Interested in what's happening with our friends south of the border? TD Economics released this observation today on the current housing conditions, and what's required to start the recovery.
http://www.td.com/economics/special/jm0411_housing.pdf
Enjoy!
Joe.
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
The Canadian Real Estate Association releases REALTOR.ca mobile application for Apple iPhone
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) today released its REALTOR.ca app for the Apple® iPhone®. REALTOR.ca is the most visited real estate website in Canada, listing on average some 350,000 properties at any time.
“This free application brings Apple iPhone users the features and functionality ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
It seems to be a common misconception that only newer or new condominium buildings are good investments. Many people feel that older buildings need too much work, have high maintenance fees, are dated architecturally, and just poor investments. Every time a builder constructs a new condo building, everyone flocks to it, puts down huge down payments, and can’t wait to sign on the dotted line, ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
This is another common question I’m asked during the home buyer process. The answer: It really depends.
There are many factors involved in coming up with an asking price. If your realtor does his job properly, he will use a variety of sources to set an asking price for your home. Of course, a realistic seller also helps tremendously. When an unrealistic seller wants to overprice his home, ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
This post explains 5 common misconceptions about buyer representation:
1 - If I sign a buyer representation agreement, I’m locked in with this realtor. Why tie myself down? I hardly know this realtor. What if his/her service is not up to my expectations?
Buyer representation agreements are very flexible, and do not have to be written in a way that locks you in with the realtor. For ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
I always find it amazing how the general public still hasn’t grasped what buyer representation is. Perhaps this is because it’s not been around anywhere near as long as some other forms of representation. Perhaps it’s also our fault. Maybe our board needs to get the word out better than they have. I also believe it’s up to us realtors to inform you. This topic really is huge, ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
Everyone’s seen it before. A house appears on the market for an incredibly low price, and piles of offers are placed on the home within hours, and a bidding war ensues. Some realtors feel this is the best way to get top dollar for their seller. If the realtor knows what he or she is doing, many times it works too. However you’ve got to consider the pro’s and con’s to this ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
Having attended and watched hundreds of home inspections, I’ve had the opportunity to see the good, the bad, and the ugly ones.
Some inspectors really know their stuff, and can catch problems in a house the average person wouldn’t. Others don’t know what their doing, but somehow seem to get by on a good personality and sense of humour. Some think they aren’t doing their ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011
I’ve broken down all the neighborhoods for Scarborough and what MLS District each neighborhood resides in.
The sole purpose of the article is to help you find neighborhoods within the Scarborough, when you’re not sure which MLS district they are in. It also helps when you’re interested in a home in a certain MLS district, and need to know what neighborhood it may be in.
Scarborough ...
Posted by Joe Scalabrelli
on April 20, 2011