We are currently looking for Realtors that want to be part of our fast growing real estate team. We have several leads that need immediate attention. Over 85% of Buyers and Sellers begin their research on the Internet and that is why Elite Access Realty Inc. heavily invests in the latest online real estate tools, real estate technology and marketing available. Our Website www.BarrieProperties.com is currently one of the top Barrie Real Estate Websites in most search engines. With several home Buyers and home Sellers visiting our website dialy, we are able to offer you a great number of monthly leads that you can use to jump start your business. Elite Requirements: You must be licensed or in the process of getting licensed. If you are a team player, creative, ethical, ambicious and a pe... 03/26/2009

City of Barrie to Contribute to Georgian College The city of Barrie has finally recognized the value of having a first class medical teaching facility associated with RVH. They will contributing approximately 5 million to help build the new facility. On top that Georgian College is expecting to grow by adding 3000 students by 2011. The question to ask is where are all these students supposed to stay, live and study?  There are not many places to build a large sustainable residential housing facility in the area. I am all for growth but the pressure being put on the local housing stock is starting to take affect. It looks great on politicians to be promoting all the new money being put into this new research/teaching facility, but what about the housing situation?  The city has a clear m... 03/24/2009

Happy Spring Everyone! It certainly is gorgeous outside, the sun is smiling at me through the windows of my office. I feel happy and ready for action. It's here! SPRING! We can start over and everything will be just fine. Do you ever get that burst of energy when you are eager to do things, to take action? Doesn't it FEEL great? If you are a Realtor... SMILE! This is your time to shine! If you are a home owner planning to sell... It's your time to SHINE your home! Take just 15 minutes a day and start small. For best guidance on how to do this, visit FlyLady.org, she will take you by the hand, show you how to tie your shoes in the morning and will teach you how to shine your sink. Life changing little things that we all can do to get rid of chaos in our homes, and bring in some tranquili... 03/23/2009

I seem to be taking more recreational than real estate pictures lately but the camera always comes along to the cottage, vacations and when taking the dog for a hike. I have posted some of my more memorable shots to Flickr which have now accumulated to over five hundred images. More pictures than I took in my entire life previous to owning a digital camera. A generation of budding photographers can never appreciate the patience of waiting until the roll of film was finally used up, finally remembering on a future trip to the drug store; days, weeks or months later, to take the film and drop it at the counter to be developed. Then waiting days more for your finished pictures. The anxiety and responsibility of not wasting an exposure when there were far more moments still to capture than ... 03/19/2009

I came across this website recently and was struck by the simplicity of the idea, and the reasons behind it. It's called Tree of Wishes. A wish support community where people can express their hopes and wishes in their time of need. The site provides a safe, non-judgmental environment for anyone who needs to vent, share their sorrow and even ask for help if they need it. It became one of my favourite sites to visit. There is a sense of community and it gives me inspiration. It gets you thinking, it takes you into this place where you can clearly see your own "problems" and put them into perspective. There are people who just need to share their dilemmas, and just by posting the simple act of "saying it out loud" helps them ease the tension they feel. Some of them ask for advice on life ... 03/12/2009

Our local radio stations in Barrie, KOOL 107.5 and ROCK 95 are giving away a house with Zancor Homes.  All you have to do is phone in and be caller number seven. You get a golden key and are invited to attend a party with all the key winners. One lucky person will find that their key opens the lock on the prize house and the dream prize house is theirs to call home. How easy is that! Advantage Staging can be heard during this prize house give away contest at 8:30 a.m. each morning on       KOOL 107.5 encouraging homeowners to have an advantage in the marketplace by Staging their homes for sale. After all, when you win a dream home you still have to sell your old one and get the most equity out of it to buy the plasma TV with surround sound movie room, new furniture, landscaping, ingrou... 03/11/2009

  As technology advances new tools are being adapted to the home inspection industry. The Barrie Home Inspector is a leader in bringing this new technology to Simcoe County. First to introduce his Fair Pricing Policy , First to introduce Thermal Imaging , First to introduce a 30 day Money-Back guarantee with No Questions asked and the only Home Inspector in Simcoe County to include Free Wett inspections with all our regular priced inspections. To meet the need for specialized building inspections, which include, roofs, attics, leaking basements, foundations, and other building system issues, we have created our $129.00 inspection . We will look at a specific items for you or perform a Thermal Scan of your home or do a complete detailed “walk through inspection”. No report is given for t... 03/05/2009

Recently I got an e-mail from a Realtor in London, Ontario. He was asking about my website. He found my site (www.selling-barrie-homes.com) in the article he read in the latest issue of Real Estate Magazine (REM). I read that magazine religiously, but at the time, I didn't look at it yet and so I had no idea I was mentioned in the article. It was written by Larry Easto, an author and website publisher of www.real-estate-marketing-link.info Needless to say, I was very pleased, not to mention surprised. In the following days and weeks I got many more inquiries about my site. People were asking about the SBI system that I use. I've been promoting the amazing features of SBI, simply because I believe it is the best product out there. I used it for my other sites that I own, my husband's har... 02/26/2009

      There is one sure way to get attention in the marketplace.  Do something that no one else is doing and you have a story to relate. The media will pick up your story and you can further the reach of the story through online blogging. This idea is open to all Realtors and Home Staging companies in North America. I will provide the template to you so you can organize your own version of the event in your area. Last year I was able to be featured on CBC Radio One ( a major radio station in our area), get TV coverage and several newspapers and the Habitat newsletter to cover the story. It drew attention to all the participants and with the advantage of repeating the event yearly, you gain good public exposure in your area for a very worthwhile cause. So what is the idea? How can you pa... 02/25/2009

Greetings from Calgary! I'm lucky enough to be a mother of a promising figure skater. My older son Peter trains at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, together with his partner Baily, as part of Novice Dance Team. Over the last couple of months, they qualified to compete at Junior Nationals in Calgary this weekend. And so we are here, in beautiful Calgary today. Getting here, however was a bit of a challenge. After getting to the Toronto airport as recommended 1.5 prior to departure. We found ourselves in a HUGE line to check-in. Watching the clock closely, we proceeded to the security check point and there was another HUGE line up... Boots off, jacket and belt in the gray containers I went through the electronic gate and didn't set it off. I was however called over by the securit... 02/12/2009

Thought everyone could use a mini lesson in colour today. This website has stories about interior indiscretions that will make you wonder what the homeowners were thinking when they put their home on the market. We have all been there-either as a Realtor or as a Home Stager. Trying to market a house that has been painted entirely in burnt orange. Or every surface has been painted shades of green or blue or purple. When you are selling your home, loud vibrant colours will not market your property to the most people. How many homes have you seen with bright orange walls everywhere? That's exactly the same number of buyers you will attract to your property for sale. I tactfully suggest to my clients that a neutral colour will attract more buyers when they are looking online at listing phot... 02/11/2009

To many homeowners the onslaught of the problem is sudden and unexpected. A plumber described the situation: "First you hear a bang, then there's a sudden drop in water pressure. Water then starts coming from pipes you didn't know existed, causing soggy floors or holes in ceilings that are destructive and expensive to repair." What is Polybutylene? Polybutylene was next big wonder product; cheap to produce, easy to install and no maintenance. Unfortunately years after much of it was install, plumber began noticing a trend of leaking pipes. The piping systems were used for underground water mains and as interior water distribution piping. Industry experts believe it was installed in at least 6 million homes, and some experts indicate it may have been used in as many as 10 million homes. ... 02/01/2009

Have you ever found yourself running around town with a Client who has no clue what they are looking for? I know you did that at least once. I know that it's our job to guide people through the process and accommodate their changing needs. I know that most of the time, some indecision, especially in the market saturated with listings is quite normal. I know that there are times that a Client simply doesn't know what they want and need. Why? Because they didn't do their homework. And you didn't help them with it. Last four months my schedule was filled with showings for this one Client. She was downsizing and changing her lifestyle, looking for just the right unit in our developing waterfront condo community. Her list of wants and needs was long, but the point is... she had a list! We we... 01/23/2009

In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners that when you own a piece of the waterfront and want to list at the top of the market comparables you would do well to invest in a consultation by a Professional Home Stager. This two bedroom condo facing Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe in Barrie had terrific home furnishings to start with. The challenge was taking it from a swinging bachelor pad to an image of a cool urban lifestyle that either a single person or a couple would be attracted to. Nightlife, art galleries, shopping and the harbour at your doorstep are all fabulous selling features. But to stand out from the many other units for sale in the towers along the bay, you have to market the lifestyle aspect inside as well if you want to top dollar.       All I did in th... 01/18/2009

RRSP's and Real Estate Investing Using your RRSP for real estate investing is much easier then you think. At Mana Investments we will walk you through every step of the way, and as with all our investments, your RRSP will be secured by REAL PROPERTY. Simply put, your RRSP will be registered as a mortgage against the investment property. It's like you and your RRSP become a bank, and we "borrow" the money from you. Your money is on title as a mortgage, just like a bank mortgage when you buy your home. We never touch or see the money. It is all handled by you and your trustee.  We make monthly mortgage payments to you and your RRSP, just like we would a bank mortgage. And because this is set-up as a RRSP, your profits from this investment are tax deductible, just like any other RRSP. This... 01/15/2009

We all have them- at least I hope we do!  Reuseable shopping bags. I am now the owner of 27. That's right 27. I forget to take them with me when I go shopping, so I buy some more and they end up in the front hall closet too. And now to top it all off, our local grocery chain store is now charging 5 cents for each plastic bag if you want one of those. How to break this guilt inducing cycle?  You see I am a Live Green, Live Smart Trainer. Someone who is supposed to be setting an example when it comes to living in a sustainable way. Someone who is supposed to be trying to create a smaller carbon foot print on this earth. It seems so simple. Why do I forget to take the reuseable bags when I only shop once per week. I know I am going to the store to buy a week's worth of groceries. It never ... 01/14/2009

Interested in making your home an energy saver, and getting paid to do it? The Canadian government has a program you'll want to hear about. Last year, the Canadian government launched the ecoENERGY retrofit program. It provides tax-free cash incentives to Canadian homeowners who commit to making their home more eco-friendly and energy efficient. The money is granted at a flat rate determined by the government for each individual upgrade you perform on your house. The grant money is only the first part of your windfall though. The average homeowner with a $2,000/year heating bill can expect to reduce that annual bill by up to $700 as a result of the energy savings alone! The process is very simple. There is a network of licensed energy advisors across the country; call to set up an asses... 01/06/2009

Happy New Year Everyone! I was fortunate enough to welcome the New Year in Cuba, on a white, sandy beach with my closest friends and my family.  Today that night is a dreamy memory that I will cherish for a long time.  Coming back to reality was qute difficult, usual 4am wake-up calls (don't ask), and the long drive to Barrie will again become my daily routines.  But surprisingly, I was eager to come back and get things going again.  I discovered that my optimism is still there and that I feel happy, rested and somehow sure of what will come my way this year.  Perhaps it is the adrenaline of the new beginning that comes with the New Year, maybe it's just the leftover sugar rush from Christmas indulgence... But whatever it is I will try to nurture this happy, optimistic feeling for as lo... 01/05/2009

2009 holds opportunity for buyers If there has been a time over my nine years working as a Realtor where the home buying public has had a financial advantage I can say with absolute certainty it is now and over the course of the next few months.A snap shot of the Barrie area real estate market and the economy in this first week of 2009 shows us a higher number of greatly reduced property prices than at any time in the past ten years. Many of the homes I see for sale have been listed for months and as shown in the examples below have continues to lower their prices every few weeks in the hopes of finding a willing purchaser.Many are selling out of necessity over choice which for the buyer means their is additional room to negotiate prices down even further than the reduced list prices sh... 01/02/2009

Population Growth Biggest Since 1990 I couldn't help but notice a small article recently in the National Post.  The whole paper was filled with the news of dire economic times. The auto bailout, the financial bailout. But here was an article that simply said that Statistics Canada recorded the largest population increase (in the 3rd quarter) in Canada since 1990. Why do I find that interesting? Well simply because in real estate (especially investment real estate) net population growth is an investment fundamental. That is, population growth has a direct correlation with real estate. To simplify it even more, if the population is growing, then the people are going to have to live somewhere. They are going to consume food, go to school, get jobs and pay taxes. But most importantly they a... 12/21/2008