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Developing new and innovative ways to market homes

Thursday, January 26th, 2012 by Dan Cooper

I am constantly looking for new and innovative ways to market your home. Gaining the best exposure for your property provides a higher probability that you will get the price you are seeking.

The regular publications I have hand-selected include The Oakville Beaver, Burlington Post, Halton Today, Home News magazine (Oakville and Burlington editions), my own Lakeshore Living magazine, and more recently a new oversized glossy magazine called Prestige: Home & Lifestyle. Prestige definitely lives up to its name and puts estate homes in a class of their own. The magazine features only the top brokers in the area and distributes 45,000 copies to high-net worth households throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

It is a publication that has established a standard few other real estate publications have achieved and with a circulation that reaches only the very affluent areas of the GTA, it targets the most discerning consumers who could be your potential buyers.

I have booked two facing pages for maximum impact for my listings, providing excellent exposure for your home.

My Lakeshore Living magazine has been a major hit in the local area. With distribution along the Lakeshore from Port Credit, through Oakville and into Burlington, the magazine offers interesting features, great homes and lots of advice on how to make your home beautiful. Other articles include wine, lifestyle and fashion, making Lakeshore Living one of the best and most versatile real estate publications in the area. Look for the third issue coming this spring. If you didn’t receive a copy of Lakeshore Living, simply go to my website to view the online version.

Or you can visit one of the participating advertisers and ask if they still have a copy in their showroom: Budds’ BMW, Crescent Hill Gallery, InVU Drapery, Burrow’s Fine Clothier, Appleby College, Concept Lighting, Cocoon Furnishings, Corbett’s Source for Sports and Knar Jewellery.

This is just a glimpse of the creative strategies I am developing to showcase properties and serve my clients. Whether you turn to me to sell your property or to help you find your dream home, I’m proud that the hard work and dedication of The Dan Cooper Team have made us the number one Royal LePage team in Canada for seven of the past 11 years.

Dan Cooper is an award-winning broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Appleby College, Budds’ BMW, Burlington Post, Burrow’s Fine Clothier, Cocoon Furnishings, Concept Lighting, Corbett’s Source for Sports, Crescent Hill Gallery, Halton Today, Home News, InVU Drapery, Knar Jewellery, Lakeshore Living, Listings, Marketing, Prestige: Home & Lifestyle, Publications, The Oakville Beaver | No Comments »

Royal LePage predicts homes will continue to appreciate despite recent talk of decline

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 by Dan Cooper

Real Estate Market - Dan Cooper

The average price of a home in Canada increased between 3.6 and 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to the previous year, according to the latest Royal LePage House Price Survey and Market Survey Forecast. Royal LePage expects average price growth to continue through 2012 and predicts national average prices to increase by 2.8 percent by the end of the year.

I stated in my column last week that low interest rates and a relatively stable economy encouraged more buyers to take part in the real estate market in 2011, making it a strong year. In fact, it was Toronto’s second best year on record. This was despite calls in some quarters for Canadian house prices to soften in 2011. The strong recovery in the real estate market is likely to continue, according to Royal LePage. Recent high profile reports forecasting significant house price declines this year are not supportable. The consumer confidence in the housing market that was displayed in the last quarter of 2011 is expected to carry through 2012, according to the Royal LePage report.

This is how Royal LePage President and CEO Phil Soper explains the company’s latest survey: “In the recovery period following the 2008-2009 recession, I found myself repeatedly speaking of ‘irrational exuberance’ in the Canadian housing market. Expectations were too high and the pace of expansion unsupportable. With this report, I find myself in exactly the opposite position. Widespread calls for a major real estate correction in 2012 simply can’t be justified. The industry has significant momentum entering the year, and buoyed by the stimulative effect of very low interest rates, we expect the market to continue to expand – albeit at a slower pace.”

While 2011 was a very strong year for price growth, Canada’s average home prices have grown by only 3.5 percent compounded annually over the past five years. This is well below the long-term average rate of appreciation. Canada’s GDP has also grown modestly over the same period and the economy is expected to expand by approximately two percent in 2012. Although unemployment remains stubbornly higher than pre-recession levels, sustained employment at today’s levels in a low interest rate environment can be expected to support continued average house price appreciation across the country.

”We believe calls for falling prices and more affordable housing in 2012 are unlikely to materialize,” said Soper. “While this will comfort the 70 percent of Canadians who are homeowners, there is cause for concern when house price growth outpaces increases in wages and salaries for an extended period of time. Coupled with more restrictive mortgage regulations that have made it more difficult to obtain financing, those who aspire to own a home may find it increasingly difficult to enter the housing market and, in some regions, it may leave people out entirely.”

Lack of inventory in Toronto produced strong year-over-year price appreciation in 2011. Average price gains ranged from 3.4 to 7.2 percent for the housing types surveyed. Migration and low interest rates also continue to drive real estate prices. At the end of 2012, average house prices in Toronto are forecast to increase 2.6 percent over 2011.

In last week’s column, I said I would have the Oakville housing statistics for 2011, but they had yet to be released at the time this column was being written. They should be out this week, so watch for next week’s column for a review of Oakville’s real estate performance for 2011.

Dan Cooper is an award-winning broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Prices, Real Estate Market | No Comments »

Ready to sell more homes and offer more services in 2012

Monday, January 9th, 2012 by Dan Cooper

The year-end housing statistics were not available for Oakville and Milton as I was writing this column, but the stats for Burlington and Greater Toronto are out and they show that sales were strong and house prices continued to climb.

“Low borrowing costs kept buyers confident in their ability to comfortably cover their mortgage payments along with other major housing costs,” says Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. Greater Toronto witnessed its second-best year on record, Silver said, adding that house prices increased by eight percent in 2011 compared to 2010.

In Hamilton and Burlington, the market saw increases in the number of listings and average sales price in December compared to the same month in 2010. The increase in the average sales price for residential was 7.2 percent and for condominiums an impressive 15 percent.

“The December market performed well compared to the average for the month over the last 10 years,” says Cameron Nolan, President of the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington. “And the average sale price continues to rise in our area.”

In Burlington, the average sale price for a residential home climbed from $384,827 in December 2010 to $412,461 in December 2011. Condominium prices rose on average $265,878 in December 2010 to $305,790 in December 2011.

Next week I will review the housing stats for Oakville, which are expected to be released this week. In other news, our relocation services just got stronger. When moving out of town, out of province or out of Canada, you can start the buying process right here at home. Too often, homeowners believe it is up to them to find an agent in the community in which they are moving. But that’s simply not the case. Royal LePage’s key strategic partnership with Brookfield Global Relocation Services allows me to work with agents around the world on behalf of my clients.

My global reach was broadened last month when Brookfield purchased Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services (PRERS), a recognized leader in employee relocation and real estate franchising. The addition of PRERS to Brookfield’s existing residential real estate franchising and employee relocation services businesses establishes Brookfield as the world’s second largest employee relocation services provider and the third largest residential real estate franchising business.

Through its various brands, Brookfield’s residential real estate franchisees are now present in all 50 U.S. states, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and Portugal, with a network of approximately 80,000 real estate agents, 2,800 real estate brokerage locations and more than $150 billion in annual residential real estate transactions.

U.S.-based Brookfield Global Relocation Services moves nearly 85,000 families in and out of over 125 countries around the world each year. With the acquisition, more than one-third of Fortune 100 companies are its clients. In addition, Brookfield is now the largest provider of relocation services to government, with long-term relationships with the U.S. and Canadian governments.

The acquisition greatly strengthens Brookfield’s existing U.S. business and results in the expansion of its operations in nine countries, with a rapidly growing presence in China, Brazil and India.
My success over the past 20 years has not been restricted to the west GTA, but has included representing thousands of clients who have needed to relocate. Being tapped into a global leader such as Brookfield gives me access to a wealth of expertise and resources.

In addition to helping individuals move, The Dan Cooper Team has the depth, scope and scale to provide a full array of services for corporate clients and the employees they transfer.

This is an example of how The Dan Cooper Team’s creativity, perseverance and determination are paying off for our clients. We use leading-edge online strategies and old-fashioned hard work to sell homes faster and for more money.

If you need to relocate or know of someone wanting to move to the Oakville or Burlington areas, give us a call. We have the expertise and resources to make the move stress-free.

Dan Cooper is an award-winning broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Brookfield Global Relocation Services, Moving, Relocation, Statistics | No Comments »

Stability is the watchword in real estate in 2012

Thursday, January 5th, 2012 by Dan Cooper

I want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year. As we enter 2012, all the signs point to a stable and balanced economy – which in turn creates a good climate for real estate transactions.

Across Canada, the real estate market was balanced in 2011 with housing prices growing more or less in line with the rate of inflation.

Oakville, which has always been one of the hottest markets in the country, surpassed the national trend for sales and price increases. The latest available statistics take us to the end of November and show that the number of residential sales was up 8 percent in 2011 over 2010 and the average price had increased by 8.5 percent – $609,034 in 2011 from $561,769 in 2010.

In Burlington, sales were on par with the national trend, but the average sale price increased by a whopping 13.8 percent – $421,008 in 2011 from $369,874 in 2010.

And we can expect the same pace of growth in 2012 according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The key will be continued low interest rates. Rates had been expected to rise in 2011, leading to a slowdown in the housing market. But that didn’t happen.

In 2012, a looming economic slowdown, record consumer debt and weak wage growth could put a downward pressure on the market. But these will also encourage the Bank of Canada to leave interest rates on hold – and that’s good news for homebuyers. It’s also good news for sellers since the lower rates will encourage more buyers into the marketplace.

While uncertainty about the global economy and our own recovery will continue to mess a bit with our psyche, the fact that we will see some stability, that there will still be some growth in the economy and the job market, bodes well for the real estate scene over the next 12 months.

Whether you are buying or selling a home, choose a broker who understands the market, who is knowledgeable about the community and has the resources and staff to provide you with superior service 24/7.

From the entire Dan Cooper Team, I would like to wish you and your families all the best for 2012.

Dan Cooper is an award-winning broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Burlington Real Estate, Oakville Real Estate, Prices, Real Estate Market, Selling | No Comments »

Looking for a strong finish in home sales for 2011

Monday, December 12th, 2011 by Dan Cooper

The Dan Cooper Team - Rising Sales

October and November were two of the strongest months for The Dan Cooper Team as we bucked the trend for the Oakville and Milton areas, and remained on track with what was happening in Burlington and the GTA.

There was a cooling in sales in the Oakville area in November, according to the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board (OMDREB), but Hamilton/Burlington and Toronto enjoyed increases in listings, sales and average sale price.

“The increase in transactions has been broad-based, with strong growth across low-rise and high-rise home types throughout the Greater Toronto Area,” says Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. “The market has also become better supplied, with annual new listings growth outstripping that of sales. As this trend continues into 2012, we will see more balanced market conditions.”

The average price in the GTA for November transactions was $480,421, representing an increase of almost 10 percent in comparison to $437,494 in November 2010.

In the Hamilton and Burlington areas, average prices rose 7.8 percent for homes and 6.1 percent for condominiums. This was for all transactions under the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington, which takes in Glanbrook, Dunnville and Caledonia. Burlington on its own witnessed a 13.8 percent increase in the average sale price last month – $421,008 in November compared to $369,874 the same month last year.

So what happened in Oakville/Milton? The OMDREB says this is a traditional slowdown as consumers busy themselves preparing for the holiday season. It says overall sales in November compared with the same month last year were down 5.9 percent. Oakville, however, saw a 5.5 percent increase in sales, but experienced an almost static position in the average sale price. The average price in November was $588,557 compared with $589,354 in November 2010.

“While we are experiencing the traditional drop in sales that occurs during the winter months, we remain on track for a strong finish in 2011,” says OMDREB President Jack McCrudden. “As long as interest rates remain at their current historic lows, demand for housing in the Oakville/Milton market will remain strong.”

The key to selling your home is to choose an experienced realtor who will market your home effectively. Innovative advertising, knowledge about the marketplace, commitment and exemplary service differentiate The Dan Cooper Team. The result is that we are achieving accomplishments that illustrate the Dan Cooper difference. We have been the Number 1 team in Canada for Royal LePage for seven of the past 11 years, which is a testament to our ability to sell homes quickly and for the best possible price in the Oakville and Burlington areas.

Dan Cooper is an award-winning broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009, 2007, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1999. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call The Dan Cooper Team.

Posted in Burlington Real Estate, Oakville Real Estate, Real Estate Market, Selling, Statistics | No Comments »