BUYERS MARKET!

In the last two weeks, three of our properties have sold in less than one week, one with multiple offers! WHY?
Because they are priced right in this market.
The bottom line for you that are selling or thinking about it is that there are 87% more listings out there now compared to this time last year, and climbing. To get a sale in this market, if you are really trying/NEEDING to get a sale, you must price to the market, not higher. The market is continuing to fall. If you do not price to the market today you will not sell. From an article I recently read "By suggesting a seller has an overpriced property, the real estate agent runs the risk of being the messenger that gets shot. Courageous agents tell the truth. Cowardly agents hope the overpriced property will generate sign or ad calls as the property sits with additional days on the market"
Please call me for an honest and realistic quote on what your property is worth in today's market.
Thank you
JIM

2010 Market

Rates are rising... The buyers are coming back!
It is a great opertunity for those with cash to purchase.

Please give me a call and I will come to your home and together we will determine the value of your home in today's market.

Don't get fooled by those cut-rate, no office, out of town company's willing to list you at any price, costing you hundreds for the experience! Odds are you wont sell and you will come over to a local realtor anyway.

Go with a name that will standby you now and in the future!
Together we will go over the listings similar to yours that have recently sold and price your home to get you the value that you deserve.

Best wishes Capt. Jim

• Daily online listing at Kamloops This Week
  
  Three webpages, Three completly different minds
• working towards getting you a sale.
  
  No obligation listing service, cancel anytime you want!
  
  Daily advertising with up to nine pictures on MLS.CA
  
  
• Weekly open houses till sold, (at your discretion!)
  
  
• see me on Shaw cable doing my boating safety program
  
  
• read my weekly column in Kamloops this week

No hassle negotiations, no doorknockers or lookie loos! I do all the work for you!

My listing customers get extra attention as I personally search for their new home! I answer my phone.. not a secretary.. who does not know how to deal with prospective buyers.
Did you know that by law an assistant may not discuss your home with callers?
Call Jim Knowles and get Jim Knowles... pretty much 24-7

E-Mail Jim now for up to the minute listings, market information,
Foreclosures or any other realestate related question

Referrals
Hey Jim, Yeah we are here...lol, sorry we haven't been in touch latley we have just been busy here the last few days! What has happened though is we have bought a piece of property off of a friend of ours from 100 Milehouse. He owned it for several years, it is at Cherry Creek, he had plans to move here on day but has since decided not too. We talked with him about it a year or so ago and he now decided to sell it. We will be building a new post and beam home on the property, we are sorry to have wasted your time and really appreciate the work you did for us! We just figure that we can build a new home for the same price as we could buy some of the homes you showed us, I will do all of the building myself so it will save alot of extra dollars. Thanks again Jim, you have been excellent to work with and we will definatly refer you to others.
Shannon Fox. Apr/2010

I was asked the other day by a prospective client"What do I get with you, Jim"
Tough question... I had to sit back and think.. This is what you get when you work with Jim..

1. Loyalty.. 100% old fashioned loyalty.. I live by it and expect the same in return
2. Wisdom ...I have lived many places around the world, I have traveled the world sometimes with money sometimes not, I can relate to all types of people on their level, I respect all people. I have learned from them all and continue to do so.
3. Youth.. yes youth... I am 52 but my thinking is young, my friends are young. I race Cross Country Mountain Bikes, Down Hill MTB, wake board, hike, ski and sail to name a few. I am on top of technology (however odd this page is, I built it)
4. Friendliness.. although I have no time for petty or greedy people and will if I feel that I do not at least think somewhat like the prospective client, I will turn them down. I choose to work with you as much as you choose to work with me.
5. Honesty.. ask my references.. when it comes to house hunting... I am the toughest you will find. I do not want you to find a problem after we buy the house. Very rare does the home inspector find something that I have not already voiced my concerns over. I am not commission driven, I am driven by what you need and my goal is to make that work.
6. Compassion..My volunteer activities speak to this..Handidart driver, Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks, A Touch Of Home Care Home, Relay For life, Build a Roof Cuba, Level 2 Handicapped Ski Instructor.
7. Schooled.. English Major, published author(Wood Through Water), Master Mariner, numerous articles for many magazines including Yacht World, Second Home, REM, Kamloops This Week, Kamloops Daily News. I hated school.
8. Passionate.. My passion is for people and animals, I love working with all types and enjoy finding a home for folks the most rewarding. My kids are tops on the list followed by my shared dog, Sammy.
   9. Business smarts.. Having owned and operated two very successful businesses in my life, having rarely worked for anyone but myself, I am thorough, thrifty, business smart, wise and one heck of a negotiator. I am not intimidated easily and will get the best deal that we can get, buy or sell. I reached ReMax Hall Of Fame in four years! I have been Platinum 3 out of 6 years... No one in this town has done better in the same period of being a realtor.
   

In a nut shell:

Jim Knowles = Wise old young guy with a passion for people, who has a real knack for negotiations.

Why would you hire anyone else?

8 No-Cost and Low-Cost Ways to Tweak Your Home
Here are some inexpensive ways to make your home shine.
By Maggie Sieger |

Chances are the decor in that listing you just took is a lot like most people's wardrobes: There are a few items that went out of style a decade ago, but they're so comfortable that it's impossible to see them go. "We grow accustomed to our space, and we stop seeing it," says Melissa Birdsong, vice president of trend, design, and brand for Lowe's, the home improvement giant. "People tend to become blind to their own things."But everything needs updating eventually. Birdsong suggests home owners cast a fresh eye on their living space, pretending that they've just moved in and are assessing the previous occupant's design choices. Betsy Westman, a broker-owner with Westman Realty in Grand Rapids, Mich., says real estate professionals can have a big impact on updating a home's look by helping clients brainstorm new ideas and by being straightforward about outmoded design elements. The following tips can help get a home up-to-date without breaking the bank.
1. Move it. Simply rearranging the furniture can reenergize a room. Add and remove furniture, lamps, rugs, and accessories from other parts of the house to create a whole new look. Mirrors are particularly useful when it comes to updating a room. Try one out in different rooms to see where it fits best. Even just moving a mirror to a different wall can create a more welcoming feel.
2. Plant it.
Houseplants are a generally undervalued design component that can add texture, warmth, and color to any room. Just drop plants in their store containers into decorative planters. Small plants can be moved easily and regrouped to change a room's look, while larger ones make a statement on their own. Group plants of differing heights, fullness, and color for the most dramatic effect. Jettison the scraggly specimens, Westman says. "It's important to have plants that are well maintained and in tip-top condition."
3. Paint it.
Paint is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to make a substantial change. Use dramatic colors in powder rooms and dining rooms, and more neutral colors in living spaces. When selecting colors, "be sure to ask, 'What am I trying to do? How do I want this to feel?'" Birdsong says. "And always, always do a test before you paint the whole room."
4. Organize it!
"Clutter just happens," Birdsong says. "So neaten up!" She advocates a variety of organizing tools to make a space feel polished while maintaining utility. Hooks and shelves inside the door give people a place to hang coats and keys, while canvas bins or natural baskets help contain magazines and mail. "Just a row of hooks preattached on a board is so easy to install," she says. "And shelves are a great way to neatly display collectibles."
5. Hide it. Have a banged-up wall? It may be easy to camouflage. Paintable wallpaper (available for as little as $16/roll from Creative Wallcovering) will smooth out an uneven wall or hide minor dents and dings. Adventurous home owners can even try a simple two-step painting process for a more complex finish. Birdsong suggests applying a solid base coat, then a glaze. 
"These days, it's pretty user-friendly," she says. Caution: Your intent should never be to mislead buyers; be sure to disclose flaws that would affect home value.
6. Replace it.
Cabinet handles, switch plates, and other small pieces of housing hardware can update a home for just a few dollars a piece. Westman suggests scanning each room to see what looks worn or outdated and then replacing it. Inexpensive quick-connect faucets can make upgrading the look of your bathroom a snap. Just be sure to measure before you go to the hardware store. Some sinks are drilled for an eight-inch spread. Others require just four inches. 
"And don't forget the toilet seat," adds Westman. "Fresh towels and a new toilet seat go a long way toward making a bathroom feel clean and new."
7. Light it.
Lighting can have a major impact on a home's look and feel. Whether a room seems dark or too bright and harsh, try "layering" the lighting by adding accent pendants and lamps. Make sure they have independent controls, so that you can turn them on and off at will. 
"Light is such a mood setter," Westman says. "You can create a cozy feel just by turning down the lights." Add dimmers in the dining room, bathrooms, kitchen, and even the hallways for less than $4 each. Then adjust the lighting to create the mood you want.
8. Clean it. Turn a critical eye to the flooring to make sure it's up to snuff. Scrub grout and seal natural stone. Rub out scratches and nicks on wood floors with scratch cover. "Get down on your hands and knees and detail the floors," Birdsong says. "It takes a little elbow grease, but the results are well worth it." Vinyl flooring is a bit harder to spruce up but usually can be replaced easily and inexpensively.

When I advertise...
I advertise with your sale formost in my mind!