Lots happened in 2015, whether you’re discussing world news, domestic politics, economy, and personal movement from a lot of people. It was a fantastic year for some, a slow year for others, and a painful year for a few. But 2015 is behind us now, and it’s time to look towards 2016! Part of my job is to speculate things to come in the market and advise people when it’s a good time to make their move. Guess what I’m about to say? (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Property’
New Year, New Home (?)
Posted: January 8, 2016 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: 2016, business, community, homes, Matt Johnston, new year, Norfolk County, planning, Property, re/max
Fences make Great Neighbours
Posted: June 13, 2014 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: backyard, business, community, Curb appeal, fences, For Sale, home, homes, Lake Erie, Matt Johnston, Norfolk County, Port Dover, privacy, Property, re/max, Real Estate, Simcoe, Waterford
We’ve all heard that statement, right? And lets face it, there’s a lot of truth to it. Fences offer privacy, let you keep a dog in the yard without worries, sometimes even adds a level of security to your property. If you don’t already have a fence around your backyard though, what do you need before you put one up? (more…)
Who doesn’t love a contest??
Posted: August 4, 2013 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: business, community, Contests, Down payment, For Sale, home, Matt Johnston, money, Norfolk County, Port Dover, Property, re/max, Real Estate, Simcoe, Waterford
No one, that’s who! Well, ok, maybe not no one, but if there’s a good prize at the end of it, and no real commitment to enter, of course people love it. Guess what I have for you! An incredible contest with an even more incredible prize!! Ok, so what’s the biggest out of pocket expense when buying a home? This one’s easy…it’s your down payment. 5% of your total borrowing costs. That’s a huge chunk! Read on, my friends…read on… (more…)
Picture perfect (sometimes…)
Posted: April 3, 2013 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: business, community, For Sale, homes, Matt Johnston, Norfolk County, photography, pictures, Port Dover, Property, re/max, Real Estate, REALTOR, Simcoe, Waterford
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. A picture is a piece of art. And I’m here to say that pictures can make or break your listing. Let’s talk about this for a bit, because it’s a bit of a personal pet peeve. (more…)
What is “Curb Appeal” ?
Posted: February 24, 2013 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: business, community, Curb appeal, For Sale, home, Lake Erie, Matt Johnston, Norfolk County, Port Dover, Property, re/max, Real Estate, Simcoe, Waterford
Silly question, right? Well, maybe not. Odds are, if you’re thinking of selling your house then you’ve lived in it for a while now. Driving up to it every day, seeing it all the time, it’s natural to look at it under a different light than potential buyers.
Curb appeal is the physical attractiveness of your home from the outside…specifically the curb. (I know, but sometimes it’s necessary to state the obvious to make a point). Most buyers are doing their preliminary house hunting online, and a lot of them will do a “drive by” of a potential home before they call up their agent to have a look inside. Does your home stack up? If someone drove past your house, from the street does it look enticing enough to make people want to look further? That’s our goal here.
Not all inspections are done equally…
Posted: December 2, 2012 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: business, Erie, home, home inspection, homes, inspection, Lake Erie, Matt Johnston, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Port Dover, Property, re/max, Real Estate, Simcoe, Waterford
Ok, so this is something I have a lot of experience with, and I have no doubt any of my REALTOR friends will agree with me here. If you’re in the market to buy a home, please read on and take to heart some of the things I have to say.
It’s pretty common knowledge that an integral part of any home purchase will include a Home Inspection (and if you’re looking in the country include a water and septic one as well, as a standard home inspection will not cover these items). We have to remember, however, just what exactly this home inspection is FOR. (more…)
Is investing really a good idea?
Posted: November 15, 2012 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: business, community, homes, investment, Matt Johnston, Norfolk, Port Dover, Property, Real Estate, Simcoe
For the past several years I’ve now helped many people buy into their dreams of owning real estate. There are a lot of people reluctant to buy, however, and I’ve heard a ton of reasons as to why. Many of the reasons are sound, and I would never dispute anyone’s personal reasons on why they wouldn’t invest in real estate…well, some of the time, anyways! One thing I want to clear up is the phrase “now is not a good time to buy…”
The question I have to that is why not? I personally think that it’s always a good time to buy! Now before anyone gets defensive on me here, let me explain. It’s all about time. Not timing, but time itself. I just read an artical writen by Paul Kondakos who mirrored most of what I have been saying to people, so I’m going to reiterate some of the key thoughts we seem to share.
Property who?
Posted: April 4, 2010 in Let's buy a Home... (or sell one...)Tags: home, Johnston, Matt, Matt Johnston, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Property, Real Estate, sale, Simcoe
Today, when thinking of selling your home, there are a ton of options to you. Cropping up lately are several companies who make claims that they will make it easy for you to do it yourself, but really how easy is it?