Top 10 Advantages Of Buying A New Home

1. New homes are built with the latest construction technologies and according to the newest construction code in order to give new home owners high levels of energy efficiency, durability and access to the latest and innovative construction practices.

2. New homes require much less up keeping than a resale home.  The combination of the latest technologies with established craftsmanship allow you to know what you will get instead of surprise.

3. Get what you want:  new construction will be tailored to your needs and desires, saving you time and money from a long and often complicated updating project on an older property.

4. Chose the builder you want, based on reputation, location and service.  Professional new home builders are proud of their work, they have skills, experience and integrity to do the job right, and they are committed to your satisfaction.

5.  Chose the floorplan suited for your needs.  You can visit many model homes, virtual plans, drawings, all in order to build the house the way you want it.  With a multitude of upgrades to provide further flexibility.

6. Greener homes:  from better insulation, to more energy efficient windows and doors to higher efficiency heating and cooling, today's new homes are greener then ever.

7.  Peace of mind.  Every new home built today in Ontario is covered by the Tarion Warranty program. 

8. Not just a home, a community.  Many new homes are built in new communities, where there is consistent design among the homes and careful attention paid to public elements such as landscaping and street lighting.  New home communities generally offer parks, schools, shopping and recreational amenities close at hand.

9.  Indoor air quality.  Clean air, a comfortable moisture level and no mold or lingering odours - new homes are designed to give you and your family the best possible indoor living environment.

10.  Safety.  Constructed to the latest building codes, a new home includes a wide range of safety measures to protect you and your family, from electrical circuit protectors and safety glass to hard-wired smoke detectors.

If you are looking to purchase a new home please contact me so we can discuss your situation.  Also, I can help you sell your house quickly and for top dollar.

March Durham Region Market Update

The spring market is off to a slower start compared to last year.  The Durham Region housing market reported 948 sales for the month of March.  This represents a 26% increase compared to February but sales for the first quarter have fallen 15% compared to the first quarter of 2012.

The inventory of re-sale homes on the market increased significantly in March.  Durham Region saw 1,508 new listings enter the market, an increase of 30% compared to last month.  As of the end of March there were 1,559 re-sale homes available in Durham Region which is still a 15% decline over last year.

The average selling price in March fell slightly to $347,055 compared to $353,114 in February but this month's average still represents a strong 6% increase compared to this time last year.  So there is still growth in the Durham Region even if we see minor fluctuations month-to-month.

If you would like more information on local housing or a home evaluation done, please contact me.  As a member of the Durham Association of Realtor's I have access to information to answer most of your real estate questions.  Please feel free to email me or visit my website at www.BowmanvilleRealEstateInfo.net.

Five Important Tips When Buying A New Home

Buying a new home can be both an exciting, and at time, overwhelming experience.  Choosing the perfect floor plan and designingyour dream kitchen are only part of the puzzle.  The key to ensuring your experience is a rewarding one is to go through the process with open eyes and ears, reading all important materials and understanding the process from start to finish.  Here are some tips to help ensure your home buying experience goes smoothly:

• Research your builder: All builders in Ontario must be registered with Tarion.  The first step when purchasing a new home is to learn whether your builder is registered.  This can be done be visiting tarion.com and clicking on "licensed Builder Directory."  All licensed builders in Ontario are listed in this database as well as their service record for the past 10 years.  If you don't find your builder registered here, call Tarion at 1-877-9-TARION to ensure you are not purchasing an illegally built home.

• Understand deposit protection and delayed closings: Builders are entitled to extend the closing or occupancy date specified in a purchase agreement as long as they provide proper notice.  (When proper notice is not given, buyers are eligible for delayed closing or occupancy compensation.)  It's a good idea to read up on your rights and responsibilities in delayed closing or occupancy situations.

• Do a thorough inspection: This ensures that construction is done in a workmanlike manner, is free from defects and is constructed in accordance with the Ontario Building Code.  The inspection task generally falls on the homeowner.  Some homeowners don't feel that they have the expertise to properly assess the condition of the new house and hire a home inspector to guide them.  Remember to ask the inspector if he/she is qualified to assess the work on a newly built home.

• Take care of your home: All new houses and condominiums in Ontario come with a warranty that lasts seven years from the date of the first possession.  In order to ensure your home stays covered, you need to perform regular seasonal maintenance.  Check out Tarion.com for a full list of season maintenance tasks that should be performed on a new home.

• Know your warranty rights: Once you provide the down payment for your new home, it's protected under the new Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.  This warranty comes with certain obligations, so it's important to understand the statuory warranty process.  Your builder is required to provide you with a Homeowner Information Package prior to moving into your new house or condominium which fully explains your rights and obligations.

If you have any questions about purchasing a home whether it's a resale, new home, townhouse or property please give me a call or email me jeremy@jeremyromano.com and I would be glad to help you.

Bowmanville Market Update

The spring real estate market in Clarington (includes Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle, Orono and Rural Clarington) is currently a hot sellers market and single family home sales are increasing. I am confident that right now is a great time to buy whether you are an investor, first time home buyer or looking to upgrade your home. Start your Clarington home search now!

According to the Durham Real Estate Board: “Housing prices in the Durham area have increased. Single family dwelling prices in February mirrored prices in January and are still going up.  So now is the time to sell, to receive your free online home evaluation visit my website and enter your information.

The average* price of a single family property was $329, 700 in February.

Residential sales in February were up 10% from the previous February 2012 and listings were down from 2012.  In February we had an average list price of $335,196.  The average sold to % list was 98.57.  The average days on market was 24 days.  The quick sale we had in February the house was on the market for a day.

Average prices indicate market trends only. They do not reflect actual prices, which vary from house to house and area to area. For information on a specific area, contact Jeremy Romano today!

Kawartha Lakes Market Update

The spring real estate market in Kawartha Lakes (includes Bethany, Janetville, Pontypool, Lindsay, Bobacygeon, Dunsford and Fenelon Falls) is just around the corner and single family home sales are increasing.  I am confident that right now is a great time to buy whether you are an investor, first time home buyer or looking to upgrade your home.  Start your Kawartha home search!

According to the Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Board: “Housing prices in the Kawartha Lakes area remained stable in a number of areas and dropped a little in others. Single family dwelling prices in February mirrored prices in January four months of decline.

The average* price of a single family property was $256,000 in February. 

Residential sales in February were up 10% from the previous February 2012 and listings were down from 2012.  We had a higher number of homes expire and not sell in 2013.

February 2012 Activity                       2013                   2012

Total # of listings                               222                     254

Total # of Expires                               47                        41

Total # of Sales                                  99                        90

The most homes sold was 21 in the price range from $260,000-$349,999. Average prices indicate market trends only. They do not reflect actual prices, which vary from house to house and area to area. For information on a specific area, contact Jeremy Romano today!

Durham Region Sees Increase In Selling Prices And Number Of Sales In 2012

Durham Region - The Durham Region Association of REALTORS (DRAR) reported 410 sales for the month of December which brings the total sales for the year to 10,549 an increase of 7.6% over last year.  Brock and Clarington municipalities saw the largest year-over-year increases of 15% and 17% respectively.

The average price of a home in the region was $327,271 in December which brings the average price for the year to $335,991.  This figure represents an increase of 5.6% compared to 2011.  "Average selling prices and the number of sales are up this year and we expect that trend to continue in 2013," commented Ian Smith, President of the Durham Region Association of REALTORS.

"Durham Region continues to offer homeowners great amenities.  The expansion of Highway 7, the widening of Bloor Street and the extension of the 407 will bring many new opportunities.  These improvements in transportation access to and from Durham Region will make Durham an even better place to live and work," added President Smith.

Durham REALTORS, We Work Where You Live.  Contact Jeremy Romano a local member of Durham Association for more specific and local housing statistics or search for a weekend open house or listings in your neighbourhood.  Email me at jeremy@jeremyromano.com or give me a call at the office at 905-686-3711 Ext 233.

This information was courtesy of the Durham Region Association of REALTORS.

Five Important Tips When Buying A New Home

Buying a new home can be both an exciting, and at times, an overwhelming experience.  Choosing the perfect floor plan and designing your dream kitchen are only part of the puzzle.  The key to ensuring your experience is a rewarding one is to go through the process with open eyesand ears, reading all important materials and understanding the process from start to finish.  Here are some tips to help ensure your home buying experience goes smoothly:

• Research your builder: All builders in Ontario must be registered with Tarion.  The first step when purchasing a new home is to learn whether your builder is registered.  This can be done by visiting tarion.com and clicking on "Licensed Builder Directory".  All licensed builders in Ontario are listed in this database as well as their service record for the past 10 years.  If you don't find your builder registered here, call Tarion at 1-877-9-Tarion to ensure you are not purchasing an illegally built home.
• Understand deposit protection and delayed closings: Builders are entitled to extend the closing or occupancy date specified in a purchase agreement as long as they provide proper notice. (When proper notice is not given, buyers are eligible for delayed closing or occupancy compensation.)  It's a good idea to read up on your rights and responsibilities in delayed closing or occupancy situations.
• Do a thorough inspection: This ensures that construction is done in a workmanlike manner, is free from defects and is constructed in accordance with the Ontario Building Code.  The inspection task generally falls on the homeowner.  Some homeowners don't feel that they have the expertise to properly assess the condition of the new house and hire a home inspector to guide them.  Remember to ask the inspector if he/she is qualified to assess the work on a newly built home.
• Take care of your home: All new homes and condominiums in Ontario come with a warranty that lasts seven years from the date of the first possession.  In order to ensure your home stays covered, you need to perform regular seasonal maintenance.  Check out Tarion.com for a full list of season maintenance tasks that should be performed on a new home.
• Know your warranty rights: Once you provided the down payment for your new home, it's protected under the new Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.  This warranty comes with certain obligations, so it's important to understand the statutory warranty process.  Your builder is required to provide you with a Homeowner Information Package prior to moving into your new house or condominium which fully explains your rights and obligations.  If you do not receive this package, an electronic copy is available at Tarion.com

If you have questions about purchasing or selling a new home please email or give me a call.

Professional Advice For Finding That All-Important Location

Of course, the first step in deciding on a new home is your lifestyle at present and how your lifestyle will change over the next few years.  Are you active in sports?  If so, a location with a nearby recreational facility would be ideal.  Are you a nature lover?  Then perhaps an area with parks and walking trails would suit you.  Think about yourself and your family and decide what you enjoy doing and what type of lifestyle you would enjoy in your new home.

Your ideal home may not be ideal anymore if it's downwind from the garbage dump, or if your home is right next to a freeway overpass.  Think about the view.  Will you like what you see every time you look out your windows?  Selecting where you want to live is as important as deciding what type of dwelling you'd like to live in.

Consider how far your selected neighbourhood is from where you work, how far you're willing to commute and your lifestyle.  You'll also think about schools if you have, or planning to have, children.  And what about medical facilities, places of worship, public transportation and recreation?

If you're contemplating the move to an unfamiliar neighbourhood, take the time to go exploring.  Walk around, drive around, get a feel for the distance to the nearest convenience store, the commute.  Make some notes.  Take the neighbourhood tour at different times of the day and contact the local municipal office to find out what future developments are planned.

If you are thinking about selling or buying a house and would like more information please feel free to contact me.  I would be happy to help!

How To Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal

Men and women who have tried to sell a home are likely fimiliar with the phrase "curb appeal".  Curb appeal is similar to getting ready for a big date, only you're not dressing yourself up to make a strong first impression.  Instead, improving curb appeal involves dressing your home up in the hopes it makes a strong first impression on prospective buyers, many of whom will have a strong opinion about the property before they even get out of their cars to have a look around.

A home with strong curb appeal can entice buyers who are likely to believe that a home with a well maintained exterior is likely to have an equally impressive interior.  Homeowners who want the process of selling their home to go smoothly can improve the property's curb appeal in a number of ways, many of which don't necessitate a substantial home improvement budget.

Clean up.  The most effective way to improve curb appeal is to clean up the property.  Many homeowners are savvy enough to remove toys and other items from the yard before showing a home, but cleaning up goes beyond removing clutter from the property.

Make sure all hedges are trimmed and remove weeds, sticks and other debris from any flower beds.  Lay mulch in the flower beds and garden, as mulch prevents weed growth while helping the soil retain moisture, resulting in a more attractive gardens to catch a buyer's eye.

Give your home the edge.  Edging is another easy and effective way to improve curb appeal.  Edge driveways, sidewalks and other walkways around the property, removing or trimming anything that is hanging over the driveway or walkways.  If the boundary between your driveway and lawn is not distinct, consider installing edging materials such as stone or bricks.  The edging can be level with  the driveway or elevated, but keep in mind that elevated driveway edging can protect the lawn, preventing kids from riding their bicycles onto the lawn or cars from driving onto it.  Adding edging is not a very difficult do it yourself project.

Take to the trees.  Many homeowners grow accustomed to overgrown trees around their property and may not notice that low-hanging, unsightly branches are hiding the home from view.  Buyers want to see the house, so take to the trees and trim any branches that hang too low or obscure your home.

Clean the gutters.  Leaves and sticks hanging from the gutters are a red flag to buyers, who tend to associate clogged gutters with roof damage.  Clean the gutters thoroughly before putting your home up for sale and keep them clean throughout the selling process.  If your property includes lots of trees, install guards to keep twigs and leaves out of the gutters.

Make the home accessible through the front door.  Many homeowners enter their home through a side dooror through their garage.  If you fall into this category, keep in mind that prospective buyers will be entering through the front door, so make this area accessible.  Clear any clutter, such as over grown hedges, away from the front door, and consider upgrading the door handle to a more modern feature.  In addition, make sure the lock on the front door doesn't stick, forcing the realtor and buyers to immediately struggle before entering the home.  You want buyers and their real estate agents to get in and out of the home as smoothly as possible.

Make sure all plants, including flowers, are living.  Dehydrated or dead plants and flowers are eyesores, and they will give buyers the impression that you didn't pay much attention to your property.  Make sure all plants are alive and thriving and replace those that aren't.  You can replant new flowers or plants or just use potted plants instead.

When purchasing new plants, choose low maintenance varieties that appeal to buyers who want good vibrant plants but might not want to put in much work into the garden.

When selling a home, homeowners can employ a number of tactics to improve their home's curb appeal.  For a FREE report on "How to Make Your House Show Like A Model Without Breaking The Bank" Please email me at jeremy@jeremyromano.com or give me a call and I will forward you out a copy.

Answers To Your Frequently Asked Moving Questions

When should I start planning my move?  The sooner the better.  Arrange for a premove survey well in advance of your anticipated moving date.

What is a pre-move survey?  It is an in-home interview led by your moving consultant to plan your move.  The survey, scheduled at your convenience, generally takes about an hour. 

Your consultant will:

• Estimate the weight of your shipment
• Estimate your packing requirements and identify any special items
• Discuss service needs, such as appliance servicing, crating, and shuttle service
• Review the logistics of the move, including access to the residence and arranging elevator time for high-rises
• Review your responsibilities, explain the moving process, and discuss any personal requirements you might have
• Offer suggestions and options to meet your requirements and budget

Be sure to show the moving consultant everything that has to be moved, including items in storage sheds, attics, basements, garages, and items stored at other locations.

How do you calculate moving charges for a long distance move?  Long distance moving charges are based on a combination of weight and distance.  Your moving consultant will use a per hundredweight charge for your shipment from the published tariff schedule of rates.

In some cases, a city or other service surcharge may be assessed on a per hundredweight basis.

Packing charges are based either on a per unit basis or on a per hundredweight basis.  Specialty services, such as crating, appliance servicing, automobile transport, pets or plant transport, and replacement cost protection, are charged separately.

How can I keep my moving costs in line?  The best way to reduce moving costs is to lighten the load.  Do you really need to take everything with you?  Have a garage sale.  Give things away or donate them to charity.  The less you move, the less it costs.

If you are on a very tight budget, consider packing non-breakables such as books, linens and clothing.  However, it is usually best to have professional movers pack your china, crystal, and other breakables to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.

Are there items that cannot be moved?  There are a number of things that cannot be moved for safety reasons, including aerosols, flammables, cleaning agents, combustibles, perishables, plants, ammunition, and paints.  Your consultant can give you a complete list.

Items such as jewellery, coin collections, stock certificates, currency, and important documents are not covered under mover's transit protection.  For your own peace of mind, either take these items with you or make separate shipping arrangements.

Are you looking to Buy or Sell a house?  I would love to help you please email me at jeremy@jeremyromano.com or give me a call 1-800-649-9705 x7.