As Canadians, we know winter wear is a necessity. But for low-income families or new Canadians, buying all that gear can be tough to afford. And the budget can get particularly stretched if children are involved.

That’s why Woolcott Real Estate is hosting their 4^th annual coat drive on Saturday, November 17^th, 2018 from 10 a.m. to noon in support of the Good Shepherd Centre.

Taking place at the Waterdown Shopping Centre (255 Dundas St.E.), the team will be accepting donations of warm coats, hats, mitts and kitchen supplies.

“The Good Shepherd Centre is a fantastic resource for those less fortunate in the community,” says Drew Woolcott, broker of record, Re/Max Escarpment Woolcott Realty Inc. “We have been running this coat drive and each year, our goal is to make it bigger than the last to support as many as people as possible.”

“As a small token of our appreciation for the community’s support, we will have hot chocolate, coffee and snacks on hand,” says Woolcott.

The Good Shepherd Centre has been a cornerstone of the Hamilton community for over 55 years, offering support through its commitment to the mission of “never stop loving” and its willingness to be of service to those in need.

The organization has become the largest provider of human and social services in the Greater Hamilton Area, providing incredible services such as emergency food and clothing, daily hot meals and emergency shelters.

Woolcott Real Estate is looking forward to seeing the community this coming Saturday.

If you have donations, but aren’t able to make the event, call Woolcott Real Estate at 905-332-9223 to arrange a pick up!

It’s no secret.

The relationship with your realtor can be a long one. Selling your home and purchasing a new one doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it can take upwards of a few months, sometimes even longer. Taking the time to find the right real estate agent for your home purchase can really pay off. Not only will you enjoy working with the agent, but you’ll have the added confidence and comfort that they will help you take the next steps forward while always holding your best interests at heart.

In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at what you should be looking for in a realtor, what to avoid, and how to make that final decision. Read on for more!

The Traits of a Good Real Estate Agent

The perfect real estate agent for you exists, it’s all about finding them and making that unbreakable bond. Your ideal real estate agent should be:

• Easy to work with
• Experienced
• A local expert
• Trustworthy and reliable

Above all else, they should have a strong and in-depth strategy to sell your home and find you a new one. You should always feel confident in your realtor and the information/options that they present you with.

Research, Research, Research!

The first step to finding the perfect real estate agent for you is completing research. Researching some of the best local realtors can give you an idea of the options available to you. You should aim to create a list of five to seven local real estate agents that might be a great fit for you. This list should be based on their area of expertise, including the kind of real estate that they focus on and the areas that they work in, their current listings, online reviews and testimonials, and experience.

Once you’ve created a strong list of candidates, it’s time to interview them. Simply give each of them a phone call and ask a few basic questions. Some of these inquiries could include how many years of experience they have, what kinds of property that they usually handle, how they communicate with clients, what price ranges they work with, what areas they focus in, and/or if they are a full-time or part-time agent.

Throughout this initial communication, pay close attention to how they communicate. If they didn’t get back to you within a timely manner or had poor communication, this might be an indicator that they could be hard to work with in the long run. You can also use this as an opportunity to see what their personality is like. If you found it hard to communicate with them or they didn’t give you the feeling that they would be easy to work with, it might be best to go with your gut.

Credentials

It’s not all about their experience and personality. It’s about credibility, too. Your real estate agent should have all the necessary credentials and licensing. You wouldn’t seek medical aid from a physician who didn’t have the right credentials, so your real estate agent shouldn’t be any different.

A licensed and fully-educated real estate agent can help ensure that the transaction is legal and fair. When you’re dealing with the sale and purchase of property, this is imperative.

Referrals, Testimonials & Online Presence

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to one or two realtors, it’s time to inspect their past. This is when your social media lurking skills can really come in handy. Start with their social media and online channels and go from there. A social media presence isn’t everything, but it does count for something. Today, any realtor worth their two cents knows that they should have a strong social media strategy. Especially for potential clients who may want to reach out.

Read all the reviews, not just the first few. It’s also important to read these reviews from most recent to least recent. A review posted seven years ago might not have the most accurate information anymore.

Do some digging and find some of their past clients. Once you’ve found a few, reach out to them for a real-time testimonial. This can give you a better idea of what it’s like to actually work with them and the quality of work they deliver.

Red Flags

Before you make your final decision, check to see if there are any clear-cut red flags. These red flags could include that they:

• Don’t usually work with buyers in your price range
• Aren’t familiar with your current area or where you want to buy
• Take too long to respond
• Recommend a much higher price for your home than the others
• Are a part-time realtor who does this on the side
• Don’t have the necessary credentials/licenses
• Have negative or inconsistent referrals
• Don’t have much of an online presence

These red flags aren’t necessarily a deal breaker, but in combination with one another, might give you enough reason to keep looking for a more credible or experienced realtor that is a better fit for you.

Keeping an Open Mind

While making your final decision, it’s important to keep an open mind. Just because a real estate agent is new to the area or doesn’t have five years of experience doesn’t mean that they won’t make a wonderful asset to your team. If you get a good vibe from them and you both work well together, it could be an indicator they are the right agent for you.

If you’re in the market for a real estate agent to help you sell your home and/or purchase a new one, Woolcott Real Estate might have the right solution for you. Our experienced and strategic Burlington and Waterdown realtors have helped many find their forever homes and sell their previous ones at the best prices possible. To get started, contact us today!

Many homeowners choose to showcase their true personalities through their homes. The way you style and decorate your home can say a lot about you. With a new year, comes many new home décor trends to choose from. If you’ve had trouble decorating your home in the past, or simply feel that your décor needs a change, now is the time. We’ve gathered some of the best home décor trends of 2018 for you to explore. You might just find the style that you’ve been searching for all along.

Intellectual

Imagine a classy and cozy college library directly at your fingertips. Well, that’s what this first trend is all about. The classic intellectual and preppy look is all about comfortable Chesterfield sofas, bookshelves, knit blankets, woven pillows, books, and handwritten text.
This trend presents you with the opportunity to create a lovely nook that’s just meant for reading and drinking a cup of tea. Add some blankets, hang minimalistic sketches on the walls, get cozy with a good book – and you are good to go.

Comfortable

If you’re comfortable and entertained, everything else practically ceases to exist. That’s why the realistic charm of comfortable furniture and home décor is making its way to the top of 2018 home décor trends. Whether you complete your living area with an oversized couch and simplistic accent pillows, or a shaggy rug, reading chair and some dim lighting, creating an area geared towards comfortability can prove to be a stylish and cost-effective people pleaser.
Adding a touch of comfort can give your home a charming and inviting atmosphere. Create small areas designated for certain activities, such as a reading nook or office space.

Eco-Friendly

Today, we are more aware of the impact that we have on the environment than ever before. Knowing that the elements of your home are eco-friendly can help you feel more confident in your investment, while at the same time providing you with a cost-effective solution.
Bring old pieces of furniture back to life instead of kicking it to the curb. You might be surprised at what a simple upholstery replacement can do to an old chair, or what stripping, sanding, and staining a piece of wooden furniture can do to the overall quality. With a little TLC, you can create a new piece of décor from something that otherwise may have ended up in a landfill.

Dark Wood

Don’t be surprised if you see dark wood everywhere you turn in 2018. Deep, rich dark brown wood is more in style than ever before. The chocolate brown hues can help enhance the luxurious atmosphere within your home, while at the same time adding to the modern appeal.

Custom Carpentry

2018 is all about embracing who you are.
Your personality and uniqueness can really show through custom carpentry. The combination of an unfinished wooden frame and trendy houseplants can pleasantly bring a room together.
Connect with a local carpenter and explore the different styles of coffee tables, work desks, side tables, kitchen tables, cabinets, entertainment units, and more. Not only will you be providing your home with custom and unique additions, but you will also be supporting local businesses.

2018 Colours of the Year

When you look back on 2018, bright and rich colours will undoubtedly come to mind. Each year, different companies will announce their “colour of the year”. Here are a few of the most popular ones that have been announced so far:
Pantone: Ultra Violet
Benjamin Moore: Caliente
Sherwin Williams: Oceanside
How can you utilize these colours in your home this year? Why not give your office or kitchen a fresh coat of paint? Or simply purchase a few throw pillows, curtains, or vases to complete your living space with the trendiest home décor colours of 2018.

For more home décor tips and tricks, take a look at our blog section. To learn more about houses for sale in Burlington, Waterdown, and Hamilton, contact us today. Our real estate agents at Woolcott Real Estate can help you find local houses for sale, at a price that works for you.

Across Ontario, the housing market is hot and seems to be showing no sign of cooling down. The market is so hot in places like the Golden Horseshoe and other Ontario regions that the provincial government has even recently announced that it is considering implementing a foreign buyers’ tax. As a prospective buyer or seller in the area, you may be wondering just what to make of recent housing price changes across the Golden Horseshoe. Is it a bubble, or are these prices part of a long-term trend?

Recent changes in the housing market

Housing prices across Canada have been steadily on the rise for the last several years. While this has been most notable in Toronto and Vancouver, cities within the Golden Horseshoe have seen their own spike as well. The Niagara area, for example, has seen a 17% increase over the past two years.

It is no wonder that the Golden Horseshoe is attractive to many buyers. Cities like Hamilton, Burlington, Niagara Falls and others are close enough to larger density areas like Toronto and the United States to be convenient while their prices, despite the fact that they are climbing, are considerably lower.

Add to that, the fact that the Golden Horseshoe region truly is a great place to live, and it would seem you can’t lose.

Toronto prices affecting the Horseshoe

While housing prices in the Golden Horseshoe will never rival those of Toronto, it is easy to see how Toronto prices affect prices in the Burlington and Waterdown area. This happens in two primary ways. The first is that as Toronto becomes increasingly unaffordable to many buyers, it increases demand in neighbouring communities.

The second comes from the fact that many homeowners in Toronto view the current market as an excellent selling opportunity. They are able to sell their Toronto homes for a tidy profit and move into something nicer in the Golden Horseshoe – often mortgage free.

Time to buy or sell?

No doubt about it. This is a good market for sellers. There seems to be an abundance of interested buyers out there while the number of homes going on the market remains relatively small. This helps to ensure the seller receives a good price for their home.

Buyers, on the other hand, may be wondering whether this is really a good time to get into the housing market. While some economists have used the word “bubble” to describe the current situation, the housing market doesn’t seem to be behaving that way. Rather, it has been showing steady growth indicating that despite rising prices, it is still a reasonable time to buy.

Of course just because it is a good time generally to buy or sell, it does not necessarily mean that it is a good time for you or your family. That is something that you will need to determine for yourself.

Consulting with a member of the Woolcott Team is a good first step to give you an indication of how much you might expect to get if you were to sell your current home or how much you might expect to pay if you are buying.

To find out how you might take advantage of the current market, we invite you to call Woolcott today.

A home is often the biggest asset a person can have and if you are thinking of selling, you definitely want to capitalize on all of the opportunities to net the most possible on your sale. One of the most common questions is “What home improvements can you make to your home to increase its value?”

Kitchen and bathroom remodels continue to be two of the best investments you can make in your house. New home builders are continuing to splurge on these rooms making them sexier than ever. When buyers are shopping around that’s what they want in a resale home too. Both kitchen and bathroom renovations can net an average return rate of 75% to 100%.

Still, new kitchens and baths lose some of their glamour if there is water in the basement when a potential buyer comes to look at your house. Every homeowner’s first priority should be keeping the existing structure sound.  Spending money on maintenance aspects of the home is certainly not sexy but, most buyers have a limit on what they can spend on a house. Items such as replacing roof shingles, new windows and doors, and new heating and air conditioning systems have shown to provide a rate of return of over 50% and up to 80%. Buyers would prefer to resolve those items first, and get the luxuries later.

Even in this hot housing market the old adage remains true – if the buyer drives by your home and is not impressed, they won’t bother to come inside. If you are spending money on your property, it very important to make sure curb appeal is strong. While some of the rates of returns on outdoor improvements are not as high as some of those you can do inside they should strongly be considered. Landscaping, driveways and fencing can offer up to a 50% average rate of return. Remember, some of the improvements you can do to add to your home’s curb appeal don’t have to be all that expensive – it just requires some good old grunt work. Removing unsightly weeds, raking leaves, pruning existing shrubs and painting a front door can make a huge step to improving the buyer’s first impression.

If you would like to learn more about the average rate of return on home investments please contact Drew and Jayne Woolcott at 905-689-9223 or download their free home improvement guide.

By: Tina Roberts

People that know me, say that I am in the Business of Moving-literally! I have moved 17 times in my life, and I have all the tips to save you time and money on closing day. The most important tip was given to me by the Johnnie T Melia Moving Company and it is to call your Mortgage Broker to qualify for Bridge Financing. You can stagger the closing dates so that you are not moving on the same day that the other homeowners are moving out. This will ensure a more relaxed move. Here are some additional tips!

1. Buy and Sell with Woolcott Real Estate and use our Moving Truck (Terms & Conditions Apply). You will have to hire 3 movers separately but the major cost is usually the truck.
2. Start packing as soon as you know you’re moving. With Woolcott, we supply you with some moving boxes, at no charge, as well as a Moving Checklist. Start with going room to room and packing the items you will not need until after you move.
3. Purge, purge, purge! If you have not used the item in the past year, you may not really need it. Don’t pay to move what you don’t need. There are tons of buy & sell groups online that will pick up your items for sale or you can give them away for free. Garage Sales, Value Village, Shelters or Donation Centres appreciate anything they get. It feels great too!
4. Shop around! If you plan on hiring a moving company, get 3 quotes and ask for references of some clients who have recently moved. Make sure you interview in the very early stages of your move because you will have the greater chance of them being available on moving day. Friday’s and end of the month are the busiest and most common day for moving. Some companies have cheaper rates for Monday-Thursday moves.
5. If you are moving from an Apartment or moving to one, book the service elevator in advance. There is nothing worse than not having an elevator on moving day. Some buildings will not allow you to use the stairs or the regular elevator due to fire hazards. It almost happened to me…Don’t get stuck in this situation. Trust me!
6. When packing the boxes, try labelling the box by the room it goes in. Then have it numbered. Have a journal handy that states all the contents of “Box 1”. This tip has saved me so many times when I need to find something after it has been packed.
7. A few years ago, I came across a service that had 2 people come to your home and pack for you. I used them in 2 of my moves and they were very organized and fast! They are paid by the hour. I would highly recommend this for seniors!
8. On the day of the move, start early. Late starts can affect the movers and they will charge overtime.
9. Be ready when the movers arrive. Ensure that all small items are packed up and everything is unplugged. Use bins so that you can add or take out items as needed. Pick up bins whenever they are on sale before the move!
10. Have the cars packed up with small items (especially plants) or items you will need right away so they won’t be in the way of the movers. Ensure the cars are not in the driveway on moving day. The movers will need to park there and if they have to wait, you are already starting your day late. If you know they will need room on the road, make sure it’s available for them.
11. If you’re moving in winter, ensure walkways and driveways are clear of ice and sufficiently salted to avoid any accidents.
12. Disconnect all appliances and ensure hoses have been emptied to avoid leaks and soiling.
13. Save some time by having all yard equipment closer to the front. Either in the garage or on the sides of the home.
14. To save more time, place all bins/boxes from the basement up to the garage or main floor of the home.
15. Disassemble large items and place all little pieces in ziplock bags/containers taped to the item. This includes all the beds in the home.
16. Take the legs off large tables and strap together.
17. Try to have the main door for moving taken off its hinges.
18. Take a few minutes to go through the house with the movers to discuss what is being moved and any furniture of concern.
19. Be available to answer all questions for the movers for the whole day. Otherwise, good luck finding everything and risk of re-moving items throughout the house is your next challenge.
20. If you have young children, this is when you need a babysitter or to call on family for help. This is a very stressful day all around and I am sure they would rather have a day of fun!
21. Check the house thoroughly before leaving. Once the movers close up the truck, they move on.
22. Ensure someone is at the new house to greet and direct the movers. Nothing worse for movers, than waiting to do the work or not know where to put your items. If they have to rush to make up time, things can go wrong.
23. Use wardrobe cartons and luggage to pack up your clothes.

In short, don’t wait until the last minute-be organized. Ask family and friends for help with packing/unpacking. Hire a professional to clean the home & shampoo the carpets in both the home you’re leaving and the one you are moving to. Lastly, if you list with Woolcott Real Estate, you will want to “Pack Before You Call”!

Tina Roberts is a Sales Representative with RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Realty Imc., Brokerage.  She has been selling real estate in this area since 1997, and is an accomplished Member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame. Tina is very experienced in Residential Sales and offers specialized knowledge from Starter Home to the Forever Home.