Introducing the Team – Miranda Dennis

Miranda was born and raised in Brantford, Ontario. She grew up with an older brother (Cody, 29) and a younger sister (Amanda, 24). Much later in life, her parents decided to adopt her younger brother (Carmen, 9), who means the absolute world to her. She loves food, country music, and being surrounded by friends and family. Miranda loves to travel and makes it a personal goal to travel at least twice a year. 

Miranda grew up in a very loving home with her mother (Tracey) and her father (Hermann). Her ideas and opinions were always respected and supported. Miranda believes that she has the very best roll models. Her parents were very hard working and dedicated people. Miranda’s mother is a nurse and her father is a teacher.

Miranda attended Fanshawe College, where she completed the Developmental Service Worker program. She worked in the Brantford and Hamilton communities for 7 years, supporting individuals with both developmental and physical disabilities. 

In 2017 Miranda met her boyfriend Zoltan. Their goals, passions and expectations quickly merged together as a team. Miranda and her boyfriend, Zoltan, became very interested in the housing market and decided to purchase their first home through The Munir Group. They worked with Alla Sharma and had a wonderful experience. About two years after that, Miranda and Zoltan decided that they wanted to upgrade their home, so they sold and purchased again with the help of Alla, who has become a respected friend and now coworker. Miranda quickly became interested in real estate and landed a job as an office administrator for The Munir Group.

 Miranda has 2 Australian Shepherd’s, Charlie (3) & Lui (2). She enjoys spending as much time with them as possible as they keep her calm and clear minded through her toughest days. She enjoys going to the gym, shopping, and visiting new restaurants! In her spare time, Miranda likes to relax, read a book or watch a movie. Miranda has always worked crazy hours, and lives by a busy schedule, so any downtime for her is definitely appreciated!

In the next couple of months, Miranda is looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. She especially loves the Fall, making Thanksgiving her favourite holiday. 

Miranda is a very happy, and outgoing person. She love’s meeting new people and learning about new cultures. She is very passionate about the things she loves, however, she can be very stubborn at times when her mind is made up about something. Miranda is organized and a slight perfectionist; she gets this from her mother.

We are thrilled to have Miranda join our team and look forward to seeing her grow with us. We sure love her and know our clients will too!

Team Blog – Jen Connor

Team Blog by Jen

Hello Munir Group Followers! 

When I was asking to write an updated blog about my life I honestly thought nothing much had changed since the last one 2 years ago…. boy was I wrong! Funny how life seems to have its way of flying by. 

This September will mark my 6th year in real estate, time flies when you’re having fun! I always had my real estate license but I preferred to coordinate the backend of things for a number of years. Finally last April I went into sales full time and haven’t looked back. It was so strange to go from having such a coordinated schedule to a flexible one but my fur babies sure love it. I enjoy having more time to connect with my clients and do volunteer work in the community. In late 2019 I had the privilege of working with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. I look forward to being able to volunteer with them again soon. The experience was truly life changing and I am beyond grateful to have meant such amazing youth. 

Since the last blog Will and I have added another four paws to our cozy little family. He’s a Heinz 57 mutt named Bear. He was a rejected puppy at birth as he didn’t meet the breeders standards so naturally I had to have him. He has sure taught both Will and I A LOT about patience. He is the complete opposite of Moose but they get along very well although there was a bit of blood shed on the first day.  His favourite things in life are Shaw’s Grammy’s Cupboard ice cream (of course given to him by his fur grandma), belly scratches, swimming and stealing nacho chips at 3am in the morning, waking the whole house up because naturally if he’s awake we have to be too.  He truly is a little fruit loop but we love him so much. Will says I’m not allowed anymore dogs … we will see about that!

I don’t get as much time to read as I would hope to but have since changed to listening to podcasts during my walks with the dogs everyday. My favourites are Crime Junkie and Canadian True Crime. I still hate all bugs, the dentist and cooking but I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I did recently add a dislike for home renovations to that list. I prefer helping others with theirs … you know supervising … not actually ripping my own floor out.

Travelling is still a passion of mine but very hard during COVID. We were fortunate enough to sneak in a family vacation in January to Excellence Punta Cana. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice relaxing place! COVID cramped our Disney plans but we are going to hopefully be able to put the returned travel credit to good use in Jamaica soon-ish. 

2020 has for sure been a whirlwind of a year but if it’s taught me anything it is to enjoy the little things well you can, make the best out of every situation and pick a partner you don’t want to kill during quarantine. For anyone wondering, yes Will is still alive although there were some close calls. 

Introducing the Team – Marcy Saunders

I was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the forth child of what would eventually be five children. Our family occupied a smallish three bedroom apartment and I had to share a bedroom with my two sisters which required a certain amount of diplomacy and compromise as we tried to stake out our respective spaces and establish our individual personalities. This might help to explain my penchant for open concept living and ample living space.

Upon graduating from high school, like many young persons, I wasn’t entirely certain what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. A university education was not entirely appealing to me, and also unaffordable at the time. Casting around I decided to take a course in Dental office and Chair side assisting. Upon graduating and procuring employment in a local dental office however I quickly determined that rooting around in the mouths of my patients left me a little queasy at times and probably wasn’t the career path that best suited my particular talents. I then went to work at the  Hamilton Health Sciences in a clerical position. I would spend the next 34 years with my employer working in different hospitals in such varied departments as intensive care, neonatology, out patient clinics, MDU and radiation. I found the job very satisfying and met some remarkable people in my various roles.

I met my husband Ron in 1984, and we married in January, 1987.  He is my best friend and a wonderful father to our children. We eloped to Las Vegas to get married after winning the trip from the hospital.

Ron and I are parents to two beautiful and talented daughters. Nicole Robin was born in September 1993, followed four years later by her sister, Taylor Brooke. Nicole graduated university with her masters degree and is currently working as a paramedic in Hamilton and Taylor just graduated on the Dean’s Honours list with her undergraduate degree in Science and is now completing her 2nd undergraduate in Education. We could not be more proud. Ron and I are also housemates with two dogs, Kennedy and Hudson, and a couple of exotic, and a little bit neurotic birds ! In my spare time ( what’s that?) I volunteer at the Stedman Community Hospice in Brantford. It means a lot to me to be able to give back to my community.

                Prior to retiring I enrolled in the OREA’s real estate course, graduating in Jan., 2020. I felt I was still young enough and have always had a passion for real estate. I was extremely fortunate to join the Century 21- The Munir Group, in Brantford.  I would like to thank Manny Munir for providing me with this opportunity and look forward to working with the wonderful team that he has created.

Get Outdoors in Brant

When you’re Canadian, you know every ounce of summer must be cherished! Warm, sunny days spent inside feel wasted, so take advantage before winter creeps back up on us! Despite rib fests, concerts, and festivals having been cancelled, there’s still plenty to do outdoors in Brant to keep you busy this summer! Here’s some ideas to get you out and about, enjoying the lovely weather while keeping social distance:

Strawberry Picking

Is there anything quite as good as freshly picked strawberries? Eat them as is, put them over ice cream, make a strawberry cheesecake, or a classic strawberry jam- the options are endless! And what better way to enjoy the fruits of your labour!

Check out the website of the local farms below to see all the details on this picking your own this strawberry season:

Brantwood Farms: http://www.brantwoodfarms.com/pick-your-own-strawberries

Sunny Terrance Farms (295 Salt Springs Church Rd, Brantford)

Splash Pads

Exciting news!The splash pads in Brant are officially opened! This is a great way to let the kids burn some energy and cool off. Just be aware that you must make an online reservation to reserve your spot. Please also note the list of safety protocols in place before making your reservation. All the details can be found here: https://www.brant.ca/en/live-and-discover/Aquatics.aspx?_mid_=47383

Rafting, Tubing, Canoeing & Kayaking

Tubing is a favourite summer activity especially among families with kids who don’t want to risk tipping a canoe. It’s such a treat to be able to casually float down the river with the sun hitting your face and not be absolutely freezing. Grand River Rafting specializes in customized paddling, hiking, cycling, fishing and camping programs. Guided Grand River rafting trips make the Grand Valley come alive with three to five hour trips. They offer activities suitable for all ages as well so no one in the family has to miss out.

Brantford Twin Valley Zoo

Built on 25 acres in the beautiful County of Brant, Brantford Twin Valley Zoo is a great place to observe a collection of native and exotic animals maintained in natural surroundings.  Visit the animals, bring your lunch and enjoy the picnic area, then take a stroll on the short nature trail within 5 acres of woodland.

Walking Tours

Tour at your leisure with Brant’s self-guided tours. Whether you enjoy the history of cemeteries or want to learn more about the historical spots of Paris or Mount Pleasant, there are tours for you! For self-guided tour maps, follow the link here: https://www.brant.ca/en/live-and-discover/walking-tours.aspx

Trails

Brantford and surrounding area has a wonderful trail system which is conducive to walking, biking or taking the dogs out for a jaunt. Whether you want to take the trek to Paris, Cambridge or Hamilton the choice is yours! Bring the family and make a day of it! For more details on trail routes, please visit: https://brantwaterways.ca/Brantford-Hiking-Trails

Tip! Before you head out on your trek, make sure the trail you’re wishing to hike is open and also be aware of what social distancing protocols are in place. Also, be mindful of potential crowds on popular routes especially on weekends.

We can’t wait to get out and explore all that Brantford has to offer this summer. The Munir Group team wishes you a safe and happy socially distanced summer! Cheers!

Introducing the Team – Jakub Vidimlic

24 years ago, I was born into at Oakville Trafalgar Hospital. My parents (Irfana and Senad) had been living and working in Florida during the majority of my mother’s pregnancy. After deciding to come home to the Great White North, we moved to Mississauga where I lived and attended elementary school for a number of years. Within that time frame, my parents decided to bring in another Vidimlic and had my brother Haris on May 19, 1999. As a child, I loved to bounce around hobbies. I learned how to play guitar, drums, karate, draw, and write stories. My mother specifically introduced me to reading, which still to this day, is one of my favourite hobbies. When I got to the age of 10, my parents had decided to move back to Brantford, Ontario, so my mother could be closer to her family. As a child, my parents loved to move around a lot, so I had to adapt to new situations constantly. I left my friends and life back in Mississauga and welcomed a new one in Brantford.

I attended Brantford Collegiate Institute for my high school years and found a plethora of life long friends. As I was nearing the end of my 4 years, I was very unsure of where I wanted to take my self in the future. I took a 5^th year and tried to decide what I wanted to do. By the end, I had decided to attend the University of Guelph. I was accepted into the Criminal Justice and Public Policy Program, and chose to major with a degree in Political Science. I worked and lived in Guelph for 4 years, now having only 4 more courses to finish before I graduate. In between, I had recently became aware of the Real Estate as a Career course that was being offered by OREA. I decided to take the leap and start my studies in becoming a Real Estate Agent while also studying in Guelph. Once getting to my third course, I was keen on finding a job as an administrative assistant prior to my real estate registration, in an attempt to further my knowledge on the profession. One day I saw a fellow high school peer post a job offering for Century 21- The Munir Group for an administrative assistant. That fellow high school had been non other than our very own Laurel Wilkinson. I messaged Laurel telling her I was interested, and the rest is history!

I officially started working at the Munir Group in November, and I have been learning and getting first hand experience in the world of Real Estate. I am hoping to be registered as an agent by November, and having my diploma from the University of Guelph by December. If all goes as planned, this year will be the culmination of my hard work over the past 3-4 years. I would like to thank Manny and everyone else at the team for welcoming me with open arms. This is a great group of people and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

5 Tips On How to Move Safely During the Pandemic

Moving can be a hefty process especially if you’re packing up a family with kids and pets. Add a pandemic to the mix and you’re facing an experience that can feel pretty daunting. But, don’t worry, the process can be done safely with a few extra precautions! Here are some of our tips and tricks on how to have a safe and healthy moving experience:

Know Your Moving Company’s Policies

Moving during this time requires extra diligence when it comes to doing your homework about what moving company is best for you. As you make your calls be sure to ask questions on each company’s health and safety precautions around physical distancing and sanitization. Once you decide on which movers you feel comfortable using you’ll also have a better idea as to what their expectations are of you prior to their arrival.

Rent a Truck & Move Yourself

If the thought of hiring movers has you in a tailspin, recruit your man/woman power. As the restrictions lighten up and we’re allowed to expand our circles a little more, consider asking help from close family and friends. Of course be mindful of those who might be immunocompromised. But otherwise take the necessary sanitation precautions, make a day or two of it and celebrate at the end of the day with takeout from your favourite local restaurant

Buy New Boxes

You might be tempted to take to the internet asking for used moving boxes, but in this case it’s safest to use any boxes or plastic totes you already have in your own home or to buy new boxes all together. Safety first!

Clean & Sanitize as You Pack and Before You Unpack

Not only is this a safety precaution to protect those who are helping you move, but it’s also a big win for your future self! There’s nothing worse than packing up items that have collected an inch thick of dust just to have to clean it during the unpacking process. Wipe down all your belongings with a disinfectant. If you’re having trouble finding Lysol wipes and spray, make your own disinfectant by mixing 1 tablespoon of bleach with about 4 litres of water.

Remember to also give your new home a good cleaning prior to putting your things away. On moving day, divide and conquer. Have some of your moving buddies cleaning while some are helping move your boxes into your new space.

Take Care of the Unpacking Process Yourself

Some moving companies offer full service packing and unpacking. As convenient as it sounds, forgo the upgrade and take care of the unpacking yourself. You want to minimize the number of people who are touching the items you use on a daily basis. Plus, you already spent all that time disinfecting so spare yourself the hassle and worry. Moving, whether during a pandemic or not, takes careful planning. Moving companies are implementing the best safety practices they can during a time that is especially stressful to move so rest assured you’re in good hands. Be mindful and more considerate of your own sanitation practices, but most important, take a deep breath and don’t become overwhelmed. You got this!

How to keep kids occupied

Keeping the Kiddos Occupied

Keeping the kids busy during quarantine is a full time job! Not to mention helping them with their online schooling- wow we’re tired out! Kudos to teachers for all their hard work…seriously! So now that we are well into the weeks of social distancing and no school, the team has been getting creative with how they are keeping their kids occupied. Here are some ideas from the team on what you can do to stave off boredom:

Get Them Involved in the Household Chores

Involving the kids in household tasks such as tidying up, yard work, and cooking is a great teacher. Not only are you teaching them life skills but you’re also creating a sense of value. Kids are curious by nature and will likely jump at the opportunity to help you in the garden or while baking. Alla’s daughter, Ana has been having some fun learning how to bake. Last week she made chocolate cupcakes! Yum! Start out with something easy like enlisting their help with baking cookies, setting the table, or folding laundry.

Games – Of All Types

Sarah has got the stash of all the card and board games for her three boys. Her’s is the house to be at during quarantine we might say…

When Jen was a kid, her and her grandma would make up games. Her grandma would always incorporate some educational piece. She still remembers that’s how she was able to learn all the provinces, territories, their capitals and their official flowers. She would help make the rules and designed and colour the pieces and then she spent hours playing it. It was great! Give the kids a task of making up their own game. That could keep them busy all day!

Show the Pets a Little Extra Love

Let’s be honest, our fur babies LOVE that we are home with them, giving them extra cuddles and going for about 10 walks a day. Emma is pretty sure her dogs, Copper & Rocky, are tired of all the walks she’s taken them on. Cooper, Amy’s dog is also getting tons of love by her and her girls.

Take this down time as your opportunity to help the kids teach your pooch a new trick or to practice some dog training.

Old Movies with Your Favourite Childhood Snacks

This is your chance to relive your youth! Plan for a special movie night or a rainy afternoon inside with your favourite childhood snacks and play your favourite movie from when you were young for your kids. They will love to see what you loved watching when you were their age. And who doesn’t love snacks?

Sarah has also purchased the Studio Ghibli collection and Disney Plus, thank goodness for streaming services!

Enjoy the Outdoors

We’re just starting to see some nice spring weather, so grab the bikes, scooters, roller blades, and chalk and head outside! Sarah and her boys are definitely taking advantage! You can’t go wrong with some time outside enjoying the sunshine.

Laurel has also been taking this time to get ahead on her yard work. Pass the kids a miniature shovel or rake and take it outdoors!

Get Active!

We LOVE how Amy’s girls are getting in on her workouts! What a great way to burn off some energy and keep healthy! There are plenty of online resources, such as YouTube, for some fantastic home workouts! Amy personally recommends Fitness Blender.

Connect Virtually

Are your kids missing their friends? We are too! We’re definitely taking advantage of Facebook Messenger, Zoom, and FaceTime to help the kids keep in touch with their grandparents and friends. Plan video chat dates to help the kids have something to look forward to every week. What are you doing to keep your days fresh and exciting? It’s so easy to let one day roll into the other but with a little variation and enjoying all the small pleasures we’ll make it through. From all of us here at The Munir Group, we hope you are staying healthy and safe.

Buying Your First Home?

Thinking of purchasing your first home? The process can be both exhilarating and stressful, but here’s some helpful tips on how to prepare for this new and exciting phase of life.

Know What You Can Afford

Before you get too excited about the prospects of a new home, get a sense as to what you can afford and what your mortgage payments might be. You want to balance out the cost of your potential home with your lifestyle needs.

Understand Your Mortgage Options & Get Pre-Approved

The last thing you want to do is have your heart set on a home only to find out that you’re not financially qualified. A mortgage pre-approval means that a bank or lender has stated that you qualify for a mortgage based on your current income and credit history. To become pre-approved you will need a good credit history, verifiable income, and cash to close. Once you become pre-approved you will:

• Know how much you can afford to borrow
• Have negotiating power with sellers once you find a home
• Have an estimated interest rate in mind

Save Money For a Downpayment

Start saving! When it comes to putting money away for a home the more you have to put down the higher your chances are of being approved for your mortgage.

Know What Programs You Qualify For

As a first time home buyer, you might be eligible for first time home buyer programs that would provide you with some additional financial benefit. Check out our previous blog on some of these programs: https://themunirgroup.ca/first-time-home-buyer-programs/

Find a Real Estate Agent

Having a realtor who can help you navigate the home buying process, especially with your first home, provides a lot of comfort. Choosing a trusted realtor who makes you feel comfortable and can answer all your questions is ideal. Our team of real estate experts is happy to answer any questions you may have about the home buying process. Please shoot us an email or give us a call – we’re happy to help!

Start Your Home Search!

The exciting part! Remember when you start house hunting to think not only about your budget but also the lifestyle you want to live. Consider the nearby amenities, schools, highways, and recreation.

All the best on your home buying journey! If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at manny@themunirgroup.ca or by phone at (519) 865-7395.

Team Update: Taking Advantage of the Quiet

Well, it’s been a strange few weeks that’s for sure. The world has definitely slowed down and we’re forced to take a step back. With the kids still out of school, many of us parents working from home, and staying in other than to pick up the essentials, we’ve learned to accommodate. And honestly, living a quieter, slower paced life is refreshing. In some ways this feels like the change that we all need. The opportunity to not have excuses to spend time resting, having quality time with the kids and our pets, and reevaluating our priorities feels like a hard reset. Although we still continue to work from home, the team is spending their down time in all sorts of ways. Check out what we’ve been up to!

Laurel

Laurel is challenging herself to cook more homemade meals. If you know Laurel, you know she’s not one to cook but having limited restaurant options has really forced her to challenge herself. What do they say, “desperation is the mother of invention”? There might be a Top Chef in the making here! Either way, we’re super proud of Laurel for getting out of her comfort zone.

Once the nicer spring weather arrives, Laurel is also looking forward to getting some yard work done! She doesn’t love gardening or yard maintenance but she’s using this as her chance to get it over with! And due to social distancing, she shouldn’t have any distractions and should be able to get the items on her to-do list done in no time (take down the Christmas lights, build a shed, rip out some old bushes, etc.). Way to go, Laurel on getting things done!

Amy

Well, this wasn’t the March break that Amy and her kiddos were hoping for- staying isolated in their own home with no options to go play at the park, play dates, and participate in local March break activities.

Thankfully Amy has a trampoline in her backyard, bikes the girls can ride up and down the street and the connections of the internet!

Amy’s fam has done their best to stay fit and active, getting as much fresh air as possible. They’ve taken the dog (Cooper) for many walks and jogs. They have had many private living room workouts thanks to fitness blender on YouTube! They’ve played various games of Trouble, Connect four, Monopoly Jr and baked cookies!  In between all this… Amy has been a referee, constantly telling them to stop telling on each other, stop fighting, stop name calling! Sometimes three kids is a crowd! They’re constantly competing for attention and want to exclude one kid from the group! In the evenings Amy has been staying social thanks to zoom.us Her and her girlfriends had wine together this week!

Amy is really trying to stay as positive as she can with the current social distancing situation! She’s looking at this as a blessing for most families with being so busy with everyday life, never having the opportunity to slow down and be in the moment! This isolation is giving everyone that option to be completely in the moment with our families, to engage with them! Let’s not waste this time! Before we know it life will be back to normal with the day to day hustle and bustle! We LOVE Amy’s positive perspective on this. You go girl!

Sarah

On March 19th Sarah and the family celebrated her son, Toby’s 5th birthday in a less than usual way for their family. The kids enjoyed drawing chalk on the sidewalk, getting their energy out at the park (before it closed), playing with new presents, and video calling the grandparents. Definitely not a typical Copoc birthday party, but hey they made the best of it and had a great time with the family. Happy 5th Birthday, Toby from all of us here!

Emma

This time of social distancing for Emma has meant a few things. Firstly, getting things done around the house like cleaning out junk drawers (we all have them). Second being that she’s experimented being active in different ways aside from going to the gym, like home workouts and running outside. This is a big deal for Emma considering she hasn’t done any road running since high school *insert nervous emoji lol* So far it’s been a success and she’s loving the fresh, spring air.

If you know Emma you know she loves to cook and bake. Having a little more quiet time has given her no excuses to not make banana bread, cookies, and homemade soup. So you could say her family is eating well!

Dawn

Dawn and her husband have decided to keep their personal distance by  going to their cottage in Northern Ontario. The deer certainly aren’t keeping their personal distance.  They are finding pleasure in feeding them and watching them from their  window along with the many different varieties of birds that are out in full force. The robins are out also so this is a good sign the spring is in the air. Until then they are staying inside where it’s safe and sound.

They also got creative and made an over the island pot hanger with and old antique heat grate from a century home. Works great for them at the cottage! And of course they are FaceTiming with their kids and their grandson, Benjamin. We love that Dawn and her husband are able to enjoy some time enjoying the nature. That’s the best kind of relaxation!

Steve

Exciting things are coming for Steve and his wife, Vanessa come June of this year. Finn, their son, is going to be a big brother! The Assel family is taking the quiet time to get ahead on the spring cleaning, organization and getting the nursery ready for the new baby boy or baby girl. Even more exciting is that they are waiting to find out the gender. The team is thrilled for their growing family and can’t wait to see how the baby’s room turns out!

The rest of our team has been taking the time to rest, recharge, and spend time with their families and their pets. We are still working from home so just remember we are here for YOU- just a phone call or email away. We hope everyone is taking advantage of this time of quiet. We can all use a little more peace. Stay healthy and look after yourselves, everyone. With love, The Munir Group.

6 Reasons Listing in the Winter Can Give You The Upper Hand

 

You might be thinking that the spring is the ideal time to sell. It’s the busiest time in real estate with buyers looking to move before the fall. However, did you know that selling in the winter can give you the real upper hand? So why might this be? Keep reading!

1. Low Inventory & Less Competition

When the snow melts and the promise of summer is in the air, homes are listed left, right, and centre which means more competition for you. However, if you choose to sell in the winter, you’re getting in before the market becomes ultra-saturated. Low inventory means less competition- big bonus for you!

2. More Serious Buyers

Winter brings out the real go-getters- the buyers who are serious about purchasing. In the spring and summer, you’re more likely to see the influx of window shoppers, who eventually want to buy, and curious neighbours. Winter? Not so much. Let’s be real, not everyone wants to brave a Canadian snowstorm. You may find there’s less traffic at your open houses but 5 potentially serious buyers is better than 10 people who are just curious.

3. Save on Moving Costs

Naturally, the ebb and flow of the moving business reflects that of what’s happening in the real estate world. Moving businesses peak in the summer when the weather is more palatable. However, by selling early in winter and closing at the tail end could score you some serious savings and promotions on moving costs.

Read More: 6 Reasons Listing in the Winter Can Give You The Upper Hand