Rare 4 Bedroom 2 Storey Home for Sale on Sabel Street in Bronte - $475,000 Welcome to your next home! A RARE 4 bedroom, 2 storey in the sought after neighbourhood of Bronte. This home has all kinds of character and sits on a beautiful, large, private, mature lot with extensive landscaping and stunning gardens. The home and the property have been lovingly maintained by the original owners. THIS IS A LOT OF HOUSE for the money. The home boasts 14 rooms including a large eat-in kitchen with sliding doors to a huge, beautifully landscaed backyard, separate dining room, main floor den, 2 large recrooms (one is a british pub style room) in the basement AND a workshop as well. Bedroom sizes are also surprisingly large. Call for your private showing today and lets get you into your next home! $... 09/18/2009

Funny Faces Silver Breeze Powder Puffs Pom Poms Space Needle Vertically Unchallenged I Have No Clue Prickly Bouquet 09/16/2009

This is a snapshot of all of the residential real estate activity that has taken place in Oakville today. For more details regarding addresses and prices please contact me TODAY at 905.399.1069 and I would be happy to help. There were 23 NEW LISTINGS in Oakville today on the following streets: Nelson Street  - 3 Storey Live/Work FOR SALEEnnisclare Drive - 5 Bedroom 2 Storey Detached FOR SALETowne Boulevard - 4 Bedroom 2 Storey Detached  FOR SALEPrince Michael Drive - 4 Bedroom 2 Storey Detached  FOR SALEScotscraig Crescent - 3 Bedroom 2 Storey Detached  FOR SALEFalgarwood Drive - 3 Bedroom 2 Storey Townhouse  FOR SALELakeshore Road West - 4 Bedroom 2 Storey Detached  FOR SALEFourth Line - 4 Bedroom Bungalow Detached  FOR SALEBaronwood Drive - 3 Bedroom 2 Storey Townhouse  FOR SALEDewrid... 09/16/2009

I read a great article in the National Post last week on the impact of the New Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) will have on the housing market when introduced in July 2009. I have included the link to the article for your reference - National Post Article on the HST  In order to put the HST issue into perspective, I have outlined the key issues about the HST and how this impacts Homebuyers in Oakville, Burlington and Milton. New homes currently face the GST which is 5% and in most cases for new construction, it is included within the purchase price The Government originally proposed on July 1, 2010 that the new HST would be 13% on all real estate transactions which came under heavy criticism and the government has softened their stance The new HST guidelines for real estate is an exemption o... 09/16/2009

Yes, there is only 1 Saturday left after today before fall or autumn officially arrives on September 22, 2009.  Where did the summer go?  Here in Oakville, it seems summer just began at the end of August.  We have had an amazing first two weeks in September.  Sunny and dry.  Yes dry, when baseball and soccer season here in Oakville has finished or is winding down. It was one of those seasons when even the rained out games got rained out.  Labour Day weekend has come and gone.  Cottage country has gone quiet.  Here is a glimpse of how cottage country survives after the crowds have gone home.  Vacations are over and the kids are back in school. But life goes on in cottage country.  There is a quiet beauty.  Even the ducklings are sporting their new Mohawk hairdos for school Off Duty Peek-... 09/12/2009

If you were considering selling your condo townhouse, it is important to take a look at what the market has done over the past month. In general, the Oakville housing market is classified as a " Balanced Market" whereby supply and demand are in sync or equilibrium. Over the month of August, there was a total of 331 condominium townhouses sold which shows strong sales. We have included a table below to highlight some of the key trends that you should be aware of and we have broken it down by price range to give you a sense of what is happening at the differing price points: For the Oakville condo townhouse market, the yellow highlighted portion shows where the most activity is taking place which is currently fueled by first time home buyers. The market is performing as expected with high... 09/10/2009

Oakville First Time Home Buyers Benefit from Lower Interest Rates The big Canadian banks have provided some additional relief for first time buyers by lowering interest rates. This is great news for first time home buyers since it has become even more affordable thanks to the reduction in interest rates. Here is what the Banks have done: At the Royal, a one-year closed mortgage falls to 3.7 per cent, down a fifth of a point, while a five-year closed term drops three tenths of a point to 5.49 per cent. At Bank of Montreal, a three-year fixed closed mortgage falls a fifth of a point to 4.35 per cent while a five-year loan also falls to 5.49 per cent, down .36 of a point. The changes reflect lower interest rates in the bond market, where banks raise money to finance their mortgage lending.... 09/10/2009

If you are a first time buyer and were contemplating buying a home, now is one of the best times to do so. The Federal Government has a number of programs that benefit first time home buyers that you should be aware of. Everyone likes free money, so why not take advantage of these government programs and incentives that benefit first time home buyers that include: 1. First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit that provides up to $750 in tax relief to help offset the costs associated with the purchase of a first home. Sounds to good to be true, well it's not. The First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit provides first time buyers with a $5,000 non-refundable income tax credit amount on a qualifying home acquired after January 27, 2009. For an eligible individual, the credit will provide up to $750 in ... 08/31/2009

Tree Ornament or The Dark Knight? Beak-A-Boo No Bull About It Forbidden Fruit ? Keeping An Eye On Things Octo - Pods Toothbrush ? Long Tall Sally   Photos taken at Bayshire Pond, Oakville, Ontario.  Jenny Kotulak photos Windows of the World Photography WoW 2009 Jenny Kotulak Broker, RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. Brokerage, Oakville, Ontario Your Oakville Community REALTOR Selling Oakville Real Estate Since 1989 08/26/2009

We all know that a picture says a thousand words.  Today I have added some sound accompaniment to my photos.  Don't worry this isn't a personal sing a long.  I've left that to some great singers and songs from the past.  These photos were taken on a trail along the Sixteen Mile Creek near Lions Valley Park in Oakville, Ontario.  My dog Lola was my walking partner.  Click on the words under each photo to hear what song came to mind when I was adding the photos.  No rhyme, no reason.  As the kids today would say, just RANDOM* Bridge Over Troubled Water A Foot In Cold Water I Love You - Warts And All You Give Me Goosebumps Sunshine On My Shoulders All Bark - No Bite Jingle Balls Pretty Maids All In A Row I Can't Be-Leaf My Eyes Peace Brother (and Sister) An Open And Closed Case Tree Huggin... 08/22/2009

Living in Oakville, Ontario definitely has its rewards.  How about a coveted location on the shores of Lake Ontario, halfway between the metropolitan cities of Toronto and Hamilton? What better way to spend a hot August day then to enjoy the beautiful Oakville waterfront.  Residents and visitors alike have numerous parks to choose from to picnic, stroll, feed the ducks, or sit on a bench and watch the boats go by. For a quiet spot visit Gairloch Gardens on Lakeshore Road in the East end of Oakville.  Check out the Oakville Galleries while there.  Two blocks south of Oakville's quaint downtown core is Lakeside Park and Oakvile Harbour and Pier.  The Oakville Towarf and Erchless Museum are also located here. My favourite out of the way park is Waterworks Park, tucked in at the bottom of K... 08/20/2009

Some of you know I like to hang out by Lake Ontario when I have some time.  There is always something new to appreciate. . Don't touch.  For viewing only. What is it?  A flower through a flower. Flower used for close up in photo above. Hello, anyone home? Gone sailing Flowers appear on Oakville pier. Lunch time.  Gotta go. Oakville, Ontario.  On the shores of Lake Ontario. Jenny Kotulak Your Oakville Community REALTOR Windows of the World Photography WoW 2009 08/19/2009

New rates will collect more for growth costs of new facilities and road infrastructure Oakville, August 11, 2009 - For Immediate ReleaseOakville Town Council took steps to collect more of the costs of future growth in Oakville by adopting a new development charge by-law. The by-law, which comes into effect on August 31, 2009, sets new development charges that will generate $625.9 million in revenue to fund new facilities to 2018 and new road infrastructure to 2031. "This by-law is an important part of our promise to residents that we will keep Oakville fiscally sustainable," said Mayor Rob Burton. "Increasing development charges is essential to minimize the impacts of growth on our current taxpayers." The new charges reflect the growth-related capital expenditures anticipated by the ten... 08/17/2009

This is a good news article. July home sales in Oakville, Ontario were up from July 2008. The total number of home sales in Oakville in July 09 were: 357 The total number of home sales in Oakville in July 08 were: 278 There were 17 property sales of over $1,000,000 compared to 12 a year ago July. Average Selling Price July 09: $511,500Average Selling Price July 08: $492,589 Median Selling Price July 09: $420,000Median Selling Price July 08: $406,000 Not only were there more sales in July 09 but both the average and median sale price increased. Average Days On Market July 09: 43Average Days On Market July 08: 37 The average days on market was up slightly in July 09 compared to last year. Oakville is still an affordable community to call home.Condo Townhomes begin at under $200,000Freeho... 08/10/2009

This is a burning question in everyone's mind I'm sure, it's something that I think we should always keep top of mind.  I love my job and really want it to show. I want my clients to enjoy working with me through the ups and downs of our business.  Sometimes things don't work out the way we had intended but that's the way the cookie crumbles in any business! I really enjoy reading what clients have to say about the Realtor they worked with. I think it's a great way to get to know what the Realtor was like to work with and hopefully you learn more about the way they treat their clients. So when I really thought about how I could make my client testimonials even more appealing I got my clients on camera!  It's great to be able to read what someone has written but to actually see them say ... 08/10/2009

Sometimes getting too close to something can cause you to lose focus. Often times it can be a good thing to take a step back to try to re-focus. Just by taking a step back allows you to see the bigger picture. Often times the bigger picture can be quite lovely. Looking at the bigger picture oftens lets you listen to your surroundings. Sometimes just re-focusing allows you to take a step forward again. Every once in awhile we need to re-focus in order to enjoy the beautiful things in life. These berries had huge competition with the roaring Niagara River photo opportunity rushing by.  But sometimes competition is good.  It keeps you on your toes and forces you to do the best you can at what you do. Jenny Kotulak photos 2009 Windows Of the World photography WoW 2009     08/09/2009

My niece is visiting Ontario from Calgary, Alberta and we had the pleasure of having her stay with us for a couple of days this week.   She is about to turn 13 so we asked her what she would like to do yesterday.  She was quite keen to visit the Eaton Centre in Toronto to do some shopping.  Instead, we ended up in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  Our first stop was to see the Welland Canal in St. Catharines.  That is another whole post in itself.  Once in the "Falls" we lunched at the buffet restaurant in the Sheraton Fallsview.  And to say it is a Fallsview is an understatement. For $20. and $10. for children 12 and under, you treat yourself to an amazing assortment of food.  And the DESSERTS!!!  It's a good thing you do a lot of walking afterwards.  But to pay $20. for lunch plus enjoy a Mill... 08/07/2009

08/05/2009

As the breeze ushered in a reprieve from the high humidity levels and warm Lake Ontario air, thousands of visitors walked up and down the grassy aisles of Oakville's 44th Annual Art in the Park show yesterday afternoon. It was a beautiful day in Bronte village and the streets were vibrant with visitors from the far reaches of Ontario and the globe. Oakville's 44th Art in the Park show featured artists of every venue imaginable from watercolours, oils, sculptures and pottery all the way to beautiful wooden bowls and one of a kind jewellry.Admiring the soft coloured wooden bowls where light pink overtones eked their way across the grains in surprising places, I learned that the wood was naturally coloured that way and came from Manitoba Maples, a Maple we always considered to be a 'weed' ... 08/04/2009

Something strange happened in Oakville today.  It didn't rain.  Not a drop.  I know I'm not the only one to have noticed.  It actually felt like the first day of summer.  Quite sad since August arrives on Saturday. I was speaking with someone in Seattle today and it was over 100 degrees F. there.  What happened to our heat here in Ontario this year?  There have been some benefits from the amount of rain we have seen this month.  The lawns are green and gardens are gorgeous.  There has been no need to run the central air conditioning.  I happened to be outside this evening just as the sun was setting.  The sky was ablaze with colour and a promise of another beautiful day tomorrow.  The following song came to mind as I snapped away. 07/30/2009