The African Lion Safari located at RR#1 Cambridge, Ontario NIR 5S2 has been open since 1969. That's right...1969. And they started with just 40 lions in 3 reserves. Today they have over 1000 animals of over 100 different species. I'd say they've grown! Their objective: "maintaining self-sustaining populations of species in decline". And since they've successfully bred 30 species that are considered endangered, and 20 or more species that are considered threatened, I'd say they have been successful. What have they done so far in 2010? "Jake" an Asian Elephant was born as a result of artificial insemination - the first ever in Canada. What is their mission? On their web site (http://www.lionsafari.com) they say: "Our Mission is to provide an entertaining and educational environment in whi... 07/22/2010

Last year, we were called in by a savvy home owner to do a consult on her home before she put it up for sale. The home itself was impressive from the start and we knew with some simple changes, fresh paint and staging that house couldn't fail to wow buyers! Today we staged the home and we are thrilled with the results!  Living Room - Before & After Shots - In the bottom shot I do apologize for the fact that my camera did not capture the beautiful seafoam hue of the chairs and the corresponding hues pulled out in the pillows. The lamp as well has a seafoam shade with a gorgeous polished silver base. Yummy! Living Room - Before & After Shots - We recommended that our client find a light fixture to further define the dining area and she found one (can you believe it was only $35?). We remo... 01/05/2010

Here is a true story, a lesson in fact, in the importance of working with a mortgage specialist to get an accurate picture of your present financial situation.   It's not enough to sit down with your standard bank representative, and chat for 5 minutes about the key details of your income and expenses. You need someone who asks all the pertinent questions, because this sort of investigative work is in your best interest.   It can help protect you from the burden of taking on a loan that would stretch you to your last penny, and leave you unprotected should some unforeseen events arise.   It can also prevent the awful situation of falling in love with a home; negotiating the price to something you are comfortable and happy with, only to find that you are unable to secure the necessary fi... 07/02/2009

Selection assistance? I also do that. The highest offer on table is not always the best offer, and I help you understand why. Consider an ESA inspection clause, that could cost you several thousand dollars in electrical repairs/updates, or a Sale of Buyers Property clause that could take your home off the market for several weeks. All of a sudden, the offer at a few thousand dollars below asking price is looking pretty good... 07/02/2009

We had the opportunity to work with some great sellers at a stunning home in Branchton. After doing a consultation for them, we advised them on everything from paint colours to new lighting for the dining room and powder room. We then came in and staged last week with some great rental furniture, our home decor accessories and combined them with the seller's existing furniture. The results? Spectacular! I have created a great slideshow on Flickr for anyone who wants to view it and here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/roomsinbloom/sets/72157619783432236/   And the backyard is simply to die for ... I'm trying to convince my husband we need to buy this home! LOL! Its one of the downfalls when you work in the real estate industry and can appreciate beautiful homes that every once ... 06/15/2009

Everyone and their cousin, is working in a team these days. But if you want to be blown away by the number of people on a team trying to sell your house, listen to this: "I have a team of 380 agents!" -- do you believe me? Because that's exactly what MLS is, we all have access to the same database, the person listing your home, in all likelihood, isn't the one bringing you the buyer. There is a reason why the red SOLD sticker, reads "SOLD by MLS". And as far as sign recognition goes, have you ever stopped at a "FOR SALE" sign in front of that cute little house you've always had your eye on, but not called the number on it because the signage wasn't red, white and blue? Of course not! You didn't think twice about who the person was or which company they worked for, as long as you got an ... 06/04/2009

Here are 4 stats that make sense and every REALTOR® should be able to tell you right off the bat! 1) Days on Market. This information can be used to inform the customer how long homes are sitting on the market. The better you price the product, the faster you can expect to move it. Don't make the mistake of pricing too high, as the house will sit on the market and become stale. Even price reductions may not achieve the desired result, and both parties will eventually become frustrated with the process. 2) Sold-to-Ask. Show your clients what the market conditions allow them to expect. Buyers need these stats as proof that offering way less than asking price simply will not work (provided that the home is priced right to begin with). In today's market place, expect this number to be in th... 06/04/2009

There has been a $5MIL settlement reached with Northstar Aerospace. This comes from a class action lawsuit launched by residents in what's known as the Northstar Zone, approximately 400 homes in and around Bishop, Concession, Dunbar, Grand Valley and Coronation Blvd. TCE was discovered to have leeched into groundwater, and has affected air quality in homes near the Northstar plant. It's a chemical typically used as a degreaser for metals. Northstar is in the process of remediation and is actively cleaning up the area. Here is the full release. Have a look at the map of the affected area. 06/04/2009

Genworth Canada, mortgage insurance agency, has launched a web-site called myhomeplanner.ca. It's a neat little web app, that let's you specify your moving date, and it gives you a nice little calendar with icons showing your upcoming tasks. So you'd add Home Inspection, Property Insurance and Status to a list of tasks, then each of those tasks could be represented by a different icon, and visually shown to you on a calendar. It also has a countdown to your closing date. Along with this feature, is included a bunch of calculators and other resources that make the home buying process a little simpler. I especially like the glossery of terms commonly encountered. Have a look, you might find something of use on there! :-) 06/04/2009

Housing Market Update - May 2009 05/04/2009

Did you know, that only 10% of agents attend the local MLS meeting in Cambridge Ontario, on a regular basis?   It's a great opportunity to preview up to 10 homes each week.   I even find out about homes coming up for sale before they ever hit the market.   My knowledge of the available housing inventory, and preview into where the market is heading, allows me to accurately price a home based not only on market data, but seeing your competition first hand.  Can you see how that is a huge benefit to you? 05/04/2009

"Please help; do you have a buyer for my house?" It's a common request, but not always as desperate as the seller sounded this time. The answer in most cases, sadly is "no". I alone can only provide service to so many buyers. But that's the power of the MLS system; there are a host of other agents that may have buyers for your home. They just need to be told about it. And that job falls on the shoulders of your Realtor, and the place to do it, is the MLS meeting. I'll talk in another article about the importance of attending MLS meetings with regularity. But in this column, I want to talk about how else we can spread the word about your house. We need to tell not only other agents, but the whole wide world. I was shocked to learn that this home in question, did not have its own web-site... 05/04/2009

So what's going on in the real estate market, I mean really going on?   The most important thing to remember is that it is regional, so take with a grain of salt, all those national statistics that newspapers love to throw at us.   They are not a true representation of what's really going on in your own backyard. As far as where you should be investing, you should be looking at areas where the population and income levels are both on the rise.  Government spending on infrastructure such as highways, light rail, subways and round-abouts are always a good indication of an upcoming hot spot.  Among the highest in all of Ontario are Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge and Hamilton, according to Don R. Cambell from The Real Estate Investment Network of Canada.  He was recently on the popular Canadi... 04/22/2009

Did you know that plans to harmonize the Sales and Provincial taxes could negatively effect your real estate transaction?  It would apply to not only New Construction homes over $400,000 but will also affect resale home transactions.  PST would now be applied to legal fees, real estate fees, appraisal fees, moving expenses, staging services, landscaping, and more services usually associated with real estate transactions. 04/22/2009

A Home Energy Audit is something that is required before you begin making energy efficiency improvements to your home, if you plan on applying for Provincial and Federal rebates through the ecoENERGY program. It's also something that could be mandatory in the coming months by the Ontario Government, as laid out in the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (Bill 150). Part of this Act could force home owners to pay for an Energy Audit, costing about $300, before putting their house up for sale. What this means is that you'll begin to see the EnerGuide sticker on the Electrical Panel of each home, similar to the ones you currently see on major appliances. It will show you the current efficiency level of the home, and also what level could be acheived with the improvements as presented in the... 03/01/2009

As a professional REALTOR®, it is my job to ensure you are well prepared and consulted on the entire process of purchasing or selling your home?   This means having frequent conversations about expectations and how I can best meet them, and preparing you for each stage of the real estate transaction.  You'll always know where you are on the path home, and your sale or purchase will be a rewarding and involving experience. 03/01/2009

What is HRTC? It's the Home Renovation Tax Credit that was proposed in the January 27th Federal Budget, that will provide for a 15% income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures, and is family based. Good between January 27th 2009 and February 1st 2010, it can be claimed for the 2009 taxation year on expenditures greater than $1,000, but no more than $10,000 and can provide up to $1,350 in tax relief. Examples of eligible improvements are kitchen, bathroom and basement renovations, new deck, new hardwood floors or carpet, painting of interior or exterior of house and others. Excluded are purchase of tools and furniture, carpet cleaning and maintenance contracts, among others. Here's an example: Sally and Ed are a couple who purchased a home. They decide to replace windows a... 02/10/2009

Did you know ... one of the emerging trends in Europe, is to offer your house in a raffle giveaway? There are a lot of web-sites dedicated to property raffles, and it's a creative approach to a situation, where your property has become stagnant in a difficult market. Although usually done in Europe, and with multi-million dollar properties, for the rest of us, the best way to sell our home is still to price the house correctly according to today's market, and not yesterday's... 02/10/2009

Happy New Year everyone, and what a year it's going to be! Most people would agree that it was a trying past 12 months, so with it behind us, let's remember all the positive things in our lives and focus on the upcoming year and all the joy it will bring. Consumer Confidence: Driven down recently by concerns about people's personal financial circumstance and their jobs. This should gradually improve as the stimulus package promised by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the January 27th budget is unveiled. As a side note, according to the news release on the Conference Board of Canada web-site, consumers have indicated for the second month in a row, that now was a good time to purchase a big ticket item. That can only mean real estate. :-) Stock Market: Mugged and beat up, left bleeding in... 01/03/2009

What is it, and why should you pay attention to it? It's an indicator of confidence in the current economy, driven down recently by concerns about people's personal financial circumstance and their jobs. According to the most recent report, it has fallen by 3.3 points, the third straight decline, and is now at it's lowest level in 26 years at 67.7. This should improve next month as the stimulus package promised by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the January 27th budget is unveiled. It's not all doom and gloom though, as according to the news release on the Conference Board of Canada web-site, consumers have indicated for the second month in a row, that now was a good time to purchase a big ticket item. That can only mean real estate. :-) So give me a call, let's talk about your needs. ... 12/22/2008