Susan Emo in Kingston/Brockville/Gananoque

As we approach Halloween, I'm reminded of an old Irish Ghost Story . . .

This story happened a while ago in Dublin , and even though it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, its true!!!!

John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm. The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong
he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.

Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and stopped. John, desperate for shelter and
without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door...
only to realise there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on.

The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of
nowhere through the window and turned the wheel. John, paralysed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched nor harmed him.

Shortly thereafter John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength, he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody
about the horrible experience he had just had.

A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realised he was crying and that he wasn't drunk.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and two other people rushed in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John, were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the other...

'Look Paddy.....there's that stupid eejit that jumped in the car while we were pushing it to the mechanic !!!!

Happy Halloween Week to you all - let the spooks and goblins scare you, not the market!

ONLY $279,000.

FORMER STAGECOACH INN SITTING ON ALMOST 5 ACRES!!! NEW ENERGY EFFICIENTS IN PLACE: ROOF, WINDOWS,UPGRADED ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND HEATING, NEW WELL. HIGH CEILINGS,GREAT ROOM WITH CUSTOM CABINETRY,SERIOUS KITCHEN WITH SEP PANTRY. IMMENSE ATTIC,FULL HEIGHT CELLAR W/WALKOUT. WRAP-AROUND VERANDA WITH SCEENED IN SUMMER ESCAPE. LARGE OUTBUILDINGS FOR A VARIETY OF USES.

BOOK YOUR RESERVATION TODAY WITH SUSAN EMO, SALES REPRESENTATIVE, RE/MAX RIVERVIEW REALTY LTD. 1-888-382-4303!

www.SusanEmoSellsHomes.com

There has been alot of talk about real estate in the news in recent months. We've heard about declining housing starts, falling existing home sales, double-digit price depreciation, subprime fallout and foreclosures in the United States. Fortunately WE LIVE IN CANADA and Canadian real estate markets are far better positioned than their American counterparts for a good number of reasons:

1. Subprime mortgages represent less than 5% of our market nationally
2. Foreclosures occur in about 1/4 of 1% of mortgage transactions in this country.
3. Canadians have more equity in their homes
4. We have less debt than our neighbours south of the border
5. Speculation has played little or no role in existing home sales in Ontario
6. The fundamentals of our economy are relatively solid. Of the G8 countries, only Canada is expected to show growth in 2008 and 2009
7. The Canadian banking system is one of the best in the world, relying more on old-fashioned lending than innovative financial products geared toward profit.
8. The Canadian job market is stronger than the US, adding more than 200,000 jobs so far this year.
9. Interest rates remain favourable
10. Housing values in Ontario major centres did not experience serious, double-digit price appreciation year-after-year for an extended period. Our markets where characterized by stable, healthy growth.
11. Immigration continues to play a key role in housing markets. Between 2001 and 2006, more than 1.1 million immigrants came to this country, with about half settling in the province of Ontario. Immigrants tend to purchase a home within the first 5 years of living in Canada.

Real estate is cyclical. There will be peaks and valleys. The more restrained the peak, the more modest the valley. There is no question that market conditions have moderated from 2007's record pace. More listings, softer housing values, longer days on market, but more centres are relatively solid. While some buyers and sellers will adopt a wait-and-see attitude, there are those that will continue to venture forward. They will need the services of a knowledgeable, experienced real estate profossional to navigate the storm. They will look for information in today's complex real estate envirionment. Understanding market conditions will be of paramount importance to today's buyers and sellers, especially as conditions change in markets across the country. That said, sellers will need to be realistic in setting a selling price. Listing a property at fair market value will ensure that it will sell in a reasonable amount of time. This is not the time to test the market. Those that are truly interested in selling their properties know that over-priced homes risk stagnation. Buyers in today's market will need to be careful not to overextend themselves. They should know exactly what they can afford. Pre-approval for a mortgage loan is ideal because it lets buyers know exactly how much they can spend on their new home.

Looking forward, we anticipate a continuation of stable market activity, minus the urgency present in past. Gone are the multiple offers that left both buyers and sellers dissatisfied. The increase in the number of homes listed for sale are a definite advantage for purchasers who now have the luxury of time in making one of the most important decisions of a lifetime. For sellers, the time to trade-up has never been better.

Canadians are great believers in homeownership - a fact underscored by the close to 70 per cent who own homes in this country. History has proven time and time again that real estate is a solid, long-term investment that appreciates at a rate of about five per cent annually. You can't live in your mutual fund, and after the last month in the financial markets, quite frankly, we're not sure you'd want to.

Rather than focus on what you see or hear in the news, consider opportunities as they present themselves. You are, after all, in control of your destiny.

If you have any questions about the Greater Kingston and area real estate market as well as Gananoque to Brockville, please don't hesitate to contact me. I am but a call or a click away.

I wrote a post awhile ago promoting the book THE GIFT OF FEAR which teaches us survival techniques using our natural instincts. Today I heard a tip that falls into this same category of keeping safe. It was originally written about keeping safe at home, at night, anytime actually these days! However, I feel this is an excellent tip for Realtors when showing property too!!

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbours, your parents your Dr's office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across as well as paying attention yourself!

Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button on the remote for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound with the lights flashing until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.

This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this:

It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around... After a few seconds all the neighbours will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that.

And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there ..... This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

REALTORS - keep your keys in your hand at all times when showing property or holding an Open House. You never know when you're going to need your own personal alarm!

P.S. I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. A friend's Mom has suggested to her Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she doesn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.

Please pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a reminder.

Who do the Rules of Road apply to? Observing the traffic patterns today would indicate that the majority of drivers feel they are above the law. That the imposed speed limits are simply a suggestion.

When you pass a road sign stating a maximum speed of 60mph what speed would you normally be traveling? 60? 65? 70? 75? higher??

When you see a police car do you smile and wave or does your heart leap up into your throat and send you into a panic? Guilty conscience anyone??

I spent many an hour on the highways these past few days and I amused myself by taking note of the drivers who raced past me:

There were the kids of course, thrilled with their new found approval to be driving the roads at all, always in a hurry.

There goes the young executive with too much on the go to worry about the road.

Granny and Grampa are passing by taking their share of the road out of the middle.

Here comes soccer Mom with her van filled with car seats and groceries, her face tight with tension.

Of course everyone was on their cell phone, that goes without saying. I began to wonder if the posted speed limit was being ignored, what other rules didn't apply either?

Drinking and Driving?

I've often noticed that the majority of males don't drink and drive because they're worried about losing their license. Women, on the other hand, would be more worried about killing someone in an accident. (I know I'm generalizing and there are exceptions to every rule so save your private emails!!!) But of course we have men and women, each and every day, breaking that rule and being charged or killed - they thought the rules didn't apply to them! I see them everyday having the proverbial business lunch. Did you know that serving staff are the greatest sources of gossip?!!

We see people parking in the reserved spaces for the disabled, when they clearly understand that they themselves are able bodied! I see healthy young people parking in the spots closest to the front entrance of a shop on a rainy or snowy day when they are fully aware that there would be someone in more need then they.

But what amuses me most is when a person ignores some rule of the road or even a common courtesy such as allowing another driver to merge. When they do this in a company vehicle, with their name and number plastered all over it - I love it!! I take note of the company and form an instant opinion of that company.

And then I realized . . .

we in the real estate business usually have our brand somewhere on our vehicle if not on the personalized plate! People are watching us continually and recognizing us from our print ads. If we don't feel the rules of the road apply to us with regard to our speed, our parking, our manners or rage, then what other rules will people assume we are ignoring?

Just like the feelings about our homeowners who don't stay on top of basic maintenance . . . what else are they letting slip? Think about it . . . what are you slipping up on both on and off the roads? We are forever being watched but more importantly, it shouts volumes about who we are. Be careful out there! You will even be seen in the 6 items or less checkout or in the cash only aisle!!!!!