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
Will I need an Appraisal? Did you know… Banks can only finance the Appraised Value or the Offer Value, whichever is lesser of the two? The appraisal method of determining value for residential real estate is the Comparison Approach, and appraisers use the same database of information as REALTORS to determine property values. Appraisers determine value based on what Buyers are willing to pay for a property ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on February 7, 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
Why buying from the listing agent is not a good idea Why buying from the Listing Agent is not a good idea If you are a Buyer, is it better to buy from the Listing Agent (L/A), rather than using your own realtor? Sure the thought has crossed our minds, the agent will be happy to double-end at a reduced fee, the seller will net the same amount, sounds great, doesn't it? Except when you break down the transaction, you quickly realize that ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on July 6, 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
30 Year Amortization Did you know … as of March 18th 2011, you will no longer be able to take out a mortgage with an amortization period of more than 30 years. The change was implemented as a preventive measure to ensure people aren't over extending themselves. Some banks are taking advantage of this to offer incentives for would be home purchasers before the deadline, so take advantage now! ready2move.ca ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 17, 2011		More
How do YOU see your clients? What's the best part about my job? The freedom, the people, the homes, they all add to the enjoyment of being a REALTOR in Ottawa. But even more than that is the feeling that I'm making a difference. Cue the orchestra. :-) Sure they might have got great service from someone else, I believe there are a lot of really good agents out there, and I’m certainly not saying I'm the only one. But being ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 17, 2011		More
Why now is the best time to buy a house Did you know … there are great incentives to help you get started in Real Estate? You may use up to $25,000 of your RRSP towards your down payment, and may qualify for an immediate rebate up to $2,000 on your Land Transfer Tax. The Government will kick in a $750 tax credit, not to mention the specials offered by key partners as part of our VIP program. Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 17, 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
Buying or Selling? Need help? Are you thinking of buying or selling a home this year? What’s the process, and when should you get started? It starts with contacting a REALTOR® to learn about your local market, but the timing can vary depending on when you want to move. If you have a house to sell, I advise clients to consider approximately 90 days to properly market the property, and then add 60 days to ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on January 8, 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
Did you get a good deal? Did you know that a home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it? This notion of a "good deal" is only in the minds of the buyer and or seller. A home properly exposed to the market by a motivated seller for a sufficient amount of time will eventually sell for the price the market is willing to bare. This is called Market Value, and will not always be the Listed Price. ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on December 13, 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
Got an old bungalow? Did you know some insurance companies will not ensure homes with aluminum wiring, due to potential fire hazards? If you have a townhouse or bungalow built in the 70s, you may have aluminum wiring. The fix is easy, but time consuming and should be done by pros. Simply add copper wire pigtails to all outlets and switches and have the ESA inspect / certify the work is done! ready2move? Posted by Szabolcs Pall on November 9, 2010		More
5 Deal Breakers 5 Deal Breakers Did you know that there are 5 key items that Buyers are checking for when evaluating a house? They typically concern themselves with: The age of the Windows Age/Condition of the Roof Age of Furnace Age of HWT Any Visible Leaks and Cracks So as a Seller, ensuring that you're able to produce receipts/documents for any work performed on these items will go ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on September 16, 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
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
Home Ownership Incentives Did you know that there are a variety of government programs to help you save or borrow the funds for your home purchase? The RRSP Home Buyer's Plan, the Home Buyer Tax Credit and the Land Transfer Tax Rebate can help overcome the difficult challenge of saving money for a down payment faced by many First Time Home Buyers today. As a REALTOR® I can help you understand how these programs ... Posted by Szabolcs Pall on March 29, 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

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