b-LOG: Mortgages 101. A Pocket Guide to the Types of Mortgages in Canada
Mortgages. There likely exists no other subject that causes more angst among those looking to purchase real estate. And it…
Mortgages. There likely exists no other subject that causes more angst among those looking to purchase real estate. And it…
To quote the title of the classic jazz tune by Eddie Harris & Les McCann, when comparing anything to something,…
Is the market changing? Yes. Phewf. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s discuss the market, stats…
Let’s start out by agreeing that there is no such thing as a sure thing in the home buying process.…
If there’s one thing we all know for sure is that all markets are temporary. As much as a serious…
One of the biggest mistakes made by both REALTORS® and their clients alike is the inability to put themselves in…
In a heated sellers’ market like we are currently in, there is a tendency for people to think that everything…
First, I realize that the runner in lane 1 is either a false start or getting warmed up so they…
A lot of people will say there is nothing for sale. That we in Niagara, specifically St.Catharines, Thorold and Niagara…
There is clearly a growing trend in our industry, at least locally, where new listings are coming soon, exclusive and/or…
Maybe its just timing at the moment but there seems to be more ‘flipped’ houses out there on the market…
Everyone has their own perspectives that help shape their day to day existence. Perspective on quality. On value. On movies.…
This is one of the most common questions that we hear. In the busier times of the year (spring for…
… that less houses sell in February and March when compared to April and May but the houses that sell…
1. The Browser 2. The If It Happens It Happens 3. The Hunter THE BROWSER: As a home seller, it…
11. AFFORDABILITY – we live in a region where a single person just starting out can buy a condo for…
During a recent trip to England, I had the pleasure of chatting with numerous locals about how homes are bought…
Think of your house as a hotel. Overall, it’s quite the nice place. A lovely entrance and charming lobby with…
Look at it this way. When a buyer comes to your home, your home is worth 100 points in their…
Quite often, the easy-out, go-to approach for marketers is fear of loss. If you don’t buy this widget by that…
Looking back over the last several years, we seemed to have been in this perpetual cycle of ‘the economy is…
What purpose do open houses hold? Some will tell you that less than 5% of homes sell through open houses.…
When you’re buying virtually anything, questions should be asked. Clarify. Enquire. Verify. Plan. Question. Pause. Proceed. Etcetera. There are 3…
What is our home worth? This age old real estate question is one of the toughest questions to answer. Really,…
There is a reason bridges were invented. They allow safe and easy passage over a river or canal or hole…
Often the biggest challenge that a seller or buyer faces is the waiting. Waiting to get the home ready for…
As we move through July and into August, some home sellers will see decreased activity and interest in their home.…
Quite often this time of year, a decent part of the market loosens up (or has loosened up already). As…
Not sure if it is “let’s talk about smoking” season but we have heard and read numerous articles recently discussing…
Every spring we see that definite point in time when the influx of new listing activity is clearly upon us.…
I saw a graphic on social media today comparing quantity versus quality, using the pennies versus quarters comparison. The question…
We have had a few situations recently where a buyer (not our buyer) has backed off of a property because…
We are often asked to give a guarantee or an assurance of when we think a home will be sold.…
Thinking back over the years of marketing and selling homes in Niagara, we have noticed something in recent years. In…
We constantly go on about the need to put yourself in the shoes of the person(s) that you are negotiating…
Can I live with that? Can I fix that? Am I living with that already? What would life be like…
Just a quick thought. In the post-heat, pre-air conditioning season, often people turn their furnace off. That’s fine but if…
Buying or selling, everyone is waiting at some point. Waiting to see the house. Waiting for showings. Waiting for offers.…
In the business of selling used goods, often, a part or parts of the product have been improved or updated…
As the weather forecast shows sunny with temperatures between 0 and 10 over the next week, the strange false-winter trend…
Whether you are moving or not, it always helps to know people! Part of our day to day existence as…
If you’ve browsed the internet looking at homes, I’m sure you’ve noticed the wide range in the quality of photos.…
The most important questions we can sometimes ask are the questions that we may not even be aware of. When…
All too often we get stuck on our side of the table. Discussions with spouses, co-workers, friends can easily end…
We are in the portion of the year where the question is always asked, “is now a good time to…
The action of an individual is largely affected by outside influence. Whether it is the individual’s personal moral code or…
Is the correct course of action to hope ‘the right one’ comes along or is it to improve what you’re…
Our homes, whether detached, townhome or apartment style, look differently as the year progresses and the seasons change. Pool open.…