Property Virgins on HGTV: A REVIEW

Have you ever wished you could find the perfect first property to own and that you could list all your wants and needs and a knowledgeable real estate guru would help lead your search? Well this is your lucky day now that the popular HGTV show “Property Virgins” is going into its smash 4th season. The show airs a new episode each day and re-broadcasts up to 4 times daily. Sandra Rinomato a real estate and property guru leads the “Property Virgins” (A person or people who have never owned personal property) through the hassle of finding the entity that is right for them. The show for the most part takes place in the GTA and Toronto but sometimes veers off to the U.S and other cities.

The way the episodes work is that Sandra meets the person as well as their family, spouse or whomever they choose to bring along. They discuss what they are and are not looking for in a property and then Sandra finds usually 3 properties to show them. At the end they pick a property, make an offer and we see what happens. They also talk about what works for them and what makes them happy in a property.

Now you might be asking, why am I blogging about this little show? It is an amazing show, and personally as someone who is new to property, every episode I watch opens my eyes. We see the fear and fun in picking a property as well as the naiveté of the purchasers when Sandra asks them how much they think the house or condominium are worth (they answer $60,000 below or above sometimes). We see the human condition at its best and the vulnerability of people and their choices.

“Property Virgins” broaches a topic that is important and that topic is fear of commitment. Fear of commitment can mean many things but in this sense with housing obviously. For anyone watching the show really helps give you ideas and quenches fears and lingering questions.

Sandra Rinomato has a great presence and commands the audience and “PV’s” respect and adoration. She is definitely someone who you would want advocating for you and or your family to find a place.

So for someone interested in first time property, this show is a must.

Social Networking For a New Generation

It is a new day in age we live in and everything we know and have come to learn is changing in some fashion. Technology has become a prime source of change and in so many careers and jobs over the past few years especially. With the introduction of products like ipad, iphone, blackberry and skype we have seen how technology has literally revolutionized the workplace.

The time of face to face social networking is passé and almost dead. Remember the days of early morning breakfast networking groups? They still do exist but, a whole new generation coming into the work force all but ignore them. For a new generation social networking means one medium—the internet.

Right now the hottest entity for the working world is the use of social networking programs on the web. From linkedin to twitter to facebook to even blogging, business types (especially real estate agents) are logging on to this trend in droves. What is nice about these programs are the options they give. Blogging as I am doing right now makes it possible to let your clientele know about article style issues. Twitter is great for linking articles and sending links as well as letting people know what you are up to. Facebook is adept at fusing pictures, articles and notifications to a younger echelon. For business though the “BIG” name in social networking is linkedin. Linkedin is a program that connects you to different people you know or have worked with. It is a much more professional network and a favorite among agents.

Social networking is the way of tomorrow, today! It lets professionals link their respective careers and job together and helps create a flow of information. It is quite different than the networking of past decades and a little daunting when starting, but you will see how beneficial it can be.

Time For a Place of Your Own?

So, you are in your late twenties or early thirties and you are renting a basement apartment, a room or maybe an apartment in a building. You think to yourself that the rent is a manageable price and now is not the time to go all out and get a condominium or a house of your own. When is the right time then? As consumers we buy and buy smaller ticket items, but when it comes to the more crucial yet expensive purchases (Example-Houses, Cars) we are much more hesitant to take the proverbial plunge. Obviously that is good fiscal responsibility, but we also have to take risks to as well as think outside the box.


As most real estate agents can and will tell you there is something to be said for owning a condominium or house of some sort. Mortgage payments can sometimes be as reasonable as rent and once you have your own place the money you put in is going to you and not a landlord.
A good first step is to find a real estate agent to help you weigh your options and shows you what is on the market. This can definitely open up a world of opportunity for you and open your eyes to options.