Joanna Gerber's (askagerber) Blog

It's a wise thing to be informed and so, each chance I get I try to do just that. Our latest monthly office Lunch & Learn provided thrills and chills down my spine yesterday. We were lucky to have a guest speaker form CMHC who came in with hot new news and information pertaining to the up to the ...

On July 16th, TD Canada Trust has announced that the following changes will be made in respect to Mortgages offered through their institution, to bring the landing rules in line with the regulatory changes set to take affect on October 15th of this year. - The maximum amortization period for mort...

One of your listings has been on the market for some time now. Your Client is getting anxious, and you start to feel uneasy… There is still no serious activity. During the Agent’s Open House and at the Office Tour you heard those pesky comments about… pet odours. You know well what they all are t...

One of my colleagues called me yesterday to arrange a last minute showing on one of my listings. His People were coming from Toronto and wanted to view homes in Barrie. When he first spoke to them, the obligatory question was asked… “Are you working with an Agent”? No…, they replied… So he booked...

We are surrounded by ecologically conscious ideas, Earth-safe cleaning products, recycled this and that, and I’m all for it! I truly am! I was raised in the country where 30 years ago we collected newspapers, and glass bottles and deposited them to special depots. Then we would get a coupon valid...

Summertime, Ice Dance teams from Mariposa School of Skating practice at the East Bayfield Arena, so after dropping my son off, I have an opportunity to enjoy an early morning walk in the area. The streets are quiet and empty, (we are talking 6:00am, here) and I can take in the crisp air and smell...

We talked about the safety of your children, previously. Today I would like to mention valuable possessions that may need protections, while your home is listed for Sale. We all heard about stolen paintings, jewelery and other valuables. How do we protect our belongings form disappearing when the...

Summertime Open Houses are unpredictable. We don’t have much control over the traffic coming through the house and most of the time, if the weather outside is perfect, we secretly pray for just a few visits. This is even more the case when your Open House is scheduled in the one of Ontario’s favo...

Prior to listing a home for sale, I come in, and advise the Client on things that need to be done before the house is advertised. Some people have a tough time understanding the concept of less is more… Generally, I do not ask them to remove all the traces of their personal lives, I leave the rel...

We all look for ways to save money and that’s why the concept of selling your home without a Realtor may be so appealing to many. But choosing to purchase a home without the help of the Realtor is simply not a smart move… Let me tell you a story. Picture a secluded, quiet neighbourhood with tower...