For a growing number of homeowners, retirement isn’t some distant idea anymore. It’s starting to feel very real. If you’re considering retiring soon, you may want to think about your current home and how it will work for you during your retirement. You may, in fact, be thinking about downsizing to fit this new lifestyle. Why Downsize? Now’s the perfect time to reflect on what you want your life to look like in retirement. Because even though your finances will be going through a big change, you don’t necessarily want to feel like you’re living with less. Odds are, what you do want is for life to feel easier. Easier to…

Spring is one of the most active times for home sales across the Niagara Region. With buyers watching closely in communities like St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, and the surrounding areas, homeowners who prepare early are often the ones who attract the strongest interest and best results.   🧹 1. Deep Clean & Declutter First impressions matter — especially online. Declutter counters, closets, storage rooms, and garages so spaces feel larger and more functional. Deep clean everything: carpets, windows (inside/out), floors, baseboards, and light fixtures. Remove strong odors (pets, cooking, smoke); consider neutralizing rather than masking with heavy fragrances. 🛠️ 2. Tackle Repairs &…

Happy New Year! I hope 2026 is off to a wonderful start for you and your loved ones. As I look back on 2025, I feel grateful for everyone I had the privilege of helping move forward — whether buying, selling, or exploring their options. These experiences reminded me why I love what I do — helping people navigate one of the biggest investments in their lives with confidence. Looking ahead, the Niagara real estate market is showing promising signs for 2026. With steady demand and opportunities for both buyers and sellers, now is a great time to explore your options or simply get…

This October, buyers in the Niagara Region are experiencing a real advantage thanks to changing market conditions: More homes for sale than in recent years Slower home price growth, making monthly payments more manageable Less competition, so buyers do not have to rush or overbid The market is more balanced compared to 2021, creating new opportunities for today’s buyers Tracy Phelan, of RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc., has been a trusted name in Niagara real estate for over 30 years. As a Seniors Real Estate Specialist, Tracy is dedicated to providing expert guidance and personalised service for buyers and sellers across St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Thorold, and…

Are you thinking about selling your house? Some common mistakes today can make the process more stressful, more time consuming or even cost you money. Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid, as long as you know what to watch for. Let’s break down the biggest seller slip-ups, and how I can help you steer clear of them. 1. Overpricing Your House It’s completely natural to want top dollar for your house, especially if you’ve put a lot of work into it. But in today’s shifting market, pricing it too high can backfire.  *Setting your list price too high could mean your home struggles to attract buyers and…

If you want to sell your house, having the right strategies and expectations is key. But some sellers haven’t adjusted to where the market is today. They’re not factoring in that there are more homes for sale or that buyers are being more selective with their budgets. And those sellers are making some costly mistakes. Here’s a quick rundown of the 3 most common missteps sellers are making, and how partnering with me can help you avoid every single one of them. 1. Pricing the Home Too High According to industry experts, the NUMBER ONE thing sellers struggle with right now is setting…

"Niagara Real Estate Market Update - August 2024 Residential home sales activity recorded through the MLS® for the Niagara Association of REALTORS® (NAR) totaled 503 units in July 2024, compared to 522 July 2023. In July, the NAR listed 1345 residential properties compared to 1280 in July 2023. The average days it took to sell a home in July 2024 was 42 days, a 31.3% increase from July 2023. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI), tracks price trends far more accurately than is possible using average or median price measures. The overall MLS® HPI composite benchmark price for the Niagara Region was $646,900 in…

Having a hard time finding a first home that’s right for you, your lifestyle, and your wallet? Well, here’s a tip – think about condominiums, or condos for short. They’re sometimes smaller than single-family homes, but that’s exactly why they can be easier on your budget. So, if you’re comfortable with a smaller space and want to buy your first home this year, adding condos to your search might be easier on your wallet. Besides giving you more options for your home search and maybe fitting your budget better, living in a condo has a bunch of other perks, too.  From community living to walkable urban areas, condos are great…

As we're getting close to 2024, Niagara is still proving to be a great place to buy, sell and invest in Real Estate. "Niagara housing prices are holding strong with a slight decrease in price of less than 1% month over month and year over year. We also see an increase in sales and new listings year over year,” reports Niagara Association of REALTORS® President, Amy Layton. “This is a good sign which continues to show Niagara remains an attractive place to buy a home. A higher average days on market of 45.5 days from 37 days in October 2023 shows people…

If your listing expired and your house didn’t sell, you’re likely to feel a little frustrated. Not to mention, you’re also probably wondering what went wrong. Here are three questions to think about as you figure out what to do next. Did You Limit Access to Your House? One of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling your house is restricting the days and times when potential buyers can tour it. Being flexible with your schedule is important when you’re selling your house, even though it might feel a bit stressful to drop everything and leave when buyers want to see it (especially at mealtimes). After…

While this isn’t the frenzied market we saw during the ‘unicorn’ years, homes that are priced right are still selling quickly and seeing multiple offers right now. That’s because the number of homes for sale is still quite low. To set yourself up to take advantage of this market, you need to rely on an agent. Only an agent has the expertise needed to find the right asking price for your house. Here’s what’s at stake if that price isn’t accurate for today’s market value. The price you set for your house sends a message to potential buyers. Price it too low and…

If you’re looking to 𝗕𝗨𝗬 a home:⁣ ⁣ 🌟Don’t wait to get paperwork ready. 🌟Do everything you can NOW (gather down payment funds, get pre-approved, have your home ready to sell) so when you find your dream home you can move, and move fast!⁣ 🌟Don’t make a clunky offer. Make a clean offer with as few contingencies and concessions as possible.⁣ 🌟Don’t let your emotions run awry. 🌟Trust your Realtor. ⁣I've been in this industry long enough to know and understand the market. Let me guide you and help you make the best offer to win a home. ⁣ 👉Ready to Sell? Ready to Buy? I'm ready for you! ☺️ Send…

The Niagara Real Estate Market Report Year over Year - January 2023 vs January 2022 As expected for January 2023, we are seeing less sales and more homes going up for sale compared to January 2022, which was a highly frenzied seller's market, as we all recall. We are definitely seeing a more balanced Real Estate Market. New listings in the Niagara Region were 771 in January 2023 vs 529 in January 2022, which is a increase of 45.7% Residential home sales in Niagara totaled 302 homes in January 2023 compared to 454 in January 2022, which is a decrease of…

When it comes to buying a house, conventional wisdom would have us believe spring and summer are the prime purchasing months. The sun is shining, gardens are in bloom and “For Sale” signs start to pop up on front lawns… but perhaps we’re missing out on the best season of them all. Bargain Buys When the temperature drops, so too do listing prices, making it the perfect time to snag a real estate deal. People are less enthused about packing up all their worldly possessions in subzero temperatures. With fewer offers coming in, wintertime sellers are more willing to reduce listing prices to try…

Know the Local Market when You Sell “The most common way people give up their power is thinking they don’t have any.” Alice Walker “If you’re working on something you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” Steve Jobs Are you thinking of selling your home this year? If so, you might be paying close attention to housing market news covered by the regional and national media. While that news can be helpful information, it can sometimes say little about what’s happening in your particular neighbourhood. In fact, it’s possible for there to be a balanced market nationally…

So, you’ve decided to sell your home. You’re excited for all the new possibilities! I know you want to get top dollar but, how are we going to make that happen? Here’s a 30-day plan of action:   Day 1: Change Light Bulbs and Update Light Fixtures It’s easy to forget about all the bulbs that have burned out over the years, but you want your home to be as bright as possible. Lighting makes an incredible difference in how a home looks to potential Buyers. If you have dated light fixtures (it’s OK, a lot of us do), take a quick trip…

Thank You for all the support I’ve received from everyone that made this another memorable year.  To my awesome colleagues, photographers, videographers and stagers!! It takes teamwork to make the magic happen. I’m grateful for all of you and the opportunities that came my way. As we look forward to 2023, I’m excited for all the possibilities and opportunities to help many new families buy and sell homes and build more lasting relationships.  Thanks again for all your support! All the best to all of you in 2023.      

The Niagara Real Estate Market Report Month to Month, October 2022 vs September 2022 Month over Month, Niagara real estate has shown a small decrease in the benchmark price. The number of unit sales is slightly higher when compared to last month. This may be an indication of a trend towards stable pricing and sales in Niagara. Check out the monthly stats below: New listings in the Niagara Region were 1038 in October 2022 vs 1177 in September 2022, which is a decrease of 11.8% Residential home sales totaled 410 in October 2022 compared to 399 in September 2022, which is…

7 Reasons To Sell Your Home In Fall And Winter     After a Spring/Summer as unprecedented as this year, a lot of sellers held off listing their homes, and now that winter is around the corner they are asking: is it worth it to list now or should we wait until spring? While we can try to forecast future markets, one thing we know for sure is that the market is still strong – properties are still selling. This Spring/Summer left many people wanting as there were fewer listing available. There are a number of reasons why I recommend to clients that they list their homes…

The Niagara Real Estate Market Report Month to Month, September 2022 vs August 2022 Our market in Niagara continues to soften. Although inventory is up, sales have slowed resulting in a continued reduction in overall average prices. It shows our average sale price is comparable to where we were a year ago. Check out the monthly stats below. New listings in the Niagara Region were 1177 in September 2022 vs 1095 in August 2022, which is a increase of 7.5% Residential home sales totaled 399 in September 2022 compared to 457 in August 2022, which is a decrease of 12.7%. The…