Jeremy Romano Real Estate Team

08/24/2026

🚫 Hold off on major purchases before closing.

Financing a new car, buying furniture on credit, or opening new credit accounts before your home purchase is complete could create unexpected complications with your mortgage or closing.

A little patience now can help keep your home purchase on track 🏡

08/24/2026

☀️ MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY

“You don’t need a new year, a new month, or even a new week to start. You just need to decide that today is the day.”

It’s easy to look at the calendar, realize summer is almost over and wonder where the time went.

But there are still more than four months left in the year.

Four months to start something.
Four months to make a change.
Four months to work toward a goal you’ve been putting off.
Four months to surprise yourself with how far you can get.

Maybe your goal is buying your first home. 🏡
Maybe it’s getting your finances in better shape.
Maybe it’s tackling the renovation you keep talking about. 🔨
Or maybe it has absolutely nothing to do with houses.

Whatever it is, you don't have to wait for January 1st.

Start where you are. Start small. Just start. ❤️

Happy Monday!

08/23/2026

🏠 IF I HAD A $700,000 BUDGET RIGHT NOW, HERE'S HOW I'D HOUSE HUNT.

I wouldn't automatically set my search at $699,999.

I'd watch THREE groups:

🔎 $650K–$700K
The obvious choices within budget.

👀 $700K–$750K
Listings that have been sitting or have already reduced their price.

💎 Below $650K
Properties where some strategic improvements could create value.

Why watch above your budget?

Because asking price isn't selling price.

A house listed at $729,000 that has been sitting for 30+ days may ultimately offer more opportunity than the brand-new $699,000 listing attracting everyone on MLS.

Your search strategy should be based on the market, not just the search filter.

Give me your budget + preferred area and I'll tell you how I'd set up the search.

08/22/2026

📉 THE LOWEST MORTGAGE RATE ISN'T ALWAYS THE CHEAPEST MORTGAGE.

I know.

Rate gets everyone's attention.

But before choosing a mortgage based on a tiny difference in rate, ask what you're actually getting.

Things I want clients to understand include:

👉 Prepayment privileges
👉 Penalties if you break the mortgage early
👉 Fixed vs. variable options
👉 Portability
👉 Restrictions within the mortgage
👉 What happens if life changes before the term ends

Because life DOES change.

People move.

Families grow.

Jobs change.

Relationships change.

Sometimes paying slightly less interest today isn't worth giving up flexibility tomorrow.

My job isn't simply to find you a rate.

It's to help find a mortgage that makes sense for your life.

08/21/2026

🔥 BBQ FRIDAY: SMASH BURGER TACOS

If you haven't tried these yet, this weekend is the time.

You need:

🥩 Ground beef
🌮 Small flour tortillas
🧀 Cheddar cheese
🥬 Shredded lettuce
🥒 Pickles
🧅 Diced onion

Quick Burger Sauce:
Mayo + ketchup + mustard + a little pickle juice.

Press a thin layer of ground beef directly onto one side of each tortilla.

Put it beef-side DOWN on a hot BBQ griddle or cast-iron pan.

Cook until browned and crispy, flip, add cheese and let it melt.

Top with lettuce, pickles, onion and burger sauce.

That's it.

Burger + taco = Friday night win. 🍔🌮

Who's trying this one?

08/20/2026

🏡 This or That? 🔥

Would you rather unwind on a Front Porch Swing with a cozy cushion and a good book, or gather around a Backyard Fire Pit for warm nights and good company?

Drop your favorite in the comments! ⬇️✨

08/20/2026

🔨 YOUR 15-MINUTE AUGUST HOME CHECK

Before summer disappears, take one walk around your house this week.

Look UP, DOWN and AROUND.

🏠 Check shingles for anything loose or damaged
💧 Look at gutters and downspouts
🪟 Check caulking around windows and doors
🌳 Trim branches touching the roof or siding
🚰 Check outdoor faucets for leaks
🧱 Look for cracks around the foundation
❄️ Make sure your AC unit isn't buried in weeds or debris

Ontario fall weather will be here before we know it, and small repairs are much easier to deal with in August than November.

BONUS TIP: Take pictures.

Having a quick photo record each season makes it much easier to spot changes around your property over time.

Save this one for the weekend. 🔖

08/19/2026

🚨 HOUSE HUNTING? PLEASE DON'T BUY THE CAR YET.

You've been pre-approved for a mortgage.

Great!

But that doesn't mean your financing is guaranteed until closing.

Before taking on any new debt, talk to your mortgage broker.

That includes:

🚗 Financing or leasing a vehicle
💳 Opening a new credit card
🛋️ Financing furniture or appliances
💰 Increasing balances on existing credit
🏦 Co-signing a loan for someone else

Why?

Because lenders look at your debts when determining how much mortgage you can qualify for.

A new monthly payment can change those numbers — sometimes dramatically.

My rule for clients?

Between pre-approval and closing, boring finances are good finances.

Thinking about buying? Let's run the numbers BEFORE you start shopping.

08/18/2026

🏡 BUYER TIP: Don't Automatically Skip the Listings That Have Been Sitting

When a home has been on the market for a few weeks, buyers sometimes assume:

❌ Something must be wrong with it
❌ The seller won't negotiate
❌ Everyone else has already passed on it

But sometimes the house simply started at the wrong price.

And THAT can create an opportunity.

A seller who has already gone through weeks of showings, open houses and carrying costs may be much more motivated today than they were on Day 1.

Before you write off an older listing, ask:

👉 Has the price already been reduced?
👉 Has a previous deal fallen through?
👉 Is the property vacant?
👉 Does the seller have another home already?
👉 What have comparable homes actually SOLD for?

Sometimes the best deal isn't the newest listing.

It's the one everyone else stopped watching. 👀

📩 If you're house hunting in Durham Region, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes or Peterborough, I can help you find the opportunities hiding in the listings. Visit https://realty.search4houses.ca/ to find your dream home today!

08/18/2026

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