Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!
Wishing everyone a safe and blessed holiday season! I’ll be back to my regular posts come to the new year, with new contests, promo’s and, of course, tons of new ideas! Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by =)
Etsy goodies: Last minute gift guide for your hubby-to-be
Here are my picks for some awesome gift ideas for your man! All under $40. Remember to order ASAP if you want it shipped out in time for Christmas. Most Etsy sellers will offer rush shipping also, so don’t hesitate to ask.
Hammered belt buckle for the rustic manly man – made by metalogical.
Shadow and storm trooper cufflinks for the geekster – made by crimsonking.
Personalized bottle cap opener/catcher for the macho man – made by InnovationWorkshop.
Custom inscribed divot repair tool for the golf fanatic – made by purelypaige.
Grill guru master kit for the barbecuing man – made by purposedesign.
Recycled billboard iPad sleeve for the eco-friendly techy – made by airetrashion.
Expert Advice: Buying your first home!
As a new feature to my blog, I’ll be bringing in ideas and inspirations from industry experts from different fields that might be of interest to you as the newly engaged couple. I have a lot of knowledgable and helpful friends and vendors who are more than willing to share a tip or two. Hopefully it will be helpful towards your planning for the future together!
Today the feature is slightly off the topic of wedding planning, but equally important – buying your first home together! Many couples embark on looking for a new home while planning for their wedding. That’s a lot of work! I’ve enlisted the help of Nathan Ho, a Toronto-based Realtor, who has some tips to share. Next week, look out for a feature on wedding cakes!
Tell us about yourself!
I’ve been a licensed Realtor in Ontario for over two years now and I’m excited for the opportunity to share about my experiences in this blog. I originally graduated with a degree in Marketing with a minor in Business Communications on my way to a marketing career. However, a passion for real estate and my desire to directly help others led me to a career as a Realtor where I’ve been blessed to meet and help many young couples and first-time buyers find their dream homes!
How can a realtor be helpful to a couple looking to buy a house?
Finding a perfect home or planning a perfect wedding does not happen overnight. In fact, it takes a lot of time and effort. Just like a wedding coordinator, a Realtor provides you with their experience and expertise to save you the time and frustrations of tackling it on your own. Think of us as a member of your team who is professionally trained and will look out for your best interest to make sure your wedding night or home search is a successful one! Here are some ways a Realtor can help you:
Developing a Plan
Before physically visiting any of the thousands of available homes for sale, a buyer must set realistic goals and gain an understanding of the market. A Realtor helps narrow your search by showing you what you can afford, establishing your present/long-term goals, and providing insight into different neighbourhoods. Being educated on the market trends, investment potential and deciding between resale or pre-construction is also imperative during the planning stage.
The Process
When a strong plan has been established, it’s time for the exciting part, visiting the actual homes! Realtor’s will find and schedule appointments for the best available properties that meet your needs and act as your personal “tour guide”. This can be an emotional process but it is important to not let your emotions take over or you may find yourself overpaying or being careless when identifying deficiencies. A Realtor helps you stick to your budget and can help point out that water leakage in the kitchen while you’re admiring the large backyard deck!
Making an Offer
Once you’ve found the perfect home, it’s time to make an offer. You want to act quickly and decisively to avoid disappointment as there are many buyers viewing the same properties as you are. A Realtor handles all the complex paperwork and negotiates on your behalf with their knowledge of the market conditions, sales history and available comparables to ensure that you secure the right home for the right price.
How much does realtor services cost?
This is one of the first questions I receive from many prospective buyers and the answer usually surprises them. As a buyer, Realtor services are absolutely FREE of charge as the home sellers pay the total commission to the selling and buying agents.
Where are some popular areas couples are looking at?
One of the main factors that couples tend to look at when purchasing a home is convenience. This includes access to public transit, proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, their workplace etc. As a result, some of the most popular areas are in North York around the subway line from Yonge/Finch to along Yonge/Sheppard to Fairview Mall. Other popular areas are in downtown Toronto, a location close to many of their workplaces, entertainment and fantastic restaurants, as well as in Markham near Warden/Highway 7 due to the emerging Downtown Markham developments. Toronto and its surrounding areas are full of great neighbourhoods and there are many options available to suit your individual personality!
Any last thoughts?
Your investment in a home is the single largest purchase you will make in your lifetime. Take the time and seek professional advice to learn how you can meet your short-term needs and maximize your long-term potential in the real estate market. Whether you’re looking to purchase/sell or just have any random real estate questions, I’m always happy to speak with you. One of the perks of my business is being able to form personal relationships to help others in their search for their perfect home. I look forward to helping you!
Here’s how you can find Nathan:
Nathan Ho
HomeLife/Bayview Realty Inc.
Email: nathan.h.ho@gmail.com
http://www.nathanho.ca
http://www.facebook.com/nathanhorealtor
Give peace of mind this Christmas!
Not sure what to get your recently engaged friend? Give the gift of a Professional Wedding Coordinator for their big day!
Perfect for a bridal party to show their support or for a family to give a priceless and invaluable gift for a couple who might not be able to afford it on their own. Gift certificates for Day-Of Coordination and Consultation packages are available separately or combined. Our end-of-year promotional discounts apply towards the gift certificate if you buy before December 20th. Call or email today for details!
Wedding-esque fonts
After four years of studying fonts and design principles in university, I can shamelessly say that I get a good kick out of a beautiful typeface (aka a font). Because a lot of couples are opting to create their own invites and printed material, I’ve compiled some nice fonts that you can use for your wedding paraphernalia. It takes only a couple of seconds to download and install a font but, let me tell you, a well designed font takes a LOT of time to create. Having made my own font for an assignment in school, I have a huge appreciation for a good lookin’ piece of typeface.
What makes a good typeface you ask? Well, there are a number of simple ingredients. A good font will have a number of weights – regular, light, bolds, italics, etc – as well as some fun ligatures. A good font will also have good visual spacing between letters (someone actually had to go in and figure out how much space should be inbetween each and every letter combination..!). It should also be easy to read for what you are using it for (if it is for an invitation you’ll want it to be legible in a small size and if it’s used for a powerpoint it should be legible from far away).
Of course, not all fonts are made equally, and not all fonts will be liked the same, but here are some of my picks for wedding-esque fonts.
Lauren Script – a stylized script with a more casual feel
Lintel – I threw this into the mix in case you have lyrics for songs or slideshow words to put up, make sure to use something legible and clean.
Chopin Script – a script font with pretty capital letters
Adobe Garamond Premier – my favourite font of all time. It’s classic and I absolutely love using its’ ligatures. Shown in Italic above.
Valentina – another nice casual script. It looks like there might be some spacing issues but overall a nice handwritten look
Anyway you get the point. There are a ton of other fonts that could very well suit your style and taste for your wedding, so don’t let this stop you. Hopefully these will get you started on your search for the perfect font for your wedding!
Etsy goodies: A long-awaited GOODBYE to Movember
Today is a slight stray from my usual wedding-oriented entries to pay tribute to a cause that, frankly, I’m quite glad is done with. I love what Movember stands for and how it really made a statement. But man am I glad that it is December. I was already shuddering of disgust at Brian Wilson’s overgrown playoff beard in October, but then much to my delight, the whole world goes about a campaign to grow out their stache. Just wonderful. I might just have a mild case of Pogonophobia.
Anyway, here are my Etsy finds in memory of quite a successful (and gross) campaign.
A pint of delicious – BreadandBadger
A welcome hanging for your home – MarthaMarvels
For the asians who can’t grow any or for the ladies who wanted to give it a shot, but more practically, I’m sure this would be super slick to hit the slopes with – Breadowear
And lastly, something you can definitely use at your wedding: Photobooth props! – LittleRetreats
Happy shaving boys! And happy mini vacation for me, I’m off to beautiful Montreal tomorrow!