Selling a Home with an Awkward Layout? Here’s What Actually Works
Not every home has that perfect, open-concept, HGTV-flowing-from-room-to-room kind of vibe. And that’s okay.
The Truth About Overpricing: How Sellers Lose When Agents Overpromise
Thinking of selling your home in Guelph? You’ve probably met with more than one agent. Chances are high that not all of them gave you the same suggested list price. But what if one agent promises [...]
Overhousing: Another Culprit in the Housing Crisis
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 [...]
Why a Final Walkthrough Matters
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 [...]
NIMBY in Guelph
It’s a problem virtually everywhere and, yes, NIMBY exists in Guelph. Let’s talk a little more about NIMBY and how it relates to the housing crisis.
What is a Community Land Trust
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.
Guelph Housing Crisis – An Overview of Solutions
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 [...]
Is Virtual Staging Something to Consider
Virtual Staging has come a long way over the years. The first time I saw a listing that was Virtually Staged, I was pretty mortified.
Selling Your Home in a Buyer’s Market
The only thing I know for certain is that, when it comes to real estate (and life, in general) … everything changes.
Preparing Your Home for Sale? Planning Ahead Pays Off
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 on the Rise
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.
Home Renovation Disasters – How to Avoid Them
Hardly a week goes by when I don’t hear directly or indirectly of a home renovation disaster.
Buying and Selling in a Hot Market? Get List-Ready!
Buying and Selling in the same market can be tricky, especially in a Seller’s market.
Your Staged Home – Should You Stay or Should You Go
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 [...]
The Importance of a Final Walkthrough for Home Buyers
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.
Market Shifts in Guelph: The Early Indicators
Market shifts happen in real estate… all the time. At the moment, Guelph is in the midst of a pretty much red-hot Seller’s Market.
Fixer Uppers in Guelph – A Guide to this Fast-moving Market
Finding Fixer Uppers in Guelph isn’t easy. In fact, it’s a really tough market to buy in.
Selling in Guelph During a Wild Seller’s Market
My, oh my. Selling in Guelph has sure gotten interesting. The housing market right now is positively bonkers.
Fraud Alert – Be Careful
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 [...]
Buying a House in Guelph- Location Decisions
Buying a house in Guelph isn’t easy. We have a tough market in many price points.
Seller’s Market Ahead in Guelph Real Estate
Oh, Guelph real estate… what will you bring us in 2020? Sadly, I don’t have an actual crystal ball to predict the future of the Guelph market.
Buying a Home in Guelph: New Year, New Resolutions
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 [...]
Guelph’s East End – My Thoughts
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 [...]
The Rental Market in Guelph has Returned
It’s a new year and, in the Guelph real estate market… it’s off to a very fast-paced start.
Luxury Townhouses in Guelph are On the Rise
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 [...]
Guelph Market – 2019 Predictions
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 [...]
Hey, Guelph Sellers – Don’t Worry, Be Happy
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 Ideal Time to Buy Guelph Student Rentals
Guelph student rentals continue to be a sound investment strategy for those looking to buy a home in Guelph.
The Best Questions to Ask Listing Agents
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.
Radon Testing in Guelph
Radon. The word even sounds a little ominous. But is this really yet another thing we all need to lose sleep over? Not necessarily.
Closing Problems in Guelph Real Estate Today
We have an alarming trend of real estate closing problems in Guelph.
Guelph Real Estate Market for Buyers in 2017
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 [...]
Guelph Listing Agent: Advice on Our Shifting Market
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 – But Don’t Be Duped
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.
Pre-Offer Home-Inspection – Guelph Buyers
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 [...]
Credit Scores and the Home Buyer
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 [...]
Guelph Listing Agents in a Wild Seller’s Market
Not too long ago, I got a lovely note from someone whose home I was hoping to list. It went something like this:
Falling in Love with Your Guelph Home
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?
Selling or Buying a Smokey House
Even in a wild seller’s market like we have seen over the years in Guelph, it’s always not easy to sell a home.
Historic Homes in Guelph: Let’s Talk Disclosures
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 [...]
Keeping Faith in a Wild Guelph Real Estate Market
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 [...]
Guelph Realtor Ethics in a Wild Seller’s Market
I’m not going to sugar-coat it: Buying a home in Guelph right now is tough—extremely tough.
Selling Your Home: What to Do with the Pets?
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 [...]
What is a Bully Offer
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 [...]
Selling Your Guelph Home in the Winter
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.
Time to Buy a Home in Guelph: New Year’s Resolutions
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 [...]
Selling Tenanted Property in Guelph
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 [...]
Selling Strategies: Vacant Homes in Guelph
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 [...]
South End Guelph Homes – The Changing Landscape
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 [...]
Selling a Home in the Guelph Termite Zone
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 [...]
Selling Your Guelph Home? Talk to Your Neighbours First.
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.”
Holding Off on Offers (and Why Buyers Hate It)
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!)
Guelph Realtor Blog: The Importance of Discretion
How important is it for a Guelph Realtor to be discreet, while helping his or her clients buy or sell a home? I’d say very important.
Student Rental Properties in Guelph are Changing
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 [...]
What Realtors Really Wish You Knew About Open Houses
Alright, well, before I go off on tangent (because I’m about to,) let me add a disclaimer. I don’t actually do a ton of open houses any more.
Should I Go Into Real Estate? 10Things to Consider.
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, [...]
How Can I Help My Realtor?
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 [...]
Can You Fire Your Realtor?
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.
How to Respond to a Lowball Offer
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 [...]
Fix Everything, When Selling Your Guelph Home
“Should I bother fixing this?” he asks me? He, of course, is someone who tells me he is thinking about putting his Guelph home up for sale.
Guelph Rental Properties – Choosing the Right Realtor
And… we’re off! At least we are if we’re investors buying or selling Guelph rental properties – or Realtors like myself who work with investors.
Guelph Real Estate – The Year in Review, 2014
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 in a Seller’s Market
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 – [...]
How to Invest in Real Estate at a Young Age
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, [...]
Skirting the Rules with Accessory Apartments
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 [...]
Is an Old House Right for You?
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 [...]
Buying Below Your Maximum Budget
Last week, I had the good fortune of being able to help a very nice couple purchase their first house.
Choose Finishes Carefully When Renovating a Rental Property
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, [...]
Rental Increase Guideline for 2014
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.
How to Choose Property Management Software
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 [...]
How to Stage Your Laundry Room
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 [...]
How to Save for a Down Payment: Start By Setting Reasonable Expectations
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.*
How to Go Green for Halloween
Orange and black are always going to be the official colours of Halloween, but there are ways to inject a bit of green into the day.
How to Pay Down a Mortgage Quickly
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 [...]
Five Reasons to Leave When Someone is Viewing Your Home
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.
How Landlords Can Steer Clear of Bad Tenants
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 Selling, Make Your Home a Temperature Sanctuary
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 [...]
Financing for a Power of Sale
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; [...]
Why Do Real Estate Agents Have a Bad Reputation?
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… [...]
Condos: Rules and Regulations
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 [...]
Will I Get a Great Deal on a Power of Sale?
Will you get a great deal if you buy a Guelph Power of Sale? Maybe. Then again, maybe not.
What is the Difference Between a Foreclosure and a Power of Sale?
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, [...]
Gardening for Curb Appeal
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 [...]
How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photos
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.
Jump Start Your Landscaping for Privacy
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 with Pets
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, [...]
Guide to Less Toxic Cleaning Products
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.
Swimming Pools – Do They Add Value?
The short answer is… it depends. Pools can be a polarizing issue, at least in this part of the country.
FSBO Math – When Two Plus Two Equals Five
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 [...]
Involve Your Kids in the Home Sale Process
Sometimes sellers express a concern about how the process of listing and selling is going to work if there are kids in the house.
How to Prepare for a Mortgage Meeting
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 [...]
Raising Backyard Chickens in Guelph
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 [...]
Termites in Guelph
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.
The Importance of Mortgage Pre-Approvals
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 [...]
Functional Obsolescence in Real Estate
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, [...]
Painting Kitchen Cupboards and Drawers
I hear it all the time from buyers — the kitchen is nice and the cupboards are in good shape but they are just so dated looking. Oh is that all?
Lighting Your Home for Showings and Open Houses
Some things almost universally deter potential buyers when they’re house-hunting. Here’s one for the list: A home that just feels dark.
Staging a Home During a Divorce
Even in the best of circumstances, selling a home can be very stressful. Factor in a divorce and the process can be all but unbearable.
Safeguards When Selling a House: Preventing Theft
When you’re preparing your home for sale, there are so many things to consider. Here’s one to add to the list: home security.
Buyer Beware – Don’t Overpay for a Private Sale
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.)
Canada’s resale market to remain stable in 2012 and 2013
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 [...]
Why Isn’t My House Selling? Maybe It’s You.
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 [...]
Why Isn’t My Home Selling? Maybe It’s the Market.
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 [...]
Why Isn’t My Home Selling? Condition of the Property.
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 [...]
Why Isn’t My Home Selling? It’s the Real Estate Agent’s Fault.
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 [...]
Why Isn’t My House Selling? It Could Be the Price.
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 [...]
Discount Real Estate Brokerages
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 [...]
When Selling, Don’t Ignore Minor Repairs
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 [...]
Guelph MLS Market Analysis – January 2012
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 [...]
Home Staging on a Budget
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. [...]
New Lighting Fixtures and Resale
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.
Plumbing Fixture Upgrades and Resale
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 [...]
Power Lines and Home Value
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.
New Year, New Home Owner Resolutions
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 [...]
Home Scents
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
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.
Skating in Guelph
Looking for a way to enjoy what the winter has to offer in Guelph? One option to consider is the new skating rink at Market Square on Carden Street.
Flipping Homes Means Business
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 [...]
Selling Your Home During the Holidays
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 [...]
MLS Market Snapshot – November 2011
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 [...]
GO Train Service is Coming to Guelph
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 [...]
Napkin Folding Instructions
Have you ever seen swanky napkins in restaurants and thought… how in the heck do they do that? Well, wonder no more.
For Sale: Waterloo Stunner
504 Wasaga Crs., Waterloo, Ontario For sale in Waterloo’s desirable Conservation Meadows.
The Need for a Tech-Savvy Agent
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 [...]
Decluttering Tips
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 [...]
House Flipping – 3 Important Tips
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 [...]
MLS Market Analysis – October 28
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 [...]
Adopt a Family 2011
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 [...]
Neigbourhood Profile: St. George’s Park
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.
Five Things to Consider Before Buying a Property to Flip
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 [...]
Ontario Fall Foliage
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 [...]
Guelph Home Sales Remain Strong in August
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, [...]
Canadian Home Sales Held Steady in August
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 [...]
Crea Reports Strong July for Home Sales
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) reports that July home sales in Guelph were strong and well above levels year-to-date from July 2010.
Guelph MLS Snapshot – August 2011
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.
The Ward Guelph – Neighbourhood Profile
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 [...]
Mortgage Calculator Tool
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 [...]
Looking for a Toronto Real Estate Agent?
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 [...]
Much Ado about Multiple Offers
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 [...]
Use Open Houses as an Educational Tool
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 [...]
John Galt Day
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! [...]
Guelph MLS Market Analysis – through July 20, 2011
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 [...]
Curb Garden Conversions
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 [...]
Energy Savings Program Renewed
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.
DIY and resale
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 [...]
Guelph’s Festival Italiano
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 [...]
Guelph Canada Day Festivities
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 [...]
Stay-cation Living
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 [...]
Diamonds in the rough
Some years ago, before I got into the real estate business, I found the home of my dreams. Well, sort of.
How to Stage a Bathroom
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 [...]
Curb Appeal: Front Porch
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. When it comes to selling your home, it’s advice to take to heart.
For Sale By Owner Houses: 10 Things to Consider
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?
Removing photos when Staging
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 [...]
