Naveen Vadlamudi's blog

Some home buyers consider purchasing a home that is less expensive but farther away from work. In particular, people who work in an urban area sometimes consider living outside the city, where housing costs a little less.

Is that a good option? It depends, to some extent, on the cost of commuting.

People often underestimate commuting expenses when they consider buying in a particular neighbourhood. Knowing these costs is important if you want to make a smart, informed decision. 

For example, there are many expenses associated with a 45-minute commute to work: gas, wear and tear on the...

When is it a good time to sell your property and buy another home? Whenever there’s a good reason to do so! There are many things that may motivate you to consider making a move.

For example:

• Your current home no longer meets your needs. You may have more space than you need or you might be looking for a larger home to accommodate a growing family.
• You’re looking for features your current property can’t accommodate. For example, you might want to install a pool but don’t have the backyard space or you might want a larger living room for entertaining but don’t have room for a...

The last thing you want to experience after purchasing a home is “buyer’s regret”. That’s the sinking feeling you get when you realize, days or weeks later, that you may have made the wrong decision.

Say, for example, you bought a home based on your first impressions. When you viewed it, you thought it was just perfect. Then, a few weeks after you moved in, you discovered that the bedrooms are smaller than you had originally thought and the street is loud and busy. That wouldn’t be a very good feeling!

That’s why it’s important to become a savvy home viewer. When you visit a property...

There's more information on the Internet than in the entire collection of the U.S. Library of Congress. (And that's the largest library in the world!)

So it makes sense to use the Internet as a resource when shopping for a new home.

You can search for the kind of property you're considering, view pictures of available properties that meet your criteria, and, in some cases, even watch virtual tours of those properties. 

The Internet is a useful home shopping tool. It can save you a lot of time. But it can't replace working with a good REALTOR®, and actually going to see the various...

Consider this scenario. Say you're at your local supermarket and notice that apples are on sale for $3.95 each. If you've ever purchased apples before, you know that's a pretty hefty price.

However, you've heard about the "national apple market" on the news, so you're not surprised. After all, they've been saying that apple prices will be higher this year.

Now, let's say you're driving home and decide to drop by a farmer's market. One of the stands, run by a local family farm, is selling their apples for just $1.95 each. 

Why is that? 

The reason is pretty simple. The national apple...

If you plan on putting your home on the market, you obviously want it to look as attractive as possible to potential buyers. Improving the look of your kitchen or bathroom is a great place to start.

You don’t necessarily have to invest in a major - and potentially expensive - renovation. There are many simple, do-it-yourself ways to give your kitchen or bathroom a facelift and make it look (almost) new. 

Here are some ideas to consider: 

Instead of installing new cabinetry, just replace the cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Those alone will significantly improve the look of the room. In...

When potential buyers view your home, they are just as interested in the surrounding area as they are in the property itself. So, before listing your home on the market, it makes sense to think about your neighbourhood and its key characteristics.

The late comedian George Carlin used to have a routine called, "A place for my stuff." He was referring to the idea that, besides being a place to sleep and eat, the purpose of a home is essentially to store all the stuff you accumulate over the years.

That may or may not be true. But, if you're like most homeowners, you probably have a lot of stuff in your home... stuff in closets, and stuff in the garage. 

That’s just what happens!

The problem, however, comes when you try to sell your home. What may seem to you like a comfortable home office filled with supplies, office equipment,...

Chances are, there is a characteristic of your property that everyone remembers, appreciates, and maybe even envies. It could be a spacious kitchen with an island and upgraded appliances... or a stunning backyard with a wrap-around deck and beautiful landscaping... or rustic hardwood floors that contrast with elegant, high-end ceramics.

Whatever it is about your property that people tend to like and remember, will also appeal to potential buyers. So, when listing your home for sale, make sure to emphasize that characteristic. 

When buyers view homes, they tend to remember just one, or...

If you want to buy a new washing machine, you simply go into a retail store and pay the listed price. Pretty simple.

However, it doesn’t work quite that way when it comes to real estate. Although a home will usually have a “listed price”, you must make an “offer” for that property and then the seller must accept it. In fact, if there are other buyers interested in the property, you may not get the home even if you offer the listed price!

That’s why it’s so important to work with a good Realtor like me, who can provide information and experience to help you determine the right offer to...