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How to Make Comox Valley Houses More Sustainable

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Reducing your home’s impact on the environment is a great way to take action and preserve the Comox Valley landscape. Building a greener and more eco-friendly town is an integral part of reducing our carbon footprints. By making small changes to our homes, we can save both money and the surrounding ecosystems. Many of the improvements we are going to discuss in this post can be done at little or no cost and take very minimal effort/time. In addition to these, we are going to list a few larger improvements that will require a higher upfront investment, but equate to greater long-term savings. Follow along below to discover the ways that you can make your Comox Valley houses more sustainable!

Budget-Friendly Ways to Make Comox Valley Houses Eco-Friendly

  1. Limit & Properly Dispose of Waste

Limiting and properly disposing of waste is a great way to start improving your household’s sustainability. It’s also a hands-on way to educate kids about the importance of local waste management. Consider creating an area in your home that is dedicated to the separation of waste. This could be under your kitchen sink, in the garage, or in another convenient location. Make sure you have the appropriate recycling bins (glass, plastic, paper/cardboard), waste bins, and compost bins. Happy separating!

  1. Research Rebates

The initial cost of making big changes to your home like adding solar or investing in energy-efficient appliances can be expensive. Because of this, the government sometimes incentivizes these sorts of projects by offering rebates to help with the initial cost. Doing some research to see if you can get money for making a sustainable upgrade is a great step in the right direction! 

  1. Xeriscape Your Home

The landscaping in our yards is often centred around a lush, green lawn. While lawns are appealing and good for playing with children, they are detrimental to the environment. Grass requires an incredible amount of water and care in order for it to remain a vibrant green. And, in Comox Valley, water restrictions usually dictate that our lawns will be beige for a large part of the year anyway. Our recommendation is to switch to xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping that focuses on using native plants and eliminating the use of grass. This will help you cut down on your water bill and give back to the land.

  1. Use a Clothesline

Drying clothes outdoors is something that people have been doing for centuries. While it may not always be possible due to weather, it remains an effective way to reduce energy consumption and save money.

Luxury Upgrades to Make Your Home More Sustainable

  1. Invest in Quality Windows

Poor windows are notorious for causing loss of heat in our homes. This is especially true for those who live in an older home with single-pane windows. Leaky windows can cause you to spend thousands of dollars more on your monthly heating and cooling bills without even knowing. If you want to cut back on energy loss, start by resealing your windows. If you find that this doesn’t make much of an impact, consider replacing your windows with more energy-efficient ones. 

  1. Consider Solar

Nowadays, many property owners are switching to solar energy. New technologies have made solar much more accessible to homeowners looking for a greener way to live. Implementing solar energy in your home will drastically reduce the amount of electricity you consume. And, you’ll make your home sustainable since it will be running primarily on clean energy. Many companies offer rebates for solar, so be sure to look into this prior to investing!

  1. Switch out Your Appliances

In one home, there are several appliances that are used on a daily basis. For instance, a refrigerator, freezer, oven, HVAC system, dishwasher, washer and dryer. The amount of energy required to operate these appliances on a daily basis is considerable. If you truly want to cut back on energy bills, investing in energy-efficient appliances is a must. Look for Energy Star appliances if you choose to make the switch. However, it is important to not throw away aging appliances that still work—this defeats the purpose of being environmentally friendly. Instead, see if you can find new homes for your appliances when they’ve exceeded their use. 

Contact us About Comox Valley Houses!

If you are curious about buying Comox Valley houses, we encourage you to contact us today! If you have any questions about properties in the area, be sure to reach out to us! We are excited to get your fall real estate goals on track. A home in the Comox Valley is a great lifetime investment. Be sure to check out our social media here, and return next month for more real estate-related content! We look forward to working with you in the near future.

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How to Maintain the Value of Real Estate in the Comox Valley?

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Buying a home is one of the biggest investments a person will make in their lifetime. So, it is important that homeowners take the time to protect their investments. When it comes to real estate, this means keeping things clean, making updates when needed, and doing regular maintenance. If you have plans to one day cash in on your investment, it will be critical that you have taken care of your property. After all, it is difficult to turn a profit on a poorly maintained home. To help you get a better understanding of how to protect the value of your real estate in the Comox Valley, we’ve compiled a list of tips. Follow along below to learn more!

Ways to Protect the Value of Your Real Estate in the Comox Valley

  1. Improve Your Curb Appeal

If you want to sell your home, you need to give the best first impression. To do so, it is important that you maintain your home’s curb appeal. This means weeding garden beds, replacing soil where needed, mowing the lawn, pruning plants, and raking away debris. Moreover, you may consider pressure washing outside surfaces like your driveway, walkways, steps, deck, siding, or fence. It is also good practice to repaint the exterior of your home if it is looking faded or weathered. Simply spending a couple of hours per week in your yard can drastically improve your curb appeal. Thus, protecting the value of your property!

  1. Perform Regular Maintenance

Nobody wants to pay full price for a home in disrepair. So, it is crucial that you spend the time and money to perform regular maintenance. This doesn’t just mean fixing major issues with your plumbing, HVAC system, or electrical. It also means taking care of the little things. For instance, replacing broken or missing shingles, tending to your leaky faucet, cleaning your gutters, and other mundane tasks. By staying on top of your home maintenance, you can preserve your property’s value. 

  1. Keep Renovations to Code

Home renovations can be super exciting! Not to mention, great value boosters for your home’s worth. However, this is only the case when renovations are kept to city code. While your renovations may better suit your lifestyle, they can seriously harm your property’s worth if they aren’t done right. To avoid making any mistakes, be sure to do your research before taking on a new home improvement project. And, don’t be afraid to hire a professional if you’re not confident you can get the job done right. The last thing you want is to spend more money down the road!

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More Tips!

  1. Update Appliances When Needed

After years of living in a home, appliances start to break down. From toilets to kitchen ovens, lots can begin to malfunction. This is no fault of the homeowner, but rather the years of wear and tear. No matter how well you take care of your appliances, they’ll all need to be replaced eventually. When you replace older items, don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive, high-tech model. Although, whenever possible, look for something that is energy-efficient. 

  1. Clean Often

As a homeowner, you likely lead a busy life that makes it hard to keep up with cleaning. However, doing your best to clean on a weekly basis can do wonders for your property value. Instead of waiting until your showing day, try and clean on a more frequent basis. This will make things easier for you in the long run and ensure that your property ages well. 

  1. Protect Your Home From Pests

Pests are a major red flag for potential buyers. Things like rodents and insects can harm your home’s structure and create an unsanitary living environment. Unfortunately, many homeowners wait until it’s too late to deal with these sorts of problems thinking that they will go away on their own. However, without human intervention, you can easily have an infestation on your hands. If you notice signs of pests in your home, contact a professional pest control expert to help you out. Pests are not something that you want to ignore!

Contact us About Real Estate in the Comox Valley Today!

If you are curious about what other things you can do to maintain the value of your real estate in the Comox Valley, we encourage you to contact us today! If you have any questions about homes in the area, be sure to reach out to us! We are excited to get your summer real estate goals on track. A house in Comox Valley is a great lifetime investment. Be sure to check out our social media here, and return next month for more real estate-related content! We look forward to working with you in the near future.

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Property for Sale in Comox Valley – Things That Fail a Home Inspection

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Understanding how much your home is worth is an important part of selling. And, depending on who you talk to, you’re likely to get a very different answer. One way that buyers gauge the value of a potential home is by getting a home inspection. This is done to ensure that everything is working as advertised and they aren’t going to invest in a home full of problems. From the HVAC system to the roof, a home inspector checks all major areas of the home to assess the condition and determine if there are any problems. Although you may think you are ready to sell, a home inspection can unearth some issues that may make it difficult to close a sale. This is why it is important to identify these issues before listing your home on the market. In this article, we went over some of the most common things that fail a home inspection. Follow along below to learn more!

Check Your Property for Sale in Comox Valley for These Issues!

  1. The Proof is in the Roof

Roofs are an expensive fix. In fact, they may be one of the most dreaded homeowner repairs. Buying a home only to discover that it needs a new roof would be a serious kick in the teeth. If you were a buyer, you likely wouldn’t invest in a home that needs a new roof. So, make sure that you check yours before listing your home for sale. Roofing problems are especially common in older homes. If you notice things like missing shingles, damaged shingles, loose flashing, or leaks from your ceiling, this is a good indication to have a professional assess the damage. 

  1. HVAC Problems

Homes with HVAC problems present an immediate red flag for buyers. In today’s day and age, homeowners rely on their HVAC systems to keep their homes at an appropriate temperature for the season. Besides heating and cooling, your HVAC system is also responsible for ventilating your home. Dirty HVAC systems can cause illness due to poor indoor air quality. Home inspectors are certain to check that your HVAC system is in operating condition. If you’ve been regularly maintaining the unit, then you shouldn’t have much to worry about.

  1. Mould

Mould is responsible for an assortment of illnesses and foul smells. If you find mould in your kitchen, bathroom, ceilings, floors or other areas in your home, be sure to contact an expert. Furthermore, you should call an expert right away if your home has been experiencing drainage issues, a musty smell, or excessive moisture as these can all be signs of potential mould growth. Any licensed home inspector will be able to help you determine if there is mould present in your home. 

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More Items to Check Before Listing Your Home for Sale

  1. Plumbing

Plumbing issues are a hassle to deal with. So, it comes as no surprise that many buyers shy away from purchasing homes with plumbing problems. Whether it’s a leaky faucet or poor drainage, these are not qualities that prospective buyers want to hear about. In addition to this, you’ll want to make sure that your home has adequate water pressure. Contact a professional plumber if you have any concerns about the plumbing in your home. 

  1. Electrical System

Electrical problems can present all sorts of hazards. From fires to shocks, there are several risks involved with having a faulty electrical system. Each year homeowners put their homes at greater risk of having electrical problems by overloading circuits with appliances that have high energy demands. If your home is constantly blowing a fuse, the lights in your home are dim/flickering, and/or you have discoloured outlets, it might be time to have your electrical replaced. After all, no buyer wants to invest in a home that could be at risk for an electrical fire. 

  1. Structural Issues

Have you noticed any cracks in your foundation outdoors? What about pooling water near the base of your home? Do you see cracks in your stucco? Is the wood in your home rotting? How about insect/rodent damage? All of these things can point to structural damage that will scare buyers away. Have an inspector check the structural integrity of your home before listing to ensure all is well. 

Contact us Today!

If you are curious about what other things can fail a home inspection for your property for sale in Comox Valley, we encourage you to contact us today! If you have any questions about real estate in the area, be sure to reach out to us! We are excited to get your summer real estate goals on track. A house in Comox Valley is a great lifetime investment. Be sure to check out our social media here, and return next month for more real estate-related content! We look forward to working with you in the near future.

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When is the Right Time to Buy a Home in Comox Valley?

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2022 was a rocky year for homeowners and real estate professionals alike. And, if you’re wondering how 2023 is going to pan out, you’ve come to the right place. The real estate market on Vancouver Island is generally known to be quite stable. However, in the last two years, it has seen some ups and downs—much like other typically stable markets in Canada. Since the beginning of 2022, citizens of Canada have been hopeful that with time, the prices of real estate would come down. And, in many places, housing prices have come down—with a catch of course. In this article, we will be taking a closer look at housing trends in Comox Valley, and more generally, Vancouver Island.

Follow along below to learn more about whether or not you should buy a home in Comox Valley!

What to Expect When Buying a Home in Comox Valley in 2023?

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If your goals for 2023 involve buying a home in Comox Valley, there are a few things you need to know. Firstly, home prices have undoubtedly gone down in 2023 and are rumoured to continue to drop off. This is not to say that prices have dropped dramatically. Instead, they have simply cooled from their peak.  For homebuyers, this is good news. It means that the market is stabilizing. Another thing that buyers and sellers need to be wary of, is the cooling-off period that was announced last July. On January 3, 2023, this new rule was formally implemented in British Columbia.

According to CTV News, this new legislation is intended to provide “buyers some protection in the face of rising interest rates and what [the government] calls high-pressure sales tactics.” It is important to note that the cooling-off period does not apply when homes are auctioned or when the home is on leased land. The cooling-off period allows buyers three business days to think about their purchase. Furthermore, it allows buyers to back out of the deal for a number of reasons including: 

  1. They no longer want to purchase the home
  2. The pruchaser cannot secure financing
  3. They cannot arrange a home inspection

However, despite this new recession period, backing out of the deal is not free. If a buyer back out of a deal, they will have to pay 0.25 percent of the offer. On a one million dollar offer, that equates to a $2,500 fine. The reason for a fine is to prevent buyers from having an unfair advantage. 

Interest Rates, How to Navigate the Market, and More.

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The other thing that buyers need to be wary of, is interest rates. If you’ve paid attention to the news at all in the last few months, you’d know that the Bank of Canada has been increasing the key interest rate bit by bit. This has resulted in the average cost of a mortgage skyrocketing. For those with variable-rate mortgages, the pressure has been immense. And, in the case of first-time home buyers, many have been forced to hold off on their dreams of homeownership. Most analysts have predicted that 2023 will be a rough year in terms of mortgages. However, with that, they also predict that rates will come down again by early 2024. 

So how do you buy a home given the conditions? And, is it risky to sell your current home? The answer is not one-size fits all. Depending on you and your specific situation, the current conditions might not impact you in a way that prevents you from buying or selling. However, for others buying a home could be pushing the bounds a little too far. If you are unsure, we encourage you to consult with one of our Comox REALTORS® to find an option that best fits your unique position. Buying a home in Comox Valley is a big milestone, and it is important to take the time to assess the situation before rushing into anything! 

Contact us About Buying or Selling a Home in Comox Valley. 

If you are curious about buying or selling a home in Comox Valley, we encourage you to contact us today! If you have any questions about the market conditions in Comox, be sure to reach out to us! We are excited to get your spring real estate goals on track. A home in Comox Valley is a great lifetime investment. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any concerns or inquiries about real estate in Comox Valley. Be sure to check out our social media here, and return next month for more real estate-related content! We look forward to working with you in the near future.