Overhousing. It may not be the central issue that comes to mind in the context of the housing affordability crisis, but it is, actually, something we need to be talking about – and working [...]
If In the wild, wild world of real estate, home visits after an offer acceptance are a regular occurrence. Your final walkthrough? That’s a one-time thing – and it’s extremely [...]
The housing crisis in Guelph (and the region) is a complex, decades-in-the-making problem. No one solution is going to usher us out of this predicament.
The Guelph housing crisis is hardly new. In fact, it’s been brewing for a number of years. Finding our way out of this complex issue is going to require us to get serious – and [...]
Preparing your home for sale is a lot of work. But, regardless of market conditions, most homeowners realize that de-cluttering, updating, and Staging all add value when it comes time to sell.
Investor buying in Guelph really slowed down after the big surge in home values back in 2017. At that time, house prices were rising, but rents really were pretty flat.
The Staged home sells faster – and often for more money – than comparable homes that look more “lived in.” Yes, even in a hot Seller’s market like Guelph currently [...]
No matter how many years I remain in real estate, it still shocks me when Buyers forego the opportunity to conduct a final walk-through, prior to closing.
In the last week, it has unfortunately come to my attention that people are finding posts of properties unknown to me that are listed for sale or for lease throughout Ontario with my name [...]
It’s a new year, and while not everyone is a believer in the practice of setting resolutions, it’s certainly as good a time as any to take stock of everything on your plate in the [...]
I grew up in what was once the east end of Guelph, but what’s now almost… east/central? We lived close to Ottawa Crescent Public School. I still love that part of town, as do my [...]
There is never a dull day in real estate. That much is for sure. And it’s really quite interesting to be in the business, and to be watching as it shifts – sometimes dramatically, and [...]
No one really has a crystal ball to divine the future of real estate, but some of my late-fall predictions are already coming true so… here are my thoughts on how the market is likely to [...]
It’s been a bit of an odd year in the Guelph real estate market. We started off with a whimper and, for the first time in years, the investor Buyer season was basically a complete dud. The [...]
The fall market is a-foot in Guelph, and Listing Agents are on their toes again. People are once again turning their attention to buying and selling homes – but things have changed.
The summer is hot and so is the Guelph real estate market… but in a different way than we have experienced for quite some time. After a wild Seller’s market in the first half of the [...]
Woah. What a year it has been in the world of Guelph real estate. As a Guelph Listing Agent, I’ve never seen anything quite like the first quarter of this year.
Sell your Guelph home for cash! Do you see signs like that around town? Because, more and more, as I drive around I’m seeing them – at busy intersections and even posted on hydro poles.
There’s no shortage of chatter about the current Real Estate Market in Guelph. It’s such a wild, wild Seller’s Market that it can feel a bit hopeless for Buyers when it comes to [...]
Remember the good, old days when getting a mortgage was easy-peasy? Why, you’d just head to the bank and sign some forms and then – poof! – you’d be approved. Off to buy a [...]
Love is in the air at this time of year. So, hopefully you have the more personal aspects of your Valentine’s Day season sorted out by now. But, what about that Guelph home of yours?
Guelph is home to many beautiful historic homes. Exhibition Park, Old University, St. George’s Park, Sunnyacres, St. Patrick’s Ward… the list goes on and on when it comes to Guelph neighbourhoods [...]
I read an article recently on bidding wars becoming commonplace in the Guelph Real Estate Market. The article was shared on someone’s Facebook page, and it clearly hit a nerve. That were a lot of [...]
Okay, okay – first things first. Anyone who has known me for more than five minutes will know this: I’m a huge animal advocate. I love and respect animals, and I am ever-grateful that [...]
Buying a home in Guelph isn’t easy these days. It’s a hot seller’s market, with a shortage of inventory. I’m generally offering guidance to my buyer clients along the [...]
Baby, it’s cold outside. Yes, winter is here But… homes in Guelph still have to get bought and sold on a daily basis. Here are a few pointers for those of you selling at this time of year.
And… we’re off! Another year has begun and, if it’s anything like the last few January’s have been in Guelph, the real estate market is likely to pick up [...]
Over the last several years, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time working with investor buyers and sellers in Guelph. Helping people buy and sell investment properties is exciting in [...]
There are all sorts of personal situations that give rise to the action of putting a home on the market for sale. In some cases, folks are still living in those homes, but in others the property [...]
Like many Guelph natives, on some level, the south end will always be a part of town I’ll think of as somewhat “new.” I mean, in comparison to my home, which was built in the 1800s, almost [...]
The City of Guelph is home to a few termite-managed residential neighbourhoods, and living within one of them comes with some realities. The same can be said if you’re selling a home in one of [...]
A few months ago, I took buyer clients out to look at a some homes for sale in Guelph. Upon arriving at the first on our tour, I heard the words, “yeah this isn’t good.”
You love that house? Well, you can’t buy it. At least not yet. The sellers are holding off on offers. It’s just what everyone looking to buy a home in Guelph wants to hear. (NOT!)
When it comes to Guelph rental properties, the times they are a-changing. At least they are in my opinion. And I know I’m not alone, because in talking to my Guelph home investor buyer [...]
I want to be really clear before I get started on this post. I never want to be a dream-crusher. Never. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge believer in entrepreneurship. That being said, [...]
So, the other night I’m on the phone talking to some new buyers who sound absolutely lovely. They’re funny and polite and they know just what they’re looking for and – yes [...]
It happens. You hire someone to help you buy or sell a home in Guelph and, for whatever reason or combination of reasons, you decide that it’s time to part ways.
You’ve gotten your Guelph home ready for sale. You’ve done all of the legwork and preparation. It’s finally “out there” and an offer is in. Hooray! Until you hear [...]
We are just about to close out another year and, wow, what a year it has been. How was the year in terms of the Guelph real estate? Well, here are some of my reflections.
Buying a house in Guelph isn’t easy at the moment. With the combination of low mortgage rates, a very attractive city for in-migration, and insufficient inventory to meet the demand – [...]
For young people, especially those caught in the ‘rent trap,’ home ownership can seem like an impossible dream. Saving for a down payment, getting your financial ducks in a row, [...]
Some months ago, I took investor buyer clients out to look at some homes for sale in Guelph. They were keen to buy their first investment property (which they later did, by the way) and we looked [...]
In the course of working with Guelph home buyers, I often hear from them that they’d love to buy a historic home. Typically it’s the Guelph neighbourhood along with the character of [...]
If you own a Guelph rental property that needs some repairs or renovations, be sure not to fall into the trap of overspending. With tenant turnover, higher foot traffic and the occasional mishap, [...]
Ontario landlords will be able to increase rents for their tenants in 2014 – but not by much. In 2014, the maximum rental increase will be 0.8 per cent.
If you own Guelph rental properties and intend to self-manage them, you’re going to need a bit of help to stay on top of the many issue that come up. Fortunately, there are loads of great [...]
By now, most Guelph home sellers are familiar with the concept of Home Staging. It’s becoming the exception when I hear from someone that they don’t want to take the time to [...]
This morning, I was catching up on reading and came across this great blog post on the Troubled Future of Real Estate from the ever thought-provoking Garth Turner.*
Whether or not paying down your mortgage quickly is in your best interests is a conversation that you should have with the financial experts who are advising you. From my point of view, it always [...]
Selling your home isn’t easy. In fact, it’s downright stressful on many levels. For example, a lot of people struggle with the idea of strangers coming through their house.
Early in my real estate career, I hosted a public open house for a colleague’s listing. I arrived, opened the lockbox, and before I even had the key in the door, I got a whiff of that [...]
When you’re selling your Guelph home, keeping it in show-ready condition isn’t easy. Maniacally cleaning up after yourself in a place that probably looks like a hotel suite [...]
There is no shortage of buyers interested in purchasing a distressed property in Guelph. In fact, I field inquiries about bank-owned properties on a regular basis. It’s hardly a surprise; [...]
It’s not always easy being a Real Estate Agent. As Realtors, we are faced with fairly routine negativity about the profession. Realtors are greedy or lazy or a bunch of liars… [...]
When I’m working with buyers who are searching for a condo in Guelph, the subject of those pesky condo fees rears its ugly head. A lot! But for buyers, understanding the condo’s rules [...]
Many home buyers and investors ask me about buying bank-owned properties in Guelph. Often, I’m asked if there are Foreclosures for sale in Guelph – and how to buy them. In reality, [...]
If you’re thinking about selling your Guelph home, or just looking for some low-cost, high-impact ways boost curb appeal, it’s time to dig in the dirt and get gardening. In terms of [...]
When it comes to marketing your home for sale, a picture is worth a thousand words. High-quality images of your home (and ideally a virtual tour) are a critical aspect of a good marketing strategy.
In many parts of Guelph, home buyers are faced with buying a property that has little or no landscaping. Aside from looking rather blah, many buyers express their concerns regarding lack of [...]
Moving to a new home is exciting, but it’s also a stressful process. And that stress affects everyone in the house – including your pets. If you’re an animal lover like me, [...]
Many of us are trying to find ways to shrink our ecological footprint. There are some big ways and some not-so-big ways to make earth-friendly changes, but, as the saying goes, change begins at home.
I’ve written before about the potential downsides for buyers when it comes to the purchase of a private sale. A recent example highlighted this for me, yet again. Let’s call this one [...]
I’ve already written about the importance of getting a mortgage pre-approval when you are in the market to buy a home in Guelph. Now… how to prepare for that first meeting with a [...]
The trend of raising urban chickens has grown significantly. In fact, backyard chickens are downright, dare I say it, trendy in some parts. Well, you can’t raise backyard chickens in every [...]
The mere mention of termites is enough to scare people away from buying homes in certain parts of Guelph. But in actuality, termites in Guelph are very well managed.
It never hurts to look online or visit open houses if you’re thinking about buying a home in Guelph, but if you’re serious and your timing for a purchase is imminent, one of the first [...]
Have you ever heard the term functional obsolescence? In real estate, the term refers to features that are impractical or undesirable. For example, lack of closets, outdated wiring or plumbing, [...]
There are a few things I see in the private-sale real estate market, time and time again. Sadly, one of them is that a lot of buyers are over-paying for property purchased via For Sale by Owner (FSBO.)
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the country’s national housing authority, recently released its Housing Outlook for Canada. According to the CMHC forecast, Canadians can look [...]
You’ve hired a real estate agent and your house is on the market. It’s priced fairly and the market is good, but it’s still not selling. What is the problem here? There actually [...]
You’ve hired a real estate agent and your house is on the market. It’s priced fairly and you know your real estate agent is working hard to market the property. Still, your home [...]
You’ve got a for sale sign on the yard, the market is just fine and you’ve had lots of buyers come through your home. Still, you’re not getting offers. Why? There could be many [...]
You’ve found a Guelph real estate agent and your home is on the market. But as the days go by, you question your agent’s performance and suspect that he or she simply isn’t [...]
You’ve hired a Guelph real estate agent and your house is on the market, but offers aren’t materializing. You think you’ve got a great home and someone would be lucky to have it [...]
It’s generally accepted in most aspects of life that you get what you pay for. If you spend a lot of money on a car, you’ll likely be driving something very nice with a lot of [...]
As you’re preparing your Guelph home for sale, you’ll be thinking in terms of Staging and de-cluttering and doing this-and-that in order to showcase the property to its best. But [...]
Recent data released by the Guelph & District Association of REALTORS® indicates that 2012 is trending as a seasonal balanced market. Here is some additional Guelph MLS® market analysis as of [...]
If you’re preparing your Guelph home for sale, by now likely you’ve seen, heard or read about Staging. Home Staging has become an almost mandatory aspect of preparing a home for sale. [...]
If you are in the process of making some updates to your Guelph home in preparation for sale, one way to add design oomph is by updating and upgrading lighting fixtures.
If you’re in the process of getting your Guelph home ready for sale, you might consider updating some of your plumbing fixtures – you know… taps, faucets, shower heads, toilets [...]
I had someone ask me recently if being located in close proximity to high voltage power lines could negatively affect home value. The short answer is: yes.
It’s a new year and that means a time for many of us to make a few resolutions. And while you’re making resolutions for 2012, why not give some thought to ways you can improve the [...]
A sometimes-overlooked aspect of preparing your house for sale is ensuring that it smells great. Aromas are important, so here are a few tips to consider if you’re preparing your Guelph [...]
Happy New Year to my friends, family, clients and colleagues. It’s a new day, a new year – maybe time for a fresh start and a change of perspective for some.
Many people have a natural sense of pride of ownership when it comes to homes. That’s a great characteristic that will serve you well as a home owner, renovator and investor. But that being [...]
There’s no doubt about it – the holiday season can be a challenging time to sell a home. It’s an incredibly busy time of the year and home sales slow down while people find [...]
The Guelph & District Association of REALTORS® has released its latest figures regarding home sales in our region. Home selling indicators as published in the November 25 edition of the Real [...]
If all goes according to plan, Guelph’s Toronto-bound commuters will have the option of taking the commuter train into Toronto from Guelph starting on December 19th. This is great news for [...]
Recently, I went to a real estate training seminar that focused on emerging technologies and their impact on the real estate profession. The room was full and quite a few people seemed to be [...]
The process of decluttering your home isn’t always easy, and it can be downright stressful when you have to say goodbye to some of your possessions, but it’s a great idea. If [...]
A critical part of successful house flipping lies in the timeliness and quality of renovations. There is so much to be said on this subject, but here are three key things to keep in mind [...]
Recent data published in the Real Estate Update from the Guelph & District Association of REALTORS® confirms that 2011 is trending as a firm sellers’ market. Here is some Guelph real [...]
Christmas is coming and as excited as I am about the holidays, I’m very aware that this time of year can be incredibly difficult for some. And while it’s true that the holiday season [...]
There are no shortage of wonderful neighbourhoods in Guelph. Previously, I wrote about one of my favourite areas, The Ward. Another one of my favourite spots is the St. George’s Park area.
So many people have become fascinated with the idea of flipping homes, no doubt in part due to the variety of entertaining TV shows dedicated to the subject. I get it; in fact, I’m one of [...]
The autumn season is upon us. There’s a chill in the air these days and all of the sights, sounds and smells outside are those that I associate with the fall season – the [...]
The Guelph and District association of REALTORS® has released data related to home sales in August – and the news was good for Guelph. Here is a summary of the statistics: In August 2011, [...]
On September 15, 2011, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) released its statistics relating to national resale housing activity in August 2011. In a nutshell, activity was stable for the [...]
According to data released on August 19 by the Guelph & District Association of REALTORS®, 2011 home selling indicators* for the City of Guelph suggest we are in a very strong seller’s market.
Officially called the St. Patrick’s Ward, this eclectic historic neighbourhood within walking distance of downtown Guelph is more commonly referred to as simply The Ward. The architecture [...]
One of the first steps on the road to home ownership is determining how much house you can afford. There is no replacement for the advice of a qualified mortgage professional, but online mortgage [...]
Guelph is my home. I grew up here and love living here – and the passion I have for my hometown is a large part of what drove me to venture into real estate. I’m happy to be working [...]
It has been an active real estate market in Guelph over the last several months. And while many Guelph residents may think of bidding wars as a very Toronto-esque aspect of real estate, we have [...]
As the saying goes, you usually have to kiss a few frogs before you find a prince. The same can be said for homes, if you’re a buyer. Now, it goes without saying that you can and should [...]
In Canada, August 1 is a Civic Holiday. In other words, it’s a sort of ‘freebie’ holiday that exists because, well, it’s the first of August and thus time for a holiday! [...]
Here is a quick snapshot of MLS® market analysis up to July 20, 2011 for detached homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses and apartment units in the City of Guelph. Data is courtesy the Guelph [...]
A few years ago, in a fit of gardening rage, I massacred my grassy boulevard. In my defense, it was a pitiful sight, unless you happen to like weeds.Within a few hours of digging, ripping and [...]
Today, it was announced that the Federal Government has renewed the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program. The goal of the program is to encourage Canadians to make their homes more energy efficient.
Recently, I took a client through a home that I thought might be a potential fit for her as an investment to buy and rent out. There were some issues with the home, but one thing more than any [...]
It’s that time: Guelph’s annual celebration of Italian heritage is just around the corner. The Festival Italiano will be held on the weekend of July 8, 9 and 10 at the Italian [...]
Canada Day is just around the corner, and for a refreshing change it’s on a Friday which is an extra reason to celebrate! If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the day, consider [...]
If you’re like most Canadians, you probably wince when you pull up to the gas pumps these days. It’s already having an impact at how many ‘day trippers’ drive out of the city each weekend for [...]
As you’re getting your Guelph home ready for sale, one room in your house that will likely need a bit of attention is your bathroom. Here are three steps to consider if you want to Stage a [...]
For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is an option that many sellers consider. It sounds like a great plan – just sell a house on your own and save all of those commission expenses. Easy, right?
One of the things Home Staging professionals typically suggest is that clients remove photos and other personal items from a home, prior to putting it on the market. Why? Well, the theory goes a [...]