Whose Niagara Home?

Folks, this post was originally from 2008. I just wanted to bring it back up to the top of the heap again, and remind readers/viewers what it is I do, and why. Here are the basic building blocks of my real estate career:

Well... a little about the biz. In the last couple weeks, I have been communicating with people all over the world about homes for sale in Niagara. I have spoken with people in Britain, Scotland, The Netherlands, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand and Colombia... all interested in information about real estate in the beautiful Niagara region of Ontario. We are a worlwide phenomenon! But why wouldn't we be? Look at all that Niagara has to offer! Is there anywhere else in the world that can boast of the easy proximity to major Canadian and American cities (Toronto and Buffalo within 1/2 hour to 45 minutes) high quality access to sports for all 4 seasons (skiing, hockey, golf, baseball, basketball, tennis, football, soccer, you name it), hiking that is breathtakingly beautiful (Bruce Trail, Short Hills, etc), biking, a great Community College (Niagara), a world class University (Brock), theatre (Shaw Festival), historically significant sites (Queenston, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Fort George, the Underground Railroad, Laura Secord House, etc), a world wonder in Niagara Falls which is maintained wonderfully by the Niagara Parks Commission, festivals and cultural celebrations of all sorts, a world famous wine industry, one of the largest commercial floral industries in the world, environmentally friendly green spaces that are enchanting and diverse, a Great Lake waterfront, incredible restaurants... you know, this could go on and on. What a place to live! One significant bonus is: no hurricanes, earthquakes, tidal waves, tornados, avalanches, tsunamis, ... just the odd picturesque snowstorm. Hey, come join us! Your Niagara home awaits you!

Harmonized Tax - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

The plan of the McGuinty Government at Queen's Park to harmonize the provincial sales tax (PST) with the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) may sound like a good idea when you first hear it. Why not save people a pile of administrative work... not to mention a few trees? In reality, though, citizens of Ontario will be facing a huge increase in their taxes. Not the kind you pay annually, but the kind you pay every single time that you make a purchase, or make use a service. There are many examples why this "Hamonized Sales Tax (HST) is a bad idea, and nothing short of the government clawing even more from the hard working people of Ontario. One example is the purchase of a home, land, or real estate. Following is an article from the Ontario Association of Realtors (OREA):

OREA says harmonized taxes will cost $2,000 per sale. The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) says the provincial government’s plan to harmonize the GST and PST will add over $2,000 to the cost of a real estate transaction, hurting the resale home market and prolonging the housing industry’s recovery from the current economic downturn. “Now is not the time to be erecting barriers to homeownership,” says Pauline Aunger, president of OREA. “We need consumers to invest in housing to help get our economy going again.” Under a harmonized sales tax (HST), homebuyers and sellers will have to pay extra tax on a range of services associated with real estate transactions such as legal fees, moving costs, real estate commissions and home inspection fees. Currently, consumers only pay the five per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on these services. “These additional taxes could price some homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, right out of the market,” says Aunger. “Harmonizing will not help homebuyers in any way.” For a resale house priced at $360,000, a HST could add over $2,000 in new taxes to closing costs. In total, a HST will add $313 million annually in new taxes to resale home transactions. “In the last decade, Ontario’s homeowners have faced a barrage of new costs,” says Aunger. “From municipal land transfer taxes to sky rocketing property taxes, homeowners are being pushed to the brink to accommodate increasing demands from government. A harmonized sales tax is yet another cash grab on Ontario’s already overtaxed homeowners.”

Let's do something about this! Contact your local MPP and let him know that you strongly oppose this tax grab. If we don't do something, and just let this slip by us, we have only ourselves to blame Ontario!

Marching to Zion Blog

Discovered a very cool mom with a very cool blog. Christine Valk has been regularly updating a unique blog named "Marching to Zion" about the joys and trials of being a wife and mother of 6 youngsters. Interesting and funny, deep and thoughtful. Great job Christine, and keep it up! You can link to it here:
http://wearemarchingtozion.blogspot.com/

One Fundraiser SOLD! One to go!

The beautiful home for sale on the corner of 23rd Street and Tallman Drive in Vineland has been sold! It is a fundraising property, with proceeds going to support Jordan Christian School. I would like to congratulate the builders, headed by Brouwer Construction, and all the tradespeople who donated their time to make this a stunning modern bungalow. I can't begin to tell you the number of compliments I heard over the course of listing the property and hosting open houses there. Thanks also go to Renee from Staging Niagara for furnishing the house so invitingly, and participating in the project. The buyers are very excited, and you should all be very proud of the finished product. Thanks for the opportunity of representing the school community at Jordan Christian School... it was indeed my pleasure! Next door to this is the Heritage Christian School fundraising home. I hope to be able to put a SOLD sign there this summer as well. For details on that property, look below, or visit http://www.yourniagarahome.com/

Niagara Real Estate Update - MAY 2009

One third of the year has passed, and the real estate market in Niagara is humming along. Thing is though, it is a very different sounding hum. Compared with the first 4 months of 2008, 2009 has seen a steady number of sales, but the activity is heavy in the under $250k market, while homes priced higher tend to be sitting for a while before finding a buyer. Low interest rates make this a great time to buy a home for sale in Niagara, and many first time buyers are taking advantage of the economic climate to do just that - take their first step into home ownership.

Stats Time:

Let's compare Jan-Apr 2009 to Jan-Apr 2008 looking at sales by price category.

Under $100,000 121 in 2009 167 in 2008 27.5% drop
$100,000 - $200,000 850 in 2009 1088 in 2008 21.9% drop
$200,000 - $350,000 514 in 2009 708 in 2008 27.4% drop
$350,000 - $500,000 71 in 2009 105 in 2008 32.4% drop
$500,000 + 20 in 2009 41 in 2008 51.2% drop

* Stats taken from Niagara Association of Realtors website

As you can see, the least effected price range is the $100-$200 thousand starter homes. Homes asking more than $500,000 are looking at a list of potential buyers that has been cut in half. So what do you do if you are looking to sell your home in this climate? Three key things:
1. Choose the right Realtor - one who understands the market, and is willing to work with you to make sure your home is marketed correctly.
2. Exposure - make sure that as many potential buyers for your specific home are exposed to your property. This does not necessarily mean "Blanket advertising" or putting an ad in every marketing vehicle or medium, but rather "Target Advertising" or aiming directly at the people who are looking for this specific type of home. Again, working with the right Realtor is key.
3. The most important element in the marketing and sale of your home in this market is PRICE. Price it right! Look at it this way... you will be saving on the purchase of your next home because of the market, so expect to price the home you are selling sharply, and you will find a buyer. It is a bit of give and take. The houses sitting for months are likely priced according to a market that has disappeared. It is not spring 2007... those days are gone.

All in all, it is a time of optimism in Niagara. Our real estate market is really much better than many similar sized markets in Canada, and way better than most similar U.S. markets. So, take advantage of an opportunity to lock in fantastic interest rates, price your home correctly, buy smartly, and remember... make your move with Mulder!

Tallman Drive Bungalow

NEW LISTING! $379,900

New home in Vineland - 2 bedroom bungalow with tons of potential to customize it to suit the way you want or need to live. Finishing touches are still being completed, so take this opportunity to purchase this home in Niagara and let the builders do their thing while you prepare to move into a beautiful home with escarpment views and high-end touches throughout. For more info, visit www.YourNiagaraHome.com

55 PLUSSERS... COME ON DOWN!

Well folks, I now officially have letters after my name. No, I did not complete my doctorate in Nuclear Physics, and no, Yale did not award me an honorary law degree. No, I actually did something that I felt would be a valuable and rewarding experience. I enrolled in and completed the necessary course to receive the SRES designation. The SRES acronym stands for "Seniors Real Estate Specialist". It means that I specialize in dealing with the real estate concerns of those over 55. Baby Boomers welcome!!! Now, I also am able and well versed in dealing with the concerns of first time buyers, those moving up or down the property ladder, and all other forms of residential resale real estate. If you are around my age, 47, you are aware that the opportunity to put away a nest egg for retirement is shrinking daily. Those over 55 face many concerns that were somewhat taken for granted over the past few decades. Concerns over pension plans for example. I would be happy to sit down and discuss how your real estate holdings look, and what your future plans are in this regard. I also am looking to make some strategic alliances with those specializing in areas of concern for 55 plussers besides just their real estate needs. All in all, interesting days lay ahead. I truly look forward to providing a necessary service to this segment of the Niagara community. I possess a few silver hairs, and some creaky joints as well. Let's share some memories as we build new ones.

New Web Site!

My web guy, Anton van Hooydonk, and I have revamped my website, www.YourNiagaraHome.com . Check it out and let me know what you think. As with Real Estate, feedback is always appreciated. I now hope to dedicate some time to keep this blog up-to-date as well. This spring has been quite busy, despite the doom and gloom you may hear on the news. I currently have 7 active listings, for which I am thankful. The May newsletter is being finalized, and will be mailed out next week. If you are interested in receiving it, just send me an email, and I will gladly add you to my contact list. More updates to come. Enjoy the great spring weather!!

A Wonder Indeed

Niagara Falls. Power, majesty, glory, beauty...an amazing and breathtaking example of the existence of a Creator. THE Creator. As a resident of the Niagara Region, I will admit that I had become somewhat callous to Niagara Falls. Sure, we do the Festival of Lights drive each winter, but it had been quite a few years since I had parked the car, and actually taken some time to reflect on the inspirational sights and sounds of Niagara. Late in October, Pam and I took the family for a day in Niagara Falls, and we did the works... Behind the Falls, Maid of the Mist, the Butterfly Exhibit, the Whitewater Walk, and the bus tour of the Niagara Parkway. It was a day we will all remember and cherish. It also was a great boost in spirit, as we felt the presence of our Lord throughout the day. Standing alongside the rushing rapids, hearing the power that it holds, viewing the spectacular colours of Autumn... there can be no denying His existence, and in the words of a beautiful song by Mercy Me, "I can only imagine" what awaits us in the new heaven and new earth. Truly, "This is my Father's World, and to my listening ears all nature sings."

Scholarship Teaser!

Though there are still numerous details to work out, I am letting you know that I am working on a few new projects.
First of all, I am trying to establish an annual scholarship, available to Grade 11 & 12 students at Heritage Christian Secondary School in Jordan. The scholarship would be awarded to the winner of a Short Story Writing Contest. The student who's story is selected will be the recipient of a $500 scholarship to the college or university of his or her choice. As mentioned, there are lots of details to work out yet, but I hope to have the contest in the second semester of this school year, and then annually.
Secondly, RE/MAX Garden City has revamped the company website www.remax-gc.com and it has effected the smooth operation of my site, www.YourNiagaraHome.com . I will be working with my IT guy, Anton van Hooydonk www.antonvanhhoydonk.com , and hope to add some new features soon. Psst: there will hopefully be a kid's area, but don't say anything yet. :)
Finally, I must reassure everyone that the real estate world has NOT spun off it's axis. We are operating at a little slower pace than the rapid fire market we experienced over the last couple years, but there is still lots of activity, and homes are selling. However... this is NOT the time to overprice property that you want sold. It is, by almost any one's definition, a "Buyer's Market', which puts the onus on the sellers to make sure that their property stands out from the competition - through features, marketing, but most of all by offering the property at an attractive and "market-aware" price.
Enough for now. Contact me anytime with comments or questions, and ...
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!