Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Article "The Monitor Chronicle" By Bram Eisenthal

Chronicle, Bram Eisenthal
Anita Benabou Rozenblat will go to great lengths to please a client. This house, the one with the very clean walk, is listed in Côte St. Luc
BY BRAM EISENTHAL

It snowed last week, boy, did it snow. But I did a little digging underneath that blanket of white the next morning and came up with a gem of a story. Her name is Anita Benabou Rozenblat and some of you may know her as the designer behind the Mosskito fashion line. If you’re a Shopping Channel or TVA Quebec viewer, you likely encountered her fashions. Perhaps you’re wearing something Mosskito this very moment.

A funny thing happened to her, however, during her dalliance with fashionable fame: she left it all behind and moved on to newer, uncertain pastures. Benabou Rozenblat became a real estate agent. Why? “I’ve been in sales for 17 years,” said the 40-something woman who looks a lot like a model, truth be known. “I did the designer thing for a long time and had success with it, but it was time for a new challenge. And, basically, sales isn’t about items, it’s about people.

“It doesn’t matter to me what I’m selling, as long as I have one-on-one dealings with people and that we’re both happy at the end.” Listening to her talk, a person with over a decade in sales previously myself, I had no doubt that her energy and professionalism would launch her into the top of her field. I was ready to buy a property from her myself!

The housing market is still hot in Montreal, especially in the West End communities that Benabou Rozenblat services: Côte St. Luc, Hampstead and Westmount. It’s a good time to be in real estate, but it isn’t an easy ride. “I studied really hard to get my license, 240 hours on many Tuesday and Thursday nights and weekends,” she admitted. “It was a grind for me, especially the math. But I emerged into a world that features a new generation of realtors’ reps who are in synch with the younger married buyers we see today, but who can also mesh with the seniors who are selling and changing their surroundings. I am equally comfortable working on behalf of both demographic groups.”

Israeli-born, Benabou Rozenblat is trilingual, speaking English, French and Hebrew, but more importantly, the relationships she establishes become friendships. “Honesty is everything and making a buck is secondary,” she said. “When you hire an agent, you

are doing one of the most important things you will ever do, so make sure you know that person inside and out. Interview several … never choose an agent impulsively. I just listed a house in Côte St. Luc, after which the client was so happy with her

decision, she gave me a facial. It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it,” she said with a laugh.

She treats her clients and their houses with respect and looks down on gimmicky techniques. “Selling is hard work and there’s no easy way to succeed,” she said. I asked her about a recent newspaper article about an agent who treats homes like commodities to be auctioned. “I find that disrespectful, frankly. Unless it’s a bank repossession, you don’t treat a home that casually. For most people, it’s a highly personal, sacred part of one’s life. Would you auction your business … or your dog?”

Benabou Rozenblat also finds homes for clients relocating to Montreal from out of town. To reach her,call her cell 24/7 at 514-502-6627. You can also e-mail her at anitarozenblat@hotmail.com, or check out her blog at www.anitarozenblat.blogspot.com.">www.anitarozenblat.blogspot.com.">www.anitarozenblat.blogspot.com.

Bram Eisenthal's Articles can be found at The Monitor

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Setting The Right Scene When Selling Your Home by Anita Benabou Rozenblat

You need to stage your house so people can imagine the lifestyle that comes with it. That way they can easily imagine themselves living there.

If you know how to bake,then go right ahead and make a couple of apple pies or hide a potpourri of the smell in the kitchen. Kitchen smells make a house feel friendly and inviting.

Do you have children? If you want to appeal to families buying, then have your kids and a couple friends playing in the yard to show the house is child friendly. A well-behaved dog would not hurt the image either.

If you aren't overwhelmed by people, a coffeepot in the kitchen or teapot ready to serve is another good idea. Anything that you can do to make your home seem friendly and inviting when someone comes in to look around will help your house sell more easily.

Soft music playing makes the buyer stay longer!
Create warmth and a welcoming home to all your visitor's.

Good Luck Everyone!!

Ways to Make Your House Smell Good When Selling Your Property by Anita Benabou Rozenblat

Ways to Make Your House Smell Good



If you want a house to smell clean, you clean it. But what can you do to add a special touch that makes your house smell one step beyond clean? Use some common "scents," a little knowhow and a lot of creativity to make your house smell fantastic.

Use Your Good Scents

Many homeowners choose to use scented candles in their home. As the candle burns, the oils melt and create a wonderful smell throughout the entire room. Not only do these smell great, but certain scents can also be relaxing. Lavender, for instance, is commonly used in aromatherapy and is believed to be a calming scent. Vanilla, strawberry, cinnamon and even chocolate are also popular among homeowners who want to add a special touch to their home.

Good Enough to Eat

If you really want to make your home smell terrific, add a bowl of fresh fruit to the dining room table. Oranges, tangerines and apples will provide a colorful centerpiece and a scent that's simply yummy.

If you like to bake, there's nothing better than the smell of freshly baked cookies fresh out of the oven. Of course, if you don't feel up to baking every day, you can always use a chocolate scented candle instead.

Make Your Home Blossom

If you really want to add a terrific aroma to your home, place a vase of fresh cut flowers in your living/family room. A perfectly designed arrangement will act as a wonderful centerpiece, but will also fill the room with a wonderful smell. Roses are terrific for adding an unmistakable scent to any room, but many other flowers will prove to be just as nice.

Everyone "Nose" Potpourri

A potpourri mixture, which contains dried petals and spices, is typically placed in a bowl and used to add a wonderful scent to any room. A variety of mixtures are commonly found in any retailer's craft section or anywhere that scented candles are sold. Potpourri is low maintenance in that it requires nothing more than being placed in a bowl and situated in the room of your choice.
****When the smell runs out, place your potpourri in a plastic bag, add a few drops of rose oil, seal bag and open and place in a bowl within 24hrs.

Okay, one more surprise for all you serious sellers,
This is one of my favorite during the winter
1 apple sliced in half
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 cups water in a small pot, low heat
It'll make your home smell very inviting!!

Real Estate Question's and Answer's by Anita Benabou Rozenblat

Question:
What is the difference between List and Sales prices?

Answer:
The list price is the price tag put on a house in a real estate listing; it usually is only an estimate of what the seller would like to get for the property. The sales price is the amount a property actually sells for. It may be the same as the listing price, or higher or lower, depending on how accurately the property was originally priced and on market conditions.

Note:
A seller may need to adjust the listing price if there have been no offers within the first few months of the property's listing period.



Question:
Is a low offer a good idea?


Answer:
While your low offer in a normal market might be rejected immediately, in a buyer's market a motivated seller will either accept or make a counteroffer.
Full-price offers or above are more likely to be accepted by the seller. But there are other considerations involved:

Is the offer conditional upon anything, such as the sale of the buyer's current house? If so, a low offer, even at full price, may not be as attractive as an offer without that condition.
* Is the offer made on the house as is, or does the buyer want the seller to make some repairs or lower the price instead?
* Is the offer all cash, meaning the buyer has waived the financing? If so, then an offer at less than the asking price may be more attractive to the seller than a full-price offer with financing.


Question:
What is the best time to buy?

Answer:
Because many buyers prefer to move in the spring or summer, the market starts to heat up as early as February. Families with children are anxious to buy so they can move during summer vacation, before the new school year begins.
The market slows down in late summer before picking up again briefly in the fall. November and December have traditionlly been slow months, although some buyers look for bargains during this period if available.

Join my Question & Answer Group
E-Mail me directly at anitarozenblat@hotmail.com

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Thursday, November 20, 2008

A Happy Ending

Novembre 20, 2008

Attention: Century 21 Vision
Mr. Eric Goodman

Dear Mr.Goodman

Following some personal reasons, we decided to sell our home.
After being highly recommended by some previous clients,
we gave Anita Benabou Rozenblat a call few months ago.
We immediately mandated her to sell our home.


From the moment we sat and spoke about selling our home with Anita
we knew she would be the one. Our home was listed prior to Anita with

another agent for over 6 months and we were placed in a very unpleasant situation. This time around we felt more comfortable with the agent we chose.

Anita was very genuine and understanding of our situation, she was compassionate to our needs, and we were sincerely impressed
with the passion, the affectionate attitude and acts that she presented.
Sensitivity, caring, happiness and enjoyment of her job are qualities that she had on hand, and made us feel that we could trust her blindly.


We could not be happier at our current situation.
This was almost like winning a lottery.


Anita came by last night to place the SOLD sign on our home
and i couldn't stop myself from giving her a hug. She deserves more than that! Anita made it happen for my family. We could now go on with our lives because of your amazing agent.

Mr. Goodman, my family & I would like to thank you and your company
for having such a good agent. What Anita did for us was something not many would do for anyone. Your agent is a very special person, we will forever be grateful to her.

My children and I would like to thank Anita from the deepest of our hearts and souls. For all of her help, hard work and all of her generosity and kindness.
She never let our spirits down! Not once.
This is very touching, you can not imagine!

This was a tough sell, but with Anita's words of encouragement,

our home is finally sold!!!! Just like she promised.

God Bless you all,

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Testimonials- All Names Are Confidential

"Anita, I was quite impressed by how easy you made it to purchase our house. Your recommendations on items to consider throughout the process were much appreciated and contributed to a very smooth process. I loved your home staging, you are so multi-talented and not to mention we saved a few good bucks. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your services to friends who are considering a home purchase in your area."

"Our experience with Anita Benabou Rozenblat from Century 21 Vision was one of the most professional real estate transactions that I have every had the experience to participate in. The professional pictures, the marketing, the sales process and the attention to detail during the closing produced a smooth transaction and ultimately a worry free sale. "


"When we decided to sell our home, we were faced with two decisions:
• How much was it worth?
• Who would do the best job of selling it?
In spite of having owned our home for many years, we, like many other Sellers had very little experience with whom to choose as an agent to represent us. After hearing and seeing Anita’s performance, it didn’t take my husband and I too long to know that She would be the one! We wanted someone who took the time to listen, to invests in marketing where the buyers are……..not someone who sticks up a sign and waits for buyers. The number of “Anita Benabou for sale” signs convinced us that Anita is serious about her work. Anita was responsive, knowledgeable and well researched when she met us to help develop a selling price. All sales material was ready and in place without delay. Thanks again for your help Anita. " Good job! Well appreciated!!!

"Just a big thank you to Anita from Century 21 Vision for her professional assistance during our search for the right condo in Cote St Luc. Anita was honest and straightforward at all times. Anita, your sense of humor and love of life was what did it for us, you are a very special lady. Don't ever change! We would not hesitate to call her again at a future date." Chana Tova to you and your family!

"My husband and I have done several real estate transactions with Anita, both as purchasers and vendors. What a refreshing experience to have the guidance and assistance of someone who knows the market, pays attention to details and provides incredibly attentive service. We never hesitate to refer our friends to Anita for their real estate needs."


"This is to advise that my dealings with Anita Benabou Rozenblat were handled with the utmost professionalism and I would not hesitate to use her services again, nor to recommend her to my friends and colleagues." A Big Thank You for all you have done!!!!!






Do you have a testimonial you'd like to write. Send them to anitarozenblat@hotmail.com we will not use your name and respect your confidentiality