. and sometimes I'm convinced my fellow agents are just being whimsical. This photo for a very nice Plateau cottage, was labelled on the listing as "kitchen".
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
What Were They Thinking?
. and sometimes I'm convinced my fellow agents are just being whimsical. This photo for a very nice Plateau cottage, was labelled on the listing as "kitchen".
Monday, June 30, 2014
Making Space Count
I visited a condo on the top floor of a Plateau triplex with a client today. It was a fascinating experience. The condo was a good 1,100 square feet of living space, not at all shabby by Plateau standards. It had good light, two good balconies and up to date plumbing, electrical and a new roof.
And yet...
There was something definitely off about this particular condo. The space was weirdly used. The owner, who had lived there for 25 years, had converted it from a three-bedroom into a two-bedroom but she'd done it in such a way that the place seemed cramped. How do you knock out a bedroom and make a place feel smaller?
The owner, une dame d'un certain age, was European and she'd done some peculiar things to the place, like adding a sauna where part of the south-facing kitchen should have been. Instead of a nice eat-in kitchen with windows on two sides, she had a narrow galley kitchen. Oh yeah, there was no oven. Correction, there was an oven, the kind that is usually set into the wall, but it was sitting on the floor and was being used as a makeshift table, with a tablecloth draped over it.
Instead of yer basic Whirpool or Kenmore, she had a Super Wave Oven, a gizmo that looked like a popcorn popper or inverted crockpot. You will be surprised to learn that it is sold on TV and in the kind of catalog you find on long-haul international flights. Check out the video:
She assured us that she could cook an entire meal for a dinner party without a stove or oven. I was skeptical. More to the point, buyers are skeptical, too. Her condo has been on and off the market for three years. That tells me I'm not the only visitor who found the space weird and poorly concieved.
And yet...
There was something definitely off about this particular condo. The space was weirdly used. The owner, who had lived there for 25 years, had converted it from a three-bedroom into a two-bedroom but she'd done it in such a way that the place seemed cramped. How do you knock out a bedroom and make a place feel smaller?
The owner, une dame d'un certain age, was European and she'd done some peculiar things to the place, like adding a sauna where part of the south-facing kitchen should have been. Instead of a nice eat-in kitchen with windows on two sides, she had a narrow galley kitchen. Oh yeah, there was no oven. Correction, there was an oven, the kind that is usually set into the wall, but it was sitting on the floor and was being used as a makeshift table, with a tablecloth draped over it.
Instead of yer basic Whirpool or Kenmore, she had a Super Wave Oven, a gizmo that looked like a popcorn popper or inverted crockpot. You will be surprised to learn that it is sold on TV and in the kind of catalog you find on long-haul international flights. Check out the video:
She assured us that she could cook an entire meal for a dinner party without a stove or oven. I was skeptical. More to the point, buyers are skeptical, too. Her condo has been on and off the market for three years. That tells me I'm not the only visitor who found the space weird and poorly concieved.
What Were They Thinking?
No but seriously. I have a condo for sale and was taking a look at what else is available for sale in the building. This is what I found.
To be fair, bathrooms are notoriously hard to photograph. The smallest room in the house does not lend itself easily to the horizontal photo layout requirements of the GMREB. But still...
Seriously. Could one take a worse, more thoughtless and careless photo of a loo?
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Verdun's Histroic May St. a Casualty of the new Champlain Bridge
Here's an update from the March of Progress file. The design of the "new" Champlain Bridge was released this week. It looks like a beauty and anyone who lives in Verdun or travels from southwest Montreal or the South Shore by car is no doubt excited about the relief a new and not decrepit bridge will bring.
Sadly, La Presse reports this morning that 16 homes on May St. will be demolished as part of the project.
Amy Barratt and I have spent more than a little time on May St., having sold two big and solid Victorian homes on the street in recent years. I have to say, it makes me a little sad to think of all that history being lost to the bulldozers.
Here's a previous post about the street's history. And another.
It is true, the elevated part of the approach to the Champlain Bridge now cuts right past the second floor of these beauties, creating a steady rumble of traffic noise and a constant fine sifting of dust. Still, people learned to live with their front windows closed and to enjoy the quiet and cool that two-foot thick stone walls afford.
Sadly, La Presse reports this morning that 16 homes on May St. will be demolished as part of the project.
Amy Barratt and I have spent more than a little time on May St., having sold two big and solid Victorian homes on the street in recent years. I have to say, it makes me a little sad to think of all that history being lost to the bulldozers.
Here's a previous post about the street's history. And another.
It is true, the elevated part of the approach to the Champlain Bridge now cuts right past the second floor of these beauties, creating a steady rumble of traffic noise and a constant fine sifting of dust. Still, people learned to live with their front windows closed and to enjoy the quiet and cool that two-foot thick stone walls afford.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
3-Bedroom Snowdon Co-prop, $319,000.
Just listed, a cute three-bedroom flat on the ground floor of an undivided co-ownership property. It has a finished basement, storage and a parking spot. This undivided property at 5354 Snowdon Ave., near the corner of Coolbrook, represents 50 percent of a 1930s duplex.
The asking price is $319,000. Because it is part of an undivided co-ownership, a minimum 20 per cent down payment is required and financing must be through the National Bank on Queen Mary Rd.
A co-ownership is a little different from the typical condo arrangement. You own a share of the building, as opposed to a unit of housing. Bills for the roof, foundation, exterior walls, etc, are split according to ownership share. There are no condo fees.
Also, there is only one tax bill and the taxes are considerably cheaper than they would be for a condo of a comparable size.
This a classic NDG duplex, circa 1925. There's a central living room, with three good-sized bedrooms, including one at the rear of the house, off the kitchen. There's plenty of oak woodwork, etched glass doors and big ol' pantry in the kitchen.
As a bonus, the flat also has a finished basement, with large family room, a half bath and big laundry and storage area with a door to the outside. There's a nice deck off the kitchen, ideal for summer dining and hanging out.
There's a single parking space behind the building which is for the exclusive use of the ground floor.
According to our friends at Google, it is a 1-minute, 600-metre walk from the flat to Snowdon metro (orange line). The delights of Queen Mary Rd. are a quick three-minute stroll north. Everything you need, from public transit, to shopping and services are at your feet.
The current owners and their co-owners upstairs have already agreed to redo the roof and take care of some necessary brick repointing of the rear facade of the building. This will be done prior to the sale.
The bathroom is recently and tastefully renovated. The kitchen could use a little cosmetic retouch,
starting with the ceramic tile floor. This is a fun project, as opposed to joyless work like bricks, roof or a French drain (already done). The asking price of $319,000 is very competitive for the neighborhood. Snowdon, the northwestern corner of NDG, consistently holds its value and is a desirably neighborhood for young professionals and families.
Why not call me to ask for a visit?
Or check out the full listing at my website,www.marylamey.com Plenty more picutres! Plenty more details!
The asking price is $319,000. Because it is part of an undivided co-ownership, a minimum 20 per cent down payment is required and financing must be through the National Bank on Queen Mary Rd.
A co-ownership is a little different from the typical condo arrangement. You own a share of the building, as opposed to a unit of housing. Bills for the roof, foundation, exterior walls, etc, are split according to ownership share. There are no condo fees.
Also, there is only one tax bill and the taxes are considerably cheaper than they would be for a condo of a comparable size.
This a classic NDG duplex, circa 1925. There's a central living room, with three good-sized bedrooms, including one at the rear of the house, off the kitchen. There's plenty of oak woodwork, etched glass doors and big ol' pantry in the kitchen.
As a bonus, the flat also has a finished basement, with large family room, a half bath and big laundry and storage area with a door to the outside. There's a nice deck off the kitchen, ideal for summer dining and hanging out.
There's a single parking space behind the building which is for the exclusive use of the ground floor.
According to our friends at Google, it is a 1-minute, 600-metre walk from the flat to Snowdon metro (orange line). The delights of Queen Mary Rd. are a quick three-minute stroll north. Everything you need, from public transit, to shopping and services are at your feet.
The current owners and their co-owners upstairs have already agreed to redo the roof and take care of some necessary brick repointing of the rear facade of the building. This will be done prior to the sale.
The bathroom is recently and tastefully renovated. The kitchen could use a little cosmetic retouch,
Why not call me to ask for a visit?
Or check out the full listing at my website,www.marylamey.com Plenty more picutres! Plenty more details!
Friday, March 21, 2014
The Journal de Montréal on the Delights of Verdun's Wellington St.
The Journal has a nice spread with photos talking about Verdun's renaissance and especially about our vibrant main drag, Wellington, or "la Well" as apparently the hipsters are calling it.
'Tis true that not so long ago the only reason you'd see mention of Verdun in the local papers was if someone set fire to a building in an insurance scam, got shot or a patient at the Douglas Hospital wandered off the grounds. Those days are gone.
Now, thanks to its affordable housing, excellent public transit and proximity to the beautiful St. Lawrence River, Verdun is attracting young families and enrepreneurs with plenty of ideas and energy.
The Journal talks about some of great boutiques and restaurants: Boulangerie Sweet Lee's, Copette + cie, a fancy cheese shop with excellent bread and Belgian waffles on the weekend, Benelux, the artisanal brasserie in the old Bank of Montreal building, Blackstrap BBQ and Station W, recently voted one of Montreal's top 10 cafes.
Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?
'Tis true that not so long ago the only reason you'd see mention of Verdun in the local papers was if someone set fire to a building in an insurance scam, got shot or a patient at the Douglas Hospital wandered off the grounds. Those days are gone.
Now, thanks to its affordable housing, excellent public transit and proximity to the beautiful St. Lawrence River, Verdun is attracting young families and enrepreneurs with plenty of ideas and energy.
 |
| Fromagerie Copette + Cie |
 |
| Station W |
Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?
Samcon, Montreal Condo Developer, Proposing Massive Project on Point Rail Yards
Twitter is exploding this morning (well, at least among urban development geeks) with news that Samcon, a condo builder known for its small-scale and affordably priced condo projects, has announced plans to build 850 condos on the old CN rail yards in Point St. Charles.
No news release yet, but the company, which has found success by targeting first-time and mid-price buyers, says that 75 per cent of the offering will be "affordable" housing.
Two things, what will the reaction be in the Point, where residents are well and truly fed up with the traffic and congestion that a spate of new construction has brought to the usually quiet residential streets.
Second, the land Samcon is looking at is the same parcel that the Casino de Montréal has been eyeing for some time. Before that, it seems to me that developer Vincent Chiara had a scheme to build a shopping mall and some housing.
According to reports, Sam Scalia, Samcon's president, says the new project and future projects will be developed according to principles of walkability and will be located close to public transit.
Not sure how that squares with the railyard, which is accessible to Wellington St. and a direct bus to downtown but nowhere close to a metro station.
More to come, no doubt.
 |
| The rail yards are south of Bridge St. and east of Wellington. I've just noticed that Google has written "Sebastapol" as "Sevastopol". Hm, does this have anything to do with Russia's annexation of Crimea? |
No news release yet, but the company, which has found success by targeting first-time and mid-price buyers, says that 75 per cent of the offering will be "affordable" housing.
Two things, what will the reaction be in the Point, where residents are well and truly fed up with the traffic and congestion that a spate of new construction has brought to the usually quiet residential streets.
Second, the land Samcon is looking at is the same parcel that the Casino de Montréal has been eyeing for some time. Before that, it seems to me that developer Vincent Chiara had a scheme to build a shopping mall and some housing.
According to reports, Sam Scalia, Samcon's president, says the new project and future projects will be developed according to principles of walkability and will be located close to public transit.
Not sure how that squares with the railyard, which is accessible to Wellington St. and a direct bus to downtown but nowhere close to a metro station.
More to come, no doubt.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Verdun to Get an Aquatic Centre
Fantastic news out of Verdun borough hall today. The local council has been quietly working towards building an indoor aquatic centre since 2009. Today, they've gone public with a budget - $18.6 million - and a projected opening date - 2016.
The complex will be built in Therrien Park, a riverside park in the south east corner of the borough. It's the last park before you hit Highway 15 South to Nuns' Island. Therrien Park already has baseball diamonds, football fields, tennis courts, a skateboard park, an outdoor pool and wading pool with water features, a playground, chalet and dog park.
The park is also close to the Verdun Auditorium, a sometime home to junior hockey, heavy metal concerts and pro wrestling bouts. The borough is looking at redeveloping the Aud to get more use out of the arena. This could be the beginning of a new cultural and sporting axis in southwest Montreal. Woot woot!
Verdun already possesses one of the nicest
outdoor pool complexes in Montreal. Our Art Deco Natatorium, built in
the 1930s, was at one time considered the largest public swimming complex in Canada. It was built during the Depression and finished in 1940. Olympic swimming gold medalist Johnny Weismuller, who was also the star of the Tarzan movies, inaugurated the Nat in 1940. For indoor swimming, Verduners have had to use pools inside local high schools.
Today, the Nat has a heating wading pool. Navi, a kayak-rental company, operates from a kiosk outside the Nat all summer long. It remains a beautiful swimming pool, with sight lines on the blue water of the St. Lawrence River. Dreaming of summer. . .
The complex will be built in Therrien Park, a riverside park in the south east corner of the borough. It's the last park before you hit Highway 15 South to Nuns' Island. Therrien Park already has baseball diamonds, football fields, tennis courts, a skateboard park, an outdoor pool and wading pool with water features, a playground, chalet and dog park.
The park is also close to the Verdun Auditorium, a sometime home to junior hockey, heavy metal concerts and pro wrestling bouts. The borough is looking at redeveloping the Aud to get more use out of the arena. This could be the beginning of a new cultural and sporting axis in southwest Montreal. Woot woot!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Calculating Your Mortgage Insurance Premium
Here's an excellent video from RateHub that explains how mortgage insurance is calculated. Viewer beware, these are not Montreal prices they are playing with!
Hat tip to Allison Lampert of The Gazette for this.
Hat tip to Allison Lampert of The Gazette for this.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. to Increase Mortgage Insurance Premiums May 1
Anyone buying a home in Canada and who has less than 20 per cent of the purchase priceto use as a down payment is going to see the cost of that purchase increase a little bit come May 1st, 2014.
The increase will happen because the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., a federal agency that insures all so-called high ratio mortgages, is raising its premiums by 15 per cent. It is the CMHC's first hike since the late 1990s.
CMHC mortgage insurance allows those with a modest down payment to get their foot in the home ownership door. Depending on the size of a buyer's down payment, the insurance premium currently ranges from 0.5 per cent and 2.75 per cent of the purchase price. On a $250,000 purchase, that translated to a $6,875 premium paid down over the life of the mortgage.
Under the new fee structure, the premium will rise to a maximum of $7,875, an added cost of about $5 per month on the typical 25-year, $250,000 mortgage. (We always use the $250,000 example but the average cost of a Montreal single-family home is actually close to $291,000. Let's not be too picky.)
On its own, the rate increase is not a killer, but it does come a 18 months after CMHC tightened mortgage rules so that buyers can spread their mortgage over a maximum of 25 years instead of 30. That sidelined some first-timers who were scared off by the prospect of seeing their mortgage payments climb by more than $150 a month.Here comes another $5.
The CMHC has a handy chart showing the different cost increases.
The rate change will not affect anyone who already has a CMHC-backed mortgage, only new business. The effects won't be as dramatic as the change to amortization rules instituted in June, 2012. Still, every time the feds tinker, the market tightens just a bit.
The increase will happen because the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., a federal agency that insures all so-called high ratio mortgages, is raising its premiums by 15 per cent. It is the CMHC's first hike since the late 1990s.
CMHC mortgage insurance allows those with a modest down payment to get their foot in the home ownership door. Depending on the size of a buyer's down payment, the insurance premium currently ranges from 0.5 per cent and 2.75 per cent of the purchase price. On a $250,000 purchase, that translated to a $6,875 premium paid down over the life of the mortgage.
Under the new fee structure, the premium will rise to a maximum of $7,875, an added cost of about $5 per month on the typical 25-year, $250,000 mortgage. (We always use the $250,000 example but the average cost of a Montreal single-family home is actually close to $291,000. Let's not be too picky.)
On its own, the rate increase is not a killer, but it does come a 18 months after CMHC tightened mortgage rules so that buyers can spread their mortgage over a maximum of 25 years instead of 30. That sidelined some first-timers who were scared off by the prospect of seeing their mortgage payments climb by more than $150 a month.Here comes another $5.
The CMHC has a handy chart showing the different cost increases.
The rate change will not affect anyone who already has a CMHC-backed mortgage, only new business. The effects won't be as dramatic as the change to amortization rules instituted in June, 2012. Still, every time the feds tinker, the market tightens just a bit.
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