Real Estate
Real Estate
Advice with
Advice with
Joe Mancuso
Joe Mancuso
For many people, trying to pick the right
agent to market your property can be very
difficult.
Like any relationship, here are a few basic
factors to consider:
1. Recommendations are a great source
of information but they really are just one
piece of the puzzle. They should be taken
with a grain of salt.
2. Clarity revolves around an open and
honest meeting of the minds between you
and your representative as they clearly set
out what will be done as well as what can
and should be disclosed. Setting parameters
and duties helps to ensure a smoother
relationship through what can sometimes be
a challenging process.
3. Rapport with your chosen representative
is as important in this relationship as in
any other and should be developed with
the same amount of care. The length of
time on the market varies widely across
the country from literally a few days in a
preferred Toronto pocket to what could
be several months in a more rural area or
cottage country. You may potentially be in
this relationship for a while and the easier
your communication, the better you will
be able to respond to market challenges as
they arise.
4. The busiest agent on the street may
simply be really good at being the
traditional choice. You may not have the
same motivations as your neighbors and
your home may not be identical to others
on the street. A fresh set of eyes may help
market your home and differentiate it from
the rest. A new representative may be able
to spend more time and effort promoting
your home’s unique qualities. A one size fits
all solution may not be the best fit and you
may find that trying a different agent and
shaking up the status quo is a good thing!
- Text by Joe Mancuso
Kim, Fix My House!
I’m a tech junkie and I would love to know if there are new
products that I can use in my kitchen.
Now that technology has succeeded in
invading our bedrooms and living rooms, the
next space for radical advances is the kitchen.
Despite the pervasive French farmhouseinspired kitchen, new machines are set
to take over not just the space in which
we cook but how we actually cook. The
possibilities are endless and there are a new
breed of appliances that will one day be just
as commonplace as the microwave.
The home of the future is definitely here
today and that home comes equipped
with devices that are Wi-Fi enabled with
companion apps that make it possible to
“cook” remotely. Though many of the newest
options are still in the testing phase, others
have already entered the marketplace and
will be readily available in the near future.
Some are highly engineered, one touch
appliances while others are virtual teachers,
encouraging us back into the kitchen with
their technological prowess.
MR. ROBOT - SAMSUNG’S SMART
FRIDGE
If you think your fridge is only a glorified
unit for storing fresh food, think again!
Samsung’s smart fridge comes equipped
with a Wi-Fi enabled LCD screen built into
the door which enables you to watch TV,
pull up recipes or answer calls. Flexible and
convenient, the newest model also comes
with counter height drawers with adjustable
temperatures and holds up to 28 cubic feet.
CAFE CHEZ NOUS - GE CAFE SERIES
FRENCH DOOR WITH KEURIG
BREWING SYSTEM
No need to head out the door for your
afternoon pick-me-up. GE’s latest addition
boasts a Keurig K-cup brewing system that
can brew both coffee and tea. With a hot
water dispenser that allows you to choose
your own temperature from one of four
pre-programmed settings, hot drink and
food preparation is a breeze. In addition,
this refrigerator also features advanced
water filtration and a full width electronic
temperature controlled drawer with colored
LED lights just in case a midnight snack is in
your future.
Photo by Stephani Buchman
.
FAST TIMES FOR A SLOW COOKER WEMO SLOW COOKER
Despite food bloggers raving over slow
cookers, they are still a challenge for those
who spend the majority of their day away
from home. Predicting the time dinner
needs to be ready first thing in a blearyeyed morning can add undue stress to the
whole endeavor. Enter the free WeMo app
and your dinnertime will be changed for
good. You can control this slow cooker from
your smart-phone to adjust cook settings
anytime, from anywhere. Leaving the office?
Simply shift from warm to high on the app to
ensure that your dinner is ready and waiting
the moment you walk in the door. There
are even recipes included with the cooker
to add to your repertoire of slow cooked
meals. Granny never had it this good!
BLEND CITY - THE BLENDTEC
DESIGNER SERIES
Dispose of the idea that a blender can’t be
a high tech hero. Blendtec’s latest models
offer an impressive 1700-watt motor, with
six pre-programmed options and a snazzy
touchscreen interface for the ultimate
control of all your blending needs. Beauty
and functionality come together for the
ultimate appliance that will deliver an ice
cold margarita, fluffy smoothie or even finely
ground coffee beans at the touch of the
screen. - Text by Kim Bartley