My family’s Canadian journey is not unique.
My parents landed in the Halifax Harbour in 1956 as a 24- and 21-year-old young couple with a toddler in tow and expecting a second, my older sister Evelyn. Shortly thereafter, my uncles and aunts followed my parent’s lead and all hung their hats in Guelph for a couple of years before eventually settling in Elora. They chose Elora in part because, at the time, it offered a slightly more affordable housing option in which to house multiple families. And that they did. Together with my aunt and uncle, they moved to a large yellow brick two-story home on the south edge of town. It was roughly across the street from where Dar’s serves the community today and a scant block or two from Birds Variety at 70 Victoria Street.
If it takes a village to raise a child, Elora was that village for the Neumann family from 1958 through 1966, during which time the young family of four became a young family of six. Like many new homeowners, my parents undertook some renovations when they moved in. In their case, my mother wallpapered the outhouse! Indeed, times have changed.
When the first Elora chapter of their lives came to a close, my parents relocated to Guelph. Shortly thereafter, my father, Herb Neumann, opened Herb Neumann Real Estate, the predecessor of our current iteration of Coldwell Banker Neumann Real Estate. Now co-owned by my business partner and Broker of Record, Stephen Foti and I, Coldwell Banker Neumann Real Estate has grown slowly and steadily to become Guelph’s largest real estate brokerage and it is all housed under one roof at 824 Gordon Street in Guelph.
Over the years, Steve and I had some casual conversations with the owner of the Coldwell Banker franchise serving the Fergus and Elora communities, Alice Campbell, about the possibility of joining forces. For one reason or another, the timing was never just right. Largely, I think, because we were focused on the growth of our brokerage in Guelph. We were employing the walk before you run philosophy! While we were maintaining focus on our home base, we were keeping one eye open for the right office opportunity in either Fergus or Elora. Earlier in 2021, that opportunity presented itself when the medical offices located at the aforementioned 70 Victoria Street became available.
Built in 1840 as a Methodist Church, 70 Victoria Street has itself gone through many iterations.
Its bones were good however it was well deserving of a loving refurbishment. That refurbishment is almost complete. We look forward to the opportunity to earn your trust and eventually your business. We aren’t running yet, but maybe walking a little faster and looking forward to picking up the pace some more!
Thank you for reading and thank you for the opportunity to earn your business.
You can contact Coldwell Banker Neumann Real Estate online or by calling (519) 821-3600.