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Realtor for Oakville, Burlington, the Halton region and GTA

Whether you are looking for a home in the suburbs of Oakville, or a condominium in downtown Toronto, Marian is your best choice in finding a realtor who is both knowledgable, and sensitive to her clients needs.

Let Marian help you find your home, your way!

here

When is the right time to sell? Check for more details!

Looking to buy? With Marian's help, you are sure to find the home of your dreams.

Tel: 905-285-0343 Cell: 416-418-1402 mtiqui_breklandrealty.com

Call Today!!

About Marian

About Marian

With over 20 years of experience working and living in the Oakville, Ontario area, Marian has established herself as an articulate, knowledgable businesswoman with a passion for exceptional customer service and satisfaction. Before embarking on a career in Real Estate, Marian also forged another successful business in Oakville, with her husband. With her husband's business well established, Marian is now dedicated full time to her career in Real Estate.

If you are looking to find the perfect property for your family,as an investment, or if you are interested in selling your home, Marian delivers exceptional service by maintaining control over every element of the sales process. From screening potential buyers, to scheduling appointments, Marian manages the entire buying/selling process for you.

Whether you are looking for the perfect home for your family or looking to invest in real estate in the Greater Toronto Area, Marian's goal is finding the perfect property to suit your needs.

MarianTiqui has extensive experience in selling residential homes, houses, and commercial real estate in the Oakville, Mississauga, Burlington, Hamilton, Milton, and Halton Regions, and you can find her listings on the MLS website, or here, on the "Listings" tab. Marian is also a member in good standing in the following organizations:

TAG Racecraft

Canadian Real Estate Association

Ontario Real Estate Association

The Oakville Milton Real Estate Board

The Hamilton Burlington Real Estate Board

The Toronto Real Estate Board

Services

Services
If you are searching for a particular type of property, whether it be home, condominium, townhome or investment property in the Greater Toronto Area, Marian is the first choice for the best in one-on-one personal service--no licensed assistants.Marian provides a detailed market analysis and a plan to market your home that is tailored specifically for you. Our intensive marketing througout the GTA delivers interested agents and prospects alike. With same-day reports after each showing or open house, and skilled negotiation that brings you the best deal possible, Marian is sure to find the perfect buyer for your home.Plus........these value packed services will give YOU the edge on the competition.On site consultation with a professional Real Estate Stager for a personalized check-list of actions required to present your home in the best light possible.Complimentary value added service coupons.Special Insider's coupon for "Builders Only" prices at the Brick Warehouse furniture store.Some of the most competetive rates in the industry--starting at 2.4 percent for full MLS service. The link below is available in order to direct you to various property listings. If you find one you are interested in, call Marian for more details.Using Marian's experience and expertise in Real Estate is a sure-fire route to finding the perfect property for you!Let me help you find your home, your way.Whether you are buying or selling, finding the perfect home or the best buyer takes hard work. It means finding someone who knows the Oakville/GTA market, the neighborhhood, and how to bring buyers and sellers together. That's Marian--a realtor you can trust to bring a proven package of benefits to every client she represents.Call Marian today!! 416-418-1402

Why use a Realtor?

Listings

For detailed listing information, please double click on photo or the address below the listing photo.

1436 Sprucewood Terrace, Oakville

2108 White Dove Circle, Oakville

2345 Cotswold Cres. Burlington

Sold in 12 hours for 99% listing price!!

1453 Pinecliff Road, Oakville, ON

2288 Tesla Crescent

2356 Pine Glen Road, Oakville

MLS.CA

More listings for your area can be found at .

More Listings

Tel: 905-285-0343 - Cell: 416-418-1402 - - Contact Marian today!

mtiqui_breklandrealty.com

Listings2

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27 Fiddlehead Crescent, Waterdown

4472 Virtue Court, Burlington, ON

2345 cotswold

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Home Buying Checklist

Home Buying ChecklistHome LocationAddress ________________________________________________________Asking price ____________________________________________________Annual property tax _____________________________________________Zoning restrictions _______________________________________________Exterior of the Home- Lot size - shape ______________________________________________- Position of home on lot ________________________________________- Private or shared drive - condition _______________________________- Front yard-rear yard __________________________________________- Landscaping - condition ________________________________________- Mature trees ________________________________________________- Home appearance from street __________________________________- Type of home (two storey, detached, attached) ____________________- Siding (brick, brick veneer, aluminium, wood) ______________________- Condition of siding and paint ___________________________________- Attached or detached garage __________________________________- One, two, three car garage ____________________________________- Condition of walkways _________________________________________- Covered front porch __________________________________________- Enclosed front porch __________________________________________- Fenced backyard _____________________________________________- Privacy _____________________________________________________- Patio-decking ________________________________________________- Swimming pool-above ground pool ______________________________- Storage shed ________________________________________________- Type of roof - general condition _________________________________- Type of roof repairs __________________________________________- What was done to roof ________________________________________- Do they have receipts ________________________________________- Eaves trough _______________________________________________- Type of foundation ___________________________________________- Structural appearance ________________________________________- Possible problems? ___________________________________________Interior of the Home (room sizes can be taken from MLS Listing)- Separate front hallway ________________________________________- Guest closet ________________________________________________- Soundproofing between walls of duplex __________________________Doors and Windows- Types of windows (single pane; thermopane) _____________________- Open and close window without sticking __________________________- General condition ____________________________________________- Locks and latches work? ______________________________________Kitchen- General size and colours ______________________________________- Eat-in area _________________________________________________- Cooking food preparation island ________________________________- Sufficient cupboard space _____________________________________- Pantry _____________________________________________________- Single or double sink-condition _________________________________- Sufficient counter top area ____________________________________- Floor type-condition __________________________________________Basement- Adequate headroom _________________________________________- Drained or sump pump _______________________________________Interior of the Home (room sizes can be taken from MLS Listing)- Separate front hallway ________________________________________- Guest closet ________________________________________________- Soundproofing between walls of duplex __________________________Doors and Windows- Types of windows (single pane; thermopane) _____________________- Open and close window without sticking __________________________- General condition ____________________________________________- Locks and latches work? ______________________________________Kitchen- General size and colours ______________________________________- Eat-in area _________________________________________________- Cooking food preparation island ________________________________- Sufficient cupboard space _____________________________________- Pantry _____________________________________________________- Single or double sink-condition _________________________________- Sufficient counter top area ____________________________________- Floor type-condition __________________________________________Basement- Adequate headroom _________________________________________- Drained or sump pump _______________________________________Other Rooms - Features- Number of bedrooms ________________________________________- Number of bathrooms _______________________________________- Fireplace type ______________________________________________- Signs of moisture ___________________________________________- Cracks in walls and floors _____________________________________Recent Renovations- Done by seller or professional renovator? ________________________Systems- Electrical: amperage; fuses or circuit breakers; adequate outlets; general condition; aluminium or copper wiring; meet current codes?______________________________________________________________- Plumbing: copper pipes or other material; signs of leaks; recent repairs; age; meet current codes?______________________________________________________________- Water service: city supplied or well; if well, drilled or dug? Ever run dry? Water quality recently tested for potability? Capacity; age of pump; size of feeder line from well to house; water agreement?______________________________________________________________- Sewer or septic system: if septic, where is septic field? Holding tank and system recently checked?______________________________________________________________- Heating type: oil; gas; electric; hot water; baseboard; combination; heat pump; age; recent repairs______________________________________________________________- Air conditioning: type (window, central) age; size; recent repairs______________________________________________________________- Hot water heater: leased or owned; gas or electrical number of gallons; efficiency; age______________________________________________________________- Insulation type: ______________________________________________- Ask to see copies of recent utility bills: ___________________________- Cable or aerial TV service: adequate room outlets __________________- Internet access: High Speed; Dial Up ____________________________- Other notable features and comments: ___________________________Community - Close to:- Schools- City services- Medical facilities (doctors, hospitals, dentists)- Shopping- Parks- Playgrounds- Daycare- Recreation centre- Public swimming pools- Public tennis courts- Golf course- Skating rinks- Hockey arena- Restaurants- Theatres- Public library- Major roads and highways- Public transportation- Possible problems (traffic commuting)Local Neighbourhood- Urban, suburban, rural ________________________________________- Older or newer; estimated age _________________________________- Types of homes in area (detached, links, townhomes or apartments?______________________________________________________________- Age group of area homeowners ________________________________- Quiet streets ________________________________________________- Adequate streetlights _________________________________________- Visible power lines and telephone poles __________________________- Well maintained homes _______________________________________- Sidewalks __________________________________________________- Space between homes ________________________________________- Adequate street parking _______________________________________

Finance Tips Making Extra payments Paying extra amounts on your mortgage can create a huge saving on interest over time. When we select a mortgage company, privilege payments options are something that we look for. A 20% privilege payment will allow you to pay off up to $20,000 per year on a $100 000 mortgage. It is important that the privilege payment also be flexible to allow you to pay smaller payments on the mortgage and as often as you wish. An extra $1000 periodically paid on a mortgage can also help you become mortgage free faster.Reducing the CMHC fees on your purchase When you require a mortgage for more than 75% of the purchase price of a property, that mortgage must be insured by Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) or GE Mortgage insurance. The premium charged by these company`s decreases as the down payment increases. When you finance your property at 95%, a premium of 2.75% is added to the mortgage. By increasing the down payment to 10% of the purchase price the premium can be reduced to 2.5%. If you can put down 25%, you can avoid any additional insurance fee. Depending on your situation there are ways that you can structure this financing to avoid the CMHC or GE insurance premium.Advantages of Bigger Down Payments As mentioned above, when you put a 25% down payment on your purchase you can avoid the CMHC premium. More importantly the larger the down payment, the lower the amount of interest you will pay over the life of your mortgage. It is important to note that it may not be wise to stretch yourself to increase your down payment and end up borrowing on credit cards or a line of credit at a higher rate.Bi-weekly and weekly payments Most mortgages have the option to allow payments to be made on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This option may be desirable for two reasons. The first is it can save you money as you can expect to pay off your mortgage about 4 years sooner. This can save you dramatically over the life of your mortgage. The other reason why these options are so popular is that if your employer pays you on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, you can simplify your budgeting by making the payment line up with the way you are paid.Short Term Rates vs. Long Term Rates The options for mortgages available can be very confusing for most mortgage shoppers. Terms for mortgages vary between variable and fixed rate, 6-month terms to 10 year terms. Taking a variable or floating rate mortgage can have savings. Typically the shorter the term or guarantee of the rate, the lower the rate will be. This does not always happen, depending on the market place and the economy, but history has shown that short-term rates tend to be lower than long-term rates. The up side of variable rate is the strong potential for interest rate savings. The down side is the fact that you are accepting the interest rate risk without a guarantee. If you are considering a variable rate mortgage you need to look at your own risk tolerance, and your cash flow available to deal with potential increased payment. Considering projections of rates and where we see interest rates heading can also be important in this decision. Make sure you talk to an expert when you are making this decision.

Mortgage Information

Mortgage Information

Mortgage News
August 11, 2011Mark Wahlberg Buys a Toronto Condo Despite Real Estate BubbleGolden Girl Finance, On Thursday August 11, 2011, 10:00 am EDTDonnie Wahlberg may have been a New Kid on The Block, but his cutie-boy brother Mark Wahlberg, (Marky Mark to those who remember the 90s) has become a new kid on a block in Torontoin the form of a $12 million penthouse condo. The posh bachelor pad is close to Wahlberg's usual digs at The Hazelton Hotel, where rooms run between $500 to $2400 a night. Given that the star ofBoogie Nights, The Fighter and former leader of hip-hop group The Funky Bunch spends an increasing amount of time filming movies in the city and hanging out at the Toronto International Film Festival, it seems he's decided to quit forking over money in hotel room rentals and instead buy his own place.Wahlberg probably has the advantage of owning his new condo outright, giving him full equity ownership. For the rest of us mortgage-carrying mortals, however, now is not an ideal time to be investing in a condo in Toronto. According to Ben Rabidoux, financial adviser, real estate expert and author of the website The Economic Analyst (www.TheEconomicAnalyst.com), in most Canadian cities right now (but certainly not all), the house price versus rent ratio and the house price versus income ratio are at or near their all-time highs. This suggests that, overwhelmingly, it makes better financial sense to rent in these markets and invest your equity elsewhere.There is no free equityBuilding equity is undeniably a wise financial move. The mistake many people make is equating equity with a mortgage. A mortgage doesn't give you equity; equity is only as much as you pay. A down payment is equity. Anything you pay toward the principle of your mortgage is equity. Paying interest to the bank is as useful to your financial situation as paying rent to your landlord.If you start out with a very small down payment and arrange for a long future of low monthly payments, your ability to build equity before selling your home becomes seriously limited. With less than 15 per cent equity, you may end up merely trading one mortgage for another. If there is a drop in the housing market, the value of your home could fall to the point that if you were to sell it, you would owe more on your mortgage than the actual selling price of the house. Once it's sold, you'd have to write the bank a cheque to make up for the difference. This is called a 'negative equity' situation and while it's a worst case, it happens more often than you might realize.Renting space or renting money?Most likely, everyone from your father to your banker has drilled the idea into your head that renting is a waste of money and buying a home is the only prudent way to build equity. According to Rabidoux, this is not always the case, especially in markets that are currently overvalued and highly vulnerable to a real estate crash, such as Vancouver, Victoria and the Toronto condo market."There is a very unfortunate stigma attached to renting," Rabidoux says. "This is dangerous and damaging to many people's finances. The reality is that the majority of new home 'owners' are still renters; they've just gone from renting space to renting money." With rents in large cities exceptionally cheap compared to owning, home ownership becomes a very steep tax on those unwilling to crunch the numbers or who give into the societal pressure to buy. Don't be that girl!Comparing the costsRabidoux suggests wannabe-homeowners start by figuring out the monthly costs of owning a home. Calculate the mortgage principal and interest, taxes, insurance and any additional monthly payments such as condo fees. Also add the often ignored but very necessary maintenance costs two per cent of the cost of the house per year is a good rule of thumb then divide by 12 to get a monthly cost.Next, figure out what it would cost you to rent a similar property in the area. Kijiji and online classifieds are a good place to start. Realtors can also help with rent statistics. Remember that rent is often negotiable, particularly if you don't have pets or kids, if you do have a stable job, are a non-smoker and have good references. Landlords often give steep discounts to 'good tenants' they believe will care for their property.Most importantly, consider the lost opportunity cost of your down payment: what you could be earning by investing your equity in something other than real estate. With stocks or bonds, for example, you can earn a minimum of three to four per cent with a very conservative, low-risk investment. If you have a $20,000 down payment, that means you are foregoing at least $600-$800 a year that this money could be earning you.You may be tempted to think that you can easily earn that kind of return on the value of a home, as house prices climb to teetering levels and buyers engage in wild bidding wars for the luxury of overleveraging themselves to buy their dream home. Yet, the definition of a housing 'bubble' is an unreal, overly inflated market where people expect prices to rise forever. Depending on the market where you live, you must consider the risk of when the bubble may burst and how you might safely build equity elsewhere. This needs to be factored into the 'true' cost of ownership.Save the differenceIf you find a substantial cost difference between owning and renting and choose to rent, you have a great opportunity to have the best of both worlds rent the place you want and bank the difference. Of course, there is no financial benefit if you end up using the cost savings to splash out every month on Frette linens, Fall & Barrow paint and a fabulous home theatre system. The wise renter is disciplined enough to invest her monthly cost savings and therefore build that equity that everyone has told you can only come from home ownership.The long-term viewIf you plan to buy a home and live in it for many years or even decades, you will likely ride out numerous market fluctuations, will be more likely to sell at a profit and less likely to find yourself in a negative equity situation. As for Marky Mark, he's probably not in it for the profit; he has his movies for that. We do hope, however, that his foray into Canadian real estate means that he and his "Good Vibrations" will be here for a very long time.June 14, 2011 Mortgage Rate Party ContinuesIts not enough to pop champagne over but mortgage shoppers are nonetheless happy with recent rate trends. The 5-year government yield (which leads 5-year fixed rates) made a new five-month low today.The spread between 5-year posted rates and the 5-year bond yields is now the most its been since October, and 45 basis points above its 10-year average. As a result, fixed rates should drop a bit further from here.Heres a look at rates currently being quoted on the street for AAA-quality borrowers: 1-year Fixed: 2.64% (In general, 1-year pricing is poor relative to the cost of funds. It should improve soon.) 3-year Fixed: 2.99% (Through select brokers) 5-year Fixed: 3.79% (Applies to quick closes. 6-month rate holds can be had for just 3.99%.) 50/50 Hybrids: 2.97% (i.e., Half fixed and half variable; applies to quick closes.) 5-year Variable: Prime 0.85% HELOC: Prime + 0.50%Note: These are samples of nationally available rates. Your rate may be higher or lower depending on your qualifications, location and mortgage type.For example, if youre in the Vancouver/Victoria area, rates are even lower thanks to intense credit union competition.If you arent closing in 30 days, the best available rates are often at least 10 basis points higher.As always, speak with Marcelle Tiqui your mortgage specialist for a quote specific to your circumstances.

Buying Perks

Selling Tips

Moving Tips This handy checklist can be used as a guide to make sure all the details are taken care of before moving day.ONE MONTH OR MORE BEFORE MOVING DAY____ Make a flow chart for the weeks from now until moving day ____ Make weekly schedules____ Get estimates from moving companies____ Get boxes from liquor or computer stores or get packing containers from movers____ Garage sale, giveaway or throw out unnecessary belongings ____ Notify post office and send out changes of address cards to the following: telephone, insurance, mail order clubs, book and record clubs, electric company, gas company, newspaper, magazines, doctor, dentist, community, center, lawyer, accountant, stock broker, cable television, other utilities, motor vehicle branch, vets, credit card companies, motor club ____ Transfer or resign association or club memberships____ Cancel subscription tickets ____ Get school records for transfer to new school____ Make arrangements to move family, hotel reservations, plane tickets____ Get all medical, dental, birth marriage records ____ Transfer house, car and personal insurance records____ Check into auto licensing____ Transfer prescriptions for drugs and eyeglasses ____ Transfer private health or medical plans ____ Cancel cleaning staff, pool maintenance, lawn service, snow removal____ Collect and send out all items to be cleaned or repaired ____ Return all items borrowed, collect all items loaned ____ Arrange for connection and shutting off of utilities ____ Clean rugs and drapes ____ Arrange for work that has to be done at new home____ Plan for children and pets on moving day ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING DAY____ Use up perishable food ____ Dispose of flammable items ____ Have your car prepared for the trip ____ Arrange to transport plants, pets, fish and perishables____ Transfer bank accounts, contents of safety deposit box MOVING DAY____ Defrost and clean fridge one day before moving, clean stove ____ Have meters read ____ Make shopping list for first day____ Be on hand for movers ____ Keep personal luggage and moving day survival kit away from movers____ Items you should carry with you, including documents, currency and jewelry____ Keep a copy of the movers inventory sheets with you ____ Take a telephone and telephone book with you____ Remove garbage bags from house ____ Disconnect telephone ____ Ensure doors and windows are secure____ Notify police and neighbours ____ Turn heat down ____ Go through closets and cupboards for a final check____ Get keys to new home UPON ARRIVAL____ Be on hand for movers ____ Check off numbered boxes, inspect each for damage____ Prepare list of any damaged or lost items ____ Read water and gas meters ____ Get utilities and appliances hooked up____ Get the kitchen, bathroom and beds set up first

Right time to sell When should I sell my home?Your answer to this question might be right now! If you have taken a job in another city or made an offer on a new home, or had an addition to your family, selling your home fast might be the most important goal you have. Most people, however, have some flexibility when they sell their home. Let us take a closer look at the most important factors that can go into this decision.How quickly must you sell?If you have decided that now is the best time for you to sell your home, then, you will probably want to complete the process as soon as possible, but will also want to sell your home at the highest price possible. In a "sellers market", where many buyers are competing for relatively few homes, speed and top price can go hand in hand.However in a "buyers market", when purchasers can take their time to choose among several properties, you may discover there is a trade-off between speed and price. Discuss your specific requirements with a Realtor®, who can help you decide upon an asking price that will also help you meet your timing requirements.Cycles in the market place - what do they mean?In real estate it is important to know that over the long term, residential real estate is one of the best investments you can make, while providing you and your family with shelter. There are cycles in the market that may affect your decision regarding when to sell. These cycles can create a shortage of homes, which will push up the prices, or a surplus which can result in a slowdown of rising prices.What drives these cycles - the overall economy is most obvious. In periods of economic growth when employment is strong and people have confidence about their futures demand for housing grows and is high. When, however, there is a slow down in the economy and unemployment is high, - more homes will come on the market, and buyers will typically wait for times to improve. Keep in mind that these economic fluctuations can be national in scope or affect only certain pockets of the country.Changing interest rates also influence real estate market cycles. When interest rates rise, fewer people can qualify for any given mortgage amount and demand drops - making it tougher to sell your home, or obtain the price you want. The same is true when interest rates fall, more people can afford to a buy home or qualify for financing so the demand for housing increases.Does all this mean you need to be an economist to determine when it is the best time to sell? Not at all! But staying aware of the things that influence the cycles in real estate will help you decide when to place your home on the market.The Seasons of home salesSeasons also affect buyer demand and in turn, how long it will take to sell your home or the price you can obtain. For example, fewer buyers may be willing to trod through snow drifts (if you live in area with winter climate) to look at homes, but you will also be competing with fewer homes on the market.Conversely, spring tends to be an active time for real estate sales. Homes and gardens start to look good and again buyers will come out of hibernation and begin the home hunting process. Parents with school children particularly like the spring and are likely to buy a home. Homes are sold throughout the year, so think of the seasons as only one factor in determining when the best time to put your home on the market.

Contact

Why Use a Realtor Why Use a Realtor?If you are tempted to do it yourself and "save" the real estate commissions this article will be of great help to you in making your decision. Selling your home is is quite a complex procedure, involving large sums of money, stringent legal requirements and the real potential for very costly mistakes. It requires a tremendous depth of knowledge and experience, as well as substantial amount of time to follow-up on every detail promptly and properly.Will you really "save" the real estate commission?Most buyers equate a "For Sale By Owner" sign with a "bargain." They assume you will sell for a discount because you do not have to pay the real estate commissions, and, as a result, they'll probably offer you less than Fair Market Value. Negotiating your price upward to regain even a part of the anticipated commission savings will be difficult at best.Do you have the time?If you do it alone, how much will you really save when you factor in the considerable time you will have to invest? Without a Realtor's® support, you are the one who will have to write and pay for the ads to market your property, remain available day or night for calls from prospects, run the open houses on weekends and show your property on short notice, screen potential buyers, fill-out the paper work and do the dozens of things required to sell a home. Do you really have the time for all this? And what is your time worth - the time spent away from your family and friends and work?How will you reach potential buyers?Do-it-yourselfers are faced with the problem of how to market their home effectively. How good are you at writing hard hitting advertisements that will stand out from all the others and entice prospects to call you? Where should you run these ads, when, and how often? Do you have the time and patience to handle telephone inquiries? Are you prepared for the cost of advertising - including a professional-looking "For Sale Sign?" Real Estate Agents are experts in effective advertising and cover all these costs as part of their service to you. Moreover, when you work with a Real Estate Agent, your home receives a far-reaching market exposure through the Multiple Listing Service. MLS® is a computer-based system that relays valuable information about your home to a vast network of Realtors and potential home buyers in your market area. Remember, the greater exposure the greater the chances for a higher price. Also, most realtors work for real estate companies that have their own websites or real estate online web portals which will feature your listing; these websites are generating thousands of visitors a day.Do you really know the true market value of your home?Setting a sales price is perhaps the most difficult and yet critical step in the home-selling process. It requires extensive knowledge and training, as well as access to sophisticated market-analysis developed over years of experience. Do-it-yourselfers usually lack these resources and often end up guessing at their asking price.If you set your asking price too high, many prospective buyers will be frightened off without even seeing the property; too low and you will leave thousands of dollars on the negotiating table needlessly. One of your realtor's most important roles will be helping YOU decide upon and negotiate a realistic asking price for your home that meets your sales objectives.Are you ready to "pre-screen" every prospect?Do-it-yourselfers are faced with the challenge of interviewing every person who responds to their ads or "For Sale Sign." How do you go about this arduous task without offending those who are clearly not serious or qualified buyers - and yet protect your own interests and security? Do you have the skills and experience to ask the right questions over the phone before you let a prospect visit? How are you going to find out whether they are really qualified to purchase in your home's asking price range?Pre-screening prospects is absolutely necessary to weed out the "looker" from serious buyers. Your Realtor knows how to do this effectively, saving you many hours of time and quite a few headaches.How are you at selling and negotiating?Selling real estate is considerably different from selling most other products or services. Many do-it-yourselfers attempts to over-sell, smothering the buyer with every detail and nuance about the property. Few understand the subtle differences between a home's features and the potential benefits to the buyer. Few know how to ask the right questions and uncover the buyer's true needs and wants. Even fewer know how to complete the sale successfully through firm, impartial negotiation.Realtors are skilled intermediaries with considerable ability to market your home successfully. Would you not feel a lot more comfortable knowing an experienced realtor is on your team negotiating the Highest Price Possible for your home?Are you up-to-date on real estate laws?Remember when you bought your home and had to deal with all these papers thrust in front of you for your signature? Well, selling your home is equally complex from a contractual and legal standpoint. If you attempt to sell it yourself, you will either have to prepare all your own legal documents when an offer comes in, or translate the language in the offer presented from the buyer. In the excitement of receiving an offer, are you confident you will be able to recognize terms and conditions that are not in your best interest, or worse, are legally risky? Realtors know how to protect you from these potential legal pitfalls, and will work to help ensure your interests are properly protected.Let a Realtor® help you sell your home.Most of those who sell their homes do so with the assistance of Realtors®. Of those that try to do it themselves, most change their minds and end up going with a real estate professional, because the process is too complex, too time consuming, and too dangerous without the help of a professional. Working with a licensed professional to sell your home, someone who is a member of a Real Estate Association, entitles you to an exceptionally broad range of services and benefits unavailable to do-it-yourselfers.

Individual listings

Newsletter December 14, 2011Can You Sell Your Home By Email?Over the course of three days last October, Marc Girouard and Kelty Druet corresponded by email about the sale of Druets condo in downtown Moncton, N.B. After a series of emails and an offer and counter offer, Druet agreed to sell unit 203 at 850 Main St. for $155,000, or so Girouard thought. But Druetchanged her mind and the case landed up in court.There a judge decided that even though a formal agreement of purchase and sale was not ever signed, a deal was a deal. Since Ontario has similar laws to those relied on in New Brunswick, the same result could happen in Ontario.Here is what happened:October 22, 2010: Girouard was looking on Kijiji for a condo to rent and found the unit listed there. He spoke to the tenant who passed him on to Druet. They spoke and discussed the possibility of him buying the condo and agreed to carry on their discussions through email.October 24, 10:56 a.m. Druet sends Girouard this email: After giving the idea of selling my condo some more thought, I have come to a decision. I would sell it to you for $160,000, conditional that you take over the mortgage and pay the legal fees associated with the purchase. (I estimate at $800.) Please let meknow your decision.October 24, 12:16 p.m. Girouard replies: Thank you Kelty. I will meet you half way _155,000.00 and pay legal fees and assume existing mortgage.October 25, 2:57 p.m. Druet: Sorry for the late reply Ive been thinking about it. I will accept your offer. How would you like this to go?October 25, at 3:33 p.m. Girouard: Great, are you in Moncton any time soon? I can have a sales and purchase agreement drafted for your review. Is a November 15 closing acceptable so not interfere with your tenants, that I am told are vacating on that date? Is the mortgage holder a Moncton or Halifax bank?October 25, 6:37 p.m. Druet: My partner has been in Peru the last few days and I just got to speak with him. He was not agreeing with the price so I am sorry but I cannot sell to you.Girouard replied he had a deal and would not release Druet from the contract. The case went to court in Moncton and the decision was given on August 9, 2011. The judge decided that if these emails were actually written and signed, they would constitute a binding agreement. He noted that the Internet and emails have become a way of life for business and individuals. Even though such things as the closing date had not been settled, he still found that there was a basis for a legally binding agreement.In Ontario, the Electronic Commerce Act, which governs the electronic signing of documents, is confusing when it comes to the legality of signing agreements for the sale of land, so it is possible that in Ontario the result of this case may have been different. I am not so sure.The lesson here is clear. Be very careful what you write in an email regarding any sale or purchase of a home. Also, if you are sending any notice in a real estate deal via email, always ask for confirmation of receipt from the other side. You may not find out that the email has hit someones spam file until youhave missed an important time deadline.Remember to always have the advice of an experienced real estate agent or lawyer before doing anything by yourself. In this case, the seller did not want to sell their condo but had to do so, based on this very simple exchange of emails. Do not let this happen to you.October 4, 2011 MILTON REAL ESTATE MARKET SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN!!!Stats from the Toronto Real Estate Board. TREB reported that in August, there were 7,542 sales for the month. August 2010 there were 6,083 sales so we have experienced an approx 20% INCREASE in the number of sales compared to last year.At the end of August there were only 17,248 homes for sale on the Toronto Real Estate Board, compared to 18,823 at the end of August 2010. That represents about an 8% drop! To put these numbers in English, were not getting enough new listings coming on to keep up with the number of sales that are happening. We are still in a very active market In the town of Milton, the market continues to be very healthy. There are currently only 224 homes for sale and there were 139 sales reported in August. This year, there were more sales in Milton than there were last year. Inventory has actually slightly increased in Milton but sales have significantly increased over last year. We can help attribute that to the number of new homes built over the past few years. Each year there are more homes available that can be on the market which gives us more to sell. So Milton remains one of the hottest areas in the GTA, substantially hotter than The Beach and Bloor West Village areas of Toronto.So the question remains .... what will happen to the market? My prediction remains the same. The market will continue to be very strong until at least the end of the year and well into 2012. There should still be price increases but a slower rates than weve experienced over the past 2 years. Inventory levels will likely increase slightly, however in most areas and price ranges, conditions will stay favouring Sellers.Despite some troubling financial news we are hearing about whats happening in the U.S. and Europe, in Canada and in our area in particular, all indicators seem to point us out to be in pretty good shape!May 13, 2011 Why I Wouldnt Sell my Home MyselfMark WeislederSince writing about whether you could create a bidding war without an agent, I have received numerous emails from sellers, real estate agents and companies that provide for sale by owner services on the pros and cons of selling by yourself. Allison Philpot sold her home in Ottawa using a For Sale by Owner marketing service. She listed her home for $419,000, and was able to create a bidding war after her first open house. She received a top bid of $429,000, which she accepted. The buyers seemed like nice people, as they lived in the community.Unfortunately, they later terminated the deal, relying on a condition in the offer,although Allison suspected that they just found a house that they liked better.The second bidder was no longer interested. She then dealt with another buyer, who was represented by a buyer agent. Allison later admitted that she was out-matched in the negotiations, and eventually sold her home for $405,000. In addition, she agreed to pay thebuyer agent a commission of approximately 2 per cent or $8,000. So her netselling price was $397,000. After the fact, she reasoned that had she used an agent from the start, she would have probably sold for about $430,000, and that even if she paid$20,000 in commission, she would have netted $410,000, or $13,000 more,without any of the aggravation.Still, Allison states that had she not gone through the experience herself, shewould probably have felt that she had overpaid the agent. The buyer who walked away from the first deal later told Allison that he would never try and buy a property again without an agent, as he found the process way too stressful himself.I received many emails from real estate agents talking about their additional network of potential buyers that they bring to every sale, as well as their own experience in qualifying potential buyers in advance and protecting sellers from unusual clauses that are sometimes inserted into agreements. Many agents in Vancouver are now setting up marketing events overseas, as more and more foreigners are looking at Canadian real estate as a safe haven toinvest. More buyers mean better prices for sellers.I spoke with Patrick Sullivan, a vice-president for Com Free, a company that provides services to assist home owners selling by themselves. These tools include a guide to assist the seller in determining the sale price, staging the home for sale, conducting open houses and preparing for negotiations. He suggested that there is no real harm in a seller trying to save money selling by themselves. They can sell with an agent later if they are not successful. Healso claims that Com Free listings continue to grow and that they have many success stories. However, because they have no contract with the seller, the seller is not obligated to tell them how long it took to sell and what the property sold for, so it is difficult for Com Free to state how their seller compares with sellers who use an agent.If you plan on doing this by yourself, at a minimum either have your lawyer look at the contract before you sign it, or make the deal conditional on your lawyers review and approval of the agreement. In my opinion, no marketing service can properly prepare buyers or sellers to deal with the stress and emotion that will invariably be involved with any real estate negotiation. It is not easy. Every buyer, seller and property are unique and will require a successful strategy to win. Whatever method you choose to buy or sell your next home, be prepared and fully informed before you start.May 3, 2011 Safe as houses? That loud knocking is falling pricesROB CARRICK |From Tuesday's Globe and MailThe most enduring and simplistic argument for buying a house is that youre making an investment.What an understatement. Between your mortgage, property taxes, utility bills, maintenance, furnishings, renovations, landscaping and such, youll be investing non-stop in your home. But whats the return on your money?Looking back a decade, houses have been an excellent investment that rivalled the stock market. But the view ahead is not nearly so positive. Bear this in mind if youre considering a jump into this high-priced and increasingly unaffordable real estate market of ours.How did the market get where it is today? Housing economist Will Dunning says resale housing prices have grown by an average annual 4.9 per cent in Canada since March, 1988, which is the year that comprehensive real estate industry data begins.The more recent experience with housing is even better, Mr. Dunning found. The 10-year average annual price gain for a house is 8.3 per cent, almost on par with the average 8.9-per-cent increases logged by the S&P/TSX composite index, including dividends.What we have here is a housing market that has been rising at close to double its long-term rate in the past decade. Dont expect this to continue. Im not in the camp that says we have a big correction coming, but I think we are looking at a fairly long period of moderate changes in house prices plus or minus 2 per cent, Mr. Dunning said.In its most recent update on housing affordability, Royal Bank of Canada predicted a period ahead of very modest price increases. (The) rapid home-price appreciation of the past 10 years has likely run its course overall in Canada, the report said.Well call that the optimistic view of whats ahead for the market. For the pessimists, the question is how far prices will fall, and for how long. Sample prediction: Toronto-based Capital Economics sees a decline in prices of up to 25 per cent in the next three years.The negative outlooks for housing are based primarily on factors such as prices, income growth and interest rates, all of which are a function of current economic conditions and thus short-term in nature. A long-term concern for housing values is Canadas changing demographics.The fastest-growing component of our population comprises those who are 65 and older. In other words, people who are going to be selling houses over the decades ahead and doing very little buying, if any. Thats bound to affect demand for homes and the potential for price appreciation.For an actual real life example of how real estate prices can fall, lets look at what happened in Toronto between April, 1989, and February, 1996. According to Mr. Dunnings numbers, the average resale home price in the city fell to $192,406 from $280,121, or 31 per cent.That was an extreme plunge, fuelled in part by a level of rampant speculation that we arent seeing in todays market. But prices can still fall in todays market. Check out the Calgary market, which dipped 1.7 per cent in March.The fact remains that housing can decline in value, and for prolonged periods, Moshe Milevksy, a finance professor at York Universitys Schulich School of Business, wrote in his 2009 book Your Money Milestones. It is definitely not a risk-free investment.Buying a house and living in it for decades can protect you from temporary market dips, just as long-term investing in stocks smoothes out the stock markets ups and downs. Still, its worth noting that someone who bought an average-priced house in Toronto around the 89 market peak and still owned it would be looking at modest annualized gains in the 2-per-cent range.Historical changes in housing prices are just a guideline, anyway. They dont consider things like mortgage interest, property taxes and maintenance, none of which add any value to a home.Houses bought today have questionable investment value, but there are some other factors to consider if youre thinking of getting into the market. First, gradually paying down the mortgage on your house is a kind of forced savings plan. Not a great savings plan, but better than nothing.Second, theres the best reason of all to own a house. Its freedom: Your family, your rules, your lifestyle. Thats really what youre investing in when you buy a home today. ---------------------------------------------Here's how the housing market compares to other investments over the 10 years to March 31. Returns are expressed on an average annual basis.Houses (Average resale housing price in Canada) 8.30%Stocks (S&P/TSX composite index with dividends included) 8.90%Bonds (DEX Universe Bond Index) 6.10%T-bills (91-day Treasury Bill Index) 2.60%Gold bullion (per ounce, in U.S. dollars) 19.10%

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