Fresh and Bright
Are the colours of your walls and cabinets too dark? Does wallpaper need to be removed and replaced? Are your curtains heavy and outdated? Are you doing everything possible to let natural light in? Since the weather is starting to get nicer in the spring, making your home more appealing by letting light in compliments the new spring weather. By changing the colours in your home, as well as letting more natural light in is the easiest way to complement the new spring weather. 
Declutter 
Another important task in preparing your home for the spring market is to declutter. Focus on target areas such as the living room, bedrooms, and storage spaces. It is also very important to throw away things you may not need anymore. Donate usable goods to charity, and move other items to temporary storage units.

Home Inspection 
Obviously,  knowing what your home is worth is essential. Pricing your home correctly is imperative to ensure a smooth entry into the market. Get intouch with a local realtor to evaluate your home. 
Watch for Water Damage 
The Winter Months also come with the risk of water damage. Inspect your home for areas such as ceilings, inside sink cabinets, and around toilets. Also look on the deck of cabinets for any drips that are collecting. 

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With my favourite hobby being kiteboarding, I would love to share my 4 favourite beaches in the province to kiteboard on!
 
Cherry Beach
Address: 275 Unwin Avenue Toronto, ON M5A 1A2
As well as a top kiteboarding spot in Ontario, Cherry Beach is one of the best spots for a beach day in the heart of Toronto! The water is warmest at the end of August and coldest in the Spring. Be prepared to bring a wet suit, or even a dry suit if needed!
 IKO Kiteboarding offers great lessons at Cherry Beach for beginners! 
Sandbanks 
Address: 3004 County Rd 12, Picton, ON K0K 2T0
 
Sandbanks offers great waves and relatively shallow waters. Spring and Fall offers the best conditions. 
Airtime Kiteboarding  Offers great lessons at Sandbanks for beginners.  
 
Holmes Point Park
Address: 101 Holmes Point Rd, Georgina, ON L0E 1N0
 
This beach is the perfect spot for any beginner kiteboarder's in Ontario! Shallow waters, sandy bottom, and a very large grassy park to set up for the day. There is also a kite anchor in the launch area! Just remember to bring your toonies for parking if you aren’t a Georgina resident!
​UKITEBOARD Offers great lessons at Holmes Point Park for beginners! 
 
North & South Oliphant
Address: (N) 341 Shoreline Ave, South Bruce Peninsula, ON N0H 2T0
                 (S)  125 Bay St, South Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
 
My personal favourite place to kiteboard in Ontario, Oliphant is the provinces Kiteboarding mecca! North and South Oliphant boast shallow waters, sandy bottoms, and the ability to have cars drive right out onto the beach! Both the North and South bays can get busy, and can house upwards of 50 kiteboarder's in the water!
IKO Kiteboarding offers great lessons at Oliphant for beginners! 

COVID-19 has not put the real estate industry in a favourable light. With the amount of transactions down 44% since last May, people have been hesitant to enter the market. 
However, there is pent up demand stemming from pre-covid and that demand will be fulfilled by a stable economy is the nation's capital. 

The average sale price for condos in May increased to $343,589 from last year! That is a 15.5 percent increase. Residential homes also saw an increase to an average sale price of $548,140! That is an 11.2 percent increase from last year. 

 OREB also reminds us that the CMHC’s “bleak forecast” is “broad-based analysis for the country as a whole does not accurately reflect what is transpiring in our local market as evidenced by the steady increases in average home prices in Ottawa”

OREB President Deborah Burgoyne credits Ottawa’s average sale price increase to the current sellers market, our region's stable employment, and a continuous influx of newcomers. 

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If you want to list your house in the summer, curb appeal is of the utmost importance. How can you improve curb appeal?

If the exterior paint may be looking out of date, don’t think twice about investing in a new paint job. Exterior paint is generally pretty cheap and it can make a huge difference. 

If you have a deck, you may want to consider refinishing it or touching it up. A safe deck with a new look adds liveable space and value to your home. 

Landscaping can make a huge difference to the curb appeal of your home. Trimmed hedges, a well maintained garden with edging, and freshly cut grass doesn’t cost very much, but can increase the value of your home tremendously. 

 

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It is our pleasure to introduce Lori Meyers, and her Yoga studio Bodyvida!

BodyVida by Lori Meyers is a Yoga/Pilates studio that focuses on the pure practice of pilates, the liberation of yoga, and the incorporation of natural movement and nature.Her four pillars of focus  for her classes are form, breath, function, and fun. By focusing on these four pillars, Lori goal is to“improve strength, and stay within our body’s needs to maximize healthy development”. With over 20 years of yoga teach experience, Lori’s perseverance and ability to not take herself too seriously has guided her way through an impressive career in fitness. Lori has her degree in Kinesiology and holds a deep and  diverse background in exercise therapy, life coaching, and leadership training.Lately, Lori has picked up baking as a hobby and has ramped up her virtual classes.

We got the opportunity to ask Lori a few questions:

1. What made you decide to live in the National Capital Region? 
The big city, small city feel with great access and opportunity to the outdoors and all the activities that go with it. 

2. How did you choose your career path?
I knew I did not want to sit at a desk and I like people and interacting and teaching. I taught and coached swimming in my teens. 

3. What does an inspiring life look like to you?
One that involves always learning and being open, maintaining a sense of play, be it through travel or interacting locally. 

4. When your business faces adversity, how do you respond?
Well this is timely. I had to switch up my business overnight to online. So how I respond is through adaptation and innovation and learning through successful models. 

5. What is the best advice that you have been given?
To have gratitude. To always be ok with the plan not going according to the plan. Try something even if it is a little scary, that is where the breakthroughs happen. 

Check out her website at: http://www.bodyvida.ca/ 

One of the hardest parts of selling your home is pricing. Everyone wants the most value for their home, which may incline them to price their home as highly as possible. This isn’t always the best approach. If your home is priced too high, it may turn off potential buyers and prolong the selling process.​

If Your Price is Too High

• There is an increased risk that the budget of potential buyers is too low. Budgets can be set off by even the smallest increases in price. 
  
• If you do find a buyer willing to pay over the going market rate for your home, they might run into trouble getting their offer financed because banks may decline the loan given that your home’s appraisal value is lower than its contract price.
  
• If by chance you do find a buyer, it is less likely that you will get an offer without conditions. A buyer may offer but pending an inspection, with the intent of finding reasons why your home is overpriced. Or a buyer may have further financing issues with an increased budget, putting the deal at further risk. 
  
• Your listing also gets the most attention the first four weeks of being on the market. Past the four week threshold, an agent will typically ask to decrease the asking price.
  

If You Price Fairly

• In an active market, pricing your home correctly will stand out amongst other listings. Buyers will notice the fair price and be more inclined to offer. The increases the chance of multiple offers, which could potentially increase the sale price of your home! 
  
• In the current market we are in, buyers want to go with the safe bet. If you price your home correctly, buyers will feel more comfortable with the decision to buy your home.