Expenswe homes attract he home sits on a magâ€" nificent lakefront lot on E. Lakeshore Road, what some people refer to as Burlington‘s "Great White Way." It‘s a beauty, all right. It is a sprawling 5,000 square foot home with a contemporary interior finished entirely in black and white. Behind it is a gigantic fieldstone garden, a pool, hot tub and a gazebo. Despite its breathtaking beauty, the house is priced, obviously, in the high $800‘s. The price alone places it in the top ten percent of the market and is within the financial reach of a handful of potential purchasers. Intensive and very specialized marketing is critical to the sale of a home in the upper tier of the market. Add to that a few buyers who can afford to be decidedly picky. The realtor who has it listed told me that "for most wealthy people, a home is a discretionary purchase. Whether they now, or a year later, this house or any other house, is not a big deal." Homes "Upperâ€"enders" as they are known BEVERLY GOLF COUNTRY CLUB OPTION WINTER/SPRING ‘95 POSSESSION Buyer Participation Program (we work with you to customize your home) ungalows 2 store F 2 storeys 159,900 Up to 3000 sq. ft. GST inclu 3.175% FINANCING ON SELECTED MODELS ; DUNDAS ST. (HWY. 5) ] 401 NEW BUNGALOW SERIES Rated "Excellence" for after sales service by the Ontario New Home Warranty Program Upgraded luxury features Check our: 19 EXCITING DESIGNS in the industry are usually sophistiâ€" cated buyers. The agent adds "people in high income brackets didn‘t get there by being careless with their money." If you are one of the privileged few with an expensive home to sell there are a few tips you should keep in mind. Firstly, consider creative financing for a potential buyer. Can you take back a mortgage, or perhaps provide a second mortgage to make the purâ€" chase achievable for a buyer? Consider helping with the down payâ€" ment or the closing costs. Hamilton Halton Home Builders Don‘t make the mistake of "padding" the price of your home. It has to be priced realistically, even if you are not in a hurry to sell. Don‘t fall into the trap of "my home is extra special... it‘s unique." Many sellers make the mistake of focusing on particular features or styles of decorating. Remember to concentrate on the primary determiâ€" nants: value, location and square footage. Consider kicking in some addiâ€" tional funds or an extra percentage me Builders (905) 5$22â€"2269 .e SIMPLY BET For Windemere (Waterdown) Please call: Castellano Real Estate Inc (905) 689â€"4828 Office point of commission for such effecâ€" tive marketing tools as colour brochures and professionally proâ€" duced advertisements. Don‘t be stingy. Although it is the responsibility of the realtor to market your property, remember the sell period could be longâ€"term and the agent has to pay the tab for a continuing, effective campaign. The other big mistake ‘upperâ€" enders‘ make is that they generally refuse to have Open Houses. After all, these skeptics think, such an event will only attract curiosity seekâ€" ers, neighbours and a host of unqualâ€" ified buyers. They also pose, in their opinion, a potential security probâ€" lem. In reality, however, an Open OREA offers free book on how to buy first home f you‘re taking the first Estep into the exciting BA world of home ownerâ€" ship, but you‘re getting cold feet or spending sleepless nights trying to answer an endless array of home buyâ€" ing questions, take a deep breath because relief is close at hand. The Ontario Real Estate Association is offering a free solution to your problems â€" it‘s a book called How To Buy Your First Home. This book answers many home buying questions such as: * How to choose the right home for your budget; + What to expect from a Realtor; and If these are some of the questions that are keeping you up at night, then this is the book for you. It was introduced in response to research indicating that potential firstâ€"time buyers wanted a lot more informaâ€" tion about how to buy a home. * How to arrange a mortâ€" gage. The 128â€"page guide will take you step by step through the following stages of the home buying process: * Making the decision to buy; + Deciding on the kind of home you can afford; * Investigating the marâ€" ketplace; * Selecting the working with a lawyer; * Making an offer to purâ€" chase; *« Arrancing a mortcage House can be far more effective for a fancy home than a plain one. That‘s because such an event could well attract that one special buyer who is so busy that he or she may be disinâ€" clined to schedule a long house tour in advance. Busy people tend to do things on the spur of the moment, when the opportunity presents itself. The security concern can be manâ€" aged by having an extra agent or two or relatives and friends stationed in key areas of the home. Registering visitors, in order for them to tour the home is another way of intimidating potential thieves. The housing market is turning around and prices are already beginâ€" ning to edge upward. Many "upperâ€" enders" will be deciding that 1994 is finally a good time to list. If you are, take the advise of your realtor and keep your feet on the ground! Janice Johnston is President of Adcom Advertising and Design which specializes in new home marketing. _ Adcom is located at 440 Reynolds St. in Oakville. *«â€" Having the home inspected; and * Completing the transacâ€" tion. This book is userâ€"friendâ€" ly, simple and straightforâ€" ward, so it‘s easy to follow, even if you don‘t have any home buying experience. It will give you the knowâ€"how to make your home purchase with confidence. It also includes a glossary of many of the terms which are used in real estate transâ€" actions. If you‘re not familiar with terms such as highâ€"ratio mortgage, amortization and debt service ratio, this secâ€" tion can be extremely helpâ€" ful. Knowledge of these terms will be a great benefit when dealing with Realtors, lawyers and other profesâ€" sionals. Handy worksheets The book contains several worksheets as well. The first one will help you calculate your monthly costs such as mortgage payments, utility bills and living expenses. Another worksheet describes how to estimate the costs of making your home purchase, such as the down payment, lecal fees and closing costs. The book also includes a worksheet which will help you determine your needs such as property features, nearby facilities and serâ€" vices. A handy houseâ€"huntâ€" ing checklist is included as well. For a free copy of How to Buv Your First Home, call 1â€"