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Nancy and Andrew's first Newsletter of 2020 / Robertson Kadwell Real Estate
January 2020 - Real Estate Newsletter
Oakville – Burlington – Mississauga – Hamilton – Flamborough Cambridge – Toronto – Dundas – Waterdown
Greetings!

The new decade is upon us. We hadn't considered the fact that the New Year was also the start of a new decade. We have high hopes for both. This Newsletter sends out good wishes for 2020 to all of our Champions. Thank you to family, friends and clients who have been so supportive of our business.

It is a sorrow to us that the New Year is beginning with the downing of Flight 752, with the USA threatening to start a war and with Australia burning. Yikes. Thankfully there is some good news - the Canadian team won Gold at the World Junior Hockey tournament. This was one of the best hockey games. This win does not compare to the NBA championship win for the Raptors (Nancy is a hard-core Raptors fan), but it was sweet nonetheless.

For the Robertson Kadwell Group, the start of a new year (let alone a new decade) signals all sorts of opportunity and we relish and look forward to every single one. We wish all of you much success, health and happiness in the coming year. If we can provide real estate advice at any time, just give us a call.
 
REAL ESTATE COMMENT
INSTANT MORTGAGE APPROVALS? Don’t ever believe that this headline could even be possible. One can obtain a conditional approval very quickly. But much depends on the verification of income, debt, employment and finally – the appraisal of the home that you are purchasing. This is a manual review and these take time. 
Getting pre-approved is still important to do before you start to look. To do this involves meeting with your bank, or a mortgage broker. They will ask you for all of the documents required. Obviously you cannot get full approval until you know what you are buying. But this pre-approval tells you the maximum your income/debt will allow. IMPORTANT first step for a first-time buyer.
FINDING OR RENEWING A MORTGAGE
BANKS AND MORTGAGE BROKERS
In 2019, the Bank of Nova Scotia was the first of the big banks to advertise its best mortgage rates online. Banks do not tend to give you their best rate right off the bat. We have never understood this. BNS was the first to be more upfront. To date, Buyers have to run around looking for the best deal. It is a lot of work to apply for a mortgage at more than one institution. The bank employee you are likely dealing with is often one of the more junior, who may have little experience with mortgages. For this reason, we have been supportive of the mortgage broker role in a real estate transaction. There is no cost to the buyer (the mortgage broker is paid by the institution you choose) and it is a one-stop shop. You apply for your pre-approval with the broker, and he or she then looks for the best deal for you.
Disclosure! Why is it that only one of the big banks is advertising their best rate upfront? Know going forward that the posted rate can often be improved upon. Be sure to ask. Get the supervisor if you have to. (Apologies to all of the young bank employees who are just getting started in their careers).  Read More
2019 - CRAZY IN LOVE and JUST PLAIN CRAZY
On the personal side of things, Andrew and Sarah were married in August. It was a beautiful day and everyone was radiant all day long. Fabulous. They and their beloved dog Remi are happily living and renovating their home in the Orchard in Burlington. Crazy in love.

Just plain crazy ... Nancy bought a cottage. After many many years of renting a Muskoka cottage, a 94 year old cottage on Lake Erie is now part of the family. We call it "Point of View". And it is just an 80 minute drive away.
THINKING OF SELLING, now or in the future?
We are asked all the time (we don't mind) about the types of renovations or preparation to do on a home where the homeowners are starting to think about their next move. #1 Keep on top of your chores and maintenance. The general rule of thumb is that 1% of the value of your home should be reinvested in your home every year (or accrued towards those big ticket items when they come up. Furnace, roof, windows.) This concept may help with swallowing the cost of any prep you need to do now. #2 Fresh paint, neutral colours. #3 Update light fixtures, handles on cabinetry, mirrors. #4 Start to declutter, clean out those storage areas.

We don't recommend spending big dollars on anything if you plan to stay in the home less than 3 years. Get it done and enjoy the home until you are ready. When you are ready, we will be too! CALL US
Nancy Robertson
Sr Vice President, Sales / Partner
Direct 905 334 9422
Andrew Kadwell
Sales Representative / Partner
Direct 905 399 8187
Get to know us
Our Office
Ask for Nancy R or Andrew K
Sotheby's International Realty Canada
125 Lakeshore Road East, Suite 200
Oakville, ON L6J 1H3
t 905 845 0024

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ROBERTSON KADWELL:

Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

125 Lakeshore Rd. East Suite 200, Oakville, L6J 1H3

 

t 905.334.9422

f 905.844.1747

 

Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

www.sothebysrealty.ca

 

Sotheby’s International Realty

www.sothebysrealty.com

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