A year ago we happened to be driving through Woodstock, Ontario on Easter Sunday, on our way to visit my sister in nearby Shakespeare, Ontario for Easter dinner.  We ended up taking a wrong turn in Woodstock and came across what was left of a beautiful turn of the century Church. Only the front wall was still standing in what had been St. Mary's Catholic Church.  After doing a little research I found out the property had been sold and the front of the Church had been preserved and was to be incorporated into a senior's home to be built on the property. Little did I know at the time that a year later I would be living only 15 minutes away from Woodstock, in Tavistock.  I recently drove around Woodstock trying to locate the property again and to see if there had been any further progress ... 08/03/2011

It's been 4 months now since  we pulled up roots in Oakville, Ontario and drove an hour and a bit in a south western direction to Tavistock, Ontario. Oakville - Population 175,000 - Tavistock - Population - 2,400 Oakville is a fairly well known name.  It's an upscale community on the shores of Lake Ontario midway between the metropolitan cities of Toronto and Hamilton. Tavistock, not so much.  Tavistock's claim to fame is playing host to the annual World Crokinole Championship.  This year the games are being held June 4th.  Tavistock only has one stoplight but it controls a wonky 5 way intersection. When people were asking me where I was moving to I often told them Stratford, Ontario.  Stratford is a much more recognizable name, famous for the Shakespeare Festival, and, oh yeah, Justin ... 05/26/2011

I've been living the rural life for 4 months now and people are always asking me if I'm still enjoying it.  I have to tell them that I still pinch myself (well not literally) when I'm driving down the backroads into town. No matter what the weather there is always something amazing to see.  Whether it's the sky, birds, fields, ponds or just the quiet roads.  Do I miss the traffic and pollution from the city?  Hmm let me think on that one. Here is a field just down the road from my house.  I love taking photos of it. The skies got dark and it started to rain all around us.  It missed is though. I love my new surroundings.   05/25/2011

I love searching out and photographing old historic mills in Ontario.  Before I moved to Tavistock, Ontario a few months ago, I went online to check out old mills in the area.  About 15 minutes from my house, down Maplewood Sideroad lays the quaint village of Harrington, Ontario.  It's hard to miss the Harrington Pond and the old Grist Mill but on my first visit I ended up driving right by.  It was the middle of winter and as I turned around to go back my right side wheels went into the ditch. I now know that the snowplows here push the snow way over and the road looks wider than it really is.  Luckily a couple of kind gentlemen came to my rescue and one pulled me out with his 4 wheel drive truck.  Once I was out I decided to go straight home and never try  a u-turn on a country road in... 05/12/2011

I love home decorating magazines.  I used to subscribe to a couple and I always looked for new ideas for my own home.  Unfortunately I found that many of the items in the magazines were out of my price range.  I used to cut out the pages of rooms or items that I really liked and put them in an idea file.  Like designer clothing, it's possible to get the look for less money if you look around and are thrifty.  Ever heard of Ikea? My magazine subscriptions have ended as I've found a great site on the internet that allows me to look at thousands of photos of decorating ideas and add them to my personal online idea file. Houzz.com is an amazing site.  You can search photos by room, or by decorating style.  Whether you like eclectic, contemporary, traditional or a mix, the ideas are all ther... 05/09/2011

I have been asked many times over the last few months what made us up and relocate to a very small town.  There are many reasons, one being the fact that I am now living close to my parents and some of my siblings. One of the other reasons I tell people is that I saw an empty lot that "spoke to me".  It is hard to explain but when I saw Lot 13 backing onto a farmer's field with two existing mature trees on the property, it just felt right. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would end up living in Tavistock, Ontario.  I'd driven through it many times when visiting my sister's farm but never, ever gave it two thoughts.  But here we are, settled in and waiting for the weather to co-operate so that the builder can come back and level the mounds of dirt in the back yard, gr... 05/04/2011

First came blogging, then came photography, then came hiking.  When I first started blogging it soon became apparent that I should add photos to my posts to create some additional interest.  With all the copyright issues I knew I wasn't supposed to "borrow" photos from other sources without permission. So I decided I'd have to create my own photos.  I had never had an interest in photography before but I purchased a half decent digital camera and went to work in my community snapping photos of anything relevant for my upcoming posts. Who knew that being forced to supply my own work would lead to a keen interest in nature photography.  My fellow bloggers know that the camera now goes out the door with me everytime I leave the house as you never know when a great photo op will occur or wh... 05/02/2011

It's been three weeks since we moved to Tavistock in Oxford County. We are fairly well settled in and it was a relatively balmy - 1 degrees C. so I figured it was a great day for a Sunday drive.  I checked out a few places that I wanted to visit, put my dog Lola in the back seat and hit the road. Our first stop was at the  Embro Pond Conservation Trail.  Unfortunately the snow was still pretty deep and I'd go a few steps before I would end up knee deep with one leg.  It was also pretty noisy as for some reason there was machinery  taking down trees.  I'm not sure what that is all about but will go back soon when the snow melts a bit more. Our next stop was to the  One-Of-A-Kind Antique Mall in Woodstock, Ontario.  Two floors of a very old building jam packed with furniture, glassware, j... 02/20/2011

  Remember the 80's and stucco ceilings?   Remember the 80's and stucco ceilings? Some people call it popcorn ceiling. It seems every home that was renovated or built in the 80's has a stucco ceiling these days it seems rather dates and stale. But it can be changed.First, know this. It is a mess, dirty job. There is no way around this. It is messy!! Hopefully it has not been painted as this makes it very difficult to remove. In fact if your stucco ceiling also has many layers of paint it may be easier to re-drywall the ceiling.To get started removing the stucco, empty the room. Remember the part where I said it is mess, you will want your furniture out of room.Next cover the floor and walls with plastic or drop clothes. It will make clean up much easier.Using a spray bottle or small gar... 01/10/2010

Home : Blogs : RE/MAX Stratford, St. Marys & Woodstock offices : RE/MAX's Blog 275 St. Andrews Road, Woodstock   MLS: 63-720 Price: $274,500 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 +1 This immaculate open concept 4 level side split was custom built and is located on a quiet street backing onto a park. A large updated kitchen boasting an island with built in stove overlooks a good sized family room with fireplace. 10 foot patio doors lead out to backyard. Relax in the ensuite bath featuring double marble sinks, Jacuzzi tub, skylight and huge storage area. With a newer roof, windows, hi-efficiency furnace & water softener, this home is ready for your family to move right in! Jason Proulx & Anne-Marie Proulx, Sales Representative RE/MAX A-B REALTY LTD. BROKERAGE (WOODSTOCK), 521 Dundas Street Woodstock, ... 01/10/2010

My 6 Fearless Predictions  I'm going out on a limb and share my predictions for the real estate market in the next few months of 2010. Now these predictions are for my area in southern Ontario so they may not apply to your area. But it is always fun to compare one market to another.Here are my 6 predictions:* Over the next few months well priced homes will sell* Over priced homes will sit on the market unsold* First time Buyers will continue to buy unless they stop* A Sellers house is alway worth more than their neighbours, no matter how much smaller* Some Seniors will be looking to downsize* Most homebuyers will mortgage their new homeSo there they are, feel free to check back in a few months to see if I'm right. If not than I guess I should change jobs, maybe a weather man or an econo... 01/04/2010

Preventing Contractor Fraud. The federal government's Home Renovation Tax Credit has been a great success.  Many homeowners are now taking advantage by remodeling their homes.  Windows, doors, heating systems and insulation are the most popular reno's being carried out.  It is a good time to cover an important issue like hiring the right contractor to do your work.  Most contractors are honest, hardworking people, but unfortunately not all keep business above board.  If you are considering hiring a contractor there are some things to watch out for to help prevent contractor fraud. •1.      The contractor wants all of the money up front.  Never pay before the job is finished.  You want to be able to get them to come back to correct any mistakes and complete the job to your satisfaction. ... 11/09/2009

Investor Alert Three bedroom, two bath condo with forced air natural gas heat - close to everything! Large back yard, with mature tree, backs onto single family home. Quick close available. One additional parking spot included in condo fees (two total). Fridge, stove, washer, dryer, dishwasher and water softener included. Roof and windows approximately three years old. All measurements to be verified by the Buyer. $116,000. Contact me for more information or to see the property. 08/10/2009

Suscribe to our new site and receive e-mails of Oxford County open houses as they are scheduled.   06/10/2009

Mississauga, Ontario (March 11, 2009) - A report released today by RE/MAX confirms that entry-level purchasers are now the engine driving home-buying activity in almost every major centre in Canada. The 2009 RE/MAX First-Time Buyers Report highlighting first-time buying activity in 32 residential housing markets across Canada found that improved affordability is prompting many first-time buyers to get off the fence, out of the rental, and into the market. While a sense of caution still prevails, more and more first-timers are finding it hard to pass up the chance to become homeowners in today's buyer-centric real estate climate. Increased inventory and longer days on market coupled with the lowest lending rates ever are presenting opportunities that have not been seen in almost a decad... 03/11/2009

Very new to our market- well appointed town villas which will back directly onto the Sally Creek Golf Course and provide for beautiful views beyond onto conservation lands. Two bedroom bungalow style with option of loft for additional bed and bath. Freehold, no condo fees. One year membership to golf club included. Call Bettianne for details  519-536-6653.     03/02/2009

03/02/2009

Property will be sold 'as is'. $83,500. Lots of room for improvements and an opportunity to build equity. Some newer windows and furnace. Large lot. Two storey. Close to shopping and schools.   RE/MAX a-b Realty Ltd. Brokerage Bettianne Hedges, Broker www.bettiannehedges.com  519-536-7535  ext. 300   02/07/2009

Property will be sold 'as is'. $83,500. Lots of room for improvements and an opportunity to build equity. Some newer windows and furnace. Large lot. Two storey. Close to shopping and schools. 02/07/2009

http://www.virtualproperties.ca/r9207/     $229,500 02/03/2009