Could I take a holiday from my mortgage?       What do the new Canadian MLS rules mean for you?                            How well are Canadian home owners dealing with their mortgage debt?                                                                                       Why  are first time home buyers stepping up?     Click the facebook link below to view these and hundreds more of the latest real estate stories         11/08/2010

Residential sales numbered 277 units in October 2010, down 29 per cent from the record month of October last year. On a seasonally adjusted basis, home sales were up for the third consecutive month. The one per cent month-over-month gain in October builds on increases of 10 per cent in both August and September.   “Demand is showing further signs of stabilizing at more sustainable levels, but year-over-year comparisons continue to be stretched by the record level activity we saw last fall,”said Catherine Garbe, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “It’s a more relaxed marketplace compared to the beginning of the year, and buyers are in less of a hurry to make decisions, so sellers should consult their REALTOR® on how to best price and present their home to att... 11/06/2010

The province of Ontario has made an amendment to the Simcoe Area Vision report which included certainty and clarity to growth occurring in Barrie, Orillia, Midland and Collingwood areas. This bodes well for those considering investing in real estate here. Although most growth will be allocated to Barrie, mention was given to the other central Ontario towns. Richard Forward, Barrie's Infrastructure and Development General Manager, noted the economic importance of the Lake Simcoe region was evident in the revised report. Although no mention was given to increasing the actual population, this report highlights the government's intention to focus infrastructure money to provide necessary work to maintain and grow the capacity of these central Ontario towns. Infrastructure growth is key to s... 11/05/2010

10/27/2010

Youtube video showing the Nautica Condos in Barrie, newly completed amenities.  The video shows the pool and hot tub, along with the mezzanine, community room, meeting area and outdoor balcony overlooking the waterfront in Barrie.     For more information on Barrie Condominiums and sales listing on Barrie waterfront condos, please contact us today for a showing. 10/15/2010

  MarketTown Condominiums, is the newest condominium development in Barrie.  These new Barrie condos for sale will be located in North Barrie within steps from Little Lake, close to Royal Victoria Hospital, Georgian College and Highway 400.  The developers slogan is “do the math... fall in love”.  That may be very true. Mady Development Corporation has found a way to offer stylish condo living at affordable rates.   A 552 sq/ft 1 bedroom condo, with balcony, is going for $138, 990.  A 949 sq/ft 3 bedroom suite with balcony is going for $232, 990.  (Note: Numbers are from the developers web site).     Phase One is on sale now, with a total of 98 suites and retail space available on the main floor, while Phase Two will add another 98 suites to the twin 6-storey development.   Don't miss M... 10/09/2010

Barrie, ON  October 9, 2009 – Stephanie Adams, condominium real estate Sales Representative, Barrie Condo Team | Royal Lepage in Barrie, announced the sponsorship of the 13th Annual Barrie Film Festival today. “We are very excited for the Barrie Condo Team’s 20010-2011 year-long director level sponsorship commitment,” stated Claudine Benoit, Director of the Barrie Film Festival. “We (Barrie Condo Team) continue to make a strong commitment to sponsoring arts and culture in Barrie,” said Stephanie Adams. “I am personally looking forward to seeing This Movie is Broken, the film that we sponsored. It will be a festival favourite.” The trailer for ‘This Movie is Broken’ directed by Bruce McDonald and based on a love story centred around a Broken Social Scene live concert in downtown Toronto... 10/09/2010

Historically we can assume that in Barrie and Orillia areas ( North Toronto- GTA and up to Lake Simcoe) property values are appreciating. Some years will be more, some less, but on average in Central Ontario we can say between 3 and 5%. Of course this figure will fluctuate based on micro economics ( transportation changes, infrastructure etc....) Three to five percent may not seem like that much at first and we all know that stocks (at times) can appreciate much more, and you could therefore earn more over the same time period. However let's take a second look.... Presumably, an average home in Barrie is about $200,000 and I assume you did not pay all cash for it. You probably got a mortgage, too. Suppose you put as much as twenty percent down - that would be an investment of $40,000 on... 09/20/2010

Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie & District Association ofREALTORS® Inc. remained below year-ago levels in August 2010, but were up compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, new listings continue to ease in response to softer demand, which is helping to keep the market in balance.  Residential sales numbered 330 units in August 2010, down 16 per cent from a year earlier. The decline was just half the size of the drop in July. This was reflected in the seasonally adjusted figure, which rose nine per cent compared to levels reported in the previous month.  New listings were down three per cent from a year earlier to 588 units in August. New listings have been trending lower in recent months, as supply adjusts to softer demand.  The number of acti... 09/16/2010

Youtube video clip taken in the 2010 Hawkstone regatta sailing race in early September. It shows all the waterfront condominiums in Barrie.     09/09/2010

I moved back to Barrie ten years ago after eighteen years in Toronto and like many who make the same adjustment I was grateful for the change of pace and the sense of belonging to a community, two things that prove hard if  not impossible to find in a city of over 2.5 million people. Barrie truly is an oasis at the center of all outdoor activity in Ontario and it has experienced many enhancements in its growth though many more will be necessary if Barrie intends to maintain a healthy economic status over the coming years. Many candidates in this October's municipal election avow to keep our taxes from rising though I have heard little in the way of plans of action that will do more than off-put possibly greater needs for tax increases  further down the road when we will have used up al... 09/04/2010

It was an honour to take part in the third annual Hockey Night in Barrie charity fund raiser last month. Together with the event's organizer, Barrie MP Patrick Brown, his hard working staff, volunteers and the generosity of close to 5000 City of Barrie and area residents, we raised $200,000 that night for the New RVH Cancer Centre.   You can view more pictures from the event here >>http://bit.ly/a3vVjt 09/01/2010

Looking for condominiums in Barrie, but not ready to buy? No problem Barrie has a number of rental and lease options in its condo market. They’re perfect for people that want the condo convenience, but can’t make the financial or lifestyle commitment just yet. Let’s start with your lease or rental agreement. You will most likely be asked to sign a 1-year lease. However, if you’re willing to sign a longer one, the renter will probably negotiate a few dollars off each month’s payment. Condo owners like the security and guaranteed income of a long term lease. So if you’re open to one, it will pay off. Your rent will include condo fees, but it rarely includes bills like cable, internet or home phone, so remember to factor them into your budget while shopping around. In most cases, it will i... 08/19/2010

When investing in real estate, sometimes it’s necessary to look beyond your own backyard. The Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), a national organization of investors, has compiled what it says are the top 10 Canadian cities in which to invest. Few are major cities and some are surprising. Don Campbell, president of REIN, as well as one.... Read more: http://bit.ly/bfRYoC       08/19/2010

  Over the weekend there was a fatal incident in our downtown. A drunken fight after the bars closed resulted in a stabbing that cost one person their life.  Understandably when something like this happens the community as a whole is effected. Our fears are augmented and our pride is tarnished. My sympathies to the family and friends of this individual. For the rest of us, perspective must be maintained. In a city of over 100,000 people stories such as this are inevitable yet they remain well below the national average in Barrie.  The response by city officials and police services will be proactive to insure situations such as the one this past weekend become fewer if not obsolete in Barrie.  If you have some thoughts on what Barrie should be doing to keep its downtown safe you can shar... 08/18/2010

YouTube video update on the Ellen Street - Marina Bay condominiums in Barrie.   They are performing a number of upgrades to the outside of the building that will increase the value of the condos.  It looks great! For more information on Barrie condominiums - contact the Barrie Condo Team. 08/17/2010

Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie District Association of REALTORS® Inc. were down considerably in July 2010. A slowdown in demand in Ontario had been widely expected in July, with many purchases having been brought forward into the first half of the year in advance of the introduction of the HST.   Residential sales numbered 309 units in July 2010, down 31 per cent from the second best July on record last year. On a year-to-date basis, sales activity remains four per cent above levels reported in the first seven months of 2009.   “The introduction of the HST was the last in a string of temporary factors that have resulted in considerable volatility in the market over the past two years,” said Elizabeth Wilson, President of the Barrie and Distric... 08/06/2010

This is a basic primer on how to understand your credit score as it relates to investing in real estate. And investing in real estate means buying your first home, condo, townhouse or...whatever. Remember, a home is an investment. Banks look at this way, so should you. Whether you are buying in Barrie, Orillia, Innisfil, or Toronto, your credit history and how banks view it, will be the same. Basically when determining your ability to qualify for a mortgage, a lender looks at what is called your "debt-to-income" ratios. In Ontario, Canada they will look at 2 things; 1- TDS ( Total Debt to Service ratio) The percentage of gross annual income required to cover payments associated with housing and all other debts and obligations, such as car loans and credit cards. and  2- GDS ( Gross Debt... 08/02/2010

The condo market is hot and getting hotter. And many of the buyers seem to be getting younger states Sheila Brady, Ottawa Citizen Daily Newspaper. The average price for a condo in Canada is $320,000. In Ottawa, it's $304,801.  With the average price in Toronto at $396,154 and a hefty $592,441 in Greater Vancouver." Stephanie Adams with the Barrie Condo Team states that "we are seeing the same pattern of buyers in the Barrie Condominium real estate marketplace".  View more information on Barrie condos for sale. Read the full article about the Canadian condo market.(Published by the Ottawa Citizen)  07/25/2010

Real Estate with its potential for profit has always been bait used by some con artists looking to capitalize on other's lust for too-good-to-be-true deals. Most of us have heard about the Florida swamp land scams or similar transactions of property oversold in varying degrees. Just one more good reason to rely on the knowledge and resources of professionals and to execute full due diligence in any transaction of real property. Here are some of the typical scams many have fallen for.  Click to read more about common real estate scams Another such critter to keep an eye out for isn't selling Terra firma per se, but instead, the promise of the inside edge, the secret formula to wealth through real estate. These shysters pass themselves off as Real Estate investment coaches and trainers, ... 07/23/2010