The numbers show real estate activity is up over same times last year. The statistics for that can be seen in some of my earlier blog posts if you scroll through. Much of this activity is due to a resurgence of buyers who sat out the recession cloud of the last year as well as the changes our governments, on both the federal and provincial levels are imposing onto the Real Estate industry aka: you and me. What lies ahead in 2010 are four changes, three of them can be pinpointed on a calender the fourth is more ambiguous as to when and how much it will impact on the home buying public. Effective July 1, 2010, home buyers and sellers will pay 8 per cent more on legal fees, appraisals, real estate commissions, home inspection fees, and moving costs, adding about $1,500 in new taxes to the ... 02/16/2010

media release from BDAR President, Elizabeth Wilson   Residential sales activity in the area served by the Barrie District Association of REALTORS® Inc. posted another large year-over-year gain in January 2010.   According to statistics provided by the Association, home sales recorded through the MLS® System totalled 204 units in January 2010. This is an increase of 58 per cent from levels reported in the same month last year.   “The strength in the resale market now, compared to last year’s weak showing, is stretching current year-over-year comparisons,” said Elizabeth Wilson, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “Sales are expected to remain above 2009 levels for much of the year, but we expect to see more subdued year-over-year gains beginning next month.” ... 02/11/2010

When it comes to selling Barrie townhomes, there are a few things you can do to prepare your unit to make it more appealing to prospective buyers. Here are some tips to help you (and your Realtor) prepare your Barrie townhome for a successful sale. Price – This is a major point that will affect the sale of your townhome. If your townhome is priced competitively according to the local market, your days on the market should be relatively short. Your real estate professional is your industry resource, and they know the local market best, so it’s a good idea to follow their advice about where to price your townhome. Effective Lighting – Good use of lighting will help make a dark or small room seem larger, and help open up the space. Using light strategically throughout your townhome for ph... 02/09/2010

Final Weekend! Condo owners can claim the credit for renovations to their own unit – similar to what would be done in a detached home, for example – as well as their share of any renovations to common areas paid for by the condo corporation.  Read more: http://ow.ly/OYWx Source: YourHome.ca - Originally Tweeted by: twitter.com@JenSpeedy Dec 9th, 2009 Source URL: http://ow.ly/OYWx 01/29/2010

Staging condos has become an important part of the condo marketing and selling process, and there are professionals that specialize in this area. There are a few things you can do yourself with your Realtor® to stage your Barrie Condo before listing it in the Barrie MLS that will add a professional touch. Size matters – Especially when talking about furniture and wall accessories. If your furniture or accessories are too large, they’ll detract from that open concept condo look, making the room seem smaller. When choosing furniture, select smaller-scale condo furnishings that are now offered by many manufacturers. Make good use of space – Most condos and townhomes have a smaller living space square footage, presenting you with the challenge of arranging your furniture and lighting that ... 01/27/2010

media release from our 2010 President, Elizabeth Wilson. Annual sales activity in 2009 tops previous year Annual residential sales activity in the area served by the Barrie District Association of REALTORS® Inc. was up in 2009 from 2008 levels, bolstered by a stronger performance in the second half of the year, particularly in the fourth quarter.   According to statistics provided by the Association, home sales recorded through the MLS® System totalled 207 units in December 2009, 56 per cent above levels in the same month in 2008. This is the seventh consecutive year-over-year increase.   Despite small increases in the second and third quarters of the year, year-to-date activity had been trailing 2008 levels until September. However, the fourth quarter of 2009 was the strongest on recor... 01/12/2010

In Barrie, the condo manager acts as the corporation’s liaison so you, the unit owner, have a direct line to the building’s decision-makers. Barrie condo managers have a big job: they handle everything from owner issues, to ensuring payment is made to the professionals called in for maintenance and repair tasks.   It can be a tough job, since they have many responsibilities to make sure there’s smooth communication between you and the building’s corporation. Building managers are the link for any general correspondence between unit owners and the corporation, and it benefits your building community greatly if they’re outgoing and well liked overall. As the collective group’s representative, they’re your front-line person whenever there’s an emergency or issue that needs resolving.   Con... 12/22/2009

Hey it's a great town as I have tried to express in the hundreds of blog posts here over the past few years. A fellow I met this summer at at back yard party seemed to express it best with the help of his guitar. Have a listen to Grant Sauve singing what is well on its way to becoming an official anthem for the City of Barrie.   12/13/2009

When it comes time to consider a condo in Barrie for sale or condo townhome, there’s one thing many people overlook or may not be aware of if they’ve been homeowners for a while, and that’s how condo fees are factored into your mortgage calculation. Lenders add half of your condo fees into the debt calculation when you apply for a mortgage, in addition to other monthly carrying expenses such as heat, hydro, property taxes, and interest to determine what is referred to as your Total Debt Service. Lisa Cuff, AMP (Accredited Mortgage Professional) fromDominion Lending Centres in Barrie, states that the most important finance factor when looking at purchasing a condo vs. a freehold home is your monthly condo payment. For example, for every $50 of monthly condo fees, then that would be equi... 11/22/2009

Warm End-of-November Greetings to All! This is the most exciting time of year for me, not because Christmas is coming, not at all! This is the time, when I can slow down a bit and reflect on the year that is coming to an end and plan my next step into the New beginnings of January. I believe that now is the time to talk to your Clients about their plans and hopes for next year. Now is the time to advice them on what needs to be done today, so that their planned home sale in early February goes smoothly. One Client decided when she needs to be in the new home on the other side of the Province… and is now taking steps to get where she needs to be with everything else to reach her goal. There are several things she wants to do to bring the home up to the neighbourhood standards, so there w... 11/20/2009

MLS® home sales activity rises to October record MLS® home sales activity climbed to the highest level on record for the month of October in the area served by the Barrie District Association of REALTORS® Inc. Improving demand and fewer new listings continue to firm up the market.   According to statistics provided by the Association, MLS® home sales activity totalled 389 units in October 2009, jumping 39 per cent year-over-year. This is the largest gain since November 2007, and the fifth consecutive increase from year-ago levels.   Seasonally adjusted sales activity was up three per cent on a monthly basis in October (seasonal adjustment removes normal seasonal fluctuations). Building on monthly increases since the beginning of the year, seasonally adjusted activity now stands 87 per c... 11/18/2009

Whether you have owned a Barrie condo or townhouse for a while or are a relatively new owner, here is a short list of items for you to consider when evaluating the security of your unit and building. Condo Entry Access: If your condo building or unit has an alarm or access card reader, be sure to follow your building’s or security provider’s rules about sharing the entry code or card, and ensure no one follows you into the building that you don’t know. With townhomes, if you have a security system, change the code regularly, especially if you’ve had to share your code with someone. With Barrie townhome owners, it is important to note that most insurance companies offer a 5% discount on your homeowners’ insurance plan if you have a monitored alarm system. Lighting: Make sure all common ... 11/06/2009

    My week began as usual with a coffee and a look at the newspaper headlines. A story in the Star about changes to the business of Real Estate to be imposed by the Canadian Competition Bureau had many in our industry buzzing by the end of the day. The story falsely reported that  a settlement between the Competition Bureau and CREA was reached that effectively would open the MLS® system (Realtor.ca - MLS.ca) to the public and it would no longer be a member-to-member system as it has been since its original inception by the Canadian Association of Realtors. CREA has not reached a settlement with the Competition Bureau and CREA has not changed its MLS® Rules and Interpretations. The papers had it wrong. So much for journalistic integrity. The Competition Bureau did requested that change... 11/06/2009

    For those with the time and ambition to represent themselves in the purchase or sale of real estate in order to try and save the out of pocket expense of hiring a Realtor, the link below will provide you with some good insight into the legalities that will or could come into play. You'll want to have the knowledge that will save you from - or help you deal with some of the complecations that can arise when selling and buying real estate as the expense of a lawyer for unforeseen issues will quickly defeat your purpose. Bookmark this link for future reference and if you have any questions I make myself available for consultation. Often a Tim Hortons coffee is all it will cost you. All the best. http://www.aaron.ca/columns/toronto-star-index.htm 11/06/2009

I took a drive with my friend Deb last weekend and Moe the dog came along for the ride. Moe added an interesting component to the sunday drive. Deb does the morning radio show at KoolFM here in town and....well have a look and listen as she elegantly describes the days events on her show the following morning. 10/28/2009

media release from BDAR President, Wendy Elzner.   MLS® home sales activity reached the highest level ever for the month of September in the area served by the Barrie District Association of REALTORS® Inc. Improving demand and fewer new listings continue to draw down inventories.   According to statistics provided by the Association, MLS® home sales activity totalled 422 units in September 2009. This is a 20 per cent jump year-over-year, and represents the fourth consecutive increase from year-ago levels.   Sales activity was up seven per cent in September from the previous month, the largest increase over this period in six years. The larger than normal monthly increase resulted in a monthly increase of eight per cent in seasonally adjusted sales activity (seasonal adjustment removes n... 10/20/2009

Construction of the Lakehead University Orillia Ontario Campus is well underway and the first of three phases of this new education facility is expected to open in the fall of 2010. The creation of a new university presents a rare and significant real estate investment opportunity to those who will take advantage. Property values will be positively effected in Orillia in reflection of the demand for rental accommodations this facility is about to create. Average home prices in Orillia are lower than Barrie to the south yet average rental rates for rooms, flats and apartments are on par with Barrie and  are certain to increase with the imminent demand ahead. Orillia has many older homes in and aroud the area where the Lakehead campus is being constructed, many are on public transit rout... 10/20/2009

When it comes to purchasing Barrie condo insurance, there’s a lot more that needs to be considered than just ensuring your contents will be covered. While the condominium corporation has insurance (which you partially pay for out of your monthly fee), that policy usually only covers items that are part of the structure and common areas of the building.  You should select a comprehensive insurance plan that protects your unit, belongings, and replacement cost to the condominium building and structures, as well as common areas.   If you’ve invested extra in upgrading your unit’s flooring, carpeting, cupboards, appliances and other comforts, you’ll want to be sure you’re covered for replacement value should anything happen to your condo unit. And, of course, replacement of your contents s... 10/18/2009

Real Estate investment in Ontario or elsewhere requires some basic considerations during the where when and what stages. The interview below with Don Campbell, head of the Real Estate Investment Network considers these factors and their results in our current economic climate. Some of REIN's conclusions bode well for Barrie Ontario.(hear more about this) Barrie Ontario has many if not all of the resources that will be of highest demand from a City in the forseeable future. There is a formula or template for taking a city with the resources of Barrie from relative obscurity to the forefront econimically. Only a few North American cities know and benifit from it. With it comes tax stability, a thriving city core and top shelf public services and infrastructure. We are close, third in fact... 10/15/2009

10/12/2009