ONTARIO REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION (CREA) WORKING WITH A REALTOR Explaining Possible Forms of Agency Relationship RepresentationWhen a real estate company is a "seller's agent," it must do what is best for the seller of a property. A written contract, called a listing agreement, establishes seller agency. It also explains services the company will provide, establishes a fee arrangement for the Realtor's services and specifies what obligations a seller may have. A seller's agent must tell the seller anything known about a buyer. For instance, if a seller's agent knows a buyer is willing to offer more for a property, that information must be shared with the seller. Confidences a seller shares with a seller's agent must be kept confidential from potential buyers and others. Although confident... 07/11/2010

Two years ago I lost my beloved Jason, a Greyhound I rescued from the racetrack who was facing death because he could no longer win races.   He suffered an injury to his back leg... and therefore was going to be put to death like so many other greyhounds who are either injured or stop winning money for their owners. How despicable is that? I had this lovey creature for 4 years... and he became ill very suddenly and we discovered he had a malignant tumour in the lining of his heart.  He was such a gentle, loving boy... not a mean bone in his body... but in order to prevent him from suffering, I put him down. It broke my heart... One of my friends sent me this after Jason died... and I have kept it and share it with others whose pets have gone to the great beyond. Here it is: RAINBOW BRID... 07/10/2010

Market More Balanced in JuneJuly 6, 2010 -- Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 8,442 sales through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in June. This represented a 23 per cent decrease compared to the record 10,955 sales reported in June 2009. Sales for the second quarter of 2010 amounted to 28,810 - up one per cent annually. Year-to-date sales through June were up 23 per cent to 50,455 compared to the first six months of 2009."We experienced a record number of existing home sales during the first half of 2010, but these sales were weighted more towards the beginning of the year," said Toronto Real Estate Board President Bill Johnston. "The pace of home sales has moderated from record levels over the past two months with the prospect of higher mortgage rates."The average price for June ... 07/09/2010

We are in the midst of a heat stroke here in Southern Ontario, with tempertures in high 90's and low 100's.  I have my three young granchildren living with me and they enjoy splashing about in the small blow up pool... Last week one of the children was complaining about her stomach hurting, she had a headache, and she had a temperature of 103!  I thought she perhaps caught some bug or flu type virus, and treated her fever and headache with children's Tylenol. She was much better the next day and resumed her normal play activity. A few days after that, the youngest one was complaining with the same symptoms, and again, thinking he had a flu bug, treated him on a course of children's Tylenol.. and the next day he too recovered and was playing without any evidence of being sick the prvious... 07/08/2010

How to Hire a Contractor Hiring a contractor can be a scary and stressful experience and I'm sure we have all heard of the horror stories of contractors disappearing after receiving their deposit. But these pitfalls can be avoided, and you can hire the right person for the job! Here are some tips on choosing the right contractor: •·        The first step is finding a contractor... the best way is by word of mouth referral of someone you know who has used this person in the past. Ask family or friends if they can recommend someone. •·        You can also find them in the yellow pages, on the internet, trade organizations, or bulletin boards. •·        Obtain at least 3 quotations.  This will allow you to see if they are adding profit into the material price and make it easier to compare ... 07/06/2010

I recall, several years ago looking for a very high end home for one of my clients.  I arranged several viewings, and we are talking homes ranging from $850,000 up to $1,000,000. This was a large, executive and stately home, about 5,000 square feet. It was situated on a very large lot, backing onto a ravine.. and had great curb appeal. Three car garage !! However, upon entering the front door, we were immediately gob smacked with the strong, pungent odour of curry.  It permeates everything and gets into the paint, drapersies carpeting and furniture. Needless to say we didn`t stay around too long.. we didn't even view the entire home,  and we were out the door where we could once again breath fresh air. On another occasion I was showing another rather high end home... and my clients and ... 07/05/2010

Here are the latest mortgage rates via Dan Bafour from Mortgage Alliance.   Variable rate mortgage is now an incredible 1.90% and 5 year fixed is 4.19%.  Prime an incredible 2.50% !! Great time for young families to transistion from renting to buying their first home We know, you don't want a mortgage... you want a home! Fixed rates continue to be stable and the variable rate is Prime minus 0.60%. Click HERE to get approved. TERM POSTED OUR RATES* 6 Month 4.85% 3.95% 1 Year 3.90% 2.75% 2 Year 4.40% 3.45% 3 Year 4.95% 3.60% 4 Year 5.64% 4.09% 5 Year 5.99% 4.19% 7 Year 6.59% 5.25% 10 Year 6.90% 5.20% Variable Rate 1.90% Prime Rate 2.50% * Rates may vary provincially and are subject to change without notice OAC. Rates Last Updated: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Rates courtesy of:Dan BalfourPhon... 07/02/2010

Harmonized Sales Tax:  Implications for Owning Real Estate in Ontario Resource: Ontario Real Estate Association Political Affairs Conference Well, the dreaded HST is here at last... I wonder how it will affect real estate overall.   I suspect like any other change there may be a "blip" on the radar, but after a few months when we finally accept it and know there is nothing we can do about it.. thing will return to normal.  Doesn't mean we like it... its just another change we have to live with.... What Is Happening: HST will replace the 5% GST and the 8% Retail Sales Tax HST will apply at a 13% rate effective July 1, 2010.   Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) - A Bit of History ...   January 1991 -Federal Government introduces GST at 7% replacing the Federal Manufacturer's SalesTax April, 1997 ... 07/02/2010

ONTARIO REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION (CREA) WORKING WITH A REALTOR Explaining Possible Forms of Agency Relationship RepresentationWhen a real estate company is a "seller's agent," it must do what is best for the seller of a property. A written contract, called a listing agreement, establishes seller agency. It also explains services the company will provide, establishes a fee arrangement for the Realtor's services and specifies what obligations a seller may have. A seller's agent must tell the seller anything known about a buyer. For instance, if a seller's agent knows a buyer is willing to offer more for a property, that information must be shared with the seller. Confidences a seller shares with a seller's agent must be kept confidential from potential buyers and others. Although confident... 07/01/2010

I recently read a few chapters of the book Soci@l and one chapter in particular I found very interestig.... the myths and truths about social media. Many people think this is just a fad and a way to chat and be social with friends, when in fact, its a great way to interact with people, and when you use it effectively can generate leads... It has fundamentally chanaged the way we communicate... The truth is... myths are excuses we use to limit our own success!  From Flight of the Buffalo, by James Belasco and Rlph Sayear:   "Change is hard becuase people overestimate the value of what they have... and underestimate the value of what they may gain gy giving that up."  Here is a short except from that book disspelling some of the more well known myths about social media: myth 1 - i do not ... 07/01/2010

Home Energy Audit Checklist We all know and recognize that saving energy is cost effective, but you may not recognize how inefficient your home really is until you conduct an energy audit.  You can spot many problems in your home with a simple walk-through.  Keep a checklist of areas you inspect and any problems or issues you find.  This will help you prioritize your energy efficiency upgrades.   Lighting Energy expended by lighting accounts for about 10% of your hyrdo bill.  Check the wattage of the light bulbs in your home.  You can exchange 100 watt bulbs and in most cases use a 60 or 75 watt bulb.  Compact Fluorescent lamps for higher uses area are also recommended.   Insulation  If insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum, heat loss through the ceiling and walls in y... 07/01/2010

                  Canada Day (formerly known as Dominion day) is Canada's national holiday. and a Federal Statutory Holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867) which united two British colonies and a province of the British Empire into a single country... called Canada. Take the time to celebrate this great country of ours with your family...Enjoy the freedoms we have, all the great natural resources and benefits our great country has to offer! We are truly blessed, so take the time to be grateful we live in such a wonderful, free country with all it has to offer! Whatever you choose to do today... enjoy... and have a safe holiday! There are lots of places to visit and activites to enjoy. H... 07/01/2010

Coutndown to Moving Day ! A Useful Guide to Planning Your Move   Moving Day Moving day can become a very hectic and stressful time.  Here is a guideline that could help make moving day a lot less stressful Counting Down to Moving Day By Douglas Gray Whether you're selling your home or buying a new home, you need to budget for moving costs. Make sure you get three to five written estimates from moving companies, as well as complete information packages. Consider the middle estimate-selecting a low-ball price is not necessarily the best decision.  Since professional movers can be expensive, attempt to negotiate a lower price if you are moving at the slow time of the month or consolidating the shipment with other peoples' goods. Find out how long the mover has been in business, obtain refe... 06/30/2010

Welcome to an elegant condominium for sale at 1915 Broad Hollow Gate in Mississauga. This is executive living at its finest in this exclusive wooded community in Mississauga . This gem is tucked away for quiet and privacy. It has a popular open concept design with 9 foot and 18 foot ceilings. Picture windows line the rear of this home with majestic wooded views. The kitchen has an upgraded Bellini Kitchen with granite counter top wrapped to backsplash with under valance lighting and wall to wall furniture finish twin pantry with a granite topped desk. Parking for 6 vehicles. For more pictures of this home click here This home also offers a built in dishwasher, all blinds and window coverings, garberator, all electric light fixtures, central air conditioning, pot lighting throughout, har... 06/29/2010

Canada Day (formerly known as Dominion day) is Canada's national holiday. and a Federal Statutory Holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867) which united two British colonies and a province of the British Empire into a single country... called Canada. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally. Take the time to celebrate this great country of ours with your family...Enjoy the freedoms we have, all the great natural resources and benefits our great country has to offer!    There are lots of places to visit and activites to enjoy. Here are some in and around the City of Mississauga, Ontario.   http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/discover/canadaday Have a safe... 06/29/2010

Harmonized Sales Tax:  Implications for Owning Real Estate in Ontario Resource: Ontario Real Estate Association Political Affairs Conference   What Is Happening: HST will replace the 5% GST and the 8% Retail Sales Tax HST will apply at a 13% rate effective July 1, 2010.   Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) - A Bit of History ...   January 1991 -Federal Government introduces GST at 7% replacing the Federal Manufacturer's SalesTax April, 1997 -Three Atlantic Provinces eliminate sales taxes and replaces GST with 15% HST   Then .. Some Good News July 1, 2006 GST rates was reduced from 7% to 6%.  The HST was reduced from 15% to 14%. January 1, 2008 the GST rate was reduced from 6% to 5% and the HST rate was reduced from 14% to 13% The Future - On July 1, 2010 Ontario will eliminate the 8% retail sal... 06/29/2010

PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING ! Does your home have that WOW factor?? Are you maximizing your options to improve the saleability of your home? Home Staging Staging your home is one of the smartest decisions a seller can make.  Home Staging can turn a cold and lifeless looking property into a warm, inviting home in a potential buyer's mind. First impressions are everything and if your property is presented in the right way, it will enchant your visitors and make it irresistible. Home staging is the process of de-personalizing a home and making it "buyer ready" so it appearls to the largest potential buyer audience possible using proven design techniques that highlight the home's best architectural features. Home Stating, also known as real estate staging, is not home decorating, but rather ... 06/27/2010

I recently read a few chapters of Soci@l and one chapter in particular caught my eye.... the myths and truths about social media. Many people think this is just a fad and a way to chat and be social with friends, when in fact, its a great way to interact with people, and when you use it effectively can generate leads... It has fundamentally chanaged the way we communicate... The truth is... myths are excuses we use to limit our own success!  From Flight of the Buffalo, by James Belasco and Rlph Sayear:   "Change is hard becuase people overestimate the value of what they have... and underestimate the value of what they may gain gy giving that up."  Here is a short except from that book disspelling some of the more well known myths about social media: myth 1 - i do not have the time truth... 06/26/2010

Glossary Of Key Real Estate Terms There are a great deal of phrases and terminologies unique to real estate.  Listed below are just a sample of the common terms you will encounter in the process of buying or selling a home.  Take a moment to familiarize yourself with them so you will know where to look if you need a definition. Amortization Period       The actual number of years it will take to pay back your mortgage loan. Appraised Value            An estimate of the value of the property. Conducted for the purpose of  mortgage lending by a certified appraiser. This appraisal is not to be confused with a building inspection. Assumability                 Allows the buyer to take over the seller's mortgage on the property. Chattels                                Personal property which ... 06/23/2010

Coutndown to Moving Day ! A Useful Guide to Planning Your Move   Moving Day Moving day can become a very hectic and stressful time.  Here is a guideline that could help make moving day a lot less stressful Counting Down to Moving Day By Douglas Gray Whether you're selling your home or buying a new home, you need to budget for moving costs. Make sure you get three to five written estimates from moving companies, as well as complete information packages. Consider the middle estimate-selecting a low-ball price is not necessarily the best decision.  Since professional movers can be expensive, attempt to negotiate a lower price if you are moving at the slow time of the month or consolidating the shipment with other peoples' goods. Find out how long the mover has been in business, obtain refe... 06/22/2010