When is the BEST Time to Sell Your Home?

Very few Listing Presentations go on that I am not asked .... "When is the best time to sell our home?". Here are my thoughts and the reasoning behind them are an assessment that deals with Selling in Durham Region and the GTA, remembering that Real Estate is a truly local business and is completely different as you travel the world....
Durham is a very diverse community with many service-based businesses abound and there are two major vacation times in this Region's calendar. Very little happens her in the two weeks before or after Xmas and during the humid Summer months of July and August, Suburbanites head to the Lake regions surrounding the City. All one has to do is monitor the traffic in the Downtown during these times and you know that a large number of people have escaped.
These are the holidays that affect the Real Estate Market in a really good way. A lot of families are so busy during their regular weeks that they have no time to talk about plans and goals for the future. The Holidays allow goals to be set, a lot of them include moving up, down or sideways. My phone really starts to ring in the second week of January and the second week of September. That is when Clients are ramping up to get their homes ready for the market to come.

 
Smart Sellers will bring their houses to the market in September, October, November and January, February, March, April. Beware that you don't wait till May or June when you think that the gardens will show the best and sell the house. The market gets flooded with other Sellers jumping on that bandwagon, and the competition stiffens.
It may be hard to consider bucking what you think should be the trend for Toronto Real Estate, but historical sales figures show graphs bumping up in the schedule that I am proposing. Not that houses do not sell at other times, but if you want to take advantage of the Prime selling months, get ready for September and January starts to the Market.
For your free market evaluation, please don't hesitate to contact me at michelle.makos@rogers.com or call my cell at 416-300-3004.   Looking forward to working with you.

Looking for a home in Claremont?

Claremont Homes For Sale

As you may know, finding the perfect Claremont home is a daunting task... if you are looking for a Realtor who can go over and above your expectations in Claremont, I would appreciate getting to know you better.  It is a niche market of homes that are in a lovely pocket of North Pickering.

Many of the homes for sale in Claremont are hard to find eventhough access to and traffic through Claremont increased greatly with the completion of the eastern extension of the Highway 407 highway, terminating at the Brock Road exit which opened in 2001.  Claremont is a community on its own.

If you would like to be put on my preferred mailing list of new Claremont Homes for sale, simply email me at michelle.makos@rogers.com and I would be happy to start sending you Claremont Homes that match your needs and desires.  Looking forward to hearing from you and finding you that dream home in Claremont, Ontario.

Search Claremont Homes For Sale

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

Ajax Homes For Sale | Pickering MLS Listings Ajax Homes For Sale | Durham Real Estate Agent | Pickering Homes For Sale Durham Homes | Durham Condos | Pickering Condos |Durham Homes For Sale | Whitby Homes For Sale |

WHY YOU NEED A REALTOR TO BUY A HOME?

Looking for a home?

Most people are familiar with hiring a real estate agent to sell a home, but fewer are aware that as buyers, they are also able to hire an agent to work diligently, protect their interests and find the best possible property for the best possible price. Many people assume that the best person to call when interested in a property is the listing agent, when this is not the case!


Buyers often approach the task of finding a new home by calling the number on “For Sale” signs, searching real estate magazines & newspaper ads and using web sites such as MLS.ca. What they may not realize is that by contacting the listing agent directly (the name on the “For Sale” sign or the ad), they are actually calling the agent who’s first and foremost responsibility is to protect the interests of the seller!

This is not to say that listing agents are not to be trusted – they are licensed professionals and are obligated to work with a buyer in a fair, honest and ethical manner as their customer, but they do not necessarily owe buyers the fiduciary duty that they owe their client, the seller. Without a signed Buyer Agency Agreement, anything that you disclose to the listing agent about your budget, motivation or otherwise, can and will be used to benefit the position of the seller during negotiations.

What is a buyer to do? Hire your own Buyer Agent! You can interview potential buyer agents and choose the one who you feel will work the hardest for you, has the best track record, and whom you feel comfortable with. Furthermore, a buyer agent’s services are almost always paid out of the gross commission that the seller has paid to their listing brokerage!

When you have found the sales representative that you want to work with, you will sign a contract called a “Buyer Agency Agreement” which legally obligates your agent to provide you fiduciary duty, confidentiality and to protect your interests and motivations. In return, you agree to work solely with your agent for the time period stated therein, and allow them to collect their commission from the sale of the property that you purchase.

Once you have chosen your Buyer Agent, you will be in a much better position to find the best property for you. Many listings are sold before the “For Sale” sign ever goes up and there is a time lag between realtor’s MLS and the public MLS website, so your Buyer Agent is able to notify you about a hot listing before it hits the public portals. Once your agent understands your preferences, they will also keep their eyes open for you as they inspect properties daily. Remember that during the day, while you’re at work, your agent will be out inspecting and comparing properties to find you the perfect fit! In addition to helping you find a property, a good agent will also be able to help you with things such as mortgage pre-approvals, lawyers, insurance, and home inspector referrals.

Buying a home can be an intimidating task. Hiring a Buyer Agent to guide you through this process is one of the best ways to ensure that you will be prepared to make a confident and informed decision when the time comes to place your offer.

For more information, please call Michelle Makos at 905-831-3300 or 416-300-3004 or email at michelle.makos@rogers.com

THINKING OF AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY?

Flip or rent?

Investment Properties - Rent Them or Flip Them?

It's a difficult question to answer. Both have some really great assets and both have some particular drawbacks. As investment properties go, both are excellent ways to build wealth. The main difference is whether or not you choose to go for the quick cash of a flip or building equity through longer-term ownership.

Lets investigate the flip first.

Flipping houses for profit - buying, refurbishing, and re-selling properties - is one of the most popular ways of making money from the property market. Whether you are buying ugly houses for a major makeover or undertaking more cosmetic home improvements, making the right decisions at each step of the process is critical to the financial outcome.  Find a Realtor you can trust !

The idea here is to purchase a home in need of a bit of work at a nice low price. Once you close on the home, make a list of the necessary improvements and get to work. Ideally the changes will be only cosmetic and intricate alteration of the home's structure or workings will not be needed. Good candidates for change are things like the paint, fixtures, appliances and other easily changeable things. Try putting down new floors for an added touch or refinishing existing hardwood if it possible. Another great idea is new cabinets for both bathroom and kitchen.

The pros of the flip are fairly simple, it's all about the bottom line profit when the home sells. However, keep in mind that the profit will be taxed as normal income. Also be mindful that the home may not sell right away. You should investigate local real estate trends first and make sure that your property is as competitive as possible.

Now the investment property to rent !

Renting is an entirely different ball of wax. Purchasing a property for renters is going to be quite the opposite from flipping. You do not need a property that will be attractive to buyers, rather a home with the necessary appliances and utilities that is well priced and clean. Keeping a property like this has some nice assets like long-term appreciation of the property and a monthly income. However, you must be ready to be a landlord, and be willing to wait until you have the RIGHT tenants. Also be prepared that you may occasionally have to kick someone out, be strict when it comes to rent collection and any number of other tasks a landlord is responsible for. The choice is your, but remember to be planned and ready for any eventualities that occur with either investment.

Often flips are advertised as Handyman Specials. Watch for this sort of wording. If you are interested in finding a flip or an investment property, please don't hesitate to contact me at 416-300-3004 or email me at michelle.makos@rogers.com

Looking for a Pickering Realtor?

Pickering Homes For Sale, Pickering Real Estate, Pickering MLS, North Pickering, South Pickering, Buying or Selling,

Make sure if you are looking for a home in Pickering, Ontario - check out this page.  It is specific to Pickering, Ontario homes for sale - you can search by neighbourhood, area (east, west, north, south) and also by home type, detached, semi, condo, townhouse.

I have lived in Pickering for 23 years and know what is going on and where !  I was an active member on the Stop The Stink campaign as well as the Pickering Municipal Election.  If you need to know something about Pickering, I'm your girl !  

Looking forward to your comments about the page and please like it if you found the information valuable to you.

To your success !  Cheers !

Five Common 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. 

Why do Real Estate Agents Get Paid So Much?

Why Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid So Much Money to Sell My House? infographic

Multiple Offers - Protect Your Buyer

Just a reminder to all my fellow Realtors out there - often we go to present an offer on behalf of our client (Buyer) and are called and told we are now in a multiple offer situation.   PROTECT your client !!!  Make sure you have the following clause in your offer (your client's will appreciate it);  

"The buyer is presenting this offer based on the assumption that multiple offers will be presented to the seller on the ___day of ________, 20___. If the seller receives no other offers by 10:00 p.m. on the ___ day of ________, 20___, the buyer(s) may amend and/or cancel their offer and/or change the price. If the seller(s) accept the buyer(s) offer, they must provide the buyer with proof they have received at least on other offer. This means providing, at minimum, the name, address and phone number of the real estate agent who presented the rival offer."

Looking after your client is your first and foremost responsibility.  Represent them well and do your due diligence.  It will pay you back ten fold in the long run.  Feel free to copy the clause and keep it for future use.

Have a super day and I look forward to working with you soon !  Cheers, Michelle

Buyer Represenation Explained



Looking for a home?

Most people are familiar with hiring a real estate agent to sell a home, but fewer are aware that as buyers, they are also able to hire an agent to work diligently, protect their interests and find the best possible property for the best possible price. Many people assume that the best person to call when interested in a property is the listing agent, when this is not the case!


Buyers often approach the task of finding a new home by calling the number on “For Sale” signs, searching real estate magazines & newspaper ads and using web sites such as MLS.ca. What they may not realize is that by contacting the listing agent directly (the name on the “For Sale” sign or the ad), they are actually calling the agent who’s first and foremost responsibility is to protect the interests of the seller!

This is not to say that listing agents are not to be trusted – they are licensed professionals and are obligated to work with a buyer in a fair, honest and ethical manner as their customer, but they do not necessarily owe buyers the fiduciary duty that they owe their client, the seller. Without a signed Buyer Agency Agreement, anything that you disclose to the listing agent about your budget, motivation or otherwise, can and will be used to benefit the position of the seller during negotiations.

What is a buyer to do? Hire your own Buyer Agent! You can interview potential buyer agents and choose the one who you feel will work the hardest for you, has the best track record, and whom you feel comfortable with. Furthermore, a buyer agent’s services are almost always paid out of the gross commission that the seller has paid to their listing brokerage!

When you have found the sales representative that you want to work with, you will sign a contract called a “Buyer Agency Agreement” which legally obligates your agent to provide you fiduciary duty, confidentiality and to protect your interests and motivations. In return, you agree to work solely with your agent for the time period stated therein, and allow them to collect their commission from the sale of the property that you purchase.

Once you have chosen your Buyer Agent, you will be in a much better position to find the best property for you. Many listings are sold before the “For Sale” sign ever goes up and there is a time lag between realtor’s MLS and the public MLS website, so your Buyer Agent is able to notify you about a hot listing before it hits the public portals. Once your agent understands your preferences, they will also keep their eyes open for you as they inspect properties daily. Remember that during the day, while you’re at work, your agent will be out inspecting and comparing properties to find you the perfect fit! In addition to helping you find a property, a good agent will also be able to help you with things such as mortgage pre-approvals, lawyers, insurance, and home inspector referrals.

Buying a home can be an intimidating task. Hiring a Buyer Agent to guide you through this process is one of the best ways to ensure that you will be prepared to make a confident and informed decision when the time comes to place your offer.

For more information, please call Michelle Makos at 905-831-3300 or 416-300-3004 or email at michelle.makos@rogers.com