Agent Blogs

    After a long and busy summer spent at what my son Peter called a freezer (referring to the various Barrie skating arenas) our Mariposa Junior Dance Teams are off to Europe for Junior Grand Prix's.    Carolyn Maccuish& Tyler Morris just came back from... [ more ]

What is a Buyer Agent? If you are a First Time Buyer, new to the area you are moving to, or an old pro - whatever your experience buying a house, having your own representation is vital.  The Listing Agent works for the Seller.  The Buyer Agent strictly represents the Buyer.  You... [ more ]

In Ontario, closing costs on a real estate transaction are divided into fees and disbursements. Fees are fixed by lawyers for their time; disbursements are costs that are incurred by the lawyer on the client’s behalf, and are reimbursed by the client on closing. Disbursements can be for a... [ more ]

Your thinking of buying a house... so you start looking on MLS, call the numbers on the For Sale signs, make appointments with whoever is available to show you the house... If this is the way you are looking for a property, you won't be getting the house for the best dollar, and you sure aren't... [ more ]

Hey, guess what, I passed the Real Estate Commercial Course! Thank goodness! 89% and really proud.That makes it official, I am now after graduating the required six of six courses, I am no longer in the articling stage, I am a full fledged Sales Representative.I am excited about the... [ more ]

Just a friendly reminder, young or old, Use Proper Ashtrays and Smoke Outside. Avoid uncessary risk that you take by using bottles, planters, garbage cans. You name it, if it's not a proper ashtray, you coul be 'playing with fire.'. If you smoke outside having an ashtray with a lid or cover... [ more ]

11 Top Strategies for Preventing and Fighting Cancer Naturally Optimize your vitamin D levels. It's virtually impossible to discuss cancer prevention and treatment today without discussing vitamin D, as the scientific evidence of its anti-cancerous benefits is truly impressive.... [ more ]

Eight Tips for a Great Home Buying Experience Purchasing a new home can be stressful for many people. Here are eight tips that will help ensure you have the best experience possible. Be a pre-approved buyer. A quick and easy financing pre-approval will help to ensure you’re looking... [ more ]

Buying a home can be complicated; buying a recreational property can be even more so. Homes outside of urban centres generally are on septic systems and wells, and often use fuel oil or propane for heating. There may be access issues, and rural lots can be more difficult to obtain insurance on.... [ more ]

My Review of the Pad Thai recipe: Yesterday I posted a Pad Thai recipe and had promised to give you my honest opinion.   It was awesome.  Very simple to make. I added some chili pepper flakes and some curry powder :) Will definite enable 4 people to enjoy this tasty dish! [ more ]

OK, my collegue Rob has been bragging about his "special" Pad Thai recipe for about 2 months now.  So before he gets outrageously mad at me (and to get him off my back), I've decided that I am going to make it for dinner tonight for my guests... He's going to be realll mad at... [ more ]

The bond rate continued to drop the past week. It's now at the lowest level in 2010. Weak economic news from around the world has been the main driving force. If this continues to stay in these ranges, I expect the Bank of Canada may halt the projected increases in prime rate.   The recent... [ more ]

When you buy a new home, there are always more costs than your down payment. Closing costs involve costs such as from real estate commissions (if you are selling), land transfer tax (if you are buying), legal fees and disbursements and moving costs. You should always make sure you have built in a... [ more ]

Top 5 Tips for Buying a Luxury Home Despite the doom and gloom the media portrays regarding today’s real estate market, several unique opportunities exist for home buyers, in particular, luxury home buyers. While home prices across the country have dropped or... [ more ]

A little while ago, I wanted to find somewhere that rented bikes.  I haven't been biking for a long time and wanted to try it out again. Well, unfortunately, the weekend I was able to try it out, I couldn't find a place that rented bikes.  Then a co-worker of mine came into work and... [ more ]