Month: January 2022

Hamilton- rising from the ashes

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Hamilton is located less than an hour west of Toronto and known for being one of Canada’s leading industrial centres. There was an unpleasant stretch in Hamilton’s lifeline that saw vacant homes, empty store fronts, unemployment, and crime leading to many thinking Hamilton wasn’t a place to settle down. Traditionally, the local economy has been led by the steel and heavy manufacturing industries. Within the last decade, there has been a shift towards the service sector, like health and sciences. Hamilton is home to the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the Bruce Trail, McMaster University, Redeemer University College and Mohawk College. McMaster University is ranked 4th in Canada and 69th in the world by Times Higher Education Rankings 2021.

Barton St. 1990
Empty storefronts lined the streets

There has also been a major shift towards the arts and entertainment sector with digital media, music, animation, film production and performing arts all considered to be major job and talent attractors in Hamilton. The phrase ‘art is the new steel’ has rung strong in the city forming the physicality of the urban landscape.

Hamilton has seen a huge jump in population and continues to be a city of choice for newcomers to Canada, as well as Canadians leaving bigger cities like Toronto. The federal agency published new annual demographic estimates for sub-provincial areas earlier this month. According to the new data, in the period of 2018-2019, 10,196 people took up residence in Hamilton. The year 2019-2020 brought 11,743 new people and between 2020 and July 2021 there have been 5,375 new arrivals bringing the areas population to a whopping 812,528.

Webster’s Falls
James St.
Bustling Downtown

Hamilton has seen it’s up’s and down’s throughout its colourful timeline. What does this all mean to real estate prices in the city? Don’t wait to buy!

Prices will continue to rise with a growing population
The entire six regions of the province are expected to see growth over the next few years – 2022 included – and the Hamilton area is no exception. Ontario as a whole is expected to increase in size by almost 5.3 million by 2046, according to the provincial government’s population projections report. The projected population growth means more people will be looking for housing in the province, putting a consistent pressure on prices.

With so much to do and see, Hamilton Ontario is an amazing place to live!

Contact me today if your thinking of making the move to Hamilton.

Katy Jobe Realtor®

Should you write a Personal Letter on Offer day?

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With the real estate market flaming hot in Ontario and almost every trade going to multiple offers, it is important to make your offer stand out against the rest. If the Seller is a flipper or corporation, it’s likely that they won’t even read the letter (but you never know) and that all that matters is the $$. However, if the Seller has lived in the home it is likely that they have a connection to the house they have made home. In this case a personal letter can go a long way! Here are 6 steps to writing a Personal Letter to accompany your offer:

  1. Make your opener as personal as possible: Get out your pen, yes, a pen (you want your letter to be authentic in every way) and a piece of good stationery. Before you get started, think about your tone. A house offer letter should be friendly and heartfelt.  Think creatively about how you address the letter.  You could start the offer letter like:  Dear (Sellers name), owner of the sweet, red brick victorian home with so much charm, 
  2. Tell them about yourself: Many sellers like the idea of passing their home on to people who will care for it. A house offer letter is your chance to show the real person behind your offer paperwork. There’s no better way to create a human connection than helping the seller visualize your life. My name is Katy, and my husband Lyle and I have been trying to find a neighbourhood for years, and have fallen in love with yours. We think it’s the perfect place to raise a family. We have 2 kids, Elijah and Logan and are looking for a little more space…
  3. Point out the home’s attributes: If the seller has lived in their home for years, odds are, they take pride in it. Even if you think it’s a fixer-upper, talk about the things you love about the house. Because who doesn’t like a compliment? We love to cook and have family over. The kitchen has such great counter space—I can just picture it holding our big Sunday dinner buffet. And I love that you’ve got a refrigerator that doesn’t show fingerprints. That will be a big help with our youngest Elijah and his cousins who always seem to have sticky hands. And, I enjoy gardening. Of course, the first thing we noticed was your beautiful garden full of hydrangeas and hostas. We could tell how carefully you’ve tended to every aspect of your home…
  4. Find a connection: When you were viewing the house, did you notice the photos on the wall of children playing lacrosse? The same style of eat-in kitchen as the home you grew up in? Make a connection by mentioning what you saw. I couldn’t help but notice the photo on the fireplace mantle of a young man graduating from McMaster. My dad grew up in Hamilton and went to school there. We spent a lot of time at Cootes Paradise with my grandmother. Go Maraudres! 
  5. Close with lots of thanks: This is your closing argument and your last chance to weave in some flattery. Thank them and let them know you’re hoping to hear back from them. Thanks so much for your time and consideration. We would be honoured to live in the house that you’ve made into a beautiful home. We look forward to hearing back from you.
  6. Add a family picture: Add a family picture, if you have pets add them too.

Small changes with Big impact

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With just a few small changes you can make a big impact on the design, energy and feel of your space. Wether your staging your home to sell or simply looking for ideas on how to lighten and brighten your space, try these 5 steps to freshen your space:

  • Move your furniture away from the walls– By leaving a 6″-12″ space around your furniture you instantly make your room feel bigger. There will be more flow throughout the room and it will feel bigger. To accomplish this you may need to look around the room and eliminate things that aren’t necessary to the room’s function.
  • Add plants– By adding plants to your space you are not only adding beauty but also adding positive energy and filtering the air. I suggest adding one large plant or smaller ones in groups of 3. Adding fresh flower bouquets are like adding a smoothie for your home, they not only make you feel great but also smell great too.
  • Commanding position– Start by moving your bed to face the door in the bedroom. This gives the space purpose and puts the bed in a commanding position. This strategy works well in the home office too. By moving your desk so that when your sitting at it you face the door of the room, the office will feel bigger and you will feel more powerful and productive. In both examples, energy can move around the space more freely intern giving your home a positive vibe.
  • Lighting– Natural light should be let into the space and when it isn’t available try adding a sunlight therapy lamp. Switch out old light fixtures that aren’t giving you adequate lighting. Try to add all four types of lighting- Ambient, Task, Accent and Decorative.
  • Try a Himalayan salt lamp– A Himalayan salt lamp is used to remove bad energy from a space and add positive ions that filter energy throughout the room.

Hamilton History- Ice Harvesting

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Did you know that Hamilton used to employ 600 men every year to perform the job of Ice Harvesting from mid-January to the end of February? Over a hundred years ago, there would have been a musty smell in the air in the North End of Hamilton on a summer day. The smell would have come from the thousands of melting blocks of ice packed in straw in the ice houses lining the shore. The ice houses of Dewey & O’Hare, Albert J. Cummer and W.B. Foyster were packed close together between the North ends of Bay and Wood Streets. In the days before mechanical refrigeration, these ice houses had to meet Hamiltonians’ cooling needs for the entire year.

Ice Harvesting

Winter is no time to abandon our bay | TheSpec.com

The ice harvest on Hamilton Harbour was considered by some to be the first harvest of the year. During the winter months the ice companies had to lay up enough ice to get the city residents through the sweltering summer months.

Winter In the North End | North End Breezes

Ice harvesters cut out the first blocks as best they can to make an open space. With the removal of each block a longer channel opens. Horses are brought in and the big ice blocks are towed shoreward along these open channels. The great ice sheds along the Bayfront were filled to capacity during this harvest and you could see sleighs loaded with blocks of ice moving up the streets constantly.

Ice Harvesting in Door County's Early Years - Door County Pulse

One ice firm in the 1920’s prided itself on cutting 4 tons of ice per minute for a total of 2,000 tons of ice daily. With the increasing popularity of electric refrigeration, as well as the growing pollution of the bay’s waters, the picturesque job of ice harvesting gradually faded away.

ice-harvesting-near-bay.jpg

The homes the housed the workers

Many of the homes that housed the Ice Harvesters still stand today in the North End of Hamilton. We were lucky to have owned one of these homes, built in 1880 rumoured to be one of the original Ice Harvest “cottages”. As the home wasn’t in it’s original state and had gone through many additions and renovations in the 1980’s, we had the task of modernizing the home while bringing to light it’s history and beauty. While pealing back the layers, original wood walls made of 2 by 12 rough cut pine was revealed and reused as a feature wall in the master bedroom, and then saved and used for mantles and shelving in other projects. Under layers of drywall and tiles, the original tongue and groove ceilings were found and brought back to life. Original windows that had been covered up over time were found in perfect condition, removed carefully, and reused as decoration. In the unfinished attic, we excavated many cool treasures that had been hidden and forgotten about over time. Most notable a “steam-boat Willy” Mickey mouse toy from the 1920’s and a printing pad for soup labels from the early 1900’s.

Mickey Mouse toy found buried in insulation in the attic

Here are some before and after pictures from the project:

Interested in finding out the history of your Greater Hamilton Area home? Looking to Sell or Buy a Historical home in the Hamilton or Burlington Areas? I can help, contact me today for a free Market Evaluation, help with how to highlight the history in your home, or to chat about your homes unique history!

Contact Katy Today!

Source https://www.hpl.ca

The December wrap-up

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With this past December having so many downturns for so many people and businesses due to the pandemic, Real Estate across the Burlington and Greater Hamilton Area saw a major upturn in the price of homes across the board. The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) reported a total of 877 sales of residential properties within the RAHB market area for December 2021.

It was reported that the area with the greatest number of residential property sales in December 2021 was the Hamilton Mountain. There were a total of 127 sales and with an average property price of $883,826. The above chart also shows us what area had the highest average property price. For December 2021 that area was Ancaster, with an average property price of $1,353,962. This was an increase when compared to the same time last year. Ancaster also reported to have had a total of 28 sales, which is a decrease compared to December 2020.

Another area to take note of is Flamborough, which had the second highest average property price of $1,326,038. This area reported a total of 10 sales for December 2021, a slight decrease when compared to the same time last year.

For More Information About These Statistics

If you’re looking for a more in-depth matrix of these statistics, please refer to the Hamilton Real Estate Statistics for December 2021. https://creastats.crea.ca/board/hami

If you have any questions about the December Real Estate Stats feel free to contact me. Have you been wondering what your property might be worth? Contact me today for a free Market Evaluation.

Contact Katy today!

10 Reasons why Staging helps to sell a house

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According to a 2020 survey of 13,000 staged homes conducted by the Real Estate Staging Association, a professional body that serves staging professionals across North America, a whopping 85% of those homes sold for 5 % to 25 % over listing price. The study also showed that staged homes sell faster, averaging just 25 days on the market.

Let’s break it down:

  • You will make more money
  • Your house will sell faster
  • Buyers can visualize themselves living there
  • Your Listing photos will stand out
  • Sometimes Sellers can’t view their home objectively
  • You can relax, let the Stagers do the work
  • Buyers focus on the overall look and not your homes “flaws”
  • A clean and fresh space gives a positive first impression
  • Staging helps a home feel move-in ready
  • Staging can help to maximize the homes space

Paint and Staging go a long way

Before and After Bedroom in a home I sold in the St. Clair area of Hamilton
– Paint, carpet, new light, art and decor
Before and After Bedroom- These built-ins are too cute to take out! Some fresh paint, decor, a new light and carpet go a long way.

Check out these beautifully staged rooms ready for the market:

Laundry Rooms that sell homes

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The often neglected, pushed to the basement unfinished area- the Laundry Room- a space I just love to see dressed up. The Laundry room should be just as pretty as the Kitchen. To achieve this I recommend using stone countertops, pretty cabinets with interesting handles, a large integrated sink with a cool faucet, interesting tile, a wine fridge if space permits (I mean who doesn’t like to drink wine and do laundry!), and of course a stylish laundry pair. Seen above are Laundry rooms from homes I’ve sold in Hamilton that incorporated these features. Making the act of doing Laundry a stylish affair!

Here are some examples of Laundry rooms I love! Incorporating beautiful storage, decor, wood elements, and elements of nature really make these Laundry rooms shine!

How to stage your Laundry Room to sell your house

In a study done in 2019 by the National Association of Home Buyers found that 91% of new home buyers put Laundry Rooms at the top of their priority list. Of those 4000 people asked:

  • 37 percent prefer a laundry room near the bedrooms.
  • 20 percent like a laundry room close to the kitchen.
  • 17 percent would rather wash and dry in the basement.
  • 12 percent would keep the laundry machines in the garage completely out of sight.

Here are some tips on how to stage your Laundry Room

  • Clean it out – Clean out as much as you can and store in another area.
  • Clean it up – Clean and wipe down the entire space, make it sparkle.
  • Keep it light and bright – Consider fresh paint on walls and unfinished concrete floors, a new light fixture, cleaning any windows.
  • Add some storage – Have a place to store detergent, baskets, and laundry. Also some shelving for decor, plants, and decorative baskets.
  • Add some style – Adding art, decor, an interest wall, cool tiles and updated countertops go a long way to giving the space some interest and making it a place people want to spend time.

Home Features Buyers Want—And Don’t Want. National Association Of Home Buyers, Washington D.C