Every month we publish a complimentary monthly real estate newsletter on the first of the month, covering a range of topics pertaining to real estate in Canada and the GTA. To check us out, simply fill out the form. We hope you will find our free newsletter interesting.
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Topics
We focus on topics such as:
real estate happenings in Mississauga, Oakville, and the Greater Toronto Area
new listings
market trends
house and condo prices
new condo openings
interest rate changes
mortgage financing
information useful to buyers
information useful to sellers
Publishing the Newsletter
We publish on the first day of every month. There is no cost, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
So welcome aboard! We hope you enjoy our monthly real estate newsletter, and find it both interesting and valuable. We look forward to serving you every month!
This Month’s Real Estate Newsletter
May, 2021
Spring is upon us, and although the warm weather hasn’t arrived just yet, it will surely do so in the near future.
The GTA real estate market has continued its winning ways, in spite of the latest lockdown and stay-at-home orders. People are snapping up houses and condos, and there are bidding wars again. Low interest rates, although they have edged upwards a little, are still the biggest factor in what drives the market.
This past week Diane and I went up to the Paramount Centre here in Mississauga, and got our first Covid-19 vaccinations. The process was smooth and efficient, and I must give a shout out to Peel Region for being so well organized. We deliberated for weeks before deciding to get the “jab”, but I now believe that this is the only way that we will ever put Covid behind us. I urge everyone to get vaccinated, and hopefully we will be back to normal again soon.
In other news, We continue to build our podcast and video channels. In the latest video, I interview Rizwan Malik, HGTV star and Senior Vice-President of Sotheby’s Realty Canada. We had an enjoyable time discussing the state of the Canadian real estate market, and it was a fun interview. Have a listen, and I hope you enjoy!
Have a wonderful month, and talk again soon!
***
Randy Selzer, salesperson, Sutton Group-Summit Realty Inc., brokerage, independently owned and operated, 416.433.3556 direct 905.897.9555-office
Getting the Home You Want in a Competitive Market
Regardless of whether the overall housing market is up or down, there can be fierce competition when it comes to buying a home in a desirable neighbourhood. So, if you want to live in a “hot’ area, how do you gain an advantage? Here are some tips:
Schedule viewings of homes for sale in the neighbourhood as soon as they go on the market. Have you ever heard the expression, “The early bird gets the worm”? It’s often true.
Arrange to get alerted, via email or text, to brand new listings the moment they are available.
Make sure you have your financing pre-approved, so you can make a quick and credible offer right away.
Prepare your current home for sale, so you can list it quickly (if it isn’t already listed.)
Know how to make an enticing offer that a buyer will take seriously. It’s not always the highest price that wins the deal.
Even in a competitive market, you don’t want to end up overpaying. That’s why
savvy offer preparation, presentation and negotiation are also keys to getting the
home you want.
A Connected Home Helps Us Make Smart Choices
It’s been long predicted, but the time has finally come when whole-home systems can provide a network to allow the electronic features and fixtures of your home to talk to one another. Often a family’s first such network involves controlling and sharing subscription services for movies, TV and music among personal devices.
Home hubs are the next logical step beyond streaming services. They provide instant communication between household utilities. It is now possible to connect a single master control to automate decisions on your behalf regarding security, HVAC, plumbing, lighting, media & entertainment – and even monitor diet, physical activity and personal health.
The result is greater efficiencies and less environmental impact. This connectivity will only get better with the purchase of new appliances. Your next refrigerator and/or stove could be capable of reading product labels, providing recipes according to the food you have on hand, planning meals, cooking, and ordering groceries – not to mention reminding you to get exercise and take your medication.
Should You Buy the “Except for…” Home?
Imagine finding a home that is perfect in every way, except for one nagging thing. That “thing” might be a smaller kitchen than you want, fewer closets than you need, or flooring that you dislike. Should you buy it anyway? How do you know if you should take a pass? It’s not an easy decision to make and depends on a number of factors.
Trying to answer these questions might help:
How likely is it that you’ll find another home that better meets your needs?
How soon do you want to move? (If you’re in a time-crunch you may need to adjust your expectations.)
Is the “except for…” something that can be fixed, perhaps with a renovation? For example, there are many ways to expand a small kitchen.
If the home’s shortcoming is fixable, approximately how much will that cost? It might turn out that the improvement is a good investment.
Can you live with the nagging “thing”, especially when the home is otherwise perfect?
It can be tough to work through a decision like this, especially if you’re in a situation where you need to make an offer quickly. Call today for help.
New Decking Options
When you decide it’s time to install or replace a deck surface, you may find there are more choices than you had expected. There are many new materials and installation options that have come to the market over just the past few years.
For example, in addition to traditional wood decking, there are contemporary synthetic and composite materials that possess properties that are remarkably similar to natural wood species – in terms of texture, appearance, density and workability. However, these materials offer superior durability in tough weather conditions and a wider range of colours than natural surfaces.
In addition, manufactured decking surfaces provide barefoot comfort without worry of splinters, as well as water-shedding properties that help improve traction after a rainstorm.
Synthetic materials are also very popular when it comes to railings and steps thanks to innovative installation systems that are easy enough for most industrious homeowners to tackle. Many offer pre-cut and/or interlocking pieces. As well, certain aluminium installations are enjoying renewed popularity thanks to new options that are clad in vinyl for extended protection and reduced maintenance.
Subscription for a real estate newsletter provided by Randy Selzer, realtor in Mississauga, Ontario, providing insights on the real estate market. house and condo prices, financial trends.
