So if I golfer was to move to Ottawa/Gatineau, where should he move?

[chipandput]

Im sad that you're putting all the agents in the same bag saying that they'll recommend their inspector's friends and so on. First of all I never ask to sing contract with buyers. Secondely I've made lots of sales and listings and I can on the fingers or half a hand the deal that went bad. In any profession there are honest peoples and not so honest peoples like there are honest golfers and cheaters All have been said.

Although your case may be one where an agent may be advantageous... you live outside of the city and want someone to narrow the search down for you.

Be wary of signing a contract with an agent since this may limit your negotiating power with either a seller or a builder. Agents also tend to direct you to homes where they are going to take a better commision so you may miss some nice properties. There are also a lot of FSBO (for sale by owner) properties that you may miss out on. Problem is if you signed with an agent you won't be able to negotiate as much with the seller.

If you are willing to do your own research, every thing is available to you on the internet and an agent is providing you with little added value. You can contact agents to look at homes... just don't sign a contract with them.





All of these things can be found very easily on your own. Don't ever go with an lawyer, mortgage broker, or home inspector recommended by an agent. Most times they recommend the person because they are buddies and not because they are the best person for the job. Do your own research and find someone independant from the transaction. You want to make sure that professional has your best interest in mind and is not concerned with helping their buddy make a sale.

[chipandput]

Just a few spelling corrections.

Im sad that you're putting all the agents in the same bag saying that they'll recommend their inspector's friends and so on. First of all I never ask to sign contract with buyers. Secondely I've made lots of sales and listings and I can count on the fingers or half a hand the deals that went bad. In any profession there are honest peoples and not so honest peoples like there are honest golfers and cheaters All have been said.

[Started2k3]

Although your case may be one where an agent may be advantageous... you live outside of the city and want someone to narrow the search down for you.

Be wary of signing a contract with an agent since this may limit your negotiating power with either a seller or a builder. Agents also tend to direct you to homes where they are going to take a better commision so you may miss some nice properties. There are also a lot of FSBO (for sale by owner) properties that you may miss out on. Problem is if you signed with an agent you won't be able to negotiate as much with the seller.

If you are willing to do your own research, every thing is available to you on the internet and an agent is providing you with little added value. You can contact agents to look at homes... just don't sign a contract with them.



All of these things can be found very easily on your own. Don't ever go with an lawyer, mortgage broker, or home inspector recommended by an agent. Most times they recommend the person because they are buddies and not because they are the best person for the job. Do your own research and find someone independant from the transaction. You want to make sure that professional has your best interest in mind and is not concerned with helping their buddy make a sale.

Good points. But use an agent. Don't use an agent. I don't really give a crap.

I was just offering advice and a recommendation (where I get nothing in return).

Take it or leave it.

Remember to the buyer the agent is essentially free.

[chipandput]

Best things in life are free.

Good points. But use an agent. Don't use an agent. I don't really give a crap.

I was just offering advice and a recommendation (where I get nothing in return).

Take it or leave it.

Remember to the buyer the agent is essentially free.

[jmr73]

Remember to the buyer the agent is essentially free.

That is the mistake a lot of people make. The agent can cost the buyer some $ too.

If I am selling my house for $300,000 with an agent and pay a commision (let's say 5% or $15k). A lot of selling agents will give a discount to the seller if there is no buyer agent (say 4% instead of 5%). That means either the seller will pocket more from the sale or be willing to budge more on the price. Since I as the seller already budgeted to pay 5% on the sale I will very likely be willing to give the buyer that 1% or $3000. That is essentially what the buyer agent is costing you.

For a private sale on the same property, buyer agents contact the seller to see if they will negotiate with them. If they say no, then that potential buyer will never even know about the house or the agent will convince them to look elsewhere. If I have to pay your buyer agent 2-2.5% ($7500) just for showing you my house, then I am less likely to budge as much on the house. Had that buyer come straight to me I would have been very willing to give them the $7500 that I would be paying a buyer agent so that is what it is costing them.

Think about that... for the effort it would have taken to go through a website like grapevine... do a little research on neighbourhoods etc... you could have saved/made $7500 or more.

Also, most builders are also willing to negotiate on price or throw in extras (hardwood, upgrades, appliances, etc...) but if you have a buyer agent that limits the amount they will budge since the buyer agent is taking a cut.

Point is... it is costing the buyer whether they see it or not.

[dH]

Alta Vista is really nice; if your a golfer as well you want to live close enough to downtown but far enough that you can get out for a quick game after work.

I think the south end of town is really nice; Alta Vista is alittle steeper in price; however if you look properly in South Keys lots of Gems to be had with shopping everything / transit everything nearby.

You can get a nice home; detached; 3-4 bedroom for under 300,000 in south Keys I'd check it out...

[chipandput]

I can fix a pipe under my sink but a real plumber will assure me with a warranty that it won't leak again. I can make very good jokes but Bill Cosby is much better than me. Im dealing right now with a man who paid 10,000$ over the market price on each of two duplex that he bought by himself in 2004. Do you think that he saved the commission? I knew the price he should have paid but he got caught by the seller

That is the mistake a lot of people make. The agent can cost the buyer some $ too.

If I am selling my house for $300,000 with an agent and pay a commision (let's say 5% or $15k). A lot of selling agents will give a discount to the seller if there is no buyer agent (say 4% instead of 5%). That means either the seller will pocket more from the sale or be willing to budge more on the price. Since I as the seller already budgeted to pay 5% on the sale I will very likely be willing to give the buyer that 1% or $3000. That is essentially what the buyer agent is costing you.

For a private sale on the same property, buyer agents contact the seller to see if they will negotiate with them. If they say no, then that potential buyer will never even know about the house or the agent will convince them to look elsewhere. If I have to pay your buyer agent 2-2.5% ($7500) just for showing you my house, then I am less likely to budge as much on the house. Had that buyer come straight to me I would have been very willing to give them the $7500 that I would be paying a buyer agent so that is what it is costing them.

Think about that... for the effort it would have taken to go through a website like grapevine... do a little research on neighbourhoods etc... you could have saved/made $7500 or more.

Also, most builders are also willing to negotiate on price or throw in extras (hardwood, upgrades, appliances, etc...) but if you have a buyer agent that limits the amount they will budge since the buyer agent is taking a cut.

Point is... it is costing the buyer whether they see it or not.

[Kilroy]

I think perhaps this is getting off topic.

So what is a good area for a golfer to look for a home in Ottawa???

[3Jack]

Stonebridge. Kanata Lakes. Eagle Creek is selling building lots. Huntley Ward area, near Loch March. The newish development bordering The Marshes.

[Chieflongtee]

I think perhaps this is getting off topic.

So what is a good area for a golfer to look for a home in Ottawa???

22 Des Colibris.

[Pinshark]

That does look like a good place Chief something at 22 The Masters Dr would work too.

[Chieflongtee]

Correction;11 du Colibri
http://tours.360house.com/viewer_fr....273741&RefURL=

Take the virtual tour. 5 minute drive to the Champlain, Royal Ottawa, Chateau Cartier. 25 minute drive to the Sorcier. 30 minute drive to Irish Hills. 10 minute drive to Downtown Ottawa when no trafic.

Also in the same sector :
6 du colibri http://www.jeancyr.ca/

Hook up with chipandput for a visit

P.S Molson dry $21.90 a case in the summer time

English schools? Why would they be inferior?

[Chieflongtee]

That does look like a good place Chief something at 22 The Masters Dr would work too.

Or 1 De la Grout

[chipandput]

That's where we recognize solidarity among golfers. Thanks Chief.

Correction;11 du Colibri
http://tours.360house.com/viewer_fr....273741&RefURL=

Take the virtual tour. 5 minute drive to the Champlain, Royal Ottawa, Chateau Cartier. 25 minute drive to the Sorcier. 30 minute drive to Irish Hills. 10 minute drive to Downtown Ottawa when no trafic.

Also in the same sector :
6 du colibri http://www.jeancyr.ca/

Hook up with chipandput for a visit

P.S Molson dry $21.90 a case in the summer time

English schools? Why would they be inferior?

[Section Thirty One]

So because we want to keep both of our cars (and b/c I bought a Clublink membership at HP), we're looking at the Haute Plaines area of Hull. How long are we looking at to get downtown (peak and non-peak times), and is there grocery stores, etc in the area? Is that area generally considered to be a good neighbourhood?

Thanks!

[fundonny]

Good neighbourhood, but for the drive to work you better leave early. Crossing the bridges into Ottawa between 8 and 9:30 can take 30 minutes on its own. I wouldn't live in Quebec and work in Ottawa personally, it would add too much time to my day. I like getting to work in around 15 minutes no matter what time I leave.

[Gapwedge]

... and b/c I bought a Clublink membership at HP ...

... at Boundary round and the 416. Lots of places close by - Orleans (15 min from my driveway), Hunt Club (anything close to the highway). The local bus service is pretty good (although expensive) and express busses can get you downtown from Orleans in about 15 minutes.
________
Ford Bf Falcon Specifications

[Section Thirty One]

Good neighbourhood, but for the drive to work you better leave early. Crossing the bridges into Ottawa between 8 and 9:30 can take 30 minutes on its own. I wouldn't live in Quebec and work in Ottawa personally, it would add too much time to my day. I like getting to work in around 15 minutes no matter what time I leave.

Hmm, I was under the impression that the downtown bridges were nowhere near as bad as the Champlain Bridge.

[fundonny]

OH lord who told you that? The best bridge is the Chaudiere. The Portage bridge is just terrible, mckenzie king too. You can avoid it all by leaving at 7am though.

[spackler]

Hmm, I was under the impression that the downtown bridges were nowhere near as bad as the Champlain Bridge.

They're not, though the MacDonald-Cartier is worse than the Chaudiere or Portage. Haute Plains isn't too bad, hop on the 5 in the morning and you don't run into traffic until you hit St Raymond/50 Junction area. Also St Joseph/105 takes you right to the 5 or through Hull to the Chaudiere or Portage bridges. You definitely are going to have to deal with traffic on any of the bridges, but most days it's not too bad.

The worst traffic points in Ottawa/Gatineau are coming in on the 50 from Gatineau, the 174 from Orleans, or the 417 from Kanata. Any collision will cause mayhem on these routes. Other routes can be tricky, but never get as bad.

[fundonny]

That's why central/south ottawa is the best! Alta Vista area, downtown in ten minutes during rush hour.

[McMulligan]

http://www.reboc.on.ca/mlssearch/frm...mls_num=648695

5 minutes to Pineview
5 minutes to Golf Dome (Blackburn Hamlet
10 minutes to Anderson Links
" " Talon/Predator
10 minutes to the Meadows
25 minutes to Casselview
20 minutes to Metcalf
" " Popular Grove
" " Champlain
" " Chateau Cartier

[Section Thirty One]

Ok, given that crossing at the Chaudiere bridge is the preferred route, how long are we looking at to cross there in the morning?

I am lucky and will be working from home, it's my wife that will be commuting. ALTHOUGH, she is a teacher and does not know which board she will be working with. She could end up with the Western Quebec board for all we know!

[fundonny]

All depends what time you leave in the morning.

[spackler]

In bad weather (snow, rain to a certain extent) traffic will be terrible and it could take upwards of 45 minutes for you to get from central Ottawa to HP or vice versa. Most other times would be half that. Off peak times would be 10-15 minutes.

[Section Thirty One]

In bad weather (snow, rain to a certain extent) traffic will be terrible and it could take upwards of 45 minutes for you to get from central Ottawa to HP or vice versa. Most other times would be half that. Off peak times would be 10-15 minutes.

Okay, thanks!

So, an average day would be say 20-30 minutes to get to central Ottawa, barring any accidents or other calamities?

[Section Thirty One]

All depends what time you leave in the morning.

Average time, say 7:30 or 8:00AM.

[fundonny]

Lotta traffic at that time. Line up to get to the bridge, line up on the bridge. Add an accident or snow, double it.

[jeffc]

I go the other way (live in Ottawa, work near the Casino). I would not want to deal with the traffic going the other way every day.

BTW, where in Waterloo do you live? I grew up in Kitchener and still go back there regularly as my family and wife's family are there.

[3Jack]

Have a look... this goes on grapevine in the new year but I thought I'd share this with you fine folks first... http://visit116springcreek.squarespace.com

Mike