Eat blueberries and reduce belly fat?  I woke up to this potentially good news  story on the radio this morning and had to check it out.  I found the article in Science Daily.  A study was done on laboratory rats and the research has been released by University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center. I found the results to be very interesting. I always knew blueberries were healthy due to their high level of antioxidants, but this new study suggests that a diet enriched with blueberries may not only reduce belly fat but may  stem the conditions that lead to diabetes.       You have to wonder who comes up with these research ideas.  The thought of putting freeze dried blueberries crushed into a powder into a rat's diet would never occur to me.  I guess that's why I'm not a scientist, but a re... 04/25/2009

I recently had the opportunity of experiencing an enthralling "magic show" by photographer/keynote speaker Steve Uzzell. This visual presention is called Open Roads - Open Minds and Steve guides you through a series of his photographs on a large screen,  all the while talking about his adventures on the open road, both for business and for pleasure. This was not your usual real estate conference seminar. Steve believes that "preparation lays the foundation for magic to happen".  He explained that many times he was ready to give up on trying to get just the right shot but his patience always persevered and, if you look at his work, you will see that indeed, magic did happen. Steve has a passion for taking photos of trucks on the open road.  My favourite photograph is the one below.  If y... 04/22/2009

We are almost 4 months into the year and the sales numbers are heading into the right direction. With respect to residential units sold, there has been a 34% increase over last month! The average residential sale price in Oakville has also risen by 3% from last month. The Town of Oakville is a beautiful lakeside community with a strong heritage, preserved and celebrated by residents and visitors alike. Founded in 1857, this striking town has become one of the most coveted residential and business centres in Ontario, and for good reason: Great neighbourhoods Great places to do business Quality schools A full-service acute care community hospital Proximity to Lake Ontario and recreational areas Easy access via QEW, 403, 407 and GO Transit Charming shopping districts in the downtown core I... 04/16/2009

By definition, a neighbour is someone who lives close to you.  But close is a relative term. For urban dwellers your neighbour may live in the condo next door and you meet and greet them in the elevator or mail room.  In the suburbs your neighbour lives beside, across, behind  and down the street from you. In rural areas your closest neighbour may live a mile away. If you are lucky, you have great neighbours.  Great neighbours help and look out for each other. They are friendly and considerate but still respect your space and privacy.  They make a point of saying hello,  they don't yell when your child's ball lands in their yard, and they offer to pick up your mail and papers if you are going away. Great neighbours make great neighbourhoods.  They form their own nieghbourhood watch syst... 04/15/2009

It was a relatively balmy 48 degrees F ( 9 celsius) in Oakville today.  The sun was shining bright so it was a great opportunity for my friend an I to take our dogs for a walk downtown and by the Lake (Ontario).  It seems we weren't the only ones who had the same idea.  Lakeshore Road was full of people, dogs, strollers, cars, bicycles and motorcycles.  People were feeding the ducks and geese at the harbour.  Bad idea as the Canada Geese end up staying here for the winters now and making lovely messes in our parks.  My dog just loves to eat and roll in their droppings. A young couple was enjoying a picnic lunch on the rocks overlooking the lake.  Still a little chilly by my standards for picnics, but they were having fun.  I think everyone was just happy to get out and get a small taste... 04/10/2009

On an early, autumn day last year, Louis and Iwere driving along Lakeshore Road as it meandered through the cities of Burlington and Oakville, admiring the many grand waterfront homes and the majestic trees that towered overhead.Exploring the many side streets that lead to the water's edge, we happened to turn down a small road that led to a quiet, lakeside neighbourhood where a peaceful cemetary lay in the middle. Gazing at the old gravestones that lay scattered under 200 year old oaks and pines, I felt myself entranced at how such a halcyon place had survived all of these years while the city had grown up around it. The blueness of Lake Ontario caught my eye, where the road ended, and I noticed the cemetary lay along the shore with some headstones very close to the eroded embankment.B... 04/09/2009

A report has just released called Toronto as a Global City - Scorecard on Prosperity. This report comes from the Toronto Board of Trade, which is Canada's largest local Chamber of Commerce.  Data for the report was compiled from 25 specific indicators for the Toronto Region and 20 other International Metropolitan Areas.  Overall Toronto ranked tied for 4th place, and received a C rating.  Calgary, Alberta, Canada ranked first with an A score, followed by Dallas in the the number 2 spot with a solid B.  I have listed the overall ranking scorecard below but take a look at the whole article for full details.  My community, Oakville, Ontario is considered in part of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).  We are distinguished by our telephone area codes, with Toronto proper being considered the "4... 04/08/2009

The area of Westoak Trails is located in Northwest Oakville.  The boundaries for this neighbourhood are Dundas Street to the north, Upper Middle Road to the south, Bronte Road to the west and the Sixteen Mile Creek to the east. For real estate purposes, this large area has been divided, with the area between Third Line and Bronte Road now being considered Westmount. Sitting just north of the Glen Abbey area, this subdivision is a mix of detached and  semi-detached homes, freehold townhomes, condo townhomes and condo apartments. This area continues to expand north to Dundas Street with new home construction still underway. Many different builders have left their mark in this neighbourhood. Mattamy with the "wide lots", Greenpark, Markay, DiMarco, Tanglewood are just a few.  A number of ... 04/06/2009

The Oakville neighbourhood known as  Morrison lies within the following boundaries.  Chartwell Road to the west, Maple Grove Drive to the east, Lake Ontario to the south and Cornwall Road to the north. This prestigious area is well known for its large properties on leafy, mature treed crescents and courts. The  streetscapes have undergone a major transformation over the past ten years.  Small bungalows built in the 1950's and 1960's have been demolished and replaced by oversized homes and estates. Lakeshore Road is dotted with a mix of Century homes and new construction.  Even lakefront homes have been razed to make room for custom residences. The future of some of the local schools in the area are in jeopardy due to lower enrollments and the need for refurbishment. The well known inde... 04/01/2009

I read the following article today with interest.  I was in Las Vegas in Nov. 07 sitting by the pool at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and the City Center, under construction, towered above in the skyline.  At the time I questioned why Las Vegas needed another mega hotel/commercial complex.   The spectacle of Las Vegas becomes so real when flying over at sunset in a helicopter.  It was my first visit, part business & part pleasure.  I attended the National Association of REALTORS Conference for a few days and then spent a few more days exploring the area.  After the conference I was happy to get in a rental car and head for the mountains.  What amazing scenery.  Reaching St. George Utah on the other side of the mountains was like finding an oasis in the desert.  All of a sudden there were t... 03/27/2009

I heard on the radio today that it was National Proposal Day.  Huh?  I knew it was the first day of Spring, also known as Vernal Equinox but have I been missing something all these years? I didn't know there was a particular day of the year that men ( or women) were supposed to pop the question to their loved one.  So I plugged it into Google and I get a lovely calendar with occasions for every day of the year practically. Did you know that today March 20 is also Great American Meatout?  National Agriculture Day?  Snowman Burning Day?  The late Fred( Mr.) Rodgers birthday and Independence Day in Tunisia? Being Canadian I'm afraid I don't know what Great American Meatout is.  Does anyone else?  I admit we did have snowmen in our community over the winter but I'm not quite sure where the ... 03/20/2009

College Park is a neighbourhood in Oakville aptly named after Sheridan College, world renowned for it's animation program,which is located in this area.  The boundaries of College Park stretch from the Queen Elizabeth Way to the south, Trafalgar Road to the East, Upper Middle Road to the North and the 16 Mile Creek to the West. Homes in the far west have backyards that overlook the ravines of the Glen Abbey Golf Course. This particular pocket of stately homes on cul-de-sacs was originally known as The Enclaves. Some homes in this area also back on to portions of the Oakville Golf Club located on Sixth Line.  Other properties edge on to the Sheridan College grounds.This neighbourhood is a mix of older bungalows, split levels, semi-detached, and townhomes plus larger 2 storey, double car ... 03/17/2009

Buying, renovating homes key to stimulating economy The Federal Budget 2009 announced several incentives to get Canadians spending by buying a first time home, or renovating the one they are already in. Some of the budget highlights include: Providing first-time home buyers with additional access to their Registered Retirement Savings Plan savings to purchase or build a home by increasing the Home Buyers' Plan withdrawal limit to $25,000 from $20,000. Assisting first-time home buyers by providing up to $750 in tax relief to help with the purchase of a first home. Implementing a temporary Home Renovation Tax Credit that will provide up to $1,350 in tax relief, reduce the cost of renovations for an estimated 4.6 million Canadian families, and provide needed stimulus to the economy. Provi... 03/14/2009

  Is it a little tougher to sell a home in Oakville right now? Definitely and there are a variety of reasons why. First off there is more inventory available. Secondly the buyers are not making rushed purchases. The pressure is off. We are seeing very few multiple offers. It's simple really. More listings available, less buyers buying. The pendulum has swung back to to a buyers' market. The ball is in the buyers' court. No matter how you describe it the buyers are in the drivers seat. So what does that mean? Buyers are waiting and watching. I am finding there are a couple of different types of buyers out there right now. The ones who are sitting and watching homes, waiting for price reductions and the others who are going ahead and making offers on properties but offering on their terms... 03/10/2009

Macleans magazine has just published their findings of Canada's most dangerous communities to live in. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was named the most dangerous city, according to the magazine, followed by  Winnipeg, Manitoba, Regina Sask., Prince George, B.C., Edmonton, Alberta, Chilliwack, B.C., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Vancouver, B.C., Surrey, B.C. & Victoria, B.C. As Maclean's explains their Methodology "Maclean's obtained annual crime data from Statistics Canada for municipal police services with the 100 largest populations in the nation. Using 2007 rates per 100,000 population for six crimes-homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, vehicle theft, robbery plus breaking and entering-Maclean's calculated the percentage difference from the national rate for each of the six crimes. In con... 03/10/2009

This is the time of year that the Bufflehead ducks appear on Lake Ontario and our inner harbours of Oakville and Bronte. These striking black and white ducks are the smallest diving ducks and scarcest in  North America.  The male Buffleheads have bright pink feet.  The female buffleheads are more grey or brown in colouring and their white areas are more dull.  They are very energetic, and disappear abruptly under water.  These birds drop by in the spring and fall during migration. The majority of the Buffleheads winter in the U.S. on either coasts.  The ones we see here in Oakville are probably now on their way from New Jersey to North Carolina.  I set out with my camera on the weekend to get some shots of these guys.  They are so quick, it was hard to get a good shot but I must admit I... 03/09/2009

One of the most picturesque and relaxing places to visit in Oakville is Bronte Outer Harbour Marina. Resting serenely on the shores of Lake Ontario, Bronte Outer Harbour Marina has a myriad of services to offer local boaters and visitors as well as beautiful areas to walk or spend some time contemplating the sounds and sights of nature. Bronte is now re-awakening from a long winter's nap and anxious boaters are counting down the days to when their boats will leave dry land and once again float gently in their water homes.Canada Geese have returned and the gulls are once more gliding gracefully on the upland drafts and breezes coming off the lake. The boat slips are thawing and a myriad of migrating waterfowl stop over daily to rest in the sheltered waters of the marina. Local residents ... 03/09/2009

If you're listing your home during a downswing, you'll need to follow a specific plan of action to ensure you receive the most amount of money possible.  Here are some strategies to assist you in selling your home during slower times: Buyer Incentives - Many sellers offer incentives such as appliances, furniture or help with closing costs to make their home more attractive during a competitive market.  These little extras can really make a difference especially to first time buyers who don't have much left after their down payment. Price to Sell - Pricing your home correctly in a competitive market is absolutely critical.  It's best to set the price a little less than comparable homes in order to acquire a competitive edge.  Overpricing your home can be disastrous as not only will it qu... 03/08/2009

One of the great benefits that has come from blogging has been my renewed interest in photography.  I take my camera with me everywhere now.  Yesterday I thought I would get a few more photos of one of the two lovely harbours we have in Oakville.  I hadn't planned to catch the sunset so that was a bonus.  I never knew I would have so much fun chasing ducks to try to get a good shot.  The ducks in this photo only visit our parts twice a year.  03/07/2009

The Bank of Canada announced this morning that they would be lowering the overnight lending rate 1/2 a percentage point.  The major banks followed suit reducing the prime rate from 3% to 2.5%.  Since December 2007, the bank rates have been lowered a total of 4% points. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to speak with your lendor or mortgage broker about the options available to you to lower your existing mortgage rate.  It could potentially save you thousands of dollars in interest.  I am meeting a number of home owners who are seeing the softer market and attractive lending rates as a great opportunity to either move into their first home or trade up to a larger home. If you are considering buying a home or refinancing your existing home a good lendor or mortgage broker is es... 03/03/2009