Stuart Neal's Real Estate Blog - July, 2020

Why Choose a Career in Real Estate?

What Do Many People Think the Job is About?

Many people we talk to want to get into real estate for 4 keys reasons:

1.     They like looking at homes & think it could be so much fun to go shopping every day
2.     They have an interest in design or architecture
3.     They see it as quick & easy money
4.     They are highly individualistic, & they want to be in charge of their own destiny

What the Job is Really About

1.     Finding & identifying people who require your services
2.     Developing relationships with people
3.     Providing people with information, insight, expert advice & confidence to make decisions
4.     Long hours & you might often be expected to work at times when most people want to be off work

The Benefits of…

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Why You Need a Brokerage to Work as a REALTOR®

Your broker & brokerage enable you to legally trade in real estate. At the very minimum the brokerage is responsible for supporting your licence & acts as an admin centre for processing your transactions.

However, not all brokerages are created equal

Consider looking for a brokerage that can support you in 3 key areas:

1.     Identification of new clients (on-line or from the market & community)
2.     Training (technical & client management skills)
3.     Brokerage & conveyancing services

Like most things in life you get what you pay for.

Low Fees – Low Support

Some brokerages offer you nothing more than a place to deposit paperwork & collect commission cheques.

You will have to look elsewhere for training, mentoring & set up…

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What’s Trending in Real Estate Careers in 2020?

It’s been my experience that many new licensees simply don’t take the time to learn about the industry in terms of how its structured or where the best opportunities might be for them. Let’s spend a couple of minutes discussing this.

In the past the industry was very easy to enter i.e. low barriers to entry. An easy licencing process & lower costs.

Every year it gets harder & more expensive to enter the industry.

The industry in general still operates on 2 levels. Brokerage & thousands of

“cottage industries” i.e. many one band REALTORS®.

Consumers are now demanding a higher level of service, 24/7.

Across north America we are seeing 2 growth trends emerge:

1.                Local boutique brokerages (many consumers &…

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How Much Does It Cost to Work as a REALTOR®?

Working as a residential REALTOR® is still one of the lowest cost – highest return business opportunities available to you.

However, you will still carry overhead. You must also be prepared to spend a great deal of your time building momentum.

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What is Ambergate Realty Advisors All About?

Our name sums up our core values.

Amber - considered by many to hold healing qualities.

Gate - a sign of transition.  

In essence, we help clients 'move forward' & make a positive transition. If you see yourself as a trusted advisor rather than a salesperson, we could be a great fit for you.

Our Strengths

We are a distinct established & local brand boutique brokerage. Collectively our team has decades of home buying & selling experience.

We help introduce you to potential buyer clients. We offer you the use of our excellent website with a fully functional CRM (Client Relationship Management system) built in.

We have created a comprehensive online & offline marketing campaign for the benefit of the entire…

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Pros & Cons of Homeowners Associations (HOA)

Homeowners Associations (HOA) which are usually set up by the land developer before they are hand off to a board of community homeowners have become a key feature in many upper end neighbourhoods around metro Edmonton. We have found that many of our clients still don’t understand what they are for. Let’s explore the pros and cons:

Pros

1.     Your neighbourhood will always look great. HOA’s impose architectural and maintenance standards on everyone. That means that there are rules in place that prevent your neighbor from painting their home an outlandish colour or failing to keep up with maintenance. With respect to general community maintenance the grass in common areas and the entrance will always be nicely kept. In Edmonton, the general care…

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6 Reasons to Pay Condo Fees

6 Reasons to Pay Condo Fees

Many clients we work with ask us not to show them condos. Once we drill down as to why they feel this way, it is often because they don’t understand the value of paying into a condo reserve fund. In many cases, we find that once they understand what they are actually buying, selecting a condo for a home actually becomes their preference.

1. No Need to Worry About External Maintenance, Snow Clearing & Yard Work

Apart from putting some money into a slush fund for longer term maintenance, or unforeseen circumstances, condo fees pay for essential homeowner services including insurance, snow clearing, gardening and in many cases onsite management.

2. No Need to Save Extra

If you are not paying condo fees, you had…

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Metro Edmonton Bi-Weekly Market Report Covid 19 for week ending July 17th, 2020

During the Covid 19 health crisis, its especially important that you watch for the latest trends, as our market reacts to the crisis. Every other week we publish a market report for Edmonton Alberta.

Here is our report for the last 14 days. Week ending July 17th, 2020.

For more details and specific information about the communities that interest you, please call the office at 780-760-2014 or email us Team@AmbergateRealtyAdvisors.ca

About the author:

You…

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Bi-Annual Market Report – for Highlands, Bellevue & Virginia Park

 * Source Edmonton MLS® System Highlands & Bellevue – Single Family

Fewer homes were offered, & far…

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Should I Stay or Should I Sell Now?

Many homeowners in metro Edmonton are conflicted right now. Should they sell, or wait for a recovery in the market. We have not seen high prices since 2007 and Covid 19 has only complicated matters.

In general, I’m a ‘glass is half full’ kind of guy. I try to see the upside in all things including the housing market in metro Edmonton.

However. I’m starting to read some articles online that are suggesting homeowners and potential real estate sellers should be cautious.

For example, the following articles (click the links) are suggesting strong headwinds and depressed if not dropping values for years to come.

Please read them yourself and let me know what you think. You are welcome to leave a comment in the box below.

I read this article…

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