Ribbon cutting for unique 'building products' store

Habitat's ReStore store to mark its grand opening

Event scheduled for May 11, 9 am - 3 pm

By Mark Schadenberg

WOODSTOCK -- Sometimes something slightly experienced is a good deal at a used store.

Much of my compact disc collection was purchased as ‘previously enjoyed’.

What about if you could find a great price on something brand new, as maybe it was left over from a building project and couldn’t be re-stocked.

The best deals are often scratch-and-dent brand new items.

The Habitat For Humanity ReStore in Woodstock has opened its doors at 1058 Parkinson Road and is now marking its grand opening on Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

There are currently two ReStore locations in London, 317 Adelaide South and 40 Pacific Court.

Habitat For Humanity (H4H) recently finished its first new house in Woodstock on Main Street and is panning future projects locally.

Woodstock land surveyor Paul Benedict was co-chair of the local committee, and sponsors included Woodstock Rotary, the Realtors Care Foundation, Rochdale Credit Union, GRT Excavating, DJ Design, Woodstock Ford, Fanshawe College and Toyota Manufacturing.

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

The ReStore, however, is a related concept, but different at the same time. Another important idea is diverting usable construction materials away from a landfill. Available to be purchased are lights, ceiling fans, paint, windows and doors, tools and lumber, and certainly also appliances. Stock changes quickly, so consumers should visit often.

For more info on both the new home construction and ReStore see: www.habitat4home.ca, or contact restore.woodstock@habitat4home.ca or (519) 659-1949 x261.

The mission statement for Habitat For Humanity sums their philosophy well: “Our mission is to mobilize volunteers and the community partners in providing affordable home ownership. We’re building to end poverty.”

Woodstock is under the umbrella of Oxford Middlesex Elgin (455-6623 x207), their website notes: “Habitat for Humanity London was established in 1993. We are a non-profit, non-denominational Christian housing organization. We welcome partners without discrimination to help us build simple, decent, affordable homes with low-income families. 100% of ReStore revenue funds the administrative costs of Habitat Oxford Middlesex Elgin. We believe that by offering a family a hand-up, not a hand-out, we empower low-income families to become successful homeowners.”

By the way, the H4H ReStore is always accepting donations.

Sweat Equity

H4H is planning a second home in Woodstock and the premise to qualify is basically two-fold: successful family must be able to provide 500 hours of sweat equity, and have an ability to re-pay the mortgage which is geared it the family’s income.  

The program is so effective because H4H is able to organize the community with volunteer labour, donated building supplies, and other cash donations.

If you would like to participate in the next construction project, contact Habitat For Humanity.

Written (compiled) By:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Air Bud to The Colony for Zegers

New movie starring Woodstock actor debuts April 26

By Mark Schadenberg

I still remember the TV episode where his hand was bleeding. Was it a sign? Certainly his performance was a sign of a strong acting future.

Kevin Zegers of Woodstock has starred or has certainly been a featured important supporting role in more than 20 movies. Zegers has been on a movie set with a unicorn, a horse, several times with a basketball-playing dog, and a hockey-player monkey. 

You quickly respect his career, however, when you look at the long list of credits (in random order): Air Bud (three times as Josh Framm), Treasure Island, Transamerica, Virginia’s Run (I have this movie on VHS if you want to borrow it), Jane Austen Book Club, It’s A Boy Girl Thing, and Dawn Of The Dead. The Cannes Film Festival recognized his role opposite Felicity Huffman in Transamerica.

An impressive list of TV appearances includes the recent Gossip Girl and the not-so-recent ensemble-cast nighttime-soap Titans which was an Aaron Spelling NBC-Network effort which lasted for about a dozen episodes.

Zegers – now 28 -- always seemed to keep the small-city personality, especially when I would talk to him at (the former) St. Rita’s church in Woodstock. I haven't chatted with him in likely 10 years, but the admiration continues for someone who is dedicated to a difficult craft. 

Acting is art, but one also requires a natural gene, and Zegers has it.

An honest statement from me -- and my many live TV credits -- can always be, broadcasting and media is not easy.

Tomorrow, Kevin’s latest movie hits the big screen: The Colony, which he stars alongside Laurence Fishburne and Bill Paxton. The storyline is apparently about a group of people who must survive as the next ice age approaches. (Sun Media story: http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2013/04/25/20769371.html).

Apparently much of the set was built inside an airport hangar in North Bay and location shoots included a retired NORAD deep-underground bunker.

Another Sun Media (Toronto Sun) story quotes Kevin Zegers about The Colony and his latest career efforts. (See: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/04/23/kevin-zegers-tackles-darker-material-with-the-colony)

Zegers recently had a frank and honest discussion on the CBC TV show hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos (http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/mobile-video/guest-interview/kevin-zegers-1.html).

There’s many facets to re-creating yourself into a character. Scripts, wringing hands, rehearsals, standing around and waiting and waiting, memorizing director cues, performing the same scene over and over, knowing where the ‘x’ is on the floor, and of course performing the same scene over and over to cover all the angles. A dynamic career in acting is certainly a difficult career choice, and not all about smiles and handshakes.

As a lifetime Woodstock media person, here’s a sincere congratulations to Kevin Zegers as another full-length picture hits the screens. I’ll be there with my large popcorn.

By the way, the stigmata on his hand was the X-Files TV episode way back in 1995 opposite David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson.  

Proud to be from Woodstock

Proud to promote Woodstock

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Studio art tour in Oxford is May 4 - 5

Goossens, Todd, Franks, Axon, Groulx, DeBelleval: discover them all

By Mark Schadenberg

Do you know what encaustic is in the world of art?

Even someone who knows zero about paint (oils, acrylics or water colours) and a pallet, is aware of other art forms – pottery, sketching, weaving, photography, engraving, stained glass . . .

Correct me if I’m wrong, but encaustic is when you create a picture using coloured melted wax that can be shaped with a small-tip spatula (not sure of exact terminology) to have the end product of an almost 3D art display.

Why am I talking about a wax build-up?

The sixth annual Oxford Studio Tour is May 4 – 5, both days 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For details contact (519) 842-6151 or see their site www.oxfordstudiotour.ca or Tourism Oxford (www.tourismoxford.ca). It must be said that the tour’s website includes pictures, links and maps to each artist.

Plan a visit to Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre (41 Bridge St, 842-6151), Tillsonburg’s Annandale House (30 Tillson Ave), Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre (125 Centennial Lane in Victoria Park), Highlander Studios (654 Dundas) in Woodstock or one of the other 17 locales, to the efforts and creations of as many as 45 artisans based in Oxford County.

Artists abound in Oxford – Deb Beard, Lianne Todd, Cathy Groulx, Bruce Hartley, Keri Axon, Pat McFarland, Michael DeBelleval, Cathy Bingham, Paulette Robertson, Julie Hawkins, Rhonda Franks, Fran and Earle Barr, and Kate Innes. Many of the destinations on the tour are the actually workshops/studios of the artists.

Giving credit where credit is due: Sue Goossens of Otterville is not only a very successful painter, but a spokesperson and organizer for this unique cooperative. Goossens (suegoossens.ca or 879-6352) has appeared on Rogers TV (http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=15&gid=110877) to promote this two-day tour and it has expanded every year in its existence, adding five artists to its new total of 45 for 2013.

The Sue Goossens website nicely and succently describes here inspiration: "Watercolours are a means of creative expression. Everything starts with my camera - capturing the composition. I enjoy the process of observing my surroundings and interpreting them on a blank piece of watercolour paper."

As the www.oxfordstudiotour.ca site says: 'Discover the Visual Arts of Oxford County.’

As Sue Goossens says in promoting the tour: “Oxford County, located in southwestern Ontario, is bursting with talented artists and artisans.”

      ()()()()()()()

The Sentinel-Review story link:  http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2013/04/23/more-artists-in-oxford-studio-tour

The Tillsonburg News link: http://www.tillsonburgnews.com/2013/04/23/oxford-studio-tour

Painting By: Sue Goossens 

A Realtor who always promotes Oxford County:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

View of city; large price tag on Alberta house

New listing in Calgary posted at $3.995 million

By Mark Schadenberg

I found it interesting today to read that The Calgary Sun newspaper printed details about a new real estate listing that had recently appeared on www.realtor.ca

This significant house is on www.realtor.ca, as I confirmed it was there.

The notoriety of the home is not necessarily its price range as I could see other $3.995 million homes available for sale in the Calgary marketplace. A listing in the Aspen Woods neighbourhood of Calgary recently sold for $10.35 million

The fact this residence has six bathrooms and five bedrooms is also not unique. I found it surprising the Sun Media (QMI Agency includes The Woodstock Sentinel-Review and London Free Press) newspaper, noted who the seller was and thereby automatically gave away the vendor’s motivation for selling.

The family selling its abode on Britannia Drive is NHL star Jarome Iginla.

If you want to see dozens of interior photos, it’s easy to find the property on the internet, so I won’t include the MLS number here, but since the paper posted a picture, so will I.

Art Ross Trophy

Iginla -- you might remember or know – was traded from the Calgary Flames to Pittsburgh Penguins at the NHL trade deadline. If you don’t follow hockey you might not realize or remember that Iginla is certainly not a journeyman pro, but one of the top players of the past 15 or more seasons. In 2002, he led the NHL in goals (52) and points (96) and has more than 1,100 points in more than 1,225 games. In 2004 he netted the most goals again (42).

Found on Britannia Ridge, apparently one of the selling features is its million-dollar view of the cityscape. The kitchen is fit for a chef and the two-storey includes a large wine cellar. The 4-car garage should also be a selling point. I would think the top selling feature would be the buyer knowing whose house they had purchased.

The story below includes a few amenities of the home.

As a hockey pundit, it’s too bad the Edmonton Oilers aren’t close to being contenders, as you would think Iginla could finish his career there, which is essentially his hometown. Iginla is only 35 years old so maybe he will return to Alberta?

  

     ()()()()()()()()()()
Iginla home is on the market
Calgary Sun, QMI Agency
CALGARY -- Want to live like an NHL star?
You can — for a cool $3.995 million.
The home of former Flames captain Jarome Iginla — traded late last month to the Pittsburgh Penguins — has been put up for sale.
According to the listing, the Britannia home is nearly 5,000 sq. ft., with five bedrooms and six bathrooms.
It also features a glass-walled wine room, a four car lower-level garage, chef's kitchen, bar, several dining areas, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a spectacular view of the city.

If you’re considering Calgary to be your home, I know an accomplished Royal LePage rep there.

If you’re considering Woodstock, Ontario, contact me:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Discover city at crossroads of 401 and 403

City of Woodstock promoting new video which promotes Woodstock

By Mark Schadenberg

Next time you’re in Downtown Woodstock, stop by the museum and watch a promotional industrial video produced about 30 years ago – a tape to lure business to The Friendly City.

Sadly, many of the companies calling Woodstock home then are either no longer in operation or have changed their name (Standard Tube evolved to ArcelorMittal).

This week, the City’s economic development office has unveiled a brand new video to invite interest in Woodstock as a destination to do business.

In this space previously I have complemented Len Magyar, Brad Hammond and their staff on the newish website (www.cometothecrossroads.com). Naturally, the crossroads are the junction of 401 and 403 highways and their resulting quick arteries throughout southern Ontario. Woodstock truly is a hub destination and many manufacturers / distribution companies have discovered this fact.

The new video, which is easily found under the ‘Media Centre’ heading on the site, is just over three minutes long and features dozens of local people extolling the many facets of our community, mostly through sound bites. I quickly recognized the faces of Greg Bruce, Chad Fowler and mayor Pat Sobeski. 

The video vehicle notes innovation and industry, a skilled workforce, an agricultural heritage, prime industrial land availability, culture, commerce and ‘where my future will be’ as a repeated theme. Smartly – of course – the narration is presented in 10 languages with sub-titles.

"We will build it here . . . and deliver it to the world" and ". . . where opportunity meets the future there’s always room for more" are two other catch-phrases I heard and agreed with.

The website, in general, includes many testimonials by prominent local business people, real estate background on available existing buildings or vacant-land properties, a community sketch including an overview of demographics, and a quick scrolling list of the Woodstock Value Proposition.

See:

www.cometothecrossroads.com

or www.city.woodstock.on.ca

Considering Woodstock as your home for business or family, contact: 

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Your 5-bedroom ranch is waiting!

1203 Whealen Road, Woodstock

By Mark Schadenberg

Versatility!

Your next home is on the market. (MLS: 70797; Asking: $289,500 - New Price)

A great place for empty-nester lifestyle and most certainly for work-at-home situation.

With as many as 5 (3+2) bedrooms this is the ideal ranch -- as it has three bedrooms on main floor so it could be your house from when you’re 30 to when you’re 90.

The attractive 2-car garage brick home is on a large pie-shape lot (161' feet to deepest corner and 120’ along the back). The yard provides ample space for a pool or trampoline or both.

Built by local builder John Hurley, 1203 Whealan provides large principle rooms and open-concept space.  

Sparkling almost-new hardwood flooring will be discovered through much of the main floor, including the living room with its vaulted ceiling and skylight. Large dining room for turkey dinners in this turn-key home.

There is a spacious eat-in kitchen with newer ceramic tile and patio doors to raised deck. The country kitchen idea features lots of counter space, and three appliances could be included (dishwasher, fridge and stove). 

There is a large master bedroom (17’ x 15’) with a 3pc ensuite (newer shower). The main 4pc bathroom has also been updated with a jetted tub.

The fully finished lower level features two additional bedrooms, a large recroom, games-room area for billiards, and walkout to backyard.

Other highlights include: security system, central vac, water softener, and washer/dryer. Many windows replaced, plus a five-year-old roof, and new furnace in 1999. 

The layout would also be conducive for a work-at-home situation.  

New NOTRE DAME / MARGUERITE BOURGEOYS 

Located near new Notre Dame French school, and therefore also close to Toyota, but best of all it's on a quiet desired crescent.

See it today ! Call me !

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Recognizing a London Free Press series

Brain drain, struggling economy of London

By Mark Schadenberg

The City of London seems to be lagging behind other major Canadian centres in attracting major industry and commerce, and therefore, at the same time, is apparently losing another resource – an educated youth.

London’s unemployment rate is now at 9.8% according to Stats Canada and that’s simply too high for a community with almost half a million residents when you factor in nearby St Thomas and the mayor’s home of Arva.

The London Free Press (LFP) over the past 10 days or so has contributed a series about both the lack of recovery in the London economy since 2008 and the subsequent brain drain.

When I think of the Forest City, medical research is dominate in my mind.

Employment numbers at CAMI Automotive in Ingersoll do not count in any London figures.

The thriving Woodstock-to-Cambridge corridor for Toyota manufacturing has boosted circumference manufacturing in those centres plus Simcoe and Stratford.

Is London struggling?

One of the Norm DeBono LFP writings does a great job of breaking down the demographics with further analysis of London versus Hamilton, Windsor and other locales.

Graduation delivers growth?

There is a true need for skilled trades . . . and there is a big big demand actually, you would think that Fanshawe College grads would love to stay in London if there were jobs available in their specialty upon graduation.

Is London simply too far from Toronto to gain some of the spill-over industry?

There is no reason why London shouldn’t grow in size and population to the 750,000 level over the next generation, but it won’t if that generation doesn’t have a job as a magnet to London.

Here are some of the LFP links:      

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/04/11/an-old-refrain--do-more-to-hang-onto-young-brainpower--is-ringing-again-in-london

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/04/14/underground-economy-driving-up-london-jobless-rate

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/04/24/getting-it-right

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/04/17/london-losing-six-top-level-bureaucrats-between-the-thames-valley-and-london-district--catholic-school-boards

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

New look to Jr C hockey exec locally

Navy Vets on a strong rebound

By Mark Schadenberg

Junior hockey in Woodstock appears to be on a revival.

After struggling for the past few winters in keeping (pun intended) Junior C afloat (pun intended) locally, the Woodstock Navy Vets have established a strong executive for the 2013-14 season.

A non-for-profit organization of local hockey-minded people will be spending the next few months preparing for a new season after the need for a new background base was made necessary after sponsor Darren DeDobbelaer decided to place his focus on re-introducing Junior B hockey to Brantford as an executive member of the new 99ers Jr B squad in the Bell City. You must understand that DeDobbelaer has also backed the Simcoe Storm Junior C club for a number of years and all involved in hockey locally would be quick to admit there’s a conflict in having one person as a voice on two teams in the Niagara Junior C West loop. (http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2013/03/25/brantford-team-to-complement-simcoe-storm )

DeDobbelaer has a strong financial background in golf courses, including the Ingersoll club 18-hole layout, and insurance. (Search: BrokerLink)

Back in 1966-67 – my first winter in Woodstock and still wearing baby booties – the junior hockey Navy Vets made its debut after previously competing as a juvenile team. The Oxford County Naval Veterans Association and a hockey committee led by Sam Keeping (the above pun), began icing junior clubs under the Navy Vets moniker. It didn't take long to climb the ladder as future (current) Woodstock mayor Pat Sobeski was a member of a 68-69 provincial champion squad. 

Way back when, Woodstock did have other junior teams, including the Eureka Clippers, and 1950’s Warriors featuring Bobby Hull and Walter Gretzky.

The true recent (?) dynasty of the Navy Vets coincided with my years as sports editor of The Sentinel-Review with Dave Bogart as head coach, John Thornton as an assistant coach, and GM John Jensen. Sharon Taylor, Wayne Bertrand, Teddy Gilbert and Jim Morrison are four more names I quickly recall. The Vets played at the antiquated Perry Street Arena then.

There have been some good clubs since then and many dedicated area people – Jamie McLellan, Jeremy Lambert, Danny Dukes, Bert Cowell, Dean Vollmershausen, Terry Empey, Scott Chahley, Bill Mayes, Jim Taylor . . . . -- but no squad good enough to compete for a possible OHA title (Schmaltz Cup).

Read the link below from The Sentinel-Review, but this new core or consortium led by club president Devon Young, is a strong framework for the future along with Trevor Rose as general manager, and Frank Mueller as head coach.  

The bottom line is that the Navy Vets season this past year ended on Feb. 9. You can’t attract players to a program and thereby develop young (another pun) talent without a foundation. At the same time, ice time has to be paid for and equipment purchased, so this group has a lot of work on the horizon.
April 27
On Saturday, April 27 at 7:15 p.m. the current Navy Vets roster will skate against the Woodstock firefighters in a benefit game. With local people steering the ship, now is the time to get on board !

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2013/04/15/a-new-local-ownership-group-has-taken-over-the-woodstock-navy-vets

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

www.marksells.ca

www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Pioneer pools to open Woodstock store

Hope to make a big splash in Oxford County

By Mark Schadenberg

Another significant retail / home-improvement related company has decided to set up shop in Woodstock.

Our municipality has gained many large players in recent years – department stores, chain restaurants and hotels. The city is growing and has attracted new industry / commercial as well, especially since the announcement of Toyota manufacturing (TMMC) in the spring of 2005, and the more recent arrivals of Sysco, Nova Steel and Miller Zell.

The expanding enterprise to call Woodstock home will be Pioneer Family Pools, which already has 17 locales around Ontario, including London (Blue Heron Drive is near Hyde Park Road and Fanshawe road), Kitchener (Victoria Street N near Bingeman’s), and Brantford (Lynden Road) (www.pioneerfamilypools.ca).

The Woodstock store will be at 840 Parkinson Road when it swings its doors open. The phone number of (519) 539-5210 has already been assigned to the company which not only specializes in in-ground, on-ground and above-ground pools, but also hot tubs, patio furniture, and naturally pool chemicals and supplies, backyard toys, and a maintenance / installation crew.

There are other pool people locally, but with Pioneer arriving in Woodstock it’s another sign of the times – Woodstock is an evolving expanding community where people want to live and do business in.

While most homeowners still have the winter cover on their pool, when it becomes time to buy a new one or replace the liner, Pioneer Family Pools (‘Your Leisure Superstore’ is their slogan) will have the products / services you require.

Their website even has a breakdown on how you could convert your pool into a salt-water pool.

As a Realtor, it is always interesting to listen to the discussions about pools, but the bottom line is if you want to swim in your backyard during the warm months, a pool is an investment in your property and your lifestyle.

When you’re ready to consider your move to Woodstock or Oxford County, contact:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

www.marksells.ca

www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Baseball invented in Beachville in 1838

Oxford County site of first recorded baseball game 175 years ago

By Mark Schadenberg

BEACHVILLE – As we all know Abner Doubleday invented baseball near Cooperstown, New York.

Right?

Wrong

It’s been well documented that Beachville in Oxford County was the site of the first recorded baseball game in 1838. The publication noting the event was Sporting Life and a story written by Dr Adam Ford.

After doing some quick math, it’s apparent that 2013 marks 175 years since Canada’s rounders creation.

Check out www.beachvilledistrictmuseum.ca/baseball or read the links below for details on how the local shrine will honour this anniversary over two different weekends – May 25 – 26 and June 1 – 2 – starting daily at 10 a.m. Admission will be $5 per person or $10 for a family.

The batter was called a knocker and you could earn an out by hitting a base runner with the ball between the bases – that was called a plugging. There were also four bases plus a different home plate.

The game may have resembled cricket as much as baseball, however, it was the forerunner to the game we see the Blue Jays attempting to perfect.

Local history of all angles is important to measure and remember.

The Beachville museum has invited several nostalgia teams, including the Woodstock Actives and London Tecumsehs replica squads, to compete on those weekends. Woodstock’s sister city from Sylvania, Ohio has an old-fashioned team which I believe is called the Swamp Frogs.

The committee will also borrow memorabilia from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in nearby St. Marys to augment their on-going display.

For details, dial (519) 423-6497.

By the way, the Beachville museum is on that main street of Beachville (Beachville Road or Road 9) just west of the intersection at County Road 6, so it’s just moments off the 401.

The museum has many other scheduled programs and planned shows, so keep them in mind for your southern Ontario spring and summer excursions.

    

See:

www.beachvilledistrictmuseum.wordpress.ca

or: Woodstock Sentinel link:

http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/2013/04/04/beachville-district-museum-will-celebrate-the-175th-anniversary-of-the-first-recorded-baseball-game-in-north-america-in-late-may-and-early-june

Just another reason to move to Oxford County:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

www.marksells.ca

www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

One niche in real estate I work in

I’m proud to be a SRES sales rep

Just under one year ago I earned the designation Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) as I took an extensive course operated through the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA), which not only offered credits to my Realtors’ lisence renewal, but certainly also included a wealth of information.

Just like the (Toronto) newspaper story below indicates, there are many advantages to work alongside a Realtor who specializes in a particular niche in the market and who has received specific topic training.

The SRES course included background on everything from demographics, studies about our aging society, information pertaining to renovating a current home or negotiating a reverse mortgage, but most importantly mentioned the difficulties someone has in finally deciding now is the time to sell the ‘family’ home especially when the owner requires assistive living.

If you’re thinking about selling your house, or selling your parent’s house, call me anytime at (519) 537-1553. More contact info is noted below:  

   ()()()()()()()()()()()()

Special ‘accredited senior agents’ step into real-estate niche

Field has challenges, but also brings rewards to agents.

By: Susan Pigg Business Reporter

Published: March, 2013

The elegant grand dame on a prime Riverdale street was more than just another listing for veteran Realtors Irene Kaushansky and her husband, Philip Brown.

It was a massive brick time capsule crammed with three floors of family heirlooms and a lifetime of memories for its ailing owner.

The elderly woman had lived in the gracious house since childhood. She’d raised her own children on its upper floors, nursed both her parents in the home until their deaths. The 72-year-old resident had to move from the big, multi-levelled home due to health and heart problems, and she was scared.

The woman had known Kaushansky and Brown for years, and knew they brought special skills to what was going to be a hugely difficult decision: The two are among just 1,000 or so “accredited senior agents” in Ontario.

Those specially trained Realtors do more than just buy and sell homes. They hold hands and calm nerves while helping seniors and often their adult children make difficult choices about the future. That can involve someone who has lived for decades in the same home moving into a seniors residence, a smaller home or even making alterations to the existing house that will allow a senior to “age in place.”

Accredited senior agents come armed with a list of professionals they’ve personally vetted, ranging from lawyers and accountants who specialize in tax and inheritance law to “transition managers” — professionals who will sort and help sell or give away aged furniture, china and silverware that has far more sentimental than real value.

“Our goal isn’t just to meet seniors and sell their homes,” says Kaushansky. “It’s an entire intake process that assesses their needs.”

Accredited seniors agents will also connect families with needed supports, such as home-care providers.

“You have to have the right personality for this,” says veteran Realtor and real estate expert Barry Lebow, who designed the two-day ASA program more than a decade ago in anticipation of the tsunami of seniors coming as baby boomers age.

“This is about involvement. It’s about commitment. It’s also about pulling your hair out because sometimes people will not listen to you.”

Lebow says the voluntary program faced resistance at first because it was seen as taking Realtors into the realm of counsellors rather than sales professionals.

“It’s no different than a Realtor walking into a place and saying, ‘I think you have a leaky roof, let’s get a roofer in here.’ It’s just about recognizing issues and sending seniors and their families to the right expert.”

Getting things right requires patience. It took Kaushansky and Brown three years to find the Riverdale woman a home that would work, a tiny bungalow a few blocks east of her children’s house, without stairs or hills that might impede her mobility.

The couple made sure her old Riverdale house was cleared and cleaned, then they calmed the woman as multiple offers rolled in — all far beyond her wildest dreams.

“Often these seniors may have very strained relationships with their children, if any relationship at all,” says Brown. “This can be a long-term investment.”

Kaushansky and Brown stress to their older clients the importance of planning for the future, having up-to-date wills and discussing with their children where they would ideally like to live until they die.

It can be difficult, say Kaushansky and Brown, a former social worker, to convince seniors that the home they bought for just a few thousand dollars is now worth over a million. Worse yet is bracing them for the likelihood it will be razed and replaced with a modern stone-faced mini-mansion.

Some ASAs charge fees for their co-ordinating efforts. Others just pocket the commission for selling the house but may help oversee payment of any other professionals the senior may require.

Kaushansky and Brown don’t tend to charge for their co-ordinating efforts, but stress that helping seniors is just 10 per cent of their real estate work.

“We don’t want it to be our whole business because it’s very time consuming,” says Kaushansky. “But it’s also really rewarding. By the time you are done, you feel you have made a difference.”

()()()()()()()()

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

www.marksells.ca

www.markroyallepage.blogspot.com

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

Domi and Horvat pace London past Kitchener

Knights win 2-0; lead series 2-0
By Mark Schadenberg
As a graduate of radio broadcasting at Fanshawe College (1987, Yes, I'm that old!), and seven years as a full-time sports reporter / editor at The Woodstock Sentinel-Review, I truly do not often refer to my past life here or elsewhere.
After today's Game 2 between the London Knights and Kitchener Rangers, I posted this story to Canadian Press:

Two late goals lead London to victory
LONDON -- A Max Domi goal 15:24 into the third period Sunday snapped a 0-0 deadlock and sent the London Knights to a 2-0 victory in Game 2 of their Ontario Hockey League Western Conference semifinal with the Kitchener Rangers.
London owns a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven with Game 3 slated for Monday (7 p.m.) in Kitchener.
On Domi's fourth of the post-season, London's Chris Tierney was falling behind Kitchener's net but was still able to backhand the puck out front allowing Domi to slide it under Rangers goalie John Gibson.
Just over three minutes later, Bo Horvat would collect his fourth of the playoffs by controlling the puck down the left wing side, cutting quickly to the net and beating Gibson under his left pad.
Gibson, who was the MVP of the world juniors in winning gold for Team USA, stopped 28 of 30 overall.
London goalie Anthony Stolarz, who is signed by Philadelphia, stopped all 34 shots he faced and has allowed just eight goals in more than six games (388 minutes) in the playoffs with a 1.24 GAA and .959 save percentage.
The Knights are now unbeaten in six playoff games after finishing first overall in the regular season with 50 wins.
Kitchener was 0-for-7 on the powerplay -- London 0-for-3.
The busy Budweiser Gardens venue on Sunday featured a different-sport doubleheader as immediately following the OHL contest the ice was covered for a National Basketball League of Canada finals game between the London Lightning and Summerside Storm.

Full-Time Realtor
By the way, I always consider myself now a full-time Realtor with a broadcasting hobby. Most real estate people have sideline interests, hobbies, activities or a significant commitment to a sport -- my hobby just happens to put my mug on TV.
Here's a picture of me interviewing London Knights third round pick Mitchell Kreis in the second intermission. I 'borrowed' this photo from Mitchell's Twitter account.