As a Buyer, you need to look at a lot of houses – regardless of whether this is your first time, a move –up or a down-scale.   As a Seller, you need to know you're accurate with your pricing target, that the condition of and upgrades to your home are similar to others in as good a location.

Start your tire kicking by going to Saturday or Sunday Open Houses - usually 2 pm to 4 pm. When you're ready to proceed, I'll take you to see select homes in the initial process of determining either "what you really want" (Buyers) or "what you can really expect to get" (Sellers).

 Tire kicking is very important for both Buyers and Sellers throughout Oakville –here are a few comments to help with the process.  

Location: This is the one thing about your new home you absolutely cannot change. No matter if the house would be perfect if it were a few blocks away, it’s not. And it never will be. Likewise, if you find a house in your ideal neighbourhood that seems wrong for you, give it a chance.

Floorplan: This is the second most important factor and one of the most costly to change, if change is physically and legally an option. Moving or knocking down walls is expensive and may require lengthy construction times and costly permits.

Outdated can be Good!  No matter how much you hate wallpaper borders, pink carpet, dusty knickknacks, gaudy gold drawer pulls or the simmering potpourri in the bathroom, don’t let them turn you away from a great house. Many buyers fail to imagine their own style of decor in an otherwise good home, and these are the houses that sit on the market.

Staging can be just Fluff! Smart Realtors will advise their clients to put on a fresh coat of paint, update light fixtures and load the bedrooms and baths with new linens and fresh flowers. Don’t fall in love with just the pretty facade; make sure you’re also paying attention to the big picture.

Beware “Analysis Paralysis”:While you're busy reading about Oakville real estate's 'inevitable value drops', or the long-awaited burst of a bubble, prices in Oakville have remained stable throughout 2011 or climbed. Good inventory can slip away from you. An environment tempered by a healthy dose of caution has curbed overbidding, but, historically, mortgage interest rates remain low. 

Tire kicking is a learning process – learning about what you really want, what you really need.  Enjoy it – I will help make it fun!