Editorial for Cottage Country Connection Magazine "what is going on with our market"

If you have ever passed by the free magazine that is distributed throughout our area named "Cottage Country Connection" and did not pick up a copy for yourself you are missing out on a great magazine. This magazine is glossy and packed full of articles, photos and amazing advertisers. I recently wrote an editorial for this magazine and I would like to pass it on here if you did not get a chance to read it:

What in the world is going on in our market?

 

As you may know or have notice, it doesn’t take long after a “For Sale” sign goes up to see a “SOLD” sign very quickly follow. If you recently been involved in a transaction you really have seen firsthand what has been going on with prices. Days on the market are down, inventory is down and prices are way up. Why?

I have read and been told that the 407 extension to the 115 is bringing in all those commuters and it is changing our market and driving up price. I strongly disagree that this is the case. When I break down the numbers it reads a story that is hard to explain. Let me tell you what I see. It all starts with inventory. Inventory is down. Inventory numbers from Jan-Sept reads as follows; (2014) 5337 Listings, (2015) 5079 Listings and (2016) 4332 Listings. Basically a drop of 14.71%. Now, units sold reads like this; (2014) 2328 units, (2015) 2710 units and (2016) 2832 units. This is an increase of 4.5% An increase of 4.5% of units sold is not an explosion of population and sales because of a toll highway extension. I would say the 4.5% increase is the Millenniums age group getting into the real estate market. The real question is why is inventory down 14.71%? I am only speculating by saying it is a blip in our market. I believe that the inventory numbers will return to normal next year. Peterborough and Area sees very little spikes and dips. Our market runs slow and steady and have done so for years.

Now don’t get me wrong. Once the extension of the 407 is complete, we may see an increase of population but I think we will see more of our local people stay in the area and not leave for better jobs as access is better. Things are looking bright for us in our area. Please embrace it, do not complain about it!

To find the Cottage Country Connection website click here.

Fantastic site and free maps to explore Ontario Highlands on Motorcycle or Driving

If you like to plan day trips or multi day trips to explore our beautiful area check out www.ridethehighlands.ca. Ontario's Highlands will provide you a great planning map that will be mailed to your home address free of charge. This map has is very detailed trip routes including; The Highlands Loop, Deep Valley Run, Dynamite Alley and Rideau Ridge. Each route is marked out with Mileage, Duration and Highlights.All business and attractions have been designated as motorcycle friendly.

The website features area history, must see areas and downloads. Lets support this great initiative and pass on to your friends and family.

Happy Riding!

Brad Sinclair

How to prep your home to sell

Hi , Brad Sinclair from Flat Rate Realty.  I created this blog to talk to you about prepping your home properly not only for showings but also for the marketing professional photography and video tours. I can’t stress enough how crucial this is. If you decide we are the Realtor for you, we work with you going room to room to give you our professional opinion on what needs to be done to ensure your home photographs, video tours and shows at its best. We very rarely recommend putting money into your home as you usually do not get a return on your investment however there are a lot of little things you can do that will make thousands of dollars of a difference and ensure you get a top dollar offer. The most common thing I see that needs to be done is de-cluttering. When we live in a home with our families for a long time we accumulate stuff that typically makes rooms look smaller and hide the lines and features of your home. When selling your home less is sometimes more. Counters must be cleared off, for example kitchens I want to see everything 100% off the counters, off the fridge, off all appliances, if you have nice upgraded flooring remove rugs that way we are able to show off all the features. Make sure your landscaping is well maintained at all times, your home needs to be spotless, clean baseboards, vents, fans fixture etc… Also smell is crucial, we want to make an amazing impression and smell is a big part of that. Remember homebuyer may be looking at 10+ homes that same day, we need to make sure your home stands out from the other homes in every way. Your competition becomes all the other homes in the area and it is crucial we dominate your competition in every way to ensure you are getting the highest possible price for your home. For a 100% no obligation, no hassle and absolutely no pressure listing interview contact us anytime and we would love the opportunity to interview for the job! Thank you and have an amazing day!