A night of Celebration

In 1983, Elli Davis took a chance and left teaching and became a Real Estate agent. Elli had a flair for the field and it showed with her first sale occurring three weeks after receiving her Realtor’s license. For Elli it has been her passion ever since.

Fast forward to April 10th 2008, where over 400 guests gathered to pay tribute to Elli’s 25 year career. The venue was the Round Room of The Carlu,a Landmark in downtown Toronto where guests mingled while enjoying a variety exquisite foods and desserts throughout the evening. The room was elegantly decorated and the atmosphere was infused with sounds of chic music as guests were entertained by Brian Master Productions.

Highlights of the night included a speech from Gino Romanese – Senior Vice President of Royal LePage. Mr. Romanese gave statistics on Royal LePage and Elli’s contribution to the company and the Real Estate profession. Pamela Kempthorne – Director of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation was also at the event to speak about Elli’s generous donation of a play set to Interval House, which is one of the shelters supported by the foundation. Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is proud to partner with local women’s shelters to help make a difference in the lives of women and children who have been affected by violence.

The night was enjoyed by all who attended as they celebrated and reminisced on Elli’s career. One partygoer reflected on the time when Elli sold his home; “so it was 10 am and she rings my door bell on Hazelton, I come down the stairs with bed head and little dazed, I open the door and I hear “Michael, you’ve got to move out of your house I sold it… Ah, the good old days.”

Another guest was quoted as saying “wasn’t that a great tribute to her and her career?” Not only was it a night of celebration but truly a night to remember for Elli and all those who were fortunate to be a part of it.

Congratulations Elli! Check out video footage from the party here:

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1511107483

Is Home Ownership the right decision for You?

Buying a home is the most exciting and emotionally charged thing that you will ever do. It is a big decision and you should make sure that you are ready both emotionally and financially to purchase a home.

As with any large purchasing decision, you need to acquaint yourself with the market, its trends and the terminology so that you aren’t going to make an uneducated decision. There are many tools on the internet that can help you determine whether or not homeownership is a step that you should be taking.

Some things to consider when buying a home:

1. Down payment – ensure that you have enough money saved up towards your down payment as this is the amount of money that you will need in order to secure your new home and this amount is not financed by your lending institution. Down payment amounts can be anywhere from 5%-20% of the purchase price of the home.


2. Monthly Mortgage – is the amount that you will be paying on your mortgage each month so you need to establish what amount you can afford taking into consideration your other monthly expenses (i.e. utilities, car payment, entertainment, etc…).


3. Property Taxes – is separate from your monthly mortgage payment and may increase the amount you pay monthly depending on how you choose to pay them off each year.

Remember, buying a home does have its advantages but it’s always best to do your homework about homeownership. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation have an excellent worksheet that will assist you with this very important decision.

Need more info? Ask Elli a question or visit http://www.ellidavis.com/ .

Realtor or For Sale by Owner?

Some homeowners, once thy are ready to put their home on the market ponders the thought of selling their home privately also known as For Sale by Owner (FSBO). In order to determine whether or not to list your home privately, there are some key questions that you will need to ask yourself.

Are you ready to separate yourself emotionally from your home?

Most homeowners consider their home their own private sanctuary suited and styled to their own personal taste. When potential buyers come to view your home, you need to bear in mind that they are viewing the home as they would see themselves in it. Therefore, you need to take into consideration that your personal taste may not be the same as the potential buyers viewing your home. You will have to be able to maintain objectivity when buyers are criticizing your home.

Can you set a realistic listing price for your home?

Some sellers tend to have unrealistic views on what the listing price of their home should be. Realtors help you come up with a listing price that is suitable by completing a comparative market analysis and other research that will help them suggest a reasonable price for your home.

Can you effectively market your home?

It is important to remember that your realtor has access to tools that can market your home to a very large audience. Your realtor knows the key elements of your home that will be big “attention grabbers” and can expand upon these features with engaging ads for local newspapers, magazines, and MLS.

Will you be able to respond to potential problems that may arise?

Realtors are professionally trained to deal with potential problems. No doubt that your realtor has probably dealt with their fair share of make or break it deals. It is this knowledge that could potentially save the deal on your home from falling through.

Are you able to make yourself available for showings?

Buyers tend to feel more intimidated by the presence of the seller while they are viewing the home. They may feel hesitant to comment or truly look at the house the way a buyer should when viewing homes.

Depending on your circumstances you may benefit from the services of a Realtor. You should make sure that you do your research and interview multiple agents before committing to any particular one.

25 Years Strong!!!

As hard as it is for me to believe, this year will mark my 25th year providing real estate services. It’s been a fantastic journey and I have enjoyed every moment of it.

As a school teacher, I always had a strong interest in Real Estate. As I moved to sales with Mary Kay Cosmetics, my fervor for Real Estate grew and it was then that I decided to pursue a career in the hobby that I loved.

Since then, I have had the honour of holding esteemed titles such as; #1 Agent in Canada for Royal LePage for 12 consecutive years and #1 Agent in Toronto for the last 21 years; both of which, I am extremely proud of as it is a true reflection of recognition for hard work and dedication. Every sale still brings about the same adrenaline rush it did 25 years ago when I sold my first condo and it is this excitement that keeps me going.

All in all when it boils down to it, it’s not just the passion for my job that drives me, it’s all the experiences both good and bad and the people that I’ve had the pleasure to assist and of some of those professional relationships have evolved great friendships.

Here’s to 25 years strong…cheers!!!!

Want to ask Elli a question? Post a question or comment in the blog.

When to Sell Your Property??

Is now a good time to sell your property?

Thinking of selling your home but not sure if now is the “right time?” Talk to Elli Davis for sound advice on when to sell your home in the least amount of time for the best possible price.

First Elli will help you examine your reasons for wanting to sell. The most common reasons why people decide to sell their homes include changes to their financial status, an employment transfer, a growing family or retirement. Today’s low interest rates have also made it attractive for many homeowners to “move up” to a larger home.

Whatever your reason, selling a house is a complicated procedure so it’s imperative to have a qualified real estate professional on your side. Because selling a home involves large sums of money and complicated legal documents, Elli's expertise can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Real estate cycles-Buying your home was probably the best investment you ever made. That’s because over the long term, real estate has proven to be a sound investment while at the same time offering you and your family shelter and a feeling of pride of ownership.
However, real estate is subject to the law of supply and demand which creates cycles in the market. A shortage of homes generally means prices rise. This cycle is commonly known as a “seller’s market.” Alternately, a surplus of homes can result in a slow down in home sales or even a reduction in prices and is often referred to as a “buyers market.”

One of the most important services Elli Davis provides is market analysis. Most people don’t have the time it takes to conduct the comprehensive market research required to accurately price a home. Elli can give you up-to-date information on what economic and other factors are impacting current market conditions.

Which market is best?Obviously, you will want to sell your home quickly and for the highest possible price. In a “seller’s market,” you often see many buyers competing for the same house resulting in top prices -- sometimes even over the original list price. However, if you are planning to purchase another home after the sale, chances are you will be competing in the same seller’s market faced with higher prices.

In a buyer’s market you may find you have to wait longer to sell your home for a fair price. The upside to selling your home in a buyer’s market is you’ll have more selection and pricing options when you go looking for your new property.

Although the current market cycle should influence your decision to sell, remember there are trade-offs to selling in either a buyer’s or seller’s market. Some people are concerned that if they trade up to a larger home in a buyer’s market they will lose some of their home’s equity in the sale. But, while you may sell your home at a “discount,” it’s likely you will purchase your larger home at an even greater discount. The advantage is you then own a larger asset with even greater potential for appreciation.

Seasonality In Ontario, changing seasons and the weather can affect buyer demand. For example, fewer buyers may be out looking at homes during the cold and snowy winter months, but as a seller you will be competing with fewer homes on the market. Spring tends to be an attractive time for real estate sales as gardens start to look nice again and people come out of hibernation. Buyers with school-aged children like to purchase in the spring so they can move in over the summer. However, homes sell throughout the year so think of the season as only one factor in deciding when to sell your home.

There are many important issues that come into play when deciding to sell your home.Elli Davis can help you to determine if now is the best time for you!Call her today 416-921-1112/1-800-622-9536