Blogs should have some humour

What would a Real Estate blog be without the occasional humour?

Agents in my office see that I spend a great deal of time on the computer answering client emails and internet requests and updating my website. I am known as the computer genius in our office. Thus I get asked many questions when anything computer or internet related comes about.

A pet peeve of mine is that many of the agents in my office often ask me absurd or completely 'off the wall' types of computer and high tech real estate related questions.

For about 3 years now, well before Google was the Icon that it has become, people in my office now know what my well known answer is now... Why don't you "Google it!"

FAQ How long do you think it will take to sell my home?

Every house is unique. I've had homes sell within hours of listing on the market and sometimes it takes months to sell or never sell at all. I believe there are three primary reasons why a home does not sell.
First is price. If the home is overpriced the qualified buyers may never see it because it is priced out of their budget. Those who can afford the home will be comparing it to homes that are properly priced and therefore have more features or benefits. Your home could be priced accurately but be valued much higher than the average home in your area. The farther above the average home value in your area you are, the fewer buyers there will be and the longer it can take to find your buyer. Just be careful of agents and the high price tactic.
The Second reason a home may not sell is lack of consistent promotion.

A home seller may think all they need to do is put an ad in the paper, put up a sign, build a web site and the world will beat a path to their door. The MLS is one of the main sources of buyers. You can read about marketing of your home in detail. The more marketing that I do, the greater the chances I will find a buyer quickly.
The third reason a home does not sell is timing Timing in life is critical and in real estate "timing is everything". The right buyer for your home may be in the market right now, when we start properly promoting your home the buyer may find you immediately and buy your home right away. Although some people will tell you if your home sells too quickly you are under priced, this is not necessarily true. Timing your entry into the market with the buyers’ readiness can lead to a quick sale. In contrast, if there is no buyer for your home at the time you come on the market, then you will likely have to wait until your buyer does come into the market.
As a home seller you can control the price of your home and I will control the marketing of your home. Unfortunately, neither of us can control the timing.
To continue reading about selling your home, you may go to my section about the selling process

Beautiful Executive Detached Bungalow on Saginaw Crescent in Lorne Park

Gracious Ranch Home In Lorne Park With Great Curb Appeal And Gleaming Hardwood Floors.
Large Living Room With Fireplace And Separate Dining. Recently Decorated And Updated.
Lower Level Family Room And Office With 'Space To Grow' For Your Family's Needs.
Move-In Condition.
Fridge,Stove,Elf's,Broadloom W/Laid,All Draperies,Central Air Conditioning(2002),Hi-Eff.Gas Furnace(2002),Sump Pump(2001),200 Amps,Roof(2002), Garden Shed.
This home is very nicely upgraded and decorated throughout
Ceramic Flooring in entrance foyer
Immaculate & clean throughout
Quality Construction
Strip Hardwood flooring in Living and Dining Rooms and all bedrooms
Great kitchen with walkout to huge rear yard and gardens
See all the pictures and details here

Fridge, stove, built-in dishwasher, washer and dryer included
Central air conditioning, roughed in central vacuum
Master bedroom features a large semi ensuite bathroom with window, large closet
Basement has a partially finished recreation room with New Gas Fireplace, large office and partly finished storage area, small dry bar and plenty of other storage space, laundry area and door to garage
Electric Garage Door opener plus remote controller

Other features, upgrades and extras in this home include:
Gracious Ranch Home In Lorne Park With Great Curb Appeal And Gleaming Hardwood Floors.
Fridge,Stove,Elf's,Broadloom W/Laid,All Draperies,Central Air Conditioning(2002),Hi-Eff.Gas Furnace(2002),Sump Pump(2001),200 Amps,Roof(2002), Garden Shed.
All upgraded light fixtures throughout the home are included
All Blinds and window coverings and vertical blinds on French Doors walk out from kitchen are included
hot water tank (rental tank)
Excellent Family Home In Very Desirable Area of Lorne Park
Bright Open Concept,Great Location, Shows well
Property is 84.86X133 Feet deep
Fabulous Location Minutes To schools Parks, Schools, Great access to QEW,Minutes walk to to Schools & Transportation and all amenities!

This home is only a short distance to parks and schools, elementary and separate schools, and children's playgrounds and parks, Lorne Park and more... this area has most amenities you will ever need within a short distance!
See all the pictures and details here

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Just Listed at 4258 Torino Crescent in East Mississauga

Large & Spacious Detached home (linked underground at the basement)

Excellent Family Home In Great Area

Immaculate & Clean Throughout

This home features many upgrades, updated and renovated top to bottom

The following systems or items were replaced new in the year shown in brackets - Cac(04), Furnace(04), Shingles(03), Fin Bsmt(05), Driveway Re paved(03), New(04)Porch Enclosure, New(03) Ceramics & Strip Hardwood installed, New 2Pc Bath (03), News 4Pc bathroom (03)

Approximately 1500 Sq ft

Very deep and wide Lot - fenced and gates

Front entrance foyer through to kitchen features new (04) ceramics and powder room

Strip hardwood flooring in the living and dining rooms


Renovated and updated kitchen, huge eat in area with sliding glass doors leading to covered patio and private large rear yard

Master bedroom features new (05) broadloom and his and hers closets

Other two bedrooms feature new (05) broadloom and large closets

Main bathroom was redone in (03) with new deep soaker tub, new tiles on wall and floors, new cabinets and quality Moen faucet

Basement was just finished and features quality laminate flooring, a large wet bar and area plus a second area at the rear of the basement for computer or craft work

Separate laundry room off the recreation room

Quiet Area & Street!

Included are Fridge,Stove,Washer,Dryer,built in dishwasher

Central Air Conditioning

Furnace and central air conditioner replaced in 03

Shingles replaced in 03

Double car wide driveway with no sidewalks - easily park 4 cars in driveway

Drive way was re paved in 02 with fresh asphalt

Almost all doors have been replaced in the home with quality doors, including the front exterior entrance door and the porch enclosure door

All Blinds & window Coverings included

All Elf's(ex .dr.) and upgraded Broadloom included

Premium upgraded large hot water tank, purchaser to assume rental

Ceramic Tiles In Foyer, Kitchen & all Bathrooms

Bi Shelves and Mirrored Closet Doors++

Bright Open Concept,Great Location, Shows very well

From the MLS listing:

Features: Excellent Family Home-Awesome East Miss Area.This Home Is Finished Top To Bottom With Quality Strip Hardwood&Ceramics,2Pc&4Pc Renovated,Ceiling Fans,Double Drive&No Sidewalks-Park 5 Cars,Open Concept Home,Huge Kitchen Family Size,Huge Yard,Interlocking Stone Front Walkway,Quiet Crescent In East Miss.

Extras and inclusions: Fridge,Stove,Bidw,Washer,Dryer,Cac(04),Furnace(04),Shingles(03), Fin Bsmt(05),Driveway Repaved(03),All Blinds&Window Coverings,All Electric light fixtures(Ex-Dr),New(04)Porch Encl,New(03)Ceramics&Strip Hardwood,2Pc Bath +++Renovated&Updated,Mirrored Closet Doors,4Pc New(03)

Other description: Great Location-One Bus To Subway,Close To Parks,Schools,Shopping Highways,Church,Original Owner,Linked U/G,Very Private Lot-Many Trees&Newer Broadloom,Show Anytime,Great Home&Area.Show & Sell.



This home is a short walking distance to shopping centre, elementary and separate schools, soccer field and children's playground and parks, close to Square One Shopping Centre indoor regional shopping mall, minutes to Central Community center with ultra-modern library, indoor swimming pool, recreation center, close to skating and hockey rinks, high schools, Hospital, and only one bus to the Subway at Kipling and mo re.. this area has most amenities you will ever need within a short distance!


See all the pictures and more details on this home

November 2005 Mississauga Real Estate Newsletter

My latest Mississauga real estate newsletter just hit the newsstand. Market volume and prices are up!

You may read the newsletter here.

There is more data here

October Average TREB (Toronto Real Estate Board) Sales data is in!

2005 Moves Ahead
The market continues to hum along and 2005 will likely be a banner year.

TORONTO - Monday, November 7, 2005--With two months to go and 73,514 properties having changed hands through the TorontoMLS system, TREB President John Meehan announced today that 2005 is currently running just ahead of the 10 month total (73,202) recorded last year. “The residential resale market could exceed the record 83,501 transactions seen in 2004,” said the President. “This year may well put in Toronto’s best annual performance ever.’

There were 7,174 properties sold in the month of October alone, Mr. Meehan went on to note. This is up eight per cent over October 2004, and the second best total for the month ever recorded. Meanwhile prices rose to $342,450, a one per cent increase over September and up six per cent over the $324,215 recorded in October of 2004.

See the Graph and Read More

FAQ: Should I lock in my mortgage rate? Review of Short term or long term Mortgages

Question: I am not sure what I should do with the length of the term of my mortgage? Should I go long or short?
Answer: This is a question asked more than any other. Everyone wants a definitive answer to it. Of course, anyone that claims they can predict future interest rates is somewhat foolish or is making it up. I am neither ... so (as you already know my answer.) it depends. It depends on YOUR outlook for the future:

If you see a generally low inflation environment in the months ahead then you should stay as short of a term as you can, get the 6 month variable rate at 1.5%. You save a great deal on interest and the odds are with you (For if you locked in for five years at say 5.25%, the prime rate would have to rise to over 7.00% from the current 3.75% before you were to pay the same interest as a five year rate. This could be a huge savings to you over the long term.

If you are not sure whether inflation or deflation are coming in the months ahead, then you may wish to play it safe by getting a variable open maximum flexibility ... or analyze the TD product where you pay ¼% over prime but the maximum interest is capped at 6.25% or so for 5 years. Other banks offer some such product as well, such as the BOM which offers a 3.65% variable rate capped at 7.15% for 5 years or the long term/short term mortgage from Scotia bank.

If you believe inflation will be back then you may want to go long go for ten years ... Today’s best 10 year rate at about 6.75% is lower than the US - 15 year rate at 7.09% - and you can get out after 5 years (by law) with only a 3 months penalty. If rates go much higher (in an inflationary environment) or back to previous highs, the long term at this low rate will make your home attractive to future buyers.

You may see a graph showing the spread between short and long term mortgage interest rates and you will see that the wider the gap the greater the savings in going with a short term mortgage!

Read the entire article

Flipping Houses - What are the pitfalls and areas to consider?

Is buying and flipping a house in Mississauga is the right thing for you to do?
Good Investment?
What is Flipping?
Good Planning is Essential
Acquiring property
Renovation Plan
Selling Your PropertyConclusion

Good Investment?
The hottest investment going these days is flipping property. Investors are making huge profits buying luxury properties before they are finished and then selling at a profit before actually taking possession. Most make more moderate profits buying distressed property and improving it.
Experts disagree on how safe an investment flipping is. Economist Tucker Hart Adams claims that this practice has created a housing price bubble by artificially inflating property values. She says that the bubble must pop. Other exerts claim that even if the market values have been grossly inflated and may be at risk, other markets will be relatively unaffected because the market inflation here has been small.

Read the entire article