Posts Tagged ‘Beacon Hill’

R.E.S.T. Series – WTF is an HHT

Hey Everyone and welcome to our series where we talk about the career that we love… real estate.

What does R.E.S.T. stand for? real estate straight talk – where we give you the heads up, the real deal, real scenarios, myths and myth busting, the rules, the ethics, the process, the expectations – what you really need to know. Let’s dive in to today’s episode.

WTF is an HHT? This term will be very familiar to anyone of our listeners that is with the Canadian Armed Forces or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. HHT stands for House Hunting Trip – don’t google it though because you will come up with 1.5 million hits for

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia and what we are talking about is not that!!

Anytime someone is relocated to a new city, there will be some form of House Hunting Trip. For the purposes of this episode, we are going to concentrate on the style and type of HHT that our military and RCMP families have to deal with.

Picking up and moving yourself, you family and your pets is a pretty stressful and anxious event. There is so much to coordinate!

Whether this is your first, last or somewhere in between posting we want to give you an idea of what you NEED to expect from a REALTOR® and what a good relocation REALTOR® expects from you. We will focus on both sides – selling you home to go on an HHT and then actually going on your HHT.

For anyone coming from overseas or a PMQ this first part won’t affect you as you only have to pack and move.

Selling your home to relocate:

Step #1 – GET IN TOUCH AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!

Selling your home in anticipation of a posting is a time sensitive event. As REALTORS® that have moved hundreds of families, relocation specialists want to hear from you the second you even THINK you may be posted. It is never too early to get the process rolling. Even in the event the posting doesn’t come through, you will have an idea of what would be required to sell you home.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

A REALTOR® with experience in relocating families usually has many many contacts. Often they have created relationships with similar REALTORS® in your destination city who will provide you with the same exceptional service. Also ask your colleagues – they  may have had a great experience with someone that you can reach out to. This may save you a lot of headaches moving forward.

In both the selling and buying scenario make sure the REALTOR® is experienced in relocations! Ask how many relocations they do every year and if they have references or testimonials they can provide from CAF or RCMP members. They should also (at the time of this blog) be approved suppliers on the lists of both BGRS and the RCMP.

When you do get your posting or release message (in Ottawa you can not list your home for sale without one) then the REALTOR® you pick needs to provide you with the following at a minimum

MARKET ANALYSIS / PRICING REPORTS

It’s important to provide you and the relocation company with a completed market analysis of your current home’s value. We are familiar with all the forms and will make sure they are sent to you or directly to your consultant / representative. It is important that the REALTOR® you pick gives you pinpoint pricing and has a strategy for the market and the “what ifs” of your timeline.

Your job – arrange for a property appraisal for your relocation file – a good relocation REALTOR® will know of a few that are experienced and on the relocation company’s approved supplier list.

LISTING YOUR HOME
Make sure the REALTOR® you choose has a great marketing plan – from photography to feature sheets to social media plans. You want to be in as many places and in front of as many faces as possible.

ON THE MARKET

Just because there is a sign on the lawn and pictures on the internet doesn’t mean it is time for the REALTOR® to disappear – Every showing should get Feedback and that feedback should be given at least once a week, with a market update.  Your REALTOR® should also make sure the relocation company or relocation division has their updated market reports and recommendations when required. NONE of this should have to be solicited by you – a really good relocation REALTOR® will have all this scheduled and part of their SOP (standard operating procedure)

Your job in all this – keep your home clean and show ready and make every effort to leave the house when a showing is booked. (Much harder than it sounds 😉)

DON’T GO ON AN HHT WITHOUT SELLING YOUR HOME FIRST

Relocation companies/divisions won’t tell you that you can’t. But it isn’t wise. Unless the bank tells you you can carry two homes, two mortgages, then don’t put yourself under that kind of stress. In addition, if you came and found a house and even IF the seller allows you a condition in which time is allocated to sell yours, there is a chance someone else can buy the house in the meantime and that results in a failed HHT and you may not be covered for a second one.

BUYING AND THE ACTUAL HHT

So now on to the other end and the actual HHT. Again, and we can’t recommend this strongly enough – get in touch, ask for recommendations, google research and interview REALTORS® the moment you get a whiff that you are going to be posted/relocated. The earlier the process can begin, the more confident and less stressed you will feel when you actually hit ground in your destination city.

COMMUNICATION

When you find the REALTOR® you want to work with in your destination city an enormous multi-faceted conversation begins and it should start with the following;

Needs & Wants – it is important for us as REALTORS® to know what is absolutely critical to you and your family and what is just a “wish”. From the number of bedrooms, to garages, to schools, parks, amenities and budget, your relocation specialist much be able to tell you 1. If what you want is possible and 2. Give you an idea of where and at what price those types of homes are. What you don’t want to hear are our two most hated words in real estate – NO PROBLEM!

Expectations need to be set, realities explained with some good, honest back and forth. Any REALTOR® can put you on an automated search, but to give you the straight talk, not all will give you a running commentary on the pros and cons of each home and each area. This organic and on-going part of the HHT is critical to your success. If you have never been to your destination city, then you need guidance – and that can take time.

We totally understand when last minute postings happen and there is little time to finesse the communication – but the earlier you can get in touch, the better!

ADVANCE PLANNING

THE most important piece for you to have in place before coming on your HHT is your mortgage pre-approval. By having this done, you can comfortably search for a home knowing it is within the budget. If you already have a mortgage on the home you are selling, then you need to make sure it is portable and there will be no penalties when you move and bring it with you, or that you can pay it outright and get a new mortgage with your home purchase. If there are penalties – you need to know if they are covered under your relocation package. No one likes surprises!

If you aren’t sure where to start – then an experienced relocation REALTOR® will have some recommendations of financial experts that are accustomed to military and RCMP moves.

BOOKING HHT DATES

The moment you have an idea of the dates you will take for your HHT, make sure to run them by your REALTOR® in your destination city – it now becomes a team effort and you want to make sure 1. Your REALTOR® isn’t already booked (or has backup) and 2. There isn’t something going on in the city that will limit your house hunting ability. A good relocation REALTOR® will be booking that entire timeframe to work with you and your family so make sure it works for both of you.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR HHT

REALTORS® that specialize and excel in military and RCMP relocations are a rare and different breed. They are like professional athletes as they zone out all other distractions until your HHT is successful. They have HHT’s down to an art form. Here is what to expect;

Depending on your arrival time, your REALTOR® will pick you up and begin by showing you the top 3-5 homes you have identified from all that communication prior to your HHT. By viewing your top homes you get to finally see what you have been scrolling through for days/weeks/months – sometimes they aren’t what you expected – but it gives both you and your REALTOR® time to get to know each other and for your REALTOR® to listen to your thought process. By the end of the first round of showings, your REALTOR® should be honing in on exactly what you like and don’t like. It helps set up the schedule for the proper first day.

If you arrive late on that travel day, then your REALTOR® would likely incorporate your top 3-5 into the full list of homes you will see on your proper first day. Don’t be surprised how long this first day gets – there is a mission that has to be accomplished and a good relocation REALTOR® is looking to have your new home secured no later than day 3, as you need the rest of the time to have the inspection(s) done, scout out work, schools and the 100 other things on the list.

On that note – a good relocation REALTOR® will have lined up the inspector already for day 4/5 and have all your approved suppliers lined up. (lawyer/other inspectors for rural properties/mortgage broker/banker)

IMPORTANT STRAIGHT TALK – if your REALTOR® is not pointing out pros & cons for each home, and talking about the resale value of the home ad nauseum – be worried. For ANY client, our single biggest value to you is in the investment/resale value of a home. For all of you CAF and RCMP members this is CRUCIAL. Whether you get posted out in 6months, 6 years or never, the resale potential for your home is of paramount importance.

WHAT TO BRING ON AN HHT

Proof of employment and income. Often a pay statement is all that is required; however, the bank will also need a letter confirming employment and salary from your pay office. (If you haven’t provided that in advance in the PRE-HHT work)

Proof of down payment (photocopy bonds, bank passbook or statement from accounts).

Your cheque book / money in the bank – A deposit will be required once you have successfully completed your Agreement, usually between $2,000 and $10,000. Also a cheque for the inspector(s) should you not be able to bill or estimate for BGRS or the RCMP. ($450-$600 for a house, $600 each for well and septic inspections). This is the only money that will change hands prior to closing.

The name, phone number and email of your BGRS or RCMP consultant (if available) and your DND or RCMP file number (DND/RCMP 20151234).

Slip on shoes – when you see 15 houses or more in one day, laces can get a bit cumbersome.

Definitely bring a sense of humour – if you have found the right REALTOR® it should be a lot of fun too!

As always – if you liked what you heard, saw or read subscribe to our podcast, YouTube channel or Like our Facebook page to be notified of the next time we have some straight talk. Thanks for listening…and REST easy!

For more information you can;

Listen to our podcast – https://bgmteam.podbean.com

Watch us on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/myottawateam

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Well maintained 4 bedroom home in Beacon Hill

 Ottawa, Ontario

4 Beds 2.5 Baths 64' x 100' Sq. Ft.

Very well maintained four bedroom two story home in the heart of Beacon Hill. This is your traditional center hall plan home with a large principal rooms and add on solarium. Hardwood floors under the carpet on the main floor. All four bedrooms are a good size with hardwood floors and a three piece ensuite in the master. Fully finis...

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Wow Ottawa, was that a crazy two weeks or what?! From 40cm of snow to 90mm of rain all in 14 days! Apart from not knowing whether to take out your parka or your umbrella, the past two weeks of Ottawa April showers have seen a definitive influx of calls to our inspectors about basement water seepage and leakage and conversely, we have seen evidence of seepage in the homes we have shown.

Being homeowners ourselves, and knowing that at some point 98% of all basements will have a water leakage issue at some point in its lifetime, we are still taken aback when we step into our finished spaces and draw back a wet sock!

Immediately you have visions of peeling back carpet, replacing underpad, what if it’s in the walls, what if there’s already mould, what if there’s a crack you missed, what if the foundation needs to be fixed, what if….what if….next thing you know you’ve spent $100,000 on a basement/foundation redo!! Well let’s roll it back a bit and go over the list of things to check before you start shopping for contractors.

With this kind of winter to rapid spring thaw, some yards became lakes and the melting snow had no way to work it’s way down the frozen ground. With water sitting close to the foundation the subsoil around your house is likely to thaw first, given that your home is giving off heat. So, following the path of least resistance, the water will make its way downhill, following the grading around the house.

What to do?

So here is check No. 1….walk around your house this spring and look at the grading – does the land slope in towards your house, or away? It is the nature of back-fill to settle over time, and most of us don’t pay a whole lot of attention to what happens at the sides, back or front of our homes. A nice gentle slop away from the house in all directions is what you are going for.

Grading

Check No. 2 – look for any downspouts that are letting water sit next to your foundation – if they are, run out and pick up some inexpensive downspout extenders to get the water at least 6ft away from your home.

Downspout extenders

Nine times out of 10 this will take care of the seepage issues. Remember, concrete is a porous material. Any amount of water that stays near the foundation will make its way through. With seepage that migrates through concrete over time, the evidence is in something we call efflorescence – it looks like chalk on the inside of the concrete. Completely normal if your grading lets water sit close by.

water migration through concrete

If the efflorescence is on the floor instead of the walls – then this may be an indication that your weeping tile system is blocked, or due for a change.

Ok – now the outside of the house has been dealt with but you still have seepage – NOW call a professional, but 9 times out of 10 the simple grading and downspout fixes will work!

For more information, or to know what professionals to call contact us at www.myottawateam.com!

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HIGH DEMAND AND LOW SUPPLY CONTINUED TO CHARACTERIZE VANCOUVER’S AND TORONTO’S HOUSING MARKETS THROUGHOUT 2016 AS COMPETITION FROM BUYERS FOR LIMITED INVENTORY OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES PUSHED PRICES HIGHER.

The average residential sale price increased 13 per cent in Greater Vancouver to approximately $1,020,300 and rose 17 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to an estimated $725,857. Although demand remains high in both urban centres, limited inventory in the freehold market, the new 15 per cent foreign-buyer tax in Vancouver and the recent tightening of mortgage rules by the federal government are expected to soften market activity in the short term. In 2017, RE/MAX estimates average residential sale price will increase by two and eight per cent in Greater Vancouver and the GTA respectively.

Regional markets in close proximity to Canada’s highest-price cities continued to experience steady interest from local move-up buyers and buyers from these cities (“move- over” buyers) who are looking to nd a balance between affordability and square footage. This year there were considerable year-over-year average price increases in Barrie (16 per cent), Hamilton-Burlington (20 per cent), the Fraser Valley (20 per cent) and Kelowna (14 per cent).

Click to Read the Full National Summary

The RE/MAX 2017 average residential sale price expectation for Canada is an increase of two per cent as Canadians continue to see home ownership as an important milestone as well as a good investment.

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Victoria

Greater Vancouver Area

Fraser Valley

Kelowna

Calgary

Edmonton

Saskatoon

Regina

Winnipeg

Windsor-Essex

Sudbury

Kitchener/Waterloo

Hamilton/Burlington

Barrie

Greater Toronto Area

Kingston

Ottawa

THE HOUSING MARKET IN CANADA’S CAPITAL REMAINED STABLE IN 2016 WITH MODEST INCREASES IN BOTH THE NUMBER OF SALES AND THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL SALE PRICE.

The average residential sale price grew one per cent year-over-year, from $367,632 to $370,940. The number of sales between January and October rose to 13,834 in 2016 compared to 12,964 during the same period in 2015.  For more information, please call the BGM Real Estate Team at 613-558-8000!

Read Ottawa’s Full Report

Montreal

Quebec City

Saint John

Halifax

Charlottetown

St. John’s and Area

(more…)

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There are many life situations that may lead you to consider selling your current home and downsizing into a smaller one: Kids leaving for university, cashing in on a retirement plan, or the pressure of property upkeep. Whichever reasons you’re facing, make sure you’ve really done your homework before making any decisions. Here’s a list of 10 helpful hints to kick-start that conversation.

1. Facing Finances

Take a long, hard look at your financial input and output—especially if you’re on a fixed retirement income. If your savings aren’t substantial enough to constitute a “nest egg,” then tucking away the profits from the property may be the way to go. Downsizing may come down to finances but you should be able to show the evidence, one way or the other.

2. Community Connections

The costs of moving can go well beyond dollar bills. Consider your emotional wealth before taking any critical steps. Ask yourself, “Will this downsize take me away—intentionally or unintentionally—from the family, community and friendship supports I depend on or do I need new support systems for my physical, spiritual, medical and emotional well being?” Downsizing isn’t always about size and cents, sometimes it’s critical for your well-being.

3. Real Estate Market

Is your area a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? What can you hope to make on the sale? Finding the right real-estate agent to answer these questions is key. Ask friends and family members who’ve gone through similar transitions for referrals, and try to gather evaluations from two or three REALTORS® to ensure you’re getting a clear picture of the market.

4. Independent Thinker

Potentially selling the family home brings up a lot of emotions for everyone involved. Kids don’t want to see their childhood home go and family members are hoping for a chunk of change; it’s imperative that you seek out independent, unbiased advice. A REALTOR® can give you market feedback on your situation without any personal baggage.

5. Home Maintenance

Look at the work it takes to keep your current home clean, your garden weeded and your lawn maintained. It is too much to handle, or will it be in a few years? It’s best to downsize before it becomes imperative, because by then, a move will be even more physically challenging and emotionally draining.

6. Lifestyle Limitations

Maybe you feel a great wave of excitement at the idea of living near the ocean, or maybe the idea of leaving behind your veggie garden is too much. Moving comes with gains and losses, and you have to be prepared to give up certain aspects of your current lifestyle and adapt to new ones.

7. Square Footage

Think through your floor plan and look at different ways that square footage can be used. Can the kids’ old bedroom become a long-awaited art studio? Would the basement work as a private theatre? If you conclude that extra room is more hassle than it’s worth, maybe downsizing to a cozier home is for you.

8. Property Payments

Yearly taxes and property insurance payments can take a chunk out of a modest budget. Would those expenses be less if you downsized and lived in a different neighbourhood, on a smaller plot or in a more compact house?

9. Be a Realist

Think carefully about the realities of aging. Remaining in a family home as you age often means adapting your home and relying on the help of others. These things can come at a cost, both financially and emotionally. It’s important that you discuss your plans with any family members or friends that might be affected by your decision to downsize, and ensure everyone is in agreement with your plans.

10. Don’t Rush

Luckily, you already have a place to live, so take your time and assess all the angles before making such a profound decision. When you are ready to start looking, don’t rush into anything. Sit with your REALTOR® and write down criteria for must haves in your new place. When the time is right, you’ll know.

For more information, or just to chat, contact us anytime at 613-558-8000, or visit our website at www.myottawateam.com

(courtesy of RE/MAX Integra)

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It’s that F-word season again…FALL!

Fall colours

Air conditioners are turned off, gardens are put to bed, leaves turn into colours that become so vibrant you have to stop and stare. Mornings and evenings are filled with smells that are unique to fall…a mix of earth, water and summer campfires smoldering to their winters end. Sometimes we are more like bears than we think…dreams of warm sweaters and comfortable flannel bring small smiles and feelings of hibernation…and maybe hot chocolate!

BUT WAIT! 

Before Fall becomes winter

If you are anticipating a move, a relocation or a posting this coming 2017 APS, head on out to your front and back yards over the next week before fall officially begins and take some pictures of your green lawn, that pool you used all summer, the trees full of leaves, the flowers and gardens you spent hours tending to on your knees.

You will thank yourself, and we will thank you too, when you list your house in the winter or spring when the pool is still covered, frozen or green, your grass is brown or snow covered, trees are bare… you get the picture!

Grab those fall shots before its too late

Your summer and fall photos of the front and back of your yard will help to effectively market your home no matter how much snow is in the forecast! When we list your home in the “off” season it helps if we can show any prospective buyers how amazing your home looks in the spring and summer. It is particularly helpful in the dead of winter when buyers can’t even see the topography of your lot.

This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. 🙂 Have fun and don’t forget to call us at 613-558-8000, email us at info@myottawateam.com, visit our website www.myottawateam.com if you are considering a move in 2017!

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Here at BGM Real Estate Team we pride ourselves on the service we provide to our clients across the Ottawa region and especially the East end. We work from Carleton Place right through to Rockland. Now, we are proud to announce that we have a new home in the East End…a place for clients to visit, a place for us to coordinate our long days, a place close to the highway so we can get to all of you that much faster! We anticipate opening our new home in November 2016!

BGMs East End location 3B-2160 Montreal Rd.

While we service the entire city, we have worked just as hard to have an impact on the communities we live in. We are extremely fortunate to be the REALTORS® of choice for over 35% of the homeowners in Blackburn Hamlet, and we are now opening the office close to them so that we may continue not only our business service, but also our good citizen service to the community that has trusted us. We look forward to continuing our participation in Hockey Day in the Hamlet, the Blackburn Hamlet Fun Fair, the Cancer Chase and we look forward to new community participation…to be unveiled very soon!

As we set our roots in Beacon Hill North in the East End of the city, our wish is to become as big a part of the community as we are in Blackburn Hamlet. (Laurie is very excited to be back in the neighbourhood she grew up in!) We have lots of ideas for the community and we would love to hear from any of you in the area that may have even more ideas! We will start with small offerings as we begin to offer our expertise, knowledge and caring to our neighbours. So….

Big things coming to the East End!

But if you really can’t wait…you can check us out anytime at www.myottawateam.com or call us at 613-558-8000! We would love to hear from you.

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Here we are – a full 180+ days into the 2016 Ottawa Real Estate market and we here at BGM Real Estate Team have noticed both positive and negative aspects to our local Ottawa Market. As many of you have undoubtedly heard time and time again, markets are cyclical. They rise and fall based on supply and demand, interest rates and the global economic happenings in general, helped AND hindered in spots by government regulation.

So where is our market cycle right now? Are we up? (Sellers market) or down? (Buyers market) If you read the papers it would appear the market has gone completely mad with every home getting an incredible number of offers, driving prices ever higher. While this may certainly be the case for Vancouver and Toronto, it is most certainly not the case here in the Capital.

The Ottawa Real Estate Market is Balanced

We have a very balanced market at the moment, with a few areas of exception. But let’s divide that up into a few sections so we can discuss the various pieces that make up the Ottawa Market. Let’s talk about Mortgage money, geography and expectations. You will find the last item, in fact, to be the most integral to understanding Ottawa’s market.

The cost of borrowing money in order to buy property has never been so low. With slow US economic growth, weak Canadian exports, low oil prices and consumer spending, our interest rates remain attractive. As Stephen S. Poloz, Governor of the Bank of Canada has put it “For the past 18 months, the biggest issue for our forecast has been tracking how the Canadian economy is adjusting to low resource prices. In the first instance, this has meant a big drop in investment spending, especially in the oil patch. It has also meant a lower value for the Canadian dollar and two interest rate cuts during 2015.”

Historically low rates have allowed Buyers into property ownership in record numbers. Even with safeguards in place (every borrower must qualify for a 5% rate, 5 year fixed term amortized over 25 years) the demand for property is quite high. This is a definite positive for the Ottawa market and we have certainly met with an abundance of qualified buyers so far this year.

So we have one in the positive column – lots of Buyers out there looking for their first or next home. Now where are they looking? The good news is there are enough Buyers out there that all neighbourhoods are getting traction in the market. But there is certainly a lean towards the centre and west ends of the city. Given that Ottawa is a very transient town, cycling heavily through government relocations, private industry changes, new immigrant growth, as well as the normal ebbs and flows we see in real estate, the Buyers are very attentive to the fact they will at some point in their 3-5 year plan be a Seller. Therefore, they are attuned to the growth patterns in the city. With calls for sustainable building and reducing the carbon footprint the desire to live downtown in high.

In addition, the Canadian Forces are opening an enormous Campus in the west end, the RCMP already moved into their campus in the south-west of the city, Outlet shopping, sports venues and all that would appeal to folks on a day-to-day basis cropping up at incredible speed in the centre and west – those markets tend to be faster, and more expensive and have been for the last 3-5 years.

Does that mean the rest of the City is in a slump? Not at all. Buyers are shopping for the best fit – proximity to their employment, schools, activities and friends and family – so we have been shopping with them in all areas of the city.

But what is it we mean by faster or slower? Are the prices higher overall? Every area, indeed every neighbourhood, has its own market, its own flavour. We hope that this is one of the reasons you hire us – as expert guides to the investment values and personalities of those neighbourhoods. When breaking down the market into the various neighbourhoods, some are certainly hot, but as a whole the Ottawa market is nicely balanced, allowing Buyers choice in their investment.

Ottawa Market increase over time is very positive but not outrageous

The city has seen growth every single year in the residential class. Condominiums are having a rougher time, especially in the downtown area…but we think perhaps another article should explore this in greater detail.

For Sellers a balanced market can be a bit more of a trial, especially given the years from 2000-2013 were completely in their favour. Everything sold, in any condition for more than a decade! That is a difficult perception to turn around. Geographically, Sellers in many neighbourhoods are waiting longer to sell their homes. The timeframe in 2016 seems to be sitting between 60-90 days. By no means is it a tragically long time. When we became REALTORS® in the late 1990’s the market timeframe was up to a year to sell, with list to sell ratios sitting at about 90% of asking. (Folks were negotiating anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 off the asking price.) So on the geographic point we have both positive and negative. Positive for the buyers as there is more supply, negative for the Sellers for the very same reason.

Now we come to what we think is the most important point of this Ottawa market – Expectations. Perhaps some of what we have learned will help you – whether you are a Buyer, or a Seller.

Housing Expectations vs. Reality

Let’s start with what we have seen in Sellers expectations. They have diligently watched the news, seeing reports of rising housing prices, low interest rates and competition amongst buyers for a decent home. They have also loved their homes and have deep emotional attachments (for the most part) to the place where their memories have been made. It is hard for any Seller (us included) to detach from their home and put it in the framework of a “market” of homes and how they stack up against others on their street, in the their neighbourhood and in their general area. As professional REALTORS® we are the messengers of market reality – good and bad. In a balanced market, we tend to have difficult, yet honest discussions with our Sellers about how their home presents itself to today’s Buyers. It is a testament to our passion for our clients that we bring you not only the good news, but the bad. We navigate the experience together – from pricing, to home improvements, staging, marketing, feedback….good, professional REALTORS® are there for every step. If we have one comment for our Sellers, it is that our expertise stops short of a Crystal Ball. We have no supernatural powers when it comes to the market. The day we say we have seen it all is the day we should walk away. We give you the very best we have and hope the sale doesn’t take too long.

The other part of the expectation equation are the Buyers – what do they expect? We often laugh with our first time buyers that they need to stop watching HGTV immediately upon deciding to find a home. They have been conditioned to expect the last 5 minutes of any real estate related show in every home they see OR they see a problem around every corner. Homes are imperfect things – they are made with wood, bricks, drywall, vinyl. Things that can expand, contract, break, wear down. Homes are exposed to water, wind, and sun. They sit on rocks, and sand, and clay. Each house will have a personality that reflects its owner – we see it in their choices for flooring, paint, counter top and landscaping.

We understand that today’s buyers have even less time to dedicate to a home’s overall maintenance – the very nature of employment has changed. Work commands a staggering amount of time in people’s lives, so their priorities have changed as well – seeking more balance. We try to meet those expectations, as well as educate Buyers on the nuances the TV programmes leave behind. Things like – Not every house has a problem, educating between big problems and small ones, how cosmetics of a home can change for very little, and just because it is a bit dated does not mean it doesn’t work.

It is in the analysis of the expectations of both Sellers and Buyers that we can determine the type of market Ottawa is having. When we have to help manage the expectations of BOTH sides – well, that truly is the sign of a balanced market.

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Great location in sought after Beacon Hill!

 Ottawa, Ontario

3 Beds 2 Baths

Great location in sought after Beacon Hill close to all amenities including groceries, transit/LRT station at Gloucester Center, shopping, public pool and schools. Semi-detached three bedroom bungalow with a lot of potential. Large basement with two piece bathroom and some finished area. Good sized yard and parking for three. Metal ...

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Ottawa Condos-Sold

 

2 Beds 1 Baths

Sun filled, southwest facing, two bedroom condominium with a great view of the city! This unit has been upgraded over the years with new kitchen cabinets, counter tops and flooring in 2000. Carpet throughout the dining, living and bedrooms. Very well maintained, clean building with a healthy reserve fund.

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