Team McNeil Real Estate Blog » Kitchener-Waterloo

The Team Advantage

wmcneil — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:07:06 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

For the past little while I have really been wanting to write something about the team advantage and what it means to be part of a team. Over the past few days our team has been down in Niagara Falls to receive some team-based real estate training. We were very fortunate to go with our entire team. We felt this was benefical to us because we were able to take better advantage of all of the different breakout sessions and take in more information then we probably could of if we went by ourselves.

During the main keynote, the main speaker showed a video on team work. Please take a second to watch this amazing and hilarious video.

This video really hit home for us. Besides being very entertaining, it really demonstrates the power of a team. The first guy who started singing by himself didn’t make much of a song but as each singer came in, the song started to take more shape.. This is how we view our real estate team and the way it benefits our clients. We know that we can’t be everything to everyone but our team can be. The team advantage allows for us to share ideas as well as keep each other accountable. This in turn provides for a stronger environment for us to work in as well as enables us to better serve our clients. This is why we chose to work as a team.

Another experience we had was when Michael “Pinball” Clemens came on stage. What a powerful and engaging speaker. Pinball was a very successful CFL football player and coach for the Toronto Argonauts. He talked about his family, his experience as a player and coach. He was very modest and didn’t brag about his past successes. As a matter of fact, the reason he stopped coaching football was because he wanted to put his family first. I think the best thing I got from his talk was that when we work as a team, anything we do, effects what our team mates do.. For example, if I am not pulling my weight, then it is not only effecting me, but my other team mates as well. When we build up our other team mates, then we build ourselves up. I really liked the way he interacted with the audience on this point and I can see how he would have been an amazing football coach.

This quote from Pinball says it all:

If a team is one and you and I are on the same team, it means that I am you and you are me.

Check out this video and the above quote can be found at about 2:40 of the video.

If you ever get the chance to hear Pinball speak I think you will find that his message is powerful and motivating. He will definitely help you understand the power of having a strong team. A team that has team mates helping each other succeed. A team that is working for the same goals and not working independently.

A team should be a single cohesive unit that incorportates the efforts of every member to create a positive outcome and not working independently of each other.

Thanks for reading!

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
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

[Video] Top 5 Things to Do Before Selling Your House

wmcneil — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:37:12 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

Here is a video I did for sellers who are thinking about selling their houses in Waterloo Region. Please check out the video and if you have any questions or comments please let us know…

[See post to watch Flash video]

Here is the transcript for the video:

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

Today I am going to talk to you about a few things you need to do before selling your house. Selling your home can be a simple and straightforward process if you follow the right steps. In order to get top dollar and avoid headaches, it is important to do a few things beforehand.
Here are 5 things you can do before selling your house.

Number 5 – Get a Market Evaluation
The first thing you should do is get a market evaluation on your house so you know exactly how much you house is worth before you do any work. A realtor will advise you on things you should do and not do when preparing the house for sale. We will make recommendations on things such as updating, repairs, decluttering or staging.. You might not need to spend as much money as you think to get your house ready.

Number 4 – Mortgage information
If you have a mortgage on your house, you should find out if there is a penalty to pay out your mortgage early. We recommend calling your lender to find this information out.

Number 3 – Make repairs and perform other maintenance items
It s a good idea to do any necessary repairs around the house. We also recommend that you replace furnace filters, fill the water softener with salt, replace burnt out light bulbs, fix broken door handles and replace any cracked or broken windows. Consider hiring a home inspector before you sell your house so that you can find out if there are any unknown issues. If you fix the issues beforehand, then you can avoid surprises later when the buyer does their home inspection. The money you spend now on repairs, maintenance and home inspection could help you get more money later. Contact us if you would like us to recommend a good Waterloo area home inspector or other skilled professional.

Number 2 – Declutter, Depersonalize, Paint, Clean and Stage

- Decluttering: Decluttering will allow the buyer to visualize how big and spacious the rooms are in the house. People who are selling their houses often use their garages to store items from the house. Other options are offsite storage or storage pods.

- Depersonalizing: You should also consider depersonalizing your house. This is a touchy area and all I am going to say is just put yourself in the buyer shoes and try to view the house through their eyes. Keep an open mind and remember that the goal is to sell the house for the most money.

- Cleaning: One of the cheapest things you can do is clean. Buyers love looking at clean houses. If you are unable to clean on your own, consider hiring a cleaning service to help you. It will be the best money you ever spend.

- Painting: Painting is one of the best things you can do to make a house feel fresh and clean and to add more appeal. If you are unable to do a good job yourself, consider hiring someone to do it for you.

- Staging: Hire a staging profession to stage your home. It is amazing what a professional stager can do to help you get more money for you house.

Contact us if you’d like a recommendation for a professional organizer, a professional stager, a painter or a cleaning service.

And the Number 1 thing to do before selling your house is: Determine the best possible price
Pricing is the single most important thing to consider before selling your house. Your house will be worth a certain value based on its location, updates, condition and the recent sold comparables. When you hire an agent, don’t list your home with the agent who wants to overprice your property just so they can get the listing. List your house with the agent who takes the time to go through the comparables and provides valid reasons for their price recommendation. Homes that are overpriced often sell for less.

Whether you are a move-up buyer, relocating or downsizing, selling you house can be a smooth process if you follow these steps.

If you are thinking about selling your house in Waterloo Region and you would like to get started with a free online market evaluation of your Waterloo area home, please visit our website at www.clickthathouse.com or call us at 519-498-8118. Thanks for watching and see you next time!

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

Thanks for reading!

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
RE/MAX Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118

Connect with us on the following social networks

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamMcNeilRemax

websites: www.TeamMcNeil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com,
www.KitchenerLofts.com, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

What’s going on with the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Market?

wmcneil — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:49:44 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

The spring market is nearly here and our Team is really gearing up. The Bank of Canada has maintained the interest rates which is really good news.

See: http://creanews.ca/2010/03/02/bank-of-canada-maintains-interest-rates-4/

Buyers are in the market right now looking to buy houses. However the biggest problem is low inventory levels. In January, the number of active listings was down 33% over 2009.

See: http://files.newswire.ca/577/MarketTrendsRpt2010.pdf

Our team has been doing lots of market evaluations for people lately so we know that it’s going to be a busy spring.

Now is a good time to sell because of the following reasons:

less inventory can work in the sellers favour. less competition
low interest rates for buyers making it easier to buy
there’s an abundance of buyers
the minimum downpayment requirement is still 5% and not 10%
the olympics are over. Not sure if that’s a good reason but it sounded good
higher offer potential
multiple offer potential

The next three months are going to be really interesting.

Thanks for reading!

Connect with us on the following social networks

Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

[Video] Top 5 Things To Do Before Shopping For Home

wmcneil — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:23:35 +0000

By Warren McNeil

Here is a video for the “Top 5 Things To Do Before Shopping For Home”.

Buying a home is probably the single largest investment that you will ever make in your life so it is very important to understand the entire process.

[See post to watch Flash video]

Here is the transcript of the video.

Today I am going to talk to you about a few things you need to do before shopping for a home. Buying a home is probably the single largest investment that you will ever make in your life so it is very important to understand the entire process. The following tips will help save time, money and headaches.

Number 5: Employment: It is very important to ensure that you have solid employment before buying a house. You should also try and keep your debt in check and to make sure that you aren’t overextending yourself. Maintain good credit so that you will be able to get a mortgage.

Number 4: Down payment: When buying a home, you will require down payment. You should save up at least 5% of the cost of a house as well as a little extra for closing costs such as lawyer fees, land transfer tax and a home inspection.

Number 3: Pre-approval – By getting pre-approved, you will know exactly how much you can afford so you don’t waste your time looking at houses that are above or below your price range. The other reason to get preapproved is so you can lock in an interest rate so that if the interest rates go up you will already have the best rate.

Number 2: Choose a good realtor to help you through the process. Buyers are able to choose a real estate agent the same way sellers can. The goal of a seller’s agent is to sell the house for the highest amount of money with the most favourable terms. Likewise, the goal of the buyer’s agent is to help the buyer purchase the house for the lowest price with the most favourable terms. Working with your own licensed realtor will ensure that you are not taken advantage of. A buyer’s agent will be able to tell you what the other homes sold for in an area as well as protect you with special offer conditions. They will also negotiate price and all the terms of any offers. Don’t risk buying a home without your own buyer’s agent.

And the Number 1 thing to do before shopping for a home is:
Determine your Wants and Needs: Work with your buyers agent to create a list of everything you want in a home. Some things to consider are: Area, Size, the total number of bedrooms & bathroom, the age of the house and the style of the home. Sometimes you need to look at a few houses before you find the one you like. Knowing what you want can help reduce the time it takes to search for a new home.

Shopping for a new home can be an exciting adventure. If you follow the tips above, you will be better prepared to start shopping for that perfect home.

If you are thinking about buying a house in the Waterloo Region and you would like to get started with this exciting adventure, please visit our website at www.clickthathouse.com or call us at 519-498-8118. Thanks for watching and see you next time!

Connect with us on the following social networks

Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

Moose Winooski’s in Kitchener You Should Go!

wmcneil — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:52:48 +0000

By Warren McNeil

I decided I would share our experience of our recent visit to Moose Winooski’s at Sportsworld Drive in Kitchener. When you first come into the restaurant you are greeted by a beautiful open gas fireplace with a huge stone structure surrounding it. Melanie and I were fortunate to be able to sit in front of the fire. The chairs were also really comfortable.. We sat in the new built-on addition which had what looked like a 30 foot ceiling… I didn’t really take a look around the rest of the restaurant, but I will have to say that if you are a sports enthusiast, this is definitely the place to be. I thought the fake moose heads hanging on the walls with the funny facial expressions were also a nice touch. The moose heads sort of reminded me of Montana’s but they definitely fit the theme of the restaurant.

For lunch we ordered chicken wings. The chicken wings were really good but I kind of wished they offered some other flavours such as sweet chilli Thai. The “medium” that we ordered were really good. They had a desert called the Kitchen Sink which sounded intriguing but we were too full. Maybe next time. Our waitress was also very friendly and accommodating.

The fireplace was my favourite part of our visit. I think sports enthusiasts will find the bathrooms accomodating… There were two 42 inch TV’s showing the Olympics and another TV integrated into the bathroom mirror… The TV in the mirror actually startled me but was very cool… I joked with the waitress and told her that they should install a mirror into the hand dryer.

In conclusion, I just have to say that Melanie and I were really impressed with the new renovations at the Moose Winooski’s in Kitchener. The restaurant made me feel very welcome, friendly and warm . They did a great job and highly recommend checking them out.

For more information checkout, http://www.moosewinooskis.com/restaurants_kitchener.php

Thanks for reading!

Connect with us on the following social networks

Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

[Video] Top 5 Reasons to Relocate to Waterloo Region

wmcneil — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 22:46:14 +0000

By Warren McNeil

Here is a video that I put together for people considering relocating to Waterloo Region.

[See post to watch Flash video]

Here is a transcript of the video:

People relocate for a variety of reasons. Maybe you are looking for a new job, better quality of life or your are just looking for a change. Waterloo Region has alot to offer and is a wonderful area to move into. Here are the top 5 reasons to move to Waterloo Region.

Number 5:
We have a very low crime rate compared to other cities in Canada. In a study done in 2007, Waterloo Region was ranked the fourth lowest crime rate in Canada. So if you are looking for a safe place to live, look no further. (source http://www.techtriangle.com/invest)

Number 4
We have some of the best Universities and Colleges in the world here. University of Waterloo, Wilfred Laurier and Conestogo College.. A lot of very successful companies were formed by alumni who went to these schools. Companies such as Research in Motion makers of the world reknowned Blackberry, MKS and QNX to name a few.According to Wikipedia, University of Waterloo is also known as the Silicon Valley of the North.

Number 3
Waterloo Region is Canada’s Technology Triangle. There are many high tech companies in the area. One of the worlds fastest growing companies, Research in Motion is based out of Waterloo. If you are a techy, this is the place you need to be! (source: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/08/17/rim-blackberry-fortune-fastest-growing.html)

Number 2
Easily accessible. This is one of my favourite reasons. KItchener-Waterloo and Cambridge are extremely accessible. The highways travel down the middle of each city which makes getting around the cities very convenient. If you work in Toronto or London, we are only one hour away. Late last year, GO busses started offering their services here from Toronto.

And the number 1 reason to relocation to the area is:
The cost of living here is very affordable. House prices are about 1/3 less then Toronto. The average house price for a single detached home year-to-date was approximately 297,000 for 2009. We have a very strong real estate market with a good selection of different home styles. If you work in Toronto, you can drive a little to save alot.

Other references:

http://www.grt.ca
http://www.techtriangle.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Waterloo
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/07/17/f-crime-2008.html

There are so many more reasons. These were just a few that I thought were worth mentioning. Let me know what you think. If you live in the area, tell us what you like best about Waterloo Region.

Thanks for reading!

Connect with us on the following social networks

Kitchener-Waterloo sets record for sales in January 2010

wmcneil — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:31:00 +0000

By Warren McNeil

According to the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate board the numbers are in for January 2010 and we are up 64% in unit sales over 2009. This is great news and the main reason for this is increase is because of the low interest rates and a high level of consumer confidence.

“This year we are off to quite a different start compared to last year, which is really encouraging,” said Ted Scharf (pronounced Skarf), the President of the WREB, “January is traditionally a slower month for residential sales. These results show that there is definitely demand in the market and the traditional mindset of waiting until spring just doesn’t seem to be as strong. ”

Another interesthing point that I read is that the average house price in Kitchener-Waterloo increased by 12.3% because of an increase in sales of homes over $400,000.

My experience with the market is that stuff is selling really quickly. I find it difficult to get into see properties fast enough. The good deals seem to go really quick!!!

To see the full article, go to:

http://news.therecord.com/article/666766

and the KWREB press release
http://www.kwreb.on.ca/Stats/January%202010%20Media%20Release.pdf

Thanks for reading!

We are a full-time real estate team in Kitchener Waterloo area. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo or Cambridge areas. 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
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

How’s the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Market?

wmcneil — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:27:55 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

This is a question that gets asked almost every day. However the answer is a lot more complicated then just saying “it’s good” or “it’s bad”. Each area of the Kitchener-Waterloo real estate market is different. For example, according to the KW real Estate Board, condos in Kitchener-Waterloo had an increase in 2009 of 2.2% over 2008. Freehold condos increased by 2.2% and single detached homes increase was 0.3%.

In order to get a really accurate evaluation of the market, we need to isolate the area that you are most interested in. For example, lets look at freehold condominiums in Waterloo West less then 10 years old. The next thing we do is pull up all the freehold townhouses that sold within the last year. Feb 1, 2009 – Feb 1, 2010. I get the following information.

Freehold Condominiums in Waterloo West less then 10 years old (Feb 1, 2009 – Feb 1, 2010)

units sold 83
average sale price: 249,500
average list to sale price ratio: 98%
average days on market: 38

Now lets do the same comparison for Feb 1, 2008- Feb 1, 2009

Freehold Condominiums in Waterloo West less then 10 years old (Feb 1, 2008 – Feb 1, 2009)

units sold: 59
average sale price: $250.439
average list to sale price ratio: 99%
average days on market: 62

As you can see there is quite a bit of difference. Last year, there were 30 more freehold condos sold then in the same period in 2008. The average sale price was pretty much the same. In 2008 the list to sale price was higher then 2009. The average days on market was alot better in 2009 then in 2008.

What’s my point here? Well it’s simple, each area of the market require seperate analysis to get truly accurate data. From now on, my response when somebody asks the question, “How’s the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Market?” will be, it all depends on what information you are looking for. For Kitchener-Waterloo as a whole, I would say great!

Anyways, thanks for reading!

Rich Dad’ seminars deceptive: Marketplace – www.cbc.ca

wmcneil — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:52:45 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

I came across an interesting article regarding the Rich Dad workshops in Kitchener. I receive mailings from this company all of the time and I just ignore them. I guess there are alot of people that up in arms over the training program. I can’t say much about it other then what I read in the CBC article.

View full article at: Title: ‘Rich Dad’ seminars deceptive: Marketplace

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/01/28/consumer-rich-dad-poor-dad-marketplace.html

Video: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2010/road_to_rich_dad/main.html

If you go to any seminars like these, make sure you pay close attention to the underlying message. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Do your research before spending any money.

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!

[Video] Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Realtor to Help You Sell Your House

wmcneil — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:43:44 +0000

By Warren McNeil,

I put together another video that will be helpful for people who are thinking about selling their house. I give you 5 good reasons why you should hire a realtor to sell your house. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below. I hope you enjoy it!

[See post to watch Flash video]

Here is a transcript of the video:

Hello again, I’m Warren McNeil. Real Estate Agent with Re/Max Twin City Realty in Kitchener

Today I am going to talk about the “Top 5 Reasons to Sell Your House with a Realtor”. I know there are many sellers out there right now getting ready to sell their house this year. The primary goal when selling you house is to get the most money possible. And having a good realtor on your side will make sure this process is successful. Here are the “Top 5 Reasons to sell Your House with a Realtor”.

Number 5
Pricing: We know the real estate market and can recommend a price based on recent sales in the area. We also take into consideration the condition of the home and its location. Properly pricing your house could mean the difference between your house selling quickly or sitting on the market forever. The question you need to ask yourself is, do you want to sell your house or do you want to just put it on the market?

Number 4
Market Exposure: A good realtor will market your home to the fullest so that it gets the best exposure possible. The effectiveness of various marketing is always changing, therefore we must remain cutting edge and research what works and stay on top of current trends. In addition to the traditional marketing methods such as print advertising or direct mail we also utilize the internet and social media such as Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to name a few.

Number 3
Experience: A good agent who sells lots of homes will be able to provide a high level of experience that will ensure that you get top dollar for you home and will also make sure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. Our experience will help reduce your stress!

Number 2
MLS and realtor.ca. MLS or multiple listing service is a database created by realtors which keeps track of all the homes that are currently for sale and those that have sold. The data in this database is very valuable and provides the realtor, sellers and buyers with information about the local real estate market. Realtor.ca is the main interface to this database and is searchable. Having your house listed in the MLS database will ensure that your house gets the maximum exposure to all prospective buyers anywhere in the world. There could be a buyer in China right now looking to relocate and is using realtor.ca to search the MLS for homes for sale in Waterloo.

And the #1 reason to hire a realtor is to minimize risk and shift the responsibility. To act as a buffer between you and the buyer to ensure that emotions don’t get in the way. To protect your best interests and seek out qualified buyers. Dealing only with licensed realtors instead of complete strangers who may not have your best interests at heart. Shouldn’t you use a trusted professional to protect your single largest asset.

Thanks for reading!