Christina, Author at Lets Talk Real Estate Team

Christina, Author at Lets Talk Real Estate Team - Page 12 of 19

Guelph’s top-rated schools make moving decisions easy

Guelph Today Spotlight article:

What do you do when your kids are already in school and have a big group of close friends in the neighbourhood, but you want to move? Do you make do with a home you’ve long outgrown or put off plans to expand your family?

Realtor® Nick FitzGibbon sees this all the time. Families have kids who are attending a great school that they love, and they worry about moving and starting all over again.

“People fall in love with the schools their kids go to,” he says. “They want to look for a house in the same school zone, which is completely understandable.”

Fortunately, you’ve already built up some equity after living in your home for several years, which makes moving a possibility worth getting excited about.

The numbers are encouraging too, and the latest market stats for the City of Guelph are in. The average sales price for the month of August was $886,089 for a single-family home, $644,811 for a townhome and $534,631 for an apartment or condo.

Another big draw for parents is French immersion schools. In Guelph, houses that are close to a French immersion school are at a real advantage on the market, he explains.

In fact, you can’t really make a bad decision. Guelph has several top-rated schools, including Edward Johnson Public School, Sir Isaac Brock Public School, St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School and Westminster Woods Public School, to name just a few.

“All the schools in Guelph that we were looking at were good,” says Chris Valeriote. “My wife and I went through the system ourselves, we had friends who went to all the schools throughout the area. We knew that the quality of the schools in Guelph is high, in our opinion, and so no matter where you want to move, you’re going to get a good experience.”

Moving a young family

Chris and Brittany Valeriote moved in December 2019, just months before the start of the pandemic. The Valeriotes know the area well; both grew up in Guelph, went away and came back, and knew that their next move was going to be into their family home.

“What was most important was we knew the area we wanted to be in. We were very familiar with the area because we grew up in that ecosystem,” says Chris.

As a child, he went to John McCrae Public School on Water Street in Guelph and loved it, especially being able to walk back and forth to school. He wanted the same thing for his own children, so they moved into a home that is a 10-minute-walk from the school his five-year-old daughter attends. She started JK there last year and her little brother, who is two and a half, goes to a daycare run onsite by the YMCA; it allows him and his wife to be able to drop both kids off in the same spot each day.

Chris knew it was important to work with a residential Realtor®. FitzGibbon knew exactly what Chris needed, where the couple were looking and what they were looking for, supporting them through the entire process. There were a few neighbourhood pockets they had expressed interest in, and, in their case, they weren’t choosing a house based on a specific school.

It was more a question of where their house would be located in relation to the school. The Valeriotes wanted their children to be able to walk to school with their friends. There is already a little group of five kids who are able to walk to school together—with their parents right behind them, of course.

Chris can picture how it will all play out. As the kids get older, they can walk to and from school together, go to each other’s houses and play in each other’s backyards after school.

“I think there was a lot of planning on my wife’s part. From my perspective, we kind of fell backwards into a really good situation,” he laughs. “I’m sure it was all set up and it was her grand plan. This was all mapped out.”

His advice for other families is not to worry too much about the school itself. You can pick anywhere and still have a good experience, he advises, whether you’re in the suburbs, downtown or the university area. “You can’t really make a wrong choice. It’s more a question of how does that location work for you? Does it fit the lifestyle you want?”

Advice for buyers

FitzGibbon loves to point clients toward the Find My School website. Just type in the address of the house you’re interested in to find out which public elementary and high schools are nearby.

Just remember there could be a price difference, depending on which school district you’re looking at. “Potentially there could be more expensive houses, bigger lots, maybe even estate housing can come into play,” he says.

His best advice for those considering school district as a factor is to discuss it with their Realtor®. “A Realtor®’s job is to have the inside track and knowledge as to what will be coming up for sale and what is for sale in certain areas. If you have an area you want to be in based on schooling, your Realtor® is going to be your best bet to help you find that house,” he says.

For more information, visit Nick FitzGibbon’s Let’s Talk Real Estate or call 519-821-3600.

Talk to your kids about bus safety, even if this is not their first year, everyone needs a reminder.

If your child is older and heading back to school on the bus, talk to them about the new little ones on their bus remind them that it is a scary experience for them and try to look out for them and make them feel safe and happy. A little kindness goes a long way.

Your bus driver needs to concentrate on his or her driving, it is so important to talk quietly on the bus with no yelling.

Remember if your child can touch the bus when it comes to a stop, then they are too close and unsafe.

LISTED BELOW ARE A FEW LINKS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS:

https://www.findmyschool.ca/Eligibility

Bus safety:

https://www.stwdsta.ca/school-bus-safety-smarts/

COVID-19

http://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-health-and-safety-measures-schools

During these unprecedented times, kids all over will be going back to school with new rules due to COVID-19. This also included the bus ride to school and home.

-Masks are mandatory for all children including Kindergarten students.

-Make sure your child washes their hands for 20 seconds with soap, before they leave home. This will help with the spread of all germs not only COVID-19

-Pack extra masks in your Child’s backpack (Neck warmers and scarves are not a replacement for masks)

-There is a new NO-3 H Rule when back to school starts.

NO HUGS
NO HAND SHAKES
NO HIGH-FIVES

Reminder of bus rules:

Arrive 5 minutes before your bus arrives.
Line up 2 meters apart
The bus driver will tell you when to enter the bus
Always use the handrails to enter the bus and to leave the bus
Never push or shove inside
When getting off the bus always take 10 giant steps away from the bus
Always fill the back of the bus first, some buses may have your Childs name on the window side for a seating plan
No throwing items inside the bus or out the windows
Keep your head, hands, and arms inside at all times
Always remain in your seat until the bus comes to a full stop when arriving at your stop

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After a hot summer and a lot of people taking the much-needed time to recharge, we are feeling a surge of energy in the market and around the office today. Average sale prices of homes across the city are still on the rise as we look back at each month this year. A popular sales strategy is still to hold off on reviewing any offers for 5-7 days which can certainly affect the days on market statistics. Guelph still seems to be a popular spot for GTA purchasers and this trend will most likely continue into the Fall which is music to sellers’ ears.

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As we can all attest, the big news so far this year has been this explosive seller’s market. It has become the “norm” for properties to sell substantially over the asking price and to expect multiple offers on almost all listings.

As the research shows, the market is certainly still a seller’s market but signs of slowing have appeared. Properties are now averaging 2.5% over their asking price which is down from 6% just one month ago in May.

Also, we are seeing a slow down in the number of competing situations on properties. This may be a sign that sellers are listing their properties higher, therefore alleviating the multiple offer situation, or there are fewer buyers in the market who are willing to compete.

As it stands, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for some buyers and I believe sellers are still sitting in a very strong position with the average sale price of homes in Guelph still being up 20% in June compared to June 2020.

As always, never hesitate to reach out with any questions.

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As a homeowner, we always want to put our best foot forward when preparing to sell our home. It is my job to collect and research all information and details about your home before listing it. But to help leave a lasting impression here is a little tip that homeowners can prepare to create a lasting memory on potential buyers…

Add a handwritten or typed note, offering the potential home buyers a welcoming feeling into your home and the neighbourhood. This note could include a little about your neighbours, your favorite parks close by, favorite features of the home, pictures of the home in the opposite season, etc. Basically, a short and sweet welcoming message to help paint the more personal side of purchasing a home.

You could even go a step further and focus on the finer details it should only take you a few minutes but have a huge impact! Things you could include in a more detailed piece:

Parks & paths
Favourite pizza or burger spots
Best date night restaurants nearby
Recreational activities in your neighbourhood
Pet-friendly areas
Local annual events – be sure not to miss these!
Fun places to explore when family & friends come to visit
Places of worship
Garbage & recycle day pickups
Home services you may use (snow removal, cleaner etc.)
Babysitter
Neighbours to the left & right (list their first names)

Relocating to a new neighbourhood can be overwhelming (especially if moving from outside of Guelph), so providing a welcoming note will paint a picture that they are already part of the community.

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MAY MARKET REPORT:

Compared to May 2020 you can see our numbers are rising for yet another month this year. I do not see the average sale price decreasing at all in 2021 but I do predict the rate at which it is climbing to level out in the coming months. One reason for this is the change in mortgage rates.

The department of finance has announced at as of June 1st insured mortgages will be given the same stress test as uninsured mortgages. The stress test for both will either be the current rate plus 2% or 5.25%, whichever is greater.

With these tighter rules, what does this mean for you? These new rules are in place simply to protect borrowers in the event of mortgage rates rising, which of course they inevitably will given the current low rate. This will not make a huge impact on borrowing but we encourage you to reach out to a mortgage specialist for more details and information.

Only time will tell if this will impact our strong market in Guelph. I predict over the summer we will see the market soften and see less competition and more reasonable sales numbers. With the stress test now in place, it can affect borrowing power by 3-4% which could ultimately change people’s decision to move.

Stay cool,

Nick

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Your Final Walk-Through: Why It Matters and What to Check

As you approach closing day, there’s one last (and very important) step — the final walk-through. We strongly encourage you to attend this walk-through, typically scheduled the day before closing. This is your opportunity to inspect the property one last time and ensure everything is in the expected condition before the keys officially change hands.

It’s crucial to note: any issues discovered after closing generally become your responsibility to fix. That’s why this step is so important — to protect your investment and avoid any unwelcome surprises when you move in.

To help guide you through the process, we’ve created a comprehensive Final Walk-Through Checklist. I’ll be right there with you to go over everything, but reviewing this list in advance will give you a better understanding of what we’re looking for — and why it matters.

Final Walk-Through Checklist

Take your time and inspect the following:

- Test the heating and air conditioning systems.
- Test all major appliances to ensure they’re working properly.
- Run the garbage disposal and exhaust fans, including the range hood.
- Turn on and off all light fixtures.
- Run water in all sinks and check underneath for leaks.
- Test the garage door openers.
- Open and close all doors to ensure they function properly.
- Flush all toilets.
- Inspect ceilings, walls, and floors for any visible damage.
- Open and close all windows to ensure proper function.
- Check that all personal items and debris have been removed from the home, garage, and any outbuildings like sheds.

What Happens If Something’s Wrong?

If we find anything that isn’t functioning properly or appears damaged, we will:

Document the issue with photos.
Send a detailed description and estimated cost to your lawyer for review.

This process isn’t meant to cause stress — it’s simply a safeguard to ensure you take ownership of a home in the condition you agreed upon. After all, buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, and it’s our job to make sure everything goes smoothly right up to the finish line.

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Below is the Guelph Today article on two amazing young women dedicated to sport and their community. I feel stories like these need to be shared and told in our community. It empowers their peers as well as highlights them as amazing role models to other young people in our community. I am working with Guelph Today to help highlight stories like this one, in order to shed some positive light and elevate our athletes who work so hard! If you have a story you would like to share about a student-athlete please reach out OR go to the Sports Celebrations page on Guelph Today and share!

Guelph Union the city’s first semi-pro women’s sports team

Student-athletes Sayan and Tessa Ladhani share their story

Sisters Sayan and Tessa Ladhani are two young student-athletes who attend the University of Guelph. Both went to local GCVI high school, are dedicated to their studies, play soccer for the Guelph Gryphons and give back to their communities. They will be putting on the Guelph Union jersey this summer to play for the new semi-pro women’s soccer team in Guelph.

By any measure, these two are doing everything right.

Sayan Ladhani

Sayan is studying environmental science and will be going into her final year this Fall. She has also been a leader in sustainability through The Seed.

The Guelph group works to increase accessibility and decrease barriers to healthy food. Sayan began volunteering there in May of last year. She had just come back from a semester abroad which got cut short because of the pandemic and was looking for ways to get involved.

The Seed had created an emergency response program delivering healthy food to those who either couldn’t access or couldn’t afford it. Many just didn’t have a way to get healthy food safely, especially right at the beginning of the pandemic. Sayan volunteered, helping to deliver food baskets, then in the summer got a job working for the organization.

“That was really awesome especially because a lot of people didn’t have jobs last summer, so I was really thankful for that opportunity,” says the student. She is hoping to get the Gryphons soccer team involved too, once Covid restrictions ease.

Her desire to help comes from a place of empathy. “I think increasing accessibility to resources and giving everyone the same opportunities is super important,” says Sayan. “Tessa and I are lucky in the sense that we do have a little bit of privilege. We never struggled in any way, so I think that giving back is a really valuable use of my time.”

She also found volunteering personally rewarding and enjoyed the feeling it gave her. She felt part of a community and was grateful to be able to participate.

Sayan has been playing soccer since she was 6. She started in house league and began playing competitively at the age of 10. Currently she plays midfield. She has loved being a student-athlete. “It’s a really great way to feel a part of the university community and I’ve met a lot of amazing people through my time in the athletic community,” she says.

It’s definitely a challenge in terms of the time commitment. In season they’re on the field every day for two hours, they travel to games, go to the gym, and have to balance all of that and school. “It was a challenge, especially at first, but definitely really rewarding in terms of the opportunities that we get, the people we get to meet and the resources we have access to,” says Sayan. “Guelph does a really good job of supporting their student-athletes and that’s something I’m really thankful for.”

“One of the best parts of being a student-athlete is getting to play the sport I love in a really competitive environment, which is something that’s really good about the Union too, and something I’m super excited to be a part of this year.”

The Guelph Union will be the city’s first semi-professional women’s sports team. For young athletes, it’s significant; the only other teams young players could aspire to until now have been university teams.

Sayan thinks the school and city are doing a really good job of promoting women in sport, something that has obviously been a bigger topic recently. The fact that the Guelph Union has its own distinct name (the men’s team is called the Guelph United) goes a long way towards helping differentiate it and allowing it stand on its own.

“We’re really looking to be positive role models for young girls in the community, to show them that there are opportunities, and it is possible for them to do whatever they want with sport.”

She anticipates the Guelph Union will be even more important in the future. “I think that that these first couple of years are going to be awesome in terms of the playing experiences we get, but that the community they’re going to foster and the support they’re going to gain is going to be really important for future generations of girls.”

Tessa Ladhani

Tessa will be entering her third year of studies and is a member of the school’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee for the Department of Athletics. She studies criminal justice and public policy at the University of Guelph.

“My sister and I are visible minorities so that was always a personal experience I was able to feel,” she says. “The school is taking strides towards being more diverse and more equitable, especially after George Floyd and Black Lives Matter happening this summer. I think everywhere they’re trying to make advances towards inclusivity.”

The committee she’s on focuses specifically on how they can make things more accessible to minority groups, whether that’s someone who is a racialized, LGBTQ, has a disability—anyone who needs a space where they can be included. They look at how they can improve the school’s athletic facilities and how the athletic community can be more accepting for everyone.

“I think I’ve always had a pretty strong sense of injustice. Maybe it comes from a place of empathy where you see people struggling in situations and it just doesn’t seem right or there’s something you should be able to do about it,” says Tessa. “I like to be aware of the privilege that I do have and how I can help people from the positions I’m in. I think it’s just something that you need to do when you can, help people—those who are around you and those who aren’t.”

Tessa has been playing soccer since she was 4 or 5. She is a left full-back, a defender for the Gryphons. Like other student-athletes she has been playing sports her whole life. All through elementary and high school she knew she had to manage her time because she had soccer after school. Because of this, she didn’t find there was too much of a time management transition in university.

“I do think it’s been really great in terms of culture, having the team to support you, because university can be stressful. I find I’m way more organized when we’re in season because it helps me manage my priorities,” the athlete says. “It’s just really nice to have the community supporting you, even outside of just the team there’s a whole athletics department that’s behind you.”

In first year, they were given resources to help them manage time. Each player had a student-athlete mentor they would meet with weekly. While this past season they didn’t get to practice much together, the team still got together weekly over Zoom meetings, even doing workouts together virtually, so they still had that sense of support.

Like her sister, Tessa is excited to be playing for the new team this summer. “Guelph Union is a league one team. It’s definitely the first semi-pro team Guelph has for women, which is exciting,” she says.

One of the Gryphons’ women’s alumni is a coach and player there and their head coach is also part of the project behind the scenes. “The coaches are doing a really amazing job emphasizing and supporting women in sports, which kind of gets pushed to the background a little bit. It happens at every level of sports that men’s sports tend to get emphasized, but our coaches have done a really good job of supporting us as female athletes. There are differences but we’re different and equal,” she says.

A lot of the players will be from the Gryphon’s women’s team, so Tessa looks forward to training with them in the summer. Others are from the Guelph area, which has a lot of good local players. She’ll also know several girls from playing youth soccer in Burlington.

Says Tessa, “It’s really just a dream squad.”

The Guelph Union is a new team that is striving to reshape the landscape for women in sport. Are you an athlete or a supporter of local sports? Visit GuelphToday’s Sports Celebrations page and share your story.

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Bitten by the Reno Bug, here are a few things to keep in mind before you start…

WHERE TO SPLURGE & WHERE TO SAVE

No matter the size of the project, you have to start off with knowing your budget and a plan!

Having a plan means doing your homework! Whether this is your first reno or fifth, each project has its own challenges and it’s important to understand what you’re getting into.

Before you start:

Always get references for your tradespeople and contractors! Take a look at past projects, talk to past clients and, if you get a chance visit their current project and check out their site. Is it clean, safe and are those clients happy? Look at the workmanship. If red flags are going up take a step back and ask questions! There are no silly questions and you are spending a lot of money on your principal residence so it is important to have a full understanding of what you will be getting.

Once you have found that local builder that fits your family and you have completed your homework, leave it to the pros. They have a team of professional trades they work with and trust. A good project manager will coordinate your project and take the pressure off your plate.

Always remember to be patient, and schedule update meetings so you know how things are going. It’s better to come to the table with a list of questions than to call every day.

Best of luck, hope this helps when you are ready for your next renovation.

Here’s some advice:

1. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the phrase, always add 30-40% to your budget and timeline for the extras and unexpected issues. Don’t let this scare you off, but rather prepare you for the task at hand.

2. Ask yourself this before you start: Is this your forever home or a short-term stepping stone? This should help guide you in making decisions on finishes and adding upgraded features to your home.

3. Start shopping around and get to know the costs for your finishes that you want to select. There’s a big difference between marble and porcelain, custom cabinets and big box store cabinets etc. If you know what you want ahead of time it will help keep your budget on track.

4. Builders are not mind readers, the more information they have of your expectations upfront will ensure a good working relationship. It’s your money, you have to know what you are getting upfront. Bring samples and pictures of what you like, so there’s no confusion. AND ask questions!

5. Frequent conversations and site visits can help ensure you are aware of what is happening in your home. This is important to help problem-solving and getting ahead of problems before it’s an “issue.”

6. Don’t get caught up in the “wants.” Be realistic when it comes to your own lifestyle and needs.

7. Set your renovations up into different phases. It can help you manage your budget and have more realistic expectations as you move forward.

8. Do-it-yourself demo can save you some cash and time. This applies to the areas you know you can handle. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can save money and time if used wisely. You may be able to do the dirty work, take out the old carpet, remove those kitchen cabinets etc.

9. Reuse materials. For example hardware handles, appliances, lighting fixtures, trim etc. It all depends obviously on your end goals but sometimes a little TLC and paint and bring your existing pieces back to life.

10. Doors, casing, and baseboards…splurge if you can. These are the show stoppers of a room. Entering into a room with lovely doors and quality trim speaks volumes.

11. Permits: This is not the time to save, this is a must. Spend the money and get all that work completed inspected for peace of mind and also when it comes to resale.

12. If you have a friend who is an electrician or plumber, you can maybe trade-off services that can be beneficial to both parties! (This really applies to smaller projects).

13. Flooring is also a splurge in my books. This is an item if it’s tile or wood it’s time to pick the best you can afford. I say save on the exotic woods and use what we have available to us in Canada. Again if you have pets and don’t tiptoe around your home, maybe you can save and use durable engineered wood.

14. Ask your contractor for visits multiple times through the process. ASK QUESTIONS! Make sure you have a full understanding of what is happening. Ask them to go over electrical drawings so you know where each plug and light will be, ask where vents will go etc. It is easier to make changes in advance than after the fact!

15. Keep it Classic, using too many trendy products will date your renovation, and you may have some regret sooner than you think. Paint is cheap, and it’s a great way to add personality to your space.

Thanks Emerald Designs for your input on this Blog!

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Author: Christina