Thanks!

I was raised by the addage "Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you." It is with this phrase that I try to live my life, both personally and professionally. That, along with the motto "Be a good person." So, now that I work in the private sector (many of you know I used to be a family therapist in the public sector), I am quite aware that clients and potential clients have many choices out there of REALTORS® with whom to work. It is for that reason, along with my life values that ensure that I'm the BEST REALTOR® I can be. Not a day goes by, that I am not thankful for those who have chosen to work with me in making one of the biggest changes they will make in their lives. As a result, I am always looking for ways to show my clients how thankful I am. This past Saturday (January 23, 2010), I was able to do just that, by having my 3rd Annual Movie Morning Client Appreciation party.

This year, we watched The Tooth Fairy. Cute movie that spent much time discussing the importance in ALWAYS "believing in your dreams." Pretty powerful message, especially at a time in our lives when kids grow up very quickly, and everything can be googled for varification. (And how can you dislike Julie Andrews!) We had about 50 families who were able to attend. Nice turnout! It is SO nice to be able to spend some fun time together, just enjoying something! My one regret is that I didn't have more time to chat with various people. I'll have to figure out a way to do that!

My movie morning is one of my ways of saying "Thanks!" Thanks for allowing me to be part of your lives! Thanks for trusting me with your business and that of your friends and family! Please remember, that my gratitude goes deep.

Have a wonderful week, and don't forget to pay it forward and let others know how you appreciate them!

Until next time!
Jamie

New Listing - Beautiful Family Home!

Please check out my newest listing! It is a 3 bedroom home, with a bedroom in the lower level. 2 1/2 baths as well. This home, located on a quiet court in Barrie, ON, has had many renovations as well: open concept with rounded corners on the main floor, custom kitchen (2001), bathrooms (2005), shingles (2005), and air conditioning (2002). There is laminate throughout the main floor and berber carpeting on upper and lower levels. The house has also been freshly painted. It is located on a large pie-shaped lot, with a park around the corner. Great value, Great location! Asking $249,900. To have your own private showing, call me at 877-252-5242. In the meantime, Click here to see the virtual tour!

2009 Real Estate ended with a Bang!

It is now well into January 2010, and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are as excited as I am about the upcoming year. Certainly 2009 had it's ups and downs, but I hope the overall experience was a good one.

Given it is a new year, it is time to report on the end of year stats for 2009. I'm very pleased to say that we ended the year quite strong. According to information provided by the Barrie District Association of REALTORS®, home sales had increased in units by 56% over December 2008. Not only that, but units sold during the entirety of 2009 were up 7% from the previous year. Similarly, the dollar value from 2008 - 2009 experienced a 7% increase as well. Interestinly, however, is the fact that the average price for a home in the Barrie area remained unchanged in the last couple of years - approximately $264,000.

Given this good news and the conversations I've been having with clients and potential clients tells me that 2010 is going to be a banner year!

To read the full report from the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®, click here.

November stats & Happy Holidays!

Well, it has been another wonderful month in the world of local real estate.  According to the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®, the number of residential sales in November has more than doubled that of November 2009.  That is amazing!  It was last fall, if you remember, when news of the economic crisis began.  Similarly, the prices have been going up from last year.  This November marked $86.9 million in home sales, which is up 110% from levels a year ago.  In contrast, new residential listings in November was down 5% from November last year.  Similarly, the number of active listings available for sale in November 2009 decreased significantly from 2008 during the same time period.  I believe that given the economic status during the past year, many home owners have been more conservative regarding selling their homes.  This not a bad thing, as it allows more homes that are listed to sell rather than become "expired" listings. This is also a factor in helping the market become more balanced. Again, to read the full article, as well as others about housing and the economy, click here.

Given the holidays are soon approaching, childern will be home from school and many parents will be home from work.  If wondering how to spend what ever free time that there may be, there is a wonderful site at the Barrie Public Library, where you can find everything that is going on in the community.  For that calendar, click here.

In the meantime, in case I don't write again next week, I hope you all have a wonderfully warm and happy holiday season, filled with much love and laughter!

Jamie

Barrie Stats and More...

It's been a while since I've posted... Busy couple of weeks. To improve my service to my clients, I've recently hired a non-licensed assistant/client care manager, named Terri Tracey. She has had a great deal of experience working in an office setting, and dealing with the public. Terri and I look forward to working together to continue to bring high quality service to all of our clients.

In addition to that, last week, I attended the Real Estate Update course. As REALTORS®, we take this course every two years to make sure that we are all staying current on what is happening in our industry. Not only is it informative, it is a great way to touch base with other REALTORS® in the community, with whom I work on a daily basis. One thing I really enjoy about working in Simcoe County, is that it is a fairly small community (as compared to the GTA). We get to work with great colleagues from all of the different offices around the area.

Then, on Friday, I attended another seminar, to again further my knowledge in building systems into the way I work. By having outlined systems, we are then able to ensure that every step is taken care of for each client - nothing gets missed. By doing this, I'm then able to concentrate on each client's unique needs.

That, along with client matters has kept me very busy.

In relation to actual Real Estate news, I'm VERY pleased to have recently read the October 2009 Statistics from the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. This past October marked the highest level of sales on record for the area served by our Board. The sales activity jumped 39% from last October, in addition to being the 5th consecutive increase from previous year's levels. This is great news for those who want to make a move, and great news for our economy!

To read the full report, as well as other reports that talk about employment trends, interest rate changes, consumer confidence and migration, click here .

Until next time! Jamie

Hard to get financing - there is another way

I know with the economy today, many people are wanting to get into the real estate market, and are having difficulties. Often times, the challenges don't result from not having a job. Sometimes, people are self employed or have had bad credit in the past. This credit issue could even be a bankruptcy that hasn't yet been discharged. Certainly if you can get financing through a mortgage specialist, that is ideal as you can take advantage of the great rates at the present time. But, if that is not an option for you, there is another way.

Not too long ago, I came across a very good Rent-To-Own program. After a fair bit of research of their documentation, I learned a lot. A prosective Buyer fills out an application, gets approved (or not), and uses that approval to "purchase" their home. What I like about this particular program is that they work with Buyers to help repair credit issues, work with them to ensure that they can pay their mortgage (even if rates rise), as well as helping them save toward the eventual down payment that they would need at the end of the term. Certainly, this program is not for everyone. The Buyers do need a down payment, as well as enough money to pay the monthly rent/monthly credit. The Buyers also must ensure that their payments are not late, as it jeapordizes the contract.

So, if this sounds like something that you would be interested in learning more about, let me know.

In the meantime, click here to read more about the program.

Tour of Barrie, ON

Just came across this great video showing more pictures about Barrie, and the surrounding areas. Our beautiful city has SO much to offer in terms of nature, theatre, education, and more! What are YOUR favourite things about Barrie, ON?

Please click here to see the video