HawthorneVillager.com

sold for $533k. I was in this one and it was quite nice with several key upgrades throughout. They didn't short cut and had all the right things going for it. I imagine both seller and buyer are happy and both got a reasonable deal.

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Ariel Kormendy
Real Estate Sales Representative

The Kormendy Trott Team
Century 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd.
647-464-0957 Direct

www.kormendytrott.com
www.facebook.com/kormendytrott

I agree it was very nice, but I also think Deverell was the slightly better deal (thoughts?), if comparing Wyndham to Wyndham - of course, there's a house for everybody (personal taste!), considering upgrades, location, colour selections etc.

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Fred De Carolis
FREDHELPS.COM or on Facebook
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The Wyndham on Trudeau\Clark has a somewhat ugly kitchen. The colour of the granite and backsplash were a bit old school and the realtor told me that the cabinets were custom...they looked old (maybe that was the "look" they wanted - I dunno).

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Some people are like slinkies. They're really good for nothing but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

Another Wyndham is now listed for $483.9k - not many upgrades, wall to wall carpeting throughout, kitchen + bathrooms are quite blah.
MLS# 2058858

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Some people are like slinkies. They're really good for nothing but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

Re: MLS# 2058858 - I see what you are saying with not many upgrades and I think the price reflects that, surely you can ask 450K for a basic with no upgrades? With the 40K basement on top would you try and push for over 490K? Am I missing something or is the market in a deline......... (maybe this thread can hit over 200 pages now)

On another note I have seen those fabric panel basements advertised but I am a bit skeptical, I think they would remind me of my cubical at work. Anyone have any experience with them?

Perhaps they're hoping for a bidding war. Not sure how likely that will happen but who knows. Their agent, unless she's a total write-off, knows how much comparables in the hood have sold for.

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Some people are like slinkies. They're really good for nothing but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

They are not planning on a bidding war, otherwise the broker remarks would say "Holding off offers until X date" or "Offers will be reviewed on X date" to make sure there is adequate time to conjure up enough interest.

I wouldn't say the bathrooms are a negative, since in this model, all you need to do is:
Master Ensuite; stone counter, new faucet, new cabinet pulls
Main bath: New $400 standalone vanity / sink combo from Rona

They are not asking for 40k for that basement - it is maybe worth 8-10k and that's what they are asking for (seemingly by the list price).
Just my 2 cents...

Fred is this a normal price for a house like this?

And how much more does hardwood really get over carpet?

The bathrooms can be easily upgraded as you say since there are not many intricate cuts or anything, some new light fixtures and bathroom fixtures and voila, budget friendly upgrade if you can DIY!

I am just interested from a Real Estate agent's perspective what the key upgrades are that puts the house above everything else. Because what some people feel is, isn't really what it is in the RE world

I was told NOT to change my upstairs from carpet to hardwood. Apparently, some people like carpet. I'm still going to switch over...carpet is filthy, no matter how many times it is vacuumed (sp?).

I'd say Wyndhams, in good condition with upgrades (granite, hardwood, etc etc) and finished basements, are now over $510k. They also all sit on premium lots.

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Some people are like slinkies. They're really good for nothing but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

There is no right answer - it depends on the type and location of home, the state of the market, and most importantly, what is it up against assuming you are listing "tomorrow"...

Generally speaking:
Hardwood on the main floor pays off, assuming you're putting in a mid grade product, nothing super high end). In a wyndham, estimate about $4-6k in resale value.
Hardwood on the 2nd floor does NOT.
New in Town might like hardwood upstairs, but most people don't - OR most people don't want to pay for it. unless you're in the high end market 700k +
Do it to your own 2nd floor if you like it and will get years of use out of it, but don't do it for resale.

You want to talk key upgrades right now? Main floor Hardwood is definitely one of them, but the best bang for your buck is a nice backsplash - it can really give a kitchen a nice kick, and it is a very low cost project to implement. Materials from $7-$15/sqft plus supplies and labour, you can often transform a blah kitchen into a stunning one! Also, crown moulding and upgraded baseboards / trim with a fresh paint job are cheap with good impact. Lastly - wainscotting (real or 'trimmed out'), panel accent walls, waffle ceilings - HUGE impact.

The thing to remember... you might not profit from certain upgrades, they just might make your house sell faster... like if there are 5 listings, 4 have hardwood and yours does not, but you're all priced the same, you know exactly which one is going to sell last... so it comes down to a choice -- do you price it 5k less? do you price it $100 less and include a 5k flooring credit to the buyer (to choose any hardwood of their choice), or do you go ahead and install the wood pre-listing?
EVERY situation is different - no one answer applies to every situation - the answer is easy in each specific situation, so use us Realtors for exact opinions about your own home when the time is right -- don't be shy! (and don't guess! guessing wrong could cost you)

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Fred De Carolis
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Thanks Fred.

I have no plans on moving since we just purchased our house in Feb 2012 in dorset park but I like to know what I can do that could help.
We will do upgrades we like because we plan on living there for a long time.
We have hardwood upstairs in 2 rooms and will be putting hardwood in the master, because we like it. But again we don't plan on selling so we want to enjoy our house the way we like it!

Kitchen and bath are key correct? A basement doesn't bring much resale right? What about landscaping?

This is for my own interest

Basements are money losers, you're right. A basement that costs you $20-25k might get you 8k resale, 10k tops (in Milton, that is) Basements can run from $12,000 to $50,000+ to get done, depending on contractors, subs, materials, etc etc...

And great to hear! Do the hardwood for yourself! Many people forget it is not only an investment, but also your HOME that you should enjoy
Kitchen and bath are correct, but there are different levels of reno with different impacts.

Look at the impact of modern hardwood (over parquet) and a nice backsplash over none or mirrors.. This is a house that is 7 yrs old, but with design centre choices right out of the 80s (parquet, light oak kitchen with white appliances. Really, with these cabinets with rounded trim, average counters, white appliances, some people think that you have to replace it all (to SS appliances, modern shaker cabinets, etc) to sell, but an $800 backsplash worked wonders, gave it clean lines and helped it sell! (again, if you are renovating to live there, do what you like. If you are renovating to SELL, save your money. If you are renovating for YOU, forget about all that and just enjoy



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Fred De Carolis
FREDHELPS.COM or on Facebook
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search for Milton's Favourite Realtor!
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Fred, thanks for your feedback on this thread, you are a true gentleman just like all the recommendations I see about you on here

The comments about the basement are an eye opener, throwing 30K at it to get around 8K back is strange! If you are finishing it you better live there and enjoy it for a while I guess because it isn't an investment.

Another Wyndham is now selling
W2690100
$539.9k

_________________
Some people are like slinkies. They're really good for nothing but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.