OCTOBER MARKET STATS - Check them out !

October Market Watch is Here ! from Michelle Makos

No surprises here ! October Average Prices for a detached home

 Ajax $713,929 - Pickering $793,507 - Oshawa - $509,701 - Whitby $724,268 - Aurora $1,212,402 - Oakville $1,311,536 - Mississauga $1,009,971 - Richmond Hill $1,531,618 - 

AND YOU WONDER WHY DURHAM REGION IS ON FIRE !!!!

If you require any real estate advice or a free home evaluation, feel free to contact me anytime.

Michelle Makos, your real estate advisor 

GET READY.... ON YOUR MARK.... GO (Latest Market Update)

Well here we are, .. last few weeks of August and I am sure you are seeing articles about market is slowing down, CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) announcing less sales in July, blah blah blah.... Well if there is one thing I know for sure ... it is this !   The real estate market will NOT slow down in September and October... they are essentially our second busiest time of the year.  July and August are ALWAYS quieter months... Families take a break from looking because kids out of school, cottages to go to, summer holidays planned, not to mention many Agents have made a huge chunk of their income in Spring market and don't work as hard in July and August and spend time with their family.

So the after September long weekend... get ready for a multitude of listings... and the buyers will be back !   Anyone thinking of listing their home right now, would be crazy not to wait until after the long weekend in September.  Every year, after the kids go back to school in September, the agents are buzzing around the office, on the internet and making their calls. It is basically get back to work before the snow flies... and they HUSTLE.

So if you have been waiting for that Dream Home to hit the market and haven't seen it yet, don't be discouraged... it is coming !   If you are contemplating listing your home, remember that the last two weeks in August are usually slow and your best bet is to wait until after the Labour Day Weekend !

As for prices.... I get asked this all the time... what do I think will happen?  I wish I

knew... but for now, the prices are not coming down.  Everything is selling at record high pricing and until the supply meets the demand or the Bank of Canada increases interest rates, I don't see any change... unless the Government steps in like they did in Vancouver to try and slow down the foreign investing... but from what I see ... in the trenches, especially in Durham Region, there hasn't been a lot of foreign investing.  York Region, yes a little.... Toronto, yes a little more... but nothing like what Vancouver has seen.  Will they come to Ontario and do the same here seeing as we don't have the added tax?   Maybe !   All the more reason if you are thinking of buying or selling a home, the next quarter would be a great time to capture this crazy market....

I have had people ask me, should I sell and rent and take advantage of these high prices?   My answer would be a plain and simple NO.... no one knows what the future holds... What if you sell and rent and next year these prices continue?  Could that risky move price you right out of the market?  Quite possibly.  If you are going to sell and want to maximize your profits, I would recommend buying something else... even a property further away, or for less money and pocket some if you need it, but don't take yourself out of the market... this is just my personal opinion of course.

I post articles on my Google Page every day about the market and also on Twitter... mostly real estate related... and they feed on to some of my websites..  but at the end of the day, I see September and October being stellar months in real estate, so brace yourselves and enjoy the ride !   If you are thinking of selling or buying, please feel free to reach out and I would be happy to meet with you and discuss the next steps and how I can help you.

Last year I thought, it can't continue and it has... and I could kick myself for not buying a few investment properties back then but live and learn.   Prices have more than doubled in 10 years... you will never go wrong in real estate... even if there is slowdown, you ride it out and wait for the next wave... it will come !  It always does !   Don't keep waiting if you are thinking of buying, every month you wait, the prices are going higher and higher... if you are serious, get your pre-approval for your mortgage done and if you don't have a Mortgage Broker, I can assist you with a Mobile Mortgage Broker who will come to you, give you the best rates and take of you... once that is done, find a Realtor you can trust and work with (like myself !) and let's get the process started... 

On that note, if you aren't on my free StreetMatch set up, you should be.  It is easy and will notify you when a home in the vicinity of your house goes for sale... it is good to stay on top of the prices.  Also, if you ever want to know what it SOLD for, simply text, email or call me and I will send you the SOLD price... which usually is higher than the LIST price... the link to do this if you haven't already is http://www.househunting-durham.com/images/landing/streetmatch/index.asp

All the listings on my website are removed once SOLD.  If you favourite one and don't 
see it anymore, chances are it is sold.  If you  want to know what it sold for, just let me know.  I am always here.  If you need real estate advice, have questions or just are curious as to what to do... real estate is my passion and it isn't necessarily about selling you a home, it is about building relationships and trust so that when that time comes, you have someone you are comfortable with ... then we make the MAGIC happen !

Cheers to that my house hunting Friends... Stay safe and Enjoy the rest of the Summer.

Surprising Ways Buyers Find Homes

Surprising Ways Buyers Find Homes

Do you ever wonder how most people find the homes they eventually buy? You might imagine them driving by a “For Sale” sign or seeing a home for sale in the newspaper and then calling to enquire.

Of course, many buyers find out about listed properties that way. But, according to research by the National Association of Realtors, there are many other — sometimes surprising — ways buyers find their next dream home.

For example:

·          88% of buyers find a home with the help of a real estate agent.

·          90% of buyers search online as part of the home buying process. (Such as viewing a property’s profile on the agent’s website.)

·          69% of buyers searching for a home using Google, use a specific local term, such as “Pickering homes for sale”.

·          29-46% of buyers attend an Open House as part of their home hunting activities.

Overall, the research shows that buyers are using a multitude of ways — combining online and offline methods — to find homes. 

What does all this mean to you? If means that if you’re preparing your home for sale, you need to ensure your marketing plan takes into account all the ways buyers are finding properties — so you can be sure that they will find yours.

Looking for a REALTOR® who knows how to market your home for maximum exposure?   Let's talk.   I would be happy to assist you.

January 2015 - Housing Market - Sales Up, Interest Rates Low, Inventory Low

2014 Sales up 6.7%
Interest Rates Low
Supply and Demand

With low gas prices, will you be saving more money and investing in real estate? To me, real estate is and always will be your best investment.  

Whether a first time buyer or an investor, prices are continuing to rise and the market is strong.

I look back to what I paid for my first home and what it is worth in today's market and think, "Hmmmm, instead of spending money on some of the stocks I bought, I would have been better to buy an income property and let the rent pay for it."  That would be great for retirement.  It is just something to think about.

Real Estate will always be a great investment in my mind and not because I sell it but because I believe it... and the numbers speak for themselves.

Young people with savings who live at home, should also consider buying a small property and renting it out and invest in their future.

It is win/win.  

So if you are considering selling your home, the market is strong and prices are high.  Spring market starts NOW !   

If you are looking to move up, I recommend finding a good local agent, list your home first so you have more negotiating power when you buy.. remember the market is busy and the stronger your offer is, the better chance you have of winning.

With that being said, enjoy the information video courtesy of TREB and I hope if you need any real estate advice in the future, you will contact a full time Realtor who you can trust and work with, to maximize your equity and service all your needs.

Happy Buying & Selling !
To search current homes for sale in GTA and Durham Region - visit www.michellemakos.ca

Open Houses - Do they sell your home?

Open Houses ~ Do you think they sell your home or do you think Realtors use

them to find clients?

I may be stepping on some toes here but I, personally do NOT think doing Open Houses sell your home.   Not that I won't do them if a client wants them but I can think of many reason why they are a waste.

The majority of people coming into Open Houses ~ don't even know the price of the home walking in it.  The agent is trying to get a name and phone number/email to protect the privacy of the Seller and really, do we even know if they have a job?   What about security issues?  What about an agent in busy open house - can they properly monitor who and what is going on?  I have to wonder.

Open Houses are a personal preference.   Some people think agents should earn their money and sitting in their home for two hours on a weekend is showing you are working... but I personally could spend two hours being way more productive marketing your home online and locally than a two hour window of "Lookie Lou's".

I have seen many people walk up the driveway at Open Houses and they are either just running errands and nosy or they live on the street and want to compare what your home has with theirs... but honestly, in my personal opinion, the best showings are from agents that bring their clients through.  They have pre-approved them in most cases, given them the information from your listing and has a working rapport with them.

Opening your doors to strangers to walk in and out of your home to me, is not only dangerous but very rarely do homes sell from Open Houses... and the truth of the matter is, even if they have an agent and the agent sees there is an Open House, they will tell their client to pop in.  That is fine but even if they like it, would it not be in the buyer's best interest for THEIR agent to see the property... more often than not, they go back again with their own agent prior to doing up an offer.

So that is my take on Open Houses.   I believe there are all different reasons agents may like them but is it for their own business or for their clients??? 

And let's admit it, how many of us have been driving past a house and see there is an "Open House" and aren't in the market to buy a house but stop .. just because, we like the street or we want to dream or we want to see how it is decorated for ideas... LOL... :)    I can't say I haven't done it too....  

And truly in a market like this one, where inventory is low and listings are selling in days not weeks, are they really beneficial?   If you are considering selling your home in the next few months, remember Spring market starts in February, so list sooner rather than later.   If you would like a free home evaluation or even just a face to face chat about selling (no pressure), feel free to call me at 416-300-3004 (direct) or email me at michelle.makos@rogers.com and I would be happy to speak to you further.

Have an awesome weekend everyone and enjoy the 2015 Housing Market, it is going to be a good one... I can tell.    Cheers !  

123 Reed Drive, AJAX - SOLD FIRM

AJAX REAL ESTATE

Ajax homes for sale MLS® listings

Searching for the home of your dreams in Ajax, Ontario? Whether it is South Ajax, down by the Lake or in North Ajax where all the new subdivisions are built, Ajax is a great community to grow your family.  Let me help you choose which Ajax neighbourhood works best for you.

Ajax is one of the fastest growing areas of Ontario. The population of Ajax is close to 90,000, with hundreds of new homes being built every year. As a rapidly-growing community, Ajax includes a vibrant mix of established and new neighbourhoods making finding great Ajax homes easier than a few years ago.

The Realtor.ca site can take several days before the newest Ajax homes appear for sale. 

Why not see these Ajax properties, and other real estate/homes/mls listings first?

Using my Preferred Buyer MLS® Email Notification Program, you can search a huge inventory of Ajax MLS® property listings and view information about Ajax homes that are currently available not only in the Ajax area, but in any region of Durham.

Based on your criteria, I can quickly locate Ajax homes complete with pictures and descriptions. You'll be notified as new homes come on the market daily by email, allowing you to see the hottest new Ajax mls listings first, before they're sold or appear on MLS!

It takes a skilled real estate professional to help both buyers and sellers to make the right decision. Michelle Makos is a Re/Max First real estate professional with years of experience and knowledge to help you in the find your next Ajax home. 

If you have any questions about any of the Ajax homes you find here please feel free to contact Michelle Makos.   She will be happy to give you more information or to book a viewing. 

If you do not find what you are looking for please visit the Find Your Dream Home section. By filling-out the form, Ajax homes that match your criteria will be sent to your promptly.

Or contact Michelle Makos today for a FREE NO OBLIGATION HOME EVALUATION

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