Merry Christmas!

As we enter the holiday season, this article on the front page of the Waterloo Region Record caught my attention this morning.

A father-son coaching partnership in Waterloo Minor Hockey has won an Ontario award from the hockey coaches association for the work with the house league team they coach in Waterloo. The remarkable part of the story is that the son Tony, is 12 years old and has Down Syndrome.

You can check out the article HERE. It's a great story, and really appropriate for the holiday season.

Having raised two sons, I have learned and strongly believe that children become a product of their environment, or as they say, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." You can bet that when the kids on that team grow up, they won't have a clue how many games their team won or lost, but for sure, they will remember the coaches.

Hats off to Mark and Tony... and Merry Christmas!

Tightening Credit

My son, Craig (who is presently studying economics at Brock University) sent me this link this morning. With my blog entry yesterday, it seems appropriate to pass along the basics of freeing up cash. We've heard lots in the news about how the American lending practices have dried up even when the cost of borrowing is almost "free".

This Marketplace video explains what the American federal government is doing to try to get the money available to the grass roots business people who need the money to grow the economy.

Let's give the federal economists on both sides of the border some credit for their efforts to fix the problems. Working in the real estate business in the early 90's when we were last in a recession, it felt like we were in a sailboat on a very still day. I am not sure if it is intelligence or collective wisdom from past mistakes. They are trying hard.

Interesting. Enjoy!

Quantitative Easing

Money Lending is Tightening

The housing market in Canada is nothing like the situation in the United States. But, as time passes, more and more of the lending policies are rubbing off on us.

A couple of months ago we heard that some conventional lenders were adopting a policy of not funding student income properties.

Today I heard that a number of lenders will no longer underwrite mortgages for private sales. The reason given is the potential for fraud and other undesirable possibilities associated with private sales.

All being said, this may well be an opportunity for agents in these slow times.

The Greenrealestate Designation™

Through the National Association of Green Real Estate Agents and Brokers, (a Canadian affiliation), you can attain a designation in Green Real Estate. You can do this by taking courses and paying an annual fee.

Three of the courses (which you can take online or in the classroom) qualify for RECO credits. The courses which are good for credits are:
"Green Heating and Cooling Options for the Home" - 2 credits
"Home Energy Efficiency" - 3 credits
"Home Hydro Usage - A Primer" - 3 credits



There is also an American designation available through Ecobroker, which offers courses and a designation as well. Prudential Real Estate presently offers a $ 50.00 discount for agents who join ECOBROKER before December 31, 2008. Although the site has a Canadian section, it appears lightly used at this point in time.

Going Green!

Times change. And I think truthfully, for all considered, I think I keep up pretty well. But, I must admit that, although not a total ignorant, I have been a little slow to pick up the pace on this issue. I think the first time my eyes were opened was with the movie, An Inconvenient Truth with Al Gore speaking out.

For the most part, I have "acted" green. Susan and I both drive cars that are at the top of the spectrum in fuel efficiency. We have replaced our old furnace with a high efficiency furnace, and we've replaced most of our windows. There are numerous other things we've done but you know they're not enough. It truly is an area where you can always do better.

My son, Kyle, arrived home recently for his Christamas vacation and I was a little surprised how big his focus is on being green as a university student. I must admit he has raised my awareness level.

So... here's the first of many posts on Going Green.

I'm just going to post a couple links here. I hope you take the time to read what is happening out there related to the real estate industry.

Check out : National Association of Green Agents and Brokers

Here's another one that doesn't appear to have regular updates but none the less hass some very good points to make. The address is my greenhomeblog.com

Rest assured, there is much more to follow on this issue.

Profile: Celina Kiel, Kitchener Office

Celina Kiel is 29 and has had her real estate license for 4 months. The areas of real estate that she focuses on are Kitchener and Waterloo.

Celina moved to the Kitchener-Waterloo area 6 years ago from Poland.

Buying a Private for Sale

It happened again this week. It seems to happen in our brokerage several times a year, and it's the same story over and over again. It's just different people and different houses, but the same story.

When buyers are looking for a house, the human nature is to look at everything. Most have a real estate agent, but they look on their own, too. The internet, weekly and monthly print publications, for sale signs, and even private for sales.

When they see a house they like, and in this particular scenario, the house is usually staged to its optimum, and decorated beautifully. The buyer finds this property on their own as a private for sale. They fall in love with the house, and make a quick emotional decision to buy the house, without consulting with an agent. The asking price is too high but that's OK because they really love the house. I truly think that, in some cases, they don't even think about the price. They just want the house. (We're all guilty of that, but in most cases, it would be on much smaller ticket items.)

So, as the story goes, two or three years pass and family circumstances change and they need to sell the house. They call over an agent and, it becomes apparent that the house is not worth what they think it is worth. Often it doesn't show as well as when they bought it because they don't quite have the flair for decorating as the previous owner. They now have two choices, list it at market value and take a hit or list it proportionately high to the mistake they made when they bought it.

More often than not, they take the higher route, because it is less painful. But, of course, the house never sells. So later they reduce and take the hit. When the market was good, it sometimes seemed less dramatic because prices were going up and the property caught up to the market. It seemed that way, but the mistake was really made when they made the purchase, not later.

This brings me to my point. Why would any buyer go out and make the biggest investment of their life without a professional to guide them? Especially, when their fee is being paid by the seller! It makes absolutely no sense! There are so many things to consider when looking at a house and drafting an agreement of sale. Most buyers don't even know what to look out for. Pricing , of course, is one of the biggest issues. A salesperson can show a buyer what comparable houses in the neighbourhood have sold for recently. Do you think the seller is going to show a buyer comparable sales that show his property is $ 25,000. higher than the last comparable sale?

November 2008 Monthly MLS Statistics

Sorry for the delay. There were issues with vacation and the official statistician, (AKA Debbie). There is not much of a surprise here. My only comment would be based on press releases over the past week or two, that Waterloo Region is not as bad as the rest of the country. Canadian Press had a headline this week stating that Canadian real estate prices are down 10 per cent. This is truly not the case locally. We did not have the big spikes seen in Calgary, Vancouver, or Toronto, so we are not seeing the declines either.

Here are the November 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 267,423	$261,467	$244,189	$242,673
Percentage Change	+2.3%		+0.6%
Properties Sold	296	501	123	196
New Listings/Sales Ratio	53.2%	84.9%	33.9%	65.4%
Properties For Sale Now	1316	1137	846	733

Appealling Ontario Assessments

One thing that seemed to have slipped through the cracks with regards to the new 2008 Ontario property assessments, is that when a property owner wants to appeal an assessment, the assessor now has the obligation to prove the assessment is correct rather than the taxpayer having to prove the assessment is wrong. This is the exact opposite of how it used to be.

If your client wants to appeal their assessment, you should direct them the MPAC website where it describes the new procedures.

It explains how your assessed value was arrived at, gives you an opportunity to look at other comparable properties, the procedures to follow to apply for an appeal, and the relative forms.

From past experience, and I assume that the policy is the same, I have found they are very receptive to your requests, and will listen to your argument. If you can back up your claim, they will certainly change your assessment. I am not sure if the new policy will change this. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Rural Properties and Well Water Testing

When you are selling a rural property now, more than ever, you must cover your bases to protect your buyers and sellers. Since the Walkerton situation a few years ago, the province has taken an agressive stance to ensure safe water for all of us. Clean drinking water is no longer an assumed.

When listing a rural property with a well, the prudent thing to do is take a water sample right away. You can get a well sample bottle (the only sample bottle acceptable)at Waterloo Region Public Health located at 99 Regina Street South in Waterloo (3rd floor) or at 150 Main Street, Cambridge (Main floor) between 8:30 and 4:30 Mon-Fri. You can also pick one up at the Township Offices during regular business hours. Water samples must be filed in the name of the property owner and their address. Samples done through an agent and their address are unacceptable.

Take your water samples into those two main locations early in the day to ensure they get to London for testing the same day. Results are mailed back to your Seller quickly at the address specified on the form.

Locally, tests are sent to London daily for testing. For accurate results, you should either take the sample early in the morning before submission, or late the day before, and refrigerate. Property owners are encouraged to take test 3 times a year, but we usually find out that this is not the case. Make sure you let the water run for a while before taking the sample.

Tests are required by the buyer, not only for peace of mind, but usually the Mortgage Company requires it as a condition of financing. Tests are done for bacteria, including total coliforms, and E. Coli bacteria. Normally, an acceptable clean test in the time range around closing meets the condition for the agreement.

Should the results come back with unsatisfactory results, the problem needs to be rectified. In the situation of a poorly maintained well, it may require a well disinfection to "shock" the well. This is a relatively complicated exercise that requires care and skill. The Seller should seek help from the local authorities. Often, after a shocking treatment, the second water test comes back with a good report.

If a satisfactory test result is unattainable, there are other options. Chlorinators, ultra violet light filters, distillers, and ozonators are options. But, of course, these options cost money and somebody has to pay. That's why it is important to look at the test results when you are listing the property. It makes for less surprises later on. If the buyer is going to have to deal with unacceptable water, then the issue becomes part of the negotiation into the sale price.

Kathleen Anne Clyson - Kitchener Office

Kathleen Anne has been licensed for 2 years and specializes in residential resales. Kathleen Anne has received the President’s Circle Award and the Honour Society Award.

Kathleen Anne grew up in Windsor, Nova Scotia, and moved to the Kitchener Waterloo area 19 years ago. Before entering the Real Estate Profession Kathleen Anne worked for Rogers for 10 years as a manager. Kathleen Anne is also a paramedic by training with Advanced Cardiac Life Support designation.

Kathleen Anne works in a team with her mom in the real estate field.

Kathleen Anne and her husband Rob have two children, Grace (4) and Gryffin (2). When she isn’t busy selling houses Kathleen Anne is active with her church and enjoys travelling and outdoor activities with her family

Web Marketing Seminar

We are pleased to offer a seminar on web marketing. It will be held:
Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 1 PM
K-W Board Office (540 Riverbend Drive)

Terry LeClair is the Broker of Record/Owner of Prudential LeClair and Associates Realty in Barrie. He is a selling broker, selling over 100 properties a year.
Over the past few years he has focused on building his business through having a great website to capture leads. He has tried many different ideas, keeping the good ones, and tweeking the ones that didn't work.

The two main topics he will be covering are: Seven Functions of an Effective Website, and, Implementing a Powerful Web 2.0 Experience. Goran and I have seen his presentation and thought everyone could benefit from his pro-active and researched ideas. I hope you can make it on the 11th.

2009 Prudential Sales Convention

Next year's Prudential Convention will be here before you know it. It is being held March 28 -31st, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.

You can preview some of the key note speakers and headline entertainment on the Prudential Convention website. You need to sign in with your user name and password in PREA Centre to get access.

As usual, we have pre-booked a block of rooms and registrations for those who are thinking about going. We will be booking flights in early December. Please drop me a line for further details. There are lots of reasons and incentives to go!

Do Not Call List

Today you will receive a memo about the upgraded Prudential Grand Valley Realty Do Not Call List software. We now have a web address (password protected) where you can check a phone number quickly to see if the number is on the Do Not Call List. We've even ensured that the web page works on your blackberry! It's fast, simple, and efficient if you just need to check a number before you call.

When you get the memo, bookmark the URL and stash away the password. You can rest assured it will come in handy later.

RECO Credits Online

I received an email recently from Carson Dunlop about the RECO continuing education credits that you can take through them. The topics are excellent for learning about construction and home maintenance.

Here is the web address for the courses if you would like to check them out.
CarsonDunlop.com

Real Estate at a Whole Different Level

Goran sent this website along to me the other day. Interesting reading.

Who is the top selling agent in North America? Second place isn't even on the horizon! It's Dolly Lenz from Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Manhattan! Last year she sold $ 748 Million in real estate. Second place? A paultry $181 million!

You can view her website at dollylenz.com.

No doubt, it's a whole different world out there.

Leader's Edge Training

Chris Leader is running his three day training program in Toronto at the Richmond Hill Country Club, 8905 Bathurst Street, Richmond Hill on December 3rd, 4th, and 5th. It is the same program that he ran in the summer in Kitchener.

If you are interested in attending, please see me or Goran in the next few days and we'll get you booked.

NAR Survey results

I recently read the results of the National Association of Realtors (U.S.) on their annual Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Surveys for 2008. It is always interesting reading. There are 1.3 million realtors in the United States and they have many more resources than us, just based in the numbers. The annual survey always includes over 100,000 participants. The two Canadian factors to keep in mind are: firstly, they have been embedded in a housing recession in some areas for more than two years, and secondly, most surveys related to the internet show that Canadians use the internet in higher numbers than our American neighbours.

Where will you spend your marketing dollars?

When asked what resources buyers used when searching for a home:
87% used the internet
85% used a real estate agent
62% used yard signs
48% attended open houses
47% looked at newspaper or print ads

Buyers usually start their search process on line and then contact a real estate agent.

When asked where they first learned about the home they bought:
34% learned about the property from a real estate agent
32% found the property on the internet
15% discovered it through the yard sign
7% heard about it from a friend, neighbour, or relative
7% found it from a builder
3% from a newspaper or print ad
2% learned directly from the seller
1% from a home book or magazine

Interesting numbers...

Profile: Nelly Kilianski, Kitchener Office

Nelly has worked in the real estate field since 1987, with her specialty being in residential and relocation areas. Nelly received an Award of Excellence in 2007 and has also received ten Productivity Awards. Nelly has been successful at recruiting new agents into the business and prides herself on repeat clientele.

Nelly and her husband, Walter, moved to Canada in 1951 from Poland. They have four children (2 sons and 2 daughters), and they are the proud grandparents of 4. She enjoys choral singing, attending concerts and opera performances. Nelly and her family also enjoy taking part in church activities.

Nelly is also a proud supporter of The Sunshine Kids Foundation and helps fund raise for the Juvenile Diabetes foundation.

Aeroplan Miles and Your Listings

At the recent Prudential conference in Toronto, I crossed paths with the Aeroplan people who have opened up your ability to offer Aeroplan Miles to your Buyers and Sellers.

We always talk about ideas to make yourself unique among the agents you are competing with. Here is one of those concepts. For every 10,000 in value on a property, your client gets 500 Aeroplan Miles. So, on a $200,000 purchase, they get 10,000 points, and on a $300,000 purchase , they would receive 15,000 points. You make arrangements through Aeroplan for your client to receive the points and for you to make the payment for them.

For more information, you can contact mvarona@homeserve.com and visit their website at aeroplan.com.

What are you doing to differentiate yourself?

Northstar Aerospace TCE Contamination in Cambridge

I realize that this is an old subject for Cambridge residents and Cambridge realtors. Unfortunately we occassionally run into situations where there are out of town realtors, or people buying privately, to whom the full situation has not been fully disclosed.

A local real estate lawyer told me a story recently where, an out of town agent sold a property in the area to a buyer who also had an out of town agent and the buyer had no idea of the situation until a week or two before closing. Scary disclosure.

Northstar Aerospace is a company on Bishop Street in Cambridge, that in its history, has leaked solvents into the ground that contain Trichloroethylene (TCE). TCE's have been suspected to contain carcinogens that cause cancer and other diseases.

Northstar has been very pro-active in supporting the affected area. They have spent a lot of time and money researching how far the contamination has spread. They have done extensive tests on all the properties in the area for levels of contamination. They have taken remedial action on the properties affected to correct the problem. Some people in the area feel they have been very supportive. Others would disagree.

Statistically, the situation has had a very limited effect on home values in the area. It is definitely not an "Erin Brokovich" scenario. But, it is a situation where everyone needs to do their homework.

Northstar has office space and staff set up to deal with this issue specifically in an information centre in their office on Bishop Street. There is a map which shows the area affected and readings in detail.

If you have a client desiring a property in that area, take them to the office. Every question you could conceivably ask will be answered. The key here is making sure your buyer is fully aware of the scenario so that they may make an informed decision.

Cambridge Sunshine Kids Mini-golf Report

Last Friday was the Cambridge office's Fourth Annual Mini-Golf Tournament. Every year things get a little better. More money, more people, and more prizes!
This year, we raised $12,300 !

Congratulations to the committee for all your hard work over the past few months. Sincere thanks to all our generous donors for making this such a great event.

Brian Ashton, our unofficial Prudential photographer, put together some of his pictures into a virtual tour. You can check them out here.

Ontario realty tax assessments

The Ontario government has taken our residential tax assessments to a new level of confusion and many agents have been receiving calls from their clients about the new assessment notices sent out. So, here's a simplified version of what's happening.

First of all, please understand the most fundamental of principles of real estate taxation:

Assessed value x mill rate = tax amount due.

Every year the municipalities (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, townships) plus the Region, plus the school boards (public and separate) pass a budget and establish a mill rate based on the collective assessment for their area. In these confusing times people get upset with their increases in assessment. They shouldn't focus on the increase, they should focus on their increase compared to their neighbour, because that is what matters. This article I give you from the Ontario Real Estate Association, explains that the key is 5%. Compare yourself to that.

Tax assessments to rise in 2009
Ontario residential property taxpayers will see an average assessment increase of five per cent in 2009, the first year of a four-year phase-in plan.

“Residential property values have increased by an average of approximately 20 per cent across Ontario since 2005, when the last assessment update was done,” Carl Isenburg, President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), said.

With a four-year phase-in, property taxpayers will see an average assessment increase of five per cent next year.

An increase in assessment does not necessarily mean an increase in property taxes. If the assessed value of a home has increased by the same percentage as the average in the municipality, there might be no increase in the property taxes paid by a property taxpayer.

The phase-in program does not apply to decreases in assessed value. The full amount of a decrease will be applied during the 2009 tax year.

“Our values are based on actual sales and trends in real estate markets across the province,” Isenburg said. Municipalities establish tax rates that are applied to assessed values to pay for local services and the Provincial Government sets rates for the education portion of the tax.

Property Assessment notices began arriving in the homes of property taxpayers in mid-September. MPAC expects the mailings to be completed over a ten-week period.

The confusing part (and this is my opinion) is that the Ontario government set an unattainable goal in making assessment equal to market value. It's like shooting at a moving target and is an unattainable goal.

Here's the most important point in this message: When looking at your assessment, look at your percentage change compared to all, not just your own. If your assessment changed more than the 5% per cent they are talking about, then you need to do some research. You should call your Prudential agent for some comparable salle research data. Don't feel you're imposing... that's what we're here for. From my past experience, the assessment appraisers are very open to changing assessments if you can give them data to back up your claim. But you can't go in shooting pistols without a basis for your argument. We are very happy to help our clients with that research data.

Hopefully all these asseessment issues will get simpler as time goes on.

October 2008 MLS Statistics

Well, as predicted, we saw some low numbers for October. Bad news in the stock markets, and general bad economic news in the United States have shaken consumer confidence in Waterloo Region. Interest rates are incredibly low and unemployment levels are still very low. We just need to get the consumer confidence back. Many are confident this will be a short term lull. There is no real reason to think otherwise.

On a positive note, the U.S. has elected a new president and this article in today's Waterloo Region Record from Canada Mortgage and Housing shows positive things for the days ahead.

Here are the October 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 263,909	$254,494	$251,193	$260,507
Percentage Change	+3.7%		-3.6%
Properties Sold	413	526	162	237
New Listings/Sales Ratio	50.4%	72.6%	33.6%	58.6%
Properties For Sale Now	2048	1813	866	N/A

Profile: Young Ihl Sohn, Kitchener office

Young-Ihl has been a Real Estate Agent with us since 2004 and specializes in residential sales. Young-Ihl moved from Seoul, Korea in 1999, and has lived in the Kitchener Waterloo area for six years.

Young-Ihl has received the Volunteer Impact Award (2007), and is a volunteer with the Senior Day Program in Kitchener.

The Importance of Getting The Price Right

Something that happens to real estate agents on a very regular basis is the issue of getting the price right on a new listing. Sellers want to get top dollar for their property, and so do we, but sometimes the "seller's price" is over the top and totally unrealistic. Especially in this slower market, it is very important to get their price in a marketable range that will encourage showings and offers.

Here's a story that happened in our brokerage recently that demonstrates the importance of getting the price right. The seller had a country property in a good, central location. The house was really nice with many updates and recent renovations.

We gave them an asking price of $ 450,000 about 18 months ago. They felt this was low, and decided to try and sell privately for $ 699,000. Later they listed with another broker at the same price without success. Well over a year passed in the process and they did reduce the price a bit, but nothing substantial.

In the end, after 18 months of the stress of trying to sell their property, they sold it for $ 415,000. I am sure everyone was disappointed in the end.

Nobody will ever know for sure, but we're pretty confident that they could have sold it for more than that with a year's less stress.

Any agent will tell you that they don't want to take overpriced listings. You can spend thousands of dollars advertising without a realistic chance of seeing a return on your time and financial investment.

Profile: Mike Milovick, Kitchener Office

Mike has been in the real estate industry since 2002 specializing in multi-residential, student housing, development land and property around the WLU area.

Mike has had a very successful real estate career thus far, winning a number of awards and recognitions including: Chairman’s Award, QSC Platinum Award and being a top office producer for the past 4 years.

Mike has dedicated his life to landlording in Waterloo. He is an advocate for Waterloo’s landlords at City Hall. Mike also lends support to 600 members of WRAMA (Waterloo Region Apartment Manager’s Association), where Mike is also Vice President, and takes pride in supporting his clients in enabling them to achieve their income property goals.

Along with being a successful Realtor, Mike has also worked in the property management industry and insurance rental replacement industry. Mike was also a proud member Canadian Armed Forces.

Mike’s many accomplishments include meeting and marrying his lovely wife, Jenny, and has three beautiful children, Michael Wilfred Jr., Maxwell Laurier and Madison Jennifer.

When Mike isn’t busy selling real estate he spends his free time with his family, cottaging, weight training, playing hockey and softball and is a season ticket holder for the Buffalo Bills.

Hats Off to the Phillies

I love baseball. I'm not apologizing. I love the Blue Jays. I Hate the Yankees. Always have, always will.

So, here's my point. Major League Baseball has not kept pace with the times in professional sport. Salary caps, drafting policies, and league rules still hugely favour the teams in large markets with more money.

So here we are are watching the almost new Devil Rays against the Phillies. Two great teams with a grand total of ONE World Championships in their storied pasts. It's a great story.

I think back to 1992 and 1993. It was truly a thrill to be there for the Blue Jays. I was at that Game 4 when Devon White made that great catch against the wall. It was a huge thrill to be part of those celebrations. I love Joe Carter. But, as thankful as I am, I think every fan in baseball deserves that thrill. I think today about those Philly fans with seasons tickets who have been there year in and year out cheering for their team. I've been there and I'm happy for them. High fives all around.

That's why I hate the Yankees. They flagrantly throw hugh balls of cash at old players expecting them to produce one more time for the historied Yanks. They're not good... they just have lots of money. I'm personally happy that their business plan seldom works.

So now it's been 15 years... I think it's getting close to our turn. What do you think? How soon can Pat Gillick return?

Longevity Milestones

It has come to my attention recently that a number of people in our company will be receiving Service Pins from our local real estate boards for their long and dedicated serice to the real estate industry. Congratulations to all.

30 Years: Murray Garlick, Cambridge office


25 Years: Jose Bairos, Cambridge office

25 Years: Frank Herold, Kitchener office



20 Years: Fred MacMaster, Cambridge Office


20 Years: Paul Dawson, Kitchener Office

20 Years: Dorinda Orser

You make us proud!

Russ Donnelly Retirement

Last Friday we held a retirement lunch for Russ Donnelly. He has decided to take it easy after 43 active years in real estate.

Russ came into the family business started by his father. At one time, they had offices in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph. They had been an independent, and a franchisee with Gallery of Homes, and later with Coldwell Banker. Since September 1965, Russ has seen a lot of changes in the real estate business.

He is also a past president of the Real Estate Board of Cambridge.

Russ has been with our company for the past 7 years. We were always proud to have him part of our organization. I think Robin Hickey said it best at the luncheon. Russ hired her 23 years ago when she started in real estate and she felt he was very supportive at the beginning of her career.

We hope you enjoy your retirement, Russ.

Imprev Marketing Materials

We have recently signed an agreement with Imprev to give our agents access to some great marketing materials for your listings and your self promotion.

Imprev is an online service that allows you to create very professional presonal brochures, flyers, feature sheets, virtual tours, postcards, web commercials, e-newsletters, and much, much more.

If you haven't already joined in, you can check out their website and promotional video at imprev.com

Please see Goran or me for more information and pricing.

Prudential On Line Training

In case you missed it, I'd like to point out to you the online training that is available to Prudential agents. There are two types available:

Virtual Instructor Led are courses you take at a specific time with live instructors on the phone as you view the presentation online. You can take these courses anywhere, as you just need an internet connection and a phone to connect to the 800 number.
For example there is one scheduled for Thursday October 23rd at 11AM with the topic of "Selling By Style". It appears these course will be running once or twice a month. We will keep you informed on your monthly calendar and in this blog about what courses are coming up.

Web Base Training are courses you can take at any time and are designed mostly for newer agents. You don't need a telephone, only online access.
Some of the courses online are: Action Pack for Success modules in about 12 different sections, dealing all different sorts of prospecting. There's also a Profit Planning module for developing a business plan, and one on Power Listing Strategies.

I recommend you take some time to have a look at what's available . It's a great resource!

Here are the instructions on getting to the site:

1. Go to PREA Centre and log in.
2. Click on the link at bottom left to "Prudential University Learn Centre"
3. On the next page, click on the link "Learn Centre" word link.
4. At the bottom, click on "Web Based Training" or "Virtual Instructor Led" to view the courses.

Sears Home Centre Corporate Discounts

We are pleased to announce an affinity alliance for your your buyers and sellers with the Sears Home Centre at 130 Gateway Park Drive, Kitchener. All your clients are entitled to a 5% additional discount off any pricing in the store. This offer even applies to all items on sale.

The program requires that the customer have a Sears Discount Certificate which is available in our office. Sears will monitor the certificates redeemed and there will be gift card incentives for the agents referring the most clients.

If you have any questions, our contact person is Kristin Devlin. She can be reached at 519-242-5171 (cell) or 519-650-3993 (store).

Profile: Stacey Chaves, Cambridge Office

Stacey was born in British Columbia and moved to Cambridge with her family at a very young age. She has grown up in Cambridge along with her parents, 2 brothers and 1 sister.

Stacey and her husband Mark have a 2 year old daughter named Ally, they enjoy spending quality time together as a family whenever possible.

Stacey has had a lot experience working in the public field first as a secretary and then as a front end supervisor in a grocery store.

Stacey has successfully completed the Chris Leader course and has taken part in the Marshall Northcott training sessions.

When Stacey is not busy selling real estate, she enjoys sewing and cooking.

Catch the Spirit - Canadian Connection

Prudential Real Estate Canada is running an excellent training day in Toronto on Thursday, November 13th THe two speakers are Dirk Zeller, a renowned U.S speaker from Real Estate Champions, and Chris Leader (who many of you know) from Leader's Edge in Barrie. Of particular note, the afternoon session is eligible for three Continuing Education Credits.

There's a free lunch, courtesy of Prudential, a chance to network with Prudential agents from across Ontario, and an exhibit area set up with marketing materials and tools.

It will prove to be a great day... and it's free. There's a sign up sheet at the office. Deadline for sign-up is November 7th.

Selling Privately

I really don't know why anyone would consider selling their house privately. Seriously. There are many things in this world that I have done for myself to save money, but selling my own house would not be one of them. And, usually the seller doesn't save any money - the buyer does.

I don't do the maintenance on my car. I don't fix my own computer. Heck, I don't even wash and iron my own shirts. I hire professionals to do these things. People who have the skills, knowledge, experience, and the tools to do the job properly. That means there is very little inconvenience or headaches to me.

When I sit in the broker-manager's chair for a brokerage handling roughly 1500 transactions a year, I see some pretty strange things happen in transactions that would make your hair stand on end. Sometimes the buyers or sellers are not honest and mis-represent facts. Sometimes people change their minds when it's too late to change their mind. And, sometimes buyers have bad credit and are not qualified to buy a house and lie about it. It's a tough world out there, and if you're going to sell your property yourself, you better be as tough as the lowest common denominator.

As a buyer, what would possess you to buy a house privately? You don't have to pay the agent (the seller usually does). You don't have access to all the properties that are for sale (the agent does). And, you don't have the knowledge or experience to negotiate the deal. How do you know you're not paying too much? It makes no sense!

As a seller, hiring an agent makes perfect sense. They have access to all the information and market data to give you an accurate evaluation on your property. The agent gives you maximum exposure to the most buyers through other agents, the MLS system, the internet, print advertising, agent and public open houses, and more. And of course, a basic marketing fundamental is that maximum exposure brings you a higher price.

Of course, let's not overlook the annoyances of dealing direct with the other party. Making appointments, dealing with "no-shows", broken promises, security issues, mis-representations. Without an agent doing these things for you and acting as a go-between, your tolerance can wear a little thin.

Let's not forget that when you use an agent, you only pay for a successful sale on your terms. This is the ultimate in a customer guarantee. "If I don't produce, you don't have to pay me". If you use a private for sale marketing company (who sometimes try to make themselves look like an agent), they get paid when you buy their "package". They have absolutely no interest in whether your house sells or not. They get paid up front and then they're gone.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.

As I look around our offices, I see some pretty outstanding individuals who bend over backwards in the best interest of their clients. They work until 11 at night sometimes and often all day Saturday and Sunday. And at the end of the day, they have some pretty happy clients who would tell you in a flash that they were worth every penny they were paid. It makes me very proud to be associated with these people.

Important Upcoming Dates

Here's a refresher on some upcoming training and social dates. If you haven't already, you should mark them into your calendar

October 17 - Oktoberfest Lunch at Concordia Club 12:30 PM

October 24 - Retirement Lunch at Cambridge office for Russ Donnelly

November 7 - Sunshine Kids Mini -Golf at Cambridge Office

November 13 - Prudential Education Expo in Toronto

November 19 - Cambridge MLS Annual Meeting

December 12 - Annual Prudential Christmas Party at Knights of Columbus Hall in Cambridge

Sabine Nassar Profile (Kitchener Office)

In December 1976 Sabine left Germany to join her husband, who emigrated earlier in 1976, to start a new life.

A few months later, when she finally gained enough courage to speak English, Sabine found a job, of all things, with a German Freight Forwarder (nowadays this field is better know as international logistics). She started as a typist and over the next 13 years worked "her way up" to eventually get transferred from Toronto to Kitchener.

Sabine always called it "having the cake and eat it too".
In the meantime Sabine had 3 small children and the opportunity to leave the "big city" and come to K-W was the best thing that ever happend to her family.

Sabine spent another 17 years running the Kitchener office with her latest position being VP of Western Ontario.

With very mixed emotions Sabine resigned from her job in May 2007 and had her last day at work just before Christmas last year.

Since she was always interested in Real Estate (one of those people that always show up for an open house but never buys anything) Sabine decided to get her real estate licence. With the kids (now 23,25 and 27) out of the house Sabine knew she had to do something (mainly so she doesn't drive her husband crazy with more home improvement projects).

So here she is, thoroughly enjoying the training and the work environment.

Sabine is looking forward to working with all of us at Prudential.

Do Not Call List - Short Version Update

Most of you are aware that the Do Not Call List is being phased in at this time. It deeply affects you as a sales representative if you are making telephone solicitations for business.

If you are making calls, you will need to cross check the numbers you are calling with the two lists to ensure their number is not on the list. The first is the National Do Not Call list which we have puchased for the local area code. It is an excel spread sheet in numerical order that you can quickly check to see if a number is on the list. The second is a Prudential Grand Valley list that, if requested, we must add their names. If you are calling and someone asks that nobody from Prudential Grand Valley calls, then you must report this to you administrator and we will add the number to our company list.

So, in short, you must crosscheck both lists and add any people requesting to the company do not call list.

We will have a meeting in the next couple weeks to deal with the lists and questions. We'll talk about the logistics related to you accessing the lists as well.

You can read the document in detail at Realtorlink.

Even though people are calling in as we speak to be added to the list, the policy is not enforced until October 31st

Sunshine Kids Annual Mini Golf Tournament

We are presently organizing our 4th Annual Sunshine Kids Mini Golf Tournament. It will be held at the Cambridge office, 471 Hespeler Road, on Friday November 7th from 2 -6 PM. We are looking for sponsors ($ 100.00) and ticket sales ($ 20.00). It's a great event, and all proceeds go to Sunshine Kids. There's food and refreshments, door prizes, a silent auction, and a chance to connect with old friends. All this with a charitable tax receipt! Contact any Prudential agent or the office to book your ticket now.

September 2008 MLS Statistics

I have just arrived home from the annual Prudential Canadian National Brokers's Meeting, and had some interesting conversations with brokers across the country about their local markets. For sure, there are many area feeling an unstable market with all the U.S. news. When you look at our September numbers, our market seems to be doing OK. We didn't experience some of the big upswings like Calgary and Vancouver encountered, so maybe we will see a softer downturn as well.

Here are the September 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 255,700	$254,134	$247,981	$248,172
Percentage Change	+0.6%		No Change%
Properties Sold	527	473	262	221
New Listings/Sales Ratio	57.0%	60.8%	51.8%	53.9%
Properties For Sale Now	2953	2816	672	749

2008 Award Criteria

There had been some miscommunication about award criteria for this year. Just to settle the record, here are the requirements. All numbers are based on closed transactions during the calendar year.

Chairman's Circle - Diamond - $750,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 150 Residential Units

Chairman's Circle - Platinum - $535,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 100 Residential Units

Chairman's Circle - Gold - $260,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 70 Residential Units

President's Circle - $180,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 50 Residential Units

Leading Edge Society - $130,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 35 Residential Units

Honour Society - $85,000 Residential or Commercial GCI or 25 Residential Units

A Sunshine Kids Thank You

We plug along day to day contributing and raising money for the Canadian Sunshine Kids. This thank you letter came to me via email recently. It is written by Ashley Dauke from Port Coquitlam, BC, who attended a Sunshine Kids event in New York City in July. It makes our fundraising efforts all worthwhile. Our mini-golf tournament is coming up on November 7th at the Cambridge office. This year's goal is $ 10,000!

Thank you Sunshine Kids
I want to tell you how much I appreciate the experience of New York. I had been looking forward to July 20 for months and my expectations were not disappointed. It's true what they say, New York really never sleeps. I can see why, it's so big and bright with so many things to see. Who wants to sleep?
The New York trip marked the end of my intensive treatment and the beginnings of normal life. It's a trip I'll always remember for changing the way I see the world.
From the bottom of my heart, Thank You
Ashley Dauke

J. D. Power Associates Award

Wow! We should stand Proud! Prudential Real Estate now ranks as "Highest in Satisfaction for Home Sellers Among National Full Service Real Estate Firms" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Home Buyer/Seller Study. This is great news!

Upcoming RECO Update Courses

As most of you know, the K-W Board runs the RECO Update course every month in the board's downstairs classroom. If you wish to attend, you need to register through OREA, either online or via telephone.
Here are the upcoming dates:
September 17 (Ken Topping)
October 8 Commercial (Norair Yeretsian)
November 5 (David O'Gorman)
December 3 (Marg Gourlay)
January 7, 2009
February 4, 2009

August 2008 MLS Statistics

Here are the August 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 265,952	$246,828	$267,925	$240,564
Percentage Change	+7.7%		+11.3%
Properties Sold	466	595	204	260
New Listings/Sales Ratio	60.1%	81.7%	49.0%	61.2%
Properties For Sale Now	2864	2751	N/A	N/A

We'll Miss You, Ernie

This week we lost one of long time sales people, who has been a pretty key person in our organization. Ernie Shomphe has been with Prudential since we opened the Kitchener office in November, 1998. Anyone who knew Ernie, knew he represented all the core values of the Prudential family.

He was a very honest and hard working agent. Any buyers or sellers he worked with knew that. He always went "beyond the call" to look after his client's best interest. And Ernie was a true family man. He spent a lot of time with his family and was very proud of them all. Also, his loyalty and pride in being part of the Prudential team was well noticed. He was always there to help others when he could.

Ernie lost his battle with cancer this week, almost a year after he found out the bad news. It certainly has been a roller coaster for he and Iola over the past year. Our thoughts and prayers are with Iola and the rest of the family as they go through these tough times.

We're going to miss you, Ernie

New Canadian Sunshine Kids Website

There is a new website for the Canadian Sunshine Kids Foundation. There's lots of information about trips and fundraisers. There are even a couple picture from one of our mini-golf fundraisers. You can check it out at www.sunshinekidsfoundation.ca

Prudential Company Barbeque

Don't forget to sign up at the office for the Company Barbeque. It's being held on Saturday, September 6th. Bring the whole family. We've got games for the kids, and lots to eat. It's at the same place, the Sage Farm which is behind Whistle Bear Golf Club. (There's a map at the office).
Start time is 4 PM. Dinner is at 6.
See you there!

July 08 MLS Statistics

Here are the July 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 267,513	$247,767	$255,812	$241,585
Percentage Change	+8.0%		+5.8%
Properties Sold	657	655	255	298
New Listings/Sales Ratio	70.8%	80.4%	54.3%	70.5%
Properties For Sale Now	1941	1999	N/A	N/A

Do Not Call List

CREA has created the booklet “The National Do-Not-Call List” to provide more information to REALTORS® about how they will be affected when the list comes into effect on September 30, 2008. The booklet can be viewed on the DNCL Compliance section, posted in the Compliance Centre on www.realtorlink.ca. The information below can be found in the booklet.

Real estate brokers or representatives, making unsolicited telephone calls qualify as telemarketers. This doesn’t mean that REALTORS® cannot contact consumers in other legal ways, such as direct mail. It means that if the consumer, private sellers included, puts their name and telephone information on the National Do Not Call List, you cannot contact them at that number (phone or fax) to sell them a product or your services or in any way solicit business, unless:

the call is to a consumer who has an existing business relationship with your company, or
the call is to a business consumer.
An existing business relationship, such as one between a consumer and a real estate brokerage, is defined in three ways:

The consumer purchased or leased a product from the organization within the past 18 months;
The consumer had a written contract (such as a Listing Agreement) with the organization that expired within the past 18 months
The consumer had made an inquiry with the organization within the past six months (for example the consumer called for a listing presentation).
An individual can also specifically consent to be called by a certain organization, even if he or she is registered on the National DNCL.

CREA provides the example of an Open House and consent to be contacted.

The REALTOR® is hosting an open house. Mary and Bob Ford come in for the tour and sign the guest book. Does this mean that the REALTOR® can call the Fords to offer his services?

YES– if they signed the guest book or otherwise indicated their interest and intent in a business arrangement.

NO– if they signed the book but specifically asked not to be contacted. Then the REALTOR® would have to add the Fords to his corporate do-not-call list. (Under Canada’s Do-Not-Call legislation, all telemarketers must also maintain their own do not call lists– even if they are making calls that are exempt from the National DNCL rules).

Other tips

If a consumer makes the request to be placed on an internal do-not-call list, you must process that request immediately.
Be sure to disclose the purpose of your call and the company or individual you are representing right away. It’s a good idea to have a prepared script to work from.
The CRTC intends to launch a public awareness campaign to publicize the web address and telephone number for consumers and telemarketers to access once the National DNCL becomes operational.

June 2008 MLS Statistics

There's been plenty of doom and gloom about the real estate market in the media over the past few weeks. We acknowledge things are a bit slower, but certainly nothing as bad as some reports say. When you look at the June numbers, it certainly confirms this. The number of sales is down about 10% to last year's numbers but certainly not as bad as some would lead you to believe.
Here are the June 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 276,384	$255,323	$263,500	$252,724
Percentage Change	+8.2%		+4.2%
Properties Sold	706	761	277	311
New Listings/Sales Ratio	70.2%	77.6%	65.4%	66.5%
Properties For Sale Now	1938	2136	N/A	N/A

Changes to FINTRAC Legislation

As you may be aware, there has been recent changes to legislation related to FINTRAC and money laundering. There are some changes that we MUST make to conform with the legislation.

Please take come time to read the information. Everything you need to know is on the web at Realtorlink. http://www.realtorlink.ca/content/fintrac/

In a nutshell, we must follow the following rules:

1. We must report suspicious transactions. If you feel that your client may be breaking the law, it is incumbent upon you to report it.
2. We must report any cash deposits over $ 10,000. (Please be advised that our brokerage does not accept cash deposits over $ 10,000. If your client wishes to do so, you must inform the client that it is our policy that they must get a bank draft, money order, or certified cheque to replace the cash.
3. IMPORTANT CHANGE! We must see photo ID of our client and it must be kept on file. Common acceptable forms are birth certificate, passport, drivers licence, and SIN card. Ontario Health Cards are unacceptable. If attaining a photocopy of this document is not convenient, then you must view the document and fill out the attached form. This must be done for all parties to the transaction (IE each spouse must fill one out)
Please note that the admin staff will be “reminding” you if you do not submit the photocopy or applicable form.

These changes become effective on June 23rd, so you should be starting this practice immediately.

Please take the time to read the issues online. If you have any questions, please contact Goran or myself.

We will be making some changes to the company policy manual to reflect these changes.

May 2008 MLS Statistics

We're back on track! Here are the May 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 270,069	$245,138	$256,852	$238,891
Percentage Change	+10.2%		+8.4%
Properties Sold	625	780	259	344
New Listings/Sales Ratio	60.8%	73.8%	45.4%	59.8%
Properties For Sale Now	2010	2154	N/A	N/A

Better Late Than Never March & April Stats

I have set a new record that I am ashamed of. Six weeks without a post. Inexcusable! But I DO have an excuse.... The Cambridge Board changed to the Filogix MLS system and it has taken them this long to release the statistics under the new software. So, I apologize, but the problem is now resolved. Here are the statistics for March and April. I expect to have May stats up by the end of the week.
March 2008:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 253,815	$247,417	$253,094	$244,465
Percentage Change	+2.6%		+3.5%
Properties Sold	606	616	236	293
New Listings/Sales Ratio	77.0%	65.1%	54.9%	60.5%
Properties For Sale Now	1733	2081	N/A	N/A

April 2008 Statistics

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 261,865	$247,083	$266,358	$236,331
Percentage Change	+6.0%		+12.7%
Properties Sold	691	712	254	307
New Listings/Sales Ratio	66.1%	67.3%	48.6%	61.2%
Properties For Sale Now	1850	2176	N/A	N/A

Welcome, Liza Goodfellow to our Cambridge Office

Liza moved to Cambridge 4 years ago from Trenton where she grew up. She has been a real estate agent for 1 year. Before getting into real estate Liza had worked for 15 years in supply management, she was a buyer for John Deere, Ballard and Case.

Liza and her husband, Jamie, have two beautiful children, Grant (3) and Sophie (1). Liza is very involved in “Funspiel for Kids” a program to benefit the Children’s Aid Foundation.

When Liza takes the time to relax she spends it golfing, remodeling and playing with her kids.

Our 2007 Award Winners

Congratulations to all our Award Winners, who excelled in production over the past year. All were recognized at our annual Awards Breakfast held on Thursday, March 27th at the Charcoal Steak House.

Chairman's Circle Platinum Award
Jose Bairos

Chairman's Circle, Gold Award
Scott and Lisa Hube
Mike Milovick
Li Li



President's Circle Award
Eric Klimstra
Mary McMurran
Dorinda Orser Team

Leading Edge Society
Jade Ho
David Kivell
Marie Miller & Jerry Jarman

Honour Society
Dana Bednis-Schnittke
Paul Dawson
Rena Miller
Janet Good
Tamara Martin
Ernie & Iola Shomphe
Lucy Schito

Rookie of the Year
Lois Aguas, Cambridge
Eric Klimstra, Kitchener

Award of Excellence
Lucy Schito, Cambridge
Nelly Kilianski, Kitchener

Ten Year Legend Award
Scott & Lisa Hube

PREA 100 Award
Jose Bairos

The Value of a Coach

In the past few years, coaching of real estate agents has become very common and popular. For those involved in the progams, they can give testament to the value of coaching. Here is a video that was sent to me by Marshall Northcott that shows the value of a coach. Take the time to watch righ through to the end. It has an interesting finish.

February 2008 Monthly MLS Statistics

Here are the February 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 260,121	$234,310	$249,888	$225,346
Percentage Change	+11.0%		+10.8%
Properties Sold	493	511	218	210
New Listings/Sales Ratio	61.8%	69.9%	69.9%	56.5%
Properties For Sale Now	1709	1961	684	804

Food for Thought

I was browsing through our REM magazine the other day and came across an article by Heino Molls that caught my eye. (Heino is the publisher of REM and occassionally runs editorial columns.)
This one deals with a unique form of marketing and it's called "Donut Shop Marketing" If you haven't read it already, take a minute. It's worth the read.
What do you do set yourself apart from the crowd?

Here's the link:Donut Shop Marketing

Upcoming RECO Update Courses

Over the past while, I have had several Cambridge agents ask me about schedules for upcoming RECO Update courses being held in the area. The Kitchener-Waterloo Board holds RECO Updates in their classroom almost every month. You still have to register at OREA to attend. Here is a list of the upcoming seminars in K-W and the instructors:
March 19th - Marg Gourlay
April 9th - Mark Weisleder
May 14th - Angie Asadoorian
June 18th - David O'Gorman
July 9th - Mark Weisleder

Do You Think About the Competition?

Competition is everywhere. Coke vs Pepsi. General Motor vs Ford. McDonald's vs Burger King. Re/Max vs Prudential (we already know who has the better agents!)

When you're listing a property and talking about the asking price, how much time do you spend talking to your seller about the competition? My suspicion is not as much as you should.

If you look at the neighbourhood and properites within an 25 to 50,000 price range, how does your listing stack up? Is your listing the best deal? Is it maybe a little weak in a couple areas but the price reflects that? Is it maybe a bit more money but has lots of features to dictate the higher asking price? These all fit in with the $ 64,000 question. In reality, the buyers looking and comparing, are very bright people. They can't be tricked. They are going to buy the one that they like the best and is the best value.

In today's market, the average days on market (DOM) is around 50 days. We have discussed ad nauseum how this statistic is skewed by agents who cancel or expire listing and "put them back on". But, irregardless of the number, the fact is that well priced properties sell in less than the DOM average and over priced listings (with price reductions factored in) take longer to sell.

Do yourself, and your seller a favour. Spend an hour or two showing them "the competition". Tell your seller he has a bit of bias that they need to leave on the doorstep. You may find that all your CMA homework is out the window when compared to what else for sale right now. Buyers are not stupid, and ultimately, it is they, not you or your seller, who decide the value.

Ode to Bernie

It is with sadness that we learn of the retirement of Bernie Vogt as Canadian President of Prudential Real Estate.
Bernie has lots of ties to Waterloo Region. He grew up in the Preston part of Cambridge, attending Preston High School. His parents owned and operated a restaurant for many years on Frederick Street in Kitchener where the Three Kretans Restaurant is now. His first real estate career was as a sales representative in Kitchener with Canada Trust Realty.
He has held his present position with Prudential since 1998 when he sold out his Countrywide franchise operations to Prudential. Prior to that he had been a senior Vice President with Royal Lepage.
He has always been a great supporter of Prudential Grand Valley Realty and attended many of our events. Many of our agents have got to know Bernie well. He will be sadly missed.
We sincerely wish Bernie all the best. We hope that he and Joy enjoy a long and happy retirement.

January 2008 Monthly MLS Statistics

Here are the January 2008 MLS monthly statistics from our two real estate boards:

	K-W This Month	K-W Last Year	Cambridge This Month	Cambridge Last Year
Avg. Sale Price	$ 263,860	$244,832	$251,640	$241,853
Percentage Change	+7.8%		+4.2%
Properties Sold	381	379	177	196
New Listings/Sales Ratio	41.0%	41.8%	63.9%	69.3%
Properties For Sale Now	1553	1935	483	543

Draw the Button, Daryl!

Daryl Shane is doing our company proud! If you don't know Daryl already, you should know that he is an avid curler, and certainly has a reputation as one of the best in Waterloo Region.
This week, he is representing our area in the Ontario championships, the TSC Tankard, being played in Waterloo at the Waterloo Rec Centre. He is the skip of the local team and certainly has the home field advantage.
You can check out his results at TSC Tankardwebsite. Also, here's an article in the K-W Record about his qualifying last week.
Go Daryl!

Milestones Acheived

Recently the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Board recognized their long standing members and three of our agents were recognized. Congratulations to Adrian Bodea (25 years of service), Jade Ho for 20 years of service, and Nelly Kilianski for 20 years of service (I know, I know, you started when you were 16!)






Congratulations to all three of you. Some days it seems like a few weeks, and other times, it feels like forever!