The Riz Team Blog

We all know the “location, location, location” adage.  Its part of what buying real estate is all about.  But, what actually makes a location great?

According to Jay Walljasper, author of The Great Neighborhood Book, a great neighbourhood is about community.  It’s about knowing your neighbours, feeling safe, and having pleasant spaces to be together.

Walljasper’s book offers lots of ideas for making your neighbourhood a better place to live and for building a stronger community:

Know thy neighbours.  Sit on your front steps and say hello as people walk by.  Have a chat with the person who pumps your gas or the retired lady down the street.  You’d be amazed at how people open up to a little friendliness.

Create a great gathering spot.  A nice playground with benches and shaded areas is a natural place for residents to gather.  Communities across Canada have worked together to raise money via personal and corporate donations to build spaces kids and adults love.

Make it an event.  Whether it’s a neighbourhood barbecue, a Saturday street sale, or an organized trick-or-treating event for the kids, getting your neighbours together to do something fun builds friendship and community.

Walk more, drive less.  Get out and enjoy the neighbourhood instead of sealing yourself off in a car.  Encourage walking by lobbying the city to widen sidewalks, add crosswalks, and traffic calming zones.

Be neighbourly.  Shovel your neighbour’s walk when they are out of town, offer an afternoon of babysitting to the single parent down the street, or welcome a new neighbour with an invitation to coffee.

Take back the streets.  If you live in an area where crime is a problem, organize a neighbourhood watch and walk around.  If you see anything suspicious, notify the police.  Criminals are deterred when there are too many people around.

Shop local.  Supporting your local merchants will ensure they succeed along with the distinctive flavour they add to your neighbourhood.  If you don’t have shops in your area, it may be due to zoning restrictions.  Lobby your city council to change zoning so that retailers can set up shop.

Take pride.  Take care of your neighbourhood the way you take care of your own property.  When you go for a walk, bring a bag to pick up litter.  Plant flowers in public places.  Spruce up the park swings with some fresh paint.

Take advantage.  Enjoy what your neighbourhood has to offer.  Hang out at the coffee shop, go for a walk or bike ride, relax in the park.  A great neighbourhood is only great if you take time to enjoy it.

It takes work to make things better, but everything you do will pay off through your enjoyment of your community – and increased property values.  For more ideas, consult The Great Neighborhood Book.  It’s an excellent resource that could spark some greatness is your neighbourhood.

Fall is a feast for the eyes with red, gold and bronze hues. While enjoying the trees in their tawny splendour, consider these simple tips to prepare your garden for the upcoming winter.

Grass
Although a carpet of leaves is part of autumn’s glory, don’t let them sit too long. Rake them frequently as grass needs oxygen and sunlight for proper growth.  This is also the time to seed your grass for a thick lush lawn in the spring, and to keep pesky weeds out.

Leaves
Put leaves to work! Small leaves from birch, beech and silver maple trees (or shredded larger leaves) spread under shrubs and over soil will degrade into mineral nutrients and worms will turn them into fertilizer.

Pruning/Re-arranging Plants
Pruning in the fall is important. With leaves cleared you have a better view of your plants. Cut off dead and diseased branches. Remove diseased leaves from under roses (blackspot) and dispose of in the garbage (not your compost heap) or they’ll re-infect plants the following spring. If you decide to re-arrange plants or shrubs, move them while the earth is still warm so that the roots can take hold.  Protect delicate shrubs with burlap.

Bulbs
If you want to see crocus, tulips and daffodils peeping through the soil in spring, now is the time to start planting.  Buy the very best quality bulbs and you will be rewarded with showy blooms in the spring. Check with a local horticulturalist for native bulb options and ideal planting conditions.

Container Gardening
Fill your balcony or patio containers with fall flowers.  Picture a pot filled with Vanilla Butterfly (marguerite daisy), with a background of Orange Sedge – this olive green grass turns orange in cool weather, finally fading to bronze.  Want an instant conversation piece?  Plant ornamental Kale (winter cabbage) in your container:  its quirky look is an attention-getter.

Every season has its beauty, but a Canadian fall is spectacular – enjoy!

21st Anniversary Wolle Christmas Classic
Food Bank Drive

(In support of The Food Bank of Waterloo Region)

 Saturday, December 6th, 2014

Royal LePage Wolle Realty invites you to share the spirit of the holidays by participating in our Christmas Food Bank Classic.  We will be sending invitations out soon for tickets, but for now we are reaching out for donations.

This year is the 21st anniversary of our event and we would like to make it our best year ever!

Once again, this year’s Christmas Food Bank Classic will collect FOOD and CASH donations for The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.  In the past 20 years, we have collected over 20,000 pounds of food and raised $83,000 for The Food Bank. Our utmost gratitude goes out to all our sponsors for their continued support.

Sadly, not everyone will be able to enjoy the holidays, as most of us will.  Each year, more than 85,000 emergency food hampers are distributed throughout Waterloo Region.  Approximately 46% of food hamper recipients are single parent and two-parent families.  About 15% of households have a part-time or full-time job.  24% are receiving Ontario Disability Support.  37% are children under the age of 18.  Putting food on the table will be just one of the many challenges they face not just during the holiday, but every day.

On December 6th we will collect food donations in lieu of admission for a private cinematic movie screening for our clients and their families which will feature a very special visit from Santa Claus, face painters and goodie bags for the kids.

But we would like to do better! That is why we NEED your help. Your corporate donation will help us make an even better difference!

Please join us in helping The Food Bank by making a generous donation of food or cash. A donation of $100 will provide 300 meals.  Donations can be made in person  at our office, mailed to our office at the address below or  below to donate online (please mark a special occasion  as Wolle Christmas Classic)   Please make your cheque payable to The Food Bank of Waterloo Region.  A tax receipt will be issued by The Food Bank for your generous donation. We will recognize all corporate donors on the day of the event and in local publications.  Donations will be accepted up to December 5th.

Our wish is for everyone to have a happy holiday!

At this special time of year, we would like to thank you for joining us in making a difference.

TO DOWNLOAD A PDF COPY OF THIS REQUEST:
CLICK HERE

For more information, please contact:
ROYAL LEPAGE WOLLE REALTY
842 Victoria St., N.,
Kitchener, Ontario
N2B 3C1
PHONE (519) 578-7300
FAX: (519) 742-9904
EMAIL: info@wollerealty.com

TO DONATE ONLINE: CLICK THE “DONATE NOW” BELOW AND MAKE SURE TO CLICK “MARK A SPECIAL OCCASION” THEN SELECT “WOLLE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC”

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By Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) admin    •March 6th, 2013

KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON (March 6, 2013) ––  Residential sales through the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) were down 10.5 percent compared to this month last year while the year-to-date dollar volume of sales was 8 percent above the 5-year average.

A total of 445 residential properties sold last month, a 31.3 percent increase compared to January 2013. February’s residential sales included 297 detached homes (down 9.7 percent compared to February 2012) 81 condos (down 12.9 percent), 36 semis (up 5.9 percent), and 29 freehold townhouses (down 25.6 percent).

“Sales in February showed a healthy increase over January,” says Dietmar Sommerfeld, President of the KWAR. “The reduction in the number of sales on a year over year basis can be attributed to the tightened mortgage rules implemented by the government in mid-2012.”

The average sale price of all homes sold in February increased 5.4 percent to $324,998 from the same time last year. Single detached homes sold for an average price of $368,573, an increase of 5 percent compared to February 2012. Average sale prices for condos rose to $218,591, an 8.8 percent increase from last year and townhomes followed closely with an 8.3 percent bump putting the average selling price at $283,513.

“With continued low mortgage rates we expect a healthy spring market,” says Sommerfeld. “It remains an incredibly good time to buy or sell in our market.”

The KWAR cautions average sale price information can be useful in establishing long term trends, but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is based on the total dollar volume of all residential properties sold.

Consumers uncertain about current market conditions should work with a REALTOR® to develop an effective selling strategy. If you are buying, a REALTOR® will negotiate on your behalf and guide you through every step. A REALTOR® understands the local market and must, by law, look after your best interests.

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By Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) admin    •February 6th, 2013

KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON (February 5, 2013) –– Residential sales through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS® System) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR) were down slightly in January compared to the same month last year.

There were a total of 337 residential properties sold last month, a 2.3 percent decrease compared to the same month last year, and a 23.9 percent increase from December 2012.

“January’s sales were in line with the 10-year average for our area,” Dietmar Sommerfeld, President of the KWAR points out.

January’s residential sales included 237 detached homes (up 6.8 percent compared to January 2012) 49 condos (down 34.7 percent), 24 semis (up 14.3 percent), and 26 freehold townhouses (up 4 percent).

Residential sales between $250 and $349,999 were strong showing a 32 percent (157 vs. 119 units) increase compared to January last year.

The average sale price of all homes sold in January increased half a percent to $319,283 from the same time last year. Single detached homes sold for an average price of $354,540, a decrease of 2.6 percent compared to January 2012. In the condominium market the average sale price in January was $212,408, a 4.7 percent decrease compared to the same month a year ago.

The KWAR cautions average sale price information can be useful in establishing long term trends, but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is based on the total dollar volume of all residential properties sold.

Consumers uncertain about current market conditions should work with a REALTOR® to develop an effective selling strategy. If you are buying, a REALTOR® will negotiate on your behalf and guide you through every step. A REALTOR® understands the local market and must, by law, look after your best interests.

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The “as is” condition might mean the homeowner does not have the time or money to make repairs, or in the case of a foreclosure or estate sale, the seller may not be familiar with the condition of the house.

By Joe Richer |   Fri Jan 25 2013 |  moneyville.ca

Q: What do I need to know about buying a home listed in “as is” condition?

A: When a home is listed for sale “as is,” it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is in a poor state of repair. The term simply means the property is being sold in its current condition and the seller will not be making any repairs to complete the sale.

The “as is” condition might mean the homeowner does not have the time or money to make repairs, or in the case of a foreclosure or estate sale, the seller may not be familiar with the condition of the house.

Whatever the reason, if you’re interested in the property, the only way to know the true condition is to have a home inspection carried out. Consider including a contingency clause in your offer based on your satisfaction with the inspection. If a deficiency with a budget-busting repair cost is uncovered during the inspection, you’ll want the option to walk away without penalty.

The advantage of an as is sale is the purchase price may be comparatively lower than similar properties in the neighbourhood. But be sure to factor in the cost of repairs and renovations when accounting for the total cost of the purchase.

Buying as is isn’t for everyone. If you’re planning to ask the owner to address a defect or are unwilling to follow-through on the purchase if the inspector finds anything wrong, you’re probably best to avoid making an offer on an as is property.

If you have a question for Joe, email askjoe@reco.on.ca. Joseph Richer is RECO’s registrar and is in charge of the administration and enforcement of all rules under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act. You can find more tips at reco.on.ca, follow on Twitter @RECOhelps or on YouTube at youtube.com/recohelps.

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