Tag Archive: real estate
April 18, 2016Very very early in my career and many times since, my father, who preceded me in the family real estate brokerage, would say to me: take notes, someday you may want to write a book. Save for these articles, I have yet to heed his advice. Having had the fortunate opportunity to observe the habits of professionals for almost 30 years now, some recurring themes begin to emerge. And while my observations are generally of the real estate industry, they... View Article
March 4, 2016 
Looking for a long-term home? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before buying. Buying a home can be an overwhelming process. Relax. Yes, buying a home is a huge commitment – but if you ask yourself a few key questions, you can increase your likelihood of ensuring that you buy a fantastic home that you’ll love for decades into the future. If you plan on buying a property that you can call “home” for the rest of... View Article
January 18, 2016 
My wife started a family tradition when the kids were quite young. Each New Years Eve, we would sit together, and jot down on our respective pieces of paper our personal goals -resolutions if you will- that we had for the coming year. Twelve months later we would repeat the process with the added amusement of reading what we had written the previous New Years Eve. The cramped jar has become a testament to my personal shortcomings, as a review... View Article
July 20, 2015 
The Bank of Canada lowered the prime lending rate this past week, in a move that garnered very little attention in the media. For the better part of a generation, interest rates have been low, so a move from almost zero, to a little closer to zero raises few eyebrows. As my livelihood is closely and visibly tied to people’s willingness to spend borrowed money, I notice these things. It is easy to take cheap money for granted, but it... View Article
March 11, 2015 
On my commute from work one day last month, I caught the tail end of a story on CFRB about a recently deceased gentleman who left the majority of his life’s fortune to those who provided for his care in his final days – in this case, the local hospital. The public interest component of the story is not so much the amount of the fortune, but rather assumption of the local town folk in Brattleboro Vermont that Mr. Read... View Article
December 30, 2014 
My first job in real estate, had nothing to do with listing or selling houses-rather I was the eight year old office cleaner at my fathers small brokerage; Herb Neumann Real Estate. His office at the time was located on the corner of Woolwich and Cardigan street, in an old house that sat on what is now an empty parking lot. Early on Saturday mornings I would come into the office, vacuum, dust and empty the trash cans of all... View Article
October 28, 2014The local real estate market, by any measure, has been on a strong bull run for well over a decade now. Not surprisingly, some people might begin to worry about the security of their real estate investments, and those of us on the front lines of selling those investments ( for the purposes of this article – all forms of real estate) ought to be confident that the product we are helping our clients acquire are indeed good investments. Nobody... View Article
October 1, 2014Steven R. Covey, in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” -a book first published in 1989- outlines a guide for living an effective life. He does not necessarily say an effective person, is a successful person, but most readers would reach that conclusion on their own. With apologies to Mr. Covey, I have condensed seven habits into two. Giving advice can be a dicey matter. By the very act of being willing to give it, you run... View Article
September 1, 2014Fusion Homes unveiled their long anticipated 5 Arthur Street project on August 27th. The Metal Works‘named in honour of the heritage of the property), promises to be the most transformative mixed use development in Guelph, and a true test of whether Guelph has permanently turned its development back on green-fields, and Guelphites are ready to embrace non traditional infill developments. A project with 600 units, and not a single detached dwelling among them. The project is a reminder that single... View Article
June 1, 2014 Lost in the hustle and bustle of another busy May selling season, was news that could reshape the future development of the City of Guelph. A May 14th article in the Guelph Mercury sheds light on a hoped for change in the development priority of lands yet undeveloped within the city boundary. The city’s official plan speaks to the order of development of these lands. Referring to the official plan, allows developers, home builders, land owners etc… plan... View Article
