The Bone & Biscuit Co.

The Bone & Biscuit Co in The Market Place at Summerside is the ONLY place i buy pet food, supplements, and treats for my furry children. They carry only the best brands along with many other items not found at your typical pet store. One of my favorite treats that i give my two are called “Get Naked”.

The name is interesting at first, however if basically means getting back to natural ingredients. Taking off all the fillers and additives that are put in everyday human food as well as pet food. These amazing treats are similar to what you may know as a dentabone. They are shaped in order to promote healthy teeth and gums. There are a variety of sizes and flavors. Our favorite is the low calorie one. It has a minty smell which helps to alleviate bad breath. They are wheat free, corn free, and soy free. These tasty treat are a morning ritual at my house. We get up, outside for a pee and then its inside in their warm beddies to ease into the day with their get naked stick. My two know the word “Stick” and come running when it is said.

So pop on down to the Summerside Bone & Biscuit. Angela will be happy answer any questions and help you find what is best for your pet.

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Robyn Fisher

Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist

Merry Christmas to All of Our Family & Friends, Colleagues & Clients!

Deck the Halls with Bows of ...Apples!!

From the Team at KENNEDY Real Estate!

From Left to Right:

Sheldon and Jennifer Kennedy, Anna Bayne, Debbie Hemery, Carrie Wood, Robyn Fisher, Christy Van Dyke

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My Name is Friday and I am available for Adoption!

So you are determined to find a place that can accommodate you and  Poochie. Sometimes the journey is not always easy – nor simple. However – knowing what to expect and how to go about getting your Poochie approved  by the Condo Board is worth knowing before you head out on your search.

A few things to consider regarding Pet Policies:

• All condo boards have some sort of Pet Policy in place. And in most cases where they DO allow pets – it is still with Board Approval.
• Pet height and weight restriction: usually 18-20 pounds and no bigger than 12 inches in height.
• Cats – usually no more than two allowed.
• Birds and other critters still need board approval.
• Usually when a condo is first built – there is no formal board formed to give any direction on a Pet Policy – so many critters can be ’grandfathered’ into a building if the condo board later decides to restrict pets.
• Townhouses – are usually alittle more lax on the pet approval process…most all allow cats and small dogs …with approval.
• Duplexes – you are the master of your own pet policy…no restrictions. Except that you will be living in close quarters to your neighbor – SO you still want to be a responsible pet owner

Procedure for Pet Approval

Take a picture of your furry friend, along with a short description of the type and temperament of dog, and submit it to the person on the condo board that takes care of pet approvals. In most cases this is all done via email. A good idea in this email – is to describe how you care for your pet – and to give reassurance of your responsibility as a pet owner. This can go along way on the good will bandwagon to pet approval.

Exceptions to the Rule:

If for medical reasons , ie. epilepsy, diabetes, etc. you require a certain breed that exceeds the 18lbs 12inch rule – you can, along with a medical note from your doctor, override a pet policy. I had a client – with diabetes – that had a small Shepard – and we got her approval with a note from her doctor.

Final Note…

For the most part pet owners are responsible. It’s the odd ones out that make things difficult for the rest. This is usually the case when a condo board decides to make the building a strictly no pet zone – in the long run of re-saleability – this is not a good thing. For instance – most of the high rises along Victoria Promenade do NOT allow pets. Wow = when you think of the demographic wanting to move into these buildings, have pets. They are either downsizing and want to bring their existing Poochie family member with them – or they are single – widowed – divorced  and want a furry friend for comfort and companionship. Pet friendly condos will have the upper hand in resale down the road. Pet owners are a demographic growing in size – builders and condo boards beware!

It’s a lifestyle that’s on the rise….

Looking for a Pet Friendly condo? We can help!

Our furry friend pictured above is currently available for adoption!

Contact Rescue for Life  or SCARS for more info on adoption. A life spared, a life of love to give …adopt a pet today:)

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Jennifer Kennedy
Broker | Owner

KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR® | Edmonton Home Stager

Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
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St. Albert Spa Sink

Has it been a long day at work, have the tasks of the day wipped you out?  There is no other  cure than this awesome Luxury Spa in St.  Albert.  They treat you absolutely phenominal there.  I have been going  to have my nails done with Bonnie for some time now, and she  is the best.  Recently I  had a pedicure that was  equally awesome.   When you need to treat yourself, this is the place to go.  Gelous Nails is conveniently located downtown St. Albert, (#102, 5 Perron Street) and they have their own PARKING in the parkade.   Your husband has come home,   the little ones are fed and settled and  you need some time for yourself.  For your next R & R this is the place to go in St. Albert.   There is no better time than now for you to relax.  Book your appointment at Gelous Nails and  jump in the car  and off you go to this awesome spa in downtown St. Albert. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit  Gelous Nails yet, put it on your bucket list.

As soon as I open the door to Gelous Nails I know that I will  be treated like never before.  Gelous Nails Estehetics Studio provides the highest standards of service, whether it is a nail treatment, pedicure, waxing or hair services.  St. Albert is a community that offers many awesome services, restaurants, walking trails, schools, and real estate.

www.liveinstalbert.com

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Here are the pro’s and con’s of using an increased deposit from both the buyers and sellers point of view.

Seller: From a Seller’s point of view an increased deposit reflects the seriousness and sincerity of the buyers efforts in securing the deal. His good faith in proceeding with the deal.

Buyer:  From a buyer’s point of view, it may give them an edge over a competing buyer’s offer in a multiple offer situation.

Negative: only to a Buyer – if they remove all of their conditions – and then decide to back out of the deal – in which case their deposit would be forfeited.

Generally speaking the sellers want to be assured that the buyer is serious and sincere about the offer and seeing it through to possession. The size of the deposit is a litmus test for a buyers sincerity to see the offer through to completion. In addition the seller will be taking their home off the market – whilst the property is waiting for possession. If the buyer is not able to fulfill the terms of the contract (after all conditions have been met) then the deposit is often times the only recourse a seller will receive.

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Jennifer Kennedy
Broker | Owner

KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR® | Edmonton Home Stager

Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing

REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

Additional “Edmonton Realtor: KENNEDY Real Estate” Articles…

Jennifer Kennedy
Broker | Owner

KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR® | Edmonton Home Stager

Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing

REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!

You are probably thinking …what possible con’s could there be in a multiple offer situation? Surprisingly there are a few things on both sides of the fence to consider…

Starting with the Pros:

1. You are in a good position to get your asking price.
2. Negotiations are usually quick and uneventful or unemotional.
3. You will be able to pick the offer that best suits all of your terms: price and possession date.

However, in buyer’s market there are some things to consider ..now the Con’s:

1. In a buyer’s market, buyer’s are averse to getting into bidding war – they see it as an unnecessary evil. Especially at a time when they should be getting a deal – not giving a deal to a seller. Often times buyer’s will walk away from a deal in order to find a home that they do not have to compete for.
2. If you come back with an over confident (counter) offer – you may risk offending or alienating your buyer. This is a tricky one to navigate. Proceed with caution and rely on your REALTOR®

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Christy Van Dyke
Associate | REALTOR®
Your Greenview | Hillview Area Specialist
Search Homes For Sale in Greenview | Hillview 

KENNEDY Real Estate
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Buying a Home: 

What Expenses to Expect

Budgeting for a new home can be tricky.  Not only are there mortgage payments, house insurance and the down payment to consider, but there are many other costs one has to be prepared for before closing day. You are going to want to be prepared accordingly.  Use the following list to determine which costs will apply to your situation:

1. Purchase offer deposit:  Usually 5% of your total purchase price or accepted offer.
2. Inspection by certified building inspector: Your realtor can refer a few inspectors to you. The charge for a home inspection is around $400-$500.
3. Appraisal fee:  Your bank may request an appraisal of the property.  The cost of this appraisal is usually your responsibility, however all banks operate differently. This is normally $200-$300
4. Real Property Report Fee: If the home you’re purchasing is a resale (as opposed to a newly built home), your bank and lawyer may request an updated property survey.  The cost for this survey will be your responsibility and will range from $700 to $1000.
5. 5% GST:  this fee applies to newly built homes only, or existing homes that have recently undergone extensive renovations.  However when purchasing from a builder you usually receive a new home GST credit, so you are no paying the full 5%.
6. Legal fees:  $500-$1000A lawyer should be involved in every real estate transaction to review all paperwork.  Experience and rates offered by lawyers range quite a bit, so shop around before you hire.
7. Service charges:  Any utilities you arrange for at your new home, such as cable or telephone, may come with an installation fee.
8. Renovation of new home:  In order to “make it your own,” you may like to paint or invest in other renovations prior to or upon moving in to a new home.  If this is your plan, budget accordingly.
9. Maintenance fees:  If you are moving to a new condominium, you will likely be charged a monthly condo fee which covers the costs of common area maintenance. Check the condo documents and be sure you are aware of all that the condo fees cover.

These are just a few of the most common expenses to expect. The right realtor and mortgage specialist will be able to coach you along the way and inform you of what to expect .

Happy House Hunting

Robyn Fisher

Your Ellerslie/Summerside Area Specialist

Associate/REALTOR®

KENNEDY Real Estate

Selling? Give us a call…we don’t stop until you are sold!

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Looking ahead these Real Estate trends will be here for a while. Find out what types of Real Estate investing is on the forefront of buyer’s minds and pocket books!

1. Housing recovery: unlikely, however cautious optimism remains. A few more foreclosures have yet to flush through the market(s).

2. Mc Mansions are out: compact housing is it. Baby boomers are downsizing to more manageable homes. Generation “x” is interested in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, smaller compact homes. smaller homes with more pizazz..

3. Home buyers are thinking long term: 1st time home buyers are now thinking a decade in advance. Repeat buyers 15 years in advance. Homeowners are simply planning on staying longer.

4. Prices still have further to drop:  Increase in foreclosures. The 500,000 plus market (larger older homes)and conditionally and location challenged unsold properties will still need to adjust price or condition or both in order to sell. Price competitively or price it to compel a buyer to choose your property over the gazillion other choices they may have.

5. More foreclosure to come: still shaking out the over bought/over extended home owners from the boom of 2005-07. Some home owners that bought in 2005-07 are now needing to sell/move for one reason or another. Some can’t afford to move because their mortgages are worth more than what the market will bear for their home and that leads to more foreclosures.

6. Mortgage rates to remain low: Long term rates will begin to rise mid to late 2012. Rates will eventually have to go up in order for governments to begin to recover their own debt loads.

7. Mortgage Rules/Standards taking on new shape: Shorter amortization periods: no more 50 year mortgages, now down to 25 year mortgages as the norm. Increase minimum downs: more and more lenders are tightening their purse strings and will be requiring more money for down payments in order to secure financing. Longer probation periods: stricter qualifying standards over all, especially the self- employed.

8. New Construction concerns: lower new construction starts in this market could lead to a housing shortage in the future.

9. Investor opportunity: CASH investors will rock especially for bank /foreclosure sales.

10. Housing recovery dependent on employment rate: housing recovery maybe delayed due to in part of current employment rate.

Although not written in stone the above Real Estate Trends for 2013 are a guideline as to the direction the market is headed. Smaller homes, tighter financing regulations, and a few more foreclosures to get through are all what we can generally expect to see in the near future. But always remember: a good home well located, presented and priced will sell in any market!

Happy Investing!

Corrie Harpe

I have told this story a number of times but I think it bares repeating because it encompasses the essence of any successful business relationship.

My Father has over the years given me some pretty useful advice. He ran a successful Law practice in his day, that thrived on repeat business: referrals. However, alot of these referrals he had never met before. As you can imagine a Lawyer – not unlike a Realtor – client relationship involves a two way trust understanding.

My Father would always start off the conversation with something like this:
“You don’t know me from Adam, and I don’t know you from Adam. You have to trust me because you have no other choice and I have to trust you because I have no other choice. As long as we understand that – we can move mountains together. If we don’t , we can’t put one foot in front of another.”

Trust is  fundamental in any relationship. Once you can establish that with your clients – and for your clients to understand that you require that of them too- there begins a successful journey.

I have often shared this story with my clients – yup – and they were referrals I had not met before…thanks Dad.

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Jennifer Kennedy
Broker | Owner

KENNEDY Real Estate
Your Edmonton REALTOR® | Edmonton Home Stager

Call us today…780-485-3010 and GET SOLD!
Area Specialists | Lifestyle Marketing

REALTORS® : Looking for a great Team environment to grow your business…see our Brokerage Model for info on how to make that happen!