IF YOU ARE READING THIS THEN YOUR REALTOR® HAS NOT SOLD YOUR HOME.    My name is Ty Lacroix and I am the Broker of Record and Owner of Envelope Real EstateBrokerage Inc.If your house was recently taken off the market, do you still have an interest in selling?    Has your listing expired?    I welcome the opportunity to meet with you to go over your Real Estate needs and update you on current market conditions in London. Together we can devise a plan that will get your home sold. In this more difficult market you need a REALTOR® experienced in your area that will get your home sold for full market value in a reasonable amount of time.   I will offer you my 8 years of experience selling homes in London and area and an unconditional 45 day listing agreement that you can cancel at anytime w... 11/18/2010

 Thank you! Thanks to all those who helped make our Lunch for a Bunch fundraiser a succeess. Lunch for a Bunch was a "Christmas Shopping Extravaganza" in support of Women's Community House in London. More specifically, our goal was to raise funds to provide healthy lunches for the children under their care. Thanks to the twenty vendors, the sponsors, the volunteers and the shoppers who contributed in many ways to the successs of the event. www.lunchforabunch.ca 11/17/2010

'You're both kind of scared aren't you"? Last week a couple came to my office from a referral( their neighbour) and wanted to sell their existing home in London and move up to a larger home. We spent 45 minutes discussing their criteria, budget and motivation, yet, I could see they had hundreds of thoughts, be it fear or apprehension about the process they will be entering. I understand that the fear of the unknown can be an obstacle so I left them with a package of the Envelope Home Buyer/Seller Information Kit I provide to all my clients. Below are a few tidbits: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation     Great information for home buyers, home sellers, insurance, qualifying, fix ups around the house, money saving ideas, loan and equity ratios and much more.   City of London : Maps,p... 11/16/2010

Are you still thinking about selling your house in Uplands, that great neighbourhood in North London? Or, your listing expired? I have been quite fortunate to have been in the neighbourhood daily for the last 2 weeks showing homes. Unfortunately, what I have been showing or what is available has not matched my client's criteria. That was two client's alone this month which must prove that Uplands is a desired area. Is there a reason you do not want to list your house for sale? Is it real estate commissions? Your price? Time of the year? Need to find another place to move to? Don't like REALTORS®? (I can't say I blame you, sometimes). I am a REALTOR and I don't bite, make false promises or waste anybody's time. I sell alot of homes and understand that price, that dreaded 'c' word "commi... 11/13/2010

Are you spending countless hours searching the MLS, real estate magazines, weekend classified ads and real estate websites looking for the ideal home for a great price and in a great neighbourhood?WHY? If you enjoy doing that, great. Are you aware you may be missing out on some great homes that sell in a day, or a home that was priced agressively, good income properties or a home in that special neighbourhood of London? Do you think you will get a head jump on others by searching daily or weekly? Avoid paying commissions? Avoid a pesky or bothersome real estate person (don't blame you)? Or, perhaps you are curious or you are in the 'just thinking stage' of real estate. Perhaps to purchase or sell. Regardless, real estate changes, people change, neighbourhoods change, real estate rules c... 11/11/2010

If you are just starting to look for a condo in London Ontario or are thinking of selling a condo in London, being informed can save you a lot of money and from client testimonials, a lot of stress as well! What kind of condominium are you thinking of? Is it a Attached Single Floor Condo Bungalow or Ranch? Detached Single Floor Condo Bungalow or Ranch? An Upscale Apartment Condo? A Moderately Priced High Rise Condo? With a balcony? Without? A Condo Apartment in a Low Rise? A town house condo with a garage? Without a garage? A Town Home in an Adult Orientated Community or Neighbourhood?                                                                           As you can see, there are quite a few different styles of condos in London and all from $72,500 to $800,000 plus. What neighbourho... 11/10/2010

Financial Assistance for Homeowners in Canada, do you need help? The Canada  Mortgage and Housing Corporation(CMHC) has many programs available to help those who qualify. These programs are available for low-income households, seniors, and persons with disabilities and are cost-shared and delivered by Provinces and Territories in most jurisdictions.  Financial assistance takes the form of forgivable loans or non-repayable contributions, and can be used to fund repairs, renovations, accessibility modifications, the creation of low-income rental units, and home adaptations.  Go here to find out more. There are many more programs available from both the civic and provincial governments. Homeowner Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program - Homeowner RRAPFinancial assistance to low-inco... 11/09/2010

Every day I receive calls from people who would like to invest or buy income properties in London Ontario. It could be from a duplex up to a strip plaza and one of my first questions is: "What dollar amount are you comfortable with and the purpose?"This is where it gets real interesting. From professional investors to the first time "thinking about it" or the "Trumpish investor", it is amazing what and why and how they perceive real estate values. Is it: rental income minimum down payment appraised value (and from whom) comparable market values as a tax loss break even a flip(don't call me) a positive cash flow that in 12-15 years the building is either paid for or you can leverage it to buy another one, or three or ten. a deal (A deal for whom?) Who doesn't want a deal? Investing in re... 11/08/2010

Where in London Ontario can you find a 3 bedroom condo with a garage, newer furnace and air conditioning, fabulous neigbourhood and across from a conservation area? For only $159,900? Has a balcony deck and a walkout patio. New doors and windows. Huge kitchen. Why not do a drive by at 900 Pond View Road, Unit 38 and have a look. I even have a virtual tour. Then have your REALTOR® make an appointment to see it. If you do not have a REALTOR®, then call me at 519-435-1600 and I'll show you this beautiful condo in London  and what a great price it is. 11/07/2010

"That's all she qualifies For" said the buyers agent. "Why then are you showing her homes in the $300,000 range when she is only qualified for $231,000?" I replied. ''She loves the house" he said. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmm!" says exasperated me! In our London real estate market, homes sell on average 98% of the asking price and in this neighbourhood, the last 7 houses sold for 99.2% of the asking price. My question to the buyer's REALTOR® are: Why would you show a home in a $325-350,000 neighbourhood when your client can only get a mortgage for $231,000? Why would you waste my seller's and my clients time? Why would you not explain the market to your buyer? What were you thinking? If our market was crappy, the house was overpriced or in a poor condition, I can see low ball offers or stupid offers,... 11/07/2010

The White Oaks real estate market had mixed results in October. There were six firm sales of detached homes older than 25 years reported ranging in price from $186,000 to $234,000 for an average of $200,750. This is the highest monthly average I have ever posted. Last October: seven sales ranging from $155,500 to $197,400 for an average of $178,817.  As a seller, the strong prices are good news, but there is good news for buyers as well. During October 2009, the average time on market was 17 days, in October 2010 it was 48 days giving buyers ample time to view homes and make a decision. Five of the newer detached homes sold ranging in price from $164,500 to $237,00 for an average of $202,400 after an average of 53 days on the market. Last year there was one sale for $195,000 after 3 day... 11/03/2010

One of the great things about London Ontario is that real estate prices are lower than most comparable cities in Ontario and the selection of one floor condos is quite astounding! From inexpensive apartment style, high end upscale apartment condos to one floor attached or detached condo homes, London has them. From $100,000 to $800,000 there is something that will fit your lifestyle. With the medical facilities, education, culture and recreation that London offers, go here and get an idea of what is available! 11/03/2010

Houses in Sunningdale, a neighbourhood in North London and close to UWO & Masonville , were sought after with 35 sales since January  and with 16 condos selling as well. The average sale price for a home in Sunningdale which took 28 days to sell was $523,825 which was 97% of the asking price of $537,421 and for condos in Sunningdale, the average sale price was $275,541 which was 98% of the asking price of $281,886 and were on the market an average of 40 days. At present there are 9resale houses for sale in Sunningdale starting as low as $359,000 to over 1.5 million. As well, there are 11 brand new homes in the finishing stages available. There are 3 condos available, 1 for lease and 2 for sale, starting from $229,900. When you require information about Sunningdale, be it the amenities, ... 11/03/2010

Here is a press release from the president of LSTAR (The London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® ) and my response to this. Last month a total of 566 homes exchanged hands, down 14.8% from the previous year. "This is right in line with what we've seen all over the country over the past five months,"he says"We experienced a higher volume of sales immediately after the downturn as consumers who had been sitting on the fence jumped back into the market. Now that pent up demand has been met and the market has settled down a little. " "The Year-to-date sales figures speak to this: at this point in the year we are still 1.1% ahead of last year." So, what does this really mean? Is the sky falling? Is the sun still going to come up tomorrow? For buyers it is a great time to buy. There ar... 11/02/2010

   If your home has just come off the market and hasn't sold, don't be discouraged. The reason it didn't sell may have nothing to do with your home or the market. In reality, your home may have been one of the the more desirable properties for sale!                                             If YOUR LISTING HAS EXPIRED AND YOU STILL WANT RESULTS, before you put your home back on the market, take a step back and review your situation.Q Where should you begin? A. Start by making a commitment to do what it takes to market your home to get it sold. With the right system, the home sale you want is still well within reach.Q Why didn't your home sell? A. Review your previous selling plan and you'll discover that an expired listing usually reflects a problem in one or more of these four major... 11/02/2010

At first glance, reverse mortgages appear to be a good thing but for some seniors, is it? A conundrum for more boomers who hit retirement age as reverse mortgages are growing in popularity.A reverse mortgage is when a lender advances you money in either a lump sum or in stages and you make no monthly payments. A conventional mortgage is when you borrow a certain amount and gradually pay it back monthly. Is it for you? Do you qualify? What are the pros and cons? If you Google reverse mortgages you will find a slew of professionals with advice on the pros and cons and how to qualify. My personal experience in real estate and with those who have gone with a reverse mortgage or sought alternative funding is to weigh the pros and cons with local professionals and seek advice from a trusted f... 11/02/2010

How many times have you asked for information from a real estate website and not receive an answer in a timely matter or even at all?Or shown properties that were not even close to what you wanted? Or in your price range? Or forced to jump through 21 hoops of paperwork before you could even get to see a property? Here is an email from a recent client and her response to how I and my associates at Envelope Real Estate worked with her and her family! I was hestitant to publish this as it feels like I am bragging and blowing my own horn. I am in a way but I am also very proud that all the hard and necessary work in preparation and the process of real estate is very rewarding. Hi Ty,That's a lovely gesture, thank you.  With the on-set of cold weather it's especially nice to know that there ... 11/01/2010

As the Broker/Owner I want your home buying experience to be fun and exciting, not time consuming.  Therefore, I have developed the High Energy Home Buyer Program which includes the following:  Instant Buyer Notification System - our Buyer Sales Representatives will help you identify exactly what features you are looking for in a home.  This information is inputted into our specialized computer program that is linked directly with the Multiple Listing Service.  Our computer program then searches the MLS every minute for homes matching your profile as they hit the market, and before most Realtors and buyers even know about them.  Details of these homes will be sent to you immediately via e-mail, fax, or by phone.  Armed with this information you can decide which properties you truly inte... 11/01/2010

How the wealthy are redefining their retirement and the concept of a "traditional" retirement is a relatively recent phenomenon. When retirement schemes were first introduced at the end of the 19th century, retirees were lucky to live just a few more years after stopping work. But increased life expectancy means that today's retirees are often enjoying 20 to 30 years of leisure at the end of their working lives. In Barclays Wealth Insights and their wonderful insightful presentation "The Age Illusion How the Wealthy are Redefining Their Retirement" you will find it quite useful not only for yourself personally but potential as a service provider to these people who are sometimes called "Nevertirees" Assessing the impact of the Nevertiree and understanding the role that I as a REALTOR* a... 11/01/2010

Nevertiree is a person who intends to carry on working and never to retire. Traditionally, retirement and financial independence was the goal of most but research points out that many business owners can't conceive the notion of not doing anything. I see this more and more, individuals who can afford to not work but choose to do so out of boredom or they really love what they do. They may not work 40-100 hours a week anymore but are still involved in a business or other activity that can use their skills and experience. There are examples abound of wealthy individuals who love what they do and as I heard one famous person say:(who still spends 50-60 hours a week at his office) "Work is my vacation". Unfortunately as well, there are those who have to work to maintain an income or supplem... 11/01/2010