January 2017 - The Royal LePage Awards Gala

Dear friends,

We welcomed the new year by celebrating the achievements of our fellow realtors at the Royal LePage Awards Gala. Some members of our team couldn't make it, but we made sure they were represented anyway!

We were honoured to receive the Emerald Award for 2016, which places us in the top 3% Royal Lepage real estate teams in Canada. Our team is so grateful to have had your help getting to where we are. None of it would have been possible without your business and referrals.

The market continues to change everyday. 2016 was a record breaking year for resales in Ottawa, with 15,537 properties sold in 2016 compared to 14,653 in 2015. You can click the graphic below to find out more.

We know that homeowners and those who wish to be homeowners make the best decisions when they have the best information, which is why we are always happy to discuss market conditions and outlook with our clients. Here are a few highlights of what we know about the market as we go into 2017:

The adjusted Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rebate will help bring back many first time homebuyers on the purchase of their first home, up to $4,000.00 from the original $2,000.00 maximum.

14,825 homes were sold in the first 11 months of 2016, making it a record-breaking year for number of sales; we expect Ottawa’s condo market to experience an upswing in 2017.

There are continued claims of mortgage rates rising as well as federal changes to mortgage requirements that are designed specifically for booming markets (ie Toronto and Vancouver); we expect that the changes will have less of an effect on the Ottawa market.

The new mortgage requirements will likely mean more first time buyers will focus on townhouse style dwellings and on the resale market rather than new builds.

On February 14th, we'll be hosting our first Live Chat! If you have a question you have always wanted to ask a realtor, this is your chance. The second Tuesday of the month from 12PM to 1PM and the third Thursday of the month from 7PM to 8PM our realtors will be taking questions over the Live Chat function on our website. Look for the grey speech bubbles at the top of our landing page, and click to speak to a realtor!

Our office is already buzzing and the team is hard at work promoting new listings, meeting new clients, and helping people find their 'perfect.' We look forward to a busy year!

Sincerely

Rachel

Rachel Hammer

Forward

Homeowners ill-informed about flood compensation, poll suggests

Many Canadian homeowners may be misinformed about whether they'll get federal compensation for basements flooded due to severe weather, a newly released survey suggests.

The poll — commissioned last summer for Public Safety Canada — found 40 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement: "The government will take care of me and my home if there's major overland flooding."

But an expert says the situation has changed since the last major floods in 2013, and Canadians who continue to expect government relief should be warned.

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867 Feather Moss Way

This 2000 sq ft Dellwood model offers a bright and spacious layout ideal for family gatherings and entertaining.
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42 Tennyson Street

Perfectly situated single family home in the heart of the city, on one of Ottawa's best kept secret neighbourhoods - Country Place.
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1207-1380 Prince of Wales

This beautifully renovated 2 bedroom condo has the best view you could ask for!
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867 Feather Moss Way - Riverside South

This Month's Question:

Which one of our listed condominiums is closest to Merivale High School?

The first five individuals to respond correctly will win a $10.00 gift card to Starbucks. Thank you and good luck!

Email your answers to: rachel@rachelhammer.com.

(Only one winner per household will be awarded a gift card and all previous winners must wait a minimum of 30 days before being able to win this trivia question)