jenny kotulak broker: Welcome Or Not - Walmart Is Coming To Stratford - 05/17/11 11:13 PM
The 10 year expensive battle is over. Walmart is coming to Stratford, Ontario. Not in its' desired location or original size but none the less ground will be broken in 2012 to pave the way for the mega box store to put down roots in the Stratford community.
The city has spent $1.4 million dollars on legal fees alone in their fight to keep the retail giant at bay with their efforts to preserve the downtown retail businesses. Many downtown merchants are concerned that Walmart's arrival will put additional stress on businesses already facing challenges.
The new location, still in the City's east end is … (12 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: May Day - May Day - Let The Blogging Begin - 05/01/11 08:59 PM
Today is May 1st. May Day. The term "May Day" has a few meanings. May Day - May Day is a well known international distress signal.
May Day is also a day of celebration in many Countries. I remember as a child in my primary years at school we would all go outside and dance around the flagpole on May 1st. I don't know if that happens anymore in Canada. I don't remember my kids ever doing it at their school.
For me May 1st means my first post as part of the 31 Day Challenge for May 2011 at Active Rain. So … (10 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: The 31 Day Blogging Challenge For May - I think I can, I think I can - 04/28/11 02:38 PM
There have been many monthly blogging challenges and so far I've either missed the call to action or found out partway through or the timing just wasn't right for me.
While reading some other member's posts today I became aware of the 31 Day May Blogging Challenge. I have been a tad lax with my blogging of late. Life kind of got in the way.
I wasn't sure if I was up to the commitment of writing one blog a day for 31 days but I made an executive decision and jumped on-board.
Here are just a few reasons for my … (14 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Starting From Scratch - With 22 Years Experience - 04/02/11 10:37 PM
It's hard to believe it's been 2 months since I pulled up roots from a town of 175,000 that I spent the last 22 years selling real estate in and moved to a teeny, tiny community of 2400. I've written some previous posts about the "big move" so I won't go into past details.
I'm beginning to find routine in my life again. Routine is good. The town that I'm now selling real estate in is 15 minutes from the little village I live in. Stratford is considered a city with a population of 32,000. For some reason Oakville with its' 175,000 + … (70 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Rural Roots - #1 - Heading Down The Road - 02/09/11 12:08 AM
It's been 10 days since we packed the moving truck, a pickup truck, a van and my car and left Oakville for our new home in Tavistock an hour and a bit down the road. Ten action packed days, I must add.
The journey down Highway 401 was not without incident as I noticed an object flying across the road ahead of us. At first I thought it was just a piece of cardboard but as we drove a little further we noticed a box spring laying on the shoulder of the road, and a car in the middle lane stopped … (22 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: 100,000 + 100,000 + 100,000 = A Reason To Celebrate With Ice Cream ?? - 01/26/11 12:49 AM
I wrote the following post last night as I was about to cross the 300,000 point hurdle. But I left it too long to post. I wrote a few comments today and I crossed the line while commenting on a great post by Andrea Swiedler.
Then I received some comments on a previous post I'd written which added a few more points. Thanks to Nick Pappas for noticing that I'd had joined the 300,000 club. Now I'm too tired to rework the post I wrote last night so here it is. Just pretend you are reading it last night.
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If my … (22 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: I'm Renewing My REALTOR® Vows - I Promise To......... - 01/18/11 12:56 PM
I cleaned out my desk at the office the other day. Packed all my file boxes, photos, awards, paper clips, et al into the back seat of the car and headed home. (notice that I give awards and paperclips the same significance)
They now reside in my garage where they will be transported on January 29th to a new home an hour and a half down the road. My contract at RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. in Oakville will end on January 31st. My new contract at RE/MAX a-b Realty Ltd. in Stratford, Ontario will commence February 1st.
Am I excited? Yes … (9 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Moving On Down The Road - The Countdown Is On - 01/14/11 09:15 PM
The clock is ticking. Our new house is almost finished and closing date is looming. On January 27th we should be handed the keys to our shiny, new abode. On February 1st I will begin the next phase of my real estate career at RE/MAX a-b Realty in Stratford, Ontario.
Some of you know of this new journey as I wrote a couple of previous posts some months ago in the beginning stages of this life changing adventure. Today I attended my last office breakfast meeting at RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. where I've been working for the past 14 and a half … (19 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Resolutions - I've Had A Few - But Then Again - Too Few To Mention - 01/02/11 06:00 PM
The Facebook comment came across loud and clear yesterday from a friend. "Have you made your New Year's resolutions ?" Oh no, it was January 1st. Was it too late to make one? Are you supposed to make them on December 31 and do they still count if you make them once the clock kicks over to a new year?
I hadn't really thought about it much. Actually I hadn't thought about new year's resolutions at all. I guess if I was to make one (or two) it would be to stop being such a procrastinator and to become a tad … (14 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Name That Photo - The Eyes Have It - 11/16/10 12:02 AM
It's time for another Name That Photo post. Here are two pairs of eyes for you to eyeball and see if you can come up with the names of these two famous people that they belong to.
And for now that's the only clue that I will give. "Famous people" Well OK I will also say that I took the photos at the same time, at the same place, although one of them is a photo of a photo.
Confused? These two do share a common bond. Can you guess who they are? And perhaps where I took these photos?
Let … (18 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Thoughtful Thursday - Name These Photos - 11/12/10 12:03 AM
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well I don't know if these photos evoke a thousand words each but I will let you have a look at each one and tell me what comes to your mind. I will put my titles I came up with at the bottom of the page.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
OK so have you named the photos? Here's what came to my mind as I looked at them.
1. Sticking your neck out
2. Bad moon rising
3. Bridging the gap
4. Up the … (18 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Real Estate Scripts Are Like Jokes - I Can Never Remember The Punchline - 01/25/10 05:17 PM
I attended the annual RE/MAX Kickstart Sales Rally in Toronto last week. On the second day we heard three different speakers. I always say that if I come away with one tidbit of information from each speaker that may help my business, then it was well worth attending the session.
One of the speakers I heard really touts using scripts to attract business, close sales, handle objections, etc. In 1989, when I started in the real estate business most speakers recommended using scripts and they pushed their tapes to memorize. Today many real estate gurus have ventured in a different direction but many still do believe in using scripts as a means to … (19 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: A Bird In The Hand Is Worth - A Hike In The Bush ? - 12/22/09 11:35 PM
This is a great time of the year to seek out the birds that don't fly south but stay put in the Oakville area for the winter. Hendrie Valley trail in Burlington, Ontario is a great place to see the non-migratory birds first "hand".
Getting up close and personal along the boardwalk is very easy. Lots of strollers and hikers bring along bird seed and the more tame, non skittish species such as Nuthatches and Chickadees will come and eat right out of your hand.
The Cardinals are a little more aloof but they will enjoy any seed left along the the ledges … (37 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Silly Sunday - I See Faces - 11/29/09 11:58 AM
Yes, I see faces. I see them in trees and I see them in bonfires. I'm afraid to research the subject in case there is a name for this peculiarity. Or is there a whole secret society out there who see what I see?
I'm posting proof here of the faces that I have seen recently. You can let me know if you see them also, or you can just not your head in agreement and stay silent. Or you can shake your head back and forth and say this woman needs to get a life.
The Eyes Of A … (23 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Sunrise On The Horizon - 11/19/09 05:13 PM
It's very rare that I am awake to see the sunrise. What a shame really as I know it is a sight to behold. Last month the opportunity "arose" when I was sitting in an airplane on my way to Cuba. I'm sure some people must have thought I was seeing the sun rise for the first time.
I oohed and aahed and clicked away with my camera. I felt like I was on an awesome adventure. I was sitting on a plane that left the tarmac in Toronto at 6:30 a.m. and by 10:00 a.m. I would be landing in … (22 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Oakville Ontario Sales Statistics - October 2009 - 11/11/09 03:02 PM
The number of home sales in Oakville in October 2009 was a whopping 78% higher than October a year ago. Last October saw the beginning of the tumble in the market but the sales rebounded this past spring and we began to see healthy sales stats once again. Consumer confidence returned and the excellent mortgage rates made for a winning combination.
The average sale price in Oakville in October 2009 was $600,705, up 12 percent from last October. The median sale price of $486,250 saw a 25% climb from the previous year. The average days on market shrunk from 41 in October … (4 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Are Power Of Sales Really A Bargain ? - 11/08/09 10:56 PM
There is a public misconception that buyers can get "a steal of a deal" on a "Power of Sale" property. According to the Mortgages Act Ontario http://www.canlii.net/on/laws/sta/m-40/20080821/whole.html the guidelines for handling Power of Sales is very specific.
Once the lender or financial institution has taken over the property, they must sell the property the same way as any other property. It is usually listed with a REALTOR on mls for the appraised market value. They have to prove that the home is exposed to the open market for the proper amount of time to find a buyer and obtain market value.The … (20 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: How Are Your Parking Skills ? - Smile You're On Candid Camera - 10/31/09 12:24 PM
A grandmother in her sixties has been charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident in a bizarre parking lot incident which has ended up on YouTube with over 1,000,000 views so far. Granny pulled into the parking lot of a fitess centre near Toronto in her BMW SUV and in a monster truck move, jumped the curb and ended on top of two parked vehicles.
After taking a moment to realize what just happened, granny backed up her BMW and exited stage left. As luck would have it a gym employee found his car with damage to the hood and windshield. … (26 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Which Way Are You Heading ? - Going My Way? - 10/29/09 11:55 PM
Thinking of migrating moving to Oakville, Ontario? Or is it time to leave Oakville for greener pastures? Many species migrate twice a year. That's a lot of work. Building a nest can take some effort. Settling in, exploring your neighbourhood, making new friends takes time. New adventures unfold. Many thrive in their new surroundings and never look back. Others eventually make their way back "home".
Whether you are flying solo, with a partner or with a flock always remember "Home is where the heart is."
If you are thinking of migrating … (19 comments)
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jenny kotulak broker: Oakville Ontario Sales Statistics - Third Quarter 2009 - 10/15/09 01:05 PM
Home sales in Oakville, Ontario in the third quarter of 2009 continued to accelerate. Both the number of sales and the average sale price have surpassed those recorded for the same time period in 2008.The increase in the number of sales month over month compared to 2008 began in May of this year and continued through September. Limited inventory in Oakville has resulted in the demand for housing outstripping the supply.This originally led to a balanced market but has tipped somewhat to a seller's market with many homes selling over list price in record time with multiple offers. Low interest rates … (4 comments)
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