Identifying Your Reasons For Selling

Aug 31, 2016 | BLOG

Making the choice to sell your home is a big decision, and the reasons behind that decision can impact your selling strategy. Taking the time to think about and understand why you’re selling your home will help you make focused decisions when the time comes to think...

The Final Walk-Through: What to Look For

Aug 23, 2016 | BLOG, Buying, Selling

After price negotiations and a home inspection, closing on a new house is a deep thrill of excitement. However, before you get carried away thinking about how to set up the living room, don’t forget it’s standard for you to take one more walk-through of the home...

Perk Up Your Porch with These 7 Tips

Jul 26, 2016 | BLOG

Save your money for big projects that are value added.  Sprucing up the front porch won’t cost you big, but your satisfaction will be enormous. Before starting a porch upgrade, walk across the street to get a feel for how your home looks from a distance. You might...

Which Mortgage Features are the Most Important?

Jul 11, 2016 | BLOG

From our friend Barry Johnson at Mortgage Intelligence in Meaford Which Mortgage Features are the Most Important? It’s easy to look online for a mortgage rate. But rate is only one aspect of saving money on your mortgage over the long term. It’s essential that you...

Help Fight Parkinson’s with Rock Steady Boxing

Jun 22, 2016 | BLOG

A very dear friend of the AK Team is living with Parkinson’s Disease a uses this great facility. Rock Steady Boxing Toronto is the first Canadian affiliate of the unique and effective non-contact boxing program designed to fight back against Parkinson’s. The...

Home Buyers Guide

Jun 16, 2016 | BLOG, Buying

Why Buy? Do you long to call a place your own? It’s fun to think about kitchen cabinets and colour schemes, but there are many practical things to consider first. For most people, buying a home is not only an emotional decision, but a financial one too. Buying a home...

May Is A Good Time To List Your Home

May 12, 2016 | BLOG, Buying, News, Selling

Spring is becoming routine by now: We are busy with harvesting our own local maple syrup, celebrating the new season with friends and family, and looking forward to many spectacular long weekends ahead. Another item to add to your list: Putting your home up for sale....

5 Things to Consider When Selling Your Home

Apr 18, 2016 | BLOG, Buying, News, Selling

Should have, Could have, Would have: don’t you wish you could see into the future of your home selling process? Here is a list of 5 things to consider when selling your home, no crystal ball needed! 1. The Value of your Home It’s easy to get excited about your...

The Mortgage Kit

Mar 29, 2016 | BLOG, Buying, Selling

From Barry Johnson at Mortgage Intelligence Meaford The Mortgage Kit Start with proof of your income. We’ve all heard the Scout motto “Be prepared”. It’s great advice if you need a mortgage. Assembling everything your lender needs to verify your income is a critical...

Early Spring DIY Project: Home Tapped Maple Syrup

Mar 24, 2016 | BLOG

This might not be the March you had envisioned, with the up and down temperatures and icy slopes, but have no fear, there are still plenty of activities to do in this in-between season. Whether it’s just you, or you have little ones who need to get their wiggles out,...

4 Ways to Prepare for  Selling Your Home this Spring

Mar 7, 2016 | BLOG

With the winter season slowly fading away to warmer and longer days, you might be wondering what spring project to tackle first.  After spending most of these last couple of months on our toes waiting for the winter-that-never-was, you might have an extra bit of...

Local Business Spotlight: The Generator Guys

Feb 23, 2016 | BLOG

The Generator Guys, a local business operating out of the village of Clarksburg, has been in existence since 2004. After years of working in the metal fabrication and millwright industry, the current owner Gary, seeing an exciting and new opportunity, purchased The...

Heavenly Café New Location!

Feb 17, 2016 | BLOG

The aroma of chocolate and croissants waft through the air as you pull open the door to the Heavenly Café now located in the Cranberry Mews in Collingwood. It’s likely that hand-rolled truffles are lovingly being prepared or soups and sandwiches are being made using...

A Year in Review

Jan 20, 2016 | BLOG, News

2015 has been an amazing year for the Andres and Karen Real Estate Team! With records broken and sales up we’re looking forward to what 2016 brings. 2015 sales for Royal Lepage Locations North were up 20.8% over 2014’s record breaking year. What makes this even more...

The Minimum Down Payment Increases

Dec 23, 2015 | BLOG

On December 11th, 2015, the Liberal Government made some significant changes to what is required in obtaining a mortgage in the housing industry. One of the most noteworthy changes is the amount needed for a downpayment to qualify for government-backed insurance....

If You’re Thinking of Selling NOW is the Time: A Market Update

Dec 8, 2015 | BLOG

2015 has been an exceptionally strong year for real estate in Southern Georgian Bay. Similar to the rest of the year November has set new records with an increase of over 15% compared to last year’s sales. Important Highlights for Sellers and Buyers: The average price...

Highlights from Collingwood’s Community Based Strategic Plan

Nov 26, 2015 | BLOG

Collingwood’s “Community Based Strategic Plan” (CBSP) is a document designed to guide the town in accomplishing its vision and goals for the future. The creation of the CBSP included community involvement through brainstorming at pop-up booths, workshops, and a...

Holiday House Tours Are Fast Approaching!

Oct 19, 2015 | BLOG

Mark your calendars! The Annual Collingwood & Creemore Holiday House Tours are coming up in November. Tickets sell fast so don’t hesitate! Each tour features 6 stunning homes fully decked out for the season. There are also Holiday Decorating Seminars and a...

The Importance of Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Oct 14, 2015 | BLOG

From our friends at AmeriSpec Inspection Services, a good reminder about the importance of Carbon Monoxide Detectors in our homes: On October 15, 2014, a new regulation came into effect in Ontario requiring carbon monoxide (CO) detectors be installed in every home....

Art Camp (Not Just) For Kids!

Sep 17, 2015 | BLOG

Nancy is the owner and founder of the Art Studio (not just) For Children, which is based in North Toronto. Nancy is a mom, a lover of the creative and artistic process, a lover of people of every age, and a believer that we can do anything to which we set our minds....

Local Business Spotlight: Trusted Transitions

Aug 28, 2015 | BLOG

Moving is stressful. No matter which way you go – DIY, hire it all out – it is a time consuming, expensive process. And if you’re downsizing, that process is even more complicated as you have to weigh what stays and what goes with you to your new smaller space. For...

Mortgage Tips: Buying & Selling Your Home

Jul 28, 2015 | BLOG

The real estate market in Southern Georgian Bay is moving along at a brisk pace. Here are some helpful tips from our friends at Mortgage Intelligence/Bayshore Mortgage on preparing for buying/selling a home.So there’s a move in your future. It can be a stressful...

Ask the Inspector: Building a Deck

Jun 19, 2015 | BLOG

Here’s some great information from our friends at AmeriSpec Home Inspection Services. Happy deck-building this weekend! I am thinking of building a deck in my back yard…. Are there alternatives to pressure treated wood for me to consider? The concerns...

It’s a HOT market! May 2015 Georgian Triangle Market Report

May 7, 2015 | BLOG, News

Royal LePage Locations North just released its May 2015 Georgian Triangle Market Report, which you can access here. Spring is in the air and the market is really heating up! If you are thinking about listing your property for sale or looking to make a purchase, please...

Managing The Big Thaw

Apr 10, 2015 | BLOG

Amerispec Inspection Services sent us the following useful tips on managing the winter thaw. Given the rain we’ve seen this week and warmer temperatures, these are important things to watch out for.   Although it may not seem like it, Spring is coming and...

Turn Your Home On – Red Brick Group Property Solutions

Apr 9, 2015 | BLOG

The smart home has come a long way in the past decade – it used to be as simple as making sure a home had coax cable and telephone lines run throughout during construction – now, we expect, and demand, a whole lot more from our home. And Red Brick Group can deliver...

Three Ontario REALTOR® Associations Integrate MLS® Systems

Apr 8, 2015 | BLOG

The REALTORS® Associations of Grey-Bruce Owen Sound, Muskoka-Haliburton-Orillia (The Lakelands) and Southern Georgian Bay recently completed the database integration of their respective MLS® Systems providing a combined membership of over 1,500 with the ability to...

Second best year for home sales in Southern Georgian Bay

Jan 7, 2015 | BLOG, News

An excerpt from the Southern Georgian Bay Association of REALTORS® press release regarding home sales stats for 2014: Southern Georgian Bay home sales have second best year on record Residential sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Southern Georgian Bay...

Collingwood Holiday House Tour – November 15-16

Nov 7, 2014 | BLOG

The third annual Collingwood Holiday House Tour is almost here! Sponsored by our brokerage, Royal LePage Locations North, this year our team is proud to also be sponsoring the event, and we’ll be hosting one of the 8 beautiful homes on the Tour.  Tickets are...

Apple Harvest Festival in The Blue Mountains

Oct 8, 2014 | BLOG

 Thanksgiving is a blast in The Blue Mountains. There is so much to see and do, not to mention turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie….mmmm….and apples! It is the heart of apple season right now and so don’t miss an opportunity to get out and enjoy the season’s bounty...

Enjoy the Arts this Fall in Southern Georgian Bay

Sep 24, 2014 | BLOG

Southern Georgian Bay is home to a large and diverse artists community – from watercolour to ironworks to photography, wonderful crafters of fine art, objects and more surround us. There are studio tours taking place throughout the year but Fall in particular plays...

National Post profile – Cabin in the Woods

Sep 20, 2014 | BLOG

Our rustic ‘Cabin in the Woods’ listing in Kolapore (The Blue Mountains) featured in the National Post! http://bit.ly/1vETuA5 Click here for more details about this listing, or contact us to learn more or arrange a showing.  

Municipal Land Transfer Tax a Threat to Home Ownership

Sep 20, 2014 | BLOG

The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) is launching Phase 2 of their campaign against municipal land transfer taxes (MLTT). Currently when you buy a home in Ontario, you will pay a Provincial Land Transfer Tax. Municipalities have been lobbying the Government of...

National Post Profile – Blue Mountains Chalet

Aug 16, 2014 | BLOG

We were thrilled to have one of our listings profiled in the National Post last weekend! Click here to read about this beautiful custom-built chalet on Arrowhead Road in the Blue Mountains. Located at the base of Alpine Ski Club and close to everything the Blue...

Area Attractions

Aug 7, 2014 | BLOG

Georgian Hills Vineyards 496350 Grey Road 2Blue Mountains 519-599-2255 Coffin Ridge Vineyard & Winery 599448 Concession Road 2 N Annan 519-371-9565 Free Spirit Scenic Caves Blue Mountain Village Plunge! Aquatic Centre Cedar Grove Labyrinth Kolapore Springs...

Ski Clubs

Aug 7, 2014 | BLOG

Local Ski Clubs Georgian Bay Ski Club Alpine Ski Club Craigleith Ski Club Osler Ski Club Blue Mountain Resort

Golf Courses

Aug 7, 2014 | BLOG

Georgian Bay Lora Bay Monterra Osler Brook Cranberry

Municipal Links & Reources

Aug 7, 2014 | BLOG

Town of Collingwood Town of The Blue Mountains Town of Meaford Grey County Simcoe County Clearview Township

Restore our Water Levels – Important Event

Aug 7, 2014 | BLOG

As you may know, the Great Lakes Water levels have been in decline for several years. Georgian Bay is no different; and we firmly believe in the importance of organizations such as Restore Our Water International, Stop the Drop and others who are dedicated to...

Talisman Resort gets new lease on life

May 13, 2014 | BLOG

News reports yesterday confirmed the great news that Talisman Resort in the Grey Highlands has been sold to a new ownership group. The resort closed in 2011 and has since fallen into disrepair; the Township of Grey Highlands did take it over when no buyer could be...

Home sales down, new listings rebound in April

May 7, 2014 | BLOG, News

Click here to read the full press release from the Southern Georgian Bay Association of REALTORS® on the state of the real estate market in April 2014. In addition to the press release, here is the Performance Record and the Market Statistics Overview for a more...

Celebrate Spring with Two Outstanding Festivals in the Woods

Apr 29, 2014 | BLOG

We have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for Spring, all through this incredibly long, drawn out winter that saw snow falling in Thornbury on APRIL 26th!!!!! The nicer weather has to be coming soon, and with that the start of many wonderful outdoor events in the...

Home Inspection Service offering 30-Day Home Warranty Plan

Mar 13, 2014 | BLOG

We recently wrote about expected changes to the regulation of the home inspection industry. Well, we’re back on the subject of home inspections again, but this time with an offer to share with you. A home inspection is one of the most crucial elements in the...

Active Life: Coach Based Conditioning a Recipe for Success

Mar 5, 2014 | BLOG

Many clients looking to purchase recreational or retirement properties in our area ask us about how well ‘serviced’ we are in Collingwood & The Blue Mountains. We likely overwhelm them with our answer; going on at length about the wonderful restaurants, specialty...

Royal LePage’s new mobile app breaks industry barriers

Feb 27, 2014 | BLOG

Royal LePage today announced the launch of the new Royal LePage mobile app (currently available for iPhone, iPad, iTouch, etc.) for Canadian house hunters. The Draw-and-Search feature allows you to select the geographic region you’d like to search simply by...

Cedar Grove Labyrinth – Good for the mind, body & soul

Feb 14, 2014 | BLOG

Did you know: Walking a labyrinth has been proven to help children living with a cognitive deficit such as ADD or ADHD to significantly improve their behaviour over time? This is just one of the many benefits of a labyrinth, which we learned thanks to The Blue...

Houses for Sale in Ontario Offer Year-Round Activities

Sep 23, 2013 | BLOG

The South Georgian Bay, particularly in the areas of Collingwood, Thornbury, Blue Mountains, and Meaford, may be the perfect place for those looking for houses for sale in a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere. Located in Ontario, the South Georgian Bay is a popular...

Record July for Georgian Triangle Home Sales

Aug 29, 2013 | News

Residential sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Georgian Triangle Association of REALTORS® came in well above levels from a year earlier in July 2013. Home sales numbered 205 units in July 2013, up 22 per cent from a year earlier. “Housing demand has been on...

Record first half of the year for Georgian Triangle home sales

Aug 5, 2013 | News

Residential sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Georgian Triangle Association of REALTORS® came in well above levels from a year earlier in June 2013. Home sales numbered 171 units in June 2013, up 22 per cent from a year earlier. “Resale housing demand...

World’s Largest Rock Breaker Built in Thornbury

Aug 2, 2013 | BLOG

We love to keep an eye on what’s happening in our community. If you live in or around Thornbury, you’ve likely driven past Breaker Technologies (BTI) many times – but have you ever wondered what they did? Did you know that BTI employs 170 people in Thornbury and has...

Tips From Real Estate Agents: The Home Buyers’ Road Map

Aug 2, 2013 | BLOG

The Home Buyers’ Road Map is a guide put together by real estate agents working with the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) for the purpose of providing information to first-time, or simply inexperienced,...