Sonia's Real Estate Blog

First impressions are everything, and that’s as true in real estate as it is in the rest of life. If you’re selling your home, it’s crucial to think about what the first impression of your home will be because the right one will inevitably generate a ton of showings and may result in multiple offers, while the wrong one… well, a bad impression could leave your home on the market for a lot longer than you’d like.

The first step to a quick, successful home sale is choosing to work with Sonia, and that’s because my first step is to make sure your listing makes that WOW first impression. When I list your home, I want it to shine. I want everyone who looks at it to fall in love with it, book a showing that minute, and drive over the very same day.

Professional Photography: Your Home’s First Impression

A selfie of me and my favourite real estate photographer, Trevor Boller

I’m a top Sherwood Park REALTOR® and know the market inside and out. And while I’m pretty good with a point-­and­-click camera at family events (I take a fantastic selfie), I’m not a professional real estate photographer.

Sure I could take photos of your home and post them, and they’d look ok. They’d be sufficient. But we don’t want merely “sufficient”, we want WOW! If you want to sell your home you hire top tier Sherwood Park REALTOR® Sonia Tarabay. The same logic stands: If I want to take fantastic photography that gets buyers in the door, I hire a top tier real estate photographer! My choice? Trevor Boller, real estate photographer extraordinaire!

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August has arrived, and while we’re all still basking in the warm, wonderful summer, if you’re like my family the coming of August is also one month closer to September and the start of school. As a mom with 3 kids, August is “Back-­to-­School” season: Not only are schools starting to send out supply lists, but all those fun activities and camps your kids have been registered in over the summer are coming to an end as well. That means it’s time to start planning fall and winter activities for the family!

It’s a good idea to start thinking about the lessons, clubs, and after-­school activities your children want to join in August, since registration always seems to kick of earlier every year. And there’s so much for kids to choose from here in Sherwood Park! It’s just one of many reasons Sherwood Park and Strathcona County is a great place for families to call home, and why your family will love it here. There are so many great activities to choose from, including sports, music, art, horseback-­riding, and leadership clubs: The hardest part for your kids will be picking just 2 or 3!

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If you’re looking for a real estate expert in Sherwood Park, you’ve come to the right place! As a long-­time resident and REALTOR®, I’ve driven and walked along pretty much every street in this amazing community. One of the best things about Sherwood Park is it’s big enough to provide every amenity and world-­class facility you need, but small enough that you get to know the entire area, rather than just a pocket or quadrant of it.

Of course, I do have my favourite areas of Sherwood Park, and today I’m shining a special “Sonia Spotlight” on my three top communities: Summerwood, Foxhaven, and Foxboro. I’ve had the pleasure of helping many families purchase and sell homes in these wonderful communities, and if you drive down the streets of any of these three lovely neighbourhoods, you’re likely to notice even more “Sonia Sells” signs on front lawns, and a few more leopard­-printed benches dotting the streets. And, of course, keep an eye out for the new Sonia­-Mobile driving by on the way to a showing or client meeting!

I have in-­depth expertise in every area of Sherwood Park, but when it comes to Summerwood, Foxhaven, and Foxboro my knowledge runs that much deeper. I work in these areas all the time, and I know them like the back of my hand. All three have a reputation for being great family-­centric communities, with attractive, modern housing, convenient locations with access to top amenities, and beautiful parks.

So don’t be surprised if the next time you’re walking through one of these neighbourhoods you “Spot Sonia” there too!

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Spotting Sonia just got even easier! On June 26, 2014, I unleashed my new animal, the Sonia-­mobile! She’s fun, fierce, and focused on one of my greatest passions: Sherwood Park real estate!

Isn’t she purrrrfect? I still get giddy every time I take her for a drive. I just love how the artwork turned out, and how she looks zipping along the roads of Sherwood Park.

When I began my career in real estate, right from the start I knew I wanted to separate myself from my competition with a brand that would get noticed. Since I also love animal prints, I knew I wanted to incorporate them into my marketing. Now, 5 years later, everyone can spot me no matter where I’m at, whether it’s at an open house, a busy trade show, on a sold sign, or – now – driving to a showing!

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If I was standing in a crowd of home buyers, I’d be able to pick out the first-time buyers every time: They’re the ones with huge smiles on their faces, and almost vibrating with excitement!

Buying your first home is one of life’s great “firsts”, and I’m always thrilled and honoured when I get to be a part of that experience. When you buy into the real estate market for the first time, you’re taking a big step forward: At the same time, you’re making a financial investment in your future, but you’re also starting the process of laying down roots and saying “this is where I belong”. It’s a brand new, exciting chapter of your life, and some of the largest smiles I’ve ever seen have been when I hand over that first set of keys on possession day!

If it’s your first time buying a home, teaming up with the right REALTOR® can make or break the experience. Not only do you need someone experienced who understand the market, but it’s important to work with a REALTOR® you like and can make a connection with. Someone who you feel comfortable spending hours, evenings, or even entire days with, driving around and looking at homes. Someone you trust to be honest with you when it’s most important, to stand up for your best interests at the negotiation table, and who shares your excitement about buying your first home.

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Anyone who has met me knows how passionate I am about the work I do as a Sherwood Park REALTOR®. I chose a career in real estate years ago because I love working with people and am passionate about helping them through one of the biggest financial transactions they’ll make in their life. It’s a big responsibility, and I take it very seriously: After all, it’s not “just a home”, it’s your family’s life, their comfort, and your investment we’re talking about.

Together, we are a team, and it’s critical we work together at every step. When we do, we create a Win-­Win environment where you meet your most important real estate goals and we share success.

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Anyone who knows me knows I love animals, so Strathcona County is an ideal place for an animal lover like me.

Did you know that Strathcona County is the Horse Capital of Canada? This is supported by a horse survey count that was done in 2011. There are more than 300,000 horses in Alberta and the largest concentration is right here in the County.

The linkages to the horse goes back quite a ways in the history of the County. The name “Strathcona” originated with Lord Strathcona’s Horse, a Royal Canadian regiment. Even today, the regiment performs in period uniform and mounted on horseback.

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If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Sherwood Park or the wider Edmonton area in the next 6 months, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the monthly market stats to see where the trends are.

Sherwood Park Real Estate Market Stats

In April, single family home total sales were up 33.8% from March, and up 12.6% from last April. That’s a great sign that more people are looking at buying Sherwood Park real estate and bringing their families to our great city this summer, which is good news if you’re planning on selling.

Looking at average price, the average selling price of a single family home in Sherwood Park has fallen slightly from last month, down around $6,000, or 1.4% from last month. When we dig deeper into the numbers, what we find is that more people are looking to buy homes at a more modest budget: Starter homes and first time home buyers are extremely active right now. We see this in particular when we look at the condo market where sales are up and the average price has increased by 3.5% over last month.

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There are so many things I love about living in Sherwood Park! One of those is that whether you are a weekend warrior, part of an active family or a serious athlete, Strathcona County has just the recreational opportunity you are looking for!

Trails

The County has an extensive trail system throughout Sherwood Park and parts of the rural areas. These trails often link up and it is possible to go from one side of Sherwood Park to another, enjoying the park like setting.

The trail system continues to grow and Strathcona County is a member of the River Valley Alliance, an organization with a vision to create a continuous integrated river valley park system that will run through Devon, Parkland County, Leduc, Edmonton, Sturgeon and Strathcona County.

When complete, the 88 km river valley trail will be the longest metropolitan park in North America, encompassing 18,000 acres. Imagine what a beautiful bike ride or walk the trail will be!

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Since moving to Sherwood Park years ago, I completely fell in love with the community, and while I continue to service the wider Edmonton area I always get a little extra excited about working with my Sherwood Park clients. I like to think of myself as a self­-appointed ambassador for Sherwood Park, both as a resident and as a business owner here. Sometimes I get asked “Why Sherwood Park?” and I always have my answer ready.

So Sonia, Why Sherwood Park?

Sherwood Park is Family Friendly

Sherwood Park is one of Canada’s most family­-friendly communities, and when you live and work here you notice it right away: there are tons of families everywhere! Lots of young couples are picking Sherwood Park and – most importantly – choosing to stay here as their families grow. Between our great school system, our world­-class recreational facilities, and wealth of park land, it’s easy to see the appeal.

I live and work in Sherwood Park, and my family loves it here. My children love their school and have made a ton of friends. After school, there are so many great activities and classes available for my children to join: My three are involved in dance classes, swimming clubs, Taekwondo, and archery: all located right here in Sherwood Park! One of my favourite places to take my family is the new Strathcona County Public Library located in the Centre in the Park. This wonderful new library is absolutely wonderful for families: there are cozy reading corners, interactive areas for children, and a huge selection of great books for all ages.

In 2014, MoneySense magazine gave Sherwood Park top marks in their review of the best places to live in Canada. Sherwood Park got the #10 spot in the Best Place to Raise Kids in Canada category, the #3 spot in the Overall Best Place to Live in Canada, and the #2 spot in the Best Small City to live in Canada category!

In addition, Sherwood Park has been routinely ranked as one of Alberta’s safest municipalities which, as a mother myself, is a hugely important factor when I chose to raise my family here.

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