tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84320583764957997922024-03-14T11:27:05.171-04:00MontReal EstateNews, tips and opinions from the world of Montreal real estate. . . and beyond.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-40357185743976490812018-04-28T13:37:00.000-04:002018-04-28T13:37:27.740-04:00In the Heart of SnowdonJust listed, a spacious ground-floor co-property in the heart of NDG's Snowdon neighbourhood.<br />
Steps to multi-culti and vibrant Queen Mary Rd. and an easy seven-minute walk to the Snowdon metro station, 4956 Earnscliffe Ave., offers more than 1,600-square feet of living space over its ground floor and finished basement.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QmjWBqg5pbKkWkdHOwkKQzjUdWN90R9FxwdKd6p2GFxSsfGmHkVj8WO9rSgeoKWVLHEZFj52tmtIRUzly-I8SKm7eIeHlT5U3AOpDEnNuMMrgdylGeegUC-KBmJOKdzm1H9RTywBBiA/s1600/Set01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QmjWBqg5pbKkWkdHOwkKQzjUdWN90R9FxwdKd6p2GFxSsfGmHkVj8WO9rSgeoKWVLHEZFj52tmtIRUzly-I8SKm7eIeHlT5U3AOpDEnNuMMrgdylGeegUC-KBmJOKdzm1H9RTywBBiA/s640/Set01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A classic Snowdon property, it features hardwood floors throughout, an ornamental fireplace, open kitchen and dining room, two bedrooms up and a main bathroom completely remodelled in 2012.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_dItrqKnJV0N9dj72CNvevVDYYixTZppd6i90jmwrtUeUfTdodmGkG3WUl2rGWkUCrhSMAJL8VAbuHNR6HxM0fKZ7Uco2PEBNdLN6FslVrG7PXUxybRFgGUmqif9mUUf1o4tAZqKUIU/s1600/Set15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_dItrqKnJV0N9dj72CNvevVDYYixTZppd6i90jmwrtUeUfTdodmGkG3WUl2rGWkUCrhSMAJL8VAbuHNR6HxM0fKZ7Uco2PEBNdLN6FslVrG7PXUxybRFgGUmqif9mUUf1o4tAZqKUIU/s640/Set15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The basement was completely remodelled in 2012, with new insulation, flooring, plumbing, lighting and room divisions. There's a family room, two bedrooms or a bedroom and office and a spacious full bathroom with stand-alone shower and tub, as well as the washer and dryer.<br />
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Soon the backyard will be in its full glory, with the lilacs and tulips in bloom and the shade trees in full leaf. Until then, use your imagination. The backyard is for the exclusive use of the 4956 Earnscliffe.<br />
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Substantial sums have been invested in renovations and improvements since 2010. They include a new roof (2015), new windows and doors (2014) a french drain around the entire foundation (2012) and new front and back balconies (2016 and 2017).<br />
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This is an undivided co-ownership property, financed through the National Bank. A 20% down payment is required. 4956 Earnscliffe represents 52 per cent of the property as a whole and thus is responsible for 52 per cent of the taxes and 52 per cent of the building insurance. Heating and electricity are separate.<br />
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The asking price is $509,000. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-20975396793693184602017-11-21T14:23:00.002-05:002017-11-21T14:23:19.626-05:00Divided vs Undivided Co-ownership, Part Deux Time to take another look at the differences between divided co-ownership and undivided co-ownership. First-time buyers and buyers from outside Quebec tend to use the terms interchangeably. It's a good idea to be clear about what we mean when we talk about these two popular housing types.<br />
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Let's start with <b>Divided Co-Ownership.</b></div>
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More commonly known as a condo. When you buy this, you own 100 per cent of your dwelling. </div>
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A condo has it's own distinct lot number. In Quebec, it's called a cadastral designation. Whatever the address, or whoever the owner, the cadastral number is the one used by notaries, banks, the city tax department and other official agencies to identify your property. It is found on the certificate of location, the survey plan that shows the footprint of your condo within your building. Other cadastral numbers might also be associated with your condo, for instance if you have a balcony, or share a corridor with your neighbours, or have a garage space or storage locker. Usually, these are common areas or common areas for which you have exclusive use. </div>
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A condo has its own tax bill. Your bill is mailed directly to you to pay. Generally speaking, the taxes are higher on a condo than they are on an undivided property of similar size and quality. </div>
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A buyer can usually put down a minimum down payment of five per cent on a condo. There can be exceptions. If the bank has concerns about your ability to pay a mortgage, they might ask you to put down a bigger down payment. If you are a foreign buyer, they will often ask for 35 per cent down.</div>
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Buying a condo you are free to deal with whichever lender you like. </div>
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Because you own your specific unit, you are free to rent it out, as long as rentals are permitted in the building. (This is a big one. We'll get into it more when discussing undivided condos.)</div>
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Now for <b>Undivided Co-ownership</b></div>
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When you buy an undivided co-ownership you are buying a fraction of a whole building. In a triplex, that usually means about 33 per cent of the building, in a duplex, depending on whether you have the top or the bottom, or whether there is a basement or not, you're buying a 45-55 per cent share of the building as a whole. In a large apartment building, the fraction would be smaller. </div>
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Unlike a condo, your undivided property will not have its own lot number. There were will be one cadastral designation for the entire building. There is also only one certificate of location for the entire building but each owner gets a certificate with the plan of each fraction shown. </div>
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There's one tax bill for the entire building and the portion you pay is determined by the percentage of the building you own. Undivided properties generally have a lower taxable value than divided properties of similar size and condition. That means lower taxes for the owners.</div>
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Prices for undivided co-ownership properties tend to be substantially lower than for condos of the same size and quality. This is because the down payment on an undivided is a minimum of 20 per cent. The pool of buyers able to put together 20 per cent down is substantially smaller than the pool of condo buyers. That tends to have a moderating influence on prices.</div>
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Only two banks will finance the purchase of undivided properties, the Caisse Desjardins or the National Bank of Canada. If you are buying into an existing undivided property, you must use the bank already holding mortgages on the property. If you are thinking of converting your own duplex or triplex, you get to choose which of the two to use. Each bank works with specific notaries so you will either have to start by choosing the bank and then ask them to refer you to a notary, or, if you really like a particular notary, accept that you will have to work with the bank with which they are affiliated. Not all notaries do this kind of work.</div>
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Renting an undivided property presents a few risks. Quebec law is very clear. An owner who rents his or her undivided property has <b>no</b> automatic right to repossess from a tenant. So, if you are buying into a newly created undivided co-ownership and if there is a tenant already in place, you cannot force them to move. You can offer them an inducement but they do not have to go. This sounds crazy but it is true. Check property listing for older apartment buildings in Outremont, for example, and you will note that many of them are attractively priced but have tenants who are not going anywhere. </div>
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Likewise, if you are hoping to rent out your undivided property you might be opening a can of worms. First of all, your mortgage agreement will likely forbid you to rent (because banks don't want to be stuck with tenants, either). If you don't have a mortgage and you rent, you might still find yourself stuck with a tenant who won't leave. You could get around this if you offer short-term rentals, instead of a standard lease. Be careful though, many buildings are wary of short-term rentals and the headaches they can bring.</div>
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In undivided buildings, co-owners have a right of first refusal. That means that when the property is put up for sale, the other owners are given an opportunity to buy it first. Often, the co-owners are given a second opportunity to buy once a promise to purchase from an outside buyer is accepted. They then have a chance to match the offer on the table. Co-owners who renounce their right of first refusal must do so in writing and within a set time frame.</div>
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For all the complications and quirks of undivided co-ownership, it does have one big advantage. It is much easier to turn a duplex or triplex (or any other multi-unit building) into an undivided co-ownership than it is to turn it into condos. </div>
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All you need to do is ask a notary to prepare an indivision agreement. This agreement is a multi-page document that lays out who owns what, what the rules are, how decisions are made and other minutiae of owning. Next, a land surveyor must prepare a new certificate of location with a detailed plan of each floor or unit in the building. All of this can be accomplished in about two months and at relatively little cost. </div>
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Turning a similar duplex, triplex or apartment building into condos is a much lengthier process and much more costly. </div>
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Montreal has frozen condo conversions as a way of protecting the rental housing stock. (we can argue about how effective that has been.) If you want to convert a building where even one unit has been rented in the last 10 years, even if the unit is now empty, you must apply to borough for permission. Quebec's Rental Board will also want to know if any of the dwellings have been rented in the last 10 years. The owner must provide proof that all the tenants have been advised of the conversion plan. Once those steps are undertaken, the city and the province must give authorization. This can take six months to grind its slow way through the gears of bureaucracy.</div>
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A land surveyor must prepare a new certificate of location and must apply to the Minister of Natural Resources for cadastral designations (lot numbers) for each divided unit. Are you dizzy yet? Once all of that is done, a notary draw up a Declaration of Co-ownership. </div>
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The process is long, complicated and costly. There are deadlines that can't be missed. Usually, lawyers specializing in real estate transactions are involved because the paperwork, the procedures and the all-important deadlines are not easy to navigate. </div>
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As a final disincentive, in Montreal, some boroughs can and do impose what is known as a "park tax" when a building is converted into condos. This tax represents 10 per cent of the land value as stated on the property evaluation rolle. For a typical Verdun triplex, for example, that might mean $10,000 to $15,000. That tax is payable before the permit to convert the property is issued. </div>
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The good news is that it is easier and less costly for co-owners of an undivided property to convert to condo. It still takes time and will cost you money, but the park tax doesn't apply and the process is more streamlined. </div>
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Do you have other questions about buying, selling or converting a property to divided or undivided co-ownership? Drop me a line of give me a call. I'd be happy to help. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-41529319482703303892016-12-09T20:56:00.002-05:002016-12-09T20:56:48.891-05:00What Were They Thinking? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGo0nnGkAGvktonAT9SInCcdTEnBr6mljUHbRIrKg9Ab0W02FGy4CKMrTXsS5Y4fpNX2nqCyXvwEMhRK0TdkzY4UPml1o0Bvzykbeb4Z4Xexwj9YMT1bXNml6E-L8ZW7sGyLiLccEeGjs/s1600/cat+n+stripper+pole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGo0nnGkAGvktonAT9SInCcdTEnBr6mljUHbRIrKg9Ab0W02FGy4CKMrTXsS5Y4fpNX2nqCyXvwEMhRK0TdkzY4UPml1o0Bvzykbeb4Z4Xexwj9YMT1bXNml6E-L8ZW7sGyLiLccEeGjs/s640/cat+n+stripper+pole.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, a cat, a stripper pole and two double beds. Make of it what you will. Without the cat it's just a seedy condo in the red-light district. The cat is what makes it a home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-18261437981488756012016-10-30T21:34:00.001-04:002016-10-30T21:34:14.322-04:00A Little #VerdunLuv in the pages of The GazetteMontreal's English daily newspaper celebrates some of the high point's on Verdun's high street, known locally as "La Well".<br />
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Had a lovely time visiting with reporter and former colleague Susan Semenak at Verdun's Café La Tazza, where owner Johanne Minicucci offers a warm welcome and a frothy cappuccino. So much to love about my neighborhood.<br />
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Here's a link, for however long it is good. <a href="http://montrealgazette.com/life/wellington-st-has-come-alive-since-verdun-ended-its-dry-era">http://montrealgazette.com/life/wellington-st-has-come-alive-since-verdun-ended-its-dry-era</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-23115028220526017322016-09-14T11:54:00.002-04:002016-09-14T11:54:47.312-04:00New Property Assessment Roll is Out. How Did Your Area Fare?The city of Montrea released its triennial property roll this morning. Property values are up across the board, though the rate of increase varies widely depending on the property type and borough or municipality within Greater Montreal.<br />
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In brief, the value of the average Montreal home rose by 4.6 per cent, while the value of the average condo rose by a scant 2.2 per cent. The one type that saw a big jump was the multi-unit building with six or more apartments. The average value rose by a whopping 13.2 per cent.<br />
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The city takes a snapshot of property values once every three years and sets property taxes according to the value. The snapshot the city is using for this roll was taken in July, 2015. The new roll will apply from 2017 through 2019.<br />
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Of course, the increase in a property's value is only one half of the equation. We now wait to see what mill rate will apply in each of the boroughs and municipalities. The mill rate is the tax per $100 of property value. In Verdun, the basic 2016 mill rate was 0.5795cents per $100. In the Plateau, the base rate was set at 0.6562 cents per $100.<br />
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The new budget should be out mid November.<br />
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You can check your new evaluation by visiting the city's web site <a href="http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=3077,3528864&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL">here</a> and then click on "Consultation du role foncier" in the left margin. Enter the robot-fooling alpha-numeric code and then enter your civic number and street name. Have fun.<br />
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In the meantime, here's a map that shows how evaluations have risen across the island since the last roll was created.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-87091999250637128252016-05-31T11:58:00.000-04:002016-05-31T11:58:43.977-04:00Just Listed! Ville Emard Triplex. An Antique Beauty with the Engine of a Much Newer Model. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This classic 1920s triplex features a very large ground-floor apartment with three bedrooms, an elegant central dining room, recently renovated kitchen, front parlor, as well as a huge, partially finished full basement with laundry room, powder room and teenager's bedroom.<br />
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It has all the lovely decorative elements of a bourgeois triplex of its time. There's ornate stained-glass in the front windows and leaded glass lights both in the heavystately front door and the lights that flank it.<br />
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Inside the main unit you'll find original woodwork, oak pillars on either side of the dining room, topped with globe lights. There are two built-in glass china cabinets and lovely embossed wall coverings. The original hardwood floor has border running around it.<br />
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The master bedroom is a double parlor divided with articulated French doors. A perfect set-up for bedroom and office, bedroom and boudoir or bedroom and nursery.<br />
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The second bedroom is currently decked out in the bleu-blanc-rouge of the Montreal Canadiens. Go Habs, go!<br />
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The partially finished basement is HUGE! There's a teenager's bedroom, a familly room waiting to be created and enough space to play floor hockey. The subfloor is raised several inches above the concrete floor and there's still more than 7 feet of height. The basement also has a full laundry room,powder room and a craft room. Oh yes and there's a cedar-lined sauna that is currently being used for storage.<br />
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Upstairs, there are two apartments, a one-bedroom and two-bedroom. They bring in rents of $1,175 a month with the tenants paying their own utilities.<br />
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The property is located at 2359-2363 rue du Parc-Garneau in Ville Emard. Parc Garneau is pocket-sized park located between Briand and Monk Blvd, a tree-lined oasis directly across the street. You can sit out on your broad and shady front porch and watch the world go by.<br />
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There's also a small backyard just cryin out for a deck and some shade-loving plants.<br />
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Monk metro (green line) is a seven-minute walk away. Monk Blvd. is the neighborhood's main shopping drag, with groceries stores, mom and pop shops, a pharmacy, wood-fired delights thanks to Ville-Emard Bagels, Eddy Bicycles for two-wheeler tune-ups, an SAQ and everything else you might need.<br />
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The asking price is $560,000.You might be tempted to think that in such a late Edwardian beauty everything is antique. Not the case. The property has a white membrane roof, installed in 2013. The main unit has a tankless water heater. The gas-fired furnace dates from 2008 and feeds the original cast-iron radiators (ooooh hot-water radiators are so toasty). All three units have updated electrical panels. All the plumbing has been changed to either copper or Pex. An antique beauty with the engine of a much newer model.<br />
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Give me a call to schedule a visit!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com02359 Rue du Parc Garneau, Montréal, QC H4E, Canada45.4560101 -73.59436900000002922.6818861 -114.90296300000003 68.2301341 -32.285775000000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-3506779005323368952016-05-13T11:00:00.001-04:002016-05-15T18:06:32.774-04:00What Were They Thinking? Drive-By Shooting EditionWhen I was a newspaper reporter the photographers used to refer to them as "drive-by shootings". They were the photo assignments that one cared so little about that one did not even get out of the car to snap the image.<br />
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Call me crazy, but if you are a real estate broker the very least you can do for your client is get out of the car when you take the exterior photo of the building. That goes double if the extterior photo is the only one you're going to post with the listing. Pffft!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-59968440158240507342016-05-06T13:07:00.000-04:002016-05-25T11:31:28.323-04:00At the Crossroads of Downtown, the Plateau and the VillageJust listed! Here's a spacious two-bedroom condo on the second floor of a classic, stonefronted Montreal six-plex.<br />
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1662 Sherbrooke St. East faces beautiful Lafontaine Park, the beating green heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal and a paradise for joggers, cyclists, and sun bathers.<br />
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The building dates from 1923. The ground floor is occupied by an accounting firm. They keep 9-5, Monday to Friday hours, which is just the kind of neighbors we all wish we had. No loud parties on the weekends. And no complaints about your loud parties on the weekends.<br />
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The condo features two good-sized bedrooms, separated from one another by the bathroom. The living room is at the front. The nicely renovated open-concept kitchen and dining room are at the back, with a large and comfortable back balcony perfect for lazy summer evenings.<br />
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The condo also has a private garage with automatic door. Park your car until the weekend. With a Walkscore of 92, all the daily conveniences are within a few blocks. STM bus 24 goes right by the door and will whisk you to Sherbrooke metro, or downtown straight along Sherbrooke St. Access to Highway 720 and the Jacques Cartier bridge are super quick.<br />
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The asking price for this condominium is $369,000. Taxes are $2,853 annually. Condo fees, paid quarterly are $1,700.<br />
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Give me a call if you would like to visit!<br />
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Mary Lamey<br />
Century 21<br />
514 978-6522<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com01662 Rue Sherbrooke E, Montréal, QC H2L 1M5, Canada45.5272379 -73.56380290000004244.810985900000006 -74.854696400000037 46.2434899 -72.272909400000046tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-11344521553697122112016-04-15T14:48:00.000-04:002016-04-15T14:48:56.780-04:00Montreal's Resale Market Regains the Bounce in its Step During the First Quarter of '16Good news from the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board. The local resale market got off to its best start in four years, with a 10 per cent increase in sales across all housing types.<br />
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There were 10,600 sales during the first three months of 2016, compared to 9,645 a year earlier. Sales were up across the Greater Montreal area, which is divided into five different census area.<br />
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Revenue properties with two to five units saw the biggest jump, up 20 per cent. That represented 958 properties sold. Condo sales were up 12 per cent, though prices edged down 1 per cent compared to a year earlier. Single home sales rose by six per cent, to 6,449 units.<br />
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The average prices of a Montreal home rose to $285,000, a two-per-cent bump. That average prices takes into account all sales from unrenovated bungalow in the furthest reaches of the 450 to the grandest mansion sold in Westmount. Obviously, there have been many more of the former than there were of the latter. Don't takes the average prices as an indication of what a house will cost you on the island.<br />
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The first-quarter results represent the seventh consecutive quarterly increase since 2000, when the board began keeping trimestrial statistics in 2000. Good times!<br />
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There were 34,208 properies listed for sale in the Montreal area, down five per cent compared to a year earlier.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-58286944350978339162016-03-22T12:23:00.000-04:002016-03-22T12:24:29.276-04:00What Were They Thinking? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Did not know the Grim Reaper was such a fan of knotty pine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-35446368742011492442016-03-17T12:27:00.001-04:002016-06-10T15:25:04.900-04:00A Limited Time Offer on a Plateau Cottage - 4168 Henri-Julien<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yours for $645,000.<br />
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The renovated Plateau cottage was stripped and redone in 2009. The result, a big comfortable family home that combines old-school Plateau cachet and contemporary design.<br />
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With more than 2,000 square feet of living space, there's plenty of room to manoeuvre, whatever your lifestyle. The ground floor has high ceilings, a double living room and huge eat-in kitchen with a custom island ideal for cooking, eating or hanging out. There's a four-season sunroom off the kitche with windows onto the intimate backyard, where sunlight pours through for much of the day. The unfinished basement is ideal for storage.<br />
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Upstairs you'll find three big bedrooms, one with a door leading to a deck-ready roof. The bathroom is big enough to hold a barn dance, if that's your thing. There's a huge soaker tub and a walk-in shower.<br />
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The vendors have dropped the price to $645,000 but that is a limited time offer. If the property is not sold before summer, the house is coming off the market. Make your move.<br />
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<a href="http://www.century21.ca/mary.lamey/Property/QC/H2W_2K3/Montreal/4168_Av_Henri-Julien">http://www.century21.ca/mary.lamey/Property/QC/H2W_2K3/Montreal/4168_Av_Henri-Julien</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-4722922217613337082016-03-15T14:41:00.000-04:002016-03-15T14:41:12.553-04:00When Real Estate Brokers Don't Measure Up - Why Inaccurate Measurements are a Big DealCBC Radio jolted me from my "Oh gawd it is the first Monday of Daylight Saving Time" stupor yesterday morning with a real-estate report.<br />
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A woman in Alberta has been left frustrated and her retirement put in jeopardy because the house she purchased and later sold was considerably smaller than what the agent who originally sold it to her claimed. You can see the TV report <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/realtor-misrepresents-square-footage-1.3487389">here<span id="goog_869088408"></span></a>.<br />
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Pam Whelan paid $800,000 for an Okotoks bungalow in 2007, believing that she was buying a house with 2,580 square feet of living space. Turns out, the bungalow is about 25 per cent smaller, 2,094 square feet. She complained to the Real Estate Council of Alberta, saying the original listing agent providedd misleading information. Had she known the real square footage at the time of purchase she could have made a "more educated guess" on whether or not to buy.<br />
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Whelan says she was counting on the proceeds of the sale of the house for her retirement. She sold in 2014 for $775,000, after having put money into upgrades.<br />
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The Real Estate Council of Alberta acknowledges the listing agent had committed a "minor breach" of the province's Real Estate Act by misrepresenting the square footage. The council found no reason to believe the misrepresentation was intentional. The agent got a note in her file. A note is not a sanction, apparently.<br />
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That's the part that blew my mind. No sanction.<br />
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A few things about this story struck me. First, 500 square feet is a lot of space to go missing. Second, there would be hell to pay for the agent who made that mistake here.<br />
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Real-estate professionals in la belle province are ruled by the Real Estate Brokerage Act, provincial legislation. The OACIQ (Organisme d'autoreglementaion de courtage immobilier du Québec) polices the industry and enforces the brokerage act. The law is unequivocal. Real estate brokers are responsible for the things written in their listings.<br />
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> Sections 83 and 85 of the </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Regulation respecting brokerage requirements, professional conduct of brokers and advertising</em><span style="font-style: normal;"> are clear on this point:</span></em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">83. A broker or agency executive officer must act with objectivity whenever advising or informing the party represented by them or the agency for which they act and all other parties to a transaction. That obligation extends to all the material facts relevant to the transaction and to its object, and must be fulfilled without exaggeration, concealment or misrepresentation. If applicable, the broker or officer must inform the parties of products and services that concern heritage protection and relate to the transaction.</em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">85. A broker or agency executive officer must inform the party represented and all other parties to a transaction of any known factor that may adversely affect the parties or the object of the transaction.</em></div>
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If you don't know the square footage, don't say. If you aren't sure, don't say. You cannot rely on the measurements another broker took - like the measurements from an old listing. Adding a disclaimer like "all measurements to be verified by the buyer" is illegal and has no force.<br />
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So you can imagine how gob-smacked I was to hear the Real Estate Council of Alberta's director of professional standards say that "caveat emptor is alive and well in all real estate markets in Canada."<br />
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In other words, buyer beware.<br />
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Again, it is written into law that Quebec brokers must verify the information in their listings. They must be ready to prove anything asserted in a listing, if asked. That's why listings sometimes do not specify the net living space. Better not to say than to say the wrong thing.<br />
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In Quebec, every time a house is put up for sale, the seller is obliged to provide a certificate of location prepared by a land surveyor. The certificate shows the dimensions of the lot. It also shows the dimensions of the building. It does not show interior square footage. A certificate of location for a condominium will show interior square footage.<br />
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It is common practice now for notaries to examine the certificate of location with a buyer prior to the closing of the sale. They verify the dimensions together, look at servitudes and make sure the buyer understand what he or she is buying. No surprises that way.<br />
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I have to wonder whether the unhappy Okotoks woman saw a certificate of location or survey plan before buying. If she had, a bit of quick math might have shown there was no way it could be as big as advertised. Maybe such survey plans are not required in other parts of the country.<br />
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Living space is the space within the walls of the dwelling. Balconies do not count (even though some condo developers include outdoor space in the square footage on their spec sheets.) parking spaces do no count. Storage lockers in the basement of a condo building do not count.<br />
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Mistakes happen. Misrepresntations happen too but when they do there can be real consequences for the Quebec broker, including a fine or license suspension.<br />
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The CBC story asserts that the number of these complaints are growing across the country, but it is telling that the report did not mention Quebec, where the real estate brokerage laws have teeth and where consumers get better than a form letter saying "buyer beware".<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-28371587330357826232016-03-08T16:10:00.000-05:002016-03-08T16:10:43.851-05:00That's Me! An interview in The Senior Times. <a href="http://www.theseniortimes.com/pricing-staging-and-other-tips-from-montreal-real-estate-brokers/" target="_blank">The Senior Times</a> asked me questions about how to decide if it is the right time to sell your home, whether renovating prior to a sale is a good idea, what I think of staging and other issues of interest to the buyers and sellers. Have a look.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-36395314023266296922016-01-29T18:17:00.002-05:002016-03-08T16:06:06.865-05:00"What Were They Thinking? "Another in a Continuing Series of Real Estate Photos <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At first glance you might think it is a crime scene in the style of "Who Killed Dora Palmer"? Or maybe Dora's just a blackout drunk. You'd have to be a pretty hardcore fan of public television's intrepid Explorer to want to <i>Vamanos!</i> to this house.<br />
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H/T Jane SUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-87322127205404046032016-01-29T18:07:00.000-05:002016-01-30T10:05:02.866-05:00Just Listed! NDG Duplex with a Basement Ready for Finishing - $559,000<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9D_zaNzD3FFqmluJNq3kh1Kp4tvkWc5QGlRZy9jn2pfgH1yYfbaQzjDC5jWT4w3MtLG6RFnr9qcHYybHQ4VQ6N2jfn8bSYxqSTIV0zp8rETAlzkRFi5rM1l27HOZzhOOZQEXqHpItFc/s1600/Oxford_ext.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9D_zaNzD3FFqmluJNq3kh1Kp4tvkWc5QGlRZy9jn2pfgH1yYfbaQzjDC5jWT4w3MtLG6RFnr9qcHYybHQ4VQ6N2jfn8bSYxqSTIV0zp8rETAlzkRFi5rM1l27HOZzhOOZQEXqHpItFc/s640/Oxford_ext.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Are you looking for a duplex with a high, clean basement ready to turn into an in-law suite or space for the teen or young-adult portion of your family?<br />
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Amy Barratt and I have just listed a duplex at 2190-2192 Oxford Ave. in NDG that features two flats having two bedrooms each, and a full-height basement with two exit doors. The basement is roughed in with a plywood floor, gpysumboard walls, electrical and plumbing roughed in for whatever your project may be.<br />
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This property, originally built in 1914, was decimated by fire in the mid 1980s and was entirely rebuilt by a contractor. The result is a big comfortable property with modern plumbing, electrical, insulation and windows.<br />
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The top floor of the building is currently occupied by the vendor. A tenant occupies the ground floor, at $995 a month. There's a small backyard with each of the two apartments having a small kitchen balcony. The upper also has a balcony off the office area at the front.<br />
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These 6.5-room apartments have comfortable living rooms, master bedrooms of good dimensions and a smaller second bedroom. Washer and dryer installations are in the large bathrooms.<br />
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The eat-in kitchens are spacious with a sliding patio door leading to a the deck. On the second floor, the sink is set into the island that faces onto the dining area. There's a built in dishwasher. The second floor flat also has a separate dining area.<br />
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The property is located on lower Oxford Ave., between Sherbrooke St. and De Maisonneuve Blvd. This a lively and walkable neighborhood that gets some of its energy from Concordia University's Loyola campus, located a bit further west on the 105 bus route.<br />
Sherbrooke St is lined with mom and pop stores, hangouts like <a href="http://www.shaikacafe.com/" target="_blank">Café Shaika</a>, <a href="http://www.montango.ca/" target="_blank">MonTango Argentine Tango School</a> , <a href="http://www.cooplamaisonverte.com/" target="_blank">Co-op La Maison Verte</a> and a million affordable restos.<br />
This neck of the NDG woods has a relaxed vibe and prices to match, a world away from nearby Monkland Village.<br />
So, if you're look for a sound investment and if you think a property with a huge basement that is ready for finishing is something you might like, give me a call at (514) 978-6522 to arrange a visit.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-80213399208991130722015-10-26T19:47:00.002-04:002015-10-26T19:50:23.789-04:00The Wrecking Ball Swings on May Street. <img src="https://journalmetrocom.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/rue-may01.jpg?w=618&h=408&crop=1" /><br />
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Today was the day. May St,'s Victorian houses are coming down to make way for the new Champlain Bridge. <a href="http://journalmetro.com/local/verdun/actualites/863745/le-debut-de-la-fin-pour-la-rue-may/" target="_blank">Le Messager</a> has photos and some details.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-40478699971478534642015-10-05T10:41:00.000-04:002015-10-05T10:41:18.339-04:00The Mystery of Upstairs Neighbors Solved Your <a href="http://aboveaverage.com/watch/above-average-presents/everyones-upstairs-neighbors/" target="_blank">upstairs neighbors</a> are driving you mad? It might be time to move.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-66259782518317275052015-09-16T18:37:00.002-04:002015-09-19T11:56:48.851-04:00A House for You Where Mile End and Plateau Merge. Explosions of Creativity and Wow Ensue!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBH6twY6fEA8hdo1ZlTXjaYNAEJQucK8y131DaDCbgM8Ey8XtpcA7p6gurqBf6C_2J0bgForFT7LiPYXMg-Bi6b_IO_OjoGSOaEK9_f6qUlTGmYX_dE82QYaA9IB32a4IeLeaIXKLEwc/s1600/Casgrain+ext.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBH6twY6fEA8hdo1ZlTXjaYNAEJQucK8y131DaDCbgM8Ey8XtpcA7p6gurqBf6C_2J0bgForFT7LiPYXMg-Bi6b_IO_OjoGSOaEK9_f6qUlTGmYX_dE82QYaA9IB32a4IeLeaIXKLEwc/s400/Casgrain+ext.JPG" width="400" /></a> Bye-bye condo fees. Hello your own sweet two-storey home in a very cool neighborhood. 5556-5558 Casgrain is a former duplex converted into a 2- or 3-bedroom with two full baths.<br />
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It features a front living room with a passage to the dining room. A full bathroom with shower separates the two. There's a large open kitchen with concrete-topped counter and breakfast bar. The kitchen has windows on two sides for maximum light.<br />
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The dining room is an equally bright and inviting space and is steps away from the back door that leads to a spacious wooden deck with seating for at least eight, planters of flowers, vines and trees. Perfect for summer lounging and dining. There's protected bike storage and up a ladder, a wee playhouse for a kid or maybe the neighborhood raccoon.<br />
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Upstairs you will find a master bedroom at the front of the house. There are no bedroom closets, as is often the case with places built around about the turn of the 20th century. To compensate, the current occupants set up a dressing area in a corner at the top of the stairs. There's an oversized armoire and a chest of drawers. The armoire is staying for the next owner.<br />
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There's a second full bath with a deep tub. The guest room is a quirky space with a window onto the porch and another onto the bathroom. The office was once a closed third bedroom with a door to a small porch. It would be easy to put the wall back up, if a third bedroom is necessary.<br />
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Twenty years ago the area south of Mont-Royal Ave between Papineau and Drolet was the be-all and the end-all of Plateau living. That's where the fashionable people of the late 1980s dug in and that's where prices quickly climbed beyond the reach of ordinary buyers.<br />
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For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Young, creative types began to migrate north to the ungentrified industrial area just east of St-Laurent, between Maguire and the CP tracks. Ubisoft, the French video game maker, led the parade by setting up shop in the Peck building at the corner of St-Laurent and St-Viateur.<br />
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That influx of young creative types was just the encouragement the neighborhood needed. Soon enough, there was an explosion of cafés and boutiques. The old garment factories of de Gaspe Ave. and Casgrain St. became hives for start-ups making everything from jams to custom furniture.<br />
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Today, this as yet unnamed corner of Mile End, is where it is at creatively. Le Champ des Possibles, a community-created biodiversity park on former CP Rail land, perfectly exemplifies the area's spirit. It has given birth to Le Marché des Possibles, an outdoor summer market with artisanal goods, fresh produce and free cultural programming.(Just up the street from 5556 Casgrain). Pop Montreal, the annual indie music fest, hosts shows, symposia, screenings and art exhibits all over the area throughout the year. Let's not forget Montreal Roller Derby, headquartered in the St-Louis Arena! Let's not forget Bain St-Michel, once the area's community bathhouse/swimming pool and now an art and theatre space.<br />
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La Panthère Verte for the vegans, Magpie for the old-school 'zza, and Café District for the java. None of it is more than a two-minute walk from your front door. And if you don't mind crossing the Main, the best bagels in Montreal.<br />
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The asking price for 5556 Casgrain is $523,000. The owner has lived in the house for five years and has put good money into the bricks, the chimney, ventilation and the crawl space.The roof was redone in 2010.<br />
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All in all, a pretty sweet place, for a couple, family or a singleton looking for a house of their own.<br />
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You can see the complete listing <a href="http://www.century21.ca/Property/QC/H2T_1X9/Montreal/5556-5558_Av_Casgrain" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-19473288011251082232015-09-12T15:54:00.000-04:002015-09-16T10:40:06.174-04:00Suicide and Other Violent Deaths Must Be DeclaredPatrick Lagacé, one of La Presse's liveliest columnists, recently had a piece about a West Island couple who were having trouble selling their family home. You can read it <a href="http://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/patrick-lagace/201509/09/01-4898859-la-clause-d138.php" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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In an unimaginable turn of events, their 25-year-old son had committed suicide in the home three years before. They had many visits, but potential buyers walked away when they learned of the unnatural death.<br />
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Quebec is the only jurisdiction in North America where vendors are obliged to disclose when a suicide has taken place in a property. It has been a standard question on the vendor's declaration since 2012.<br />
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In Lagacé's opinion this requirement is ridiculous. He hammers away at the fact that ghosts aren't real and don't haunt houses. He does not see why a grieving family should be doubly victimized, first by suicide and again by having their home stigmatized.<br />
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The courts disagree and have come down heavily on vendors and brokers who try to whitewash this information.<br />
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In 2013, a Superior Court judge cancelled the sale of a $275,000 home and ordered that the vendor pay the buyers $15,000 in moral damages and $23,000 in expenses after the vendor went out of his way to hide a double suicide in the the home he sold them.<br />
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The guilty vendor had picked the house up cheap from the estate of the double-suicide couple. He then tried two different listing brokers, both of whom told him the suicide had to be disclosed, before selling the property himself on Du Proprio. He told the buyers that with Du Proprio there was no such thing as a vendor's declaration. (An agent would have told them differently but hey, they thought they were saving money by cutting out the agent. Pffft!)<br />
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It did not take long for the buyers to hear about the double suicide from a neighbor. They were devastated. Instead of a first home in which to start their family, they were saddled with a place notorious among the neighbors and wreathed in sadness. They never even moved in.<br />
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Lagacé also pointed to the case of a South Shore real estate agent fined $2,000 after she "minimized" the importance of disclosing such information to a prospective buyer. The home in question <b>might</b> have been the scene of a violent death some 40 years before. It was the home where Quebec Justice Minister Pierre Laporte was held hostage during the October Crisis. Laporte was killed by his FLQ kidnappers but it has never been established whether he was killed in the house. <i> </i><br />
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<i>Peu importe, </i>the disclosure form also covers violent death and asks whether the vendor is aware of any factors related to the property that might be likely to reduce its value, restrict its use, reduce the revenues it generates or increases the expenses associated with with operating it. (It isn't just about violent death. You would also have to disclose if the house had ever been a brothel, a motorcycle clubhouse, a gambling den...)<br />
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To the La Presse columnist the disclosure rule is ridiculous. He falls back on the very logical assertion that "There's no such thing as ghosts." Case closed. <br />
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If only we were Spock-like creatures ruled entirely by logic...<br />
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I've twice had to deal with properties touched by suicide. It is true that selling such a home can be a tricky thing requiring tact, empathy and forthrightness.<br />
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Columnist Lagacé can assert that ghosts don't exist all he wants. I'm here to tell you firsthand that some people care very much whether there has been a violent or unnatural death in a home.<br />
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I sold a home for the estate of a well-regarded professional a few years back. He had lived alone in a nice house in a good neighborhood.Nearly every single person who walked into that house could tell that there was something off about it. There were no outward signs of violence because his death had not been violent. There was a certain sadness that dusted the place.<br />
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Each time I disclosed the nature of the vendor's death, people gasped, even took a step back, as though trying to evade the information. I was amazed at how many times I ended up on the sofa, listening to complete strangers share the devastating details of suicides among their own family and friends.<br />
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A Vietnamese family, mother and father as well as their adult children, was ready to make an offer but backed out as soon as they heard about the suicide. Death is not necessarily a dealbreaker, the father told me.<br />
"If an person lived a good life and then died in his own bed of old age, that would be an auspicious death," he explained. Suicide was never auspicious.<br />
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Ultimately, I sold the house to another immigrant family. The woman with whom I dealt absorbed the news. She did not care much about the suicide. Her cousin had commited suicide in her 20s, she mentioned. She asked whether I thought the kids of the neighborhood would single out her kindergarten-aged son because of it? Would they refuse to come over to play?<br />
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I told her that I couldn't imagine they would. Kids aren't like that. With time, the stigma of the house would fade. Instead of being the house where Mr. X killed himself, it would become the house where the Y family lived.<br />
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Still, when the Y family does decide to sell, they will have to disclose the suicide, too. I can't imagine that anyone will care in 25 years but what I think and what the law says are two different things.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-53433153990316302162015-09-12T10:20:00.000-04:002015-09-12T10:20:08.729-04:00IKEA TrollingFaithful readers may recall that we at MontReal Estate are very fond <a href="http://marylamey.blogspot.ca/2009/09/ikea-goes-hllywood.html" target="_blank">IKEA</a>-based humour (not to mention their meatballs!). This from <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/09/09/in-store-ikea-reviews/#k37T6RxFd5kK" target="_blank">Mashable</a> is a total delight. Please to enjoy.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-33846656165355223342015-07-09T13:47:00.000-04:002015-09-12T13:20:32.340-04:00 Home + Rental Revenue + Office/Studio = A Mile-Ex Duplex for You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQNa8PuFaDDi5QOQwyUOt1CQ2310s6nnJqYNRpcojwvqWh7dh7W2aUyKz2eZ3KtqviQuT-feviOt0zf7ojcW9VhbztQ7P4h2qEVb-puSXvhb_rfCFmpqZrhQhV9SZxKds9lh1Gb_Jhzg/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQNa8PuFaDDi5QOQwyUOt1CQ2310s6nnJqYNRpcojwvqWh7dh7W2aUyKz2eZ3KtqviQuT-feviOt0zf7ojcW9VhbztQ7P4h2qEVb-puSXvhb_rfCFmpqZrhQhV9SZxKds9lh1Gb_Jhzg/s640/11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Amy Barratt and I have just listed a pretty special duplex in Mile-Ex (more about that name and neighborhood in a bit.)<br />
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7022-7024 Clark St. is a typical turn-of-the-century Montreal duplex. The upper unit, which will be available to the buyer, features three bedrooms, a large living room at the front and a big eat-in kitchen.<br />
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The bathroom is large, with a skylight, old-fashioned tub and has washer and dryer hook-ups.</div>
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All in all, this is a a big comfortable place with plenty of light and apleasing old soul.<br />
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Off the back balcony, the secret world of old Italian vegetable gardens, riotous flowers, trees and low-slung rooftops. A pocket of green in the heart of the city.<br />
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The downstairs unit is currently rented at $1100 a month. The tenant shares the fenced backyard and has a vegetable garden. </div>
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What sets this property apart form others in the neighborhood is the detached two-storey building in the back yard. Probably once used as a shed, this concrete block on slab construction has been converted into a 225-square-foot completely insulated, fully wired and entirely finished studio space. With its original wood floors, new windows and skylights, the space is sunny and inviting. Accessible by a catwalk from the second floor or by an exterior winding staircase from the yard, this haven of creativity is something special.<br />
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The ground floor of the studio space is raw - concrete block walls with high ceilings and plenty of potential. It is currently used for storage but has been used as a carpentry shop, ceramic- and paint studios. The space is waiting for you and your projects.</div>
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The current owner purchased the place in 2001 and has spent good money on renovations. The main roof and the roof of the studio building were both redone. New skylights were installed. Windows were changed. Bricks have been repointed, plumbing and electrical brought into the 21st century.</div>
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The current owner purchased the place in 2001 and has spent good money on renovations. The main roof and the roof of the studio building were both redone. New skylights were installed. Windows were changed. Bricks have been repointed, plumbing and electrical brought into the 21st century.</div>
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The last time I wrote about <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8432058376495799792#editor/target=post;postID=1373477825259986364;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=postname" target="_blank">Mile-Ex</a>, a reader nearly took my head off. He insisted that Mile-Ex was a made-up name invented by invading hipsters. Maybe, if so blame La Presse which first publicized the name back in 2010. To some it is and will remain Little Italy, though that name doesn't quite capture the 'hood's adventurous new spirit.<br />
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To others, <i>secteur Alexandra-Marconi</i> sounds best. I even like WeLiTa, for West of Little Italy. Call it whatever you will, this is one lively neighborhood, a mix of old industrial buildings that increasingly house film and TV production houses, architects and designers, small manufcaturers and importers. There are early 20th century duplexes and triplexes and a number of new condo developments, either fresh built or sprung from the hulks of long gone factories.</div>
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Throw in Jean-Talon market, the nightlife and grocery shopping of the Upper Main and the many cool little restos in the area - I'm looking at you Depanneur Le Pick Up, Dinette Triple Crown, Manitoba, Café Guerrero and drinkeries like Alexanderplatz and the spanking new Brasserie Harricana and you've got the makings of a vibrant and engaging neighborhood. </div>
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Asking price $560,000. </div>
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Who wants in?</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-15510315154543089442015-01-24T18:57:00.001-05:002015-01-24T19:02:28.820-05:00What Were They Thinking, Sooooey! Edition <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This property is a work in progress. The photos show no ceilings, roughed in plywood and drywall in most rooms. The bathroom, however, is quite something. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-2569984570946962472015-01-13T21:22:00.002-05:002015-01-13T21:22:18.146-05:00December Housing Sales Up vs 2012 & 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Montreal's resale market ended 2014 with a bang, recording its best December for housing sales in three years.<br />
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A total of 2,203 homes were sold in the final month of '14, a 9-per-cent increase over the same month in 2013, which, if we're being honest, was a pretty crappy year for the local housing scene. (I am looking at you Pauline Marois and your trio of ill-behaved frat boys, Drainville, Peladeau and Lisée.)<br />
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It is no secret that the housing market took a dive during the Parti Québeois' 18-month chair-warming tenure as government. That took care of the final quarter of 2012, all of 2013 and the first bit of 2014. Happily, sales began to regain equilibrium in the second half of last year.<br />
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The North Shore and Laval led the charge, registering an eye-popping 26 per cent and 19 per cent respectively. Sales were up on the island by 8 per cent and 4 per cent on the South Shore. <br />
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Somewhat surprisingly, sales of both single-family homes and condominiums rose by 9 per cent and plex sales rose by 10 per cent. This despite an abundance of new and resale condos available. The median home prices remained unchanged at $284,000, while condo prices inched up by two per cent.<br />
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The number of active listings also rose December over December by 8 per cent. More choice for everyone!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-35456999944309968202014-09-22T19:22:00.000-04:002014-09-22T19:22:39.037-04:00Two Bedrooms, Elegant Architecture and an Oasis of Green, Facing Jeanne-Mance Park<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The courtyard, an oasis in the city. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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If you've ever walked past the tennis courts in Jeanne Mance Park, chances are you've noticed Chateau Esplanade, the yellow brick complex directly across Esplanade Ave. The Chateau, built circa 1915, makes a statement with its dark-stained and arched wood windows and doors, elaborate exterior staircases and elegant courtyards. These are not cookie-cutter condos.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the courtyard towards the street and beyond that Jeanne-Mance Park.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.century21.ca/amy.barratt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amy Barratt</a> and I have just listed Apt. 3 at 4433 av de l'Esplande, a two-bedroom condo with a balcony onto the lovely courtyard. The asking price is $325,000. The monthly condo fees are $158 . Taxes, combined are $2576. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The combined living and dining room. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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There are only two condos per floor in 4433 Esplanade. This unit has two good-sized bedrooms at opposite ends of the apartment, for maximum privacy. The master bedroom is on the courtyard side of the building, with a balcony overlooking the trees and flowers. The second bedroom has a window on St. Urban St.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second bedroom, now used as an office.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bedroom with balcony.</td></tr>
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The kitchen is an enclosed galley style, with a pass-through and breakfast bar. The refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer are included.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen with pass-through and breakfast bar.</td></tr>
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Among the features of the Chateau Esplanade, are a communal bike storage room, very large individual lockers, a building sauna and a party or meeting room.<br />
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Esplanade and Mont-Royal is an ideal Plateau location. Jeanne-Mance Park, with its tennis courts, soccer fields and open spaces, is directly across the street. The mountain is just beyond that. Every shop and service one could need - grocery store, pharmacy, SAQ, coffee shop, bakery or bank, is located within a three-uminte walk. <br />
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Public transit could not be more simple, with buses on the corners of Park Ave., St. Urban, St. Laurent and Mont-Royal. The Mont-Royal metro station is a short bus ride or 10-minute walk away.<br />
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All in all, this condo has everything an urban sophisticate could want - including a little oasis of green when it is time to retreat from the hubbub of Montreal's most vibrant neighborhood.<br />
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Call or text me to arrange a visit. Or check the listing on my website: <a href="http://marylamey.com/">marylamey.com</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8432058376495799792.post-88490430833945637442014-09-09T12:34:00.002-04:002014-09-09T12:34:33.870-04:00Come and Gone and Gone Again The story of the little house on Newmarch St. has another chapter. As it turned out, my young buyer was up against a contractor when he put in his winning bid. He had ambitious plans to expand the little house by building a mostly glass addition in the front yard and connecting it to the old house by covered walkway.<br />
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The contractor didn't give up easily. After the sale was finalized, his agent contacted me and asked whether my buyer would be willing to sign over his accepted promise to purchase in return for a financial consideration. As it turns out, my buyer was willing to do that. The original vendors also agreed to allow the buyer with whom they had struck the deal to cede his rights to the new guy. Everything was done on the up and up. <br />
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The contractor offered to allow my vendors to stay in the house rent free for an extra month. As for the young buyer, he made a little somethin' somethin' selling the house before he even owned it.<br />
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Turns out the contractor bought a similar property next door to our dollhouse. Sadly, he will be tearing both properties down in order to build a condo complex.<br />
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There's no doubt that the project will make more efficient use of the land but I'm sad knowing that a little bit of Verdun's small-town past, a few trees and the birds who lived in them will be disappearing from the landscape.<br />
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Progress. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0