Jeff O’leary is the Village Guru. Keeping Real Estate Real! Is a series of real estate video blogs that get to teh root of the issue. Topics vary but can include anything from loaction, to what’s in the news, to anything worht talking about real estate related.

Why You Should Live in Meadowvale

Meadowvale has been experiencing a rebirth and a new energy. Many of the original owners are cashing out and moving away, while hundred of young families are moving in. Over the last 5 years I have watched countless neglected homes receive new love with exterior facelifts and dumpsters placed in driveways while kitchens and baths are being gutted and updated. Prices have risen dramatically but they are still more affordable than the rest of the city, given that it's further north and Meadowvale has only just begun to rise in desirability.

Where NOT to Live in Mississauga

Since the "Great Panic of 2017", every neighbourhood has risen past the once prestigious $1 million mark. But area all villages worthy of equal stature? Let's take a closer look at some villages to learn what's worth the hype and what's not.
Why you should Live in Lisgar

Why You Should Live in Lisgar

Take a tour with me to learn about everything Lisgar has to offer. Very few people start their home search here because it is on the furthest edge of the city, far away from Toronto. But because of this, you get the most house for your money, and if you can get over the suburban feel, there's a lot to see and do, especially for families.
Whya you should live in clarkson mississauga

Why You Should Live in Clarkson

Let's take you on a tour of Clarkson so you can see all the wonderful things about this Village. Though not perfect, it offers a lot of opportunity, especially for those new to Mississauga, who still need quick commuting access to Downtown Toronto.

Moving to Mississauga from Toronto

Moving out to the west GTA might not be your dream move; you may not like the idea of the 'burbs and are worried that you'll loose all the great amenities and charm that you have enjoyed in Toronto. The Village Guru takes a lifestyle approach to get you into a new neighbourhood that will make your transition as successful as possible. We think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Top 10 Upgrades to Increase the Value of Your Home

Here is THE #1 COMPREHENSIVE list of most effective upgrades to increase the value of your home! It is best if you give yourself the time to get the work done properly. Better yet, you don't have to make these material upgrade decisions alone. Hire us first, and receive weeks and months of advice, planning, sourcing and problem solving at no extra cost to you. This level of service is standard to all clients, no premium fees here.
Article giving advice on what to do to buy a house under $500,000

What to Do if Your Home Buying Budget is Under $500k?

If your home buying budget is less than $500k, i am sure you are feeling frustrated. Many recent articles are advocating for you to start anew out in Hamilton or beyond. But what if you have a job you love right here? Or family support is just 10 minutes away? What if you WANT to stay in the GTA but you don't think you can buy anything here? This article is for you.
tips on preparing your kitchen for sale

Let the Kitchen Sell Your Home

Let the kitchen sell your home! Read more to learn a few simple, economical and universally appealing principles that will get you top dollar.

Expert Series: Advice for Home Buyers

I was recently interviewed by Point2Homes about the current real estate Market and what advice for Home Buyers I had to offer.

5 Upgrades to Avoid When Selling Your Home

Especially in a sellers market, we often see home owners do the WRONG work on their home, in the hopes of maxing the sale price. Find out here the 5 Upgrades to avoid, as well as what work will get better results

The #1 Secret to Finding the Best Real Estate Agent

The hardest part in starting the process of buying or selling a home is trying to figure out who is the best agent for you. Who can you trust? How can you tell their motives? There is one simple and easy way to do this, and it's not through interviewing 10 agents until your head is spinning with information. This 1 step will save you a lot of trouble and make the process of hiring a realtor that much easier.

Choosing The Right Paint Colour For Selling Your Home

Choosing the right paint colour for selling your home isn't about personal preferences or current trends. Used strategically, colour can highlight your best features and downplay any negatives of your home. Find out which tried and true colours we recommend for an elegant and contemporary look.

How to Ensure Buyers Love your Bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Beautiful bathrooms help sell homes for Top Dollar. Although they are a more expensive room to tackle, we'll show you the most economical tricks to get a huge bang for your buck and make those buyers FALL.IN.LOVE

How To Update a Large Home on a Budget

In this case study, we were working on a large, executive home in Erin Mills. It was full of potential......and a lot of dated 1990's finishes. When you have a lot of surfaces to update, you have to make every dollar work hard, to keep to a proper budget. This is story about how to focus on the most impactful changes to get the best results.

Top Staging Tricks: Refresh your Kitchen & Baths

In this case study, we will review some of the most cost effective ways to refresh your kitchen and bath on a very tight budget.

How to Prepare Your Kitchen When Selling Your Home

If you want to sell for TOP DOLLAR, start in your kitchen. This is by far the most important room to buyers, and the price you end up with will largely depend on how happy the buyers are with the kitchen. Selling Your Home For Top Dollar - Part 5

Essential Tips for Increasing Your Home's Curb Appeal When Selling

Curb Appeal matters when selling your house. Tips to preparing your curb appeal and landscaping for selling.

Industry Article: Know Your Village

This is a quick link to the Interview I did with Point 2 Homes about the Mississauga Real Estate Market and what buyers need to know to get the home they want and need.

How Do I Find The Right Area to Live In?

[VIDEO] Finding the right area to live in can sometimes be a challenge for home buyers. Balancing factors such as budget, proximity to work, family and others can make the situation very complicated.

My Top 5 Villages in Mississauga

Clients always ask me where I would live, Would you buy this house? Would you live in this neighbourhood? what do I look for?...etc. When I'm working for someone I try to see the world through their eyes, it's about finding them what is best for them. So today I decided to write this post to answer the question, partly for fun, and also so that you can get a little better sense of who I am, and how I look at the world as a home buyer.

Younger Home Buyers Should Think Like Home Flippers

[VIDEO] Knowing what I know, if I was a first time home buyer I would be looking for something that needs a little work. By a little I don't mean a gut or the need for permits, but something that might be outdated cosmetically because here's what I do know- The majority of today's home buyers are

Osprey Marsh

This morning I decided to take a stroll around Osprey Marsh in Lisgar and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by how serene and peaceful the area is.

High Pressure Sales Tactics

Have you ever been pressured into buying something you didn't really need, due to high pressure sales tactics? In real estate it's the name of the game.

Misleading Real Estate Advertising

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Like many low end retail stores, Gimmicks, False Marketing, and Bait and Switch are some of the tricks that the unethical real estate agent uses to land new business. Knowing some of the common tricks can help you protect yourself.

Striving for Mediocrity; In Real Estate the Odds are Not in Your Favour

Make the mistake of assuming every agent is the same, or putting bling faith in a 'brand' and you may find yourself thoroughly disappointed, or worse it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars. In order to understand how the odds are stacked against you, it is important that you understand how the industry works

New Downpayment Rules Signal the Start of Hunting Season for the Housing Market

[VIDEO] The Government of Canada recently announced changes to the minimum downpayment you can make when buying a home. Let the Hunting Season Begin!

What Does a Bully Offer Mean in Real Estate?

What is a Bully Offer in Real Estate an What Does it Mean to You? How to protect yourself as a home buyer or seller.

What is the Difference Between Real Estate Agents and Other Sales Professionals

[VIDEO] What's the Difference Between Real Estate Agents and other Sales Professionals?

Mississauga Real Estate Market Update: December 2014

November was another strong month for the Mississauga Real estate market. Sales up 6.6%, Prices up 7.7% and active listings down over the same time last year...

Mississauga Real Estate Market Update: November 2014

November 6th: Real Estate Market Update for the Mississauga Villages. Average Sold Prices, Days On Market, Sold to Ask Ratios and more.

Anyone Having Real Estate Information Overload Lately?

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No longer is lack of information or data the challenge for the home buyer or seller. The problem is that there isn't enough context, because context takes time, effort and experience.

Snow Storms, Traffic and Everything Else That Sucks About Commuting

On days like today I can remember 3 hour commutes to get home. To be fair it was my choice to work out there and live in Mississauga, but it SUCKED!

Ugly House Photos

Ugly House Photos that you have to see to believe!

Funny Real Estate Terms

I've compiled a list of real estate terms that are sometimes mistaken. For fun I've added my definition if the word is commonly used for the wrong purposes.

Mortgage Rules: The Same People Who Are Tightening Them Loosened Them

Prior to 2006 we had 25 year amortization and 5% down for insured mortgages. Who was in government when the rules were loosened? Yes, the same people who are tightening them now to save us!

2013 Mississauga Real Estate Market Predictions

To kick off the new year, I am going to make my predictions for the 2013 Mississauga Real Estate Market.

Real Estate Agents Showing Up Late?

Maybe I'm the exception? I don't know. Is it normal for consumers to expect so little from their real estate agent, contractor or anyone else that they hire to perform a service?
You never know what life has in store for you 5 years from now.

Lifestyle Search For a Home

I decided to snap a picture of my son marching to the playground when it dawned on me. My life has changed so much over the past 5 years that I can hardly imagine what life was like before 3 children & it has made me think of a very important real estate lesson...

Has Flaherty Played His Last Housing Card? June 2012 Mortgage Changes

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced another round of rule changes to Canadian mortgages in an attempt to force Canadians to control their levels of debt. While I don’t completely agree with everything the changes entail, I will say that with this change the lending rules are back to the conservative way they were before the US housing crisis- so now the government will have to work on the other side of reducing household debt which involves actually growing the economy