In mid-June, Halton District School Board trustees confirmed the final ruling on the Southeast Oakville (Ward 3) public school closures. After months of debate and community input, the trustees voted in favour of an option put forth known as Hybrid 3B. If you’re like me, Hybrid 3B means nothing to you so I’ve summarized what this means below.
The following 3 schools will be closed as of September 2010: Brantwood, Chisholm and Linbrook. A new elementary school will be built in Clearview and the remaining schools of Maple Grove, EJ James and New Central will remain open.
Facts:
Interested in knowing exactly where your child will be attending? Click on this link to see the proposed school boundary maps for the area. Note that the Halton Board has a tendency to change boundaries based on enrolment projections so the boundaries may change between now and September 2010.
If you have questions about this or any other topic related to Oakville real estate, please contact me at 905.338.9000, lindsay@remaxaboutowne.com or visit my website at www.lindsaywalls.com.
Regards,
Peter Gilgan, the owner of Mattamy Homes here in Oakville recently sent out an email regarding his company’s North Oakville development plans. For those of you who don’t know, Mattamy is the largest land owner in the yet to be developed area of North Oakville (North of Dundas Street).
At the heart of the email is Mattamy’s concern over a proposed increase in new development taxes. When a new home is built, the developer has to pay a development charge to both the region and local government in exchange for certain developmental services such as roads and utilities, park development, fire and rescue services, additional library and recreational services, etc. Ultimately, these development charges are passed down to new home buyers as reflected in the purchase price of their home.
Oakville’s current development tax is already significantly higher than other surrounding communities (see figures below). On July 15th, Halton Regional Council is voting on a proposal to raise the development charges by $8,000 per lot to $55,200. To exacerbate the issue, a further $9,000 charge is being contemplated by Oakville Town Council, bringing the potential charge for a small detached lot in Oakville to $64,200.
Current Development Charges for small detached or semi-detached lots:
Oakville $47,200*
Mississauga $32,100
Aurora $37,100
Pickering $29,800
* Oakville’s current development charges are roughly 47% higher than Mississauga, 27% higher than Aurora and 58% higher than Pickering. The proposed increases to $55,200 and $64,200 will respectively bring charges in Oakville a whopping 72%-100% higher than our neighbours in Mississauga.
To be fair, I would expect Oakville to charge higher than average development costs as it also provides its residents with great services and a great community. Charges in excess of 50-100% do however make me question exactly how this money is being spent. I question whether or not the developers and new buyers are being forced to take the hit for shortfalls in government money no longer being passed down from the federal and provincial levels.
Development conversations have been going on for six long years now. Like many people, I am excited by the North Oakville development plan and am looking forward to see it move forward. Recent arguments over government funding and now development charges are however making me wonder if the benefits of careful planning are being outweighed by the costs of inertia. The longer these developments are delayed, the higher the cost of development to potential buyers. There have been 6 years of consideration given to understanding the effects of new development on the Town of Oakville. The question I want to know is whether or not anyone has considered the effects of NOT developing. Improvement of town services through an increased tax base being just one positive impact of new development.
We all want a great place to live but at some point, we have to stop the roadblocks and find a way to let development move forward. In my mind, squeezing the developers and in turn, squeezing the pockets of new residents is not a great approach. If you have thoughts on the matter, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me at 905.338.9000, lindsay@remaxaboutowne.com or visit my website at www.lindsaywalls.com.
Regards,
I had an epiphany a few days ago – in a car dealership of all places. My sister was looking for a new car and had asked me to come along with her to negotiate with the sale rep she met a few days earlier.
To protect the guilty, I will not mention the name of the dealership we went to however we were greeted with a warm welcome and immediately ushered into the salesperson’s office where things quickly fell apart. While the salesperson was very much interested in getting to figures, my sister was still trying to figure out if she liked the dealer’s cars and if so, which model to choose. I started asking some questions thinking that this would help her reach a decision. Questions along the lines of fuel efficiency, safety features, maintaining warranty protection, pricing structures – you get the picture. Apparently this was the wrong thing to do. The salesperson was convinced that a certain model was best suited for my sister and seemed offended that she would even have questions, questions that he wasn’t able to answer. The longer we sat there, the more he pushed; the more he pushed the less we listened. Perhaps it was just coincidence that there was an abundance of stock on the model he wanted her to buy; perhaps there really was a computer crash that prevented him from answering our questions but something in my gut (and my sister’s) just wasn’t buying it.
Much like car salespeople, realtors often get a bad rap for being pushy, uninformed, lazy, you name it. Let me be very clear though that my opinion of salespeople is not a negative one. I’ve come to appreciate the difficulty of sales roles and have had the privilege to work with some amazing people along the way. However, sitting across from this particular salesperson I was just a mad and frustrated consumer. I couldn’t figure out why this person was unwilling and/or unable to answer our questions. To make matters worse, I got the distinct feeling that he was trying to push something on my sister because it suited him with complete disregard for her needs and wants.
Reflecting on this experience, it occurred to me that there is a HUGE difference in how salespeople approach their roles. The salespeople I want to deal with are patient, knowledgeable, and listen to the needs and wants of their clients. Much like an educator, they equip me with the knowledge I need to make an informed decision. Conversely, there are those salespeople that come across as pushy, intimidating and self-serving. They are the people I like to think of as skilled at the hard sell.
The next time you meet a salesperson, ask yourself if they are trying to “SELL” you or if they are trying to “EDUCATE” you. You know yourself better than anyone else, including the salesperson you work with. A good salesperson knows this and works hard to give you the information you need to be comfortable making a decision for yourself. Next time you find yourself in a car dealership (or real estate office), look for the signs of a true educator and hang on tight when you do!
AS AN ASIDE: I walked into another dealership two days after the first salesperson debacle and had ALL my questions answered by a simply FANTASTIC sales person. My sister went back a day later armed with all the information she needed to make an informed decision and is now thrilled with her brand new car.
If you are looking for a non-slimy salesperson, I would love to hear from you! I can be reached at 905.338.9000 or lindsay@remaxaboutowne.com. Check out www.lindsaywalls.com for further information and opinions on the Oakville real estate market.
Regards,
Lindsay
Here is a dirty little secret about the real estate industry. To be successful, agents have not 1 but 2 jobs. One job is to HELP PEOPLE BUY/SELL REAL ESTATE. This is the obvious one. What most people don’t realize is that this is really an agent’s second job. Our first and more difficult job is TO SELL OURSELVES. Think about it this way - if I can’t sell myself than I will never have any clients and no clients = no pay check. I love what I do but I can’t afford to work for free. While I am happy to provide people with information, the expectation is that by doing so you may one day turn into a client. My job is then and only then to provide you with services you require to buy or sell your home (job #2).
So why am I telling you all this? I think if I’m being honest, I would urge you to distinguish between a realtor’s two jobs. Ask yourself if having a realtor with glossy magazine ads, dozens of listings, and a fancy website helps sell YOUR HOME or helps sell THEM. Make no mistake about it, I’m not at all suggesting that realtors with big ad budgets aren’t effective at what they do but I don’t think that this alone makes for an effective realtor. Finding prospective clients is hard work and the giant advertising budgets used by many realtors helps them sell themselves to you. I used to work for a global consumer goods company. My job was to manage a cross functional team of people in launching new products into the marketplace. You could say that I know a thing or two about effective sales and marketing. What I learned from the experience is that successful businesses understand that no one function can work independently of another. In order to be successful all aspects of their business need to come together and be executed with brilliance.
When you are looking for a realtor I think you need to look for someone who demonstrates that they understand all aspects of the home buying and selling process and aren’t just effective at producing impressive ad campaigns. A glossy magazine spread is not going to sell your home alone but a home that is staged properly, priced fairly and promoted effectively will sell. When you pay a realtor for their services, you should be paying them for their knowledge, not just their ad budget. Effective advertising is after all only one component of a successful real estate transaction.
With all this said, this is my non-glossy, un-savvy list of criteria I would look for in an agent. Note that many of these items are of the non-advertising type...
- Understands the area where I am buying/selling and the types of properties I am looking at (townhomes, luxury properties, new home sales, etc)
- Is willing to dedicate the necessary time and service I require to buy/sell. Someone who will accommodate my schedule and need for information and someone who demonstrates patience throughout the sales process
- Will conduct in depth market analysis to understand the value of the property or properties I am looking to buy/sell AND is able and willing to explain their logic to me in depth if desired
- Is able to answer my questions and perhaps most importantly find the answers to the questions he/she does is not able to immediately answer
- Someone who respects my privacy and does not disclose information to other agents and potential buyers/sellers unless agreed to
- Someone who is a smart negotiator and explains their negotiating logic to me prior to entering any deals. A person who is able to guide me fully throughout the process but does not push me into making a decision
- Can provide me with recommendations for related experts such as mortgage consultants, lawyers, house inspectors, insurance agents, etc but does not push any one specifically on me
- Someone that I like to work with. If I am going to be spending so much time with my realtor, I want someone I actually like being around
My philosophy is pretty simple. I try to provide the kind of service to my clients that I would want to receive. My approach may not be for everyone and that is okay. I encourage all home sellers and buyers to find the person that most closely fits their needs. There are lots of great realtors out there that really do want to look out for your best interests; all it takes is a bit of research to find them. All the best to you in your home buying and selling endeavours! If you would like further information on the Oakville area or my services, please contact me at 905.338.9000 or email me at lindsay@remaxaboutowne.com
Regards,
Lindsay
If you have driven through Southeast Oakville at all in the past year, you have probably noticed the “SOS - Save our Schools” signs scattered across residents’ front lawns. While the slogan has a clever ring to it, the issue of Southeast Oakville public schools is a serious one for the Halton School Board and local residents alike. At the heart of the debate is the impact that proposed school closures and boundary changes will have on local students.
The Halton District School Board has been listening to residents’ concerns and recently released a multi-page letter to educate impacted homeowners, solicit feedback and ultimately bring progress to the school system. Clearly this is an issue affecting all existing residents as well as home buyers thinking of moving to the area. In an effort to clarify the situation to potential buyers, I have summarized the proposed changes below.
The expected school boundary changes affect all 7 existing public elementary schools in Southeast Oakville as well as 1 new public school which is planned to be opened in September 2010. Existing schools include Chisholm, New Central, Brantwood, Linbrook, Maple Grove, New Central, and E.J. James. The new school is proposed to be called Clearview public school.
From the school board’s perspective, changes are required to accomplish the following:
Many options have been proposed but there are 6 that have been shortlisted with the hopes that one will become final. In each option below, the schools not named are being slated for closure.
Option A1
Clearview – English & French – JK-8
New Central – English and French – JK-8
Maple Grove – English – JK-8
Option A2
Clearview – English & French – JK-8
Linbrook – English & French – JK-8
Maple Grove – English – JK-8
Option B1
Clearview – English – JK-8
EJ James – English – JK-8
Maple Grove – French – 1-8
Option B2
Clearview – English – JK-8
Maple Grove – English – JK-8
EJ James – French 1-8
Option C1
Clearview – English and French – JK-8
Maple Grove – English – JK-8
New Central – English – JK-8
EJ James – French 1-8
Option C2
Clearview – English and French – JK-8
Maple Grove – English – JK-8
Linbrook – English – JK-8
EJ James – French – 1-8
Note that these are the 6 options currently under review. The final decision could be one of these options or a variation thereof. If you are looking to buy in Southeast Oakville and planning to send your children to public school it is important to understand that the options mentioned above are currently undergoing what the board describes as a “consultation process”. Over the next couple months, the board has asked local residents to complete a survey indicating their preferred schooling option. They are also conducting a series of focus groups to collect input from the public. The board is saying that a decision will be made by June 2009 and implemented September 2010.
As someone who grew up in the area and attended 3 of the schools currently under review I have a few thoughts on the matter. The first is that all of these schools represent excellent education choices. Picking between Maple Grove versus Chisholm versus Linbrook is like picking between three different 5 star resorts. It’s a difficult decision to make especially when your personal preference likely hinges on how the changes affect your child personally. I applaud the communication underway between the school board and local residents, however hard it may be. It shows that Oakville is a caring community that is willing to get involved to ensure that the decisions affecting it are for the greatest good. Ultimately, I believe that the proposed changes represent a huge opportunity to improve the already great quality of education in the area. Fewer schools reduces complexity within the school system and ultimately frees up resources that when re-distributed effectively, can be used to improve the quality of education for local school children.
For further information on changes affecting Southeast Oakville public schools, please visit the Halton district school board at www.hdsb.ca and click on the link titled “Ward 3 Community Consultation”. To speak further about this or other issues concerning Oakville, please send me an email at lindsay@remaxaboutowne.com or call me at 905.338.9000. I am always happy to talk about issues affecting the community.
Regards,
Lindsay
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