By Warren McNeil

Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge offer a huge selection of condos, lofts or singles. Whether you want to live in a Kaufman loft, a Keats Way condo, a single-family in Doon South or a townhouse in North Waterloo the choices are  endless. But which is the best option?

I have written similar blogs about this topic before but it never seems to get old. I have lots of clients who say to me they would never pay a condo fee. I have other clients who say, they want somewhere that will allow them the freedom to come and go as they please without having to worry about maintenance. Whatever the case is, people have their preference and here are a couple of thoughts to ponder.

One of the cons to condo living is the extra monthly fee you have to pay for maintenance. I had a client say to me recently that they feel that the monthly condo fee is a waste of money. These people lived in a single-family home for 30 years and were used to doing all of their own maintance and upkeep on their house. My goal with them was to explain the benefits of condo living. One benefit I shared with them was that condo living would allow them the flexibility to travel for extended periods of time while leaving the condo unattended. All maintenane and upkeep is taken care of for them. No snow to shovel and no grass to mow.  We have many clients who own condos and lofts who absolutely love that they don’t have to worry about these types of things.

Choosing a condominium over a single-family home is about choosing a lifestyle. If you are used to living in a single-family home then moving into a condominium could be a huge shock to you. But wouldn’t it be great to not have to be responsible for repairs or other maintenance.  What about underground parking or access to a swimming pool? These are all amenities you can expect from living in a condominium.

 Overall, condominiums are a pretty secure investment for buyers over the last ten years. With diligent research on your part, you’ll be able to answer your own “which option is better?” question in the end and feel good about your decision.

Thanks for reading!
Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

Related posts:

1. Things you Need to Know When Buying a Condo in K-W By Warren McNeil Do you have your New Years resolution…
2. Buying a Townhouse Style Condo in Kitchener-Waterloo By Warren McNeil, Over the past couple of weeks we have…
3. [Tip] Searching for Kitchener Waterloo Condominums or Lofts By Warren McNeil, If you are on the fence about…

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

By Warren McNeil,

Elmira Ontario in the Township of Woolwich is a terrific place to live. Elmira is only about 10 minutes north of  Waterloo and 20 minutes east of Guelph so you get the best of both worlds. Small town living with easy access to the big city. If you are thinking of moving to Elmira but would like to learn a little bit more about this wonderful town, take a look at the following video.

Transcript of video

Hi There, I am Warren McNeil from Team McNeil at Re/Max Twin City Realty

If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city but still need access to a city nearby, then Elmira Ontario is for you. Elmira is a small town in Woolwich Township which is 10 minutes North of Waterloo and 20 minutes east of Guelph. The population of Elmira is around 12,000 people according to census data from 2006.

Elmira is best known for it’s hockey team the Elmira Sugar Kings and the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival which takes place in April. But there’s more! This year the Syrup festival will take place on March 27, 2010.

- Elmira is close to all amenities. Within town, You are only about 5 minutes away from grocery stores, local shops, coffee shops and restaurants. Elmira even has a 24 hour grocery store!

- Elmira has lots of hiking trails. The Lions Lake Trail which is 7 km long and the Kissing bridge trail which is an abandoned railroad that travels from Millbank to Guelph. for 45kms. If you like hiking, cycling or running then you will find these natural scenic trails very enjoyable. 

- Woolwich and Elmira  have two newspapers that provide local information about the township and Elmira. They are the Woolwich Observer and the Elmira Independent. Want to know more about Elmira and Woolwich Township, contact us and we’ll send you copies of these newpapers.

 - In 2009 Grand River Transit started offering bus service to and from  Waterloo’s Conestogo Mall via St Jacobs to Elmira. This is convenient for local residents who wanted to go back and forth to Waterloo each day.

 - As I mentioned earlier, Elmira is famous for their local Junior B hockey team, the Elmira Sugar Kings. In 2009 Woolwich placed 3rd in the Kraft Hockeyville contest and was awarded $25,000.  If you are a hockey enthusiast, then Elmira is definitely the place to be.

 - Also In 2009, Woolwich township built a brand new recreation centre in Elmira with twin arenas, a community centre, a fitness centre, a walking track and a swimming pool.

 - One of my favourite things about Elmira is the World reknowned Elmira Maple Syrup Festival which takes place in Early April. This single one day event attracts around 60,000 people. Isn’t that amazing?

 - Since Elmira is so close to Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph you get the best of both worlds. Smalltownliving with easy access to the city. In 10 short minutes, you are close to a huge farmers market, lots of shopping, a movie theatre.

 - With regards to housing, prices are between 130,000 up to 650,000 for high-end homes. The average house price for a singe- detached home is around 292,000. Prices are similar to Waterloo.

Well I hope you found the information here useful today and if you would like to find out more information about housing for sale in Elmira and Woolwich Township or would like an information package about the area, please contact us at www.elmirealestate.ca

References:

http://www.elmiramaplesyrup.com/ This year the Syrup festival will take place on March 27, 2010.

http://www.woolwich.ca/en/

http://www.elmiraindependent.com/

http://observerxtra.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolwich,_Ontario

Thanks for watching!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (  519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

No related posts.

By Warren McNeil

Andrin Homes President Peter Smith said that there will be an agreement in place next month (January 2010) for the re-development of the city-owned half of Centre block which is bound by King, Young, Duke and Ontario streets.

The project will add 385 new condos to the downtown core. Andrin Homes is planning to build a sales office on the block fronting on King Street West.

They are planning on starting sales in August of 2010. The first phase will include a building with 235 condos and will face Duke St. Phase 2 will have 150 condo units on King St. The last phase is  a boutique hotel in what is currently the Mayfair hotel.

“The City of Kitchener is targeting young high-tech workers in its marketing campaign for downtown living. It’s paying dividends, as many high-tech workers bought space in the Kaufman Lofts. Open Text recently announced it is constructing another building in the research park and hiring another 800 people.”

Andrin Homes built the award winning Kaufman Lofts.

Source: City and developer near deal for long-awaited project

Thank you For Reading!

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.