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Get the best price for your home during a slowdown

Friday, July 30th, 2010 by Dan Cooper

Canada’s residential real estate market will start to slow in the second half of 2010 after two quarters of strong price increases and sales activity, according to the most recent Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Survey Forecast. While sales activity was strong in the first half of the year, it is expected to cool off for the third and fourth quarters with prices flattening.

This is how Phil Soper, President and CEO of Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage, explains the situation: “We have seen an unusual pattern of activity in the housing market over the past 12 months, with the market experiencing a surge of activity and price increases that peaked in the fall of 2009 rather than spring. Early 2010 followed a more typical seasonal pattern with prices and activity peaking in the second quarter. An expected increase in the supply of homes on the market will now bring stabilization in prices and in some cities we will see both prices and unit sales decline towards the end of the year. This should not be interpreted as a severe correction but rather a natural reaction to the market having peaked quite early this year.”

The surge of activity in the first half of 2010 in Ontario was prompted by a number of factors, including an increase in interest rates in the spring, tightening of mortgage lending rules for first-time homebuyers and investors, and the lead up to the introduction of the HST. In June, residential resales in Oakville were down by 34 per cent compared with June 2009, but on a positive note for sellers, the average price showed a healthy increase of 19 per cent – $616,907 compared with $516,681 in 2009. And the luxury market continued to heat up recording 28 sales over $1 million, with six of those sales surpassing $2 million in June.

The Burlington area resale market reported a decrease of 15 percent from the same month last year, and a decrease of 6 percent from May of this year. The total unit sales for the first six months of 2010 are being reported at 18.7 percent higher than the same period last year, while new units listed are 20.7 percent higher than last year at this time, according to the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington. A slower market brings increased inventory levels and fewer bidding wars, which creates opportunities for buyers who may not have been able to find what they wanted in the spring.

The key, especially during a slow market, is to deal with a broker who has a proven track record and is a consistent top performer – someone who you are confident will be able to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. Innovative marketing initiatives and investment, knowledge about the marketplace, commitment and exemplary service differentiate the Dan Cooper Real Estate Team. The result is that we are achieving accomplishments that illustrate the Dan Cooper difference. We are the Number 1 team in Canada for Royal LePage, which is a testament to our ability to sell homes fast in the Oakville and Burlington areas. In fact, we have been the Number 1 team for seven of the past 10 years. This is an accomplishment that does not happen by accident, but rather by design. Our dedication and commitment to selling your home, along with superior marketing strategies, have time and time again helped our clients sell their homes quickly and for top dollar.

We were also named Best Real Estate Agent and Best Real Estate Team in North Oakville Today’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The Readers’ Choice Awards are as grassroots as you can get, and being named Number 1 for both agent and team are proof that we are having a significant impact right here in our own community.

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call the Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Best Real Estate Agent in North Oakville, Best Real Estate Team in North Oakville, Burlington, Burlington Real Estate, Finances, Oakville, Oakville Real Estate, Reader's Choice Awards, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Statistics, Taxes | No Comments »

Readers’ Choice Platinum winner for best agent and best team

Friday, July 9th, 2010 by Dan Cooper

Thank you to everyone who voted to make The Dan Cooper Team of Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage the Platinum winner for Best Real Estate Agent and Best Real Estate Team in North Oakville Today’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Of all the awards my team and I have won over the years, the most gratifying are those that are the result of the recognition we receive from people in our own community. The Readers’ Choice Awards are as grassroots as you can get, and being named Number 1 for both agent and team are proof that we are having a significant impact right here in our own community. I believe this recognition has been achieved for two reasons – our business success and community giving.

We are very active in Oakville and Burlington and that has provided us with a very high profile. In fact, earlier this year we were proud to have earned the distinction of being the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. This is our seventh top finish in the past 10 years and is a testament to a lot of hard work and a high degree of success for our clients. What it means for our clients is that they are with one of the best real estate firms in the country. Our creative marketing strategies are accomplishing two things – they are selling homes quickly and for top dollar.

So, the recognition by the Readers’ Choice Awards is in a large part due to the hard work we put into selling your home. We have developed innovative and carefully selected methods of showcasing your home for optimum exposure. These methods involve selecting the prime advertising spots in a variety of publications and using the Internet more creatively than any other broker. For example, my DanCooper.com website is bringing properties to life through a video-based platform. I’m proud to be one of the first to tap into this exciting form of marketing to provide you with a competitive edge when selling your home.

In fact, by June we had achieved a significant real estate milestone – we surpassed 100 homes sold this year. Reaching this level of sales so quickly is the primary reason we are the Number 1 Team in Canada for Royal LePage. The Readers’ Choice Awards reinforces the exposure we are gaining for your properties which also puts The Dan Cooper Team of Royal LePage in the spotlight.

Achieving a high community profile, however, requires more than simply being recognized for our business visibility. Being community minded is critical in today’s world. We have an obligation to give back to the community in which we work and live and I’m proud of the sponsorships and support we are able to provide to community causes and organizations – both large and small. These include the Oakville Hospital Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Comic Vision for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts just to name a few. Building a strong community requires support from all of us.

Again, thank you to all who voted to recognize the role my team and I have been able to play to help make our community vibrant and healthy.

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Awards, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Burlington, Burlington Real Estate, Comic Vision, Community, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Oakville, Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Oakville Hospital Foundation, Oakville Real Estate, Readers' Choice Platinum, Real Estate, Statistics | No Comments »

Surpassing the 100th sale is significant milestone

Monday, June 21st, 2010 by Dan Cooper

Dan Cooper For Sale Sign

The Dan Cooper Team of Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage is proud to have achieved a significant milestone recently – we surpassed 100 homes sold so far this year. Reaching this level of sales so quickly is the primary reason we are the Number 1 team in Canada for Royal LePage and a testament to our ability to sell homes fast in the Oakville and Burlington areas.

In fact, we have been the Number 1 team for seven of the past 10 years. This is an accomplishment that does not happen by accident, but rather by design. Our dedication and commitment to selling your home, along with superior marketing strategies, have time and time again helped our clients sell their homes quickly and for top dollar. As a home seller you will be working with a broker who has developed innovative and carefully selected methods of showcasing your home for optimum exposure. Exposure, after all, is the key to selling your home. The more people who view your property, the higher number of bona fide prospects you will attract. It’s simple math and it works.

That’s why I have developed one of the strongest advertising programs compared to any broker in the Oakville area. My listings are in numerous publications that I have personally selected for their market penetration, as well as developing innovative online strategies. I am using the Internet more creatively than any other broker. For example, both my main website DanCooper.com and my unique DanCooperTV.com website are bringing properties to life through a video-based platform. I’m proud to be one of the first to tap into this exciting form of marketing to provide you with a competitive edge when selling your home. These websites are also linked with countless retailers throughout Oakville, providing a reach unlike most others.

But it doesn’t stop there. Just to give you an idea of how attentive the Dan Cooper Team is to detail, even the most basic tool for selling real estate recently received a makeover – the yard sign. I redesigned my For Sale sign to differentiate the sale of your home from brokers still using the typical black lettering on white background. Instead, I have opted for an elegant, classy look – white letter on a black background. This look has always signified a sense of sophistication and elegance and that’s how I want to market your home.

To many, a sign is simply sign. I disagree. The For Sale sign is the first thing a prospective buyer sees when they drive up your street. If first impressions count, then how will the condition of the sign influence the buyer’s perception of your home? Being faded or warped from the weather or leaning on an angle may seem trivial to many, but I believe the presentation of every aspect of your home is vitally important to influencing the sale.

Besides superior exposure for your home, there are a host of other benefits when dealing with the Dan Cooper Team, such as complimentary home staging consultation; instant access to our team of lawyers, home inspectors, mortgage brokers, appraisers and contractors; ongoing updates and progress reports as part of our in-depth communications; and being served by a team of multi-disciplined professionals with more than 40 years of combined experience. Combined with my own 20 plus years in the Oakville and Burlington markets, the choice is clear – Dan Cooper of Royal LePage. Whether buying or selling, the Dan Cooper Team is ready to serve you.

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call the Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Burlington Real Estate, Dan Cooper TV, Marketing, Oakville Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Statistics | No Comments »

What the future holds according to Canada Mortgage and Housing

Friday, May 21st, 2010 by Dan Cooper

Bank economists have been releasing their latest predictions about the economy, but it is perhaps the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s recent release that is most pertinent to anyone selling, buying or building a home. While a home influences our emotional senses, we still want to know we made a wise investment. And it is in times of economic uncertainty that our financial know-how is tested.

So, what does the future hold according to CMHC? The experts there say a gradually improving Ontario economy, increasing household formation, improved financial market conditions and declining new home inventories will support housing activity. They also predict that we will see stronger economic growth in 2011, although the impending harmonized sales tax and higher interest rates will temper housing activity as strength trickles into other sectors of the provincial economy.

Ontario will be among the leading provinces fuelling the economic recovery across Canada in the next few years, according to CMHC. Strong provincial and federal government spending will support the provincial economy. Consumer spending is also on the rise and bankruptcies have dipped in recent months, further pointing to a recovery. Similarly, recent business outlook surveys indicate firms are optimistic about their business prospects in the next 12 months and will soon boost inventories to satisfy growing demand. This growth will mean more jobs. CMHC, however, cautions that a high Canadian dollar, productivity enhancing business investments and cautious U.S. consumer spending will temper employment growth in goods producing sectors of the economy.

The corporation sees new home starts continuing to lead the recovery and expects single detached homes starts will increase by more than 37 per cent this year and multi-family home construction will grow by more than 15 per cent. “Ontario existing home sales have remained remarkably resilient and will reach new highs this year… The strong pace in sales seen in recent quarters reflects households taking advantage of low mortgage carrying costs,” the CMHC report says.

While CMHC claims home sales are likely to cool during the second half of 2010 and into 2011 as rising mortgage carrying costs dampen demand among first-time buyers, Oakville and Burlington have always bucked the provincial and national trends. Our pocket of affluence has sheltered us from the wild price swings we have witnessed elsewhere in the country and our homes, while seeing some cooling in price during the recession, have always maintained their value and continued to support a wise investment. This is borne out by the latest local real estate board releases. Residential resales were up by 20 per cent in Oakville and 38 per cent in Burlington in April compared to April 2009 and prices were 11 per cent higher in both communities this year compared to the same month last year. The luxury market continues to heat up in Oakville, recording 22 sales over a $1 million last month compared to 10 in April 2009. Whether you are ready to sell, buy or build, Oakville and Burlington have proven time and time again to be among the best communities to invest in – both financially and for quality of life.

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call the Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Finances, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Statistics, Taxes | No Comments »

What is in store for the rest of 2010?

Friday, April 23rd, 2010 by Dan Cooper

There are a number of factors driving the housing market today. First, house prices dropped over the past two years and mortgage rates have been lower than we’ve ever seen them – making homeownership more affordable to more Canadians. Our economy began to recover late last year, giving consumers more confidence to spend – and we saw that surge in spending in auto and house sales during the first quarter of this year.

Also driving the housing market in recent months is the impending increase in interest rates and the introduction of the HST on July 1 by the provincial government. These two key factors have encouraged people to buy now to beat the HST and to lock in their rates. The extremely attractive financing rates, along with an unleashing of pent-up demand, turned out to be an extremely potent combination in bringing buyers back into the market.

Where does that leave us for 2010 and beyond? According to Kevin Moffat, Vice-President of TD Canada Trust, the supply of listings should increase as a result of the recent solid price gains and the strong sales that make it more attractive to sellers. At the same time, he says, the demand side of the market will see sales remain strong in this ultra-low interest environment, although they are showing signs of cooling. “The moderation in sales is likely partially a reflection of the fact that some of the purchases in 2009 were brought forward from 2010 in order to take advantage of interest rates that were perceived to be too good to last,” he says. “The bottom line is that sales growth is slowing, listings are increasing and this is leading to a cooling in the home price appreciation.”

Two recent developments also contribute to Kevin’s expectation that the market will continue to moderate. First, while he calls the move by the federal Finance Minister to tighten mortgage insurance rules “prudent,” they were expected to boost sales into this month and temper sales thereafter. And, given the considerable press coverage around the change in the qualifying interest rate, there is no question that it has induced some buyers to enter the market before it comes into effect.

A second reason to believe the market will cool is that the Bank of Canada has indicated it will start raising interest rates earlier than anticipated. According to TD Economics, the Bank’s conditional commitment to leave its policy rate at 0.25 per cent until the second half of the year fostered a “now or never” mentality among potential buyers. Despite all the uncertainty of the national marketplace, what has been constant has been Oakville’s almost insular housing market which has bucked the countrywide trend and maintained steady growth and good value over the long term.

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call the Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Finances, Mortgage, Planning, Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Statistics, Taxes | No Comments »

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