Hanan the Realtor

08/23/2026

The goal before listing isn’t to make your home look empty. It’s to make it easy for buyers to picture themselves living there. 🏡

Before the photos and showings, these are some of the first things I’d recommend removing or putting away:

1. Family photos — give buyers space to imagine their own family here.
2. About half of what’s in your closets — packed closets can make even good storage look too small.
3. Countertop clutter — clear kitchen and bathroom counters make the space feel bigger and cleaner.
4. Extra furniture — if you have to squeeze around it, it probably needs to go into storage.
5. Everything covering the fridge — magnets, kids’ artwork, calendars and papers can make photos look busy.
6. Very personal decor — you want buyers focusing on the home, not trying to figure out your decorating style.
7. Pet items — bowls, toys, beds and litter boxes should be put away before photos and showings.
8. Bathroom products — toothbrushes, razors, shampoo bottles and anything else sitting around should disappear.
9. Oversized rugs — they can make rooms look smaller and hide flooring that buyers may want to see.
10. Valuables and medications — this one isn’t about staging. It’s about protecting your belongings and your privacy when people are walking through your home.

And here’s the good news: most of this doesn’t cost you anything.

You don’t necessarily need a major renovation or thousands of dollars in upgrades before selling. Sometimes the biggest difference comes from simply removing what’s distracting from the home.

Your house has to look like your home to you… but like their future home to the buyer.

Thinking about selling in Ottawa? Send me a DM with the word “SELL” and I’ll help you figure out what I would change before putting your home on the market. 🏡

And save this post for when you’re ready to list! 📌

08/22/2026

Buying a home means suddenly realizing you have opinions about street names you never even thought about before 😂🏡

Court, Crescent, Boulevard, Avenue, Drive, Lane, Alley… but what do they actually mean?

Here’s your little street name cheat sheet 👀

And if you’re house hunting, knowing the difference can actually help you understand the neighbourhood and the type of street you’re looking at.

Save this for your next house hunt 🔖

Did I miss one? What street name should I add to Part 2? 👇

08/21/2026

Basic human needs:

1. Oxygen 🌬️
2. Water 💧
3. A ridiculously beautiful kitchen with an island big enough to host Thanksgiving 😂🏡

I don’t make the rules.

But if we’re being honest, a dream kitchen can make a house feel like home. ✨

What’s on your must have list when you’re house hunting? 👇

08/19/2026

Got a 3% mortgage rate? Before you sell your house, let’s talk. 👀🏡

Because when you sell, you’re not just giving up the house. You’re potentially giving up a mortgage rate that may be very difficult to replace today.

That doesn’t mean you should NEVER sell. Life happens, and sometimes selling is absolutely the right move.

But before you list, ask yourself:

🏡 Could I keep the property and rent it out?

💰 Would it make sense as a long term investment?

📉 Can I take my existing mortgage with me or is it portable?

🧮 What would my new payment look like at today’s rates?

📍 Am I moving because I truly need to, or because I feel like I have to?

A low mortgage rate can be valuable, but it shouldn’t be the only reason you stay in a home that no longer works for you.

The smartest move isn’t always selling.

Sometimes it’s figuring out whether that old mortgage can continue working for you.

If you’re sitting on a low rate and thinking about moving, talk to your mortgage professional and your realtor BEFORE putting that For Sale sign up. 😉

Would you keep a house just to hold onto a 3% mortgage? 👇

08/18/2026

Making $150K a year sounds like a lot of money…

Until your entire lifestyle starts revolving around your house. 😅🏡

There’s a BIG difference between what you can technically qualify for and what you can comfortably afford.

As a realtor, I don’t want you buying the biggest house a lender will approve you for. I want you buying a home that still lets you:

✈️ Take a vacation
🍽️ Go out for dinner
💰 Keep saving
🛠️ Handle the unexpected repairs
👨‍👩‍👧 Enjoy your life
😴 And sleep at night without stressing about the mortgage

Your mortgage isn’t the only cost of owning a home. Think property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, repairs, closing costs and everything else that comes with owning instead of renting.

A house should be part of your life, not your entire life.

And that’s one of the conversations I have with my buyers before we ever start looking at houses.

Because getting approved for $800K doesn’t mean you should spend $800K.

Sometimes the smartest move is buying the house that leaves you room to actually enjoy it. ❤️

What would you rather have?

A bigger house or more breathing room? 👇

08/18/2026

📍 Reduced Price 📍 This recently reduced home at 2625 Longfields Drive in Ottawa won't last long, so, don't wait to set up a showing! Reach out here or at (613) 797-6669 for more information!

Welcome to this charming 2-bedroom, 3-bathroom stacked condo, perfectly located in the highly desirable Stonebridge community. Designed with both comfort and convenience in mind, this home offers a functional two-level layout of over 900 square feet that's ideal for a couple or small family. The ...

08/17/2026

Call me what you want, but don't forget to call me when you're ready to buy or sell your house! 🤣📞

08/16/2026

There are some questions where I can give you a thoughtful, detailed answer…

And then there are questions where my answer is simply NO NO NO 😂

Buying a home is exciting, but there are a few things I will always tell my clients to think twice about.

Don’t stretch yourself so far that you’re house poor.

Don’t skip the inspection just because you love the house.

Don’t make a decision based entirely on FOMO.

Don’t assume the most expensive house you qualify for is the house you should buy.

And please don’t let a pretty kitchen make all your financial decisions for you. 😂

My job isn’t to convince you to buy a house. It’s to help you make a decision that actually makes sense for YOU.

Sometimes that means writing the offer.

Sometimes it means walking away.

And yes… sometimes it means me sitting across from you saying NO NO NO. 😂🏡

08/14/2026

The listing photos looked amazing… so you bought the house. Plot twist: the wide angle lens was doing A LOT. 😂🏡

If you’re buying a home, here are 5 rookie mistakes I want you to avoid:

📸 Falling for online photos
Photos are meant to make a home look its best. Go see it in person and pay attention to layout, condition, light, noise and things the camera doesn’t show.

📈 Ignoring resale value
You may love the house today, but think about whether future buyers will love it too. Location, layout, parking, bedrooms and overall condition can matter when it’s time to sell.

🔎 Skipping the inspection
Even if the house looks perfect, you don’t know what’s happening behind the walls. An inspection can help you understand what you’re actually buying.

💰 Maxing out your budget
Just because a lender says you can afford it doesn’t mean you should spend every dollar of that amount. Leave room for repairs, maintenance, life and the occasional dinner out. 😂

🧾 Forgetting the hidden costs
Closing costs, legal fees, land transfer tax, moving expenses, insurance, property taxes, utilities and those “oh, we should probably fix that” expenses can add up quickly.

Buying a home is exciting, but you don’t have to learn all the expensive lessons the hard way.

Save this for when you’re house hunting and send it to someone who is about to start looking. 🏡👇

08/13/2026

It's kinda chic!