Niagara real estate agent Crystal Simons lived in Niagara-on-the-Lake for fifteen years, but in September she decided her life needed a change and she moved to Thorold.
Says Simons, “Funnily enough, five years as a realtor and I’ve sold all around Thorold but nothing right in Thorold, so I thought, 'Well, I’m going to try and get involved with the community a bit more.'”
Simons, who is an agent with Revel Realty in Niagara-on-the-Lake, thinks that, just like in the rest of Niagara, there’s currently a strong housing market in Thorold.
“I find it’s a lot of investors. It just depends on what areas. I moved onto St. David’s Road. I find there’s a lot of rental properties around me but then as you get onto the smaller side streets and older subdivisions it seems to be people have owned their houses for quite a long time.”
Helping people find their perfect home is a very gratifying experience according to Simons.
“I’m a social person. I think connecting people with their homes is the best part about it. First time home buyers, just being able to watch their face when you’ve been through a few properties and you can tell which one is theirs. So it’s just having that connection with people in the biggest purchase of their lives.”
As for what new home buyers should currently be on the look out for, Simons says preparation is key.
“If somebody wants to buy a house right now I think the biggest thing is they have to have their pre-approval organized. You kind of have to be ready to go in there with a strong offer. I recommend having a pre-home inspection so then you can go in with your best offer.“
Moving to Thorold has been a great experience for Simons, who has already joined local service organization Thorold Lions Club.
“I’m a walker, I have two dogs. I have gotten to meet some people in the community that walk at the same time as me. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Sometimes life needs changes and where I was a lot of development was happening and it was just too much. We were kind of getting squished right out of there so we took an opportunity to move into Thorold and it’s been great.”
