Vern McClelland's (mccl) Blog

Dear MG:  I have noticed that some MLS listings say "No RPR available", or "Existing RPR only", or even "Buyer to purchase Title Insurance", and I was wondering what each of these terms mean?  Vern:  RPR is short for Real Property Report.  It is a legal document that illustrates the location of s...

Shifting Ground Last week I was invited to attend a conference in Edmonton specifically developed for team leaders in real estate.  It was an intensive two day experience with seven excellent instructors, all specialists in one aspect or another of our industry.  The pleasant surprise for me was ...

McClelland Minute - October 17, 2010 ASK MG We will be listing our house soon and don't know what to expect when showings occur, can you give us some advice? Vern:  First of all, buyers feel much more comfortable when the Seller is not home.  I always encourage clients to talk openly about what t...

Market Update We have just passed the three-quarter point of the calendar year, and I thought it would be interesting to share a few statistics provided by the Realtors Association of Lloydminster and District with you, adding in a few personal observations along the way that I caution may, or ma...

Wanderings               We just got back from a short holiday to see family on Vancouver Island.  What a great time of year to go through the mountains with the leaves of the deciduous trees turning colour in contrast to the evergreen forests.  Fortunately we missed the heavy rains that hit the ...

McClelland Minute Dear MG, I plan on buying a house soon and my Realtor is recommending a professional home inspection.  I feel I am reasonably good at handyman type things, do you really think it is worthwhile? Vern:  The short answer is "yes".  Unless you have skill in plumbing, electrical, and...

Twenty Ways to Lose a Guest Our Group has hosted several hundred Open Houses over the years, and we have seen more than a few ways that sellers can quickly turn off potential buyers for their property without even knowing it.  Consider the open house as a blind date, and you show up in wrinkled c...

Truth or Consequences The selection of a Listing Realtor to work with you and your family should have at least two phases, the first being a logical approach to establishing value of the subject property.  The second is more like any job interview, where the Realtor lays out in detail how they wi...

Do Your Diligence If you are purchasing a house or acreage, ask your Realtor for an ancillary services form to guide your diligence strategy.  This document outlines all the types of inspections that may prove useful for the property you are considering.  I don't advocate that you use every one o...

Buying With Style Ask any Realtor to tell you what the ideal client does to make the home search easier on themselves, their support cast of professionals including Realtor, banker, home inspector, insurance agent, and lawyer, invariably what he or she will tell you can be summed up in a single w...