Forty Six.

The birthdays seem to come quicker and quicker as that number ticks up. The days fly by fast, and the years even faster.  

Life is busy – family, commitments, work – it’s tough to fit it all in sometimes.   

It is important to take some time to slow down and celebrate – I was spoiled with ribs for dinner – my go-to fave!  There may have been cake as well – with a few more candles than I may really want to see!

Yes, I had the cake - the new year’s resolutions aren’t coming around for another 10 days! 

We are coming up on the season of celebrations – enjoying Christmas and the holiday season with family and friends.  I hope each of you take that important time to enjoy the blessings in your life, and spend time with those that are impactful to you. 

As life’s odometer continues to move, who we spend that time with becomes more and more important, and the circle seems to get smaller and smaller. 

I’d say I’m pretty lucky.

Teamwork. 

Every team is made up of a variety of individuals that bring different skills and strengths together in order to be successful.  The offensive star that puts points on the board, the measured defensive minded player that holds things together, and yes, at times there’s some that muck it up in the corner and end up in the box from time to time.

The ones that can pull that all together the best, are the ones that persevere and succeed.

Our Coldwell Banker Steinbach team is really one of the good ones.  Maybe even great.  And our group is similar to most teams – agents that are consistent sales leaders, others that are steady and measured in their approach.  We’re fortunate though, we don’t get tangled up in the corners very often.

This week, I’ve been blessed to work together with a few of my Coldwell Banker teammates to get properties bought and sold for our clients.  While we all approach our situations a little bit differently, we focus on the common goal of doing the best for our clients, in a positive and professional way.  

Next time you’re considering a real estate move, consider not only the agent you’re looking to work with, but also the team they bring with them.  It will truly make a difference.

After all, there is no I in Team.

10 degrees in December!

Another gorgeous day today with the sun shining bright, and warmth in the air.  It’s an extra bit of time for all of us to get those outdoor things taken care of, or for the farmers to get that final bit of fall work done in the fields.

As for myself, I took some time to address a couple of maintenance items at home.  Checking on insulation and venting - crawling in the attic is always better in this weather!  And it’s a good idea to take a few minutes and make sure you’re truly ready for winter – it will be here one day soon!

But hey, let’s enjoy this while it lasts, right? 

The other effect of good weather?  The real estate market continues to be strong!  At recent open houses in southeast Manitoba, we are seeing very good attendance, and we still have many buyers looking for a new place to call home.  If you’re thinking of buying or selling, give me a call, shoot me a message – let’s plan for the right time to market your home.

The past little while has been awesome weather but let’s be clear…

I’m always rooting for a white Christmas!

Eighteen.

This week, my son turned 18.  He’s grown into a smart, handsome, talented and determined man – he started university this fall, and is killing it.  It’s awesome to see him go out on his own and figure life out.

But it sure was a reminder of how quick life goes and all the changes that come along with it!  It seems it wasn’t that long ago that I became a father, and already he’s an adult and has moved out on his own! 

In the words of Kenny Chesney - Don’t Blink.

And then, as I was backing out of the driveway today, I realized how much life had changed at home too.  His sister already claimed his room, there’s that much more space in the house and there’s a lot more food in the fridge!

The needs we have for our homes change all the time – size, location, features – and as a real estate agent, I take great pride in working with my clients to help them buy the right home for their family, not just sell them a house.  Believe me, there’s a difference.

If the changes in your life have you considering a different place to call home, let’s chat – I know how it feels when life changes, and understand how making a move can be a great thing for everyone.

Dix-huit ans!  Bonne fête bud!

Black Friday.

No, I don’t have some crazy 20% off sale on my listings!  But, the retail stores sure have sales – and it works.  We appreciate getting a deal, and certainly feel like we’ve won.  I jumped in on the fun this year, and I’ve got a couple things on order – I’ll admit. 

 It’s certainly a great opportunity to save a few bucks on Christmas gifts, or to reward yourself with that special something that you set a goal for during the year. 

 In real estate, there are no Black Friday sales, but there may be “deals” out there to be had.  In certain areas in Southeast Manitoba, homes are on the market a little longer, there’s less buyers looking to buy for various reasons.  Because of that, you may just be able to negotiate a purchase price that’s lower than you had originally thought. 

 And since everyone loves a deal, I’ve got my own Black Friday deal for you! 

 For the month of December, when you buy or list your home with me, I’ll cover the cost of a home cleaning or home inspection!  Just mention this blog post, and I’ll take care of the rest!

 Hope to hear from you soon - happy shopping!

Times are tough.

Everyone’s talking about it, and each of us feels the strain on our budgets in our own unique ways.  Food on the table, fuel in the tank, fees for sports & activities – it sure seems we have to stretch our dollar more and more every day.  And Christmas is right around the corner…. (crazy, right?!)

And that’s no different with our homes – hydro, insurance, taxes – even prices, are going up.  Add on interest rates that we aren’t used to (even though they are still historically pretty good), and yeah, times are tough.  Tougher for some than others.

The time of year is near when we want to bless our family and friends with gifts that show how much we appreciate them.  For some, the reality is that there just won’t be enough in the budget for that. 

If you need help this season, let someone know.  Many communities offer Christmas hampers to those in need – food, supplies & gifts for those less fortunate.  Myself, Emma and our Coldwell Banker office are helping out in a variety of ways in St Jean Baptiste, Morris, Steinbach, among many other communities in Southeast Manitoba.  We are happy to do so. 

If you’re in a position to help out as well, I encourage you to do so.  If you’re not sure how to do that, give me a call, I’ll point you in the right direction.

Times are tough – but our communities are stronger when we help each other.

I know it all!

Oh man, if only that were true!  The one thing I am consistently reminded of is that I do NOT, in fact, know it all!  Far from it!  Which is why in life, and in work, it is so important to continue to learn, grow, and implement new ideas into our daily lives.

Personally, one of the things I enjoy (but rarely have much time to do!) is sitting down with a good book – my favourites are biographies.  I find inspiration, tidbits, and more often than not, realize the tenacity of what it took to succeed.  It provides me with the headspace to think differently, dream bigger, and try to improve on the things that hold me back.

Professionally, it’s important to hone my skills and do my best to provide knowledge and expertise to those who trust me with their real estate needs.  This week, I spent two days in the classroom with a focus on commercial real estate – gaining knowledge and tools to evaluate commercial spaces with the clients I am privileged to work with. 

Are you looking for commercial property for your business?  Do you have a trusted advisor to guide you through that process?  Previously, as a lender, I helped hundreds of clients secure mortgages to purchase property – let me combine that experience with my real estate knowledge to find a great place for your business.

As for a book recommendation --- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - A memoir by the creator of NIKE.

Just do it.

60,000.

That is roughly the amount of km’s I drive every year.  So yeah, I spend a lot of time in my truck.  Often, I consider upgrading my truck and getting something newer, more fuel efficient, has more gadgets.  As no surprise to those that know me well, I considered upgrading this past week.

I go through all the reasons why this would be a great idea – it would be reliable, have the features I want, could be a vehicle I can drive for years, the cost-benefit makes sense to me.  Let’s do this!

Then I look at my current truck – there’s a chip in the windshield, the running boards need some love, my tires are looking… well, tired.  Simple solution – trade it in and I won’t have to deal with those things anymore.  Let’s do this!

But then, I start thinking – would I do that with a home I lived in?  Just put it on the market without addressing the things that would make it more valuable?  Never.  When I’ve sold my homes before, I always do my best to add value – upgrade the flooring, change light fixtures, spruce up the kitchen with backsplash and cabinet pulls, patch the nicks in the walls and give it a fresh coat of paint.

So why the heck wouldn’t I do that with my truck? Needless to say, my truck will be getting some love over the next while – and adding some value before I look at upgrading.  And maybe, just maybe, I’ll pull the trigger once that’s done.

Are you thinking of trading up to a new home? Consider doing some upgrades.  Not sure what would give you the most value, which projects to focus on?  Give me a call, I’d be happy to give you advice and ideas on what would make your home more valuable when it’s time to sell.

Let’s do this!

Decisions.

In real estate, decisions are a non-negotiable.  Whether it’s figuring out if you need a bigger house, contemplating taking on a career move to a different community, or moving out of a rental and purchasing your first home – you need to make a choice.

Where do we turn when we have these thoughts floating around? 

Family.  Friends. Co-workers.  The headlines in the news. 

Your LOCAL real estate agent? 

It’s likely one or all of these, but I throw out the idea of your local real estate agent, because as realtors, we do our best to be the experts in the areas where we focus.  And there’s value in that.

The headlines are all around us – inflation, housing prices, interest rates.  Often times, those headlines are based on a macro view of Manitoba or Canada, but in reality, the micro view of the local market is what we need to pay attention to.

In many of our communities in Southeast Manitoba, the number of homes available to purchase is still relatively low.  Prices of homes are relatively stable.  There are more buyers out there than you might expect.   Most of these may be contrary to what we hear in the news.

So, I encourage you to reach out.  When you are contemplating a real estate decision, I’d be more than happy to chat it through.  I got one of those calls yesterday, and next week I’m looking forward to helping a family work through the local market information to make their decision. 

I’d love to help you with yours too.