As always, we are here to help. Www.kristinandanita.ca is your source for buyer information.

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A few months back I had a wonderful visit with my grandfather – Opa on my mother’s side.  As we often do, we ended up discussing his past employment at W.C Wood Company Inc.  Though many Guelph residents, past and present have worked for W.C.Wood Company Inc.   For my Opa this was a special place, it was his first job after arriving in Canada from Holland and where he learned English.  After a long discussion he remembered an old year book he had kept for many years.  Imagine a time when the company you worked for had photo days much like we did when we were in school. 

He lent me this yearbook to read through knowing that I enjoy the history of the St. Patrick’s Ward in Guelph. 

When I opened the front cover of this old yearbook dated 1930 – 1980 I found a charming letter written to the Employees of Woods by the President and General Manager J.F. Wood.    It always amazes me how predictions of future work out.  I have quoted the letter, merely to share the history of such a large company – employing thousands in the city of Guelph over the years. 

The W.C. Woods Company LTD.

Message from the President

The original objective of W.C. Wood Company was to manufacture electrical farm equipment for rural Ontario.  Milk coolers and farm freezers were two of the product lines developed during the early years.  However, in the 30’s, no one could have forecaster just how popular the freezer could become. Such is progress.

It was the freezer which took W.C. Wood Company out of the farm machinery business and into the appliance industry.  In Canada, rationalization, consolidation, and specialization have been characteristics of this industry over the last 25 years.  The number of manufacturers of all appliances has been reduced substantially, and nowhere has this been truer than with freezers.  It has been this specialization, rationalization, and consolidation which has provided Canadians with the tremendous appliance bargains they get today.

With fewer manufacturers and higher volume, it has been possible for is to provide today’s consumer, freezers of higher quality, greater efficiency, and longer life.  The consumer has never had it so good.

That is the way it should be for the only real way to improve our standard of living as Canadians is for us to improve our productivity and the quality and utility of the goods we produce.  For W.C. Wood Company, our future depends on us providing the consumer with even better value in the years to come.

President and General  Manager

J F Wood

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Doors Open Guelph was last Saturday afternoon. I took the drive out to this historic spot and was met with this line of people. I did not go in- would you have waited for over an hour ?

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Whether a Buyer or a Seller have you noticed the Real Estate Market shift in your favour?  House prices have fluctuated over the last 5 years indicating that the Guelph Real Estate Market has shifted slightly.  We have noticed a change for our Sellers – property values that were predicted to decrease through all the Media hype, but in fact in most cases they did not.  However many Investors sold their properties here in Guelph and took their money elsewhere where they thought they could get better gains in value. Imagine their shock when they realized Guelph posted double-digit gains in property value!

Buyers have changed over the last years as well, as prices are much higher than they were 5 years ago.  This has caused many first time buyers to think about waiting longer to purchase their first home in Guelph, but with the interest rates at 50 year lows, many are taking home ownership seriously. The challenge in many cases has been buyers having to compete more than once trying to purchase a home.  This is caused by the strong demand for well priced houses, and by well priced I mean listed at market value, and condition ready for sale.

What do you think has happened to property values in Guelph over the last 5 years?  Stay tuned.

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As  Guelph Realtors, having a terrific house search system available for our clients has been a challenge to incorporate into our website.  We basically have limited choices to offer Guelph area Buyers. We can work with a site system offered through a Real Estate Brokerage, but that will show only the listings of the brokerage and no others. Is this really in the best interest of the client ? We can offer only our listed properties for clients to search through.  Or the third choice, we can give them the link to Realtor.ca . We do not at this point have the opportunity to showcase the Guelph Real Estate Board listings on our websites.  This leaves our website services to our clients – where 93% of them search – very limited.

Buyers who have a loyalty agreement with their Realtor (www.brafirst.ca) can be offered private search systems set to their specifications. This is the only online way Guelph area Buyers can view Guelph homes, Guelph condos, and Guelph farms with access to full listing information.  If you are interested in shopping on line with full listing information, ask a Realtor for a PCS system.

If you are not ready to sign a Buyers Representation Agreement – which allows the Realtor to work for you – and only want to search about gathering information then Realtor.ca seems to be  your only choice. However, at www.kristinandanita.ca we are prepared to send you the full listing information that is missing from   www.realtor.ca  for   FREE.

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So you want to own a condominium in Guelph -you've decided that much. But you've still have a lot of decisions and factors to consider before you're done shopping. Having a discussion and then handing your wish-list over to a Guelph Condo Realtor is the fastest way to get exactly what you're looking for.  

Your first, and maybe, biggest consideration is location. Locking down exactly where you want to be is a quick way to shortlist your options. 

"Maybe you just like the look and feel of some neighborhoods," says Anita Van Rootselaar of the Guelph Condo Selling Team.  "Or maybe you want to be on, or in the core downtown of the city. Or maybe you're a commuter who needs to be close to Highway 401.  Each of these are big factors to consider." 

Now let's take a look at floor plans. Everyone has different architectural and functional needs, which is why most  condo complexes in Guelph have on average 4-6 different unit types, and the previous owners may have chosen different upgrade options.  This provides a lot of choice.

If you've found the building and the suite in an area you like, don't forget to ask your Realtor if the unit's view  is a factor in the price. Panoramic views are big selling features for most condos, but if it's not a deal-breaker for you, perhaps you can get a better price on a more modest view. 

Also remember to factor in parking. If you have more than one vehicle, make sure your building can accommodate your needs. Sometimes the second parking spot is an extra purchase.  But bare in mind, a lot of people choose a condo in a central location so they can walk to more amenities and cut down to one car.  Perhaps the complex you like has bicycle storage.

Also take a close look at the community that each condo offers. You may prefer a building with regular social events or parties. Being an involved owner may be your biggest lifestyle choice !

www.kristinandanita.ca  would be a good place to start your Guelph area condo search !

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On Saturday, April 30, 2011, Guelph residents and visitors will have the opportunity to once again participate in the annual celebration of the City's history and architectural heritage.  Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., some of Guelph's finest buildings, many of which are not normally open to the public, will open their doors for free public tours.  Guided tours will be available at each site, led by knowledgeable tour guides who will talk about the site's history and important architectural features. Guides will also pass on some of the interesting stories associated with each site. Included below is a list of sights as they are found on the www.guelpharts.ca website :

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Creating Homes is a not-for-profit corporation* that was formed to address the growing need for home ownership opportunities for moderate-income earners in the City of Cambridge. Creating Homes Board of Directors consists of an experienced group of people dedicated to the cause of affordable home ownership. They have decided to try their hand at a complex in Guelph's downtown core just off of Gordon Street near The Farmers' Market.

A recent Guelph Tribune newpaper article provided the following :

The empty lot opposite the Farmers' Market on Gordon Street could soon be a construction site for "Market Commons," an affordable condo project in downtown Guelph.

"We already have a number of interested people who want to buy a home in downtown Guelph at a price they can afford," said Creating Homes development consultant John Farley in a news release.

Creating Homes, the company behind the plans, specializes in home ownership for people with low or moderate income.

While other downtown Guelph condo developments are being marketed as "luxury," the Market Commons development will be "market affordable," at 20 per cent less than market rates, said Farley in an interview.

The property is currently zoned "commercial-residential," and the plans would see a six-storey, 57- unit building that would include five live-work units, he said.

There would also be one commercial unit - ideally a cafe that would enhance the green space, said Farley. Other plans include an on-site carshare, bicycle storage and optional parking.

Creating Homes is not yet selling, but is currently taking reservations for studio, one- and two-bedroom units with hopes of starting construction next winter.

My only comment at this time, is what does 20% less than market rates mean ?

Generally if you pay less for something, you receive les as well. Maybe square footage, maybe upgrades.

Whatever it is, this condominium development is worth contacting your Realtor about.

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We are looking forward to sharing many of the incredible things that happen in the Guelph are with you our community.  We've recently launched our new website at KristinandAnita.ca and look forward to being able to provide you with the ability to find a new home or get to know us our how we can assist you with the sale of your home. We expect to introduce you to the People We Trust as a way to help you know some of the local professionals that we do business with.

You'll also see our faces around the town!  In fact, we've been known to show up on the back of a bus in Guelph. 

We look forward to interacting with you on one of our blogs, facebook page, twitter, or youtube channel, the choice is yours!

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