Julie Whittaker - Blog

The Value in a Realtor

julie.whittaker@century21.ca — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

You hear all the good stories about how Sellers manage to sell their property on their own and there is no doubt it can certainly be done. When a REALTOR^® does what they are hired for to sell a home, they sell that home fast, professionally, ethically and for the optimum price.

So what "VALUE" do I bring to the table as a full-service REALTOR^®? Putting a sign on your lawn and a listing on MLS is just the beginning.......www.juliewhittaker.ca

Access and knowledge of your local marketplace. I am able to analyze the current and past activity in your neighborhood and arrive at a true value for your home. There is no "guesswork" when it comes to arriving at a price for your home. Therefore, getting you "top-dollar" for your home.
Internet presence. The vast majority of buyers flock to the internet to find their dream home. A REALTOR^® who is internet savvy and who is constantly evolving with technology is a must when it comes to selling your home.
Availability. Do you have time in your busy schedule to book your viewings and show your property? A Buyer wants to see your home and they do not want to wait. They will move onto the next one. An answering machine or a next day call back does not sell your home.
Negotiating skills are paramount. Most often than not, a Seller will have somewhat of an emotional attachment to their home. REALTORs^® strive on acheiving the best price for your home without the emotions being involved. In addition, when selling your home on your own, you more than likely will be presented with offers and having to negotiate with Buyers and their agents on your own.
Disclosure of facts about your home is something that often times gets overlooked by a Seller. Did your home have any flooding? Asbestos? Inclusions? Exclusions? Easements? This is just to name a few but as a REALTOR^® these are questions that I must ask and am liable to bring forth to a potential buyer.
Qualifying buyers is a key part of time management when it comes to selling. Are buyers in a pre-approved position to purchase your home or are your days going to be filled with showing your home to someone who is in no way able to buy. Not to mention, finally arriving to an agreement with a buyer who cannot afford your home. Therefore, having your home conditionally sold only to fall through on financing.
Open Houses and Agent Open Houses are scheduled once your property is listed with me. This allows me to get feedback from the guests coming in on their thoughts of the showability and pricing of your home. A buyer is sometimes reluctant to tell this directly to the Seller.
Staging and decluttering your home is something that REALTORs^®have a wealth of experience dealing with. When selling your property, we know what buyers are looking for. We know what appeals to them and what should be removed to create the perfect look for your home.
All flyers, feature sheets, signage, advertising is done for you!
When your home is listed with a Century 21 agent on www.Century21.ca I ensure that 21 photos are listed with your property. You will also get a virtual tour with your listing. It has been proven....more photographs, more visitors!
FREE web domain! With all my listings, I register your home address for its very own web domain. Again, internet presence is key! Potential buyers driving by your home or browsing the internet can easily pull up your listing with simply putting your address in the search field or into the address field of their browser.
Social Networking has become as common as brushing your teeth. Not a moment of the day goes by without hearing www.facebook.com or www.twitter.com. When your home is listed for sale, I will advertise your domain name on these sites. Again, more internet presence drawing more and more traffic to your home.
The Agreement of Purchase and Sale is understood and explained to both buyer and seller. No surprises down the road. I am here to answer any questions or hesitations you may have. And if I can't, then I am able to refer you to a legal expert!
Speaking of experts! I have access to professionals in all industries pertaining to real estate. Lawyers, Home Inspectors, Well and Septic specialists, Mortgage Brokers/Agents, Staging companies, photographers, cleaning companies, tradespeople and more. Everything you need to help sell your home!
As the final closing date approaches on your home, I work in conjunction with your mortgage agent and lawyer to ensure the a smooth and seamless transaction.

Julie Whittaker
Sales Representative
John DeVries Ltd., Brokerage*
444 Hazeldean Road
Ottawa, ONK2L 1V2
julie.whittaker@century21.ca

Ottawa Real Estate Market on fire!

julie.whittaker@century21.ca — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Feast your eyes on these statistics!

May Sales at a High for the Year

Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,896 residential properties in May through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,659 in May 2011, an increase of 14.3 per cent.

May's sales included 364 in the condominium property class, and 1,532 in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

"Year-over-year for May, the Ottawa market is experiencing a significant increase in the number of sales, with an accompanying moderate increase in the average sale price," remarks Ansel Clarke, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. "The number of sales since the beginning of the year has also been on a steady incline, which coupled with increased inventory and gradual price increases, signifies a continued strong, steady market."

The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in May in the Ottawa area was $362,837, an increase of 3.2 per cent over May 2011. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $268,831, an increase of 2.5 per cent over May 2011. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $385,172, an increase of 2.1 per cent over May 2011. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

Courtesy of the Ottawa Real Estate Board - June 2012 report.

Better supply of properties for sale brings balance to housing market; prices rise steadily

julie.whittaker@century21.ca — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

September 3, 2010 :

After an HST- influenced dip in sales in July, August saw a return to a more normal number of sales. Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,122 residential properties in August through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,211 in August 2009, a decrease of 7.3 per cent.

Of those sales, 266 were in the condominium property class, while 856 were in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.) which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

“The number of sales year-to-date is slightly ahead of last year’s sales for the same period, and last year’s sales volume was the highest ever. This shows the stability of the Ottawa Real Estate Market. ” said Immediate Past President Rick Snell. “The market is in a balanced position in relation to the number of homes for sale and the demand for properties. This is a good market for both buyers and sellers. I expect to see a normal fall market with longer selling times and stable prices,” he added.

The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in August in the Ottawa area was $321,969, an increase of 2.1 per cent over August 2009. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $262,999, an increase of 16.8 per cent over August 2009. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $340,294, an increase of 0.1 per cent over August 2009. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board is an industry association of 2,600 sales representatives and brokers in the Ottawa area. Members of the Board are also members of the Canadian Real Estate Association.

The MLS® system is a member based service, paid for by the REALTOR® members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. The MLS® mark symbolizes the cooperation among REALTORS® to effect the purchase and sale of real estate through real estate services provided by REALTORS®. MLS® commercial and residential listings are available for viewing on the Board’s internet site at www.OttawaRealEstate.org and on the national websites of The Canadian Real Estate Association at www.REALTOR.ca and www.ICX.ca. Information about listings and open houses is also available in the Board’s weekly newspaper, Ottawa Real Estate Guide, available free at 700 locations across the Ottawa area and now online at www.OttawaRealEstateGuide.ca.

Courtesy of the Ottawa Real Estate Board-September 2010

Professional Realtor seeking good homes to attach my For Sales signs to....

julie.whittaker@century21.ca — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As if the news reports over the past few months haven't been enough, but today in several news media reports, real estate just keeps getting hotter!

So many buyers looking for great homes, yet very little to choose from. The trend of multiple offers and quick sales are becoming common practice. Read the article from the Globe and Mail from today and see what we as Realtors have been saying for months. Sellers, if your out there, stop waiting for the right time.....Its NOW!

Home sales surge 73%

Steve Ladurantaye, The Globe and Mail
December 15, 2009

National home sales increased by 73 percent in November from the trough seen a year ago, with Ontario and Quebec hitting new monthly records as buyers took advantage of record low interest rates to secure mortgages.

The national average price gained 19 percent compared to November 2008, at $337,231, the Canadian Real Estate Association said. Since the beginning of the year, prices have gained 4.4 percent compared to the same time last year.

"The year-over-year increase in November continues to reflect the high degree to which the average was skewed downward last year by plummeting activity in Canada's priciest markets, and then upward by rebounding activity," the association said in a statement.

CREA tracked 36,383 deals on its Multiple Listing Service in November. Crediting the housing market for leading "the overall Canadian economy out of the recession," association president Dale Ripplinger said the numbers were a sign of an entrenched recovery.

"National home sales activity last month shows how strongly the housing market has rebounded since the beginning of the year," he said.

About 437,507 homes have been sold through the CREA-owned MLS system so far this year, up 5 percent from last year at the same time, but lower than the previous three years.

One of the main drivers of price increases has been a lack of supply, but higher prices are beginning to draw more sellers into the market. Seasonally adjusted new listings rose 5 percent from October, to 69,110, in the largest gain since January 2008. There is still a dearth of supply however, with the number of homes for sale 23-percent lower than they were a year ago.

The association's economist, Gregory Klump, said as prices climb higher, would-be buyers may put off purchases, cooling off a hot market. Higher interest rates, expected in 2010, will also dampen their enthusiasm.

"Deteriorating housing affordability will rein in sales activity as the overall economy further improves and the pool of buyers who qualify for financing shrinks," he said.

While sellers have no doubt been delighted by the premiums their homes have been fetching, a growing chorus of economists are expressing concern that the recovery isn't sustainable.

"We've got a long way to go before we could put a bubble label on this market," Merrill Lynch Bank of American economist Sheryl King said Monday.

"However, with mortgage rates at decades low – and even more attractive if home buyers choose the variable mortgage option which carries rates as low as 2 percent – the seeds of a bubble are definitely in place."