I am now officially a "seniors real estate specialist"  having taken a two day course in Toronto this past March with Royal Lepage.  I was quite looking forward to having this designation, given our highly touted market as the place to retire.  Yes, our area has seen a lot of growth with this very large baby boomer demographic.  The baby boomers are the largest generation and they are now of retirement age.   Woo Hooo!! We have heard alot about this group being the ones that are driving our economy,  the travel industry,  the housing market etc....  The boomers have money and they are going to spend it. 

I am also a baby boomer,  on the tail end of course, but a boomer none the less.  I am married to a Gen xer and my kids are the Y generation!  (Why can't I have more stuff??)  Follow??  This course was very informative as to what each generation has gone through and what is to come.  For instance, a baby boomer is working full time,  looking after their aged parents ( the lost generation) and still have kids at home.  Talk about a full plate.  It is all about decision making with this group>  how to keep all the balls in the air and still have time for themselves.  Relaxation is the key here.  Golfing,  going to the spa, vacations,  dinners out etc...

The major decision though is whether to downsize, or "rightsize" as I like to say.  When to do it and where?  That is why our area has become so popular,  the new hospital,  the lake,  the beach,  huge condo developments and also some pretty great retirement living places.  Talk about planning ahead!  We are in steady demand to listen to the questions that our supposed seniors have gone over in their own minds time and again. But, they are not as aged as the word senior would have you believe.   They still want it all.  And they are younger than our own parents were at the same age!  Very active and the want to stay that way.  This course was all about understanding what the needs are of each generation and being able to specialize in the areas that will be more in demand in the very near future.    Being in the Cobourg area makes this an easy task.  Cobourg has become one of the most written about areas in major magazines and newspapers of late as the place to visit,  the place with one of the smallest amounts of precipitation,  and one of the best places to retire.  I know there are other areas,  Brighton,  Picton, Barrie,  to name a few, but we have great access to Toronto,  we are still a small town and we still have a lot of great surrounding countyside.   Come for a visit,  I'll answer your questions about our town!    

Real Estate is full of hurry up and wait!  You really have to have the right amount of patience to do well in this business.  When following a lead, you call and or e-mail right away and then you wait for a response.  When listing, you gather all the information,  ensure the home gets into the system, advertise, then wait for a response.  When putting in offers, you put it all together,  present, then wait for a response.  There are so many different tasks involved in selling real estate but it is all a waiting game,  and whether you are the seller, the buyer, or the agent, the more patience you have, the more successful you will be. 

I  have found that planning and focus helps with this perpetual waiting game.   Having a plan and sticking to it allows me to focus on what needs to be done on a daily basis, so I am always thrilled when the calls come in for showings and offers and the opportunity comes for new listings and working with new buyers.   The waiting can be trying at times if you let it be, but when you keep your clients informed of what is happening with the market,  how many calls,  feedback from showings,  possibly another CMA when the house has been on the market for awhile,  you will manage well.  You will be able to help your clients stay focused on the end result as well.  Buying or selling!  Wait...... patience.....another phone call!! 

While I have enjoyed the autonomy of working on my own, there is alot to be said for team work!  I do understand why there are so many singular agents, as there is so much freedom to come and go as you please. You do not get that flexibility in many other careers.  I have enjoyed the freedom and the flexibility, but what I don't enjoy is not having the time to work with every client to the best of my ability.  I have found that during the busy times that I have not been able to spend much time with my clients, and from everything I have read and heard,  the client wants the follow up and for us to keep in touch.  

What to do?  Find a partner that is similar in style, work ethic, humour,  and has the same goals as yourself.  We did!    We are now a team and have been working on our plans for the coming year.  We have found the past month to be a good indication of the upcoming year with a few buyers in the fold and a couple of new listings, with the promise of a few more fairly soon.  We have already had to reschedule a client or two but the client doesn't even know it.  If my partner is busy, I will take the call and vice versa.  It is better for all concerned.  When listing a property, the client has two agents trying to sell their home.  Who wouldn't want two for the price of one, so to speak.  We have been able to bounce ideas off each other,  vent to each other rather than our families, and there is always that element of trust that you just don't get when you work on your own. 

So, as "our team" integrates our businesses,  plans for some new and innovative ways to sell real estate,   we just might have the time that is required to do the best job that we can and keep in touch!  Lindsey Edwards and myself will be working together and we will be known as the Morgan Edwards Team.  More to follow!

 I have done a ton of open houses these past few months and find that there are still quite a few people out looking for homes.  It might not be right away, maybe they'll be ready in a few months, but for the most part I feel like they are legitimate buyers that are just waiting for the right house to come along.   This time of year is always a slow time for most but I find that staying out there is a great way to meet people and find out just how busy the spring might be.  At this rate, I think 2008 will  be another  banner year.  There is talk of another interest rate cut on Dec. 4th which is always good news for anyone contemplating a move. 

 Cobourg is one of the destinations for retirees.  We have plenty of condos available and more being built everyday that are close to the downtown core  and only a short walk to the beach.  Also plenty of single family homes available if that is what you would prefer.  Port Hope has been in the news as of late, but no fear, the residents are quick to point out all of the great features the town has to offer.  And it does have quite a bit to offer,  from the great restaurants,  the comfy B&B's,  the fantastic shopping and of course all the beautiful people.  There are plenty of great homes to choose from in Port Hope with a huge new development right around the golf course.  There is also plenty of information about the area if you need clarification on what is happening in our neck of the woods.

It is a good time to go out looking as there are plenty of open houses going on in the hopes of an offer before the snow flies.   Oh well it is snowing today,  but I am still hoping for a busy weekend.  See you there!

Yes another song title!  I am full of them!   Real estate must do that to me!  We did it!   7 of us set out to walk in the weekend to end breast cancer earlier this month and we made it.   I thought I had trained well enough and prepared for a very emotional weekend, but nothing can prepare you for the multitude of  t-shirts with "In Memory of"  ,"Walking for Mom" " Walking for Nancy"  etc....Powerful!    After raising $14K for our registration through dances, garage sales,  trivia nights, and personal donations,  we managed to walk 60K!  It was harder than I thought it would be but it was worth every blister,  I mean minute!   This picture is us after the first day.  Only Michelle looks like she is in pain although all of us were.  We were all first timers except for Sherri and Tracy.   

When I registered to walk last year, I had no idea how inspirational it would be.  After walking 33K the first day,  I could hardly move.  A hot tub and an epsom salts bath, some advil and a good nights sleep did not help.  All I could think was " I can't do this"   I did not want to get up again on Sunday morning and walk the last 27K.  When we arrived at the campsite in the morning where most camped out in tents overnight,  in the rain,  they were handing out rain covers to anyone that did not have rain gear, and serving a hot breakfast.  Everyone seemed totally oblivious to the pain and stiffness of the day before.  Armed with our backpacks, waterbottles,  extra shoes, dry socks and covered in plastic, we all started walking again.  I was in awe and had to laugh at the craziness of it all.  Here we were, tired, sore, blistered and soaking wet and walking and chatting like we did this everyday.   The enormity of it all and the fact that no one gave up (despite the pain) was huge for me!

The Weekend to End Breast Cancer raised $17.3 million dollars for cancer research.. I am so glad that I was able to experience all of the emotion that was so " out there" over the weekend.   From the determination of the walkers, the courage of the survivors who walked,  the strength of the volunteers who worked non-stop and who thanked us for walking ( that was awesome)  the generosity of the neighbourhoods that we walked through, the clapping from the families who stood at every corner it seemed,  the support of the guy with the pink hair who moved to different spots along the route and just sat there smiling,  to the wonder and elation of crossing the finish line to thousands of people cheering, high fiving, hugging and crying.  Wow,  I'll never forget it!   Next year anyone?   

In the past few months I have met many people who do not have an agent that they regularly work with.  One couple even went to the trouble to set up 3 different appointments with 3 different agents in the same evening, not so much to see the houses, but to meet the agents and see who they wanted to work with.  I found that out by being the agent that they chose to work with!.  They said that I was much more prepared with information about the house and about the area than the others they had met.   I was very flattered, but also very happy to see that all of my advance preparation and the package I made up for them was worth the effort.

I find that most people that call our company to ask questions about a house will work with whoever answers the call, the 'agent on duty' .   If you are unsure about who you are talking to, set up an appointment to meet and see if you would feel comfortable working with them.  A real estate transaction is such an emotional event that it really helps to have someone that can relate to where you are in your life, someone who will really listen to why you are buying or selling, where you want to be for the future, and who you are going to share your house and future with.   Some houses take months to sell,  can you see yourself with the agent you choose 3 months from now?  Ask your friends who they know and who they have worked with.  What have they heard?  If you don't find you are getting anywhere, call the office.    I try to take as much duty time as possible, as it has lead to many transactions for me.  I have met some great people and am happy to help as much as possible.  I've been told I'm a good listener too!

We have seen a lot of growth in the last two years here in Cobourg, Ontario.  You know that when the big box retailers come to town you are thought of as a better place to live.  More convenient.   My son broke his ankle last week while skateboarding and had to go to the Peterborough Hospital for surgery,  a larger centre about 45 minutes north.   Once he was settled, we went out to The Home Depot to get some bathroom and light fixtures and we ran into people we knew from Cobourg and Port Hope 3 different times.  I found that to be fairly normal as it seems that this retailer is one that attracts from all over, and the things we were all buying seemed to be things that we could get at Canadian Tire, or Home Hardware.  Why travel the extra 45 minutes to shop at a store, unless you were in the area to begin with?  Hmmm.......the draw of the large retailer. 

My son is home now, splint and all,  and The Home Depot is open for business.  We got a chance to see how our fairly new  hospital functions, ( very pleased!)  what people actually think about skateboarders (booo!), and where the next big box retailer is going to go.  Some people in Port Hope, and some of  the council are trying to stop a large Shopppers Drug Mart from ruining the heritage features of our small historic town.  It will be built right by the river in the downtown core.  I am pretty sure it will be a go as there are just as many people that find these retailers a positive addition to our towns.  What next?  Oh yes, a big huge parking lot for the skateboarders to work on their tricks!  I think I will oppose!!

When I sat down to write this blog about a recent client,  this Follow da Leada title came to me.  Call me crazy, but I seem to do a lot of my advertising and such with the first line of a song.  For example,  "Should I Stay or Should I Go",  brought me a few listing appointments.  There were a few people on the fence about selling and this got them to call.  Since that ad I have been trying to think of other song titles that people would relate to, like,  " Who let the dogs out? "  Good for a laugh and a quick sing song while you are looking through the real estate section!.    Maybe it could be for my "Looking for New Listings" ad or my "I Have Buyers" Ad!. 

So, to continue my blog about a recent client, I had asked him why he picked Cobourg, Ontario,  as a moving destination from Toronto, and he told me that his friend moved here and they really like it as it is a really great place to live.  They are close to the lake and within walking distance to the downtown and the mall.  The new Hospital is what really sold him on coming to Cobourg.  We are touted as a great place to retire to.   And so it goes......they told one friend, and so on and so on.....Hopefully he has more friends to tell after he moves here.  I could be busy for awhile! 

I think this song title "Follow Da Leada" will be in my next ad and I'll target it at the market that seems to be moving out to our neck of the woods.  I have a couple of great listings that would be of interest to those who want to get out of the rat race.....even if it is only for the weekend.   Hmmm.  " Everybody's working for the Weekend"!     I am on a roll!  It is a great feeling to enjoy your career and to have fun at it! 

I have been working with some first time buyers in Cobourg, Ont.  that were pretty confident that they did not have to be preapproved for a mortgage.  So....we did not discuss anything else about it and I went on to do what I do best.....looking for a house for them.  I received  an e-mail from a mortgage officer and his headline was Mortgage rates going up and he preceeded to send us the new rates.  I forwarded his e-mail to my clients and they took the initiative to go and lock in a rate.  The next week, he sent me a new e-mail saying that the rates had gone down again.........oops......."lucy....you got some splainin to do" !   I am glad that my situation was not critical and that we were not ready to buy something because I am sure that my clients would have felt pressured into getting a mortgage at the current rate which was higher last week.     Sheesh.....it is no wonder that no one knows how the market is going to go, what with the U.S market always in the news and the interest rates fluctuating, and the house prices going higher.  I went to my own bank manager and asked her what we should personally do with our mortgage as it has a variable rate and would be affected if the rates do go up.  She explained to me that the Prime Rate has not changed and that if it does it should only be 1/2 per cent then it is expected to go down again next year, so we are still good with the variable rate mortgage.   I feel better now as I had been wondering just that for the past month.  I have always been pretty good about watching what is happening with the rates and such, but have been reading too much of the doom and gloom lately.    If possible, you should get your questions answered as soon as possible, so you don't miss out on the lower rates or locking in a rate.  I am sure that my first time buyers are feeling much more secure now that they have taken that extra step towards buying a home.  I know I am!