the Locations North blog

We'll be blogging our website too!

Thu, 17 Oct 2013 09:27:00 -0400

Just a quick note to let you know that we’ll be hosting a real estate blog on our website too! Whether you’re buying a home or selling a home, the content will reflect our real estate agents’ desire to provide you personal, professional and progressive service every time. Visit our real estate brokerage’s website today to read about all things real estate, view comprehensive area listings (Collingwood, Thornbury, Meaford - Grey, Bruce & Simcoe Counties in Ontario) or select an agent that meets your needs.

How many other Real Estate offices provide waterfront docking spaces by the front door?... At Royal LePage Locations North in Thornbury we do!

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:34:00 -0400

Here's a twist: Developers ask residents what they want.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:00:03 -0400

Locations North broker Andres Paara featured in today’s Globe and Mail:

“Area residents are also being asked what they want to see in vacant spaces in existing developments. Cranberry Mews in Collingwood, Ont., recently launched an online survey to help determine who will fill three remaining spaces in the 24-store retail complex. More than 175 surveys have been filled out.

“This isn’t just about looking for potential businesses; we’re also looking to complement the existing businesses that are there in order for them to thrive together,” says Andres Paara, a broker with Royal LePage Locations North, which is helping to find tenants for the spaces.

Mr. Paara says he expects more developers to turn to surveys and social media to solicit community input for projects to complement traditional market research.

“All too often, we get a little too smart for our own good in thinking what the community wants or needs,” Mr. Paara says. “In our efforts to find businesses for locations, the first thing that potential candidate tenants ask is, ‘Is there a market for us?’ With this method, we feel we are going to have some pretty interesting information and data to fall back on.””

Read the full article at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/starting-out/heres-a-twist-developers-ask-residents-what-stores-they-want/article11165548/

This Tuesday: Straight from the Horse's Mouth.

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:24:00 -0400

They say that there are 3 types of lies: Lies, Damn lies and Statistics.

In real estate, statistics are of particular value though. They are indicators of the market, and indicators of market position. In running the market position statistics for 2012, we were pleased to note our very strong position in the higher end of our local market. Measuring ends of sold transactions over $750,000 (buying and selling are each an end) in our market area in 2012, we note that Royal LePage Locations North has a 33% market share. This represents the largest market share for a brokerage in this category by a respectable margin. A huge thanks to all of our clients that trust us with their transaction. We take it seriously.

- Des von Teichman, Broker of Record

Featured Blog: How to sell your home in a Buyer’s Market? By thinking like a Buyer.

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:19:00 -0400

As seen in Escarpment Magazine and On The Bay Magazine:

Selling a home isn’t rocket science; but there *is* a science to getting it sold.

Buyers by nature tend to be critical; they’re spending a lot of money; a home is a financial investment but it’s also an emotional one.

Surveys tell us that 65% of Buyers want a home that is either move-in ready or they want one with only minor cosmetic repairs.

Even small things like an ugly paint job or ill-fitting door can make a big difference. Something that is only a $200 dollar repair, a Buyer will mentally knock off $1000 from your price. Having only a few of these repairs can really start adding up.

If your home needs more than this; you have to recognize that 65% of the buyers out there are not likely to even consider your home as a possibility. That’s a LOT of buyers to alienate.

The other option is to sell “as is” and discount your property enough to make it appealing to a renovator, contractor or a serious DIY investor. But remember – these Buyers are looking to make a profit. If your home needs a $10,000 roof – they won’t discount the price $10K – they will discount the price $20,000 – $30,000 or more because they want to make money.

In a Seller’s market – you can probably get away with doing less. But in a Buyer’s market – knowing the way a Buyer thinks can give you an edge towards getting your property SOLD.

- By Nora Black, Sales Representative

Confused about Multiple Representation? Watch the video above.

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:37:38 -0400

Confused about Multiple Representation? Watch the video above.

Tips for First Time Homebuyers According to CMHC, in 2013 over...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:50:00 -0400

Tips for First Time Homebuyers

According to CMHC, in 2013 over 34% of home buyers will be “first timers.“ I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with a lot of first time home buyers over the years and it is always a very rewarding experience for me. First time home buyers are almost always eager to educate themselves with the market and seem to soak up advice like sponges. One of the first things I like to educate a first time buyer on is the government programs available to them. There are lots of savings to be had, so take advantage!

Here are some of the best programs out there:

Home Buyers Plan (HPB):

A government program which allows a first time home buyer to withdraw funds from their RRSP free of taxes. For more information visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca

First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit:

A government program which assists first-time home buyers with the costs associated with the purchase of a home, such as legal fees, disbursements and land transfer taxes, which are a particular burden for first-time home buyers, who must also save for a down payment. The $5,000 non-refundable HBTC amount applies to qualifying homes acquired after January 27, 2009, and provides up to $750 in federal tax relief. For more information visit: http://actionplan.gc.ca/en/initiative/first-time-home-buyers-tax-credit

Land Transfer Tax Credit:

First-time homebuyers may be eligible for a refund of all or part of the land transfer tax payable. The maximum amount of the refund is $2,000. For more information visit: http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/refund/newhome/index.html

By Mike Kearns, Sales Representative

Every Tuesday, our team gets together to talk about the market,...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:38:34 -0400

Every Tuesday, our team gets together to talk about the market, interesting experiences we have had, difficult situations we have been in, upcoming events, and questions we have about the present, and future of real estate. We share stories with each other, and learn from each other’s experiences.

It didn’t seem fair to keep all of this information within our circle of 50- as a lot of what we talk about impacts the public.

We want you to know more about what we do and why we do it, and we couldn’t think of a better way to share our stories than through a blog.

It seems as though everyone and their grandmother is starting a blog these days, and we think that is awesome. There is nothing better than free-flowing information.

We want to invite you to our weekly meeting, but due to space and coffee limitations, will instead post something new every Tuesday. It might be a review of a cool real estate app, a new listing, an educational piece, a Realtor profile- who knows!

We hope you will join us.

- The Locations North team