A luxury home should offer more than just tempting frills; they should also be able to supply timeless benefits and hold value, regardless of trends.

When buying a luxury home, try to look past things like infinity Jacuzzi tubs and professional-quality home theaters. These four amenities will never go out of style.

Unimpeded Views and Light Travel

 Natural light is vital to the look and feel of your home, as is a clear view of the outdoors. Homes with ample natural light during the daytime have been proven to elevate your mood as well as your resale value.

In cities, you should try to have a view of a skyline rather than a single building wall. If you can see some sort of natural landscape such as hills, woods, a river or a park, this feature will be even better. Ideally, sunlight will be streaming in through your windows for the majority of the day.

Outside the city, look for a home that is not hidden by trees or landscaping. Too many trees can spell a shady, gloomy interior and extra yard maintenance. Try to find a home that has an excellent viewing distance out into mountains, woods or fields. Remember that natural scenery is not something you can add to houses with a renovation.

Windows 

Along with your surroundings, your windows dictate how much light and landscape you see. Windows are responsible for a large percentage of heating and cooling loss in most older homes.

Seek out a home that has modern insulated windows with double or triple panes. These will save you money on energy costs, especially if the house has an abundance of windows.

High Ceilings

 A home with high ceilings feels more spacious. It communicates a majestic appearance. Your ceiling height should be no less than 2.7 meters. A house with ceilings higher than four meters would benefit from architectural touches such as exposed beams or an inlaid ceiling design.

Functional Layout

 Most luxury homes are large; this does not have to mean that they are difficult to navigate. Your home’s floor plan should be practical. Look for spacious main areas and corridors that flow naturally into bedrooms and other more private areas while still keeping them separate.

If you are in the market for a luxury Burnaby real estate property with all of these features and more, we would love to help you in your search. Take a look at our buying page to see what we can do for you.

A luxury home is an investment as much as it a necessity. One should always exercise due diligence before springing into a sale, no matter tempting a property may seem. Here are four things everyone should consider having done before they make a serious bid on a luxury property.

Get a Comprehensive Estate Inspection

Large estates have many complex components. A simple home inspection would be unable to evaluate them all properly. Find an expert who is qualified to inspect elements like:

• Lawn irrigation and sprinkler systems
• Heated floors or driveways
• Complicated security or surveillance systems
• Exterior landscape lighting

A thorough inspection will include the current state of each major component. It should give you a rough estimate for anything that will need to be repaired or replaced in the next ten or so years.

Get a Personal Appraisal

Chances are, any lender you wish to use will request their own appraisal. While these can be handy for determining your mortgage interest and lending amount, they may not have all the information you need as an investor.

Consider hiring your own separate appraiser who can calculate your new home’s value in the long run. They should be able to use historical data of surrounding areas and other similar properties. 

With this information, you will have a clearer picture of how your home will appreciate over the years. An appraiser may even be able to advise you of scenarios that will increase the value of the property.

Consult Your Financial Advisor

Buying a home is a serious commitment. Many people think through the decision diligently on their own, but do not bring their financial planner in on the prospect until late in the game.

Ask your financial advisor what type of contribution you are able to set aside for your home’s down payment and mortgage. They will be able to offer their expertise on the best type of housing purchase for your equity and overall net worth. A good financial advisor will help you steer clear of any rash purchases that may benefit your comfort, but not necessarily your bottom line.

Have the Title Looked at Closely

Large or valuable properties have a lot more considerations when it comes to ownership. There are unexpected aspects such as mineral rights, encroachments and possible easements relating to the property. Have a lawyer familiar with real estate law examine the document to spot any potential areas of trouble.

Additionally, if your lender does not already require you to purchase title insurance, do so before closing. Title insurance will protect you from unintended consequences in a title’s wording or from any unknown liens the property may have.

For more advice on buying luxury Burnaby real estate homes, our team of experienced agents will be more than happy to serve you. Take a look at our buying page to find out more about how we can help you.

If you take the time to learn your market, selling a luxury home can be almost as easy as selling any other home. With a few minor adjustments, you can get your home sold at or close to your initial asking price.

Here are some tips to make selling your luxury home as painless and profitable as possible.

Make the First Impression Count

Luxury home buyers tend to have discerning tastes. Typically, there are plenty of properties available for them to choose from at any given time. Yours will be one of many.

This stiff competition means you are going to have to put your best foot forward during every showing. Your home should be staged and landscaped before you are ready to invite potential buyers to tour it.

Any remodeling or updating you want to do beforehand should also be taken care of prior to listing. Most luxury home buyers have good business instincts. They like to see results rather than promises.

Spread Your Bets When Marketing

High-end homes are not always found in conventional ways. There are regular listing and classified services, but there is also special web-based marketing. Some home owners use sophisticated techniques like home tour videos or a custom web page to help represent their house in as detailed a manner as possible.

Let your real estate specialist in Burnaby know that you wish to take advantage of all these options at your disposal. Tell them you would like to go through multiple channels including:

• Print
• Online
• Listing services
• Word-of-mouth through other luxury agents

When you take the time to get your message out in resourceful ways, the right person is more likely to hear it.

Select the Right Agent and Cooperate with Them

You should always take the time to carefully select a qualified and experienced luxury seller's agent. They will have the knowledge and familiarity with the market to go about the sales process prudently. Sellers should also try to find an agent that they feel is easy to work with; a home sale is too valuable to let personalities dictate the process.

When working with your agent, always try to understand where he or she is coming from. They have just as much incentive as you do to get your house sold at a fair price. They will also be depending on furthering their reputation to keep a good standing with the luxury market.

Should you be dissatisfied with your agent's ideas, take the time to voice your concerns. You are better off communicating your opinions instead of pretending to agree.

If you are seeking out a luxury selling agent that always keeps their clients' needs first, we would love to offer our services. Our agents are all highly-experienced and want nothing more than to see their clients be happy. Take a look at our selling page to find out more about what we can do for you.