REAL ESTATE BLOG

In the bustling real estate markets of British Columbia, particularly within the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), the MLS VOW (Virtual Office Website) Data Agreement stands as a cornerstone for accessing and utilizing property data. Understanding the intricacies of this agreement is essential for real estate professionals looking to leverage MLS data effectively. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the details of the MLS VOW Data Agreement in REBGV and explore the...

Happy Holidays!!  In this wonderful and diverse society that we live in we are grateful for all the things that we have and the Story Team would like to wish you all the very best of the Season! As we near the end of 2020 we can look forward to brighter tomorrows and healthier days ahead. Stay safe and spread the Goodwill even if it is only virtually.  

Happy Thanksgiving!! Wishing all the front line workers, families, friends and those close to our hearts a sincere Holiday Blessing. We have a lot to be thankful for and as a real estate professional it goes without saying that I am thankful and grateful to all my associates and clients that have given me the opportunity to represent them in their real estate needs during these trying times.

Good News!! Real Estate is still chugging along despite the hurdles imposed by COVID-19. If you are thinking about buying or selling professional real estate agents will help make the process easier than you think. Contact a Realtor and get great results.......

Good Monday Morning! We are entering into another phase of the Opening up of businesses and it's a time to be even more diligent in our approach as we move forward. House sales are happening and in many cases over the asking price.  Just a reminder, that even though we are managing the COVID-19 pandemic, we must still respect our buyers and sellers by wearing PPE's and only showing homes to potential buyers, as well as respecting the spaces that we enter. Stay safe and...

Happy Monday!!.....COVID-19 is still alive and still amongst us all so as things open up, Please remember to stay diligent and use all the necessary precautions. Even though things are opening up, ie. restaurants and patios we still must be aware that we are still not out of the woods yet! It's easy to become complacent but let's stay SMART.  How does this relate to REAL ESTATE!! Simple, we as professionals can list and sell properties the same as we have been doing during...

One of the Most asked questions??? Your  business must be really hurting!!  The simple answer: What business isn't feeling the effects of COVID-19!! Another well worked question is: Is it even possible to sell my house and get a fair price??.....The answer is yes. As professionals in the service industry we are given strict guidelines to follow to make the reality of selling and buying possible and YES, HOUSES ARE SELLING, although our market as many markets are down,...

Hello again......we haven't forgotten you!! Like all others that are serving the Public one way or another, we hope that you are staying safe and healthy. Real Estate is still happinging and prices are holding, although the volume of sales has drastically decreased as we navigate our way through the various ways we can sell properties while remaining safe and assuring that we do all in our power to make sure that buyers and sellers are safe.  We are here for you should you need us...

Crazy times for now, but here's hoping everyone is staying safe!! With the 'social distancing' is it still possible to buy and sell Real Estate? The answer is yes! Our industry is working closely with the tools that we have available to make things happen and Documents, listings, sales contracts can be signed on your computers, iPads, etc., and sent back to your Realtor or your lawyer. The Legal profession is also using virtual signage to make things happen. Most...

Big News........stress test adjustment for Buyers!! Maybe not so big...buying Power will increase approximately 3% or an average of less than $14,000 of the house price... Actually anything will help, so let's go with the Big News. On a related note the GTA inventory is still low so seller's can capitalize and hopefully sell quicker and hopefully achieve their optimum price. As real estate professionals we can guide and help make the sale or purchase easier.........Hire a...

It's been awhile since I last posted, but these blogs are meant to be interesting and not just a platform to say how great we are...........by the way thank you to all the clients and friends for the support throughout 2019!! Airbnb is in the news and especially in Oakville and Toronto where a licensing fee has been implemented to online rental operators to help control short term rental operating illegally, some sites have pulled down their Airbnb rentals, but....still a wait and...

January 2020....brrr it's Cold and lots of Snow!! Hurray for Gobal Warming or "Whose Zooming Who?"... Enough of that. It 's January in the life of a Realtor and once again we do what we do each and every day of every year, we try to unite people with their hopes of homeownership. Once again we are faced with the conundrum of when the right time is to buy and sell...actually, there Is No Right Time..the time to either buy or sell is when you are ready, so...

Big Congratulations to Frank Polzler & Walter Schneider on 40 Years at the Helm of Re/Max Integra..... The first house I sold was Frank Polzler's listing on Laburnam Avenue in Etobicoke for $16,100 when he owned and operated Polzler Real Estate. The year was 1968 and I was a neophyte in the industry, I can honestly say that I have had many interesting years in the business and like Frank continue to enjoy working with and helping people. Great job Frank and Walter and I would be...

Hope everyone is settling into this New Decade!!  Real estate 2019 is behind us in the forefront are new and exciting challenges and adventures awaiting all who have plans for buying or selling in the 2020's. Here's no surprise.....December - Average Selling price, New listings, Active listings and Month's inventory down from November.  Looking ahead let's see what the Stats will be for January...........The real news is that the Toronto and area market are all...

Merry Christmas.....Happy Hanukkah....Joyeux Noel... and Many More Seasonal Greetings....As the Celebrations begin and 2019 is drawing to a close, we can look back on a very eventful Real Estate year with Condo sales on the rise and interest rates falling to make the dream of owning a home become real to many first time buyers and allowing those hoping to move up the chance to do so! The Story Team is very grateful for the support that our clients and friends have shown us with the...

Big Thank you....to Nick & Sylvie for hiring us to help you start your new life. They are off to B.C. and we wish them all the best. Next on my list of Big Thank you's are to the Story Team which once again proved that choosing the right people is not only a challenge but rewarding when everything jells together........Kathy, Jonathan, Pierre and Pia great work! As 2019 draws ever so closer to become history we have seen modest increases in the Market and a favorable mortgage...

TechTalk......The revolution of the Bluetooth lockbox is upon us! The US has already adopted this system which improves accessibitity and appointment scheduling through SHOWTIME, which is essentially a reservation system that provides salespeople with the management of schedule showing appointments and market reports to the real estate industry. Why is this so good!!The current lockbox codes -can only be changed by the owner or the listing agent - so anyone who knows the code can access the...

Over 50 years as a Realtor and still enjoying ever minute....but this Saturday I will be donning a different hat, literally, I will be wearing a Fez.  Oakville Shriners will be marching on Saturday morning at 9:00am in the Santa Claus Parade starting at Reynolds and Lakeshore and yes I will be right there marching with my fellow Shriners. Bring the children, grandchildren and adults. I will not be riding a mini motorcycle. Actually, I am not allowed since my last time a few years...

Digital tools are not always the answer for today's borrowers!! Headlines in Real Estate Magazine......but are it could very well read are 'We Losing the Personal Touch'. A survey of borrowers earlier in the year revealed that, among borrowers who were offered online applications but opted not to use them, almost half (47%) said they prefer to work directly with a person. But 37% of lenders in the new Lenders Insights Survey believe one of the main ways that technology...

It's Friday and Real Estate agents are preparing for Open House, showings and marketing.....at the Story Team we are happy to serve our clients and here is how we do such a great job...Myself, Pia, Jonathan, Pierre and Kathy Skakun are all licensed to sell real estate, Pia is also a designer, our middle son, Emil, is a Mortgage Consultant with CIBC, so from the sale, the design/renovation right up to financing your home we have you covered!! We also have Lawyers and Home Inspectors that can...

According to REM(the Real Estate Magazine) Millennials should look to invest in the U.S. While this is sage advice since the return of a $280,000US ($373,000CDN) investment in destination places such as Arizona or Florida can run anywhere between $3,000 - $5,000 a month in High Season (basically our Winter months) one must remember to consult a Canadian Tax Accountant to understand the Tax implications. If you are a cautious investor and like your money to be more fluid, then...

Good Friday afternoon.......Looks like many realtors are publishing the same news about Newcommers helping to boost the market, but one thing we should keep in mind is that Condominium sales are, also, continually keeping the market bouyant and builders are very busy building and reaping the rewards. If you are in the hunt for a new condominium don't forget to look at re-sales. In the re-sale market condominium fees are established and there is no paying rent while the building is...