Szabolcs Pall - Blog - Szabolcs Pall

Recent Blog Posts by Szabolcs Pall
Did you hire the right agent? Why hiring the right agent will directly affect the amount of money you pocket? It simply comes down to motivation. Is the person you are thinking of hiring driven by their desire to help you reach your goals, or are they trying to reach theirs? Choosing the right REALTOR®, matters! It matters in their philosophy, their work ethic, their support system and network of peers, and especially ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on May 2, 2012		More
Location, location, location... no longer enough! Location, location, location is simply no longer enough. You need to start thinking about Timing when trying to get the most out of your investment. Of course location and size of the home will always be at the top of anyone’s list when assigning value to a property, that’s likely never going to change. But another important factor these days is price. ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on February 6, 2012		More
Smooth sailing for home sales in September Smooth sailing for home sales in September Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,202 residential properties in September through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,071 in September 2010, an increase of 12.2 per cent. The five-year average for September sales is 1,160. Of those sales, 280 were in the condominium property class, while 922 were in the residential ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on October 5, 2011		More
Thinking of selling privately? Thinking of selling privately? Did you know a private sale is not as straight forward as it sounds? Buyers that see a home for sale ‘by the owner’ often see a bargain. The problem for the seller is that the buyer thinks they, and not you are entitled to the savings in real estate fees. With this mindset, a lowball offer is usually the result and any perceived “savings” ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on July 6, 2011		More
If freehold, why the monthly fee? Did you know… some freehold townhomes carry a monthly fee? This ‘association’ fee usually covers a snow removal contract and can vary depending on the size of the complex. It can sometimes add up to a substantial amount, without reaping the added benefits of owning a condo townhome. So be sure to ask if what you’re buying is condo or freehold! See CMHC's ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on June 21, 2011		More
April sales return to pre - HST levels April sales return to pre-HST levels Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,536 residential properties in April through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,814 in April 2010, a decrease of 15.3 per cent. The five-year average for home sales in April is 1,612. Of those sales, 316 were in the condominium property class, while 1,220 were in the residential ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on May 5, 2011		More
March sales back to normal after HST-fueled 2010 March sales back to normal after HST-fueled 2010 Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,232 residential properties in March through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,495 in March 2010, a decrease of 17.6 per cent. The five-year average for home sales in March is 1,256. Of those sales, 296 were in the condominium property class, while 936 were in the residential ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on April 5, 2011		More
Home Ownership - Learn before you leap! My brother recently asked about what I thought was the best smart phone on the market. Sure there are tons of web-sites dedicated to this stuff, and he has probably read them all, but like most anything you purchase, it’s often best to ask someone who’s had some firsthand experience with the bloody things. And it’s with that in mind that we decided to host a live session ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 17, 2011		More
How's the market? How’s the housing market? It couldn’t be any better if you ask me, and let me explain why: While the Residential Unit sales on the Ottawa Real Estate Board are down, our Condominium Unit numbers are up from last year at this time. And let me remind you, that we had a record breaking year in 2009 which makes the numbers even more impressive. Residential prices have increased approximately ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on December 29, 2010		More
3 reasons you should sell, now! Waiting till spring? Here are 3 reasons why you should get your home on the market, right now! If it’s something you’ve been considering but are getting mixed messages from the industry and agents, here are my top reasons, why hesitating could end up costing you! 1) Interest Rates. The banks are practically giving money away. 2) ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on November 11, 2010		More
You just submited an offer, now what? Are you left wondering? TD is running a great commercial on TV depicting an anxious couple asking; ‘What if they don’t accept our offer?’. The answer is in the form of another question; ‘What if they do?’ And this highlights a very real depiction of what some people without proper representation are experiencing today. So where do they get answers? ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on September 16, 2010		More
Expect MORE ... Service Expect MORE ... Service Did you know the consultation provided throughout the purchase or sale of your home, is just one benefit of using my services? Beyond real estate advice, what elevates me above the rest is ensuring that you're provided with whatever you require. A lawyer, home inspector, mortgage agent, life insurance, investment, home / auto insurance, etc. You will never hear ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on August 5, 2010		More
When is the house right, for you? When is the house right, for you? Just how do you know when the house is right, for you? You will just ‘feel it’. A house is not a house, is not a house. Sure, it's got bedrooms, four walls, bathrooms and a kitchen. But each and every home is still unique in so many ways. On paper, they match up perfectly. The price is identical, even the ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on August 5, 2010		More
Want 0% down? Did you know that there are some lenders that are still able to offer 0% down financing? If you can come up with at least 5% (gifted, borrowed or put on credit), you get that money back at closing in the form of cash back. The cost to you is a small increase in interest rates, as you forgo the security of having the lowest rate, for the ability to get into a house before you save up ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on July 6, 2010		More
Buy first or sell first? Buy first or sell first? The answer is almost always SELL, for the simple fact that in our current market conditions, you cannot be guaranteed a quick sale. So you might as well get the process started as soon as possible. The pros of buying first are that you will almost certainly know your possession date and can time the sale of your existing home to match it. Either way, you’ll ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on July 6, 2010		More
Will house prices go down? Did you know that while CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) is predicting that home prices next year will be down approximately 2.2%, they will have increased by 1.5% from over 2009. To put it into perspective, your $350,000 home may decrease in price by about $2,500. This is hardly anything to get into panic about, and please remember, that it's the local stats that matter. ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on June 3, 2010		More
Considering Selling? Some things to ask yourself first! We're faced decisions throughout our normal day, and usually get them right without much difficulty. But while each of us is well equipped to make every day decisions, it’s not always so simple. When we consider selling our home, that decision is one that obviously requires much greater scrutiny. Consider the following: How much equity do I currently have? - The amount of money you ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on June 1, 2010		More
Hottest April on record for resale housing market Hottest April on record for resale housing market Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,841 residential properties in April through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,591 in April 2009, an increase of 15.7 per cent. Of those sales, 425 were in the condominium property class, while 1,416 were in the residential property class. The condominium property class ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on May 5, 2010		More
Get top dollar for your home How to get top dollar for your home, and save money in real estate. Sometimes it's not always what you make; it's how much you save. It's a fitting metaphor for those thinking of selling their home. In a similar vein, most sellers are not concerned about what it costs to sell their home, what's ultimately most important is how much of their equity they get to keep at the end. Think about ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on May 5, 2010		More
Competing Offers - How to win! How do you win in a Competing Offer scenario? First you accept that in some instances, price will always be the final word. And no matter how well your offer is drafted, someone may be in a position to offer more money than you for the house. Having said that, there are a number of things you can do as the buyer, to ensure that your offer is not amongst the first to get rejected, so ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 29, 2010		More
How to buy a home with 0% down Did you know that you can still get financing for up to 100% of your home? There is no getting around the 5% down payment required by CMHC, but some lenders will give you the 5% down payment if you are willing to take on a higher interest rate. Don't forget though, that for non-owner occupied or investment properties, you now need a 20% down payment as part of the new mortgage rule ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 2, 2010		More
Why change the mortgage rules? Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net How do you characterize our current real estate market? Lots of buyers, not enough homes. Homes are selling at over and above the asking price as demand pushes excited home buyers, nervous at the thought of losing out on a home, to bid full asking price sometimes without conditions. While active listings are down from last year, we are already ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 2, 2010		More
Confused about your last offer/listing agreement? Did you fully understand the document you just signed? If you are a little unsure about your level of comprehension of the last listing/offer you signed, don't worry, you are not alone. I've got a great example of a home owner who misunderstood one of the many important clauses in his Listing Agreement, namely in reference to the Holdover Period. This states that the seller agrees to ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on February 5, 2010		More
New Year, New Home, New Opportunities As one of the newest residents in our neighbourhood, and a CENTURY 21 Capital Realty Sales Representative, a few observations are worth highlighting: 1) Shoveling snow is not only a great way to keep fit; it's also an opportunity to meet your neighbours. Winter shows no sign of letting up, and in 2 short weeks I've met a lot of our neighbours already, thanks for stopping and introducing ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on January 6, 2010		More
Has the market recovered? Markets in Canada and the U.S. rebounded in 2009 from a disastrous start to the year as investors warmed to signs that the recovering economy would boost profits? The TSX ended with a gain of more than 30% on the year. While this is positive news for our economy, it’s still difficult to predict the financial success of many investment opportunities. Real estate however, continues ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on January 5, 2010		More

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