Open House 5120 RR57 @ Taunton, North Bowmanville

Robin and I are hosting an open house today (Sunday July 28th) at our newest listing, 5120 RR57 in North Bowmanville (a few houses North from Taunton Road) from 2-4pm - come check it out!  This is a truly unique and special property, worth seeing as the pictures, as beautiful as they are, are a drop in the bucket compared to seeing this piece of heaven in person.  Properties like this do not come up often - hurry up before we buy it ourselves!! :)

New North Clarington Bungalow Listing.....Coming Soon $449,900!

Robin and I just listed an INCREDIBLE property in North Clarington...it will be coming on to the market soon...here's a sneak preview...walkout bungalow on a park-like manicured private lot, finished basement with an in-law suite...when this one hits the market it'll go quick, so let us know if you have any questions in advance!

Things to do today in Newcastle....cause it's HOT!

If you're at home wondering what in the heck you can do today in Newcastle, here are some ideas to help cool you off!

- Splash Pad at Walbridge Park (beside Newcastle Public School, on Glass Court)
- Public Swimming at the Newcastle and District Recreation Complex (1780 Rudell Road)
- Get an icecream cone at the parlor in Sears, downtown Newcastle
- Have a drink on the Patio at The Old Newcastle House (downtown Newcastle)
- take a walk along the water at the Port of Newcastle Marina & Beach Area

Enjoy the heat - we'll be freezing again before we know it! :)

Get a mortgage preapproval!

I'm prompted to write this entry because of a conversation I just had with my sister (not Robin...the other sister LOL).  She is considering making a move and has spoken to "someone at the bank" who told her that she "should be okay" to purchase another property.  THIS IS NOT A PREAPPROVAL! I can't express how many times I've had people tell me they are preapproved for a mortgage, only to find out that their credit hasn't been checked, their debt load and downpayment hasn't been verified, an interest rate hasn't been locked, they've got nothing in writing....and many times, they end up extremely unhappy campers when they fall in love with a home only to find out they are not qualified for the purchase.  Please don't do this to yourself!  The first step in purchasing a home is finding a good Realtor to work with (I suggest the Solowka Sisters!) and the second step is getting a solid purchase preapproval in writing from a mortgage broker whom your Realtor can verify is a solid professional who will be able to process your approval in a timely manner with little to no added stress for you.  Believe me, when you are in the 11th hour of a 5 day conditional period for financing and you  can't reach the person responsible for telling you that you're approved, or your application gets denied because somebody didn't do their preapproval job properly and you can't waive your condition and you lose the deal....nauseating, in a word.  A typical conditional period for financing is 5 business days - a good broker can get this job done for you in 1-2 business days.  So please - if you call me and I'm harping on about "getting preapproved" whether you are my sister or not - it's for your own good!  I'm not trying to be difficult, mean, bossy, controlling....I'm trying to save you aggravation, disappointment and alot of wasted time.  Like a parent would say "one day you'll thank me!".  Happy house hunting! :)

New Listing! One Buxton Lane, Bowmanville, Ontario

Robin and I have a gorgeous new Exclusive listing in Bowmanville - it's a custom finished 4 bedroom two-storey home and it absolutely sparkles.  The first time I walked into this home I was in awe - the lighting in the kitchen looks like raindrops - come on people - that's pretty cool!  Amazing finishes everywhere you look, custom artful fixtures, fully finished basement - this place is truly a showhome.  We'll be hosting an open house in the near future (we'll post it on the websites and twitter/blog, etc.) and if you'd like to book a private showing, feel free to contact us. We are having our photographer out to the house tomorrow to take proper photos (which this home definitely deserves!) but in the meantime, below are a few shots that we took ourselves.  This neighbourhood also has two incredible elementary schools (one Catholic, one Public), both of which have great daycare centres within them, and it is just up the street from the proposed new GO station coming to Bowmanville.  If you're like many buyers on the market who are frustrated by a lack of inventory on MLS, this might just be the hidden gem you've been waiting for!

 http://www.OneBuxtonLane.com

Newcastle Homes For Sale....Wanted!

Attention Homeowners in Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono and Bowmanville - if you have a 3-bedroom bungalow or split level and are considering selling, I'd LOVE to hear from you!  I have a lovely set of clients who have been looking for a new home to call their own and we've yet to find them a perfect match.  They're highly motivated, ready to make a move, qualified and very serious.  This isn't a ploy or a trick - inventory on the MLS system right now is very low and I've promised them I'd do everything I can to find them their new home so......if you're thinking of selling, give me a call and see if we can make a deal!

Get your Clarington home ready for spring!

Yay!!  NON sub-zero temperatures today!  Blue skies!  Spring is on the way!  Here are some quick and easy tips on getting your home ready for a new season - get crackin':

1. Power wash the exterior of your house
It can be a bit of a rude awakening to take a good look at the exterior of your house after a long, cold, windy, salty winter.  Bust out that power washer and give things a good once over.

2. Try some new colours
Don't get stuck in a colour rut - the world around us is about to be renewed with bursts of green, yellow, purple, pink.....why not take inspiration from mother nature?

3. Switch up the layout
Just because the builder's plans for your house say that the long bowling alley room is supposed to be used as a "living/dining" room doesn't mean that's what you have to do.  Think about how YOU use your home, and how a different layout might better service your individual lifestyle, and give it a try!

4. Clean up
If you still have the ghosts of holidays pasts cluttering up the corners, nooks and crannies of your home, for the love of all things tidy, grab a garbage bag and deal with it.

5. Take down your Christmas decorations!!
I'm sorry to have to say this (because I am currently guilty of this myself) but please guys, take the Christmas lights down.  Nobody likes it.  Nobody thinks it's cute.  Get a grip.

HAPPY SPRING!