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Rules for hosting an open house during a pandemic

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Toronto residents are being asked to social distance, to avoid gathering in groups and, if possible, to find alternatives to open houses when showcasing a new property on the market. While agents are being encouraged to use virtual tours and online galleries to display the homes they have listed, if your agent does want to hold an open house for a limited number of very select and serious buyers, then finding a way to to make the situation work for you is imperative at this time.

Here a few guidelines to follow if your agent insists on an open house:

1. Provide gloves and masks at the door that anyone who enters has to wear before setting foot in your home. Don’t forget to put a bag-lined garbage bin outside your home so that prospective buyers can discard the gloves and masks on their way out. And, have a pump bottle of hand sanitizer available as well so that people can disinfectant their hands before leaving.
2. Have a welcome mat at the foyer where people can remove their shoes so that they don’t track any potential germs around your home.
3. Insist that only one couple at a time be allowed into your home – it would be best to set-up meeting times at 20-minute intervals so that people don’t all come at once.
4. Ask your realtor to minimize the number of people touching your fixtures and handles by pre-empting and opening closets and doors for prospective buyers and closing things after they have looked inside.
5. Allow only those buyers who have a serious interest and/or intent on your home to visit. They should be prequalified for a loan and ready to make an offer if they want to attend the open-house. By insisting on intent, you will weed out the serious buyers from those who just want to look around.

After the open house:

– Wear gloves and a mask to dispose of the garbage containing used gloves and masks.
– Spray the hand sanitizer with disinfectant spray if you want to keep it or discard entirely.
– Roll up the welcome mat and store outside for a few days to kill any germs before bringing it back inside.
– Disinfect all door/cabinet handles, light switches and any other surfaces that would have been touched during a visit.
– Mop floors with a disinfectant.
– Open windows to air out rooms.

If you follow these simple precautions, you should be able to protect your home from any unwanted germs being tracked in during an open house. However, the first and best alternative is a virtual tour of your home. When done properly a virtual tour can be as realistic as being there in person. Contact Imaginahome for more information on how a virtual tour of your properties can work for you.

How the covid 19 pandemic is affecting the Toronto real estate market

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Toronto is currently under orders to distance socially and to self-isolate. Naturally, such measures will impact the hottest home buying season of the year. In fact, although real estate agents and brokers have been deemed essential services and can continue working, authorities have asked them to cancel any planned open houses and to prioritize virtual showings and meetings. But, will buyers and sellers actually want to venture into the market at this time?

According to a recent Global News report February home sales were up nearly 27% from a year ago and the average home price had risen by 15%. However, recently agents and brokers are witnessing a lack of enthusiasm from buyers and sellers who are not keen on either listing their homes or visiting homes at this time. Even with measures in place requiring agencies to disinfect doorknobs, railings and other often touched surfaces, and, despite measures asking agents to stand at least 6 feet away from sellers or buyers, there is a lack of motivation right now.

The only people who are likely on the market are those who had already bought a house and desperately need to sell theirs in order for the financing to fall into place or those who have sold their house and need to find another one before being forced to vacate. Those who don’t need to buy or sell right away are putting their plans on hold – especially now with the uncertainty of where the economy is headed and whether all those who have been temporarily laid off will be rehired or will have to look for new work.

There are too many uncertainties currently to truly understand the long-term impact of this situation on the housing market. We can only hope that it will be minimal and that once the self-isolation requirements have been lifted that we will be able to get back to a normal sales season.

Keeping your home mold-free

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Mold is that insidious substance that is found in every home and which thrives on moisture and dark spaces. Molds can be detrimental to a person’s health and can be serious for people with underlying pulmonary conditions such as asthma or COPD. Mold can also trigger allergies that resemble other, more common allergies. It can manifest in:

A stuffy nose
Eye irritation
Coughing
Sore throats

Some forms of mold can also cause a bacterial form of pneumonia.

Understanding this, it is crucial to ensure that mold is stopped in its tracks anywhere it might start forming in your home. It is important to check those areas that mold tends to favor including under sinks, behind toilets, in bathrooms and around dishwashers and washing machines – in short anywhere there is a regular source of running water. Mold can also form around outside windows and door frames where leaks might go undetected until the water source is stopped.

The best way to prevent mold from forming is to keep all of these areas as dry as possible. Don’t let water stand and wipe down wet surfaces whenever you see them. When showering, turn on the fan before you shower and let it run for at least twenty minutes after your shower to properly clear the air of moisture.

If you do spot mold, you should deal with it immediately. Both bleach and vinegar are very effective at killing mold, but vinegar is better at doing so on porous surfaces where it can seep into the surface and kill the mold deep down. To clean mold be sure to wear rubber gloves and a face mask as when mold is disturbed it will rise into the air and can very easily be breathed in.

Use a solution of 1liter water to ½ a cup of either bleach or vinegar and scrub at the mold spots until they are gone. Once the spots are gone, let the solution dry on the surface to fully penetrate it and kill whatever is beneath the surface. Repeat as often as necessary to kill all of the spores.

As long as you prevent the conditions for mold forming, are proactively about cleaning any that you see right away and are vigilant about keeping moisture away from hot spots, you can live mold-free.

Enjoy the holidays with peace of mind!

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The holidays are nearly upon us and Torontonians are busily preparing to celebrate the season with family and friends. Those of you who are hosting at your Toronto home know the work and stress that go into getting ready to receive, but you also know that it is all worth it in the end. Although it might be a little late in the game to get organized for this year, we thought it would be fun to put together a list of ways for you to get prepared well in advance for the holidays next year!

Here are some quick tips to help you avoid the holiday stresses put on time and money.

Create a budget and plan well ahead of time!
As trite as those two elements seem, they are key to enjoying the holiday season instead of dreading it. If you create a realistic budget for your celebrations and start planning well ahead of time, you definitely won’t run into the issue of not enough time or money to get through one of the busiest and most expensive parts of the year.

Shop throughout the year
Instead of shopping for everyone’s gift at the very last minute, if you see something during the year that you think would be perfect for someone, pick-it-up! Creating a list of people you need to shop for and having it handy each time you are in a store will help you stay organized and remember what you purchased for whom. If you want to be even more organized, the moment you get home wrap it and label it. By the time the holidays arrive you will be fully stocked with more than enough presents to fill everyone’s spirits with cheer.

Bake in advance
If you know that you will be hosting, start baking and freezing two-to-three weeks ahead of time so that you are not caught trying to make all of your cakes and cookies at the same time. Most items can easily be frozen and thawed when you are ready to eat.

Lastly, about a month before the holidays you can start cleaning and decluttering your home. Trying to clean the guest bedroom, the basement and the rest of the house in the same day and then cook and bake can be daunting. However, when the tasks are broken up into manageable chunks it is easy to get ready in no time at all.

And on that note, all of us here at Imaginahome would like to wish you and yours a wonderfully festive and joyous holiday season and may your New Year be spectacular! We thank you for your continued support and look forward to answering your realty needs again in 2020.

Please note that our offices will be closed from Monday, December 23, 2019 until Thursday, January 2, 2020.

Happy Holidays!

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Once again we find ourselves at the end of a another year. During this festive time where we gather in our Toronto homes to reminisce about the past and dream about the future, we here are Imaginahome would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your continued support through the year.

We also want to wish you and yours a truly wonderful holiday season as well as charmed and extraordinary New Year 2019.

Although we will be closed from December 24 to January 1 inclusively, we look forward to opening again on January 2 to serve our community and to again explore the exciting world of the Toronto real estate market.

Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

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Home is what the holidays are all about. Being home with family and friends is why so many people look forward to this time of year. Sometimes it is the only time of year many of us are able to get together. The one thing we all have in common though, is that home is where we all gather.
 
Whether it is at our own homes or at the home of a friend or family member, home is the spot that brings us all together and shelters us while we make the most of the time we can share.
 
At Imaginahome, we understand the importance of your home and what it means to you and those you love. It is why we want to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful holiday season filled with roaring fireplaces, lots of laughter, delicious eggnog, presents and plenty of happiness.

Holiday Greetings

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Another year is quickly winding down to a close and we here at Imaginahome would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who has helped make 2016 such a resounding success!
 
The real estate industry is in constant flux and riding the ups and downs of the Toronto property market over the last 15 years has been a challenging but thrilling ride. With record increases in property values over the last year and a tightening of the new build market, 2017 is already poised to be another stellar year for the real estate industry.
 
Through it all, we will be there to support your marketing initiatives, help you boost your bottom line and help you target your clients through innovative, custom marketing creations. We will continue to assist with your branding needs by communicating your voice through original and engaging content. Lastly, we will be sure to bring you the latest real estate news, best blog articles and interesting stories from the housing industry and beyond.
 
So, with our sincere wishes for a memorable and happy holiday season – have a FABULOUS NEW YEAR!

New and Improved Website!

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Welcome to the new and improved Imaginahome website!
 
Our new look reflects our future direction and growth. Alongside our existing array of services, we are pleased to announce the addition of several forward-looking tools specially designed for realtors who understand how the use of leading technology can boost their listings. The new services include:
 
– Aerial photography
– Video tours
– 360 degree tours
– 3D immersive tours
– HD videos
– Voice-over narration
 
In order to stay competitive and to meet the ever-changing and demanding needs of luxury home-buyers everywhere, we have enhanced the tools that we offer realtors. You need to properly showcase your high-end homes and we have the means to help you create the exclusive and unique experience required to set your property listings apart from the rest.
 
What’s more – every week we cover an interesting topic in our blog related to the real estate market – whether it is home renovations, gardening or financing your first property, we’ve got the latest trends, tips and trusted advice to guide you along the real estate road.
 
Looking for real estate news? We’ve got that too – think of Imaginahome as your definitive source for Toronto real estate and real estate marketing news and needs.
 
For regular updates, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

New Office

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On August 3rd, Imaginahome relocated to a new office on the second floor at Suite 207B. The good news is that you don’t have to look hard for us since we will be located in the same building. We hope you’ll come by and visit us at our new office.[twitter style=”horizontal” float=”left”] [fblike style=”button_count” float=”left” showfaces=”false” verb=”like” font=”arial”]

 

We’ve Improved Our WebLink/PhotoGallery

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Now you can choose between 4 different galleries to view your photos online. Slideshow view allows you to sit back and enjoy your photos animated. Tilt view allows you to zoom in and out while viewing your photos at different angles. Postcard view allows you to view a thumbnail of all pictures as if they were spread out on a table. Original view gallery can be viewed by clicking on either the image or the arrow to see the next photo.