As we get closer to Halloween next Thursday there has been a lot of talk about haunted houses: buying them, living in them and how to tell if you’re home, or potential home is haunted. A survey conducted by Realtor.com even discovered that 62% of respondents ‘would’ or ‘might’ consider a haunted home purchase! Whether you have an interest in the ‘ghostly beyond’ or simply want to ensure that your next home is NOT haunted, there a few different ways you can investigate the possibility: (1)    Watch for the Warning Signs The survey recently conducted by Realtor.com identified the following warning signs for a haunted house: 1.       A cemetery on the property 2.       Over ... 10/25/2013

  Are there incentives for one to move a family from a large metropolitan environment like Toronto, to a more rural setting like Barrie Ontario?    For my parents and many others back in the early 70's when Barrie had a mere 30,000 population, that incentive was comparatively affordable housing. For my father, driving north from the big city to the under construction Holiday Inn in Barrie was a daily contrast for six months between a bustling city with horizons hash-marked by industrial smoke stacks and Barrie's unfetid sunsets where the tempo of living was more self determined. Incentives that for the most part still apply today. New homes on near football field sized lots being constructed off of Big Bay Point Road for around half the price of comparable Etobicoke homes were the final... 10/21/2013

October, and Thanksgiving in general, is a great time of year to remind us all of what we are thankful for, and to give and spread thanks among friends, family and our community. Here at the Peggy Hill Team we’re not only thankful for the opportunity we have to help our clients move smoothly through their latest real estate adventure, we are also thankful for the great community that we have here in Barrie!  Barrie is a perfect blend of big city convenience & amenities and the small town community feel where people are eager to help their friends and neighbours. We take pride in helping people find their home in Barrie and the surrounding area. So, in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season there are a couple of things we will be doing this October to give back to our great community. We’... 10/11/2013

Neigbourhoods of Barrie, Ontario THE GATEWAY TO THE NORTH Barrie, Ontario Check out one of the fastest growing, vibrant cities in Ontario.  The population is booming and the housing market is strong.  Barrie is comprised of several neighbourhoods, both newly developed and established .  Each of these diverse areas offer so many things to see and do, year round, in this beautiful waterfront community.  Barrie is the perfect place to live and to play!   The population boom in recent years is due to the young population, the many career opportunities and easy commuter access.  Barrie is split by the Highway 400, which acts as the primary route between Barrie and Toronto. Highway 400 divides the city in East and West, where the Bay, known as Kempenfelt Bay, divides the City into North and S... 09/23/2013

It only happens once or twice year, the dreaded Friday the 13th! Maybe it’s due to the popularity of the 1980’s movies by the same name, but our culture has a collective fear of the number 13 and Friday the 13th in particular. Where did this superstition come from? Some theorize that the fear of ‘Friday the 13th’ is actually a merger of superstition of the number 13 being an unlucky number and Friday being an unlucky day (considered unlucky since the 14th century). Others believe that it stems from the fact that on Friday the 13th 1307 hundreds of the Knights Templar were arrested in order to increase the prestige of the crown. Whether it’s due to the movie or the historical significance, our culture believes Friday the 13th to be unlucky. So in honour of Friday the 13th, we thought tha... 09/13/2013

                      Barrie & District home sales hold steady in August                                   Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie & District Association of REALTORS® Inc. numbered 398 units in August 2013. This was little changed from last August, marking a decline of just two per cent (eight sales). Within the City of Barrie sales activity was down 10 per cent from a year earlier. The City of Barrie saw 236 residential sales in August. “As has been the case for much of the year so far, the headline sales figures for the entire region continue to mask divergent trends between the City of Barrie and surrounding townships,” said Wendy Elzner, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “Overall residential activity in A... 09/11/2013

  I see so many who want to own a home who earn enough household income to carry a home, yet that down payment requirement keeps them renting, often for years and years. If you are renting a home you are already in effect paying a mortgage, just not your own. You are also putting some extra cash each month into someone else's pocket while their property increases in value each year on your investment.  Without taking some active steps to change from home renter to home owner, one year leads into the next and the opportunity in many cases moves further away rather than closer over time. What can you do differently and additionally that will allow you to mark on a calender with confidence when you will buy a home? Here are some strategies that many have taken advantage of.   RRSP's You ca... 09/04/2013

  Near-record July for Barrie & District home sales   Within the City of Barrie sales activity was up nine per cent from a year earlier. The City of Barrie saw 277 residential sales in July. “While home sales in the City of Barrie recorded a healthy year-over-year gain in July, activity in the surrounding townships actually set a new July record, and that’s what pushed the overall sales figure for the region to its second highest level ever for the month of July,” said Wendy Elzner, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “While demand is up, supply continues to trend lower, and that’s resulting in historically tight market conditions. As such, the kind of price growth we’ve been seeing so far in 2013 will likely continue through the end of the year.” The year-to-... 08/22/2013

We are finally heading into a weekend in Barrie that promises blue skies and sunshine! So what will you be doing to take advantage of this great summer weather? There are lots of events and festivals going on in and around Barrie this weekend, to take advantage of, from live music, stock car racing to healthy lifestyle activities! We’ve gathered a handy list to make choosing your weekend plans a breeze: Barrie Rythmfest – Saturday August 10th, 10 AM – 9 PM   www.tourismbarrie.com/rhythmfest Held at Barrie’s Heritage Park, Rythmfest is the 4th annual interactive festival celebrating the universal language of Rhythm! Featuring live entertainment, the second annual search for Simcoe County’s best drummer, workshops, food and merchandise from around the world. Come out to participate or sim... 08/09/2013

As we head into the ‘heat’ of the summer here in Barrie, lawn maintenance duties seem to multiply: Cut the grass, water the lawn, weed the flower beds, weed the lawn, treat the lawn, fertilize the lawn ... and the list goes on! But if you’re like most people it’s hard to fit lawn maintenance into your already hectic schedule.  Low maintenance lawns are typically made from a diverse mix of hardy and low-height turfgrasses and ground covers. They require less mowing fertilizing and watering than a conventional lawn, and in turn produce savings in time, money and environmental impact. The truth is, that although uncommon, there are some alternatives to the traditional ‘grass’ lawn, and we’ve gathered our favorites here, maybe one of them will work for you! Clover – ground clovers are low-g... 07/12/2013

Home Prices in Barrie, Barrie Real Estate Market Conditions, Months of Inventory  June 2013 Barrie Real Estate Market Statistics   Quick Search all Barrie Homes Now   Barrie Home Market Prices and Sales History   Home sales in the Barrie region have only topped the 500 mark in the month of June a handful of times in history, so we’re looking at some very strong levels of activity right now, and that’s a continuation from an equally strong month of May. Rising demand has been outpacing supply, and increasing competition among buyers has resulted in an acceleration in price growth in recent months.   The year-to-date average price for all homes sold via the Association’s MLS® System in June 2013 was $317,727, up five per cent from the same period in 2012.   The year-to-date average price ... 07/05/2013

Having pets is often times, much like having kids. They leave their toys out around the house, don’t clean up after themselves and sometimes make messes! There is a way however that you can keep your pets happy and keep your home tidy. In honour of ‘Take your dog to work day’, we’ve gathered some handy home organization tips for pet owners to help keep their homes organized and tidy: Problem: All Those Pet Toys!  Sort through all of the pet toys that you’ve gathered and determine what you actually need. Donate or discard anything that is broken or doesn’t get a lot of use. Be honest with yourself about keeping some of the toys – will you actually fix them? After purging, leave out a few of your dog’s favorites and find a storage solution for the rest. Keeping the toys in bins or even in... 06/21/2013

Homes for sale in the Ferndale-Ardagh Neighborhood in Barrie, Ontario   Why do people live there?   The Ferndale-Ardagh Neighborhood is a well planned neighborhood consisting of detached homes and townhomes and is conveniently situated minutes away from the 400, as well as bordering on the Ardagh Bluffs with 17km of trails over 70 acres. There are numerous excellent restaurants and sevices  in the area, as well as grocery stores closeby if you need to pick up something on the way home. A regular bus service links the area to the downtown core on a regular basis.   Looking for a home in the Ferndale Ardagh Neighborhood?   Interested in finding homes for sale in the Ferndale Ardagh Neighborhood?   What’s the neighborhood like?   It is centred around the corner of Ferndale and Ardagh, wher... 06/06/2013

  Second best May ever for Barrie & District home sales   Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie & District Association of REALTORS® Inc. numbered 592 units in May 2013, rising nine per cent from May 2012. Within the City of Barrie sales activity rose four per cent from a year earlier. The City of Barrie saw 333 residential sales in May. “The City of Barrie saw more homes sold in May than in any other month in more than three years, which is great news, but it’s in surrounding communities where demand has really taken off,” said Wendy Elzner, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “Sales activity recorded through the Association’s MLS® System outside the City of Barrie set an all-time record in May 2013, smashing the previous re... 06/05/2013

Getting around Barrie and the surrounding area will be easier this summer, as two major transit improvements get underway. In a City of Barrie press release this past Wednesday, it was announced that by August of this summer Barrie transit service will extend to Essa Township and CFB Borden. The service, labeled ‘Route 90’ will run out of the Barrie transit terminal and travel along County Road 90 to parts of Angus before stopping at CFB Borden. Plans officially got under-way after an agreement was signed between Barrie mayor, Jeff Lehman and Essa Township mayor, Terry Dowdall on Wednesday, “We are very happy to be working with Essa township to make this partnership a reality for transit riders ... more than 1,000 residents of Barrie work at Base Borden, and this service will provide ou... 05/24/2013

Real Estate Market Report for North East Barrie   Real Estate Market Report for North East Barrie   This month’s Real Estate Activity in North East Barrie:   Active Listings: 38 Conditional Sold listings:2 Firm Sold Listings:28 Closing prices have been between $193,000 and $480,000   These are Today’s figures for single family homes in North East Barrie. If you are interested in buying a home in this area or are planning to sell your current home, call me to discuss the market and your next steps.   04/16/2013

Great News for Barrie Economy!   Great News for Barrie Economy!     Today we were all waiting with eager expectation for an announcement that was being spread on all the local social media. There was all sorts of speculation as to what it would be...some positve, some negative and then the plain ole cynical! All the same it was fun reading the comments and having a good belly laugh at how some people get so critical and upset about something that hasn’t even happened.   The announcement finally came and was as some had predicted! HGS Canada formally made known that they are expanding their inbound contact centre operations to Barrie, Ontario. This expansion will apparently create hundreds of jobs, both entry level and management. Mayor Jeff Lehman explained that “An initial creation of ... 04/15/2013

Although it might not feel much like Spring here in Barrie today, it is! And that means the time for Spring cleaning is just around the corner! Cleaning out and organizing your closet may seem like a low priority but if you simply want to get more organized or are thinking about selling your home , it’s a good idea and here’s why: when viewing homes many buyers see cluttered closets as an indicator that the home doesn’t have enough storage space. To help prevent this and to get yourself more organized follow these handy step-by-step tips to help you clean out your closets: Purge. In all likelihood your closets are filled with many items that you no longer need or use, or things that you have completely forgotten about! Sometimes these items can be useful finds but in most cases they lik... 04/12/2013

Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie & District Association of REALTORS® Inc. numbered 360 units in March 2013. This was a decline of 14 per cent from last March.Within the City of Barrie sales activity was down by a smaller 11 per cent from a year earlier. The City of Barrie saw 222 residential sales in March.“Resale housing activity has been cruising at a lower altitude since last November, and that trend continued in March with the year-over-year decline reflecting a comparison to stronger levels of demand early last year,” said Wendy Elzner, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “Having said that, the market remains very well balanced, which continues to support modest price growth.”                                      ... 04/04/2013

How can we prepare for our Home building inspection?   How can we prepare for our home building inspection?      I am sure all your light bulbs are working, but it is a good idea to check them all and replace if necessary, otherwise the inspector will  record  "non operational light fixture" and then buyers want it corrected by a licensed electrician, or else they want to renegotiate the selling price.   Ensure there is a clear path around the mechanical items like furnace, water softener and the electrical panel, they usually test the appliances too.   Make sure he can get easy access to plumbing under the sink.   If you haven't replaced the furnace filter lately, a clean filter helps to portray a well maintained home.   Also, make sure that the air conditioner is clean and accessible ... 03/30/2013