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Despite what you might hear in the news, Ontario is still booming with Real Estate investment choices. In this week's One Minute With The One Group podcast, we reveal 3 of the best destinations for investment in the province

One of the most common dilemmas owners face when it comes to home improvement projects is whether you should hire a professional or go the DIY route and potentially save some money. While there is no one size fits all answer, there are a number of questions you can ask yourself to help decide whether to swing a hammer or write a cheque. The most important aspects to consider before you begin are things like, Do you enjoy physical work? Are you reliable, and patient, meaning once the project is started will you finish it? Do you have all the tools, materials and skills to safely complete the job? Do you have the time? Are you familiar with the building codes and the permits needed? If you answered no to more than one or two of these, than it might be in your best interest to explore hiring a professional.

A Renovation project may pretty up your home, but have you thought about the effect it might have on the air you breath? Chemical Pollutants released from common things such as finishings, paints and even carpets can potentially cause issues with your home’s air quality, especially if it’s an older house. But you can safeguard yourself and your family with a few easy preventive measures. First off, check the label of all the products you are using. Look for a Green Seal or Global Organic and other safety certifications. Anything that says it uses formaldehyde or lead should be avoided. Make sure every room is properly ventilated before you start working; the buildup of particles from even the safest paint and finishing liquids can be mildly harmful if the air isn’t flowing. And finally, be vigilant on dusting; contaminants in the air mixed with ordinary household dust are a recipe for allergic reactions. If you have questions about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

As sale prices rise and mortgage rules tighten, it is becoming more challenging for first time buyers to get into the Real Estate market. And for some, a Rent To Own program might seem like a path to ownership. But what does it entail? Basically, a homeowner rents to a tenant with a portion of the rent counting toward a deposit, with the tenant having the option to buy the home for a predetermined price at the end of the lease. But there are potential pitfalls. For the investor, the downside is that if a tenant decides to break the rent-to-own agreement, or decides the home is not suitable, you risk losing money on re-sale while being left with a vacant property. For the tenants, if the deal doesn’t come together they may lose their deposit, and depending on how the contract is written, may lose all the money that was put aside for the down payment. The bottom line is that while Rent-to-own home ownership isn’t a bad option, it can be risky for those who don’t understand exactly what they are signing up for. Do your research. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, we have answers! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

When you’re looking at potential homes, there is much to consider, things like how many bedrooms, and the state of the roof, but one important aspect that we tend to ignore…and that’s your commute time. Recent studies have discovered that people with the longest commutes tend to have lower overall satisfaction with life, and that even high paying jobs don’t provide enough wealth to comfortably offset the costs of vehicle maintenance and transit. Longer hours away from home also mean commuters are more likely to miss children’s school activities and less likely to eat dinner with friends and family. So when it comes to finding your forever home, make sure the distance to office is reasonable … both for your finances and long term health. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca

FIRST TIME REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TIPS Real estate investing has produced some of the world’s wealthiest people, so there are plenty of reasons to view property ownership as a money maker. But like any investment, it’s vital to do research before diving in with your hard earned cash. Here’s a few starter tips… DON’T BUY A FIXER UPPER - It’s tempting to look for a house that you can get at a bargain and flip it into a rental property. But in that case, you’re likely to pay a lot to renovate. Instead, target houses that needs only minor repairs. FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION - Look for houses with low property taxes, a good school district, and amenities like parks, malls and restaurants nearby. GET A LOW COST HOME - The more expensive the home, the higher your ongoing expenses will be. Some experts recommend starting with no more than a $250,000 property. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we’d love to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

April marks the return of warmer weather, but it also marks the return of an unwanted guest; Spring Flooding. But does your insurance cover a potential deluge? There are two major types of insurance against flooding in Canada: regular and overland Flood insurance generally covers you for damage in the event of a basement leak or burst pipes, but isn’t normally included in a normal house policy. Overland is the kind that protects you in case of a river or lake flooding, but can be very expensive and in some cases not offered at all. In the event you can’t get insurance at all due to the age or location of your home, you can still make a claim to the Public Safety Minister if the house sustains water damage. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

As house prices have risen over the last decade, owning a home has become more challenging for first time buyers, and one option to help the younger generation to get property, is for parents to co-own a house with their kids. If you’re considering this route, here’s a few important aspects to consider… If you are Buying together as an investment as a way to secure a mortgage for the kids, a capital gains tax will be triggered when the home is eventually sold. However, you can structure ownership so that their interest is nominal, and work with a lawyer to place that interest in a trust for the benefit of the kids. It is a good idea to enter into co-ownership with a solid agreement in writing about who will be responsible for what payments, and what happens in the event of unforeseen circumstances. And keep in mind that joint ownership exposes any house to claims from personal or business creditors or spouse in the event of a divorce. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we'd love to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

Here in Barrie we are lucky enough to have one of the country’s most progressive healthcare facilities in our own backyard. As RVH approaches it’s 121st birthday, here’s a few things you might not know about it… The forerunner, called the Barrie General Hospital was nothing more than a small cottage with just four beds when it opened on Duckworth street in 1891. The hospital was renamed Royal Victoria in recognition of the Queen’s jubilee in 1897, and the unit’s first X-Ray machine took up an entire room and was powered by a Water motor! Today 435, 000 patient visits RVH every year, including many thousands who attend the Cancer centre, one of the most cutting edge facilities in the province. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca Find us on FB! www.facebook.com/theonegrouprealestate On YT! http://ow.ly/TTd730iWugZ Online www.theonegroup.ca

Audio version from the first ever Talking Barrie, a live stream round table discussion of all things Barrie, presented by The One Group! See the video version on our YT Channel! http://ow.ly/5Jq230iR88M Find us on FB! https://www.facebook.com/theonegrouprealestate/ On Twitter https://twitter.com/TheOneGroup_KW Online www.theonegroup.ca

Tax season getting you down? In this week's #OneMinuteWithTheOneGroup, Erin Jones reveals rebates and credits available to homeowners! SMASH that Subscribe button to get more podcasts about Barrie Real Estate! Find us online www.theonegroup.ca On FB! https://www.facebook.com/theonegroupr... On Twitter! https://twitter.com/TheOneGroup_KW On YouTube! http://ow.ly/5mxC30iPYUI On Itunes! http://ow.ly/IH6o30iPUEX You know that houses cost money, but this time of year you can maybe get a few of those costs back. As you trudge through this year’s CRA filing, here’s a few tax breaks that can lighten your bill. If you just bought a house and you haven’t owned a home in the four previous years, you can get the Home Buyers’ Tax Credit, you’ll get a 15% credit and potentially reduces tax load by $750 Renos that make a home safer or more accessible for seniors and the disabled—including installation of wheel-in showers, widening doorways and lowering cabinets­—qualify for a new tax credit that offers a rebate of 15%. There are plenty of rebates available to make your home for eco-friendly, including insulation improvements, draft proofing and adding ductless heat pumps or gas furnaces. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

Winter in Barrie is hard enough, and it gets even tougher when Hydro bills eat away at your wallet. Here’s a few ways to cut down on your heating costs while you endure Simcoe County’s colder months.. Keep Electronics like TVs, computers and phones plugged into a power bar which you can turn on and off. This limits the amount of “phantom power” that your house uses when items are plugged directly into the outlets. Use LED bulbs; according to Hydro One, switching to these can cut your usage by as much as 75% because they last longer and stay cool. Install and use a programmable thermostat; these handy tools can moderate the temperatures so that not as much heat is used when you are sleeping and away from the house. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca

January and February in Barrie can be harsh, and trying to sell your home in the midst of the colder months is no easy task. But it’s not impossible! Here’s 3 things you can do to sell your house in Winter... Show Buyers What It Looks Like in Summer - Showcase all your home has to offer when the snow is gone with a digital slideshow or photo album during showings. Highlight gardens, patios and decks with furniture and Barbecues to heighten the seasonal potential. Hike The Curb Appeal - Slush covered sidewalks and front steps can make even the most beautiful homes look sloppy. Keep everything shovelled and salted and if possible keep the snow covered property boundaries defined with coloured flags. Finally check windows and doors for drafts, and seal any cracks. Nothing will deplete your home’s value more than a cold room. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we'd love to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca Find us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/theonegrouprealestate/ On Twitter! https://twitter.com/TheOneGroup_KW On YouTube! http://ow.ly/3DN630ixfCQ

#OneMinute - Energy Efficiency Tips Last week we went over a few tips on how to winterize your home, and today we’ll delve a bit deeper and reveal some easy ways you can improve your house’s energy efficiency, and save a few dollars on your hydro bill. Programmable Thermostats One of the most painless ways to cut your heating bill, it’s as easy as pre-setting the heat to go down for the hours you aren’t home, which can save you upwards of 5% every month. Adding Insulation If your house is prone to huge temperature swings, chances are you don’t have enough insulation. Topping it up in your attic and basement is an easy fix And finally make sure all your phone and computer Chargers, are only plugged in when connected to a device, because even when they’re off they do draw current. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear from you! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

Like many older cities across Canada, Barrie is rich with old buildings…and old stories. Many detailing grisly histories, sparking tales of hauntings and ghostly appearances. Ghoulish tales about the the Barrie Jail, first built in 1841 and home to a lunatic asylum for a time, have been whispered around town for decades, including unconfirmed reports of faint screaming and the sounds of clanging chains being heard in the halls of the small penitentiary, perhaps the distant voices of the inmates who were hanged, and legend has it, buried in the Jail’s courtyard many years ago. There is also the Uptown theatre, first built in 1937, that has been host to eerie encounters on many occasions; staff have reported doors opening and closing on their own, and one particularly terrifying night during which the manager Mike witnessed a bulb from this projector launch itself across the room, smashing against the wall, as if someone had thrown it. But nowhere is the scare metre higher in Barrie than at the Simcoe Hotel…which is said to be home to the lost soul of a woman who haunts the historic building…but if it’s true, how did she get here? This story begins a long time ago; in 1872. In those days Barrie was a rough and tumble town with plenty of taverns and houses of ill repute, and the Simcoe Hotel, first built in the 1850s was often frequented by both travellers and locals looking for a lively place to drink or a warm bed for the evening. It was on a frigid January night that a woman named Elizabeth Meyer, embarked on a journey from the rowdy Hotel to her home. A journey…she would never complete. Elizabeth had been indulging at the Hotel, and as such her senses were dulled by drink, rendering her virtually defenceless when a menacing figure emerged from the darkness to strike her. There was nobody around on the deserted streets to help, and sadly it was a quick death for Elizabeth as her broken body slumped to the cold street, while her attacker disappeared into the windy darkness. Early the next morning, a passerby made the terrible discovery of Elizabeth’s Meyer’s corpse, and her body was dragged in to the Hotel, and placed right about here. The coroner was summoned and strangely, rather than move poor Elizabeth to a morgue, he conducted his Inquest right here. Incredibly, the death was officially ruled an accident. To this day, nobody can say for sure why the Coroner made such an obviously false ruling. Did he have something to do with her death? Did he know the killer? We’ll never know. The story of Elizabeth’s tragic demise soon faded from the public spotlight, as people lost interest in the crime. But according to some…she never left the Hotel. At least, her spirit didn’t. In the years since that night, stories of eerie activity at the Hotel have circulated through the community. Sometimes, the stories say, it’s nothing more than the unsettling feeling that someone…or something is watching. Or unexplained cold spots or footsteps in empty rooms. But on rare occasions, people report sightings of a haunting spectre of woman lurking in the shadows outside the building. The description is always similar; a tall woman, pale skin, standing motionless It seems Elizabeth Meyer is condemned to spend eternity at the spot where she died more than a century ago.

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about winter, and just as importantly winterizing your house to avoid the cold from sneaking into your living room. Here’s a few tips to get you started. Clean The Gutters - get rid of the leaves and debris in the eavestroughs to ensure they will drain all the snow and rain that’s coming. Reseal the Windows - An easy way to test if you do have a drafty window is by putting a candle in front of it, if it flickers, then it needs to have the caulk around the frame redone. Prep the Furnace - It's going to get used a lot, so do a few test runs to make sure it’s in good working order and replace the filter to get set for the colder months. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

It’s a simple question, but one that sparks alot of debate...should you live in a house or a condo? There’s really no right or wrong answer, and ultimately there are ALOT of factors that will influence your decision...but we can help you by laying out some of the benefits for each. First up is the House; the traditional one or two storey with a garage and a backyard is always at the top of most people’s wish lists. A big advantage to buying a house is that you have total control over the property to renovate and make changes without the consent of others. Houses offer far more space, both indoor and outdoor, which is makes it easier to accommodate families, children and pets. And Houses include more privacy, because neighbors do not live in as close quarters as in condos. So what about Condos? We’re not discriminating! Be here next week when we’ll highlight some Condo Benefits. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca

Here’s a great pub trivia question....when was the First Condo built? The best information we have points to the first Condo ever popping up New York City in the 1881, that’s according to a book called High Life: Condo Living in the Suburban Century, About 30 years later, Puerto Rico passed the first modern condominium statute, called a Horizontal Property Act and in the 50’s North American developers soon picked up on the concept. Remember Mitt Romney? His cousin Keith was almost solely responsible for bringing the Condo to North America when he pitched the idea of building them in Salt Lake City to a national developer. The first Condos here in Canada arrived On December 20, 1967 it was a 56-unit townhouse complex known as Brentwood Village in Edmonton. Today there are more than 30 million condominium units in North America, including approximately 2000 in Barrie...a number that will continue to grow in the years ahead. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca

A new GO station is coming to Innisfill in the next few years, and that announcement has brought up a lot of questions about the impact a rail station could have on home values in the nearby vicinity. So is living near a train a death sentence for your valuation? Based on studies conducted in areas where rail stations have been built, the most accurate thing to say is that many homes within one quarter of a kilometer from a station are actually more likely to increase in value due to the upward pressure of being near transit. Some homes outside of this zone might decrease in value due to what is usually reffered to as “ nuisance factor”; meaning that they are close enough to hear the sounds of a train, but too far to enjoy the benefits of close proximity to transit. Similar concerns were voiced in Barrie when the Allandale GO Station was built in 2012, but as we have seen, a strong Real Estate market will always bring up the values of all well- maintained homes. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate or an idea for our next podcast, we want to hear it! Reach out anytime to hello@theonegroup.ca

It’s an unfortunate truth that like other industries, Fraud exists all most levels of the Real Estate industry. Here’s how you can avoid a few of the worst Real Estate scams TITLE FRAUD - though it’s relatively rare, this is one of the most devastating realty scams, when a crook uses false documents to pose as the property owner, and transferring a property to their own name. Title insurance is the best protection against this, it will guard new owners against any liens or loans that exist on the home. DOOR TO DOOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS - The most common way this is perpetuated is whenOperators knocks on your door, and claims to be able to repave a driveway or repair a roof at a cheap rate for cash up front. You can Avoid being taken in by asking any contractors for references and for a written contract before starting work. And keep in mind, the best way to protect yourself is by with a little legwork and alot of common sense. If you have a question about Barrie Real Estate, or an idea for our next podcast, we'd love to hear it! Reach out anytime, to hello@theonegroup.ca