Here is what me and Alissa made for our boys this Valentine's Day  - chocolate Valentine'sWe baked a basic chocolate sponge - the one from the package, where you add 3 eggs, cup of water and 1/3 cup of oil.Then, we cut out hearts of various colour using cookie cuttersFor filling and decoration - basic chocolate ganache + whipped cream + sweet cherries Chocolate Ganache250 grams semi sweet chocolate chips1 cup of whipping cream1/3 cup of butterPut all the ingredients in a glass bowl, microwave for 2 minutes, mix well until even, let cool, whip with a mixer for 3-4 minutes Whipped Cream2 cups whipping cream + 1/2 cup icing sugar - beat till steady peaksFill the pastries and decorate up to your likingI was not allowed to decorate - Alissa did it all! Other Great Recipes:Foody Thursday - St... 03/02/2016

There’s a famous saying in the real estate business: “Location, location, location”. It simply means that where your home is located — the neighbourhood — is just as important to potential buyers as the features of the property itself.Sellers often make the mistake of creating a long list of home features while ignoring neighbourhood features. They tout the spacious kitchen, the newly renovated bathrooms and the gorgeous backyard deck, but say little about the area.So when you’re ready to sell your home, sit down and create two lists: home features and neighbourhood features. Buyers want to know both.On that neighbourhood features list, include: Location of schools and daycare centres. Major retailers and shopping centres. Proximity to major commuting routes. Theatres, night clubs and o... 02/28/2016

You probably know there’s more to selling a home than putting up a FOR SALE sign. But if you don’t understand the process in detail, you might feel intimidated and stressed when it comes time to put your property on the market.Fortunately, the home selling process isn’t that difficult to understand. There are basically six steps.Step one is selecting the right REALTOR®. You need a knowledgeable, trusted expert who can guide you through the process, take care of all the details, and help sell your home quickly and for the best price.Step two is preparation. You need to ensure your home is clean and uncluttered. It’s also important that you take care of any needed repairs, even minor ones like wall dents. You may also need to consider a home improvement, such as replacing worn carpeting.S... 02/27/2016

Sniff, sniff. “What is that smell?” That is definitely not the reaction you want a potential buyer to have when they view your house.The problem with common household scents – from family pets, preferred cooking styles, smoking, or even hobbies such as model-making – is that we get accustomed to them. However, someone who enters the house for the first time will notice these aromas right away.So, before a viewing appointment or open house, be sure household scents are under control. A good airing usually does the trick.Reposted from http://www.marina.realtor/ixact-be-sensible-when-it-comes-to-scents/ 02/26/2016

VIP ACCESS to City Suites Condos, 330 Richmond Street West, Toronto, Ontario Toronto's Newest Suite Spot, right in the Heart of Toronto's Entertainment District.  Welcome to your VIP ACCESS to 330 RICHMOND, a new condominium that is truly a remarkable architectural achievement located in Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhood. The city’s entertainment district offers diversity and magnetism like no other area, connecting directly to the Fashion and Financial districts, Queen West and offering access to the entire city via the TTC. Inside 330 RICHMOND, however, the true magic begins.The hotel-inspired lobby, luxurious amenities and brilliantly-designed suites instill an endless feeling of pride and satisfaction that can only come from owning a Greenpark residence.     330 RICHMOND will mak... 02/25/2016

Princess Rosethorn is a community in Western Toronto consisting of three neighborhoods - Islington Heights, Princess Ann Manor Gardens and Thorncrest Village. Very popular and demanded area due to a number of factors, including excellent schools, proximity to highways, parks, shopping. In a past 365 days, Princess Rosethorn welcomed 164 New Families, as this is exactly how many homes were sold in the area.Out of 164 homes sold, 163 were detached and 1 semi.The most affordable home was sold for $630000 with the original asking price of $568000.This was a lovely 3 bedroom 1 bathroom bungalow The most affordable 2-storey, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms was sold for $655000 with original asking price of $649000If your family is large and you need 4 bedrooms, the minimum you had to prepare ... 02/22/2016

Let Potential Buyers Feel at Home!You may think that being a host or tour guide for potential buyers who are viewing your home is a good idea. After all, who knows more about the wonderful features of your property than you do?The problem is, buyers don’t feel the same way.They much prefer to see your home with only a REALTOR® present. This helps them feel less like an intruder and more comfortable giving your property their full consideration.Call Marina 416-843-1515 today!  02/17/2016

Putting your home on the market may be the last thing you have on your mind.But as you know, life happens. Things change. You might unexpectedly find yourself in the position of wanting or having to quickly sell your home.It happens more often than you might think. In fact, according to studies into why people sell their homes, more than a third are due to relatively quick and unexpected changes. Something happens – a job relocation, a lifestyle change – and the homeowner finds him or herself making a move.In these situations, the biggest source of stress is caused by the need to prepare the current home for sale.If you’ve lived in your house for a few years, or even just a few months, you know how quickly things can pile up. The garage and basement get filled with stored items. Things ... 02/13/2016

Selling a house can be a stressful process for the entire family. You need to keep the place clean and looking its best. You need to stay away during viewings. You may even need to look for a new home at the same time.Although you won’t be able to eliminate all the anxiety, good advanced planning will certainly help reduce it.First, talk to a REALTOR® well before you decide to put the property on the market. A good REALTOR® can help you determine whether any repairs, improvements, or minor touch-ups should be done, so that your home will sell faster and for the best price possible.Once the property is on the market, plan some excursions with the family during open houses and other viewing times. These are the perfect opportunities to check out local restaurants, museums, parks and other... 02/11/2016

I am tall. Well, not super tall, just a bit taller then average. The problem is that I can also see higher then average. And I have quite a few buyer clients who are way taller then me and obviously they can see even higher. For some reason many home sellers expect their potential home buyers to be the size of a 5-year old. What makes me think so?  Well, of course, the way some home sellers clean and prepare their house for sale. Often enough the house is spotless and sparkly all the way up to about 6 feet. 6 feet and up is often the area of unpleasant discoveries. Dear Home Sellers, cleaning the bottom of your rooms and forgetting the top just brings all your hard work next to nothing, simply because many people can see higher without even having to reach up! And here are the most comm... 02/10/2016

Markland Wood is a relatively small community in Western Etobicoke, located right on the border of Mississauga, North of Dundas, South of Rathburn and West of Hwy 427. But even being as small as it is, Markland Wood welcomed 143 new families just in a recent year.Total properties sold in the last 12 month - 143! 27 Condo Apartments, ranging from $245000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1300 sq foot apartment to $ 595000 - 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2000 sq foot Penthouse 9 Condo Townhouses changed their owners, the "sold" prices ranged from $357000 to $540000 Markland Wood is not very famous for its freehold townhouses - only one was sold in the last 12 month - $675000 On the other hand, I wide variety of detached houses were successfully sold, starting from $620000 for a 4-bedroom back-split w... 02/09/2016

You’ve heard the story. Someone finds a home on the market that seems underpriced, grabs it, and subsequently discovers it’s worth tens of thousands of dollars more than the selling price.What a bargain!The truth is, bargains like that rarely happen.Most properties sell for somewhere close to their market value. That’s why you need to find the perfect home for you, in the right neighbourhood, with a list price that is within your affordability range, and then buy that property for the lowest price your REALTOR® can negotiate.When you shop for the right property at the right price, you have a good chance of finding and buying your dream home.But if you go into the market with a plan to find a bargain, you risk overlooking those homes that might otherwise be great opportunities for you. W... 02/02/2016

Toronto Open House - 66 Benjamin Boake Trail Saturday January 30th 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.  You won't want to miss this! Al & Peggy Cunningham and Team Cunningham invite you to see this spacious 5 level back split home in the Sheppard and Sentinel area of Downsview near York University listed at $714,900.00 You can get lots of information and see photos on TheHousePeople.com but wouldn't it be better to roam the many rooms of this amazing home. It offers 6 entrances, 3 washrooms, 2 fireplaces, 2 kitchens and is fully equipped with 7 appliances. This multi-functional home can easily be converted into 3 separate units if desired, or makes an ideal large family home with living quarters for the extended family. It's perfectly located near schools and transportation.Come and see for yourself, take... 01/25/2016

Like taxes, traffic is a fact of life. So, when you're shopping for a new home, consider how the road situation will affect your commute to work, access to shopping and attractions, and the ability to conveniently reach places you need to go.After all, it’s difficult to enjoy your new home if you’re constantly sitting in traffic!Ask your REALTOR® about known congested streets and intersections, school busing routes, and access to public transit.Your Real Estate Connection: Marina Gavrylyuk Real Estate Agent with Sutton Group Summit Realty www.MarinaG.ca Marina.Realtor RentListingService.com - Condos and Houses for rent CondoName.com - New and Resale Condos and Towns from Developers  Marina Gavrylyuk Sales Representative Sutton Group-Summit Realty Inc. Brokerage 1100 Burnhamthorpe Road W... 01/22/2016

There are two main reasons why homeowners invest in a home renovation or major redecorating project: They want to enjoy the results of the new kitchen, bathroom, flooring or other improvement they’ve made; and/or, they hope that the money they spend will come back to them – at least in part – when they sell their home.So which projects are most likely to increase the resale value of a home? A story by Joanne Cleaver, featured on MoneyWatch.com last year, identified five renovation projects that give you the most bang for your renovation buck.Floors. Old, scuffed or dated flooring tends to get noticed by home buyers, regardless of how well the rest of the room is decorated. New flooring — especially stone, ceramic tile and hardwood – can make any room look larger and more inviting.Kitche... 01/15/2016

Record TREB MLS® Home Sales in 2015 TORONTO, January 6, 2016 – The second best sales result on record for December capped off a record year for TREB MLS® home sales in the GTA. Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced that there were 4,945 sales reported in December bringing the 2015 calendar year total to 101,299 – a substantial 9.2 % increase compared to 2014 as a whole. Strong annual sales increases were experienced for all major home types last year."Home ownership is a quality long-term investment that families can live in while the value increases over time. A relatively strong regional economy in the GTA coupled with low borrowing costs kept a record number of households – first-time buyers and existing homeowners alike – confident in their ability to purchase an... 01/06/2016

Sales in the Greater Toronto Area were 14 per cent higher in November 2015 compared to a year earlier. The Toronto Real Estate Board says that the 7,385 sales through its MLS was a new record for the month. For the first 11 months of the year there were 96,401 sales, which is also a new record. “Not only did we see a record sales result for November, but with one month left to go in 2015, we have already set a new calendar year record for home sales in the TREB market area, eclipsing the previous record set in 2007.  Sales were up on a year-over-year basis for all major home types, both in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions.  This suggests that the demand for ownership housing is widespread, from first-time buyers to long-time homeowners across the GTA,” said president Mark McL... 12/03/2015

The Greater Toronto Area had a record-breaking October for home sales.The Toronto Real Estate Board says that there were 8,804 homes sold through its MLS in the month, up from 8,512 a year earlier. The average price was up 7.3 per cent to $630,876 with prices driven by low rise properties.TREB president Mark McLean was pleased with the results, but warned that the province could hit home sales if it decides to introduce a municipal land transfer tax in addition to the current provincial one.“Recent polling has shown that the great majority of Ontarians oppose this tax and would consider delaying a move if they were forced to bear the additional upfront cost” he said.The GTA's commercial sector is a very different story with a year-over-year decline in space leased of 39.4 per cent to 42... 11/09/2015

FREE Power Of Sale Real Estate Seminar!!! You Will Gain Insider Secrets To Purchasing Power Of Sale Properties $$$$ Thousands Of Dollars Below Market Value!!! Register Today @ :www.bankforeclosurehouseprices.com Admission: FREE with promo code: ARPOS Seminar Available Date and Location: Saturday October 24, 2015 @ 10:00am Location: Markham, ON Power Of Sale Guide Workbook: * Get A Copy Of Our Workbook "Power Of Sale and Distress Sale - Home Buyer's Guide For Newbie's." Register Today @ :www.bankforeclosurehouseprices.com Our FREE Power Of Sale Real Estate Seminar Will Teach You How To: * Purchase a house or condo with *zero down payment. * Move from renting, to first time homeowner to Real Estate Investor in as little as 3-5 years. * Learn how to save up to *$10,000 on your next move. *... 10/07/2015

Toronto Real Estate Board announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported a record number of transactions for the month of September through TREB’s MLS® System. There was a combined 8,200 home sales reported for September 2015. This result was up 2.5 per cent compared to September 2014. TREB MLS® sales through the first nine months of 2015 amounted to 80,331, which also represented a record result and a 9.5 per cent increase compared to the first three quarters of 2014.  We are on track for record home sales reported through TREB’s MLS® System this year. Barring a drastic shift in the economy over the next three months, total transactions reported by TREB Members in 2015 are expected to be at or near the 100,000 mark. This is a testament to the importance that GTA households put ... 10/04/2015