Blog

STAGED TO SELL

  Our staging team last month did an extraordinary job transforming this home. Having the rooms painted made a significant difference in the results. Check out the before and after pictures below.   As our staging team walked into this house back in December, we knew it needed to be painted.  The homeowners were very reluctant and it took […]

OTTAWA MARKET UPDATE FOR APRIL 2017

The balanced market of the past few years has seemed to evaporate overnight. The market is extremely competitive right now in Ottawa. A shortage of good inventory and favorable demand has shifted the balance towards the sellers. Bidding wars are once again a common practice here in Ottawa. The exception this year is that some […]

OTTAWA MARKET UPDATE FOR MARCH 2017

  The Ottawa Real Estate market is heating up. Price gains for both residential and condo units are up 5.3% year over year. The average sale price of a residential property was $415,467 and $272,597 for condos.  Sales are up 28% over last year and we are just shy of the all-time record for March […]

BEST NEW HOME UPGRADES

  I represent many buyers looking to purchase new homes in Ottawa. Often times clients are asking what upgrades they should do. Beyond the obvious upgrades such as kitchen, flooring, and bathrooms, here are some other upgrades that often fly under the radar. 1. Outlets Under Eaves Adding outlets underneath your eaves with a switch […]

A BUOYANT HOUSING MARKET IN OTTAWA

  According to the OREB the average sale price in Ottawa last month jumped 8.5 per cent to $417,400 from February the previous year. There were over 1000 transactions which is higher than the previous five years. The February average over the past five years was 872. This higher-than-usual transaction reduced the inventory of available homes but we consider […]

WHY YOUR REALTOR® MATTERS

  Early this year my clients were all set to hit the market. We had a price locked in and papers were signed. Before hitting the MLS my stager Heather met with my clients and put together a game plan to get the house ready. They had it freshly painted and every room was wonderfully […]

VIRTUAL REALITY AND THE FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE

  Of all the applications for virtual reality,  real estate might be the most practical. How would you like to view a home sitting in the comfort of your living room? I believe this will be the way initial showings will be conducted in the years ahead. The technology already exists to complete a great […]

LAWYER’S LETTER: WHAT HAPPENS ON CLOSING DAY?

  As an Ottawa Realtor I am often asked about the closing process with a lawyer. I have included an example letter from an Ottawa lawyer to highlight what happens behind the scenes. The closing date is the day when you finally take legal possession of your new home. This date is specified in your […]

A BANK ROBBERY & A SHOWING

  It was a beautiful sunny morning in the capital. I was driving on Arlington Avenue, a quiet Centertown street with a speed limit of 40km/hr. heading to show a house to a great client. As I approached the house I saw my client and waved. I had to do a 3 point turn to […]

QUALICUM’S ANNUAL MARKET REPORT 2016

I am pleased to provide you with my year-end review of the real estate market for the Qualicum area. The average sale price of a home sold in Qualicum rose by 3.4% to $542,971. When we look more closely, we can see that it is the 2-storey, hi-ranch, and split level category that supported this […]