Month: October 2010

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Cumberland Transitway Under Review Once Again.

The City of Ottawa is reviewing alternatives as part of their Environmental Assessment for the New Cumberland Transitway, as a result of their first ‘Open House’ in June. The planning was originally initiated in 1995, and the study was completed in 2000, however a review was conducted in 2004, and now due to the initiative to integrate the transit with the Millenium Sports Park—further approval and consultation is required.

With the Millenium Park-and-ride being undertaken by the city, factors like the Trim Rd extension, the Blackburn bypass and the impending connection between Trim rd. and Frank Kenny are all being considered. (Were you aware of these factors in your neighbourhood?)

At the Public Open House in June, the alternative for the Trim –Frank Kenny connection that was chosen exhibits a balance between recreational development, considerations of area residents, the protection of a woodlot located adjacent to a proposed sports field development, as well as drainage functions. The average joe simply noticed an effort to preserve some trees – which is fine by all means.

One of the more interesting options was for a grade-separated solution VS an at-grade solution, which basically means ‘to overpass or not to overpass’. One of the conclusions from the study showed that the non-overpass solution was operationally feasible, and would not necessarily be required.

Next? Comments from the last open house are being received by the Technical and Advisory consultation groups, the preferred alternatives are scheduled to be confirmed in an impact assessment in the second open house in November 2010.
Information about the project will continue to be updated and posted on the city’s website, http://www.ottawa.ca.





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A Dollar Below Invoice!

The classic example of price VS perceived value is in the automobile business. You’ve all seen an ad from car dealers that sell “a dollar over invoice” or “at invoice” or “a dollar below invoice.” No value. Certainly no perceived value. What happens after I take ownership? How will I value from the “use” of my purchase? What kind of service can I expect?

I promise you that no one remembers the price at 7:00am when you are waiting in line at a car dealership for service, and you don’t get taken until 7:30, and the service person is somewhat rude, and they have no loaner cars so someone else has to drive there with you and take you to work, and when you get back at 5:00pm to pick up your car you wait another 20 minutes and come to find out they didn’t have the part for what was broken, and you have to come back again next week.

But you were the smartest guy in the world! You saved $100 on the car! At that moment you would have paid an extra $1000 for the car.

This was an excerpt from Jeffery Gitomer’s Little Red Book of Selling. Go to http://www.Gitomer.com for more information.

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The Excellence of Execution

No, not Bret the Hitman Heart. Unfortunately not as cool – but arguably more important 😉

The Real Estate industry is changing. Buyers are more Internet savvy than ever – finding homes on the MLS and then previewing them through virtual tours and Google Earth. Sellers have added a great marketing tool the their private efforts – the Internet posting. In an age where buyers can find their own home, and sellers can advertise their own home – where and why does a Realtor fit in?

Answer: In the transaction itself, because the actual transaction involving property for money is a complicated and important one.

The value of a Realtor is a long and complicated discussion, and I’ve had it many times, even on this blog. Of all the topics I’ve touched on such as pricing, marketing, legal, insurance, accounting, financing, negotiating, managing, and closing (to name a few – seriously), the huge bulk of those skills come into play in the transaction itself.

That being said, the Realtor of the future has to focus their efforts on becoming somewhat of a business advisor, project manager, and a transaction expert. the level of professionalism in ALL of the topics I touched on above will have to increase tremendously – you know why?

BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A HOME SEARCH OR HOME MARKETNG – regardless if I or other realtors know we can do a better job. There is a shift coming, and that is the shift of private buyer and seller empowerment – however short lived and naive as is may be in most cases.

Realtors that simply market homes or find properties for clients and STOP the hard work once the transaction starts are going to get a rude awakening. Realtors that is, that put a sign on a lawn and the net, or for buyers create a search and in both cases sit back and wait. “Oooh, you mean you can create a custom search for me?” or “Oooh, you can put up a professional listing?”. Get over yourself – cause your ‘clients’ are about to.

The deal has to be executed – and THAT is where 99% of the guts has to be for top professionals. Leave the home search and marketing efforts OUT of your value proposition, because there will soon be no perceived value there at all. Up your professionalism, get more designations, continue your education, study SERVICE – not SALES, and your business, and your future – will be bright.