Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Yoo hoo, Buyers!  Where are you??

Wow. Things really slowed down in the Ottawa market over the summer. Most Realtors noticed that they were not getting many showings on their listings. Good homes have been taking longer to sell simply because there haven't been many Buyers around!  It was a total turn-around here in Alta Vista, where we went from a hectic Seller's market to a slow balanced market in a short period of time.  Just goes to show how quickly the market can change!

Luckily, now that summer vacations are done and kids are back at school, people are getting back into their regular routines.  I've been getting more showings again on my listings and things are starting to slowly pick up. Hopefully that means a few more offers and sales will happen before the winter holiday slow-down hits.

So, Buyers, now that you're coming out of your hiding place... how about these apples?

1393 Orillia Street, Alta Vista. $539,900.  This is a lovely home with a peaceful and private yard, and is meticulously maintained. And so close to everything, including Alta Vista Public School just around the corner.
http://www.myvisuallistings.com/fsvt/62331

3025 Courtyard Crescent, Upper Hunt Club. $540,000. A spacious 4 bedroom home with an inground salt water pool, hot tub and large deck. Perfect for entertaining!
http://www.myvisuallistings.com/fsvt/57549

1451 Clontarf Street, Alta Vista. $599,900. This one is no longer on MLS, but it is still available as an exclusive listing to very serious buyers only. It has a HUGE backyard and is so homey and comfortable feeling inside.  It just makes you happy to be in this house, it really feels like home.
http://www.myvisuallistings.com/fsvt/61613

I also have an exclusive listing for one of the very popular condo townhomes across from South Keys. 4 bedrooms, private courtyard with a new deck, and no shared walls. It won't last long once it goes on MLS. If you've been looking for one of these townhomes and would like an advance preview, give me call!

Yowza Yowza Yowza!

Business is great and it makes me wanna Dance, Dance, Dance!

I guess my name is getting around in the neighbourhood - I have two new listings within a few blocks of home, and another possible listing as well! I'm so pleased! I'm finally able to work closer to where I live. It's much easier to drive or walk two minutes down the road than drive to Chesterville or the likes. At least I won't have to worry about my GPS leading me into a flooded, muddy farmer's field on a so-called rural road any time soon.

Check out my newest listing on Clontarf Avenue. A very nice 3 bedroom home with a huge backyard! http://www.myvisuallistings.com/fsvt/61613

Also, come back next week for a new listing coming up on Essex Street, right behind my street. It's a very cool, modern looking reno.  Totally done from top to bottom.

And now for something fun.  Look at this amazing house in B.C. that Phil emailed me a few days ago: http://freshome.com/2011/08/04/wood-glass-and-light-displayed-in-the-armada-house/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FreshInspirationForYourHome+%28Fresh+Inspiration+for+Your+Home%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

Ok, that is a seriously long URL, but I'm too lazy right now to use tinyURL to shorten it. 


As much as I love looking at these super modern, towering glass and wood and stone houses that I could probably never afford, I don't think I could live in one.  Like, where the heck do they put all of their stuff?  I can guarantee you that if I lived there, there would be mail and papers piled on tables, laptops and shoes and kid's toys everywhere.  There would be dog hair tumbleweeds rolling by, toothpaste blobs in the sink and an abandoned sippy cup lying in the middle of the living room floor.  There is no way we could keep the house as sparse and clean as that one looks.  My theory is that no one actually lives in these houses.  Or that maybe the basement is chock full of boxes of junk and photo albums and an old tweed couch where the owners actually live. That's where they sit and watch TV in their sweatpants and eat Cheezies right out of the bag. Like normal people.

That's the way, uh huh uh huh, I like it!

Busy, that is.  I'm busy and I like it!  Lots of listings lately, which is so great.  I've had some really wonderful clients who have worked so hard to fix their houses up for sale.  Kudos and a big thank you to them for all of their hard work.  You make my job that much easier, guys!

Sorry that I haven't updated the blog since (zoinks!) APRIL!  If Phil has to remind me to update the blog one more time, he'll probably divorce me.  Or cut off my wireless network connection at the very least. :P  I will endeavour to update the blog on a more regular basis.  It's going into my Google calendar right away!

So here's what's happened in the past month and a bit:  Listed and sold another neighbour's house, in just a couple of days, again for over asking price!  Ari and Alisa and kids, we will miss you. :(  I hate losing a good neighbour.  But on the plus side, the new neighbours seem to be equally super duper!  They are a very nice young family with a little girl the exact same age as Genny.  Well, perhaps not EXACT.  Maybe she wasn't born at 6:40 pm January 3rd, but close enough for playdates and best buddy potential.

I also just conditionally sold a condo house in Kanata in 1 day!  I'm on fire, I tell ya.  Then there's my new listing in Hunt Club.  Check out my listings page for deets.  It's a very nice house, with a great salt water pool.  I wonder if they'd mind if I took a swim sometime after showing the place?  Maybe under the guise of inspecting the pool liner. ;)

We also had our annual Snowdon Street yard sale and BBQ today.  We had a wonderful turn out, best one yet!  Lots of new and old neighbours got together for lunch and chit chat, and Phil and I managed to sell some of our junk treasures.  I think we netted about $200.  Not bad, not bad.

So that's the haps, kids.  Busy days, but that's the way I like it! Uh huh, uh huh.

Cool and funny real estate websites

First of all, I found a cottage.  It is an awesome-sauce cottage near Perth.  Can't wait to get there and unwind with Phil, Genny and Fred-O.  Ah, peace and quiet!

Secondly, I wanted to share a few links to some really neat and/or funny real estate related websites. I especially love sites that showcase extreme architecture and design, or super modern or unusual homes.

1)  Lovely Listing.  Many of you probably already know about this site, where the author finds and comments on weird, ugly, or just plain hilarious MLS listings and photos.  She also throws in some non-MLS, not-for-sale cool stuff just for fun.  http://lovelylisting.icanhascheezburger.com/

2) Trendir.  This site offers up some amazing photos of ultra modern houses, funky interiors, cool new appliances, and other just plain neat stuff to look at.  http://www.trendir.com/house-design/

3) Design Swan.  More very cool interior design, architecture and more. http://www.designswan.com/category/inspiration

Find me a cottage!

Wow, I am having the hardest time finding a decent cottage to rent for a week in July that is not already all booked up!  We are not picky - it doesn't have to be the Taj Mahal.  Just as long as it is clean, rodent free, with a working toilet and a nice sandy beach where Genny can play.  And allows us to bring our dog, of course.

I cannot stress enough the importance of the working toilet requirement.  We've been cursed on almost every vacation we've been on with toilet malfunctions.  Toilets that won't stop running, toilets that clog, toilets that get stuck in the open position and flood the septic tank, yada yada yada.  And not just at cottages, either.  This has happened to us on two separate vacations to Cuba, too.  I think if we have one more bad toilet on a vacation Phil is going to go right over the deep end.  And no, we are not the cause of the problems.  We just seem to be jinxed.

So if the Cottage Rental Gods are listening, please send me a sign!  Or a Kijiji ad, at least.  I'm desperate over here!  Mommy needs a vacation with a little peace and quiet, fresh air and sunshine.

Going, Going, Gone!

Wow, what a crazy evening I just had!  I sold my neighbour's house.  We had a set day/time to take offers, had multiple offers, and the house went for way above asking price with no conditions.  I can't give you the exact numbers, since I have to get my client's permission first.  But let's just say that I think they did pretty well. :D  We popped the champagne I had stowed away in my briefcase and had a little celebration.  We even invited the Buyer and his agent in to meet us and share in some bubbly.  Everyone seems quite happy about it all.

I love it when my plans work out.

Would you be mine, could you be mine, won't you be my neighbour?

Picture it:  Coming into the house, taking off your shoes and putting on your slippers, swapping your jacket for a warm cardigan (are you getting the Mr. Rogers vibe yet?).  Sitting down in your comfy living room in front of the wood burning fireplace, pouring a glass of wine and unwinding.  And suddenly seeing me, my hubby and my kid waving hi through your living room window.  Sounds delightful, doesn't it?  And not remotely unsettling. Right? Right? .... hello?

Ok, seriously, though. My awesome neighbours are moving.  We will be very sad to see them go. Luckily they are not moving too far away, so they can still pop over to participate in our annual street sale and BBQ!  Mademoiselle Genevieve will be sad to see her little boyfriend through the windows is gone, and Fred the Dog will miss playing chase with pretty Ella, the Bichon Frisee. :(


On the up side, the neighbours have done an amazing job of staging their home and it looks fabulous!  Check out the pics Here

I'm hosting an open house on Sunday from 2-4 pm.  If you are thinking of moving to Alta Vista, this is a great home in a family oriented neighbourhood, and the street is quiet and safe.  It will sell quickly, though.  Like I posted on Monday, houses in my area are selling super fast.  So don't dilly dally, kiddos. 

Now I'm off to find a Mr. Rogers ring tone for my Blackberry. (Stephanie walks away humming..."It's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood, a beautiful day for a neighbour... la da dee da..."
 

Up and Running!

Well, it's about time!  Stephanie finally started her Blog.  And apparently refers to herself in the third person.

After a couple of slowish years due to pregnancy and semi-maternity leave, I'm back and raring to go.  I'm happy to be working again.  I really do enjoy being a Realtor, it's so much fun, and I love the interaction with actual grown-ups.  Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter endlessly, but conversing with people who can use words longer than two syllables is a refreshing change.

So here's what's up in the Ottawa Real Estate Market:  after a prediction that things would slow down, the market actually picked up.  We are still in a balanced market, but we are seeing more multiple offer situations and homes seem to be selling more quickly.  We also don't have a very large inventory right now, so all signs point to us going into a Seller's market very soon.  My home base of Alta Vista is already seeing a Seller's market for homes in the $300,000 to $500,000 range.  Most homes in this price range in Alta Vista are selling within one week of being on the market!  Wow.

I've got a new listing coming up this week, a lovely updated bungalow in Alta Vista, on a very desirable street (my street!).  No, it is not my house.  Sadly one of our awesome neighbours is moving on to a bigger house about a kilometer away.  We will miss them a lot :(

That's all for now.  Hopefully now that I've got the first post out of the way, my blogging will continue in earnest.  Follow me and see!