ALL I WANT FOR "BLACK FRIDAY" WAS... A NEWLY BUILD CONDO :)

Don’t you wish Black Friday deals applied to housing? Would it not be amazing to hear the words “Your Getting Your Property For $100,000 Less?”
Ahhh…We can dream can we not? It seems everything else has been touched by this glorious American savings day (or week now). Everywhere you look cars are going for nothing, computer systems too. Even essential services are getting in on the action.
Now some might call me a dreamer, but wow a “Black Friday” condominium price how sheik, how innovative, how…it is never going to happen!
Is it really so hard to believe, to far to fetch even? Minto, Tridel, Fernbrook—Can you hear my wishes?
All I want for the holidays is a condo or house at a “Black Friday” price!

Musings of a Cold November's Afternoon

Oh November you creeped in so quietly and took over so swiftly. You kicked October down like the dressed up Halloween fool it was and you painted the world a pre holiday glow! You changed our clocks and made our five o’clocks as dark as the coffee we sip in the morning to wake up!
Where has the year gone? Was it not yesterday we sipped champagne, sangs songs for the new year ahead and made resolutions we would break just days later?
Now on only November 21st, the holidays are already in full swing. People celebrate their distinct festivals of lights, schools gear down and people eat.
November is also a time where housing does not move swiftly, like the animalistic traits of a June or July. Where are the listings? Are people moving?
Oh November will you ever and end, and bring in December our holiday friend?

Back Again!!!

Yes it has been several months, but THE SHAPIRO and CHO LEGAL BUZZ blog is back.

Musings will be more frequent and will reflect on the industry and on the company of course.

So lean back and enjoy!!!

To Save & Scrimp -OR- To Spend & Enjoy ?

Do what you want today, you never know what tomorrow will bring!

Some people save and save and save (which is great to a point!) but never enjoy “today”! Saving is an amazing skill to master, but an even more important skill is balance. Balance is being able to save and spend and have a happy medium.

Have you ever had that carnal urge to spend on something you knew was a luxury and not needed and you just could not do it? That is pretty common and happens to everyone, but where saving becomes obsessive is where your thrifty light always pops on even with small purchases that are needed (EX-a new toothbrush).

It is human nature to spend too much and save too much so balance is key.

A big debacle that can arise from this common SAVING Vs. SPENDING debate is should I rent or buy a condominium or house? For some people renting is an option and sometimes the only avenue. There are times though where someone is so intense on their saving and scrimping that they can not see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel which is to become an owner.

So the MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION is… “When should saving end and a bit of spending begin?”

The truth is, the answer is different and entirely unique for every person!

So are you a spender, a saver or a balanced soul?

QUESTIONS??!?!?!?

Who are you as a real estate agent? Who are you as a mortgage broker? Who are you as a person? What kind of service do you want to provide to your clientele? What makes you different from others in your game? As a person how are you in respect to others?

I think some questions are in order! Shouldn’t we be asking ourselves more questions to see who we want to be? Questions truly open us up and help us discover who we are and who we want to be. A simple self directed query could help you know how to gear your efforts in business or even how to live you life!

So how can a simple questioning of yourself help your business you ask? For example, let us say you are a real estate agent. You are working in a competitive market and obviously trying to differentiate yourself from the other agents in your field. So you could 100% ask yourself questions such as:
a) What type of client do I want to attract?
b) Do I Want to Take Every Client?
c) What Pre-Requisites Should I Have For Taking on a Client?
d) What Attributes Do I Have That Many Others Don’t That Would Attract Clients?

These questions would help score answers that could maybe help you in the marketplace. Maybe you will realize you have a special talent many do not have (i.e.-speak a language that may attract customers) and you can corner a market.

Questions can be extremely helpful and aid in your self discovery. The end result is knowing yourself better and everyone can use a bit of that!

Where Are You Toronto?

Moneysense Magazine recently came out with a ranking of the most liveable Canadian cities. The top 25 list features such places in Ontario as Ottawa, Guelph, London, North Bay, Burlington and even Newmarket. Suspicously absent from the the top 25 though was Toronto.

As I peered down the list I saw Toronto was nowhere to be found. Not in the the top 35, or top 50 not even in the top 80. Out of 108 cities Toronto ranks a sad and surprising 108!

Items that are being evaluated here include: weather, household income, new cars on road, population growth, low crime, affordable housing, discretionary income, job prospects, access to health care and walking or biking to work.


To be brutally honest, I was quite shocked we ranked so low. Maybe I was a bit over zealous to think we would be in the top 25 but at least the top 50. Toronto is nowhere near the perfect place to live of course but there are many benefits of being a “Torontonian”. The weather can be cold in the winter, rainy in the spring and of course humid in the summer, but for the most part the weather is not as bad other places. Yes crime is higher than many other smaller cities, but at the same point Toronto is not a hub of crime either. It could be much worse! Toronto is a very accessible city to health care having many fabulous hospitals at a hop, skip jump away as well as many doctors in different trained practices. Yes there is a vast amount of unemployment but there is job growth as well. All in all, yes there is more that can be desired from Toronto but it is not a bottom dwellar type of city either.

So what does this all mean for us? What does this all mean for Toronto? It means that this popular magazine and its popular article will be read by a large quotient of Canadians, and many might get the idea that Toronto is not a liveable city. For most though, people will shrug it off. To be brutally honest rankings like this are enjoyable reads, but how fully accurate are they?

What I found increasingly interesting was another notable low ranked city—Vancouver. Vancouver like Toronto is a huge Canadian hub. Vancouver was the host city for 2010’s Winter Olympics and saw tourism reach record highs, yet one year later it is way down the list (albeit better than Toronto!) Peculiar!

Further in Toronto, the magazine has even gone further to delve into more ratings: Value (C-), Momentum (C+), Economy (B) and overall (C). Now this is a little more encouraging (Okay, maybe not when compared to Moncton, New Brunswick that respecively got an A+, A, B and an A overall!)

So Toronto love it or loathe it Toronto may not be viewed as the most liveable city, but it is home sweet home.

Toronto 88 out of 108, what do you think?

Business Cards: The Lifeblood of Any Person

Think fast, what is the one promotional tool EVERY person needs in EVERY industry? Did you guess it? Yes, you are right, business cards!

Business cards are an essential marketing tool, especially for real estate agents, mortgage brokers and other people in that facet of the industry. Such a simple tool can mean so much.

It is more than just a small piece of paper printed up, it is an actual connection between people. One card lets people know your name, contact, profession as well as email. It helps them view a bit of who you are! Usually a handshake goes along with the exchange of a card and fuses two people together, even if just for seconds. A business card opens doors as well as closes them. It is a mirror of who you are.

So why is it that some people do not have business cards. They are not too expensive to print at a shop or even with todays amazing printers you can make them at home. I was at a recent event, and out of the 500 or so people I shook hands with only two thirds or so had cards. If you you are going to a large convention and spending several hundred on your ticket, you should definitely bring some business cards--it is just as simple as that!

So why are business cards so handy. For one they are small, succinct and get the point across. Even with technology the “Old School” technique works best.

Make Your Rental Your Own!

I’ll be the first to admit that I rent a place, and for the moment I love it! There will be a day down the road where I do purchase a condominium or townhouse all of my own, but for today renting suits me fine. It suits my lifestyle great and lets me save money for the big day when I have a place all of my own.

What is hard about renting is making the place really feel like your own. I know I have rented places where I would put my head on the pillow at night and really feel as if I was a stranger in my own room. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and literally my eyes would dart around the room trying to comprehend where I was. It was a discomforting and weird feeling and many people who rent sometimes feel similarly. Also my kitchen did not feel useable or that it was mine and I ate most of my meals out. This time around though I have worked hard to make my rental my home—and it has worked well.

So I figure rather than keeping a well guarded secret I will share with you my tips on how to make a rental your own little piece of paradise.

First rule is Unpack: In the past I said to myself “How Long Will I Really Be Here?” and this line really persuaded me to never fully unpack and try to assimilate the feeling of being at home. This time around I unpacked EVERYTHING and gave every item a spot all to its own. This really lets me see everything I have and makes me feel a bit of comfort.

Second Rule is Keep It Clean: Weekly cleaning should be done. To avoid heaps of laundry do loads twice weekly. Vaccuming as well as dusting and mopping should be a regular happening. This consistency will make you feel that this is indeed your place and that you need to keep it in tip top shape

Third Rule is Cook up a Storm: Nothing says this is my place better than having tons of pots and pans, and cuttlery handy and cooking everything and anything. Live your life, entertain and really enjoy it.

Fourth Rule is Invite and Entertain: This is your place, so invite people over and be social. You want to make sure that you are having people over and treating your place like the fun gathering place it should be.

There are lots of things you can do to make your place feel like yours and these are just a few. So the moral is do not be a stranger in your own place, make it yours!

SNOW-ZILLA: The Day After

So let’s be honest, Groundhog Day 2011 otherwise known as Stormzilla (or a host of other clever monikers) was a big bust. Yes it is true there was a heaping spoonful of snow. Yes it is true this is the most snow we have been recent snowfalls, but come on people let us not blow things out of proportion.

First off the called for 20-35 cm of white stuff did not come to fruition. It was more like 10cm plus with some minor snow squalls. Busses for the most part were staying on a “scientific pace” of a schedule and restaurants and pubs were bustling with people. The streets were a mélange of cars, vehicles and people and you could definitely tell schools were cancelled. Children ran rampant on the street and this so-called “Snow Day” engulfed the city.

So the question to our client and real-estate agent friends is, “Did you take a snow day”? On our end business was as usual albeit a lot less calls than we normally get. I think people were so scared off by the possibility of snow that they pre-emotively took time off.

So “The Great Groundhog Day Storm”, not so “Great” and such a “Storm”.

I tip my cap to whoever made it a day of normalcy.

SNOW STORM VS REAL ESTATE

It 4:00pm on a blistering cold Tuesday, the first of the new month of February 2011. Snowflakes have been falling from the sky like wildfire all day and dancing around the dreary sky. As the calm of the afternoon continues, we in Toronto (as well as most of Ontario and some of the states) brace for what could be a terror of a winter storm, the storm of a new century they are calling it, The gossip mill is at full force and waiting in line at the bank you can here people tort and shout saying such things as “I heard it is starting at 4pm” or “No I heard Midnight and 10 cm”. One woman even recounted hearing on the radio it would start around 10pm and we would see 30 plus centimetres. This is how the rumor mill works. Will it be the big bad storm, or a shy little kitty of a fleurry? Will it be Quebec Icestorm from 1998 or the exagerrated relation to the storms of 2010 that never came to fruition.

So with business recently booming and the Spring market looking to be just around the corner, will this be the behemoth that for 1-2 days grounds real estate agents and prospective buyers and sellers? Will Toronto be in a virutal tsunami of snow? Real Estate agents work hard and make sure to properly service their clientele, will this milieu of white stuff really slow them down, or just put a slight damper on their day?

It will be quite interesting to see if for agents and prospective home buyers if business will be as usual. For me I will be at my desk promptly in the moring with a cup of java and my game face on! Also will this day be declared a snow day? This meaning no school, essential services and such? Will the new Mayor of Toronto call out full force to clean are streets? This is going to an interesting days to watch how it unfolds!

So whatever way you want to look at it February 2nd, 2011 (GROUNDHOG DAY as well) could go down into Toronto history…or wimper its way into the pile of other
“Could have” and “Should Have” events.

In any case I tip my toque to you and wish a good snow day!

Spring is Here...Almost!!!

With January ending in just a few days, we approach February and Groundhog’s Day. This special day as most know features a groundhog looking for his shadow. Depending on if he finds it or not supposedly predicts when Spring is coming.

In my opinion though, if you look at the real estate market Spring is just around the corner no matter what are furry friend says!

The usual Winter doldrums are clearing up, there is tons of product of resales on the market and condominiums (especially in the North York and Down Town Areas) are selling like proverbial “hotcakes”. So the big question is are you ready for the Spring market?

If not, it is time to suit up and get yourself in limber shape to “SELL! SELL! SELL!”
Get your strategy down and get ready for a hefty Spring!

PIZZA:The Solution of the Day of Moving Hunger Pains

It’s 11:59am and moving is under way or possibly it is 5:59pm and moving is done. Your gears are shifting from moving mode to hunger mode. Your belly is making nautical sounds and feels as if the circus is in town. You need food but you JUST moved which means a whole host of problems (IE-No Food in the House, Low Cash, Lack of Time, and Fatigue). What is there to do?

I have moved several times and there is one tried and true delight which puts a smile on peoples face—pizza. It is cheap, easy, and accessible and you can share with your movers!

Pizza is the champion of meals for those moving. Think it through. Your legs are sore from all the movement and your arms feel like two dangling salami’s. Now picture this—you sit on that lone couch you have unpacked, quickly dial the digits of your favorite pizza place, and voila-in 40 minutes you have a piping hot pizza pie. Or consequently you can head over to the local grocery store pick up a frozen readymade pizza and pop it in the oven. Simplicity is key here.

Moving is hard, but do not do it alone, you have a friend named PIZZA!

Picking An Agent

How do you pick a Real Estate agent? What modes or methods of reasoning can be used to find a match for you and your real estate needs? Well, let us discuss first off why getting an agent is the way to go for most people.

Now I know some of you might say I am biased since I work for a law firm that specializes in real estate law, but agents are key to the lifeblood of selling and buying a property. Yes, you can buy or sell on your own but there are so many risks involved. It is usually a safer and smoother experience for the most part to deal with a realtor. With RECO backing them it can save a ton of headaches along the way as well.

So we know now why getting an agent makes sense, let us discuss who should it be? There are so many tactics you could use to select the agent right for you.

First there is the tried and true method of using a family member or close friend. What is great about this is that you know you agent well (or semi- well) and they somewhat should know your needs in the market. It is also nice using someone you are familiar with.

Another way of finding an agent is through language skills. For example if your first spoken language is Korean you may feel more comfortable working with an agent you speaks fluent Korean. There are agents speaking a whole host of languages which can really make it easier for you as the buyer.

Specialization of area is another key way to narrow your search. Some agents have an area that they specialize in. For example one agent may have sold over 50 homes in the Thornhill Woods area and is an expert with it thus it would make sense if you wanted to buy or sell there to use them. Another agent may specialize in Willowdale, thus making them a better choice than someone who is all over the place.

Finally doing your homework and researching agents is another way to go. See a sign on a bench, call up the office and see what the agent is all about. This takes some time but will help you find the right agent.

Finding the right agent does not have to be hard or a chore it can be simplistic and more than anything a benefit to you and your family. Happy searching!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

So it is January 4th, 2011 and the New Year is upon us. Why do we as humans gravitate so heavily to the trance of a supposed new year? People start their New Years resolutions, and start fresh deals and metaphorically wipe their slate clean.

It is funny though since what really truly changes from the 31st of December to the next day January 1? In one minute 2010 mircaculously became 2011. As if by magic!

We should use the New Year as a time to really finish what we started in the old year and begin anew.

So the question you have to be asking yourself is what can I do to finish the old and turn a new leaf? You can easily pick something about yourself you want to change and make it a goal for the new year. Maybe there is a client who were dealing with that can use a bit more help. There is so much you can do to bid adieu to 2010 and say hello to 2011.