September is our Fall Spring Market ! #realestate

As you can in the chart above, the market picks up in September and October over the slower July/August months.  If you are considering listing your home, now is the time to start preparing to do so, so you can capture the Fall Market.  Give me a call to discuss the value of your home.  

Thank you for another great testimonial Charlotte and Deen !

Michelle Makos is the real deal! Her professionalism, tenacity and infectious

enthusiasm distinguishes her from other agents. You know exactly where you stand and what to expect. Michelle went above and beyond when it came to guiding us through the process for selling our house. Our emails and phone calls were answered within minutes and it is evident that she is highly regarded by her peers. As a Director for TREB, she is extremely ethical and I witnessed first hand her educating other agents who visited our property with their clients and left our home in unsatisfactory conditions.

I have sold several properties, but I have never had an agent work harder for me. Michelle makes it abundantly clear your needs come first. She is more than an agent, she has now become a very good friend.

Thank you for the edification, support and guidance during this real estate transaction.

265 Senator St., Pickering - SOLD OVER ASKING

Another great listing sold for 102% of asking price. Who says the market isn't HOT !

All you need is a great marketing plan, exposure and an experienced Realtor.

This past weekend I sold my clients home in multiple offers after 27 days on the market. Don't think it doesn't happen. Inventory is low. Interest rates are on the rise and the buyers are out there looking to purchase their dream home.

If you are looking for a full time experience Realtor to maximize the equity in your home, I would love to meet with you and discuss how I can sell your home. For more information or to get a free no obligation home evaluation, call me. Direct 416-300-3004. Thinking of selling? You owe it to yourself to make the call. Looking forward to hearing from you and discussing how I can sell your home for more more money, faster! Have a great weekend. Cheers, xo

Choose Wisely !!! Choose Re/Max !

Pickering market share from Michelle Makos

Have any real estate questions in Durham Region, give me a call.   I would be happy to help you !

Who says homes don't sell on holiday weekend?

That is simply NOT TRUE.  I always have busy long weekends with buyer and sellers.  Never say Never !  I wish I had more listings because the buyers are out there and they are looking for their dream home and NOW is the time.  School is coming to an end and most families are looking to relocate or move into certain neighbourhood or out of one.

Happy Victoria Day !!

Don't think you missed the market ... the market had a late start this year and if you are thinking on selling, now is as good a time as any?  Need a market evaluation, simply give me a call at 416-300-3004 and I would be happy to provide you with one.  

If I can help you make the move, I will.  I hope you had a super Victoria Day weekend and have a great week !!

Cheers, Michelle

5 Top Selling Mistakes

Thinking of Selling Your Home?

What are the five most common mistakes people make when listing their home for sale?   Look and listen?
Have a question?  Call me or email me at michelle.makos@rogers.com.    If you would like a free home evaluation, let me know.   I am here if you need my help. 

Real Estate Slowdown? Where?

Real Estate Slowdown

So all I have heard from the media lately is .... Housing market is going to flatline (National Post),  Housing market shows signs of cooling (CTV),  Housing market slows, Numbers are down, etc.  You are starting to get my drift !!

Well, I eat, breathe, sleep real estate and all I can say is: WHERE???  This sure isn't happening in Durham Region or in the east end of GTA.   I can only speak of what I see and what I know.  I heard the President of CREA last week speaking at a Leadership Conference I was in and she used a line that stuck in my head. "Is this what you THINK or is this what you KNOW?"   And it very true.

People run around saying all kinds of negative things and yet all the buyers I have that find the house they like, usually end up in multiple offers.  It is happening everyday.  SO?  I ask you - where is all this negativity coming from ???

Interest rates are at an all time low !  I remember in 1989 my mortgage was 18%...so let's stop with all this "end of the real estate market" as we know it.  House prices are still 2-5% higher than last year and if the home is presented properly, it SELLS in a minimum amount of time.

Don't feed the negative frenzy.  Agents are looking for listings because we have buyers and not enough good inventory out there.  If you want to sell you home quickly, do your homework.  Clean, fresh, less clutter, a good agent and comparable market price and you won't have a problem.

So if you are thinking on buying or selling your home, don't listen to all this nonsense.  It seems whenever the media has a slow day, they pick on real estate.  LOL  :)

Real estate STILL IS and ALWAYS WILL BE your best investment.  Ask your parents, or think about 20 years ago if you knew then what you know now !!    The rate of  return is second to none !!  Ok, my rant is over !!
On that note, if you are thinking of buying or selling an want a candid honest opinion, I would be happy to come by and meet you and discuss it.

Have a super day !  Cheers xo

A Good Time to Start

I hope everyone is off to a great start for February. 

This is the very beginning of what is traditionally a busy period in the real estate industry.  Chances are, a lot of great properties are going to be listed for sale over the next few months.

You may not have had plans to move, but if you are entertaining the idea, it makes sense to take a closer look at what's happening in the local market.  This is a good time to see if there are any opportunities that interest you.

You might even be inspired to attend a couple of open houses or viewings. 

If there is anything I can help you with in this regard, please give me a call.  I would be happy to give you the inside story on the porperties that are available and help you decide whether ornot it makes sense to take a closer look.

All the BEST !  xo

Back to normal ! School, Work and NHL ! : )

For many of you, today is the first day of "normal".  Kids back to school, everyone back to work and regular routines and NHL hockey is back !!    I hope everyone is ready, organized and excited.  I can always remember "first days" when children were younger and it was always something !  LOL.  As for the NHL lockout, it was unnecessary at the end of the day.  Maybe they should have hired real estate agents to negotiate for them.

I too am looking forward to normal.  Office will be humming with people again, people chatting about the NHL and whether they will watch hockey or not,  clients will be calling asking advice on homes for sale and what to do with their house?  When to list it?  Buy first, sell first?  When to list it, etc.

Listings will start coming out more and more over the next few weeks as the market starts to heat up for Spring Market.  So if you are thinking of putting your house for sale this Spring, be prepared.  Know what you need to do to get top dollar for your home.  Remember, when a buyer goes to your home, they are also seeing 3 or 4 more others that day and "best" homes always stand apart from the "average" home" in the same price range.

You Realtor is there to assist you and answer any questions.  Enjoy your first day back at school and work and I am sure many of you are waiting for your first puck to drop at the Rogers Centre.  Well, all I know, is at least for now, our Toronto Maple Leafs aren't in last YET !  LOL.  Go leafs go !

Are You Fit to Sell? Part 2

This short video gives you a quick rundown of what you need to look at before putting your home for sale.  The winter is a perfect time to get some of these little repairs done so you can be ready for the Spring market.  Remember, Buyers don't want to work.  If they have to repair things, they have to spend more money on repairs and therefore will offer you a lower price for your home resulting in a loss of equity for you.

The simple things, paint, repair cracks, cobwebs in lights, newer light fixtures, clean windows, etc., these things may not cost you much but will make a great first impression and like I always say, you only get once chance at a FIRST IMPRESSION, MAKE IT COUNT !

I hope this helps you and if you would like a list of repairs from the Re/Max Fit to Sell program, simply email me at michelle.makos@rogers.com and I would be happy to provide you with one.  Have a super day and make it count !   Cheers xo

Are You Fit To Sell?

This video will give you some tips and hints of what you need to do if you are thinking on selling your home.  

Many of us are holding off until the Spring market to list your house.  This will give you a few months to prepare your home, stage it and get it "market ready".  

Keep in mind the Spring Market starts in February .. the sooner your house gets on the market, the better chance you have of getting it sold before the market in inundated with homes.  The market will determine its value.  Supply and Demand.  The more homes for sale, the more competition you will have.  When supply is low ~ Buyers are at the will of the Sellers.

Keep in mind the kitchen, bathrooms and overall first impression of your home counts !  You only get one chance to make a first impression !  Make it count !

On that note, have a super day !  Cheers xo

Protect your Privacy when Selling Your Home

YOUR PRIVACY AND SECURITY WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME

Numerous people are likely going to spend a considerable amount of time browsing through your home while it is on the market. If you are living in the home while it is for sale, your personal things will be on show too. Your privacy and security may become an issue when showing your home, so it is important to consider all your options before you welcome someone into your home.

For many individuals, it is very important for them to protect their privacy, while others are simply concerned that buyers will make assumptions about them and judge them instead of simply judging their home. However, the importance of protecting your privacy is all the same and that goes for anything personal from financial information, such as cheque books to bank statements and personal letters.

Protect your documents
Keep in mind that a potential buyer may open cabinets or drawers-this is not considered snooping. Buyers can innocently tug on a drawer to inspect its construction or depth and find important documents that you might not intend for anyone to see.

Don't leave mail where anybody can find it
Many sellers make the mistake of leaving piles of opened mail neatly stacked on the kitchen counter or somewhere else in the home. By leaving your correspondence out on the table, a potential buyer can find out about your credit card debt, whether you have filed for bankruptcy and other private information that you probably don't want the seller to be aware of. Not only is this an invasion of your privacy, it can also change the offers that you receive from buyers. If you have a stack of mail from a collection agency, the buyer will know you are desperate to make a sale and will likely propose far under the list price.

Remove personal effects from your walls
From diplomas and religious artifacts to wedding certificates and personal photos, don't provide buyers with any personal information about yourself or your family. De-personalizing is also an important move to make when staging your home for sale anyway, so you can actually accomplish two things by removing the personal effects from your home.

Don't leave your computer up and running during showings
Gaining personal information from your computer takes only minutes for a professional hacker or thief, so be proactive and turn your computer off before potential buyers arrive.
Before you put your home on the market, empty out drawers, stage closets and pack up anything personal including medications.

Disassociate yourself with your home-remind yourself that it is a house-a product to be sold on an open market that is bound to see plenty of new faces throughout the term of the selling process.

Consider renting a safety deposit box at your local bank and store away your jewellery and other valuable items. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Michelle Makos, RE/MAX First Realty Ltd.

Why you need a Re/Max Agent to Sell Your Home

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOME ?   YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS !

Then call Michelle Makos at Re/Max First !

The Top 5 Reasons Youn Should Hire a Professional Re/Max Agent !  Choose Wisely, Choose Re/Max