Two Summer Goals: International Air Rally and Rallying for Cornerstone Women’s Shelter

The International Air Rally is taking shape so too is the Rally to raise $5000 for Cornerstone Women’s Shelter. I’ve already raised $815. in pledges. People have written cheques and have donated online using their VISA card. Everyone receives a 100% tax deductible receipt for their contribution. So give generously. Call me and find out how to make your donation. I’ll pick up your cheque personally!

Now for the Air Rally. It turns out the distance has grown to 5800 nautical miles and that doesn’t count the 900 miles to Russell Manitoba where the Rally begins. I’m still looking for an IFR pilot to join the crew. That will make it easier to fly through nasty weather and keep on track. Other crew members are Deborah Hind and Chris Gallant.

Deborah is delighted to join the crew as navigator and fact finder. This is very important in a rally as it’s not speed that counts but accuracy and the ability to answer the most unusual questions about aviation and geography. Deborah will also tend to lunch detail as it’s do-it-yourself lunches on this air liner! Deborah also teaches Yoga and she has a presence that is healing and calming. I suggest many of the other Rally participents will be doing stretches and meditation when we land. Hey, that’s a good thing!

Chris is a visitor to Canada from Great Britain. He’s been travelling for several months now and expects to join up with us in Manitoba. He is a professional photographer. It’ll be great to record our experiences and revisit people we meet along the way in photos.

Now for the last member of the crew. She’s a silent partner so to speak but I hope she never goes silent on me. Introducing our trusty 1966 Cherokee Six. She is old but after a long life in Northern Ontario banging around the bush and transporting fish and moose, she is ready to fly us half way around the world!

I’ve just received the new ignition wires, spark plugs and we’ll do an oil change before we go. I have a new battery and the new 406 ELT emergency beacon locator to be installed. I’ll be adding the new streamlined wheel pants that apparently add to the speed of the airplane. I’ve hear the wheel pants add 6 naughts to our speed. I suppose that’s not much but considering the distance we’re traveling it would reduce our flight time by 3 hours! That’s like going to Toronto from Ottawa for free. I’ve order a number of other comfort additions to the airplane like door seals and new sun visors. I can’t wait till it’s all installed. There is still some repairs and upgrades to be completed on the radio gear. Cross my fingers, I hope is it completed in time for take off!

We’ll need to add survival gear as we’re travelling over rugged inhospitable ground. Life jackets, tent, mosquito netting for each person as well as lots of dry food to eat during the long time aloft. Chocolate is my favourite, followed by chocolate cookies. I also like chocolate covered coffee beans. I’ll bet the British fellow Chris, likes crumpets so I’ll pack some for him. Debbie likes Soya nuts so she gets a survival bag of those.

Agent in Ottawa

Thoughtful agent in Ottawa would like to clarify the word a g e n t. Real Estate professionals are frequently called agents but the term agent is outdated. The title used to describe people working on real estate transactions is Real Estate professionals. It is a title we as a group have adopted. We do the practical part of listing and selling houses. We are practitioners in real estate transactions.
There is a great deal of training that goes into a successful real estate business. Some licensees have experience in renovation and design whereas others are powerful in motivation and in salesmanship. All need the basic training and experience to serve buyers and sellers, to help them achieve the change they want in their lives whether it be selling or buying a home.

International Air Rally July 30 to August 15,2009

I’m excited to participate in the international Air Rally to begin at Winnipeg this July 30 to August 15, 2009. This rally attracts pilots from all over Canada and the world. Countries represented are USA, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and Mexico. 5000 nautical miles will be covered in the whole route! Like flying to Argentina and back. (See the charitable link below.) I’ve wanted to participate in this rally for several years, so this is a great time to do it. And it’s a good opportunity to celebrate 100 years of flying in Canada! ( Check the earlier posting February 23, 2009 the birthday of flight in Canada when I successfully landed on the frozen Ottawa River lost and in a blinding blizzard!)

The rally has a competitive element. Each day pilot crew is awarded 100 points per day but they must answer skill testing questions, sight unusual landmarks at strategic locations, and fly precisely. Points are deducted for mistakes. There will be spot landing tests. Imagine a landing touch down on a 100 foot strip! not easy. Bombing precision. ( not with real bombs ) ( flower bag bombs). As well there will be ground based challenges like canoe races, fishing competitions, sling shot accuracy trials. Good thing some of these tests are not fundamental to flying but they will be fun and interaction with a group of 60 or so pilots will fun. Good opportunity to make connections and extend business contacts.
The route takes us to airports all over remote parts of Canada. From Winnipeg we fly west to Fort Nelson then on to Whitehorse in Yukon territory. Next we fly east to Fort Simpson where my sister Mary Elder was born. My dad was in the military and we were posted at the DEW line telecommunications station. I’m told the only access to Fort Simpson in those days was by DC-3 aircraft and trusted dog sled! Imagine dogsled. Well I’m also told I was nearly eaten by hungry husky dogs. I believe it. I’ve still got scars to prove it! We’ll continue eastward using our dead reckoning navigational skills until we reach Rankin Inlet on the shore of Hudson Bay. I’ll guess we see some polar bears and whales on ice floes in the Bay! From there we stop into a number of small native communities sleeping in igloos until they melt further south. Wigwams will be fine from there down to Montreal. In the south portion we head east to Blanc Sablon Newfoundland. In St Pierre et Micheleon it’ll be fois gras. I’ll bet we munch on flounder and cod tongues there but I hope it’s lobsters in Summerside. It’ll be clams in Digby and I hope there will be champagne waiting when we cross the finish line in Montreal.

I’ve not been to most of the airports. But the thing is, once you visited people in a remote area there is much more chance of returning if you like the visit. Most of the towns plan to offer a special reception for the visitors. What’s more, the rally will be recorded by several international film crews for future broadcast so best foot forward! And take off the sunglasses and smile!

It is a 5000 nautical mile challenge and I’ve set a personal goal of raising $5000 dollars to help a local Ottawa women’s shelter called Cornerstone. It is a registered charity so every dollar donated will be tax deductible. So step up and donate generously; Cash or cheque will go to Cornerstone not in the fuel tank! Send your cheques to … best to call me and I’ll tell you where to send your cheque Cell 613-296-8065
I’ll keep you posted on the planning. Next I’ll have to ready the airplane for this epic journey… Who needs a paint job?

stay tuned to: Thoughtful agent in Ottawa for more…

Why Does a Hound Turn Round?


An odd Title; Why does a hound turn round, but while swimming lap after lap this morning, I thought about how dogs make themselves comfortable just before they bed down . Does the hound unknowingly follow the earth’s Coriolis effect like the water swirling down the drain in our bathroom sink? A dog turns clockwise for the most part if he doesn’t stop and turn counter clockwise before laying down. In the Alex Colville painting of 1958 (Hound in Field) from the National Gallery of Canada pictured here, the dog is turning to the right. OK, so the real question is How do dogs relate to Real Estate Sales… right?


Dogs habitually turn and turn to make a bed, trampling the grass so to speak to get comfortable before settling down. Dogs like to be comfortable. People do the same when they choose a home. They unconsciously read the signs, gauging the size, the space, the light, the level of comfort, and the practical family needs that a prospective house will offer. They look for danger and they estimate the flattering qualities of the home. There is a lot going on in a Buyer’s head when they look at the front entry. That’s called “Curb Appeal”. Inside, they evaluate the space and task flow. They reflect on how the kitchen functions with the rest of the first floor-the dining room and the living area. The mom thinks how she’ll make the dinner and care for the children. The dad looks to see if there is space to work and play with the children. The mom and dad really do think differently about the use of space.


For the Buyer cleanliness is exceedingly important. Clean windows. Clean air, free from scents and deodorizers and cleaning supply odours is very important. Too often I find a house where every room in the house has a plug in puffer that periodically sprays a powerful scent into the air. It amazes me that people think they have to buy an electronic deodorizer because they see it on TV. Makes me gag for fresh air! Oddly single men seem to like these. Now kitchens will often smell of cooking. That’s fine. Bathrooms smell of fine soap. That’s fine. Basements smell of utility room; a little oil, cut wood, concrete or leather. That’s fine. Bedrooms smell of nothing but fresh air. That’s good. Garages smell of rubber and cars. That’s good too. It’s what you expect in those areas. There is no need to mask these normal odours with smelly products!

Second we look for a sense of calm. Home is a place of rest and shelter for both body and mind. A house well prepared for sale will allow the Buyer to see the room shapes and house architecture. Clutter will distract. Order will release the Buyer allowing them to imagine how the house would work for them.

The topic of dogs bedding down is really a parallel discussion on how staging or advance preparation affects the sale of a home and who can perform this special magic. I find home owners live too close to the problem and literally can’t see the reasoning, or can understand and don’t think the effort worth the fuss, however when pointed out or shown they agree that staging dramatically improves the visual impact of the home. It makes it more attractive and if you consider that 83% of the homes are unstaged, a prepared home not only looks more attractive, it beats out the competition. A staged home sells faster, with fewer Buyer visits and it sells for a higher price! Sounds like magic doesn’t it? Well, yes and no. It requires very practical choices and a strong background in visual arts. Simple. I my case I’ve an eight year background studying the arts and a Master’s degree. But it requires great confidence to employ this subjective training in front of sceptical eye of the owner.

Recently I worked on a lovely home. The young couple were practical and owned the home for only a few years. The furniture wasn’t new. Fruit boxes for side tables. Tables and sofas from the parents. The first thing I wanted to do was remove needless paintings, wall decorations and needless book shelves. I wanted to open the spaces. I work on a principal that each room has a function. Kitchen is kitchen, bedroom is bedroom, playroom is playroom. There should be no confusion as to primary usage of the room. Keep it simple!

Next I wanted to orchestrate a flow from room to room. Light has the quality of flowing like water and well used it can draw the Buyer from foyer to kitchen to dining room to living room. It does this through the law of attraction. People visit the home with anticipation and expectation of something special. They are looking for their dream home. Lighting will move them from light area to darker are to lighter area. All kitchen lights should be on as if someone just stepped out f to gather some cut some flowers. Consider a Vermeer painting. There is a special quality of light, of overlapping and the sense of arrested moment in time. It appears peaceful. Vermeer’s paintings are an invitation to enter the artist’s dream world.

Colour is another vehicle to create harmony and flow in a room. Like colours lead the eye. Soft colours are calming. Interestingly, in this house the front window curtains were a set of white curtains over a taupe coloured inner curtain. The walls were an off white. I was able to create a rich harmony by reversing the curtain order so that the main taupe colour was in front and it worked off the wall colour beautifully and richly. This simple act of reversing the curtain order subtly harmonised the room making it feel larger and brighter.

During the first Community Open House, visitors marveled at the strength of home. The solidity. I interpret this as a feeling of confidence in the home. One visitor asked if the house had been staged. I think she was impressed. Modestly, I replied that “the home had been nicely readied for the sale”. So what were the results of this staging? The home sold four days after the listing began. It had 5 Real Estate Professional visits. It sold with competing offers, $5000 over asking price!

So when you see your hound turning and turning before bedding down, consider how profound are the senses we rely on to tell us which home is right to buy. And , if you know anyone interested in Selling their Home, have them contact me for a helpful consultation.

The Home Zen Experience for Buyers


I like to enter a home for the first time without preconception or at least to set aside all knowledge of the type and style of home. I want to be in a neutral mood as I enter so that I’m open to feel the flow or rooms, halls and centers of interest. It’s as if I were water, I want to experience the push and pull of the space and how light moves me through the house. I call this the Zen of experience of home. Do I walk down a hall or climb some steps? Do I enter an open room with high ceilings or am I allowed to anticipate subsequent larger spaces? No matter where I am directed in an unconscious manner there are three primary zones inside the home; cooking and sharing of food, entertaining and private areas. There is a mechanical area often in the basement and exterior which make up the forth and fifth zones. The shape size and interplay of these rooms constitutes good home design and the potential for easier living.

The main entry should have a strong flow to the kitchen area which I think of as home central and from there to the dining and entertaining areas. I want to see a kitchen well laid out with natural light and space to prepare food and have sufficient space to have helpers join in. Next I want to see how the private rooms tie into the kitchen. The bathroom and bedrooms are a separate privacy zone separate but nevertheless tied to the kitchen centre. I like an easy flow between the two. A short hall or a couple of wide steps are all that is needed to a walk to the bathroom. Everyone likes to feel the kitchen as an adjunct to their bedroom especially at night time when they want a glass of juice. convenience! It’s just easy living that way.

The third zone is the entertaining area. It used to be called the front room, the salon, the formal room but increasingly, the family room or den has become popular. This multi purpose room has seen changes in contemporary home design and older homes are transforming the entertaining areas to keep up with changing needs of a busy home life. Everything happens in the family room. It’s usually in line of sight of the kitchen counter. A fire place often balances the kitchen at the opposite end of the room. There is an area to relax, to work at a project, to do homework and to read. The expansion of the family room and the shrinking of the formal room has led to the growth of fun rooms, theme rooms, home theatres, and games rooms. These additional rooms frequently find a place in the basement where space is not at a premium. Parties and home entertaining is still at a formal level and people like to gather in the kitchen at party time where warmth, food and friendship are shared. Home is still a shelter and refuge so only chosen people are welcome in the entertainment zone of the home. Strangers are kept at the exterior of the home; at the entrance and not beyond.

Finally the utility room is an area where heating, cooling, workshop and laundry are located. The attached garage is frequently related to the mechanical components of the utility room. This is where engineering and renovation experience can tell a volumes about how a home has been cared for and what can be done to structurally change the house. The mechanical area is often neglected because it is sometimes windowless, dark, smelly and noisy. Its in the basement. The mechanical room instills an element of fear. But with some engineering and renovation experience the basement can reveal volumes about how a home has been maintained and what can be done to improve the house design.

When visiting a home for sale, picture in your mind’s eye the zones of use. Take into account how you would use the home in the dark when you rely on touch and feel of walls to guide you about. Think about the party of 30 people and how the group interaction will conform to the house layout. Consider in what areas you will most likely find comfort on a stormy winters eve when there is only you and another special person to share the home.

Sound like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde !

In a recent conversation over a glass of wine we discussed the title of this blog. It was interestingand revealing. Of course the blog is about my experiences and opinions in real estate matters in Ottawa, Ontario. But frequently I encounter curiosities and personalities that go beyond the text book. It’s what makes life interesting.

So as the conversation goes, instead of Thoughtful Agent in Ottawa talking about “real estate matters” a slip of the tongue made it “reveal estate matters” almost makes it sound like a Dear Abby gossip column! And why not? Exactly! There are situations that are real eye openers to the psychology of human behaviour. Real estate is driven by strong emotions, emotions that build suddenly and can have a dramatic temporary impact on behaviour.

Temporary changes I’ve seen can have the effect of changing a mild mannered gentleman into a frustrated vengeful seven year old in the play ground. There is the aggressive foreword posture. Shouting, wide eyes, and even accusations, all are part of the performance. Then, just as quickly, with a few strokes of the proverbial pen, things are back in perspective, we’re happy and I’m once again talking with the gentleman. Sound like, looks like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Yes?

I suppose that’s why experienced real estate professionals cruise a narrower band of emotional flow. That’s what makes them professionals. A little detached; like a poker player. It’s what gives them the negotiating edge in an offer.

Thoughtful Agent in Ottawa: How to draft an Offer to Purchase

There is real excitement when a buyer finds a house they like. I think: the long search may be over; or maybe not! The next step is to draft an Offer to Purchase that both Buyer and Seller agree to. How do you write an Offer to Purchase? What strategy might you use to get the best deal for the Buyer?

There are powerful emotions at play in the purchase of a home. A Buyer needs to feel passionate. And a seller must really want to make a change. In an offer situation there is a lot of emotional energy and real estate professinals harness that energy to negotiate the best deal for their client. It is at the “tabling of an offer” that a lot of money can disappear from a Sellers asking price. A good real estate agent can bolster a Sellers position when faced with a strong Buyer agent. And conversely, a strong salesperson for the Buyer can undermine a Seller’s price.

An offer to purchase is a binding contract ( see related blog post on parts to an offer) to perform several actions in return for goods and services from the Seller. Clearly, if the offer is for the asking price and there are no unexpected chattels included in the offer it will be accepted. Hurray! The price would have to be attractive or the motivation to purchase would have to be high to offer full price. A well priced home sells faster and for higher than does an overpriced home!

Let’s say there are a number of renovations and maintenance concerns for the Buyer. In this situation a lower price might be considered to make a balance between the asking price and the Buyer’s future expenditures. In practice the total value of the liabilities might be subtracted from the asking price. This might could make the offer appear insincere and unacceptably low to the seller. Consider at this point if the house is over priced or if there is a need for more information about the community that would support the price. Perhaps the Buyer is poorly informed.

It might be wise to consider a range of acceptability for both the buyer and seller and strategically place the offer price at the lower limit of possibility for the seller, disregard any defects and maintenance concerns for the moment. Sellers frequently don’t perceive problems their home. Try to arrive at an acceptable price for all; a kind of win win. If there are major maintenance expenses for the Buyer the building inspection should reveal them and post inspection is a good time to revisit the accepted price. So there is time for the Buyer and Seller to renegotiate.

I feel it is wiser to make a fair offer and purchase at a fair market value than it is to “low ball it” and frustrate the transaction. When Buyers loose out on a house they frequently pay more for the house they finally buy.

For Sale By Owner- Sort of

Thoughtful agent in Ottawa completed a property transaction with a sweet couple who were represented by a real estate brokerage that provides minimal, and I mean minimal service to the seller but also at the lowest cost. Frankly, I was astonished! Reminds me of the adage that you get what you pay for, or in this situation, you get what you don’t pay for too. And seller and buyers beware!

I was alarmed at how poorly prepared the sellers were for the legal paperwork. The sellers were unprepared for the quick action required. They had no ready council. The notion of “time being of the essence” or in plain language dead lines and expiry dates was disregarded. They were unaware of the legal, fiduciary responsibilities of agency. They appeared to be unaware of the function organized real estate professionals play in representing buyers and sellers. And finally I’m not certain they were adequately aware of the recent values of community houses and how theirs house fit into the larger housing market.

I frequently found myself explaining terms and concepts to clarify terms of the the current Ontario Offer to Purchase, to the sellers and this was done in parallel to my presence as negotiator for the Buyer.

I don’t mind freely sharing my knowledge and experience. I will only do this in an impartial and honest manner. I know people are unaccustomed to the practices, and strategies or property transactions involving millions of dollars. Contract law can be daunting, but if I see an advantage for my client I’ll freely exploit it to their benefit! Oh! Yes!

When one party wants everything and there is no sense of fair negotiation, no balance. The going can be painfully slow as it was with this transaction. Unfortunately the seller had to frequently break off discussion and call their lawyer about details when they should have been guided by their trusted real estate agent. I’m sure their lawyer will charge for their time and expertise. Somebody has to “pay the piper”! And it’s not over yet. There’s a building inspection and possible amendments to closing dates for the seller. Rigid negotiation is like an echo. It has a way of returning to bite the caller! Hopefully, not in this situation

For a useful Glossary of Real Estate Terms visit https://martinelder.ca/ under the Buyer column.

The Business of Networking

The business of real estate sales is a basically networking activity. You have to meet people and lead them to perceive you as an attractive personality, yet trustworthy, knowledgeable, and aggressive. It’s an interesting combination of character traits.

Today I visited a number of houses in an area I used to live in, a neighbourhood called Cardinal Heights in Ottawa East. It is a community with a mixture of French and English speaking people and I remember that as a child in the 1960s. I delivered all three newspapers; the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Journal and the Le Droit.

Most of the homes are now occupied by new home owners. Younger people who like the bungalow design which is the predominant housing style in the community during the late 1940s and 1950s. They were all built by small builders from plans purchased from CMHC for $10. So the community looks somewhat similar. The lots are large and the trees have grown large over 60 years making for an interesting and complex sky scape

So today I visited door to door. Knocking on doors and talking with anyone home who might know anyone interested in moving into the neighbourhood or move from the neighbourhood. It’s a simple question. The answers are predictably bland but the opportunity to communicate is simply marvelous. The things that people say is astonishing and touching.

One home owner told me of her daughter who recently died. I was sad about that. I told her that when I was a teenager I used to deliver her news papers and that it was her daughter who always paid me. She looked at me with a new appreciation and I remembered her name which surprises me because I’m notorious for name forgetfulness.

Another person just driving into her driveway and getting out of her car with a paper tray of Tim Horton’s coffee for herself and her mother was surprised to see me walking up the drive. We began to talk and discovered common ground in our graduation years at Gloucester High School. Yes She knows of an neighbour who used to baby sit my sister and I. She keeps regular contact with Kathy by email and telephone. She reminded me that from time to time when Kathy was unable to sit with us she replaced Kathy and baby sat me!

The One Sign Rule in Ottawa

Thoughtful Agent in Ottawa Comments: The one sign rule in Ottawa.

There is a rule in the Ottawa Real Estate Board that states that only one company can place real estate sign on a property at a time. There is an injustice in this! I’ll tell you why…

Current research shows that most Buyers find the home they buy through some action provided by a licensed real estate professional. The for sale sign is a very important part of announcing to the community that a house is “For Sale”. But there is a lot of activity taking place to back up the sale of the home and ultimately sell it. What really happens?

The listing agent draws up a contract with the owner to list the house at a specific price for a period of time. Information is gathered on the property and the “Listing” is then placed on the MLX® or Multiple Listing Exchange. The MLX® is an Internet based listing of houses, apartments, and businesses used exclusively for licensed real estate professionals to advertise the features of home and community. Incidentally the MLS® or Multiple Listing Service is the daughter of the MLX® and is available to the public. It has greatly reduced information but nonetheless, describes the property just as an ad in a magazine would provide highlights to draw attention to the property and attract an interested buyer.

The Buying agent represents the important counterpoint in the buying and selling transaction. The Buying agent is considered the selling side in the transaction. It’s almost an oxymoron of terms! The Buying agent provides the service of investigating the value of the property and advising the buyer of important details and to suggest a strategy for the offer and purchase contract.

When the sale is finalized the buyer is delighted and the seller too. The sold sign pops up and the public thinks the the company on the sign was the agent who did all the work! What happened to the agent who represented the buyer? No sign for them! In a business that is fundamentally built on sales and public trust, networking and public perception is extremely important to future business. The one sign rule greatly disadvantages the buying agent. Perhaps this is why there are communities where house sales seem to be dominated by one company. Perhaps this is the reason why some communities allow both listing and selling agent to post their signs for all to see. Wouldn’t that be a change!

Trademarks are owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate

professionals who are members of CREA (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®)