The new Harmonized Sales Tax comes into effect on July 1, 2010.  There are some public misconceptions about this tax, so here is some information to help you sort through what you hear.

Fact:  The HST applies to NEW homes being sold for the first time and to homes that have been substantially renovated (90% or more).  The purchase agreement has to be signed after November 18, 2009, with possession dated on or after July 1, 2010.

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Staging your home to sell can help you get a premium price for your home.  Done right, it helps your place sell faster and for more money.  Professional home stagers play up the best features of your home and minimize the worst.  They rearrange artwork, pack up the personal items like bowling trophies, and clear out the unnecessary items.

Here are the 10 best tips that stagers use:

1.  First Impressions

     Prospective buyers make up their mind very quickly about your home based on their first impressions.  So clean up the yard, rake your leaves, sweep driveways and porches, or powerwash them.  Spend time cleaning the front door, railings and steps.  Put away recycling cans and bins in the back yard.

2. Declutter

   Clutter will lose you money on your home.  Purge your closets, empty cupboards, box up anything you don’t use everyday. Reduce the number of books on the shelves as well as the DVDs and CDs. Be ruthless!

3. Keep it neutral

   Your goal is to have the buyer imagine him or herself as living in your house.  So remove the personal items, like the family photos, all that stuff on the fridge, all your shampoo bottles, etc.

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