Mayors Gala - Pickering

Last year I had the great pleasure of attending the Mayor's Gala with our very own Pickering Councillor, Peter Rodrigues.  We had an absolute blast !!  If you have the opportunity to go this year, don't miss it !  The website is www.mayorsgala.com and it definitely a Pickering Event you do not want to miss !!!

I will post a few pictures from the Gala 2011. 

Peter Rodrigues and Michelle Makos

Mayors Gala 2011, Pickering Ontario

Michelle Makos and Pat Clark

Don't miss this great Pickering event.   Get your tickets fast because it is always a great time !

Peter Rodrigues is a great asset to the City of Pickering.  He works hard for the taxpayers in Pickering and is always there to answer your questions.  Thanks Peter for everything you do to make Pickering, Ontario a better place to live !

A Town Called Ajax

Ajax - Bomb Girls

The Town of Ajax is a great family community and full of history.  I currently am on the the Committee for the Ajax Bomb Girls, Director of Social Media.   Ajax is the home to the DIL Munitions Plant which was located in the 1940's.   Global TV started a series called Bomb Girls after the real life stories from the plant.

On September 28th, Ajax Bomb Girls hosted a fundraising event to raise money for a monument dedicated to the women that worked at the munitions plant.  It was a fantastic evening.  We had the Mayor of Ajax and the Chair of the Committee was Ajax's own Regional Councillor, Colleen Jordan.  The event was a real hit.   Information about more fundraisers will be posted on our www.facebook.com/ajaxbombgirls page or at the Town of Ajax website.



DIL Plant, Town of Ajax



The original war time homes which are still there along Harwood Avenue bring much history to the Town.  Many of these homes have a story to tell.   It is an honour to work with such a great group of men and women who appreciate the history of the Town.

Ajax has grown now and has Costco, Home Depot, great schools and shops as well a beautiful lakeside park off Lake Driveway in South Ajax to walk or play.

When you are thinking of moving to Ajax, give me a call, I would be happy to help you with the history, the best pubs and restaurants as well as some wonderful shops that are one of a kind.

Ajax is home to Deercreek Golf and Country Club, where we hosted our Shell-A-Bration for the Ajax Bomb Girls and where many people have weddings and find great golfing.  There are excutive homes there that back onto the golf course and so much more.

North Ajax along Taunton Road is home to many new builders and plazas.  If you are looking for an affordable place to call home, consider Ajax.   It really is a little town that grew.

For more information on moving to Ajax or selling your Ajax home, please give me a call and I would be happy to meet with you and give you some insight on the neighbourhoods and the pricing. 

If you would like to search current homes available in Ajax, simply go to www.Homes4Sale-Durham/Ajax_Homes.html for a wide variety of mls listings in the Ajax neighbourhoods.

Are you thinking of selling your home?



Free Home Evaluations - Pickering, Ajax, Whitby

 Many people think about selling their home but few know exactly where to start.  My suggestion is to contact a local full time Realtor who can provide you with a free no obligation Home Evaluation.  They can show you what they will do to market your home, your neighbourhood sales and comparables as well as guide you through the process.

Selling your home is a major decision.  Don't leave it to someone whom you don't feel comfortable with.  This is the biggest investment of your life.  Find an agent that will best represent you and your family's needs.  That will be accessible and respond quickly to your questions and provide you with the information you need.  

I pride myself on my work ethic and commitment.  I don't believe in making the first contact and leaving the rest to a team.  I am the person will take you through the process from start to finish.  I will show you what you need to sell your home fast for the most money.  I am good at what I do and I do it with pride. 

If you are considering selling your home now or in the future, please don't hesitate to contact me.  I would love to sit down with you and show you what I can do to make your home selling process a rewarding and exciting experience.  Positive energy with positive results.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon for your free evaluation.  No home is too small and no job is too big !  Love what I do and do it well.  
Cheers !

Getting Your Foot in the Door (First Time Buyers)

Getting Your Foot in the Door.

Like many would-be homeowners, you may be wondering how you can possibly afford to buy your first home. Even if you think you can't afford a home, these saving tips and financing strategies can take you there sooner than you think and turn you from a renter into an owner.

Develop a culture of saving

The first priority for you should be to develop a culture of saving. This not only helps you in budgeting and planning for the future, but also to satisfy banks and other lending institutions that you have a clear commitment to save.

Start an automatic saving plan

Saving for a down payment can be a financial challenge but it's a step forward to owning your dream home. Make saving automatic by setting up an automatic savings plan at your bank to regularly move a specific amount of money directly from your chequing account to a savings account. You'll be surprised at how much you can save and how quickly the "pay yourself first" approach adds up.


Borrow from yourself

The federal government's Home Buyer's Plan (HBP) lets you borrow from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to help purchase your first home. You and your partner can each withdraw up to $20,000, provided it's not locked-in and the money has been in the RRSP for at least 90 days. You have to repay the loan in installments over the next 15 years to avoid a tax hit.

Take a holiday from tax

If you open a new Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), you won't pay any tax on earnings, which will help you compound your savings. You can contribute up to $5,000 a year to a TFSA, and save for anything you like, tax-free.


Review your mortgage options

Once you make the decision to purchase a property, the next choice is the type of loan to suit your budget. The two most common types of loans are the variable interest rate loan and the fixed interest rate loan.

You can now choose to pay back your mortgage over 25 or 30 years, instead of the traditional 20-year amortization period. This means you will pay more interest over the long term, but you can reduce monthly payments to get into your starter home. You can always change this later, once your income rises and you can pay your mortgage down faster.


Get into a starter house

Try to be as flexible as possible when choosing your first home. Unless you are status conscious, your first home doesn't necessarily have to be your dream home. You could settle for a starter home, which you can afford with a small down payment and easy mortgage installments. There are plenty of lower-priced houses out there in need of repair, with some "Do-It-Yourself" projects where you can add more value to the house. Just be careful not to buy a place where the cost of repairs will eat up any profits you might make when you sell.


In just a few years you will build enough equity in your starter home to make it easier for you to sell and move into to your dream home.


Buying your first home is an exciting process. After all, your home could be the largest asset you'll ever own. Being able to finance most of its cost will take a load off your back in the future.

Looking for a Pickering Townhouse?

The Wharf at the Bottom of Liverpool

As many of you know - Townhouses continue to gain in popularity across the GTA  and the same is true for the Pickering area.   Pickering townhouses offer first-time buyers an affordable entry point into the real estate market.   However, not all Pickering townhouses are entry-level units. There are more and more luxury townhouses available which is appealing to a larger audience, particularly empty nesters.  If you don't want to maintain the outside, there are maintenance companies that can do that.  Freehold or Condo Townhomes are really appealing to many different walks of life.

Are you searching for the townhouse of your dreams in Pickering, Ontario? The Canada-wide Multiple Listings Service® (mls.ca) can take days before the newest townhouses for sale, properties, and other real estate listings in Pickering appear...why not use www.Homes4Sale-Durham.com to see them first?!

Using my Preferred Buyer MLS® Email Notification Program, you can search a huge inventory of MLS® property listings and view information about homes that are currently available not only in the Pickering area, but in any region of Durham and most of all it is free to sign up for and these new listings are emailed to you as they match your search criteria.

Based on your criteria, I can quickly locate townhouses complete with pictures and descriptions. You'll be notified as new townhouses come on the market daily by email, allowing you to see the hottest new Pickering real estate 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 real estate professional with years of experience and knowledge to help you in the find you next townhouse.

If you have any questions about any of the Pickering townhouses 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, Pickering townhouses that match your criteria will be sent to your promptly.

I promise you to make your Pickering townhouse purchase a wonderful experience.  I look forward to it.

Pickering Luxury Homes For Sale

Luxury Homes In Pickering

I have taken the time to make a link exclusively for homes in Pickering over 700,000 up to 3,000,000. These homes are executive style homes that are not for your average "Joe". Please click on the map below and it will take you straight to the current Luxury Homes for sale in Pickering. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.







Click Icon Below To Search Pickering MLS® Listings Luxury Homes

LUXURY PICKERING HOMES LINK

1635 Pickering Parkway - Sold Conditional







Today I had the pleasure of working with a great Buyer's agent and my wonderful sellers to make everyone's dreams come true.





My Sellers now have peace of mind that they can move into their "Dream Home" in January 2013 and feel good about the price and service they received on the selling of their first home to another first home buyer.

It was really nice to see the smiles and the hugs and genuine care and concern that both sides were provided.



1635 Pickering Parkway - Unit 57



Selling your home can be stressful enough.  That is why the right Listing Agent is so important.  Work with someone you can trust, someone you can get a hold of, someone who returns your calls and texts right away or as soon as possible.  Not someone who takes your business for granted.   Your home is your biggest investment and you deserve to be treated as such.

Today was a good day !   I love my profession and the professionals that work within it.   Home Buyers and Sellers, do you homework.  Work with people who you connect with.   Honest, hard working, full time agents that take their career seriously.   You won't regret it.

On that note, I wish everyone a great weekend and happy packing  !!!  If I can be of assistance to anyone thinking of moving in the near future, please don't hesitate to contact me.  I look forward to many more happy families and transactions.  That is what real estate is all about.

To your success !!  Cheers !

1635 PIckering Parkway - Unit #57

I am very excited to show you my new END UNIT townhouse in Pickering.  Located minutes away from Brock Road and 401.   Walking distance to schools and shopping.  3 Bdrms with 2 Bathrooms.  Master has a 5 Pc with soaker tub and separate shower.   Low maintenance fees.  Carries for less than rent.  If you have any questions or wish to view this property, please give me a call.  I would be happy to show you this or any other available property in Pickering at your convenience.

To check out this or other available listings, please visit my website at www.Homes4Sale-Durham.com or call me today.

Rightsizing Your Home

Is Rightsizing Right For You?


Over our lifetimes, we may change homes many times for

many reasons. When the move is to a larger, more spacious

home, weʼre conditioned to feel a sense pride and

accomplishment. When the move is to a smaller living space,

however, the decision can seem much harder to make.

The truth is choosing to downsize presents a real opportunity.

Itʼs actually a chance to right size and gives you a signed

permission slip to begin the hunt for a new home that offers

you the lifestyle that youʼve been dreaming of.

Think of these scenarios.

With a baby on the way, a The Petersonsʼ decide to move into

a smaller apartment and give up the rental home theyʼve been

sharing with friends since college. It may be a cozy one, but

having their own space to raise a new family provides them

with a chance to build memories once baby makes three.

After landing a new role that requires frequent travel, Sara

Smythe opts to make a switch from a suburban townhouse to a

small city condo with airport access so itʼs easy to pack up and

go. Sheʼll be a short taxi away from her girlfriends when she is

back in town though who wants to leave that indoor pool and

sauna...


Finally, as empty nesters, The McDonaldsʼ decide they no

longer need so many extra bedrooms to keep tidy or so much

lawn to mow. They choose to move into a fully maintained

community where they can own a 2 bedroom bungalow with

less upkeep. Theyʼre able spend time exploring interests and

playing grandkids instead of managing household chores.

Though itʼs easy to highlight the bright side in these scenarios,

In your own life this might be a situation wrought with emotion

and so many questions: What will life be like with far less

space? What will we do with all our STUFF? What will the

extended family think?


All of these uncertainties can be resolved with the help of a

realtor whose mission is to help you choose a new home

based on the lifestyle you want (like less yard maintenance

and more budget for travel). A great realtor will also help you to

plan for your new space or recommend help from within their

trusted professional network of organizers, storage providers,

interior decorators and more.


Remember, rightsizing is about transitioning into a home that is

right for YOU, right now. Being free to live the lifestyle that you

want is so full of possibility and thatʼs always a good thing.

New Appointment to TREB

TREB Director - East

I am proud to announce I am now the Director (East) Non Brokerage for the Toronto Real Estate Board.  This is a two year term that will allow me to have an active voice in the Real Estate industry.  I am excited and pleased with this new elected appointment.  Thank you to the many Realtors who voted for me.