Another year has come and gone! We have entered 2024 cautiously optimistic for the year to come; we are looking forward to some economic stability and hoping for a resolution to much of the political turmoil found around the world. We all continue to have so much to be thankful for and receive daily reminders with current world events to never take for granted our health, and the health of our families and friends. As always, what we are most grateful for when reflecting on professional accomplishments of the year is the trust that you, our clients, have placed in us. A real estate transaction can be a stressful, emotional experience and to be able to help guide our clients through the process is a responsibility we don’t take lightly.
Cathy and Antony had a wonderful year of travel. They managed to visit their favourite city, London, twice; They never tire of the wonderful culture and history to be found in the UK. They made a trip to Panama to chase some sun, and then also explored two new countries-Bosnia and Greece. Sarajevo was a wonderful discovery for them and full of character, and of course, all of the charming seaside towns in Greece that they visited lived up to their expectations and were full of charm and culture.
The rest of their family is healthy and happy, and that remains the thing Cathy is the most grateful for. Their grandson Leo has started Junior Kindergarten, and little Penelope is already in daycare; as if more proof was needed to prove that time is moving at warp speed, their Granddaughter Henley is turning 13 this year, and their daughter Jessica turned 40 at the end of 2023. They made two trips to Vancouver Island in 2023 to visit Jessie and her family and can confirm that the stereotype of a relaxing West Coast island life is accurate. Their youngest son Adam remains busy with his HVAC work and we are so proud of his achievements in his field.
Jeff had another busy year both personally and professionally. His son, Leo is absolutely loving school. He says his favourite part of school is “learning and recess”. His daughter Penelope is flourishing in the daycare environment with other kids to boss around and fun activities to do. Over the summer of 2023, the family spent a lot of time in Southampton where they go to relax with his wife Julie’s family. The kids absolutely love the beach and swimming in Lake Huron, but no one enjoys it more than their dog, Wally who would chase a ball into the water over and over again for hours. They also took a trip to Vancouver Island for the second year in a row to visit Jeff’s sister, Jessie, and her family. It is absolutely incredible to see the bond between the cousins despite the age difference. The adults even snuck away from a nightcap while Henley had her first babysitting job sitting for Leo and Penelope. The kids absolutely thrive with the island lifestyle of slow-moving, beach days filled with walks and adventure. Jeff was also able to sneak off for a couple of golfing trips, one in Las Vegas and one in Muskoka.
Kevin, the newest member of The Dodd Team took the step forward in his career this year to join the team! Kevin has been working hand and hand with the team for about a year now and has been an integral part of our growth. Kevin added a new skill to his resume in 2023, fence building. He built his fence with his father where they learned all about Guelph’s “soil” composition as well as fence bylaws and the proper way to use a survey to establish property lines. Kevin and his girlfriend, Jenn also renovated 3 bathrooms in their home, saving them from their 1986 aesthetic. Along with updating his home, Kevin made time for golf where he hit a big milestone of shooting under par for the first time in his golf career! Just to keep him humble a month later he shot a 101 on the same course, you have to love the frustration of golf!?
The Dodd Team finished the year at #5 in the company, and in what remained a fast-paced and competitive . . . but also unpredictable market, what an accomplishment that felt like. We were awarded the prestigious Red Diamond award for 2023, and that is all thanks to our wonderful clients. We are proud of what we have done together as a team and we are proud of how we adapted to the ever-changing circumstances of the market to help our clients achieve their goals and remain comfortable in challenging economic times.
We are so thankful to our clients for their trust, and we take as much pride in finding you a home in the city that we all love. Guelph continues to grow, but it remains the little town with the big heart and the charming downtown core. We are fortunate to count many of our clients as close friends and we can’t wait to see you all again soon. We have so much to be thankful for, and I hope the next year brings with it health, good food, and time with family and friends. We are always available if you have questions regarding anything at all, whether it’s that cute bungalow on the corner, the best spot downtown for brunch, or the latest movies playing at the Bookshelf.
You can reach Cathy directly at 519-546-2243, Jeff at 519-400-5933, and Kevin at 289-214-8150.