Kathie Lycett, Broker

Kathie Lycett launched her Millbrook, Ontario, office (belonging to RE/MAX Eastern Realty Inc. Brokerage) to better serve the real estate needs of Millbrook, Bethany, Cavan, Orono, Northumberland, and the greater Peterborough/Kawartha Lakes area. An award-winning realtor, Kathie has focussed on Condominiums, Farm and Land, and Investments. Conveniently located in the heart of the village of Millbrook, Kathie’s real estate office welcomes the public to drop in and learn about the changing local realty market.

As a certified Law Clerk specializing in real estate, Kathie offers three decades of experience navigating property issues, particularly those unique to seniors and rural families.

Kathie’s deep love for the Millbrook region can be seen in the patchwork of town and village names decorating the walls of her real estate office. Even many locals are puzzled to see unfamiliar names like Cadmus, Burketon, Ballyduff, Mount Horeb, Osaca, or Precious Corners, yet Kathie has visited them all. And the properties come in all sorts: farm lands to lakefront properties, and from buying condominiums in later life, to finding quiet streets where children can be safely raised: these are the hidden jewels of Kathie’s region.

Buying or selling real estate is always easier, and has a happier outcome, when people have the benefit of a local guide. But knowledge of local geography is not compete without also understanding its history. Kathie’s real estate office prominently displays local history books and small-run publications from historical societies. Some of these are also featured on Kathie’s website, named after her own local history: Bethany Real Estate.

Kathie is fascinated by the movement of peoples over time and their effect on our land and nation.

She supports local historical societies, plus attractions like the open-air 4th Line Theatre, which performs original stories from the region’s past. Knowing our past creates a sense of rootedness and “place”, transforming the purchase of property into an investment in a still-unfolding story that is far larger than our own lives.

In the end, real estate deals often boil down to personal relationships, so Kathie’s ear-to-the-ground is measured in her work with business and community organizations. From her charity work with the Lions Club, to the practical promotions of the Business Improvement Area, or her work with the ecological and historical concerns relating to Millbrook’s mill pond; this volunteer work brings her into close contact with local power brokers and regular citizens alike. Recognizing and leveraging opportunities is at the heart of volunteer work, but it is also the bread and butter of a successful realtor.

Knowing who’s selling and who’s buying is only one benefit: it also helps to know where private financing can be found; whether local tradespeople and specialists are competent and affordable; and whether neighbouring properties have issues that may impact on the property being considered.

Real estate clients find Kathie to be good-natured and generous with her time. Millbrook’s gentle pace allows her to get to know them personally, which is the key to delivering what is genuinely desired by her clients. Easy to talk to, and curious to a fault, Kathie is the right realtor to have in your corner when real estate in the Millbrook-region is being considered.

Jordie Westbrook, Sales Representative

Working as a mother-and-son team with Kathie Lycett, Jordie developed a skilled eye for structural assessments. Observations that he shares with a natural frankness.

“Honesty is my policy”. he explains, “That means you don’t skirt around the problems with a property. If I can identify an issue that would concern me as a buyer, then I present this to a client, not just for honesty’s sake, but because empowered clients lead to stronger sales. What makes buyers hesitate is the fear of getting a bad surprise, so when they can wrap their arms around the full list of pros and cons, buyers feel confident in committing to their purchase. And, sellers experience fewer dashed expectations.”

Like his mother, seeing the many possibilities in a property is also part of Jordie’s assessment. This starts with knowing its history and past use; part of what buyers appreciate is when there is a pre-existing story to the property. And stories are common in the Millbrook region, where history is thick on the ground.

Helping imagine the new history a buyer could write is not just poetic; giving shape to a buyer’s dream is also practical. Drawing on Jordie’s technical knowledge, the viability of a dream may hinge in the suitability of a property.

Jordie migrated from Bethany down to his current home on Rice Lake, where he can often be found, strumming his guitar on the deck.

Much like his music, Jordie is known for a patient “non-pushy” attitude toward real estate: “I’ve been taught to look for the soul of a place. Buyers obviously want to feel they are being matched with the right property. The Seller may be equally concerned that a place holding enormous meaning is being sold to the right people: those who not only have the money, but also the appreciation.”