There is always a first time for everything.  Yesterday, I attended my first house auction.  Now, I could be tempted to buy things but buying a house at an auction wasn't on my or any of my clients' list.  A colleague asked me if I wanted to see the fun of an auction so off I went.  Here is what happened. The auction started at 10:00 AM on a Saturday The auctioneer was William Joynt from Smith Falls, Ontario (along with his crew) Anyone wishing to bid on the house or the household effects had to sign in and get a number You could pay for things with cash or recognized credit cards but payment had to be made right away You could take things with you or, if not able to lug home the furniture, the auctioneer and estate manager was willing to make arrangements for pick-up later in the day ... 05/08/2011

Your house is on fire....  The standard Purchase Agreement has a clause saying that the sale is conditional upon the buyer being able to get the home insured. If you have never had home insurance then start shopping for insurance (through an insurance broker) at the same time as you shop for your mortgage.  It takes time.  You want the right coverage and the right price.  Make sure that you get insured on the day of possession at 12.00AM, even if you don't get the keys until 6:00 PM.  You cannot get a mortgage for an uninsured home. Photo credit:  ladybug 04/16/2011

Today the MLS shows that there are 59 properties available in the Westboro MLS areas 5001, 5002 and 5003.  These properties are either active or conditionally sold.  There are:  4 - Commercial                          3 - Rentals  1 - lot  2 - Multiple Family 18 - Residential 21 - Condos The price range for the 18 residential units ranges from $349,900 to $850,000 with an average of $720,194 The price range for the 21 condo units ranges from $227,900 to $1,600,000.  The average price is $512,945. Westboro is a wonderful place to live - active, commercially vibrant and involved.       03/28/2011

Since finding Capital City Luggage several years ago, I have returned time and again to look for travel accessories, wallets and bags.  The owner is wonderful and very helpful.  After going through several sets of luggage, we have finally settled into two sets of Briggs and Riley (his and mine).  We returned recently to buy the lightest suitcases possible.  Our friends have challenged us to travel for 2 weeks with only a medium suitcase so that all four of us can get our luggage in a European car trunk!  Capital City Luggage had a wide range of options.  While not a friend of croc shoes, this shop has a full selection.  Did you know that it is good luck / feng shui to use a red wallet?  Apparently, red attracts money.  I found my red wallet here (of course it has been empty from time t... 03/21/2011

R is for restricted and this is the rating for taking any unauthorized photos in a Seller's home.  As Buyers you are concerned that you will not remember every house that you are going to see.  You plan to take your camera or your phone camera and use it while you go from room to room in each house.  Don't!  This is an invasion of the Sellers' privacy, a security issue and just impolite.  Yes, the house is for sale and yes there are photos available on the MLS® but these were taken for public consumption.  They have been carefully taken to ensure that personal information about the owner is not posted.  You, a potential Buyer, are there by the grace of the Seller and under the supervision of your agent.   Put yourself in the Sellers' shoes and ask yourself if you would like strangers t... 01/17/2011

A condition that a Buyer may put in an Offer to Purchase is that the purchase of the Seller's home is conditional upon the sale of the Buyer's home.  In a slow market or with a cautious Buyer, this condition protects the Buyer from owning two homes at the same time.  An astute Seller / Agent will ensure that this condition is countered.  The seller adds a clause to modify the conditional sale.  It allows the Seller to continue to offer the home for sale and accept new offers.  However, before accepting an offer from a third party, The Seller gives the first Buyer the opportunity to waive or complete all conditions on the sale of the home within a set number of hours.  Here is an example of how this works: Bill and Sue have their home for sale.  Melinda, the Buyer, loves the home and pu... 11/28/2010

Here is the May 2010 Westboro Neighborhood Report which provides you with statistics of Westboro real estate market. The neighborhood of Westboro in Ottawa saw a total of 15 sales in May 2010. The average days on the market of the homes sold in May 2010 in Westboro was 35. The longest days on the market was 261 and the shortest was 0 days. The average price of homes sold during the month of May 2010 in Westboro was $457,321 last May's average price was $461,873. The highest priced property sold during the month of May 2010 in Westboro was $750,000 and the lowest was $315,500. Compared with May 2009 homes in Westboro are selling quicker. Average days on the market of homes in Westboro, Ottawa during the month of May 2009 was 41 days. The longest days on the market was 348 and the shortes... 06/08/2010