New Homes Coming to Georgetown Ontario

While many cringe at the thought of Georgetown getting too big, development is inevitable. The rate of development, type of development allowed and location of that development is monitored closely by the Town of Halton Hills Council and Planning Department. Other environmental factors, such as availability of water also greatly impact development in Georgetown.

The 1200 SDEs allocated by the MOE were quickly released to developers in town that have had projects on hold awaiting more water to become available. Over the next couple of years you can expect to see new homes in various sites around town, and sales offices have already started to sell homes. Most builders have had tremendous success in Georgetown, and they have been anxious to get their planned projects back on track. A few of the sites you can expect to see soon include:

1. Menkes will be putting in a developmentof townhomes and semis in the old Upper Canada College land off Guelph Street on the east side of town: 118 SDEs allocated.

2. Fernbrook will continue their building in Georgetown South off Danby Rd, and the land adjacent to the new Holy Cross Church: 367 SDEs allocated.
3. Remington will continue their building on the east side of Georgetown South: 383 SDEs allocated.
4. Eden Oak is building a new townhome complex of townhomes off Main Street North near Downtown: 143 SDEs allocated.

If you're thinking about buying a new home, talk to Derek Dunphy first!  Quite often there is better value in a resale home, where improvements and upgrades may already be done, and hidden costs are kept to a minium.  Also, keep in mind that homes over $400,000 are subject the H.S.T.  If after some analysis you decide that buying a new home is best for you, Derek Dunphy will make sure you sell your existing home for the highest possible price!
Call Derek at 905-877-5165 today, or visit CallDerek.ca.
 

Halton Region - Among Safest Places to Live in Canada

Maclean's Magazine recently reported that Halton Region is one of the safest places to live in Canada.  Halton was the third safest community; out of one hundred of the largest Canadian communities on the list.

While it is true that crime rates are often a result of social and economic factors beyond the control of the authorities; I believe that the Halton Regional Police Service should be celebrated for doing a great job!

Just look at how the crime figures have dramatically decreased over the past 5-7 years; a clear sign that programs put in place to deter crime are working...

This also maybe a sign that the parents in Halton Region are doing a great job! Most parents in Halton are raising good children, that are becoming great adults, and honourable law-abiding citizens.

The crime statistics for Halton Region can be found at:
Halton Regional Police Crime Statistics

Just one more reason to make Georgetown (in Halton Region) your home!

Here is an interesting map of the crime stats, by province, for 2009... You might be surprised!

GO Transit Services are Improving in the Halton Hills area.

Georgetown and Acton residents will now have easier access to both the Kitchener-Waterloo market, as well as the Toronto market.  With improved transit service to the Halton Hills community; there is now one more reason to make Acton and Georgetown your home!

The following press release was issued from the GO Transit Authority:

GO Transit is expanding train service to Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Acton



TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2010 /CNW/ - GO Transit will be expanding rail service on the Georgetown line to Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Acton, with service scheduled to begin by the end of 2011.


"We are pleased to be offering GO train service to Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Acton," said GO Transit President Gary McNeil. "In partnership with the Province of Ontario and these regional municipalities, we can encourage existing commuters to leave their cars behind and use transit. This is also good news for existing Georgetown and Brampton customers who will have improved service as a result of this expansion."

To begin offering train service by the end of next year, GO will be constructing new infrastructure - a storage facility in Kitchener and ticketing service at new stations in Acton, Guelph and Kitchener, as well as bringing an additional 54 new route-kilometres into to the system. This infrastructure will support two morning and two evening trains.


"This $18 million investment in expanded transit will ensure that the residents of Guelph, Acton, Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding areas have more transit options when they travel between these communities or into the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)," said Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig. "We appreciate the continued support from the Province of Ontario to deliver Metrolinx's important mandate to provide transit solutions."

An Environmental Assessment (EA) for the expansion of train service from Georgetown to Kitchener-Waterloo was completed in 2009 and approved by the Minister of the Environment in January 2010.


GO Transit is the Province of Ontario's regional public transit service linking Toronto with the surrounding regions of the GTHA. GO carries over 55 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus services that spans over 10,000 square kilometres. GO Transit is a division of Metrolinx, the regional transportation authority for the GTHA.

Check Out the Latest Real Estate Statistics for the Greater Toronto Area

Each month Derek posts a link to a comprehensive report of sales actitivy, sorted by region and by housing type (condo, townhouses, semis, detached...).  Note (for all you Georgetown folks) that Halton Hills is known as "W27", in the West District of the GTA.

Details at: http://www.callderek.ca/pdfMarketWatch/2010_07.pdf

Call Derek if you have any real estate questions!

Distress Sales resulting from Power of Sales or Foreclosures often present a great opportunity to get a fantastic deal on a home. However, it's not so simple to find these deals, because they are usually not advertised in the paper and will often sell fairly quickly.
To remedy this situation, I am offering a new FREE service which will provide you with the most up-to-date list of Power of Sale/Foreclosure listings in the price range and area that interests you.
Simply follow this link to a new section of my website... The information comes with no obligation, just keep me in mind for all your real estate needs. Power of Sale and Foreclosure Information
 
Derek Dunphy
Sales Representative
Johnson Associates Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
(905)877-5165
Derek@CallDerek.ca

What they sold for...

Every month the Toronto Real Estate Board (which hosts the MLS service most of the entire Greater Toronto Area) puts out a quick chart to illustrate what houses are selling for.  In April of 2010, 28% of the units sold were in the $300K to $400K range.

For more detailed information, check out the Latest Market Statistics section of my website: http://CallDerek.ca

Are you competing to with other buyers to get the house you want? If so, you should read this:

Competing Offers

In certain market conditions (like the Georgetown Area Market in Spring 2010), consumers may find that more than one buyer is interested in a property. This is a competing offer situation and creates unique conditions in a real estate transaction. Both sellers and buyers need to consider how to respond when presented with a competing offer situation. Working closely with your real estate broker or salesperson will ensure that you understand the process.
In Ontario, the seller's real estate broker or salesperson is required to disclose the number of competing offers to all buyers who have submitted a written offer. However, the terms and conditions of each offer are confidential to the seller and their broker or salesperson.
Working with a Real Estate Broker or Salesperson
The seller's real estate broker or salesperson represents the interests of the seller in the transaction. The decisions about how offers are presented and responded to, as well as which offer is accepted, are made by the seller.
The buyer's real estate broker or salesperson represents the interests of the buyer in the transaction. The buyer makes the final decisions related to their offer, including the important decision of whether or not they want to participate in a competing offer situation.
In some situations, the real estate broker or salesperson will represent the interests of both seller and buyer or multiple buyers. Consumers should seek guidance from their real estate broker or salesperson if this situation arises.
Tips for Buyers
In a competing offer situation, buyers may be tempted to offer more for the property than they planned to and/or remove conditions from offers that are intended to protect them.
Before participating in a competing offer situation, buyers should consider factors such as:
Offer Price
How much can the buyer afford to offer for the property and how much is the property worth? A high offer could enhance the buyer's chance of success. However, it may not be the best long-term financial decision for the buyer. A competing offer situation does not necessarily mean that a property will sell for more than the asking price. Similarly, an offer that meets or exceeds the asking price will not guarantee that a buyer's offer is accepted.
Financing
Buyers should be aware that pre-qualifying for a mortgage does not safely eliminate the need for a financing condition in an offer.
Home Inspection
In competing offer situations, it can be tempting not to include a clause in an offer that makes it conditional on a home inspection. While your offer might be more acceptable to the seller, you may later learn that there are property defects, required repairs or needed upgrades that you weren't aware of. In some cases, this can be expensive in the short or long-term. Foregoing a home inspection is a significant risk that a buyer needs to carefully consider.
Tips for Sellers
A seller facing competing offers has to consider how they want to deal with the situation. The seller can decide to: accept the best offer; negotiate with one buyer and reject all other offers; negotiate with one buyer and advise other buyers that their offers are being set aside while the seller negotiates; or reject all offers.
Even in a competing offer situation, buyers have other options and may choose not to continue to participate. A seller may attempt to negotiate only to find out that it was the best offer the buyer could present. In the meantime, other buyers have found new properties they are interested in.
The seller's real estate broker or salesperson can provide advice and guidance, ensuring that the obligations and the options available are understood.
Note: Information provided courtesy of the Real Estate Concil of Ontario (RECO).

More useful information is available at http://CallDerek.ca