Posts Tagged ‘Family home’

Last night I was driving home along Davenport, and had the strangest thing happen to me…a billboard caught my eye!

With new online mediums such as Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube garnering my attention, I hardly ever notice print advertising. The ad was very simple, very meaningful, and very buzz worthy. Some lucky lady (or man) known only as JW was asked the big question…”Will You Marry Me?”

This morning I posted a tweet to my twitter followers asking if anyone else had seen the sign. Within seconds several people responded, one of which was @iSlutsky (also known as Matthew from BuzzBuzzHome). He not only saw the photo but also snapped a pic and posted it on his blog. Shortly after, a tweet came in from @Urban_Toronto (a popular forum for discussing projects and construction in Toronto) mentioning that the photo was now its “photo of the day”. Several others commented on it including friends in Burlington, Ottawa and downtown Toronto all wondering who these two people are. Back in the day (like 3 years ago) a billboard like that probably would have made it to the news in some form or other. Yet through one simple tweet tons of people picked up on the story much faster than before!

With the disaster that hit the people of Haiti, many traditional ways of communications were blocked. The major news outlets turned to FaceBook, Twitter and Flicr for updates from people on the ground. My point with the story is this, the old ways of doing things are changing…and fast! As @JenButson put it: “such an old style of advertising – men need to be more creative than that! ;)” I happen to like how JW was asked for marriage, but still, Jen is correct.

The same can be said for promoting your property. Long gone are the days of advertising an open house in a news paper. Mail-outs?? Forget-about-it! More and more eyes are focusing online for information. I think Realtors need more than just a website; they need avenues to promote your listing. For example, I use both “New School” and “Old School” ways to tell buyers (and the world) that your place is for sale! Now more than ever, you should be using a Realtor who embraces these mediums to sell your home.

The hunt is still on for the “Bill Board Lovers“… If you’re out there and reading this, send me an email, I’d love to hear how the proposal went!

Have you found yourself  trying to find a condo based on mattress size?  Too often, I find buyers having to choose a space based on which one will fit their bed!  In some cases it’s inevitable, you just have to work with what you have…BUT if you have the option, my advice to any first time buyer is to buy the condo FIRST and the furniture second :) 

Here’s a little something that might make the process a whole lot easier.  It’s my Matress Size chart:

Twin/Single – 39″ x 75″ or 3.3′ x 6.3′
Twin XL /Single XL – 39″ x 80″ or 3.3′ x 6.8
Double – 54″ x 75″ or 4.6′ x 6.3′
Double XL – 54″ x 80″ or 4.6′ x 6.8′
Queen – 60″ x 80″ or 5′ x 6.8′
King – 78″ x 80″ or 6.6′ x 6.8′
California King – 72″ x 84″ / 6′ x 7′ 

If you’ve got the mattress, I can find the condo! give me a call or send me an email… i’d love to help!

Though a lot of my business is done in Toronto’s downtown condos, many of my sellers eventually make the move into a house.  A common issue in some of  Toronto’s older neighbourhoods is the use of Asbestos in the home.  The Mesothelioma Centre sent me a great article explaining asbestos and what do to if it’s found in your home:

While many homeowners may think that building green can take a toll on the wallet, the benefits outweigh any initial monetary losses. Building or remodeling your homes with eco-friendly materials can lower utility and water bills, higher real estate value, purer air quality, reduced waste sent to landfills and conservation of natural resources.

When embarking on the path to purchasing a home, there are many things to consider. Although it is one of the more exciting times in your life, additional responsibilities may arise. Many old homes may need repairs or renovations and may still contain obsolete building materials.

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I spend a lot of time downtown; eating, living and most importantly WORKING.  One of the great advantages that I can offer my clients is knowledge, and specifically in the downtown core.  Before even getting into the business I spent over 3 months building (what I thought at the time) “THE ULTIMATE GOOGLE MAP.” I had everything from condos to grocery stores and even side streets with free parking.  The map (which I still use) is a great tool that helps better inform my clients of the features and amenities located around their future home.  As I spread out to different parts of Toronto, I’m faced with the problem of creating similar maps for the rest of the city…that was until I stumbled across the ZOOCASA website.

In a nutshell, the website is a similar public version of the googlemaps I had created…except on steroids (actually unlike steroids, they’re perfectly legal).  These guys cover it all, from schools and daycares to gyms and bowling alleys!!  I was really impressed with the level of detail ZooCasa went into, especially with school info.  Just type in the neighbourhood you’re interested in researching and in seconds a list of schools pops up. They even have the Provincial Testing results (provided by the Fraser Institute).  BUT WAIT, it gets better.  Aside from area features and schools it also provides something that really caught my eye…LISTINGSSSS!  You can browse available homes/condos for sale in your search area and in a few clicks get tons of info on the property as well as options to contact the brokerage for more info. 

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Very rarely do north facing units become available in this modern condo by Menkes! Enjoy breath taking Avondale Park and city views from your living room, balcony and study. The unit has been freshly painted, incorporating neutral colours that compliment the upgraded floors (not 1 square foot of carpet in this unit!). The spacious den can be used as nursery, study or spare bedroom. A convenient parking spot is also included and can be rented out if not needed. Getting around the city from here couldn’t be easier with the 401 on ramp minutes away and the Sheppard TTC station just as close! *UPDATE:  The seller and I priced the unit at market value, and still sold it considerablly higher with 6 buyers bidding on the property.  I’d love to do it again… give me a call if you’d like my help!*

The seller is also including the Fridge, Stove, Built-In Dishwasher, Built-In Microwave, Washer Dryer, all electric light fixtures and all window coverings PLUS the closet organizer. The unit has been professionally furnished and most pieces can be purchased as well!

The building features 24 hr concierge, exercise room, sauna, guest suites, party room and BBQ area. Starbucks, Movies and a 24 hr grocery store are all nearby. These north facing units don’t last long!

If you would like a private showing of the unit give me a call…i’d love to help!  Check out the detailed version of the listing with more photos here.

If you were ever thinking of purchasing a unit at Parkside Village in Mississauga, this weekend would be the time! Like many other developers in Toronto, they’ve decided to relaunch their project with many new incentives.  I’ll be attending the brokers VIP event this weekend where buyers can take advantage of up to $25,000 in savings, 10% deposit structures, up to $16,000 in Haustique furniture and 42″ flat panel HDTV’s. This is a broker only event not open to the general public, the only way to get in is through a realtor.

If you’d like more info, give me a call…i’d love to help!  Amazing units still remain, take advantage of these incentives before they’re gone!!

Last month I did a Video Blog on how the first half of June 09 was preforming much better than June 08.  Now that June numbers are in, there’s even more good Real Estate news to share!  The Toronto Real Estate board is reporting record results with 10,955 sales occurring, up 27% from June 08.  The average price was $403,972 – up by two per cent compared to the same month last year.

The C01, C08 districts of the city (where the bulk of condo sales occur) saw averages prices sitting at $340,895 and $345,465 respectively.  Well priced units are selling in a matter of days and most for over asking!  Sellers, with units selling in record time, now is the perfect opportunity to put yours on the market.  Buyers, now more then ever it’s important to be pre qualified and prepared for when yourunit becomes available.  With most selling for close to the asking price or above, work with a realtor who’ll actively search the MLS and keep you up to-date with new listings!

If you’d like a copy of this months market report, send me an email and i’ll get one out to you!  Interested in getting involved in the market give me a call…i’d love to help!