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‘"You want the buyer to feel comfortable in the house right away," she says. "I don‘t know One agent with 18 years in the business says the average buyer is going to spend only about ten minutes at your open house â€" not much time to capâ€" ture the attention. Each agent has his own tips And all believe they make difference. A "for sale" sign is out front, an advertisement is in the newspaper, and your first open house is this weekend. Assuming you have done your homework and hired the right real estate company to represent you, there are many "tricks of the trade" designed to cast the right spell over potential purchasers. Many builders speak about the burgeoning number of new home buyers that are held back by a sluggish reâ€"sale market. Let‘s face it. It is more diffiâ€" cult for the firstâ€"time buyer today than it was when our parents purchased their first homes. Over the years in many Ontario real estate markets, But before you book the moving van, you have to ensure your existing home is sold. fr ou have decided to * make the big move! . You have simply outgrown that cozy bungaâ€" low you purchased several years ago. All the planning and saving has paid off and that gorgeous new home on a bigger lot is beckoning. If it will make you feel any better, most people who first look at home prices are equally shocked. Probably the most expensive thing you‘ve bought so far is a car or an apartment full of furniture. Now you‘re looking at prices that are five, ten or even twenty times the amounts you paid for those other consumer goods! ou‘ve weighed the option of renting or buying and have decidâ€" ed you ‘d like to buy a home. But a quick look in the papers or a conversation with friends immediately discourages you. "Look at these prices," you say to yourself. "I can‘t afford to buy in this market!" Out with the "old" and in with the "new" How much home can you afford? If you are not a cook, simâ€" ply pick up some of the wonâ€" derful potâ€"pourri you can steam on the stove top to create those heart rending aromas. It helps create the "warm and fuzzies". * Bake some cookies or brew some mulled cider. The smell of cinnamon or vanilla generally evokes pleasant childhood memories. It goes without saying that emotional appeal sells houses, and creating that emotional appeal to help sell your home quickly and profitably is up to you. Here are a few secret incanâ€" tations you can try. Most agents agree that small things make a big differâ€" ence. ‘You never get a second chance at a first impression," and going the extra mile espeâ€" cially helps in a down market. The houses in the best shape are the ones that sell. a sale, but in some cases I think it‘s the straw that broke the camel‘s back: It‘s the thing that tipped the scale." So what‘s the good news, you ask? The answer is that real estate values are expected to continue increasing over the long term. And why is that good news? Because the soonâ€" er you buy your first home, the sooner the tendency of properâ€" increases in home prices have exceeded the gains in median family income. The average down payment required to buy a home has also increased more rapidly than our incomes in many cases. So don‘t let appearances fool you. Despite today‘s prices and down payment requirements, somewhere there‘s a home with your name on it. The important thing is to Nor will the size of the down payment necessarily preâ€" vent you from buying a home. There are several ways to finance the purchase of a home by maximizing the funds you have available for a down payâ€" ment. The medianâ€"homeâ€" pnce listâ€" ings in the business sections of our daily papers shouldn‘t keep you from buÂ¥ing either. Remember, "median" means that half the homes for sale are above this figure and half are below it. You‘ll discover that prices are significantly differâ€" ent, depending on where you look and the type of house you buy. ty to appr'ec;iatc will help you. Diane Gabriel, Associate Broker, Brian Perchaluk Sales Representatlve im 2 Bedroom bungalow townhomes with a loft i Main Floor Bedroom with ensuite Loft Bedroom with ensuite §# m Adult Lifestyle _ m Gas Fireplaces ht m Cathedral Ceiling Nz i 2 Piece Powder Room m 2 Car Parking ® Full Basement ® End Units available m Special Scotia Bank Financing Py J 22 Uniquely Designed Townhomes. Upscale. Downtown. And Value Priced. S TARTING â€"F R O M " Model Suite Hours: Monâ€"Fri. 11â€"7, Sat. Sun. 125 or by appointment: 639â€"6908 on site or 634â€"7755 office lars and the down payment is with those places and naturally Excerpted from the book want to duplicate the feelings. _ Home To Buy Your First Home, Reality soon sets in, howevâ€" produced by the Ontario Real er. Our dream home sells for Estate Association. For your several hundred thousand dolâ€" _ free copy, call OREA at (416â€" Where do we get these ideas? Often they relate to our parents‘ home or our grandâ€" mother‘s house in the country. We associate warm memories with those places and naturally want to duplicate the feelings. Matching dreams with reality Most firstâ€"time buyers want their dream home right away. White picket fence, trees shadâ€" ing a huge yard, several thouâ€" sand square feet of living space and a full finished walkâ€" out basement, overlooking a stream in the valley below. You know the picture. Your dream may be somewhat difâ€" ferent, but just as appealing. get into the market as soon as you are able to afford your home. ROYAL LEPAGE REAL ESTATE SERVICES LTD, BROKER ROYAL LEPAGE 1 445â€"9910). The best way to deal with this reality is to match your financial capabilities with the home that meets as many of your needs as possible. Many firstâ€"time buyers purchase what is commonly known as a "starter home." There‘s nothâ€" ing wrong with this approach. In fact, it‘s good common sense to avoid buying a home that will stretch your budget to its breaking point. Remember, the starter home is just that â€" a way to get started in longâ€"term real estate investment. more than we earn in two years. Not to mention the payâ€" ments, which are three times our takeâ€"home salary each month.