Welcome to BarrieRealEstateTalk.ca! Every blog has to start with one post and, well, this is it. While it may be easy to extrapolate the theme of this site based simply on the domain name (in case it’s not straight forward, we’re going to be talking about real estate, specifically in the city – and surrounding areas – of Barrie, Ontario), I thought I’d give you a little insight into whom the authors are, what we do, and our plans for this collaborative blog.
We met through SCYPA (the Simcoe Country Young Professionals Association) where Cesia and I are on the board of directors, and both Laura and Brendan are members. While we are all quite young compared to many of our peers, we all have experience, knowledge and passion in each of our respective sectors in the real estate industry. Since we are all active on a variety of social media platforms (check out our bio’s with links to our social media profiles on the right), it seemed like a collaborative blog was an obvious extension to our current social media endeavours. With a unique perspective on the industry – from real estate to financing to law and contracts – a weekly column by each of us not only helps to share knowledge of the entire real estate industry with each other, but also allows our current (and future!) customers to have a wider look at the real estate industry as a whole.
The first step for many people when they buy their first home is to contact a real estate agent. Laura Keller of Century 21 B.J. Roth Realty and Brendan Clemmens of Royal LePage First Contact Realty are residential real estate agents who work closely with their clients, guiding them step-by-step through the entire transaction. Whether you are buying your first home, or selling your current home and moving to a new one, both Laura and Brendan are fantastic choices to help you with all your real estate needs.
Once you’ve begun to work with a real estate agent, it’s probably a good idea to find out “how much house” you can afford. While many Canadians simply go to their bank and see if they qualify, more and more Canadians are using mortgage brokers to not only help them shop around for the best deal, but to also guide them through all the financial traps and hurdles spread throughout the mortgage industry. I may be biased (ok, I am biased), but as a licensed mortgage agent with Real Mortgage Associates, I believe I provide top-notch customer service while getting you the best rate you qualify for – every time (usually at no cost to my clients!).
Of course, the final step to each and every real estate transaction involves contract and law. No real estate transaction is complete without the involvement of a lawyer. Cesia Green, a newly appointed partner at Wall-Armstrong and Green (you can tell she’s a partner because her last name is now in the company name!), practices in the areas of real estate and wills and estates. Let’s be honest: mortgages are confusing enough for most people, but the contract and law side of mortgages can be tough even for the “smartest of cookies.” Cesia works through the confusion with each of her clients so that you understand all aspects of the legal side of real estate.
So there you have it – this is the BarrieRealEstateTalk.ca team. Every week (I’ve got Monday, Laura is on Tuesday, Cesia on Wednesday, and Brendan on Thursday) we’ll put out some thoughts on the Barrie Real Estate industry from our own unique positions in the industry. We hope to eventually incorporate guest blog posts from others in the industry as well (if you’re interested, please get in touch with me to discuss the details). Along the way, we’d love for you to engage us with comments and discussions – feel free to ask questions and post comments on any of our posts. If you’re interested in any of our specific services, feel free to contact each of us directly (contact information can be found in our bio’s on the right).
We look forward to the discussions to come, and hope that this blog not only is informative, but interactive and entertaining as well.
Let the Barrie Real Estate Talk begin!
