As the days slowly get a bit shorter, and I notice the odd leaf on my lawn (tear), I still am in awe with how quickly our summer in beautiful Brandon goes by. I reflect back on the summer and realize that my intention for a healthy balanced lifestyle maybe didn’t happen exactly as I had hoped. Ok, it wasn’t just me right? The more frequent socializing, the bbqs, the beers around the fire, the snacking, may have somehow out gunned my exercise routine (ok it sure as hell did) and now I’m aching for that balance and routine again. I love the feeling of new beginnings that September brings. It goes back to school days where it was a fresh start to a new year at school. I have never lost that feeling. I still feel like it’s a fresh start and a brand new chance to hit my goals that I set at the beginning of the year. I love setting up a plan and a routine and getting back to my yoga practice and my healthy eating even though I still desperately mourn our long summer days. The Zen Zone has added a few more classes to our fall schedule that we would love for you to come check out and maybe add to your own fall routine. It’s a new beginning for us too as we have new instructors, fun new classes and exciting workshops all lined up for the fall. Whether you come once a week or want to join the Unlimited club we would love to have you come and get back at it! Those of you who haven’t been in a long time, always know that we keep your card on file and we will honour any old classes you have! I know I’m gonna be there with bells on. Will you join me? Carmen

The Assiniboine River in Brandon, MB. I was driving north on first street when this caught my eye. On my way to Mark's Work Warehouse to buy socks which by the way is peculiar since I almost NEVER wear socks. Especially ones that go any higher than the bottom of my ankles because that makes me feel like I'm wearing shackles. Again. Kidding. I knew I'd be waiting until next Christmas to make a left hand turn back onto 1st street on account of the construction on 1st street bridge. There's this huge metal wall/brace structure there for the new bridge and every time the kids and I drive past it my 8 year old asks me if that's Donald Trump's wall......oh boy. I'm gonna tell him Donald Trumps socks are obviously too tight. Love those big rolling clouds.

This week Chris is tackling one of our frequently asked questions "Can't I just add money to my mortgage to pay off all my debts?" There are many reasons people want to refinance their home and this video briefly explains what needs to be considered when refinancing your mortgage.      

You put your home up for sale. You work hard to make it look attractive to potential buyers. Then, you finally get an offer. But there’s a catch. The offer comes with a string or two attached… a couple of “conditions”. Should you be worried? First of all, don’t panic. It’s common for offers to come with a condition or two. Sometimes an offer is conditional upon the buyer securing appropriate financing, or your property passing a home inspection. These types of conditions are usually dealt with in just a few days and then the offer becomes firm. (In other words, you’ve likely sold your house!) However, there are some types of offers that can be worrisome. For example, a buyer may make an offer to buy your home “conditional” upon him selling his current home for a specific price. Of course, there is the concern that the buyer won’t sell his home. Then the deal will fall through and you’ll have to put your home back on the market. As your REALTOR®, I can help you decide if a particular offer is worth accepting.

When you’re putting your property on the market, you want to make it seem as big and comfortable as possible. After all, buyers are attracted to space. However, you probably have at least one room in your home — and perhaps even more — that feels small and a little cramped. Of course you don’t want the buyer’s first impression of the room to be its size. Since it isn’t practical to be knocking down walls and renovating, what should you do? Here are some ideas for making small spaces seem larger and more comfortable: Remove any items and extra furniture that make the room feel smaller than it really is. Remove any obstructions near the entranceway. You should be able to open the door fully and walk in without bumping into a desk or bookshelf. Don’t use heavy curtains on the windows. Let the light in. Use soft light bulbs with enough wattage to fill the room with full and pleasant (but not blinding) light. Less is more. Keep knickknacks, pictures and other décor items to a minimum. Keep the door fully open during viewings. Make sure there’s enough space for two people to walk in and move around without bumping into each other. Give the room a purpose. “This is the home office.” Or, “This is the comfy reading nook.” If a small room doesn’t have a reason for being, it will seem like wasted space. Want more ideas for preparing your home so that it will sell quickly and for the best price? Call today.