Why Move to Oakville, Milton or Burlington? Halton Region Safest in Greater Toronto Region says Maclean’s Magazine
March 23rd, 2008 Categories: Burlington Beat, Client Stories and Testimonials, First Time Buyers, Halton Real Estate, Oakville Real Estate News, Why Move to Oakville?
“Halton Region is a very safe place to live” says Maclean’s Magazine.
I was doing an open house yesterday afternoon in the new area of Bronte Woods and met two families from GTA land, one from Leaside and another that owned a home in downtown Toronto, both planning to relocate to Oakville, “for lifestyle and affordability”.
This is definitely a growing trend, and not surprising, given the relatively higher price of detached homes in Toronto, high property taxes, and now the new municipal land transfer tax which has placed an added financial burden on home-buyers.
Given the many wonderful benefits of living and raising a family in Halton, we will certainly see this trend continue.
But back to the subject of this post.
I noticed an article in The Oakville Beaver last week which said that Maclean’s Magazine recently profiled Halton as the safest place to live in the Greater Toronto Area.
Maclean’s rankings were based on 2006 per capita crime rates for murder, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery, break and enters, and auto theft from the Canadian Centre for Justice Studies.
To read more about why Halton is so safe, click here to access the Oakville Beaver article.
The article also says that Halton is the fourth safest region in Canada. Good news for our families and for the value of real estate in Halton. Let’s keep it that way!
LOOKING TO MOVE TO OAKVILLE, BURLINGTON OR MILTON? IT’S A GOOD DECISION! CALL HILARY AT 905–599–3311 TODAY TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR DREAM HOME.
| Discussion: No Comments »
How to Ensure a Quick Sale for Top Dollar? Contact Hilary Shantz, Halton Real Estate Agent
December 26th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, Halton Real Estate, Oakville Real Estate News, Real Estate News
Even over the yuletide season, the wheels of real estate continue to turn.
Here are photos from a home sold last week by Hilary!
How to ensure a quick sale for top dollar?
1) Home Staging: Let Hilary bring in her expert staging consultant Karen Kostyshyn of Home Interior Transformations to prepare your home to wow potential buyers. Karen brings in “props” and with her eye for detail and current decorating trends takes an ordinary home and transforms it into one that looks like a “model home”. (Hilary includes the cost of professional staging in her services offered.)
2) Decluttering: If you are downsizing or have a lot of unnecessary items in your home, talk to Hilary about including a declutttering session in your home selling strategy. A professional organizer can help in sorting stuff out and taking extraneous items away for donation, dump or even resale. Editing your home professionally will make it look more spacious and appealing! (Refer to my article on how buyers buy: you need to have them at hello.)
3) Professional Photographs: Then let Hilary bring in aprofessional photographer to provide just the right lighting and multiple shots to showcase the home to advantage, virtual tours, slide shows. This attracts those who are shopping on the internet. Nowadays some 80% of home buyers start their search online.
4) A Savvy Marketing Plan Unique for Your Home, including exposure to multiple home selling sites on the internet and advertising in the Real Estate Book. Your home will have its own url for “rich detail” so that buyers can be sold on the home even before actually viewing it.
5) Pricing it Right: To price a home right, you need to know what has sold recently in the neighborhood and for how much, current economic factors that affect the forces of supply and demand, number of other homes currently for sale in that category, and how they have been priced (competing homes), aseasonal factors and their impact on the market, and just basic “intuition” gained from experience, and a “feel for the market”.
Did you know that “Real Estate Spring” begins the second week of January?
Call Hilary 905–257–3633 and her Home-Selling Team to talk about preparing your Halton home for sale!
| Discussion: 6 Comments »
Santa Brought Me a New Home for Christmas! / Burlington Real Estate Agent
December 24th, 2007 Categories: Burlington Beat, Client Stories and Testimonials, Halton Real Estate
It’s Christmas Eve and Kim has signed off today on an almost new Branthaven home in Burlington.
Burlington based Branthaven Homes are synonymous with quality and craftsmanship.
The kitchen has dark cherry wood cabinetry, with brushed nickel knobs, a sunny window seat, breakfast counter.
A fully finished basement with walkout to a private patio, two spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms. Upgrades everywhere, including quality berber carpeting, 9 inch ceilings, high efficiency furnace, water conserving toilets, stylishly contoured dark wooden banisters. Walk to Go to transit, and a stones throw from Starbucks, and other amenities. 
Brian Kuch, home inspector from Global Property Inspections and Boris (my assistant bee) gave the home two thumbs up: “This home is in mint condition”.
Congratulations Kim! Happy Birthday!
I look forward to seeing you in your classy pad in the New Year.
It was fun getting to know you and to have the chance to sell your home and help you relocate to Burlington.
Kim’s testimonial:
Dear Hilary,
I found you to be very patient and professional, even when times were extremely hectic and unstable.
I truly appreciate your dedication and commitment to my home selling and searching process, as I am sure all your clients do.
I know there are sacrifices you make to provide such great service to your clients, and you always seem to be available to us. Your negotiation skills and market knowledge allowed me to find and finally get this amazing home!
Many thanks and have a great Christmas!
Kim
| Discussion: No Comments »
Buying Your First Home? New Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rebate Puts Money in Your Pocket
December 14th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, First Time Buyers, Oakville Real Estate News, Real Estate News
Today I went to visit a young couple in their new home. They were very happy to have their very own home after renting for years.
So I was glad to read the good news today that first time buyers in Ontario will find it just a little bit easier to get into the market.
Effective today, the Ontario government is giving all first-time home buyers a break on land transfer tax by expanding the Land Transfer Tax Refund Program to include purchases of resale homes.
Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced that first-time buyers of resale homes, as well as newly constructed homes, would be eligible for a refund from the provincial government of up to $2,000 of the Land Transfer Tax paid.
The expanded Land Transfer Tax Refund Program for First-time Home buyers is part of a package of new tax initiatives that are expected to provide $1.4 billion in provincial tax relief for business and people over three years.
“The government is making strategic investments in people, communities and infrastructure to strengthen Ontario’s economic advantage and help manufacturers and other sectors challenged by current economic conditions” said the press release issued yesterday.
If you are a first-time home buyer in Oakville, Burlington, Mississauga, Milton, Etobicoke or Georgetown, call Hilary to guide you through the process.
Note, I’ve been getting inquiries requesting more details about this rebate so here are the practicalities:
- Enter into the Agreement of Purchase and Sale after December 13, 2007 (December 14th or later). The date that you entered into the Agreement of Purchase and Sale is considered to be the date at the top of page 1 of the Agreement, NOT the date that all the conditions were fulfilled.
- The rebate hasn’t passed through legislation yet, it’s just a proposal - Passing through legislation takes 1-6 months usually – However, an affidavit is going to be released Friday Dec 14th or Monday December 17th to allow purchasers to apply for the refund, so the likelihood of approval through legislation is pretty good.
- You are allowed up to 18 months from closing to apply for the refund.
- You have to pay the LTT on closing and then apply for the refund thereafter.
|
|
|
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
Landmark Oakville Historic Home for Sale
November 14th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, Downtown Oakville, Historical Oakville, Oakville Real Estate News, Real Estate News
Exceptional Restored Georgian. Asking Price $2,695,000. Ideal for Growing Family or Bed and Breakfast.
Like Being in a Trisha Romance Painting
This home has a wonderful sense of time and place. ”I feel like I just stepped into a Trisha Romance painting” I tell Francine as she pours me a cup of tea in her sunny kitchen. The house reflects the owner, who is gracious, warm and passionate about history.
“My husband and I love old houses. We fell in love with this one” says Francine Landry. ”We loved raising our kids here and entertaining all our family and friends. Now that the kids are grown, it’s time to pass it on so another family can enjoy it.”
Francine and her husband undertook a faithful restoration, with uncompromising historical integrity. They were careful to retain the classic Georgian look and feel, but incorporated new mechanicals, new bathrooms and a modern kitchen, family room and mudroom.
Understated Elegance, Yet Casual and Comfortable
The house has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, four fireplaces. I love the layout. Large well proportioned rooms and an open kitchen with breakfast bar, eat-in area with expansive windows and a “keeping room” with fireplace, create “the great room effect” popular with families today. The 5400 square feet includes an in-law suite on the third floor.
Unparalleled Location, Walk to Downtown, the Lake and Oakville Marina
Where else but Oakville can you be in the heart of the downtown core and still enjoy leafy neighborhoods and spectacular lakeviews from your balcony?
Lakeside Park is only a few feet away. The shops, boutiques and restaurants of Downtown Oakville, the Oakville Club and the Oakville Marina just a stone’s throw.
Ever Wanted to Have a Parterrre Garden?
This home boasts the finest formal gardens. Thoughtful planning by renowned landscape architect
Christopher Campbell has created privacy and garden rooms separated by stunning shrubs, mature trees, arbors and trellises. Several stone walkways and terraces enhance the natural landscape.
A Landmark Home in Old Oakville
Here`s a little bit of Oakville history for you.
The original home was built in 1839. In preparation for his marriage to Mary Jane Chisholm, daughter of William Chisholm (founding father of Oakville), Peter MacDougald purchased the original house and two adjoining lots in 1854.
He named it “Glenorchy” (his parents were Scottish immigrants) and he and Mary raised three children there.
MacDougald later became Mayor of Oakville. I did a little research into the life and times of Peter MacDougald. One source said “During his tenure of nine years as Mayor, the Citizen’s Band gave concerts on many occasions on the lawns of Glenorchy to which the townspeople were invited.”
I can hear the lilting sound of bagpipes somewhere off in the distance, as I finish my “spot of tea”.
(Did you know I was born in Edinburgh and lived there as a child?)
A few more photos of the living room, formal dining room, great room, original Mayor’s office, garden, renovated bathroom and master bedroom, with original coal-burning fireplace.
Want to find out more? There is so much more to say about this home.
Call me, I would be happy to send you more photos or show it to you in person.
| Discussion: 7 Comments »
We’re Loving our Backyard Oasis in South East Oakville!
October 28th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, Oakville Real Estate News, South East Oakville
Mr. and Mrs. B were wanting to move their family to South East Oakville from Mississauga. I met Mrs. B at the Oakville Kiosk.
The afternoon before they were to leave for Florida for March Break, we completed negotiation on a “dream home”. We had to do the home inspection that afternoon, before the ink was dry on the contract!
This beautiful Morrison home was a perfect fit for this young family. On a private court, close to the schools they wanted, the house had a newly renovated kitchen, a fully finished basement, main floor den, and a spectacular garden which had been lovingly designed and cared for by the former owner, who is a landscape designer.
The pool was a bonus!
It was fun to go by to visit this summer to see the family settled into their new home, kids and grandma enjoying the pool, and knowing they were all thrilled with their choice.
Here’s their letter:
Dear Hilary,
Thanks you so much for helping us buy our dream home in South East Oakville.
Both my husband and I really appreciated your very professional manner, extremely quick response time and phenomenal research and communication skills.
We are especially grateful for your negotiating abilities and have already recommended you to two of our friends.
P.S. Yes, we’ve locked in our mortgage rate. Thanks for the heads up!
My pleasure! Welcome to the neighbourhood. I wish you many years of happy family experiences in South East Oakville.
Want to find your dream home? Helping make real estate dreams come true is what I do! Let me help you in Oakville, Burlington or Mississauga.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
First Home in Burlington, Congratulations Kevin and Barbara!
September 17th, 2007 Categories: Burlington Beat, Client Stories and Testimonials, First Time Buyers, Oakville Real Estate News, Real Estate News
When people purchase their first home, it’s like having their first child. It’s scary, exciting, they have a lot of questions, and value advice of trusted professionals and other friends who’ve been through it.
Brian Harvey, an Oakville renovator, referred Kevin and Barbara to me. We saw the home in the morning and put in an offer without delay that afternoon. There were multiple offers but we won out!
I like the town house you chose, with its private backyard and Engelman’s ivy growing on the back fence. We met a few of the neighbours and they all seem nice and have lived there a long time. The home inspector gave it “above average condition” rating. We could see it was good value for the price.
Kevin and Barbara, you were fun to work with and I am pleased that you can look forward to moving into your very own home before Christmas! I will come by to visit and have some eggnog!
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Hilary Helps Oakville Kitchen Design Company Move Into Custom Home Renovation
September 16th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, Fifty-five plus, Oakville Events, Oakville Real Estate News, Real Estate News
Dave Blair and Bob Murphy own MDL Designs, a Custom Kitchen Redesign and Renovation business in Oakville. Last summer they asked for help in adding to their business model a new branch of home renovation for resale. I explained how the numbers would work in order to make a profit, the risks involved, and the streets and areas in Burlington and Oakville that might be suitable. We looked at quite a few “renovation candidates”.
I met them at Tim Hortons the first day “their” house came on the market, and said “I think this might be it!”. It was a bungalow in South Central Oakville on a deep private lot, which they could renovate for a downsizer.
I am excited to see them finish the renovation! The kitchen cabinets will be installed tomorrow.
A letter from Dave:
Dear Hilary,
For Bob and I, the decision to buy our first “fix and flip” investment property meant finding a realtor we could trust., who could provide guidance about the market, how to evaluate potential properties, the areas to look in, and all the financial considerations.
We are excited to have found our prize property!
We found you to be hard working, sincere and committed. You supplied us with potential listings daily and returned phone calls and e-mails promptly. At no time did we feel pressured to make a decision if we were not sure about a property, and all of your advice had our best interest in mind.
Bob and I are excited about our plans for renovation and the new direction we are taking in our business by combining renovation and investment.
We look forward to purchasing our next property through you before long! We will not hesitate to recommend you to friends and business colleagues.
Sincerely,
Dave Blair, Co-Owner, MDL Designs Ltd.
Congratulations Dave and Bob! you are fine craftsmen. Your growing success is well-deserved. I saw from the get-go your passion for excellence, reliability and integrity.
Here are some kitchens by MDL Designs, check out their website at www.mdldesigns.com.
“Making Dreams Come True is What I Do!” Why not give me a call to chat about your goals and dreams?
| Discussion: No Comments »
Oakville Development North of Dundas: What’s Happening?
September 8th, 2007 Categories: Client Stories and Testimonials, Fifty-five plus, Lighten Up, North Oakville Development, Oakville Real Estate News, Oakville Town Planning & Development, Real Estate News, South East Oakville
What is the Town planning for development north of Dundas?
Last week I was manning the Royal LePage Kiosk in Oakville Place. The mother of a girl on my daughter’s soccer team stopped by. She is an urban design planner so I ask “What’s new at Town Hall?”
“Council approved the North Oakville East Secondary Plan Minutes of Settlement last week”, she said.
I investigated further and found out a few things:
- How big? It will encompass 2,300 hectares of land
- Where will it be? The area to be developed is bordered by Dundas Street in the south, Sixteen Mile Creek in the west, Ninth Line in the east and Highway 407 in the north.
- How many people? When all is complete, it is expected to include about 50,000 new Oakville residents.
- What about the environment? Developers say the plan is innovative and breaks new ground in creating environmentally sustainable communities: walkable, compact and diverse (from a land use perspective) community. ”It will be one of the most environmentally sensitive community plans in North America” says David Stewart, President of Mattamy Development Corporation. “
- What about new jobs? About 25,000 new jobs are being created right in the area, which will reduce the need for commuting.
- What is the Mayor’s vision? “We have created a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable plan that will help create one of Canada’s most green and livable communities, says Oakville Mayor Rob Burton in a recent press release. (Mr. Burton believes North Oakville development will contribute greatly to our town’s stated vision of becoming the most livable in Canada.)
- What will it look like? Plans are for a public open space system that is twice the size of Central Park in New York City. Some 600 hectares of land will be set aside for open space linkages and wildlife corridors.
- When does development start? Word on the street is that ground will be broken before the end of the year.
The picture I am getting sounds appealing. Wayne and I could sell our house in South East Oakville and downsize into a bungaloft in this new community when our kids leave home in a few years.
We could trade down to one car. I will have to ask my clients to drive me around. (I will be the first realtor in Oakville without a car, let alone a BMW.)
I see Wayne jogging in the park, me walking to coffee shops, and to my office in Oak Park. The air will be fresh and clean (goodbye Ford Motor Company, Petro-Canada refinery and that other cement factory down by the lake). I envision neighbours walking their dogs in our very own Central Park…
I plan to check out the Ontario Municipal Board hearings, scheduled to start September 10, 2007. More on this subject in future posts. Please comment if you have any other questions, news or concerns.
| Discussion: 4 Comments »