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Welcome to She Sells Ottawa, your go -to podcast for all things real estate and beyond.

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Featuring your hosts, Sonya Crites, Tamara Vallati, Cori Kugler and Tara Kugler.

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Fun fact, we're not just colleagues who work on different teams, we're amazing friends
with a passion for real estate and uplifting our local Ottawa community.

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Join us for each episode as we dive into the local market trends, share insider tips and
provide invaluable insights.

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Whether you're a seasoned investor or a first -time homebuyer, SheSells Ottawa is your one
-stop shop for useful takeaways and entertaining conversations.

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So grab your coffee and get ready to be inspired.

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Hello and welcome to She Sells Ottawa.

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Today is a Monday morning, a beautiful Monday morning at that.

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Good morning.

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It's Monday.

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Happy Monday.

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And happy morning to everyone.

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Happy Monday, ladies.

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So I'm excited about today's episode because we're going to be discussing one of our
favorite topics and it's all about home staging and why it's so important.

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We're also going to share our latest insights from this week's real estate market and
everything you're going to need to know about poly B plumbing and how it can affect your

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house sale.

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Plus, we have had the pleasure of visiting two fantastic local businesses in Stittsville,
and of course we're going to fill you in on all those details.

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So let's get ready.

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I'm your host, Tara Kugler with Right at Home Realty and one half of the Kugler team, and
I'm here with my fabulous co -hosts.

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Hi, I'm Tamara Vallati, and I'm with EXP Realty.

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And good morning, it's Sonya Crites with Ottawa Property Gals, and I'm with Right at Home
Realty.

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And hi, I'm Cori Kugler.

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I'm the other half of the Kugler team and also with Right at Home Realty.

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So good morning, ladies.

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Good morning.

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And so we've had a pretty interesting market, I think, this past week.

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How's everyone's week been?

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Well, yes, we're expecting a rate drop announcement coming July 24th.

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Hopefully we get the rate drop.

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Hopefully we're going to see anticipation to 4 .50 % as a drop rate.

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It's looking increasingly confident at this point, think.

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Just watching the news this morning and everyone seems to be forecasting now that it looks
like it's going to be a go.

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So we'll have to wait and see obviously, but it seems to be going in that direction that
we're going to get that rate drop.

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Yeah, it does look like it and I, you know, I'm predicting that it's going to happen.

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I hope we're not wrong.

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We're thinking a quarter point.

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Yeah, we're thinking a quarter point.

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All on board with that.

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So are we taking any bets this time, ladies?

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We could and I would be betting yes.

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I think we're all on the same page this time.

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Tara, what's the bet?

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Well I think we're on the same page here.

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We really want to see a rate drop happen and see what that kind of effect is going to be
on our market and we will be reporting on that on our next episode.

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Perfect.

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Well hopefully the rate drop is going to drive buyers out to our brand new listing in Half
Moon Bay which is freehold townhome and it's under $600 ,000 so it's in a good price

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range.

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So far we're not seeing a lot of showings booked, but you know we're not too concerned.

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We did have an open house.

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We hosted an open house which started kind of slowly, but we ended up with a lot of people
going through.

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Notably there were quite a few people who were looking for investment properties.

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you know, we're trying to think if this is kind of the usual slowdown in the summer or you
know or is it something else?

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I think it's probably just the July

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know, slowness of people like going out with their, you know, families and vacationing.

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The road seems so quiet right now.

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Is anybody here?

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There's no traffic.

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Ottawa, are you here right now?

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Let us know.

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And historically, as we know, July and August have always been slower months.

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So good time to buy for sure, because you're going to get some deals out there.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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So we're slow and steady right now.

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I think it's sort of the calm before the storm, especially with possible rate drops
happening.

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might,

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Enjoy the summer as we can right now because we're getting our ducks in a line and getting
ready for business and the business that's to come.

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That's for sure.

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Yeah, so ladies, what are we seeing right now?

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Are we in a buyer's market?

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Do think we're more of a seller's market?

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It feels kind of like a balanced market.

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I know the president of Oreb mentioned that it was a balanced market, Curtis Fillier.

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So what are you seeing out there?

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Yes, well, we are definitely seeing balanced to buyer's market, I feel.

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What about you ladies?

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definitely.

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We've had our buyers out looking and I find that they have a lot more available to go see,
which is nice.

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Finally, they have a lot more options.

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Yeah, we're seeing the same thing.

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There's a lot more to look at.

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So I feel that, you know, although it's technically supposed to be a balanced market, I
feel that we're sort of leaning a little bit toward a buyer's market right now.

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But with the rate drop, you know, things can change on a dime very quickly.

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Yeah, we were having that discussion where buyers

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out there, now is a particularly great time to be searching, especially because there just
seems to be a lot of inventory out there at the moment and you're really in the driver's

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seat at this point.

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So to be able to still make those concessions and have some great negotiations with
sellers and walk away with a couple of wins, I think in this market is an incredible time

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to make that decision right now.

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we see how quickly the market could shift and how that can all change and where buyers are
finding themselves again, kind of powerless in these negotiations and not being able to,

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you know, get their home inspections in and so on and so forth.

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So right now is an excellent opportunity.

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If you're a buyer and before these rate drops happen and the effects of those rate drops
kick in, you know, I would, I would make a decision.

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Yes, I agree.

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I agree to that.

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There is lot of choice and in the past we were working with buyers just to get them into
the market and then really assess their future plans.

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But now the buyers seem to be really taking their time, being more selective.

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So there's a lot left for people that want to get into the market and really be in an
opportunity to be in the driver's seat and to dictate the price because the buyers have a

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lot of opportunity now and can really negotiate these prices at this point.

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before ahead of the changes of the rate drops where we could possibly see as you said Tara
we could possibly see a real big change in the market over the night.

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happened so quickly yeah.

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But I think we're seeing some interesting stats Tara I think for in the luxury home sales
market.

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Yeah, so one trend we're noticing is the fantastic year for luxury home sales.

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So while most price points saw just a modest increase between April 2023 and April 2024,
homes in the luxury category, so the $1 million to $1 .99 million range, experienced a

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significant 8 % growth.

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So that just shows a growing confidence in the market among high -end buyers and sellers.

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And I just thought that was quite interesting.

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Yes, I think that's really interesting.

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We don't see a lot of growth in the lower and the entry level market, but we're seeing all
these luxury properties over a million dollars.

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The motivation of these buyers is completely different and they're very smart to be buying
in this in this time because the home prices they were waiting for them to come down while

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they've come down significantly.

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And it's just a win win situation for them.

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So we're seeing that in our stats as well.

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We're also seeing we're seeing people, buyers from

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other parts of the country.

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Because our prices are still more reasonable here in Ottawa, so we're seeing that affect
the luxury market as well.

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A lot of influx of Toronto buyers, right?

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We're coming in from all over the world.

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We still have that foreign tax, which is kind of keeping, I think, some investments from
foreign buyers at bay.

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I'm not all of them, I'm sure, but definitely the Toronto, the value here in Ottawa still
is so fantastic.

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They're amazed.

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They're amazed by the pricing that they can get here.

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So it's interesting to see that kind of higher end market explosion in Ottawa right now,
when typically we've seen, you know, that kind of activity on the mid -range here.

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So it's always interesting to see that.

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So high -end explosive markets happening.

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Sonya, I think we have a high -end news flash happening.

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Yeah, so we have a news flash bringing these very important findings to you Ottawa folks.

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So we've had some very happy buyers that purchased this past week.

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so of course, with those buys, we've been able to do home inspections.

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And then one particular home inspection came up with Poly B plumbing.

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And we have encountered this before but you know have to say it's it's been killing some
deals actually and there are some buyers walking away from this Because it's you know, it

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just scares them a little bit they're being told that they can't get insurance and they
You know are being told that they have to completely Redo their plumbing so it's coming

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tons.

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Have you ladies come across any?

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Yes, one of our just very recent listings had it also so it's quite common.

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I think in construction between 1978 and 1995 I believe, is that correct?

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That sounds about right.

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Yeah so if you have a home that's built in that time period you may want to check to see
what you have because most people weren't even aware of it.

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I'm being told

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The majority of people that have it in their home have no idea.

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But basically over time, know, the chlorine breaks down these pipes and it becomes, weak
and prone to leaking.

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So it caused some lawsuits actually, mainly in the U .S.

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So now insurance companies are taking a second look.

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And also the fact that there's only about a 20 year lifespan on these, that insurance
companies are just saying, you know what, we're not dealing with

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You just can't get insurance.

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So, you know, how can you tell if you have poly B plumbing?

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Well, you look for white plastic pipes in your plumbing system.

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So they might have metal copper fittings.

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You could just have partial poly B in your home.

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However, you won't know, unfortunately, unless you open up some of the walls, right?

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So usually the easiest way to see open areas in the basement near the hot water tank or
storage utility areas.

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So you're also going to see written on the pipes, it's going to say PB 2110 or something
similar to that, but it does say PB.

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So right now they've made, well, in recent years, they've come up with much better
plumbing called PEX.

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And it's very, very easy to identify because it has PEX written directly on it.

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So that's the newest type of plumbing.

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Yeah.

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And so during the home inspection, of course, we're scrambling to try and help our buyer
and solve the situation.

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So figuring out insurance and which insurance companies will actually insure her.

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So we did reach out to one of our fantastic brokers, Tracy Pettrey with Surnet, and she
worked hard on this, but she checked with over five companies, I think seven that said no.

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No to Poly B.

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And it's funny because a few months ago she was able to get insurance for another client
of ours, but now that same company has changed.

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so they are no longer for any new clients and they're including a higher premium price if
you do go with them with Poly B.

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So, thankfully we were able to come across one company, Desjardins, and secure her with a
great insurance plan.

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She was super happy and they were okay and promised that she would be grandfathered in
even if they decide to change their policy later on.

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So a happy story in the end, but she's going to have to get it replaced at some point or
another.

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Well, thank you ladies for bringing this to our attention.

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So if you have a home that was built between 1978 and 1995, you should have us in if you
don't know what you're looking for.

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Definitely contact us and we can come in and help you out and take a look at what what the
plumbing issues could possibly be.

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And do you remember back in episode six when we talked about the renter scams?

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Yes, that's terrible.

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And we also mentioned how you should be working with a realtor to protect yourself but
also protect your deposit.

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And interestingly enough, with a little creativity and a few Hail Marys, realtors do make
dreams come true.

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Sure do.

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Case in point, this is a story from the last episode where we were working with a two day
offer

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help out this really great woman and her kids going through a divorce situation.

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Their lives were being held up by a separation agreement and the plan was to buy
eventually but for now they were searching for a rental that could work for them.

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But they really were not liking the fact that they were moving and then they were in a
temporary space and then they had to move again.

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So we did find a perfect rental for them.

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And this rental actually ended up being for sale as well.

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Yes, I remember you talking about that last week.

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So how did it end?

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How did it end?

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So when we went through the home, not just the this woman, but the kids were so in love
with this home.

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And I was looking at the home thinking this could be their forever home.

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So I took a few days and put together a couple of an agreement.

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So I did an agreement for lease as well as an agreement of purchase and sale.

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They were

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very crafty and very creative and they got accepted.

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Wow, that's amazing.

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So amazing.

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They lease it first for how long and then purchase.

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Yes, so we were able to lease it and we could move up the closing date if the separation
agreement came in sooner.

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So this little family is now moving to their frontal space that is going to turn into
their forever home and not have to move again.

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avoiding the two move thing

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You know, especially with children.

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mean, that's creative.

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That's amazing.

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it's amazing.

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I'm was accepted.

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a sale at today's price.

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that true?

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Yeah, possibly with lower rates that are coming up.

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yeah, was this win -win.

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This kept getting more incredible as it moved on, but really to be able to tell those kids
that they're not moving again, that was...

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I love this story.

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that's a great, good story.

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Good things that we do that we just love.

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And why people need us.

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Exactly.

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And we come across so many people that are going through that separation agreement and are
in that kind of limbo mode.

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So I think that's fantastic.

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Yes.

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So regardless of what the market is saying, if you're selling your home, you'll want to
increase its potential.

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And the best way to showcase your home is by having it staged.

214
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So home staging is not just home decorating or interior designing where the homeowner
hires a designer to create a space that suits their personality and style.

215
00:17:55,258 --> 00:18:05,382
Home staging is when you're selling, it's so important because it allows visitors viewing
the home to imagine themselves living there in that space.

216
00:18:05,382 --> 00:18:14,830
So home staging is about decluttering first and first and foremost, but then really
depersonalizing it,

217
00:18:14,830 --> 00:18:26,390
And then recreating and inviting neutral palette, really showing off the lifestyle and
adding interesting touches that really translates well for the photos that we use to

218
00:18:26,390 --> 00:18:27,670
market the home.

219
00:18:28,010 --> 00:18:34,850
Yeah, so the statistics say that home staging increased the value of a home by about 15 to
20 percent.

220
00:18:34,850 --> 00:18:35,850
Can you imagine?

221
00:18:35,850 --> 00:18:42,518
That's according to the NAR, the National Association of Realtors, which is American.

222
00:18:42,518 --> 00:18:52,942
So basically in staging your goal is to minimize the negative things and to accentuate the
positives in order to make the very best impression right?

223
00:18:52,942 --> 00:18:59,324
So staging is an investment that helps maximize the rate of return on the sale of your
property.

224
00:18:59,324 --> 00:19:01,224
And here's the really interesting thing.

225
00:19:01,224 --> 00:19:05,776
It usually costs way less to stage a home than your first price reduction.

226
00:19:05,776 --> 00:19:07,118
Does that make sense?

227
00:19:07,118 --> 00:19:09,178
Absolutely, does to us.

228
00:19:09,578 --> 00:19:10,458
exactly.

229
00:19:10,458 --> 00:19:18,838
Staging helps sell homes anywhere, get this, from three to 30 times faster than the non
-staged competition.

230
00:19:18,938 --> 00:19:19,478
we believe it.

231
00:19:19,478 --> 00:19:22,398
I mean, I definitely trust that stat because we've seen it before, right?

232
00:19:22,398 --> 00:19:24,998
It's just mind -blowing to see those numbers though.

233
00:19:25,538 --> 00:19:26,258
It's insane.

234
00:20:01,661 --> 00:20:09,353
Yeah, so there's several different options when we talk about staging that we discuss at
the listing appointment and then follow up with a staging consultation.

235
00:20:09,353 --> 00:20:12,504
So I guess one thing to note is that not all agents do this.

236
00:20:12,504 --> 00:20:15,075
So you should always have that conversation.

237
00:20:15,075 --> 00:20:18,796
We here on the podcast are happy to say that we do this for our clients.

238
00:20:18,796 --> 00:20:23,237
So we customize the experience according to the particular home and lifestyle.

239
00:20:23,237 --> 00:20:30,877
Yes, and there's many different types of staging that we go over on the listing and the
follow -up consultation.

240
00:20:30,877 --> 00:20:39,312
And so we were really talking about the difference between a soft stage, a light stage, a
full staging and then virtual staging.

241
00:20:39,373 --> 00:20:46,678
So the light and the soft staging are going in and it's a form of staging with soft
staging, we staging vacant homes.

242
00:20:46,678 --> 00:20:48,089
There's no furniture brought in.

243
00:20:48,089 --> 00:20:57,946
So these are touches of green of artwork towels and soaps, just to sort of give it a
little bit of a backsplash and create a little bit of a more warmth moving into a

244
00:20:57,946 --> 00:21:00,167
completely vacant home.

245
00:21:00,613 --> 00:21:13,269
Light staging is used when the sellers have furniture in the home and we're lightly
staging additional items like smaller furniture, coffee tables, side tables, patio

246
00:21:13,269 --> 00:21:23,914
furniture if needed, rugs and artwork, doing a little bit more than the soft staging
because we have tables to take into consideration and beds to make.

247
00:21:23,914 --> 00:21:26,791
So that is covered in the light staging.

248
00:21:26,791 --> 00:21:37,081
Yeah, and can I just add that I know we all do light or soft staging, but what's
everyone's favorite piece that you like to bring in to all of your staging?

249
00:21:37,081 --> 00:21:40,294
That's a great question.

250
00:21:40,294 --> 00:21:42,826
have a good luck painting.

251
00:21:42,826 --> 00:21:46,269
Yes, and I always hope it's available for all of our listings.

252
00:21:46,269 --> 00:21:49,102
It's well, it's kind of like a deer head anyway.

253
00:21:49,102 --> 00:21:52,775
If you see it hanging in our listings, that's my good luck.

254
00:21:52,775 --> 00:21:56,867
Charm it is and if we don't use it, it's like my god, we have to put this up

255
00:22:07,688 --> 00:22:10,521
I love that and I bring in a tray.

256
00:22:10,521 --> 00:22:19,622
It's a really oversized decorator tray and you can put a nice vignette on it, stage it
with some books and vases and candles and that can go on a bed.

257
00:22:19,622 --> 00:22:24,277
It can go on a side table, it goes on a coffee table, it goes on a main table.

258
00:22:24,277 --> 00:22:28,914
It seems to go everywhere I go.

259
00:22:28,914 --> 00:22:37,260
What we tend to do sometimes is if there's a vacant spare room or a part in the basement,
we have one of those kids' teepee play tents.

260
00:22:37,260 --> 00:22:37,800
Very cute.

261
00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:38,711
And it's so cute.

262
00:22:38,711 --> 00:22:43,484
And then we have a little fluffy mat that goes in front and some pillows in it and some
books.

263
00:22:43,484 --> 00:22:50,349
I find it just kind of brings out the space and you can envision, you know, a little
child's area there.

264
00:22:50,349 --> 00:22:51,270
That's awesome.

265
00:22:51,270 --> 00:22:53,081
Kids are falling in love with that space.

266
00:22:53,081 --> 00:22:55,323
Yeah, they want to play there.

267
00:23:02,936 --> 00:23:05,918
Okay, and now let's talk about full staging.

268
00:23:05,918 --> 00:23:16,723
full staging usually involves fully staging with furniture and usually a minimum amount
of, you know, the living space, the dining, kitchen, primary bedroom areas.

269
00:23:16,723 --> 00:23:18,594
So who do we usually recommend this to?

270
00:23:18,594 --> 00:23:26,628
Well, if we come upon a home that's vacant or if our sellers are planning to remove or
store some of their furniture and they need those extra pieces

271
00:23:27,004 --> 00:23:36,264
Full staged homes can run anywhere between $1200 to up to $10 ,000 depending on the amount
of furniture and accessories that need to be brought in.

272
00:23:36,304 --> 00:23:38,484
And it's usually, you know, who pays for this?

273
00:23:38,484 --> 00:23:45,824
Well, it's agreed upon between the seller and agent and it's usually reflected in the
level of services that they choose.

274
00:23:46,044 --> 00:23:54,524
We've all offered this and one home in particular that we listed, Beautiful Bungalow, the
sellers had completely renovated the entire home.

275
00:23:54,556 --> 00:23:56,236
And it was vacant.

276
00:23:56,236 --> 00:24:03,656
we, you know, then it was fully staged and it completely elevated it to showcase its
incredible new features even more.

277
00:24:03,656 --> 00:24:06,056
So it really added value to the home.

278
00:24:06,436 --> 00:24:12,976
So, you know, the hope is, you know, you could sell more quickly, of course, with a staged
home and it's just so well worth it.

279
00:24:12,976 --> 00:24:13,696
Right, ladies?

280
00:24:13,696 --> 00:24:16,696
Like you just, you do get that back 100%.

281
00:24:16,696 --> 00:24:17,396
You do.

282
00:24:17,396 --> 00:24:19,056
And then some usually.

283
00:24:19,908 --> 00:24:20,848
So well worth it.

284
00:24:20,848 --> 00:24:22,809
And then there other great options.

285
00:24:22,809 --> 00:24:25,590
You sometimes we can rent some of the furniture ourselves.

286
00:24:25,590 --> 00:24:28,471
So there are rental companies such as Get Refurnished.

287
00:24:28,471 --> 00:24:30,352
We've often used them.

288
00:24:30,352 --> 00:24:31,672
And Nationals and other.

289
00:24:31,672 --> 00:24:37,494
And then another decor store designers are now starting to offer their furniture and
services.

290
00:24:37,494 --> 00:24:42,305
One store is Showroom Furniture plus Lighting, which we'll be talking about soon.

291
00:24:42,305 --> 00:24:45,056
I think it's already out.

292
00:24:45,056 --> 00:24:51,661
And so yeah, really just full of staging really offers the biggest impact, creates a
welcoming and appealing atmosphere.

293
00:24:51,661 --> 00:24:54,293
It helps potential buyers imagine themselves living there.

294
00:24:54,293 --> 00:24:59,937
And you know, just it's such a significant difference on how buyers perceive the space.

295
00:24:59,937 --> 00:25:07,572
Because I find a lot of them are just not very good at imagining what could be put in that
that room, right?

296
00:25:07,572 --> 00:25:13,626
It always makes a difference when you're walking into a property to have them.

297
00:25:13,626 --> 00:25:15,317
furniture there so you can envision.

298
00:25:15,317 --> 00:25:18,468
Yeah, buyers, you can see they engage right away.

299
00:25:18,468 --> 00:25:20,519
And buyers agents are like, thank you.

300
00:25:20,519 --> 00:25:25,501
It helps your buyers envision and it just it the whole process.

301
00:25:25,501 --> 00:25:31,503
really just, yes, you can see the home for what it is and not look at all the personal
items.

302
00:25:31,503 --> 00:25:35,465
People tend to focus on that those things, personal pictures and so on.

303
00:25:35,465 --> 00:25:42,088
So having a freshly staged home where everything's in the right place is just helpful to
all parties, I think.

304
00:25:42,088 --> 00:25:42,388
Yeah.

305
00:25:42,388 --> 00:25:43,368
Yeah.

306
00:25:43,388 --> 00:25:46,748
We could also talk about virtual staging.

307
00:25:46,748 --> 00:25:53,588
So virtual staging is, if you don't have a big budget, virtual staging is quite
economical.

308
00:25:53,588 --> 00:25:59,467
I think it's about the people, the person that we use, think it's $35 a frame, so per
picture.

309
00:25:59,467 --> 00:26:09,708
And we want to focus again on areas, the primary areas of the home, like the living room,
dining room, kitchen, family room, primary bedroom.

310
00:26:09,748 --> 00:26:10,688
So

311
00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:15,123
typically have five to six pictures that we get virtually staged.

312
00:26:15,123 --> 00:26:24,850
So what I've heard about, if you just do virtual staging is that yes, it will attract
buyers to actually book a showing to come see your listing.

313
00:26:24,850 --> 00:26:29,774
But when the buyers actually walk in the door, they feel a little bit of a letdown.

314
00:26:29,774 --> 00:26:33,376
It's just, it's, it's, it's dead cold, right?

315
00:26:33,376 --> 00:26:35,458
It's just really, really cold.

316
00:26:35,458 --> 00:26:38,786
So we find combining the virtual staging

317
00:26:38,786 --> 00:26:42,530
along with soft staging really really helps.

318
00:26:42,530 --> 00:26:54,052
So the soft staging, so it's still an empty house but we put those little cute vignettes
out you know the greenery, artwork, know little areas, towels in the bathroom, hand soaps,

319
00:26:54,052 --> 00:26:59,728
so people walk in and they're not walking into completely cold space it is a little bit
warmer.

320
00:26:59,728 --> 00:27:02,300
Yeah very true.

321
00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:07,211
We use box brownies sometimes, so that's a great company as well and we do it ourselves.

322
00:27:07,211 --> 00:27:10,182
But I love that your photographer does that.

323
00:27:10,182 --> 00:27:13,603
And I love sharing all the ideas that we do when we see each other's homes.

324
00:27:13,603 --> 00:27:16,764
We're great at that.

325
00:27:16,764 --> 00:27:31,140
The other thing I wanted to mention also is if you have people that have animals like
dogs, cats, or even like toddlers, it's really hard to fully stage a home because

326
00:27:31,140 --> 00:27:32,931
you know, there's animals running around.

327
00:27:32,931 --> 00:27:33,562
still living in it.

328
00:27:33,562 --> 00:27:34,513
Exactly.

329
00:27:34,513 --> 00:27:36,684
And you know, it's just unrealistic.

330
00:27:36,684 --> 00:27:42,549
So sometimes virtual staging is something that you have to do only because of lifestyle.

331
00:27:42,549 --> 00:27:47,913
And sometimes the best you can do is just a really good declutter and a really good clean
and so on.

332
00:27:47,913 --> 00:27:51,216
But yeah, the staging really does make a difference.

333
00:27:51,216 --> 00:27:57,168
Speaking of that, we had a listing in Barhaven and it was, so it was

334
00:27:57,168 --> 00:28:05,653
typical three -story townhouse and we had our model was a mill unit and there was an end
unit that went up for sale as well.

335
00:28:05,653 --> 00:28:16,358
So the end unit had, well it was an end unit so it gives a little bit more value there as
well it had granite countertops but it wasn't particularly staged.

336
00:28:16,358 --> 00:28:18,009
then we - staged at all actually.

337
00:28:18,009 --> 00:28:20,521
Okay, fair enough, it wasn't that staged.

338
00:28:20,521 --> 00:28:27,428
And the model we had was an interior unit.

339
00:28:27,428 --> 00:28:31,181
didn't have granite countertops, but we staged the heck out of it.

340
00:28:31,181 --> 00:28:31,852
yes, we did.

341
00:28:31,852 --> 00:28:32,252
Right?

342
00:28:32,252 --> 00:28:45,343
So when it came to the offers being presented, the home, the end unit that actually had
concrete upgrades actually worth more because it was an end unit, received less money than

343
00:28:45,343 --> 00:28:54,100
what we got for our interior unit, townhome, because of the photography, because of the
staging, because of the feeling that people had when they walked through the door and

344
00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:56,284
seeing themselves, envisioning themselves there.

345
00:28:56,284 --> 00:28:59,644
proves how staging actually does work.

346
00:28:59,644 --> 00:29:03,084
Yeah, and there was a million showings on that particular property.

347
00:29:03,084 --> 00:29:06,304
We had so many people come through it and so many offers.

348
00:29:06,304 --> 00:29:06,984
Yeah.

349
00:29:06,984 --> 00:29:10,764
Yeah, so it went like, I think it was almost 50 ,000 over.

350
00:29:10,764 --> 00:29:11,464
Yeah, that's great.

351
00:29:11,464 --> 00:29:13,504
Staging absolutely does work.

352
00:29:13,504 --> 00:29:14,964
We swear by the value.

353
00:29:15,404 --> 00:29:23,644
yeah, so we really can't mention staging and creative style, stylistic living spaces
without mentioning

354
00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:28,704
these two incredible women that we finally had the opportunity to meet this week.

355
00:29:28,704 --> 00:29:37,672
Jennifer Miller and Jill Bonk are the co -owners of the new showroom furniture and
lighting store that opened up in Stittsville this past April 9th.

356
00:29:37,672 --> 00:29:39,023
Yeah, hi Jill.

357
00:29:39,023 --> 00:29:41,675
Hi Jill and Jen.

358
00:29:41,675 --> 00:29:47,460
Jill was a stager before Hockey Wife and Jen was a designer before teaming up together.

359
00:29:47,470 --> 00:29:51,203
We wished we could have chatted much longer when we were there this week.

360
00:29:51,203 --> 00:29:54,116
We sort of pulled out our laptops and all felt comfortable.

361
00:29:54,116 --> 00:29:55,486
We didn't want to leave.

362
00:29:55,486 --> 00:29:57,449
It was such a great space to work in.

363
00:29:57,449 --> 00:29:58,550
Yes.

364
00:29:58,550 --> 00:30:01,922
So they, so this is a great space to go and visit as well.

365
00:30:01,922 --> 00:30:05,015
The showroom is incredible.

366
00:30:05,015 --> 00:30:12,722
It was just like walking through a style wonderland and the, this showroom changes
quarterly.

367
00:30:12,722 --> 00:30:15,638
So it's something to pop in often.

368
00:30:15,638 --> 00:30:23,395
And any any unsold furniture they have will be available for rent for staging.

369
00:30:23,395 --> 00:30:28,659
So this was a great contact that we were able to make.

370
00:30:28,659 --> 00:30:33,183
Walking through this showroom really, it was like walking through a style and design
paradise.

371
00:30:33,183 --> 00:30:34,334
It felt, yeah.

372
00:30:34,334 --> 00:30:36,976
We all wanted to buy stuff.

373
00:30:36,976 --> 00:30:38,832
Or just hang out there.

374
00:30:38,832 --> 00:30:40,743
Don't mind us, we'll just be here working away.

375
00:30:40,743 --> 00:30:50,060
It was like we were walking through one mood board to another mood board where you could
just pick up and put it in your own home.

376
00:30:50,060 --> 00:30:51,571
was ready to go.

377
00:30:51,571 --> 00:30:52,062
Yes.

378
00:30:52,062 --> 00:30:55,424
And it really encompassed every taste and every palette.

379
00:30:55,424 --> 00:30:57,426
It was exquisite.

380
00:30:57,426 --> 00:30:58,737
That's exactly what it is.

381
00:30:58,737 --> 00:31:00,732
And Jen and Jill

382
00:31:00,732 --> 00:31:04,912
truly incredible women with an inspiring story behind their store actually.

383
00:31:04,912 --> 00:31:07,712
So they're both friends that recently just turned 50.

384
00:31:07,712 --> 00:31:12,192
They didn't look 50 anymore, but they look amazing.

385
00:31:13,052 --> 00:31:14,472
50 is the new 35.

386
00:31:14,472 --> 00:31:21,892
And they were ready for a career change and they saw an opportunity, a chance to bring
high -end boutique furniture to Ottawa.

387
00:31:21,892 --> 00:31:29,072
So they're offering designer pieces that typically anyone would have to travel to Montreal
or Toronto to get.

388
00:31:29,144 --> 00:31:34,716
So with their backgrounds in staging and design, it's clear when you visit that they know
their stuff.

389
00:31:34,716 --> 00:31:35,066
Yes.

390
00:31:35,066 --> 00:31:35,847
Yeah.

391
00:31:35,847 --> 00:31:37,507
Thank you for bringing this forward to us.

392
00:31:37,507 --> 00:31:38,128
Yeah.

393
00:31:38,128 --> 00:31:39,398
they were busy when we were there.

394
00:31:39,398 --> 00:31:40,559
So they're very well.

395
00:31:40,559 --> 00:31:41,729
They're doing well.

396
00:31:41,729 --> 00:31:42,730
Happy to see that.

397
00:31:42,730 --> 00:31:43,450
Yeah, we are.

398
00:31:43,450 --> 00:31:43,870
Yeah.

399
00:31:43,870 --> 00:31:44,080
Yeah.

400
00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,251
It's always nice to see women in business doing very well.

401
00:31:47,251 --> 00:31:54,494
So after meeting with these lovely ladies, Jen and Jill, we asked them, where should we go
for a great coffee and a great vibe?

402
00:31:54,494 --> 00:31:59,196
And they mentioned a great little spot called Honey Coffee Bar.

403
00:31:59,196 --> 00:32:06,676
So this cute honey coffee bar is conveniently located less than a block away at 1564
Stittsville, Maine.

404
00:32:06,676 --> 00:32:13,976
And this trendy cafe boasts the cozy outdoor patio so you can sit outside, people watch,
simply enjoy the day.

405
00:32:13,976 --> 00:32:17,576
And in our case, we got our laptops out, we did some work.

406
00:32:17,956 --> 00:32:21,116
But, you know, we were in a great ambiance.

407
00:32:21,256 --> 00:32:27,836
inside the aroma, we had freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of house -made
waffles.

408
00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:32,823
press sandwiches, yummy salads and amazing looking pastries.

409
00:32:32,823 --> 00:32:42,858
And for a special treat from Thursday through Saturday, Honey Coffee Bar transforms into
an inviting evening spot where you can enjoy cocktails and snacks from their evening small

410
00:32:42,858 --> 00:32:44,349
bites menu.

411
00:32:44,349 --> 00:32:50,052
So if you're out and about in Stittsville, we highly recommend you pop in, invite us,
we're happy to go with

412
00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:56,232
Yes, and if you're driving by and you need to stop off and get something done on your
laptop, it is a great place.

413
00:32:56,232 --> 00:32:57,802
It's true.

414
00:32:57,802 --> 00:33:01,764
never stops when we're out and about, so we were happy to.

415
00:33:01,764 --> 00:33:06,705
Yeah, we just love stumbling across these such cute cafes everywhere.

416
00:33:06,705 --> 00:33:09,416
There's such cool places that are not just downtown.

417
00:33:09,416 --> 00:33:17,358
So the next time you're in a suburban neighborhood, just Google any local cafe or
restaurant and you'll be surprised just how many hidden gems there are to explore.

418
00:33:18,116 --> 00:33:24,969
And of course following our little break at the Honey Coffee Bar, we all went out and
looked at some real estate.

419
00:33:24,969 --> 00:33:31,622
So we looked at a listing close by that each of us actually really thought that we might
have a buyer for.

420
00:33:31,622 --> 00:33:35,133
So we all tripped over there and took a look at the listing, which was lovely.

421
00:33:35,133 --> 00:33:37,824
I personally love Stittsville.

422
00:33:37,824 --> 00:33:40,845
It's always been my, probably my favorite suburb.

423
00:33:40,845 --> 00:33:45,797
There's a vibe on Main Street, on Stittsville Main Street that is not found in other
suburbs.

424
00:33:45,797 --> 00:33:47,366
It's kind of

425
00:33:47,366 --> 00:33:50,040
homey, more trendy.

426
00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:50,961
Yeah.

427
00:33:50,961 --> 00:33:55,509
There's like, it feels like it's the soul of the community.

428
00:33:55,509 --> 00:33:56,189
So true.

429
00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,820
Yeah, Corey, it's such a positive energy on Stittsville, Maine.

430
00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:08,780
I agree.

431
00:34:08,780 --> 00:34:14,360
And speaking of positive energies, we want to get into our toast to our community.

432
00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:15,780
Yes, absolutely.

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00:34:15,780 --> 00:34:25,440
So we want to mention someone who overcame a terrible car accident in 2011 and was in a
wheelchair and he was told he may never walk.

434
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,220
Well, this incredible human decided this was not going to be the case.

435
00:34:29,220 --> 00:34:32,712
He worked hard and eventually he started to walk.

436
00:34:32,712 --> 00:34:45,455
Not only did he walk, he started to run and run and eventually overcame all the odds and
Josh Gibbons has just entered his fifth Ironman.

437
00:34:45,455 --> 00:34:46,546
Incredible.

438
00:34:46,546 --> 00:34:54,354
He did three half ones and he just signed up for his second full Ironman being hosted in
Ottawa next August.

439
00:34:54,354 --> 00:34:56,596
So this toast is for you, Josh.

440
00:34:56,596 --> 00:34:58,727
Yes, here's to Josh.

441
00:34:58,727 --> 00:35:00,248
Incredible and inspiring.

442
00:35:00,248 --> 00:35:04,360
determination and overcoming all Doesn't take no for an answer.

443
00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,491
And just pushed forward.

444
00:35:06,491 --> 00:35:07,371
We can all learn from that.

445
00:35:07,371 --> 00:35:09,592
We are all learning from And it's inspiring.

446
00:35:09,592 --> 00:35:17,386
Thank and you can definitely follow him and his incredible story on Instagram under
Wheelchair 2 Ironman and cheer him on.

447
00:35:17,386 --> 00:35:18,467
We will.

448
00:35:18,467 --> 00:35:19,167
Absolutely.

449
00:35:19,167 --> 00:35:21,620
What an inspiring story.

450
00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:31,954
If you have an inspiring story you'd like to share or local business we should know about,
please send us a message on our She Sells Ottawa Instagram and we'll bring it up on an

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00:35:31,954 --> 00:35:33,065
episode.

452
00:35:33,065 --> 00:35:35,636
Thanks you guys so much for joining us today.

453
00:35:35,636 --> 00:35:40,948
Thank you to my hosts beside us, always bringing us update, informative information.

454
00:35:40,948 --> 00:35:47,091
Be sure to catch our next episode where we'll dive into the truth behind retirement and
downsizing.

455
00:35:47,091 --> 00:35:51,062
And as always, don't forget to like, subscribe and share.

456
00:35:51,537 --> 00:35:52,559
See you next time.

457
00:35:52,559 --> 00:35:56,004
Wishing Sonya a fabulous trip to Italy this week.

458
00:35:56,004 --> 00:35:57,717
Ciao bella.

459
00:35:57,717 --> 00:35:59,450
Ciao Ciao bella.

460
00:35:59,450 --> 00:36:00,612
Have a great time.

461
00:36:00,612 --> 00:36:01,343
Thank you.

462
00:36:01,343 --> 00:36:02,315
Ciao everyone.

463
00:36:02,315 --> 00:36:03,557
See you in the next episode.

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00:36:04,368 --> 00:36:06,648
Thank you for tuning in to She Sells Ottawa.

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00:36:06,648 --> 00:36:12,888
Remember, manifesting your dream home starts with believing it's possible and taking those
steps towards making it a reality.

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00:36:12,888 --> 00:36:21,108
If you enjoyed today's show, don't forget to hit the like button, follow us for more great
content, and subscribe to stay updated with all our latest episodes.

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00:36:21,108 --> 00:36:24,736
Until next time, keep dreaming big and happy house hunting!