there is unlikely to be financing issues will make the seller feel more comfortable selling to you — as opposed to someone whose financing is less certain.  Tips for “After Dusk” Viewing Appointments   When you’re selling your property, you want buyers to see it at its best. But, a percentage of potential buyers will only be able to see your home in the evening. If it’s getting dark by the time they arrive, your home may not look as good as it does during the day. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to compensate. Start with lighting. Make sure your home is well lit during an evening viewing. It doesn’t need to be so bright that it’s blinding! You’re looking for pleasant lighting throughout the home, including in traditionally darker spaces such as closets. Professional stagers say turning the light on above the stove is a good idea too. Also, make sure the curtains are open, especially if there’s an appealing evening view. Open curtains add to the sense of spaciousness. People tend to equate evenings with relaxation. Put on soft background music during a viewing and avoid anything loud or energetic, such as the television. Finally, buyers are particularly sensitive to seeing clutter when viewing a home after dusk. As much as possible, try to make your home “guest ready.” What to Look for when Watching a Walk-Through Video   Walk-through videos are becoming increasingly popular. The seller’s agent simply films a tour of a home, often including commentary, and then makes the video available to prospects. When you’re shopping for a new home, you want to get the most out of watching this type of video, especially if you’re relying on it to help you decide whether or not to make a viewing appointment. Consider these suggestions: • Remember, it’s a video. Take advantage of the ability to pause, go back and forth, and take screenshots you can review later. • When you’re watching, look for everyday items that can give you perspective, such as a lamp, sofa or chair. These items will help you gain a more accurate sense of room sizes. • Although that previous tip will help, it’s still difficult to judge room size on a video. So, don’t be quick to dismiss a listing because you think the rooms might be too small. • Pay attention to what is not shown. Did the agent leave the ensuite bathroom out of the video? That may indicate an issue. • When viewing the main rooms, such as the living room and kitchen, try to get a sense of how your furniture will fit. • Make a list of features and characteristics you want in your next home. Have that list handy as you watch the video. You can use it as a checklist. • While you’re watching, jot down any questions you have about the property. After watching the video, if you like what you see, take the next step. Schedule a viewing appointment. Notable, Quotable, Quotes! “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.”  Oprah Winfrey “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity — not a threat.”  Steve Jobs “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Wishing is not enough; we must do.”  Goethe Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. IXACT Contact Solutions Inc.

Jack & Matthew Wiebe Phone:  (403) 585-1171 Email:  wiebegroup@shaw.ca Website:  wiebegroup.net        Dear Clients, We don’t know whether or not you’re a movie fan. But, even if you’re not, you’ve probably heard of the actor Kevin Bacon. He’s been in many films. In fact, the popular expression, “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon”, refers to the idea that just about every actor on the planet is connected to him in some way. It’s even become a popular board game! So, what does this have to do with real estate? Well, although “six degrees” is a bit of a Hollywood joke, the underlying premise is sound. Chances are, you know a lot of people… who know a lot of people… and so on.  We all do. And, as a result, you probably come across many people in your network who are looking for real estate help. For example: A friend who’s searching for a new home. Neighbours who want to know how much their property is worth on today’s market. A work colleague who is listing soon and looking for a good real estate agent. When that happens, I hope you’ll feel comfortable giving them our names. As you know, we build our business on referrals and, therefore, genuinely appreciate valued clients recommending us. And it goes without saying (but we will say it anyway!), we will give the red-carpet treatment to anyone you send our way. Thank you in advance for your support.   Matthew Wiebe, Broker Beacon Real Estate wiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-585-1171 Certified Condo Specialist and Seniors Real Estate Specialist®   Jack Wiebe, REALTOR® Beacon Real Estate jackwiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-680-6220 Seniors Real Estate Specialist® wiebegroup.net Creating a Welcoming Environment when Selling your Home   When buyers view your home, how do you want them to feel? Do you want them to feel like they’re intruders or a nuisance? Of course not! You want them to feel welcomed. So how do you create that impression? Here are a few proven ideas: • The foyer. This is where buyers first set foot in your home. It’s where they form their first impressions. So, make sure the foyer is tidy and feels spacious. Ensure the doormat (if you have one) is clean or new. If you anticipate wet weather during a showing, have a convenient place for buyers to put their footwear. • Lighting. Does a dark space or poorly lit room make you feel welcomed? Likely not! So, go through your home and check that the lighting is sufficient and pleasant. If possible, have three light sources in each room, including passive light from windows. • Interior doors. Nothing says “You’re not welcome” more than a closed door. So, wherever possible, have interior doors open. You want buyers to feel comfortable exploring your home without questioning whether they can enter a particular space. There may be exceptions, of course, such as the door to a storage room. • Personal items. In most cases, buyers are walking through a stranger’s house. (Yours!) So, there may be a sense of discomfort. For example, if buyers see a family portrait on the wall, they might feel like intruders. To put buyers at ease, remove as many personal items as possible. By creating a “blank slate”, you’ll help them visualize themselves living there. The more welcomed you can make buyers feel when they view your home, the more interest you’ll get. SEPTEMBER 2023 HOUSING MARKET UPDATE   Calgary home sales at record highs in September, yet supply remains a challenge Sales reached another record high in September with 2,441 sales. Despite the year-over-year gains reported over the past four months, year-to-date sales are still nearly 12 per cent lower than last year's levels. New listings also improved this month compared to last year and relative to sales. This caused the sales-to-new listings ratio to fall to 76 per cent, preventing further monthly declines in inventory levels. Nonetheless, inventory levels in September remained over 24 per cent lower than levels seen last year and, when measured relative to sales activity, has not changed enough to cause any significant shift in supply and demand balances. As of September, the months of supply has remained relatively low at less than two months. “Supply has been a challenge in our market as strong inter-provincial migration has elevated housing demand despite higher lending rates,” said CREB® Chief Economist Ann-Marie Lurie. “While new listings are improving, it has not been enough to take us out of sellers’ market conditions.” In September, the unadjusted residential benchmark price was $570,300, similar to last month and nearly nine per cent higher than last year.  Benefits of Being an “Early-Bird” Shopper   “The early-bird gets the worm” is a popular expression. Indeed, there are many examples in life when being early, or even first in line, gives you an advantage. Real estate is one of them. When shopping for a new home, being among the first to learn about a new listing benefits you in several ways: • You have more time to see the property and make a decision. • You might be able to make an early offer. • You’re under less pressure to make a decision quickly. Overall, by finding out about a new listing early, you improve your chances of getting the property. How do you get the early-bird advantage? If you scour the internet for new listings, you can still miss opportunities. For example, “Coming soon” listings may not yet be published on the MLS. A better strategy is to arrange to be alerted to new listings and coming-soon opportunities the moment they come up. That way, you’re always the early-bird and your likelihood of finding and buying your next dream home increases. Should you Stage your Home yourself?   There’s no doubt that an effectively “staged” home is likely to sell faster and for a better price. Studies in real estate sales consistently prove it. However, you might be asking, “Is it better to do the staging myself? Do I need to hire a professional?” Let’s look at the pros and cons. If your home is already in demand and likely to get multiple offers, you might get away with doing the staging work on your own. In that case, it’s still advisable to get professional advice rather than “guess” your way through the process. There may be specific staging approaches that apply to your home, that only a professional would know to recommend. There are, of course, some downsides to doing it yourself, such as the extra work involved, as well as the fact that you may not have the experience or materials (such as staging furniture) to do a professional job. By contrast, when you hire a professional, or at least get professional advice, you take advantage of the latest staging best practices to make your home more attractive and desirable to buyers. That is especially important in a balanced or a buyer’s market. So, when it comes to staging, remember that homes that show better tend to get more and better offers. Notable, Quotable, Quotes! “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.”  Walt Whitman “Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”  Steve Jobs “Stay true to yourself. An original is worth more than a copy.”  Suzy Kassem Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. IXACT Contact Solutions Inc. If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click unsubscribe. Trusted Email Powered by IXACT Contact®

Jack & Matthew Wiebe Phone:  (403) 585-1171 Email:  wiebegroup@shaw.ca Website:  wiebegroup.net        Dear Clients, There’s no doubt about it. Uncertainty is everywhere – in food prices, economic outlooks, and of course, the real estate scene. If you’re like most people, uncertainty can make you feel uneasy about the future. But, there’s good news. Uncertainty becomes a lot less worrisome when you have the right professionals by your side. That’s especially true when you have professionals who work in your best interests and are just a call or email away. For example, you might have a doctor you can count on, or a trusted financial advisor who works hard for you. Well, when it comes to real estate, we want you to consider us that kind of professional. We are a team you can rely on — for information, insights, advice, and, when needed, hands-on real estate services. And, we will always keep your best interests first and foremost. So, when you have questions or concerns about what’s happening in the real estate scene, or need hands-on real estate services, feel free to give us a call. You can always count on us. We hope knowing that helps you manage uncertainty with… well… more certainty! We hope your first month of summer is going well and just so you know, anytime of the year there is always a Wiebe Group member there for you!     Matthew Wiebe, Broker Beacon Real Estate wiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-585-1171 Certified Condo Specialist and Seniors Real Estate Specialist®   Jack Wiebe, REALTOR® Beacon Real Estate jackwiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-680-6220   Seniors Real Estate Specialist®   wiebegroup.net   Buying the Faraway Home   Shopping for a new home in a distant town, city or neighbourhood can be a challenge. It’s especially difficult if getting there requires a very long drive or flight. So, if you’re thinking of moving out-of-town, here are some home shopping tips to consider: Schedule a longer than normal viewing appointment. Make sure the seller is aware that you’ll need more time to see and evaluate the home, so they don’t book another appointment too soon after yours. Spend extra time in the neighbourhood and surrounding area. Drive the streets. Go for a walk. If possible, chat with neighbours you run into. Get all the facts you can about the home and surrounding area. You’ll want to take a close look at crime statistics, property turnover, demographics, etc. Don’t rush your travel plans when going to see a listed home. Try to arrive for the viewing relaxed and energized (rather than stressed and fatigued), so you can see the property in an unhurried manner. Following these simple tips can bring you a lot closer to finding your faraway dream home. The Cure for Cabinet Clutter   When a buyer opens a cabinet door in your kitchen, it’s not an invasion of privacy. The buyer simply wants to get a sense of the available space. So, you can expect some buyers to explore cabinet space, especially in your kitchen and bathrooms. That’s why making sure cabinet space looks clean, organized and spacious is so important. Consider these tips: If you store a lot of items inside a cabinet, make liberal use of storage bins, baskets, and small plastic containers. Clutter doesn’t look like clutter when it’s organized! Go through each cabinet and get rid of as many items as possible. Pay particular attention to expired products. If you haven’t used an item for a while, question whether you need to keep it anymore. Consider storing some items somewhere else in your home. For example, pack up less used items and store them in a larger closet or other storage space. Thoroughly clean cabinets that are prone to odours, such as the ones under the kitchen sink or used for storing food. Buyers will only give a cabinet space a quick glance, yet they’ll form a lasting impression. Make sure it’s a good one! Monitoring Devices for Seniors   The 2020s may become known as the decade in which we re-evaluated our homes, and found ways to make them better serve our needs. Part of that assessment has already begun, especially amongst seniors who desire greater independence and want to continue to enjoy comfortable, productive lives in their own homes. Enabling their wishes in as safe an environment as possible often requires support from other family members and/or caregivers. It’s a big responsibility that may be eased somewhat by increased confidence in the latest electronic monitoring devices. Thanks to improved portability and tracking capabilities, the latest models of these devices are less restrictive and require less input from users. Some types monitor vital statistics such as heart rate or blood pressure. Others track movement from room to room, or doors unlocking, while some even monitor medication schedules or facilitate live one-on-one conversations. With so much technology available to help seniors live in ways they prefer, it’s important to consider all aspects of electronic supervision, and have frank conversations about the costs and benefits of the various options. Notable, Quotable, Quotes! “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.”  William Shakespeare “One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”  Shannon L. Alder “One of the hardest things in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which bridge to burn.”  David Russell Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. IXACT Contact Solutions Inc. If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click unsubscribe. Trusted Email Powered by IXACT Contact®

Jack & Matthew Wiebe Phone:  (403) 585-1171 Email:  wiebegroup@shaw.ca Website:  wiebegroup.net        Dear Clients, No one likes being confused. Everyone likes clarity. That’s a principle that,  we expect, no one would dispute. When you have clarity, you can make the best decisions. When you’re confused, you’re stuck. That principle is especially evident when it comes to real estate. It can seem baffling to those who are not involved in it day to day. There are so many perplexing terms and issues: inventory, buyer’s and seller’s markets, comparables, etc. The list goes on and on. The good news is, you don’t need to be confused. One of the many things we do for our clients and the communities in which we are active is demystify the real estate market — especially your local real estate scene. These regular email updates are one of the ways we do that. Another way we help is simply by being available anytime you have questions. For example, if you’re curious about what your home would sell for in today’s market, feel free to give us a call. We can do a market analysis for you. We understand the value of having a professional you can reach out to so you can get the answers you need. That’s why we make ourselves available to you in this way. Just call us your real estate confusion-busters!   Matthew Wiebe, Broker Beacon Real Estate wiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-585-1171 Certified Condo Specialist and Seniors Real Estate Specialist®   Jack Wiebe, REALTOR® Beacon Real Estate jackwiebegroup@shaw.ca 403-680-6220 Seniors Real Estate Specialist® wiebegroup.net Setting Emotions Aside When Selling   Imagine shopping for a used car. You find one that you like and while negotiating the price, the seller gets sentimental. He shares happy memories of family picnics, his kids’ soccer games and other adventures with the vehicle. Then he demands a higher price. After all, he couldn’t possibly part with it for anything less. Are you likely to pay for his sentimental value? Probably not. Yet the same thing often happens when selling a home. It’s normal for homeowners to form an emotional attachment to their property. It can be very difficult to watch their home being treated as a product with a price tag, and watch buyers stand in the living room discussing furniture arrangements. Emotions can get in the way of a sale. It can even cause some sellers to stay firm on a high price, when a reasonable offer within market value is received. After all, as they say, ‘Home is where the heart is.’ So, when it’s time to sell your property, think about all the ways you will take your happy memories with you. Then, focus on selling for the best price within the current market conditions. Is it the Right Time to Sell?   If you’re entertaining the idea of selling your home, especially within the next year, one question you might be grappling with is, “Should I sell now, or wait until market conditions are more favourable?” The answer is simple. Your decision to sell should be guided by your own needs and desires and not by what you think the market will be like months from now. First of all, it’s nearly impossible to predict the future in the real estate market. Months from now, it could be a buyer’s market, a seller’s market, a quiet market, or even a frenzied market! Who knows? It’s like trying to predict what the weather will be like on this day next year. And, if you’re also buying a new home, then market conditions play a less important role. After all, if you sell in a seller’s market and get a high price for your home, you’ll also be paying a seller’s market price for your new home. In most situations, the “right” time to sell is when you’re ready to make a move. Savvy Negotiation Helps Win the Deal   Purchasing a home is not the same as buying a product off the shelf. You don’t simply pay the price on the tag and know it’s yours. You can’t just see a home for sale and say, “I’ll take it!”, especially if the market is competitive. You need to make an enticing offer. That offer, of course, would include the price you propose to pay. That price may or may not be the “price tag” or the asking price. In order for your offer to be successful, it needs other ingredients too. For example, winning offers often include evidence that appropriate financing has been arranged. This gives the seller confidence that you can afford the home and that the deal won’t fall through due to an issue with the mortgage. Also, you may need to put conditions on your offer, such as making it conditional on selling your current home. You’ll need to be careful here. Adding a condition or two may be necessary to protect your best interests, but may also dissuade the seller from accepting your offer. Negotiation is perhaps the most important part of the buying process. Even if there are no competing offers, there will likely be back-and-forth discussions about price, conditions, closing dates, and more. Savvy negotiating is critical, not only to ensure you get the home, but also that you get it for the lowest price and best terms possible. Real estate negotiation is not for the timid. It requires in-depth knowledge of the local market, hard-won negotiating skills, and experience. If you’re selling your home, buying a new home, or both, keep in mind the important role that negotiation has in getting you what you want. Notable, Quotable, Quotes! “There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”  Victor Hugo “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.”  Napoleon Hill “You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”  Roy T. Bennett