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Well sort of, spring is in the air!
Haven't the Olympics just been the most wonderful way to pass February, everyday looking forward to an evening with all of those wildly enthusiastic Canadians and all the visitors from all over the world? Our athletes have given us a great look at the resilience and determination of our young people. Will we ever forget the example of Joannie Rochette skating... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
2009 was an interesting real estate year in Ottawa. We began the year sluggishly, people were apprehensive about the economic outlook. Job security is always at the top of the list of fears, personal finances took quite a hit for many last year, those with RRSP’s or those invested in the stock market. It has been my experience (starting my 26th year with Royal Lepage ) that the people... read article |
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It is that time of year. I don’t know about you, but I love best the lead up to Christmas. I almost dread the actual day, because then it is over for another whole year. I love Christmas music and find myself even playing it throughout the year from time to time ( not Jingle Bells ) but “Once in Royal David’s City “, “O Holy Night “, “Ave Maria” all versions etc etc.
Funny, I don’t really like... read article |
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It is late November and wouldn’t it be grand if the weather just stayed like this? Everyday is a bonus. We stay home all winter and we find it best to just not have any weather discussions from now till March. I honestly do enjoy the fireplace, reading, watching series like The Mad Men (our current watch) and just plain being home at the end of a winter day.
We had a wonderful trip this fall. We... read article |
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Yes, David had a Hole in One at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club on September 12th. What a super way to wind down the golf season. He was pretty excited as you can imagine. We all had a rainy summer and so these gorgeous September days have been a great bonus. My golf is not worthy of space in this or any newsletter-we will leave it at that. They don’t make much of a Hole in 8 or so.
Our first week in... read article |
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It isn’t usual that I would write one newsletter so close to another-but I have been doing lots of “house thinking “this summer-not just professionally, that’s normal, but personally.
We live in a house that was built in about 1941, two storey, and red brick on the bottom and asbestos siding on the top. Yes, I said asbestos siding and I do know that isn’t good .Now the ivy that covers our whole... read article |
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We have just returned from our annual trek to Maine. We started to go to Ocean Park, Maine in 1976. Our kids were young, we stayed a month, and we have been going ever since .The owner of our cottage has three cottages and we have been staying in one of those from the beginning.
Ocean Park is the most extraordinary kind of place. It was started by a group of Baptist clergy from the Boston area... read article |
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It is funny, but I just couldn’t seem to get a newsletter written so far this year. I don’t really like bad news .My Mother just plain didn’t “do” bad news. If ever I embarked on a dreary tale, she would just glaze over, or change the subject-I think the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I didn’t really like the news in December and onward. It was really glum!
But it did cause me to think... read article |
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2009 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for so many reasons. We have the miraculous story of the”Miracle on the Hudson”. I have remnants of a rather major fear of flying-this is exactly the scenario I have in mind whenever the plane takes off .But I can not imagine standing on the wings of a sinking plane in a river at 20 degrees below zero. This is a good news story on so many levels .Everything... read article |
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Hello Everyone,
I wonder if you are like me, I am finding this year to be full of things to talk about and watch on TV. Elections , Financial Markets and they seem to consume a good part of the programming. Indeed it has been a fascinating time.
People ask, “How is the market?” (Real estate market). We have found it to be healthy and steady. It is perhaps a more balanced market with favour leaning... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
It is amazing to me, I begin my 25th year in real estate this fall. I am still in the same office, working for the same company and interestingly there are still many of the same people. That is unusual for our industry.I feel so fortunate , we have wonderful people in our company. We are led by an exceptional owner and his wife, .Mary and Kent Browne , who along with their teen... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
It has been a while since I wrote my last newsletter. Our website has had a revamp and that has been a bit of a distraction. When the idea for Lindsay TV was raised I am afraid I wasn’t very excited. However now I see the finished product I am very excited about it and about the possibilities it brings for the future.
LindsayTV is a great vehicle for parlaying information re mortgage... read article |
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Happy February,
Well--we are getting close to March and that is close to April and then we are home free. Really I don't mind winter and this one in Ottawa, as well as elsewhere has had it all. Most days though have been gloriously bright and the snow, although plentiful has had a fresh clean look (because it snows most days!!)
As I was showing a house the other day I thought "Aha, I know what... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
We hope you had a restful and fun Holiday Season. It is always a little exciting to begin a New Year--sort of like the first day of school. Anticipation, resolutions and hope seem to me the dominant emotions during that first week of January. For me, every year I resolve to stop eating cookies! I eat a lot of cookies, always have.
Once on my way home from school I stopped at my... read article |
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Are you house shopping? The process of shopping for a new house can be intimidating. Before beginning the hunt, it's best to do some preparation for the challenges that lie ahead.
Whether you are a first time buyer or seasoned the process is always challenging. It can also be frustrating and emotionally draining. Before beginning the hunt, it's best to do some preparation for the challenges that... read article |
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Perhaps we all have mixed feelings about this time of year. Personally I love it, but I am aware of how difficult the season is for so many people. One of the things I like is that at this time we often reflect over the past year. If it was a troubled year we have hope that with the turn of the calendar perhaps our fortunes will turn. That is so for the real estate market too. If a house has been... read article |
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Hello Everyone,
As I write this short newsletter it is 25 degrees Celsius in Ottawa and in late October. We have been blessed with a glorious fall and summer. This past weekend we went to Toronto to visit my sister and brother-in-law for the weekend. It really struck us how fortunate we are in our city. We love going for a visit to the "big city" but it is such hard work.
The traffic is heavy... read article |
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Compost is a rich, organic soil conditioner for your lawn and garden. Put raked leaves and other yard wastes in a compost bin and keep these materials out of landfills. Don't forget to add any organic materials cleaned out of your gutters, too!
Cool, dry fall days are a great time to paint both the interior and exterior of your home.
Properly store any unused paint for future use, donate unused... read article |
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Halloween can be a nerve-wracking time for parents. Many communities offer alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating, but many more do not. Unless you live in a community where you know your neighbours well, allowing your children to go trick-or-treating can be difficult. Depending on the age of your children, there are a number of things you can do to help put your mind at ease.
For... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
We have had a wonderful summer in Ottawa, long warm and sunny days. One very positive thing about living in Ottawa is the sunshine factor. We seem to get more than our share. New people to move here often comment on our bright blue, clear skies.
For David and me it was a summer of house renewal. New roof, new windows throughout, new boiler system (so small!!), new garage door,... read article |
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Dear Friends,
Oh dear, it is the end of August already and we know what that means. Funny, I don't know about you but I love September and October, perhaps my favourite months. They spell new beginnings, just like January.
Nature is at its most beautiful in so many ways, its mellow, the air is good, fall flowers, apples, walks in the woods, new shoes, (although that can and does occur more often... read article |
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August has a bitter sweet quality. It begins with the hottest weather of the summer where annuals at at their best, the vegetable garden is producing abundantly and the warmth of late evening air is laced with exotic fragrances. Then at the end of August, the temperature drops once again and there is dew on the morning grass and the feeling of fall is just around the corner.
In August, the garden... read article |
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In Montreal May was the time when everyone moved. All over the city you would see all forms of vehicles carrying all sorts of goods from one dwelling to another. It was simply “That time of year”.
One reads in every article, book or document written on moving, that the stress level for moving is way up there on the list of life’s major stresses and emotional traumas.
I would agree based on... read article |
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There’s nothing like the early spring garden for winter-weary gardeners. Can’t wait to get back to the garden? Use this handy spring garden guide to get started. Believe it or not, the key is avoid getting too impatient and doing certain jobs too soon. So take time to enjoy the colorful early spring bulbs, the snowdrops and crocuses, that are coming into bloom and the daffodils and tulips that are... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
The idea for this article came in some wonderful places. David and I have just returned from a Danube River Cruise. We have never done anything like that before but certainly plan to do another river cruise. It is easy and fun and every day you awaken in a new place.
Our tour began in Budapest. We loved the city right away. The Danube divides the city in two--Buda and Pest (pronounced... read article |
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You don't need a calendar to know when it is early spring. You need only note the lengthening day, catch a whiff of warm air, and spot the first shoots of green poking up through the barren ground. It's a perfect time to get rid of winter mustiness, eliminate clutter, and prepare your home for the new season.
Spring is the seasonal palette cleanser. Its colors are youthful, like the pink blush... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
You can feel Spring in the air, is there a better feeling? The days are noticeably longer. I love this time of year, so much to look forward to. I don't think I would be happy without the seasons. I like change, but that doesn't mean that I always adapt easily to it.
I was showing a newish townhome this week. A single man lives there. The square footage would have been about 1700... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
It is hard to believe that we are in the last days of summer holidays. I wonder if the kids find the warm sunny days pass as quickly as we find they do. Somehow I think not. Yesterday I went with two of our granddaughters for our annual back to school shopping.
Even though it is a privilege and fun, it is exhausting. Heather and Abi are 11 and 9 and have very preset ideas of what... read article |
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Hi everyone,
I wonder if you feel as I do: “where did the summer go”? It was a sunny glorious time, but all too short. I just don’t think it is possible to experience summer the way we did when we were kids.
Lazy, long sunny days - the Saturday feeling all summer long. Silly me, every year going into summer I think that is the way it will be, and it isn’t. I guess it is that feeling of, “Yea... read article |
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The market seems a little quieter. We had a busy summer with no real break from a busy spring. So, a slowdown is to be expected. The result is an inventory of some very fine homes, nicely priced. I tell people that if ever there is a time in the year when a bargain may occur, it will be in the autumn or around Christmas. For some people they do not like to start a New Year with last year’s business... read article |
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Hi everyone,
My Mother lived in Peterborough and was a remarkable and healthy 99 year old. All that changed early in September and she passed away October 15th. My strongest emotion is one of immense gratitude for the life she lived and the relationship we shared, but I do miss her so much.
My parents each grew up in the one house in which their parents lived, lived briefly in an apartment... read article |
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Hi Everyone,
It's a new year - funny how that change from December 31st to January 1st brings new energy, hope, optimism and a resolve to try harder and do a little bit better - at everything.
When I used to smoke, it was easy to come up with a resolution for the New Year. It took a few tries but in 1983 I was successful. Since then, I always resolve to lose 10 pounds, be more fiscally prudent,... read article |
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