A Day to Remember

Why is this day different from every other? While on most days collectively we all think a bit possibly about how our ancestors, loved ones and friends who have fought or are fighting for our freedom (but probably not much), on this special day our minds are glued on these aspects of Canadian society. No matter who you are I bet your life in some way has been touched (Even if not directly) by someone who has or many years ago had defended Canada.

Remembrance Day is more important than ever now that Canada’s last living veteran from WWI has passed on and WWII veterans are aging rapidly. We obviously still have veterans from other wars and conflicts, but every year our number of WWII veterans shrinks at a rapid pace.

Let us be honest though, many people who are off on this somber and dignified day do not always pay proper respect to it. Many people though do go to services, grave sides or assemblies. Children and youth usually partake in special presentations at their respective schools.

Walking down the street today at 11am (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, when we show our respect for a moment of silence) it was nice to see construction workers actually stop and pay tribute. Honking of cars actually ceased and buses stopped for a moment. It was heartwarming to see people took it seriously.

So however you are spending your day do something special to make it more than just any other day!

Phones: The New Frontier

So in retrospect, the last 15 years has brought a lot of technology to the forefront to help real estate agents do their jobs faster and better. These technologies have been partially responsible for helping usher a new age of growth in the industry. The internet has become the home base for sites like MLS and Zoocasa to exist and has made real estate a worldwide affair. High power faxing has made signing deals easier and a quicker affair.

One of the biggest changes though in technology has been cell phones and their growth and use in the industry.

From Blackberry’s to iphones, this new technology has helped agents build their network and keep linked while working on the run. Another newfangled idea is the fact you can now get listings on your phone by texting. This superb new feature really helps agents (and buyers and sellers alike) since prospective buyers can easily view the houses.

What is the next step in phone technology? What will science broach next? What should be tackled? Only time will tell!

Model Homes: A Trip For Your Senses

How will you ever learn as an agent or as a consumer what is out there in new condominiums and new houses? You could obviously do factual research, but how far will that take you? You could go on the internet and look at sales sites or talk to other new homebuyers or agents, but how far will that really push your knowledge? Maybe you need something tangible.

Maybe what you need is a more hands on experience, a tantalizing sensation for your senses to really get the full experience. You need to see model homes. Being someone looking for the future, down the road I have been spending many a Sunday driving around the city and seeing different models, and wow has it opened my mind.

I now no longer can look at a simple brochure and be excited by it about a development.
I need that new carpet smell, that fresh coat of paint, the staged rooms; all of this gets me excited. I’ve realized that seeing these perfect glimpses into what life could be races my pulse and gets my heart beating fast. Now I know to some this may sound totally overdone or over exemplified, but truthfully it is a fun way to spend a Sunday. Even if you do not plan on purchasing for years to come or ever, these models sometimes can give you the greatest ideas on what to do with your living space. Usually these houses also show you what the community will like as well. In twenty minutes to an hour you can get a real feel for what life would be like.

So for me no more brochures, instead candid walks in model homes where I can really see what I want!

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.

C-L-E-A-N

Love them or hate them chores have to be done if one wants to keep the place they live in nice. Can it ever be though that chores take over our lives as we know it. Some people spend their whole weekend toiling over cleaning a stove, fumbling in the garden and cleaning the floors. There are even chores at work from keeping the washroom clean to keeping your lunch area clean. For me though I do not mind fixing up my room, kitchen and such. It is truly nice to live in a clean and organized environment.




So here is a great word to live by and what is stands for:

C-leanse: Clean your place to the point that is fresh

L-ighten the Load: Always recycle and giveaway clutter

E-xcite Yourself: Do not ever make cleaning a downer make it an upper

A-ct Environmentally: When cleaning always used environmentally sound products

N-ever Give up: As hard as it is stay in for the long run