Justin Kotsopoulos Real Estate

February market stats! Transactions and average sales prices up considerably from February 2020. If you’re looking to navigate this market, feel free to reach out!

Good evening everyone! Moving forward, I will be hosting 30-minute zoom sessions on the last Saturday of every month. Topics will vary, but they will always be of interest to buyers.... If you have any questions that you would like answered, or topics you would like to see covered, please don't hesitate to shoot me a message!

I want to thank everyone who made it out to my first-time buyer info sessions on Thursday and Saturday. If you weren’t able to make it out and would like me to run through the presentation with you, feel free to reach out and we can set up a time!

Good afternoon everyone, happy Friday! In advance of my first time buyer information session on the 23rd, I just want to pass on some good news about the First Time Home Buyer Incentive program. In Spring 2021, the program will be expanding to better aid first time buyers. The following changes will be made:... - Maximum income to qualify for this program will rise from $120,000 to $150,000 -The incentive+mortgage multiple will rise from 4x your income to 4.5x your income I will expand on this further during the session on the 23rd, but essentially, this takes the maximum purchase price utilizing the program from just over 500k, to just over 700k, which is much more useful to GTA buyers. Have a great weekend, and hoping to see you on the 23rd!

Day 6 of the 12 days of small business Christmas with The Farmhouse Marketplace! The Farmhouse Marketplace is your go to for Farmhouse Decor! Katherine offers customized ornaments, Farm Fresh Trees, various inspired Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, Among Us toques and t-shirts and so much more! Makes great teacher, Secret Santa, neighbour and family and friends gifts! Contact her today at http://www.Facebook.com/tfhmp #smallbusinesssupport #shoplocal #smallbusiness #durhamregionhandmade

Day 5 of the 12 days of small business Christmas with @notoriousbethknits ! @notoriousbethknits was created as an avenue to share all of Beth’s knitted and crocheted creations. She recently expanded to include hypoallergenic earrings after not being able to find any she could wear herself. All of her earrings are nickel free and a majority of them are made with hypoallergenic stainless steel. Check her out on Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/notoriousbethknits for all things yarn and sparkle ! #smallbusinesssupport #shoplocal #smallbusiness #durhamregionhandmade

Good evening everyone, and happy new year! As 2021 gets underway, I know many of you are outlining your goals for the year, and for some, that will be purchasing your first home, or getting yourself in a financial position to make that purchase in the near future. In order to aid you in this, I am going to be running a first time buying crash course on Saturday January 23rd, at 3 PM (electronically of course). Platform still to be determined depending on how many people are i...nterested in attending/viewing. Topics to be covered will include: - The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive program - The Home Buyers Plan (RRSP contribution deadline for 2020 tax purposes is March 1, 2021 FYI) - Land transfer tax credits for first-time buyers - Typical first time buyer property hot spots market forecasts for 2021 - The importance of shopping for the best mortgage rate - Additionally, if you have any questions and send them to me prior to 5 PM on Friday January 22nd, I will prepare responses and include them in the presentation as well!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and best wishes for a hopefully much better 2021!

Day 11 of the 12 days of small business Christmas with @customcreationsbyash Ashley is a Durham Region Mama of 2 young children who like many others, has had her job majorly affected by Covid. She is now making customized Christmas ornaments and lanterns, which you can check out on her Instagram page! All items are handmade and customizable, with prices ranging from $12-$45! Contact her today to place your order!... #durhamregionhandmade #smallbusinesssupport #shoplocal #christmasdecor #supportsmallbusiness

Day 9 of the 12 days of small business Christmas with @threadzalive Threadzalive is an online retail store selling trendy graphic apparel and accessories. A great spot to get your festive Christmas sweaters at! Check them out at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ThreadzAlive #smallbusinesssupport #shoplocal #smallbusiness #uglychristmassweaters

Day 8 of the 12 days of small business Christmas with The Ornament Shack! The Ornament Shack creates hand made ornaments to capture your memories from Baby's 1st Christmas to remembering those you've lost and everything in between. Personalized ornaments make the perfect gift! If you'd like to capture a special memory, please contact Margaret at @theornamentshack to make your special ornament.... #smallbusinesssupport #shoplocal #smallbusiness #durhamregionhandmade #christmas #ornament

As year-end sneaks up, and the real estate market slows down, I realize that preparing for a 2021 purchase may not be front of mind for you all, but there are a lot of things that we can do now to make a 2021 purchase more smooth, such as: 1. Financial planning- did you know that money in your RRSP accounts can be used toward paying for your home if you're a first-time buyer, without needing to be declared as income? An RRSP contribution in the next 3 months can be used on yo...ur 2020 tax return, and you'll have your tax return in time to purchase! 2. Increasing market awareness- following the market activity in your desired community can help you get an idea of what homes will sell for when you're an active buyer, which will allow us to go in with a solid offer when we find the right home for you. Getting set up on the collab application ahead of time will greatly help out. 3. Setting you up with other professionals to facilitate your transaction- Picking the right lawyer or mortgage broker can be very stressful, especially if there are time constraints. I'm happy to provide you with a handful of recommendations from my network, and you can make the decision on who to go with before you've already submitted an offer. 4. Having someone to answer general questions- If you've been following this page since its creation, you'll know that my main goal is to help educate people going through their first home buying experience. I urge you not to hesitate if you have any questions for me, no matter how far away from a purchase you are!

Day 7 of my small business Christmas with @britts.klays ! @britts.klays started in April 2020 after @brittkruger was out of work due to the pandemic. It started as making polymer clay earrings to pass the time and share with family and friends, but quickly grew into a small business. Making mainly earrings, although some of the other polymer clay creations made have been cake toppers, necklaces, keychains and wall hangings. ... Britt has been amazed at the amount of support and business she has received since April. It has been an amazing journey that she continues to learn and grow from. You can check out an amazing Instagram giveaway that she has teamed up with 4 other makers and small businesses on her page @britts.klays Follow the steps for a chance to win an amazing prize pack. You can enter until Monday December 14th at 4:00p.m ! #supportsmallbusiness #shoplocal #shopsmall #smallbusiness #jewelry #earrings #gtasmallbusiness

Always feels good when an appreciative client gives you positive feedback like this! If you’re looking to make a move, or just have any real estate questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

The Durham housing market still remains strong through the end of October, despite all that’s happening. Low interest rates are keeping buyers very active. If you’re looking to buy or sell, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Congrats to @brandonlazo_ for winning this gift card contest, I look forward to the next giveaway! Thank you to everyone who participated

Another deal done, another happy client, and another contest for you all to enter! Giving away a $25 e-gift card to the place of the winner's choosing, here's what you have to do 1. Like this post... 2. Share this post 3. Tag a friend in the comments That's it, I'll randomly pick the winner on Sunday October 25 Good luck!

I want to take this chance to wish you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving long weekend! May your weekend be filled with good food, friends, and family (from a safe distance away, of course)