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The case of Harkness v. Cooney, decided in 1979 at Waterloo County Court, established an important precedent regarding the purchasers' right to a final walk-through in a real estate transaction. In this case, the court held that the purchaser had the right to inspect the property for damage on the day of closing and requisition an inspection if necessary. The court's ruling reinforces the rights of purchasers and highlights the importance of the final walk-through in protecting those rights.
Home Sales are Down and Prices Stabilizing
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Sales volume through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System of the Waterloo Region Association of REALTORS® (WRAR) set a low for the month of February, with 439 homes sold, representing a decrease of 45.0 percent compared to February 2022 and 31.5 percent below the previous 5-year average for the month.
Perhaps that was the idea behind the creation of Family Day, a holiday that acts as a fun break from the February blahs. Since its inception in 2007, Family Day has been a time for families to get together, and enjoy a little quality time and have some fun!
The Family Day long weekend is also the perfect time to plan a road trip to Waterloo Region! Check out the list of Things to Do below and start planning all the fun things you can do together as you explore Waterloo Region!
The Family Day long weekend is also the perfect time to plan a road trip to Waterloo Region! Check out the list of Things to Do below and start planning all the fun things you can do together as you explore Waterloo Region!
20 Ways to Enjoy Family Day in Waterloo Region
1. Chicopee Ski
All Family Day Weekend (Weather Permitting)
Waterloo Region is home to one of Ontario’s most popular ski and snowboard family centres. Grab your gear (or rent it there): Family Day is the perfect time to Discover Chicopee!
2. Chicopee Tube Park
All Family Day Weekend (Weather Permitting)
Why not get out and enjoy our Canadian winter with a day of snow tubing? Timed passes can be booked online: and if you work up an appetite, there are outdoor options available for BBQ food, as well as take & go food/beverage items.
3. TRICON at THEMUSEUM
All Family Day Weekend
Immerse yourself in all things pop culture, sci-fi, comics, anime, visual art, S.T.E.A.M., digital technology, interactive tech-art, and more!
During this weekend-long event you will get to visit vendors, enjoy a range of panels, participate in S.T.E.A.M. activities and see work from local makers. Tickets are available on the website.
4. Follow the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market Chocolate Trail
Saturday, Feb. 18
For the month of February the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market (Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market) is highlighting CHOCOLATE! Follow the chocolate trail to find vendors selling chocolate and chocolate pastries.
Pick up a Chocolate Trail Map at the main entrances to each of the Farmers’ Market buildings.
5. Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory Family Days
All Family Day Weekend
Warm up in Cambridge Butterfly’s tropical garden and get up-close with insects and butterflies. Don’t forget to visit the Critter Corner, and the new Leafcutter Ant exhibit to find out more about Nature’s Farmers!
6. Family Day at the Kitchener Market
Monday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join in the Family Day fun at the Market this year! Bring your family and enjoy a day full of activities, both inside and out, including a board game café, hosted trivia sessions, artisans, delicious food, and curling rinks! There will also be two special sessions of a Kids in the Kitchen – pre-register and drop-ins accepted.
7. St. Jacobs & Aberfoyle Model Railway
All Family Day Weekend
This amazing “O” Scale model railway layout in St. Jacobs is generally closed during the winter; however, it will be open for families to enjoy during the Family Day weekend! This family-favourite attraction is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this year, and as a special gift to you, admission for kids ages 4-12 will be Free on Family Day Monday!
8. Fire & Ice Family Day Weekend in St. Jacobs
All Family Day Weekend
Warm up with a beverage at the Hot Chocolate Bar, be part of Fat Sparrow’s Outdoor Porch Party, enjoy free skating at the St. Jacobs Arena and take advantage of special deals at shops throughout the village: there’s lots happening in St. Jacobs this Family Day weekend!
9. KWAG Family Day Activities
Monday, Feb. 20 from 1-4 p.m
Spend Family Day immersed in art and creativity at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery. From hands-on art activities to tours of our current exhibitions. All ages are welcome (children must be accompanied by an adult).
10. Go Fishing with your Family!
All Family Day Weekend
Ontario Family Fishing Events is a province-wide opportunity for residents to fish Ontario waters for free. Locally, you can try your hand at ice fishing at Shade’s Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge (weather permitting: check here for the daily ice fishing status).
11. Kingpin Cambridge
All Family Day Weekend
Your family can Eat – Tag – Bowl – Play at Kingpin Cambridge! With 10-pin bowling, laser tag, and a huge variety of state-of-the-art arcade games, Kingpin Cambridge provides lots of great ways to have fun. And, don’t forget to check out Kingpin’s Kitchener location too.
12. Airborne Trampoline
All Family Day Weekend
Your family will be jumping for joy (literally!) at this trampoline facility. Please note that reservations must be made and booking is only available one week in advance.
13. St. Jacobs Horse Drawn Tours Winter Sleigh Ride
How about a sleigh ride this Family Day? St. Jacobs Horse Drawn Tours offers large and small sleighs rides by reservation only. As powerful horses pull the sleigh, you can sit back and enjoy a scenic ride through open fields and a sugar bush!
14. Cambridge Family Day Events
All Family Day Weekend
Free drop in activities are happening throughout Cambridge including swimming, skating, family fitness, sports, and art!
15. Dog Friendly KW ‘SNIFFSCAPE’
All Family Day Weekend
Bringing your 4-legged family member along on your Family Day Road Trip? Then head to Short Finger Brewing and check our SNIFFSCAPE with your pup!
SNIFFSCAPE will take you through a collection of seven themed rooms, each offering your dog a different opportunity for enrichment, mental and/or physical stimulation (and of course, loads of cute photo opportunities).
16. Claytime at the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Discover the art of working with clay! Their instructor will demonstrate basic hand building techniques and will show you examples of what you can make using clay. Then you will make a small project of your choice!
Children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult who also has a ticket.
17. Adventure Rooms Kitchener
Looking for a thrilling adventure your family can do as a team? Choose from 4 exciting escape rooms at Adventure Rooms! Work together to see if you can make your escape in 60 minutes or less. For some at home fun, check out their Virtual Escape Games where you can play LIVE on Zoom with friends, family, or co-workers in different households, cities, or countries!
18. Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum Backyard Birds Weekend
All Family Day Weekend
Leave your nest this Family Day weekend, and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Explore Waterloo Region Museum’s 60-acre site, and track the birds you see and hear. Then, on Family Day Monday, join Wild Ontario to meet real birds that can’t be re-released into the wild due to human actions. Learn how to take positive steps to keep wild birds safe.
19. North Dumfries Community Centre Family Day Fun
Monday, Feb. 20th 9AM to 1 p.m.
Fun activities for the whole family, both on and off the ice from 9a.m. until 1 p.m. Then stick around for the Ayr Centennials game at 2:30 p.m.
The Breakaway Cafe will be open all day for your snacking and lunch needs!
20. Outdoor Skating Rinks
Lace up your skates and check out any number of outdoor rinks in the City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge.
Happy Family Day!
All Family Day Weekend (Weather Permitting)
Waterloo Region is home to one of Ontario’s most popular ski and snowboard family centres. Grab your gear (or rent it there): Family Day is the perfect time to Discover Chicopee!
2. Chicopee Tube Park
All Family Day Weekend (Weather Permitting)
Why not get out and enjoy our Canadian winter with a day of snow tubing? Timed passes can be booked online: and if you work up an appetite, there are outdoor options available for BBQ food, as well as take & go food/beverage items.
3. TRICON at THEMUSEUM
All Family Day Weekend
Immerse yourself in all things pop culture, sci-fi, comics, anime, visual art, S.T.E.A.M., digital technology, interactive tech-art, and more!
During this weekend-long event you will get to visit vendors, enjoy a range of panels, participate in S.T.E.A.M. activities and see work from local makers. Tickets are available on the website.
4. Follow the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market Chocolate Trail
Saturday, Feb. 18
For the month of February the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market (Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market) is highlighting CHOCOLATE! Follow the chocolate trail to find vendors selling chocolate and chocolate pastries.
Pick up a Chocolate Trail Map at the main entrances to each of the Farmers’ Market buildings.
5. Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory Family Days
All Family Day Weekend
Warm up in Cambridge Butterfly’s tropical garden and get up-close with insects and butterflies. Don’t forget to visit the Critter Corner, and the new Leafcutter Ant exhibit to find out more about Nature’s Farmers!
6. Family Day at the Kitchener Market
Monday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Join in the Family Day fun at the Market this year! Bring your family and enjoy a day full of activities, both inside and out, including a board game café, hosted trivia sessions, artisans, delicious food, and curling rinks! There will also be two special sessions of a Kids in the Kitchen – pre-register and drop-ins accepted.
7. St. Jacobs & Aberfoyle Model Railway
All Family Day Weekend
This amazing “O” Scale model railway layout in St. Jacobs is generally closed during the winter; however, it will be open for families to enjoy during the Family Day weekend! This family-favourite attraction is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this year, and as a special gift to you, admission for kids ages 4-12 will be Free on Family Day Monday!
8. Fire & Ice Family Day Weekend in St. Jacobs
All Family Day Weekend
Warm up with a beverage at the Hot Chocolate Bar, be part of Fat Sparrow’s Outdoor Porch Party, enjoy free skating at the St. Jacobs Arena and take advantage of special deals at shops throughout the village: there’s lots happening in St. Jacobs this Family Day weekend!
9. KWAG Family Day Activities
Monday, Feb. 20 from 1-4 p.m
Spend Family Day immersed in art and creativity at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery. From hands-on art activities to tours of our current exhibitions. All ages are welcome (children must be accompanied by an adult).
10. Go Fishing with your Family!
All Family Day Weekend
Ontario Family Fishing Events is a province-wide opportunity for residents to fish Ontario waters for free. Locally, you can try your hand at ice fishing at Shade’s Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge (weather permitting: check here for the daily ice fishing status).
11. Kingpin Cambridge
All Family Day Weekend
Your family can Eat – Tag – Bowl – Play at Kingpin Cambridge! With 10-pin bowling, laser tag, and a huge variety of state-of-the-art arcade games, Kingpin Cambridge provides lots of great ways to have fun. And, don’t forget to check out Kingpin’s Kitchener location too.
12. Airborne Trampoline
All Family Day Weekend
Your family will be jumping for joy (literally!) at this trampoline facility. Please note that reservations must be made and booking is only available one week in advance.
13. St. Jacobs Horse Drawn Tours Winter Sleigh Ride
How about a sleigh ride this Family Day? St. Jacobs Horse Drawn Tours offers large and small sleighs rides by reservation only. As powerful horses pull the sleigh, you can sit back and enjoy a scenic ride through open fields and a sugar bush!
14. Cambridge Family Day Events
All Family Day Weekend
Free drop in activities are happening throughout Cambridge including swimming, skating, family fitness, sports, and art!
15. Dog Friendly KW ‘SNIFFSCAPE’
All Family Day Weekend
Bringing your 4-legged family member along on your Family Day Road Trip? Then head to Short Finger Brewing and check our SNIFFSCAPE with your pup!
SNIFFSCAPE will take you through a collection of seven themed rooms, each offering your dog a different opportunity for enrichment, mental and/or physical stimulation (and of course, loads of cute photo opportunities).
16. Claytime at the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery
Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Discover the art of working with clay! Their instructor will demonstrate basic hand building techniques and will show you examples of what you can make using clay. Then you will make a small project of your choice!
Children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult who also has a ticket.
17. Adventure Rooms Kitchener
Looking for a thrilling adventure your family can do as a team? Choose from 4 exciting escape rooms at Adventure Rooms! Work together to see if you can make your escape in 60 minutes or less. For some at home fun, check out their Virtual Escape Games where you can play LIVE on Zoom with friends, family, or co-workers in different households, cities, or countries!
18. Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum Backyard Birds Weekend
All Family Day Weekend
Leave your nest this Family Day weekend, and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Explore Waterloo Region Museum’s 60-acre site, and track the birds you see and hear. Then, on Family Day Monday, join Wild Ontario to meet real birds that can’t be re-released into the wild due to human actions. Learn how to take positive steps to keep wild birds safe.
19. North Dumfries Community Centre Family Day Fun
Monday, Feb. 20th 9AM to 1 p.m.
Fun activities for the whole family, both on and off the ice from 9a.m. until 1 p.m. Then stick around for the Ayr Centennials game at 2:30 p.m.
The Breakaway Cafe will be open all day for your snacking and lunch needs!
20. Outdoor Skating Rinks
Lace up your skates and check out any number of outdoor rinks in the City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo and the City of Cambridge.
Happy Family Day!
Number of Home Sales in January Exceptionally Low
The number of homes sold last month through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System of the Waterloo Region Association of REALTORS® (WRAR) totalled 297 units, a decrease of 41.9 percent compared to January 2022 and 31.0 percent below the previous 5-year average for the month.
“Waterloo Region’s home sales in January were at their second lowest of any single month in well over a decade,” says Megan Bell, president of WRAR. “Home sales tend to be sluggish in January, and while we expected activity to ease to reflect economic challenges, this was a larger drop than originally anticipated.”
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 Have you thought about selling your home and before you knew it, it was December and the holiday season was in full swing? Not sure if selling during the holidays is a good idea? Are you thinking to wait until the spring to list your home instead? Below are a few of the reasons that I think selling during the holidays is not necessarily a negative and why it might be the right thing for you to do. |
  | The number of homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System of the Waterloo Region Association of REALTORS® (WRAR) totalled 453 units, a decrease of 43.7 percent compared to November 2021 and 34.2 percent below the previous 5-year average for the month. Total residential sales in November included 280 detached (down 38.3 percent from November 2021), and 78 townhouses (down 57.1 percent). Sales also included 58 condominium units (down 49.6 percent) and 37 semi-detached homes (down 28.8 percent). Home sales have continued to decrease in November, which is not uncommon for this time of year. There are also increasing homeownership costs that are contributing to the decline in sales and putting downward pressure on sales prices. Sales prices have pretty much plateaued since mid summer. In November, the average sale price for all residential properties in Waterloo Region was $736,024. This represents a 10.4 per cent decrease compared to November 2021 and a 3.6 per cent decrease compared to October 2022. Click on side images to enlarge. |
Staging Your Home - First Impressions
First impressions impact our decisions more than we care to admit.
Therefore, a staged home has a better chance of selling faster and at a higher price than one that has not been staged.
Staging a home helps make it stand out from the rest of the competition.
Staging has the power to highlight your home's best features. It gives the thought of a well-cared-for home and can also help a home appear updated and move-in ready. All of these are what most buyers are looking for!
First impressions impact our decisions more than we care to admit.
Therefore, a staged home has a better chance of selling faster and at a higher price than one that has not been staged.
Staging a home helps make it stand out from the rest of the competition.
Staging has the power to highlight your home's best features. It gives the thought of a well-cared-for home and can also help a home appear updated and move-in ready. All of these are what most buyers are looking for!
| Are you familiar with the process of buying a home? Here is a quick overview of the home-buying process and a handy graphic to the left that you can download. If you have any questions about the home-buying process or want to talk more about how you can purchase a home, click on the 'Let's Chat' at the bottom of this blog post. |  |
