Recent Blog Posts by Robert Atkinson

Toronto & GTA Continue to be a Desirable Place to Live

This spring continues the pattern of being a popular time to buy and sell homes.  The Toronto Real Estate Board reports9,262 transactions through the TorontoMLS® system in March 2011, representing the second best March result on record. The number of transactions was 11 per cent lower than the record result reported in March 2010.  “The strong home sales reported in March and ...

Now you can list your home on MLS without an agent!

A close look at "For-Sale-By-Owner" (FSBO) data from The National Association fo Realtor's 2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Each year a small army of home sellers throw caution to the wind and “go it alone” — without the assistance of a licensed real estate professional.  Now they can get a boost by putting their home listing on the MLS website which many home owners ...

Pricing Your Home - Being overpriced is a bad start

If you're selling your house, one of the first steps you'll take is setting an asking price, a task that requires the ability to find the perfect balance between attracting solid offers and ultimately receiving top dollar. If you're working with a Realtor, you'll probably hear talk of fair market value, which typically means the highest value an educated buyer will pay. Fair market value is usually ...

Is the market hot, cold or what!

Last year no one wanted to talk about the market as the focus was on jobs and economy.  For those who were looking for a bargain 2009 was the year to sell and buy or just buy.  This year, many of the folks who bought last year in the dip sold this year and made a very nice profit, very nice indeed! This year started off with a bang as many buyers flocked to the market looking for home, ...

Are prices expected to climb or decline?

Everyone is interested in real estate, even if they're not buying or selling.  Lately one of the most common questions I get is "Is the market still slow?"  I find this really interesting as the market is really quite strong right now! Most homes are selling within a week and often with multiple offers.  There are a number of factors at play as to why this is happening and it's best ...

GTA Housing Market Rebound Continues in September

October 5, 2009 -- In September 2009, Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 8,196 sales, up 28 per cent from September 2008. The average price for September transactions was $406,877 – up by 10 per cent compared to the same month last year. “We have experienced an increasing rate of existing home price growth in the GTA as sales have continued outpace 2008 results,” said TREB President ...

GOVERNMENT REBATE$!!!

Anyone thinking of doing upgrades to thier home be sure to check out the link below.  Here you can find out what upgrades will get you a rebate and which ones won't. Not only will you feel good about helping the environment you will also be helping your pocket book by reducing your monthly bills and increasing your homes value in the market place. Call me to find out what your home is worth ...

Spring Market is Hopping

Bank of Canada dropped the prime lending rate 0.25% and the banks followed.  Further assurances were given that the rates are expected to remain low into 2010. Prices have become more affordable and we are seeing an increase in home sales above what is typical of the spring market.  This means that 'serious' buyers are moving fast to scoop the better homes as soon as they hit the market, ...

Should I "Stage" my home?

What is staging?  According to Wikipedia, home staging is the act of preparing a private residence prior to going up for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to sell a home quickly, and for the most money possible by attracting the highest amount of potential buyers. Staging focuses on improving a property to make it appeal to the largest number of buyers by transforming ...