No, that's not dog pee in the carpet. It's a feature.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Space-age, Spacing-saving Italian Design.
The trend towards smaller condos is here to stay and with it comes a trend towards compact, space-saving furniture. One of my clients was recently looking for a murphy bed for the guest room in her sleek loft near the the Lachine Canal. She wanted something both stylish and practical - a fold-out bed hidden behind a desk and bookshelf set up, for example. This video is making the rounds just a little too late for my canal-side acquaintance, but it might be of interest to someone else out there hoping to add a little Italian brio to their home decor.
Best of all, Montreal's Fraser Furniture is the exclusive retailer for this totally cool line.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Montreal Real Estate Board says Buh-bye to Cdn Real Estate Association
The Greater Montreal Real Estate Board, Canada's second largest, has served notice that it will withdraw from the Canadian Real Estate Association at the end of 2013. Quebec members pay about $3.4 million in CREA dues annually.
The GMREB represents 10,000 or so brokers, roughly a tenth of all CREA's membership. The national organization represents boards across Canada. The two have been at odds for years, with Montreal complaining about CREA's weak defense of Quebeckers' interests, spending, dues increases and the services members receive in return.
The big item is CREA's unwillingness or inability to block "for sale by owner" (FSBO) properties from the realtor.ca system in Quebec. These listings are legal in other jurisdictions but not in Quebec, where only brokers licensed through the provincial licensing agency, the OACIQ, are allowed to market and sell properties on behalf of a third party. This makes Quebec different from the rest of Canada.
Quebec's 12 boards were worried enough about the possibility of FSBOs being listed on the realtor.ca that they launched their own property-search website, centris.ca. It has asked CREA to default to Centris rather than Realtor for all Quebec property searches. So far, no response.
In a letter to members, the GMREB included links to two Montreal area FSBO listings recently posted to realtor.ca through a Toronto listing service affiliated with the Toronto Real Estate Board. That back door move bypasses Quebec's licensing and professional oversight requirements.
You can see how there would be irritation and hurt feelings, right?
But FSBOs aren't the only irritant. Montreal is also reluctant to take part in a national data distribution system that would put information collected by GMREB members into the hands of cut-rate sales firms and FSBOs. Data like average selling prices, days on the market, etc is gold to real estate professionals and, presumably to those who would feast on our labour. We've paid to have it collated by our association. We aren't about to give it away to the Du Proprios of the world.
There are other issues, as well. CREA wants to create a national code of ethics for real estate professionals. GMREB opposes the idea because its primary role is to protect and promote its membership. Quebec brokers are bound by a code of ethics administered by the OACIQ. The OACIQ fields complaints from the public, investigates, adjudicates and punishes brokers who break the rules. Best of all, every broker pays dues to maintain the agency even though we get no benefit from it. Needless to say, GMREB has no interest in paying for the implementation of a second code of ethics.
Finally, GMREB has been asking questions about where the CREA dues end up. Remember, this is Quebec, where we know a thing or two about expense-account padding, lavish dinners, cocktail parties, exotic meeting locales etc etc. Quebec's federation of real estate boards complained about lavish spending and duplication of services. For its part. GMREB managed to claw back $1.5 million in CREA dues in the last two years and has used the money to promote centris.ca and for other advertising tailored to the Quebec market.
Talks have been ongoing, but now the time of talking seems to be over. CREA is having a special general meeting later this month in Vancouver. According to the Montreal board, despite promises to the contrary, none of Quebec's concerns are addresses on the meeting's agenda.
Unless something changes between now and then, Quebec will cut itself loose from CREA's mothership. Says GMREB president Patrick Juanèda:
The board reserves the right to change its mind, especially if CREA responds to its concerns at the upcoming general meeting. Stay tuned.
************************************************************
While we're on the topic of people being annoyed by the way in which their dues are spent, there's a petition going around that takes issue with the way the OACIQ is spending brokers' money.
The straw that broke the camel's back is a recently announced mandatory course for all real estate brokers on the importance of "collaboration". Collaboration is what happens when one broker calls another broker to see a property. If you show it, you are collaborating. If you ignore the call or multiple calls, you are not collaborating. Pretty simple. The OACIQ is requiring all license holders to take take this 2-hour on-line course at a cost of $150 each.
$150 each and they don't even have to rent a room, put on a pot of coffee or lay out a tray of danish. That's an easy $2.6 million for the licensing agency. That's on top of the $16.3 million it collected in annual dues from saps like me in 2012.
People see this training as little more than a cash grab. They are concerned that if the OACIQ gets away with this it will implement more and more "imporatant" mandatory training at extra cost to the dues payers. It's the Quebec way, right? Can't balance your budget? Raise fees! Implement surcharges! Create a new tax! Easy money, right? The English version of the petition has 450+ signatures. The French version, nearly 2,900.
Here's the petition.
The GMREB represents 10,000 or so brokers, roughly a tenth of all CREA's membership. The national organization represents boards across Canada. The two have been at odds for years, with Montreal complaining about CREA's weak defense of Quebeckers' interests, spending, dues increases and the services members receive in return.
The big item is CREA's unwillingness or inability to block "for sale by owner" (FSBO) properties from the realtor.ca system in Quebec. These listings are legal in other jurisdictions but not in Quebec, where only brokers licensed through the provincial licensing agency, the OACIQ, are allowed to market and sell properties on behalf of a third party. This makes Quebec different from the rest of Canada.
Quebec's 12 boards were worried enough about the possibility of FSBOs being listed on the realtor.ca that they launched their own property-search website, centris.ca. It has asked CREA to default to Centris rather than Realtor for all Quebec property searches. So far, no response.
In a letter to members, the GMREB included links to two Montreal area FSBO listings recently posted to realtor.ca through a Toronto listing service affiliated with the Toronto Real Estate Board. That back door move bypasses Quebec's licensing and professional oversight requirements.
You can see how there would be irritation and hurt feelings, right?
But FSBOs aren't the only irritant. Montreal is also reluctant to take part in a national data distribution system that would put information collected by GMREB members into the hands of cut-rate sales firms and FSBOs. Data like average selling prices, days on the market, etc is gold to real estate professionals and, presumably to those who would feast on our labour. We've paid to have it collated by our association. We aren't about to give it away to the Du Proprios of the world.
There are other issues, as well. CREA wants to create a national code of ethics for real estate professionals. GMREB opposes the idea because its primary role is to protect and promote its membership. Quebec brokers are bound by a code of ethics administered by the OACIQ. The OACIQ fields complaints from the public, investigates, adjudicates and punishes brokers who break the rules. Best of all, every broker pays dues to maintain the agency even though we get no benefit from it. Needless to say, GMREB has no interest in paying for the implementation of a second code of ethics.
Finally, GMREB has been asking questions about where the CREA dues end up. Remember, this is Quebec, where we know a thing or two about expense-account padding, lavish dinners, cocktail parties, exotic meeting locales etc etc. Quebec's federation of real estate boards complained about lavish spending and duplication of services. For its part. GMREB managed to claw back $1.5 million in CREA dues in the last two years and has used the money to promote centris.ca and for other advertising tailored to the Quebec market.
Talks have been ongoing, but now the time of talking seems to be over. CREA is having a special general meeting later this month in Vancouver. According to the Montreal board, despite promises to the contrary, none of Quebec's concerns are addresses on the meeting's agenda.
Unless something changes between now and then, Quebec will cut itself loose from CREA's mothership. Says GMREB president Patrick Juanèda:
Your Board of Directors has evaluated the situation carefully and considers that, at this time, the risks and disadvantages outweigh the benefits of our membership in CREA. It is important to note that the code of ethics and data distribution rules are already in place. If we stay in CREA, we must ensure that we implement the necessary structures and have all of our members comply with them.
The board reserves the right to change its mind, especially if CREA responds to its concerns at the upcoming general meeting. Stay tuned.
************************************************************
While we're on the topic of people being annoyed by the way in which their dues are spent, there's a petition going around that takes issue with the way the OACIQ is spending brokers' money.
The straw that broke the camel's back is a recently announced mandatory course for all real estate brokers on the importance of "collaboration". Collaboration is what happens when one broker calls another broker to see a property. If you show it, you are collaborating. If you ignore the call or multiple calls, you are not collaborating. Pretty simple. The OACIQ is requiring all license holders to take take this 2-hour on-line course at a cost of $150 each.
$150 each and they don't even have to rent a room, put on a pot of coffee or lay out a tray of danish. That's an easy $2.6 million for the licensing agency. That's on top of the $16.3 million it collected in annual dues from saps like me in 2012.
People see this training as little more than a cash grab. They are concerned that if the OACIQ gets away with this it will implement more and more "imporatant" mandatory training at extra cost to the dues payers. It's the Quebec way, right? Can't balance your budget? Raise fees! Implement surcharges! Create a new tax! Easy money, right? The English version of the petition has 450+ signatures. The French version, nearly 2,900.
Here's the petition.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
New Listing. Two-Bedroom Condo, Drolet near Laurier
Looking for a Plateau condo with tons of upgrades, superior soundproofing and steps from the metro?
Check out my new listing at 5121 Drolet, apt. 202.
This two-bedroom condo is found in a 2005 concrete building. Concrete means solid construction and superior soundproofing. Just what you need in a Plateau property.
The apartment is located on the first floor of a three storey building, a few steps up from ground level. There's a balcony off the front and a second balcony/fire escape at the back. There are 8 units, two per floor,including two semi-basements.
The layout features an open living and dining area with big windows, a brick accent wall in the dining room and accent lighting.There are built-in speakers for the flat-screen TV. It has a wall-mounted air conditioner and an air exchange system.
The open galley kitchen has plenty of counter space, dark wood cabinets, a combined microwave oven and kitchen fan and a garburator.
Both bedrooms are to the back, one with the aforementioned balcony, the second with two good-sized windows. Both have large closets.
The bathroom is huge, with a corner tub and separate shower. Stackable washer and dryer are in a closet in the hallway just outside the bathroom door.
The condo has exotic hardwood floors, finished in a warm reddish brown. The place is impeccably clean.
Condo fees are $100 a month and there is a healthy $19,000 in the reserve fund. No big projects are on the horizon.
5121 Drolet is located just north on Laurier and one block west of St. Denis St. The Laurier metro is a two-minute walk. Drolet is a one-way south street with very little through traffic. Laurier is a one-way east, with a bike path that serves to calm traffic. All in all, a very quiet corner of the Plateau.
The asking price is $327,000.
The property can be sold furnished or unfurnished.
Check out my new listing at 5121 Drolet, apt. 202.
The apartment is located on the first floor of a three storey building, a few steps up from ground level. There's a balcony off the front and a second balcony/fire escape at the back. There are 8 units, two per floor,including two semi-basements.
The open galley kitchen has plenty of counter space, dark wood cabinets, a combined microwave oven and kitchen fan and a garburator.
The bathroom is huge, with a corner tub and separate shower. Stackable washer and dryer are in a closet in the hallway just outside the bathroom door.
Condo fees are $100 a month and there is a healthy $19,000 in the reserve fund. No big projects are on the horizon.
5121 Drolet is located just north on Laurier and one block west of St. Denis St. The Laurier metro is a two-minute walk. Drolet is a one-way south street with very little through traffic. Laurier is a one-way east, with a bike path that serves to calm traffic. All in all, a very quiet corner of the Plateau.
The asking price is $327,000.
The property can be sold furnished or unfurnished.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
City Offering $136 million in Subsidies and Incentives to Keep Homebuyers on the Island
The city of Montreal has quietly renewed a program to encourage tenants and families to buy and stay on the island. The on-again, off-again home ownership program received a $136-million cash injection with little fanfare in April. As in years past, the city will take applications for up to three years, or until the cash runs out.
The cash tends to run out well before the three years are up.
Still, not a bad program if you fit the various criteria. For new homes, the incentives are on a sliding scale, depending on whether you are a single buyer, a couple without children or a household with children. The lump sum incentives range from $4,500 to $12,000 . Households with kids can also get a refund of the hated welcome tax.
Not bad! The program gets complicated when you look at the types of properties that are eligible. For single buyers, the maximum budget is $200,000, for a couple $250,000. If you're buying for a family, the budget can go as high at $360,000, but to qualify for the highest amount you must buy a three-bedroom unit.
The program will also refund the welcome tax on the purchase of a resale duplex or triplex, providing the purchase price is not more than $450.000 and $490.000 respectively.
Households with kids can also get six months of free public transit with the purchase of a one-year Opus card. It is not clear from the brochure whether this means a total of 18 months of public transit for the price of 12 or 12 months for the price of six.
As with any program, there's lots of small print. Still, worth looking into if it can save you several thousand dollars, right?
Here's the website, en anglais et en francais .
You can also download the brochure on the site.
The cash tends to run out well before the three years are up.
Still, not a bad program if you fit the various criteria. For new homes, the incentives are on a sliding scale, depending on whether you are a single buyer, a couple without children or a household with children. The lump sum incentives range from $4,500 to $12,000 . Households with kids can also get a refund of the hated welcome tax.
Not bad! The program gets complicated when you look at the types of properties that are eligible. For single buyers, the maximum budget is $200,000, for a couple $250,000. If you're buying for a family, the budget can go as high at $360,000, but to qualify for the highest amount you must buy a three-bedroom unit.
The program will also refund the welcome tax on the purchase of a resale duplex or triplex, providing the purchase price is not more than $450.000 and $490.000 respectively.
Households with kids can also get six months of free public transit with the purchase of a one-year Opus card. It is not clear from the brochure whether this means a total of 18 months of public transit for the price of 12 or 12 months for the price of six.
As with any program, there's lots of small print. Still, worth looking into if it can save you several thousand dollars, right?
Here's the website, en anglais et en francais .
You can also download the brochure on the site.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Trains, a Part of Life in Montreal
The horrifying train derailment, explosion and fire in downtown Lac-Mégantic, Qc. earlier this month has given rise to a lot of talk about the wisdom of running trains through populated areas.
One of my Facbeook acquaintances even kidded me about whether there was going to be a run on St-Henri real estate as people dumped their homes out of fear for their safety. I was skeptical then and remain skeptical now. That's what I told CTV News, when reporter Max Harrold called me up.
He had already interviewed a Management prof at UQAM who had studied the sale of 40,000 residential properties on Montreal island. His analysis indicated that living within 50 metres of a super highway reduced the value of a home by as much as 5 per cent, living within 50 metres of a rail line meant an 8-10 per cent reduction in property values.
This I don't dispute.
My larger point when asked about the impact of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy on Montreal home prices was that Montreal was built along rail lines. Think about all the communities where trains are a fact of life - Point St. Charles, St. Henri ( the level crossing pictured above), NDG, Westmount, Cote St. Luc, TMR, Griffintown and all those suburbs served by commuter rail service. That's a lot of trains.
Montrealers have long made their peace with trains and for all the horror of what happened in Lac-Mégantic, it says something that it is the only train disaster most of us can remember. I was chatting with The Gazette's Allison Lampert and she pointed out that the big difference between Montreal and Lac Mégantic is that CN owns and controls most of the freight rail track in the city and has a better track record for safety than the corner-cutting Chicago outfit MMA whose freight train caused the fiery explosion in small-town Lac-Mégantic.
I think that the images of burning crude oil and a leveled downtown core are fresh in our minds but that within a few months those memories will fade and Montrealers will feel comfortable with the rumble and squeal of passing freight trains once more.
We buy homes near rail lines, like we buy homes near airports or near flood zones.
You can watch the CTV report here.
One of my Facbeook acquaintances even kidded me about whether there was going to be a run on St-Henri real estate as people dumped their homes out of fear for their safety. I was skeptical then and remain skeptical now. That's what I told CTV News, when reporter Max Harrold called me up.
 | |
| Don't mind my dorky face. I was talking, ok. |
This I don't dispute.
My larger point when asked about the impact of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy on Montreal home prices was that Montreal was built along rail lines. Think about all the communities where trains are a fact of life - Point St. Charles, St. Henri ( the level crossing pictured above), NDG, Westmount, Cote St. Luc, TMR, Griffintown and all those suburbs served by commuter rail service. That's a lot of trains.
Montrealers have long made their peace with trains and for all the horror of what happened in Lac-Mégantic, it says something that it is the only train disaster most of us can remember. I was chatting with The Gazette's Allison Lampert and she pointed out that the big difference between Montreal and Lac Mégantic is that CN owns and controls most of the freight rail track in the city and has a better track record for safety than the corner-cutting Chicago outfit MMA whose freight train caused the fiery explosion in small-town Lac-Mégantic.
I think that the images of burning crude oil and a leveled downtown core are fresh in our minds but that within a few months those memories will fade and Montrealers will feel comfortable with the rumble and squeal of passing freight trains once more.
We buy homes near rail lines, like we buy homes near airports or near flood zones.
You can watch the CTV report here.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Smoking, Bad for You, Bad for Resale Values.
Trade publication REM Online (I read 'em so you don't have to) reports that 87 per cent of Ontario agents and brokers surveyed said that smoking in a house has a negative effect on resale value. Eighty-nine per cent of those surveyed said that houses where people smoke are harder to sell.
The surveyed professionals said smoking could hurt the resale price anywhere from 20 to more than 30 per cent.
It's true. Lingering cigarette smoke is one of the big turn offs when people visit a property, along with cat box smells, stale cooking odors and a lingering smell of dampness.
People notice weird smells first and those smells tend to linger in memory, often unconsciously.
You can read the REM Online story here.
The surveyed professionals said smoking could hurt the resale price anywhere from 20 to more than 30 per cent.
It's true. Lingering cigarette smoke is one of the big turn offs when people visit a property, along with cat box smells, stale cooking odors and a lingering smell of dampness.
People notice weird smells first and those smells tend to linger in memory, often unconsciously.
You can read the REM Online story here.
Monday, June 3, 2013
What Were They Thinking?
"If you buy this property, you can put carpets here and here. Also, you can make random heaps of stuff like this and maybe line up a few chairs and a sofa."
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Beer At Last! Beer At Last! Thank God Almighty, Beer At Last!
After years of discussion, zoning changes, bylaw amendments, renovation and false starts, Verdun's first honest to gosh drinking establishment has opened its doors on Wellington St. Here's a report from those nice CBC radio people.
Plus, a somewhat boring video tour.
Benelux, an authentic brewpub, has taken over the auspices of the former Bank of Montreal, near the corner of de l'Eglise, or Church St., as the old timers say.
A well-placed MontReal Estate reader, reports that for now the pub is only serving its house blonde but that should change as Benelux gets up to full speed.
A great event in Verdun history. The town, then city, then borough of Verdun has been officially dry for about 100 years. It is a sign of changing times and changing demographics that an upscale drinking hole is the first, and for now only, bar allowed to operate.
Plus, a somewhat boring video tour.
Benelux, an authentic brewpub, has taken over the auspices of the former Bank of Montreal, near the corner of de l'Eglise, or Church St., as the old timers say.
A well-placed MontReal Estate reader, reports that for now the pub is only serving its house blonde but that should change as Benelux gets up to full speed.
A great event in Verdun history. The town, then city, then borough of Verdun has been officially dry for about 100 years. It is a sign of changing times and changing demographics that an upscale drinking hole is the first, and for now only, bar allowed to operate.
3-Bedroom Cottage in Lachine's Leafy Village St-Louis
You can check out the full listing on my Century 21 website www.marylamey.com
Village St-Louis was built in the early 1990s by Prevel, one of Montreal's most respected residential developers. Prevel is the company behind the Lowney and Imperial loft projects, the Soeur Grises condos at the foot of McGill St. near the Old Port, as well as a massive development project now underway in Griffintown. They build good stuff.
This development was built on the footprint of Lachine's former municipal golf course, incorporating many of its mature trees, water hazards and pretty fairways into the parks and walking path.
3582 Anatole-Carignan features about 1500-square-feet of living space, excluding the finished basement. The main floor has a entry hall with closet, open concept living and dining, powder room with laundry (which my vendor love love LOVES) and a beautifully upgraded kitchen with walk-out to a trellised deck and nicely landscaped back yard. There's even a vegetable garden.
The kitchen is done in a warm contemporary style with12x24-inch matte black tile on the floor, offsetting the black granite counter and pearly white marble tile back splash. The cabinets are a warm mid brown and offer tons of storage. It's an easy kitchen for cooking, entertaining and hanging out.
The dining and living room have a bay window and wood fireplace and upgraded oak hardwood flooring.
Upstairs, two of the three bedrooms face the street and feature over sized windows, one with a semicircular fanlight. The master bedroom is big, with a walk-in closet and adjoins the main bath. The bathroom is done in neutral off-white, with a pedestal whirlpool bath set in a big bay window. The houseplants love hanging out there! There's a separate shower.
The basement has the same upgraded oak floors, tons of room for toys, a library, a man cave, a home office or even a fourth bedroom. There are a few steps up to a patio door out to the back yard.
The vendors have taken excellent care of their home and invested in upgrades like the oak flooring, and classic oak handrail, newel posts and balusters for the staircase, a thermopump with air conditioning and a new roof.
I'm having an open house Sunday, June 2, 2013. 2-4 p.m. Drop by and see for yourself!
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Sutton Brokers Were Left $600,000 Short When Their Agency Went Bankrupt
CBC Montreal recently had an excellent report on a group of former Sutton Royal agents who were done out of a combined $600,000 in real estate commissions when their agency was forced into bankruptcy.
The story began with an alleged cheque kiting scheme implicating the agency's director and his executive assistant. Two banks, the TD and National, stepped in when Sutton Royal accounts came up about $2 million short.
When it was discovered that the agency was depositing commission cheques for sales by its agents to a Bank of Montreal account, TD and National asked the court to seize the money. Last December, the Dollard des Ormeaux agency was forced into bankruptcy.
That's when things got ugly for Sutton Royal's agents. Money they had earned selling homes and supposedly held in trust by their agency, as per the Real Estate Brokerage Act, was gone - poof - sponged up as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. To make matters worse, Sutton Quebec appears to have quietly paid off the collaborating agents (the agents who represented buyers in deals involving Sutton Royal's sellers) while stiffing their own people. Ouch.
I cannot imagine the nightmare these brokers are living. First, the agency they work for collapsed in scandal. Next, their revenue was snatched away - in the case of one agent, $300,000 ! The brokers allege Sutton Quebec president Christophe Folla promised to help them but has not.
An aside. When I was The Gazette's real estate reporter, I had a story about a Sutton agent (they were called agents then, not brokers) at the La Salle brokerage, who appeared to pretty much try to screw an old lady out of her condo. Her daughter came to me with the story. (Quebec's real estate authority later convicted him of breach of ethics and his license was suspended.)
I tried very hard to talk to Christophe Folla at that time. He never once called me back. I hope these agents have better luck.
Click on the link above to read the whole story and watch the TV report. The CBC promises that a second report is coming up.
Stay tuned, as they say.
The story began with an alleged cheque kiting scheme implicating the agency's director and his executive assistant. Two banks, the TD and National, stepped in when Sutton Royal accounts came up about $2 million short.
When it was discovered that the agency was depositing commission cheques for sales by its agents to a Bank of Montreal account, TD and National asked the court to seize the money. Last December, the Dollard des Ormeaux agency was forced into bankruptcy.
That's when things got ugly for Sutton Royal's agents. Money they had earned selling homes and supposedly held in trust by their agency, as per the Real Estate Brokerage Act, was gone - poof - sponged up as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. To make matters worse, Sutton Quebec appears to have quietly paid off the collaborating agents (the agents who represented buyers in deals involving Sutton Royal's sellers) while stiffing their own people. Ouch.
I cannot imagine the nightmare these brokers are living. First, the agency they work for collapsed in scandal. Next, their revenue was snatched away - in the case of one agent, $300,000 ! The brokers allege Sutton Quebec president Christophe Folla promised to help them but has not.
An aside. When I was The Gazette's real estate reporter, I had a story about a Sutton agent (they were called agents then, not brokers) at the La Salle brokerage, who appeared to pretty much try to screw an old lady out of her condo. Her daughter came to me with the story. (Quebec's real estate authority later convicted him of breach of ethics and his license was suspended.)
I tried very hard to talk to Christophe Folla at that time. He never once called me back. I hope these agents have better luck.
Click on the link above to read the whole story and watch the TV report. The CBC promises that a second report is coming up.
Stay tuned, as they say.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
The Gap Between Asked and Sold Prices, Not All Montreal Neighborhoods Are Created Equal.
Roberto Rocha, a tech-savvy reporter at The Gazette crunched some real-estate sales numbers to see which neighborhoods in Montreal have the smallest gap between asking prices and sale prices in this softer than usual market. It makes for interesting reading.
These are are average listing and sale prices for all housing types combined. Nice to see my favorite, Verdun, up near the top of the list. I think it might have done even better had the numbers been parsed more closely to exclude Nuns' Island. The island and mainland are very distinct real estate beasts.
I do wonder how it can be that Outremont, home to Quebec's francophone business, legal and health care elites and that great bald-headed Cirque du Soleil git Whatshisname, can possibly have an average asking price of $450,000. That will buy you a nicer than average house near the water in Verdun, but certainly not a three-bedroom starter mansion in Outremont. Hmm.
The Plateau, where I do a fair amount of business, remains a hot commodity, with properties selling for just a shade under 95 per cent of asking price.
Westmount trails the pack, with a nearly 10-per-cent gap between asking and sold prices.
Have a look.
These are are average listing and sale prices for all housing types combined. Nice to see my favorite, Verdun, up near the top of the list. I think it might have done even better had the numbers been parsed more closely to exclude Nuns' Island. The island and mainland are very distinct real estate beasts.
I do wonder how it can be that Outremont, home to Quebec's francophone business, legal and health care elites and that great bald-headed Cirque du Soleil git Whatshisname, can possibly have an average asking price of $450,000. That will buy you a nicer than average house near the water in Verdun, but certainly not a three-bedroom starter mansion in Outremont. Hmm.
The Plateau, where I do a fair amount of business, remains a hot commodity, with properties selling for just a shade under 95 per cent of asking price.
Westmount trails the pack, with a nearly 10-per-cent gap between asking and sold prices.
Have a look.
Friday, May 3, 2013
The Stigma of Murder Didn't Block the Sale of this $900,000 Toronto Home
Some people won't buy a house where there's been a gruesome crime. Some people are less bothered. Their agent probably wishes he wasn't quoted in Canada's biggest broadsheet saying "It's a great conversation piece."
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Real Estate Brokers vs Du Proprio. We Ain't Scared
Here's broker Patrice Groleau, owner of Old Montreal's McGill Immobilier, talking about why he isn't particularly bothered by the likes of For Sale By Owner (FSBO) sites like Du Proprio.
As he puts it "Some people like to cut their own lawn, paint their own house, do their own taxes and invest their own money," He has nothing against those who do, but he sees value in working with people who are the best trained and most professional at what they do.
Well put, M Groleau.
As he puts it "Some people like to cut their own lawn, paint their own house, do their own taxes and invest their own money," He has nothing against those who do, but he sees value in working with people who are the best trained and most professional at what they do.
Well put, M Groleau.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Plateau Duplex, Ready for Its 2nd Act. $387,000
UPDATE We sold this duplex in less than a week for four per cent over the asking price. (You do the math.) Our vendor is delighted.
Amy Barratt and I are about to list a duplex on Hotel de Ville Ave. just south of St. Josph Blvd. The property consists of a two-bedroom apartment that occupies the ground floor and second floor of the building. The third storey is a one-bedroom apartment.
The entire building will be available to the buyer.
The asking price is $387,000, which corresponds to the building's municipal evaluation. At that price, you understand that this is a building that requires some renovation, including a new roof, wiring, plumbing and probably interior finishes.
The current owner has had it for 15 years and has happily inhabited the third floor while renting out the larger apartment to tenants.
This building occupies more than 90 per cent of its lot. There is no yard of any kind.
This would be a kick-ass project for someone wanting to create a three-storey townhouse with a roof terrasse. It could also be reconverted into three-smaller apartments. If you've got the skills and the time or the money and the vision, there's no limit to what you might be able to do.
Give me a call at (514) 978-6522 to find out more or to book a visit.
The property will be listed on the MLS just as soon as I can data enter all the information. Probably tomorrow or Thursday, March 7, latest.
Amy Barratt and I are about to list a duplex on Hotel de Ville Ave. just south of St. Josph Blvd. The property consists of a two-bedroom apartment that occupies the ground floor and second floor of the building. The third storey is a one-bedroom apartment.
The entire building will be available to the buyer.
The asking price is $387,000, which corresponds to the building's municipal evaluation. At that price, you understand that this is a building that requires some renovation, including a new roof, wiring, plumbing and probably interior finishes.
The current owner has had it for 15 years and has happily inhabited the third floor while renting out the larger apartment to tenants.
This building occupies more than 90 per cent of its lot. There is no yard of any kind.
This would be a kick-ass project for someone wanting to create a three-storey townhouse with a roof terrasse. It could also be reconverted into three-smaller apartments. If you've got the skills and the time or the money and the vision, there's no limit to what you might be able to do.
Give me a call at (514) 978-6522 to find out more or to book a visit.
The property will be listed on the MLS just as soon as I can data enter all the information. Probably tomorrow or Thursday, March 7, latest.
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| Exterior view. The property is the left side of these twin buildings. |
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| View from the third-floor balcony. |
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| Street view. |
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| View of the corner of Hotel de Ville and St. Joseph. |
Thursday, February 7, 2013
I'd Like to Show You a Good Time- Wait, Whaaaaa?
Realtor Diana Arvatescu is getting all kinds of publicity from a provocative advertising billboard on what appears to be a windswept Calgary highway. (It might be downtown Calgary for all I know. Many of the main drags in Calgary look like unpopulated stretches of Taschereau Blvd., Newman Blvd., St. John's Blvd.)
The billboard features a photo of Arvatescu with a come-hither look in her eye and the invitation "Let me take you home. It's gorgeous inside."
More than a little provocative. I mean, there are plenty of real estate pros, male and female who use glamour puss photos and their own innate sex appeal to sell houses. We all use what we have. (In my case, that means a sense of humor, intelligence and a reporter's skill at listening, hearing and delivering what my clients communicate. I know, sexy, right?)
This ad goes several steps, further. I think it sends the wrong message about women in real estate.
It is certainly courting controvery in Calgary where the local real estate board has voiced some discomfort about her sexually charged come on. The issue is particularly sensitive in a town where a young realtor was murdered after being lured to a house by a stranger.
What is she selling, exactly? Is she the product or is she the conduit to the product? We might never know because the agent herself ducked out of a scheduled interview to talk about her billboard.
If you had a house to sell, would you want to see your agent's best come-hither face on a big-assed billboard or would you rather she spent her money on targeted marketing - ads in local papers, flyers, a mailed postcard with a picture of your house?
For the record, this kind of billboard would not fly in Quebec, where the OACIQ (our professional organization) says that we have to use our full names, titles and agency name in our advertising.We can only include information that is demonstrably true. You see the little #1 in the left bottom corner of her billboard? That would not fly in Quebec because it begs the question "#1 what? Who says? Where's the proof?"
Guess standards are a little looser in Gas and Oil Country.
The billboard features a photo of Arvatescu with a come-hither look in her eye and the invitation "Let me take you home. It's gorgeous inside."
More than a little provocative. I mean, there are plenty of real estate pros, male and female who use glamour puss photos and their own innate sex appeal to sell houses. We all use what we have. (In my case, that means a sense of humor, intelligence and a reporter's skill at listening, hearing and delivering what my clients communicate. I know, sexy, right?)
This ad goes several steps, further. I think it sends the wrong message about women in real estate.
It is certainly courting controvery in Calgary where the local real estate board has voiced some discomfort about her sexually charged come on. The issue is particularly sensitive in a town where a young realtor was murdered after being lured to a house by a stranger.
What is she selling, exactly? Is she the product or is she the conduit to the product? We might never know because the agent herself ducked out of a scheduled interview to talk about her billboard.
If you had a house to sell, would you want to see your agent's best come-hither face on a big-assed billboard or would you rather she spent her money on targeted marketing - ads in local papers, flyers, a mailed postcard with a picture of your house?
For the record, this kind of billboard would not fly in Quebec, where the OACIQ (our professional organization) says that we have to use our full names, titles and agency name in our advertising.We can only include information that is demonstrably true. You see the little #1 in the left bottom corner of her billboard? That would not fly in Quebec because it begs the question "#1 what? Who says? Where's the proof?"
Guess standards are a little looser in Gas and Oil Country.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Luxury Address, Lowlife Clientele?
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| Heritage du Vieux-Port |
I don't know how long the link will be good so here's the gist of the story:
Hockey players and wealthy socialites call the Heritage du Vieux Port home.Longer than a football field and crowned by four five-storey rooftop villas, it offers what the glossy sales brochure describes as “your private chateau in the city.”But police also describe it as a virtually impregnable “bunker” for a handful of bikers, Mafia associates and other alleged organized crime figures who over the years found comfort and isolation behind the walls of the massive structure that once served as a refrigerated warehouse near the port.
How's that for a morning read?
The report goes on to enumerate at least 20 people with criminal records or ties to Montreal's underworld who have owned or lived in the 200-unit property in the last decade.
A Sûreté du Québec investigator told reporter Julian Sher of having carried out four search warrants on homes in the building and knew of a dozen more having been carried out since 1998.
True confession time. I was The Gazette's real estate reporter in 1999 when Toni Magi and his brothers announced their plan to redevelop a massive refrigerated warehouse on the edge of Montreal's Old Port.
No one had ever heard of the Magi brothers - I think remember there being four of them - at that point. In later years, Toni Magi evinced an amazing affinity for surviving being shot at. It got his name in the papers quite a lot.
I do remember the launch was held on a beautiful fall day, aboard a gleaming boat that cruised the harbour. Mayor Pierre Bourque, smiling and vacant, was in attendance. There were hors d'oeuvres and light classical music. It was the splashiest PR event announcing the launch of new condo. (They usually involved visiting an unheated Dickie Moore trailer to pick up a sales kit and meet a sales agent who was chilled to the bone.)
The Magis couldn't bring the project to completion and ended losing it to TRAMS Property Management, a large real-estate development and managemnt firm that does a lot of work in the U.S..
Radio-Canada's investigative news show, Enquete, will have a report on the dubious doings at one of Montreal's most luxurious addresses tonight. I, for one, intend to tune in.
In the meantime, if anyone is in the market for a luxury apartment in a bunker-like chateau on the edge of Old Montreal, give me a call. Prices start at about $2,500 for a rental and climb to $4.45 million for a penthouse.
After tonight, those prices might be negotiable.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
What Were They Thinking?
Master bedroom of a $500,000 duplex currently for sale in Montreal. Wanna smoke crack?
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
New Listing in LaSalle 8997-8999 Godbout
Amy Barratt and I have just listed an impeccable 1965 duplex at 8997-8999 Godbout in LaSalle. The property has been inhabited by the same owners since the year of construction and has been carefully maintained.
It consists of two three-bedroom dwellings. The ground floor has a finished basement with powder room, laundry room and workshop, as well as a two-car, tandem garage. The ground floor is available for immediate occupancy.
The upper is rented for $800 a month, heated. It has washer and dryer in the bathroom.
Both units are heated by a single oil-burning furnace, with hot-water (radiator) heating systems that are independent of one another. The ground floor also has a wall-mounted A/C.
What I love about this property is that the original style has been lovingly preserved. The kitchen is straight out of an episode of the Brady Bunch, I'm pretty sure. Love the real wood-grain cabinets. Love the copper drawer pulls. Love the etched glass panels with geese in full flight.
.(Love the wallpaper a little less, but that is a cosmetic trifle.)
This property has gleaming, unsullied oak floors throughout the main level. The basement has wall-to-wall carpets which are being steam cleaned as I write.
The roof was installed in 2004 and is still under guarantee. The front and rear balcony railings, stairs and flashings were redone in aluminum within the last decade. Ditto the fibreglass balcony decks.
The thermopane windows date from 1992. The hot water tanks were replaced in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The oil tank was replaced in 1999.
The living room is large and quite bright, thanks to the southwestern exposure that provides lots of afternoon sunlight through a big picture window. Fabulous for entertaining.
The bedrooms are well proportioned with good closet space and big windows.
The bathroom is fully functional if a little retro with its pink wall tile, pink and white shower tiles and pink marble-effect arborite vanity. It has a large closet and could easily be remodeled for the washer and dryer. Again, a trifle to change.
The lot is also larger than average for the neighborhood, measuring 388 square metres or 4180 square feet.
Asking price is $453,000, which is a very competitive price for the area.
Give me a call to schedule a visit. Mary Lamey (514) 978-6522 or Amy Barratt (514) 718-6522
The upper is rented for $800 a month, heated. It has washer and dryer in the bathroom.
Both units are heated by a single oil-burning furnace, with hot-water (radiator) heating systems that are independent of one another. The ground floor also has a wall-mounted A/C.
What I love about this property is that the original style has been lovingly preserved. The kitchen is straight out of an episode of the Brady Bunch, I'm pretty sure. Love the real wood-grain cabinets. Love the copper drawer pulls. Love the etched glass panels with geese in full flight.
.(Love the wallpaper a little less, but that is a cosmetic trifle.)
This property has gleaming, unsullied oak floors throughout the main level. The basement has wall-to-wall carpets which are being steam cleaned as I write.
The roof was installed in 2004 and is still under guarantee. The front and rear balcony railings, stairs and flashings were redone in aluminum within the last decade. Ditto the fibreglass balcony decks.
The thermopane windows date from 1992. The hot water tanks were replaced in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The oil tank was replaced in 1999.
The living room is large and quite bright, thanks to the southwestern exposure that provides lots of afternoon sunlight through a big picture window. Fabulous for entertaining.
The bedrooms are well proportioned with good closet space and big windows.
The bathroom is fully functional if a little retro with its pink wall tile, pink and white shower tiles and pink marble-effect arborite vanity. It has a large closet and could easily be remodeled for the washer and dryer. Again, a trifle to change.
The lot is also larger than average for the neighborhood, measuring 388 square metres or 4180 square feet.
Asking price is $453,000, which is a very competitive price for the area.
Give me a call to schedule a visit. Mary Lamey (514) 978-6522 or Amy Barratt (514) 718-6522
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