When I meet with prospective sellers, one of the components of my presentation is the sellers net sheet.  The seller net sheet simply anticipates the money you will receive from the home sale, once all fees and charges are settled. The seller net sheet calculates your closing proceeds after you enter variables such as your mortgage payoff, sales price, sales commission, pending real estate taxes, and closing costs. Why is this tool so important.  First of all it show you, the seller, what costs are involved in selling their home. Not everyone realizes all the costs associated with selling a home. Secondly it shows whether there will be money left over at the end of the day.  If not then a short sale would have to be negotiated if defaulting on a mortgage was likely. Don't put your home ... 05/01/2009

Realtors need to embrace technology. We need to be abreast of new improvements that let us reach out to find Buyers for Listings, Sellers to List and Realtors to network for future referral business. Websites provide an incredible marketing opportunity to showcase your talents and skills. You can acquire a templated website or custom design a functional showcase for yourself.  Both have benefits. Both have limitations. My personal website journey began some six years ago when I acquired a point2agent site and added a templated site and waited for the Buyers and Sellers to find me. I received hundred of calls from SEO optimizations companies that would rank me First on Google for the paltry sum of $800 to $1,500 per month. If their efforts ceased, what would happen to my website traffic?... 05/01/2009

How far would you go to create the ultimate man's garage?  Truly your own space. As I looked through pictures to add to this piece I found myself silently Grunting Like Tim the Tool Man Taylor. That show still makes me laugh. What sense of community have we lost by not having a male community to tweek, fuss and tinkering about with our cars in the garage on a Saturday morning.  Fender mats intact with our kids watching and learning, bonding time with Dad.  Has it been lost on an entire generation consumed with video games?  If you need a place to make friends, rekindle a relationship with past friends or new neighbours maybe the ultimate man's garage is in your future. 1st Choice Garage Outfitters, has been assisting home owners organizing their garages, and adding real selling value t... 04/30/2009

Effective (most likely) this Fall, we will have to get off the phone, stop texting, and stop emailing, while driving. Although I try to pull over every time the phone rings, sometimes it isn't possible - well ... it wasn't possible.  I'm going to have to make it possible.  Otherwise I may not earn enough money to pay the fines.  :/ We will be allowed: - hands-free devices: earpiece, bluetooth - 911 calls - GPS units, as long as they're mounted on the dashboard So, if you're usually attached to your cell phone, or iPod, your videogame, your MP3 player, or even looking at your laptop, you better start practicing going without now. I'm not jumping for joy, but I know it's the right thing to do. Now I just have to find a device that actually stays attached to my ear (everything I've tried f... 04/29/2009

Sweet Flour Bake Shop, the first customized, made-to-order bakery has sweetened up Toronto's Bloor West Village, creating an affordable yet decadent experience during a hard-to-swallow economic time.  Bringing customers back to sweeter days, is Sweet Flour's founder and cookie-lover Kim Gans, who has created a signature baking process that allows you to design your ideal cookie. The perfect customized cookie is created by choosing from gourmet doughs and over 20 decadent mix-ins.  Customers can watch their cookie being mixed by Sweet Flour staff and get their warm and delicious cookie baked for them in just two minutes.  "At Sweet Flour Bake Shop, we pay tribute to the cookie," said Gans.  "There is nothing quite like the decadent goodness of a cookie just out of the oven. We want ever... 04/29/2009

With the advent of "Buyer Agency" (Buyer Brokerage) in the early 1990s as opposed to seller agency, a real estate Agent/Broker agrees and contracts to represent the Buyer in her purchase of a home/property. The goal of Buyers Agent is to safeguard the buyers confidentiality and act in the buyers best interest as we negotiate prices, arrange financing and manage closing. Buyer Agency Agreements set out the main conditions of the relationship between the Buyer Agent and her Buyer Client including such things as the duration of the agreement, the commission to be earned/paid, and the various rights, duties and obligations of the parties. Don't buy a house without the protection of a buyers agent to educate you and guide you through the process.  If you are thinking of buying a home in Toro... 04/29/2009

I have to say that all buyers should now be looking at homes. There has never been a better time. Prices have moderated and interest rates are lower than ever! You can get a five-year fixed rate mortgage at 3.85% and the variable rate is 3.25%. Let's compare numbers. Last years, rate was approximately 5.09%. So if you have a $200,000 mortgage your monthly payment last year would have been $1,173.47 but this year it is only $1,035.84. That is a savings of $137.63 per month. This is a significant amount. Get out there and start looking. Opportunity knocks! 04/27/2009

There's nothing like being interviewed by a reporter who is stuck with his own non-selling house to make for an information-filled discussion about home staging. We covered practical ideas to help home sellers and real estate agents understand what home staging is and why it's important to help sell a home quickly. Many of my home staging tips could be used by home sellers on their own. Here's what we covered during this radio morning show: what home staging is why home staging works (logic versus emotion when house hunting) why "less is more" in home staging curb appeal - how to get it and why it’s critical when selling a home garages whether it is important to stage all rooms in a home do home stagers disguise defects? importance of color when decorating a house to sell low cost kitch... 04/27/2009

As I sipped a glass of one of my favourite red wines last night, I thought how great it would be, if I could go back to the same place where I originally got this bottle. You wouldn't think so, but Canada makes great wines.  In fact, this wine I'm talking about is from Nova Scotia (Jost Vineyards).    This particular bottle was about 9 years old.  Yes, was ... I should have bought more.   I also bought a bottle of Canadian Port (imagine that).  I'll let you know what it tastes like one of these days. :)   Before that, I had a great Merlot from Ontario....(Trying to buy more 'local' food and wines ... ...so you have to taste a lot before you can decide what you like best...) ;) From May 4th to May 9th, you can enjoy some of our great wines and gourmet food, during the Wine & Food Festiva... 04/26/2009

A Status Certificate is ordered on the resale of each condominium unit that is resold in the Toronto Real estate market. The Status Certificate costs $100.00 in Ontario, a cost borne by the seller in a normal transaction. The condominium corporation is bound to comply within 10 days. Usually there is an additional period of 3 days for you to examine the documents. The Actual Status Certificate contains the current operating budget with existing and future proposed expeditures (spending); Notes about any proposed special assessments and changes in financial status.  Condominium Documents are a standard package that include the Rules and Regulations of the Condominium COrporation; 5- 10 pages. The Condominium ByLaws and the Status Certificate. 20-30 pages. These document could easily be P... 04/23/2009

  The highly successful Juicy Fridays series continues with the following Spring programme. All Juicy Fridays are free events presented by Wonderworks and invited guests, featuring an eclectic range of spiritually related topics and celebrations. Call or email Wonderworks to register. All Juicy Fridays begin at 7pm. Friday April 24th  Earth Day Celebration & Early Music Concert An Early Music performance featuring works from the Llibre Vermell, Cantigas de Santa Maria and Hildegard von Bingen.   Many of these songs are stories about and for pilgrims walking in Mediaeval Spain with the theme of mother/virgin and miracles.  Some are dances and one is a 3 part round which will be offered  as a labyrinth meditation. As such, the prayer labyrinth, is one of the oldest contemplative and tran... 04/23/2009

Larry the Landlord has owned this property for more than 20 years. In the last 10 years the same tenant (Tina the Tenant) has been the occupant.   Since Tina the Tenant paid relatively well, Larry the Landlord hasn't kept pace with all the allowable rental increases available from the Landlord Tenant Tribunal.(LTB) Larry has been watching the real estate market in west Torontorather actively and finally felt the time was right to part with the challenge and obligation of looking after a rental property. He struck up a conversation with Tina about whether they might be interested in purchasing the property as they had been there 10 years. Tina the Tenant, was interested in NEGOTIATING for the property but there were so many repairs that were required, including the MOLD in the basement. ... 04/23/2009

So, you're ready to sell your home. You're going to call your REALTOR and tell them exactly how much you want to list the property for. You were very careful to do your research in the area, and you know exactly how much the neighbor got for their house.  You know your house is worth more, because you've lived in it for so long, and you have wonderful memories, and these are so very valuable to you ... no buyer can ever imagine how much that's worth to you ..... There are factors that affect the asking price - and then there are others that don't matter at all. Yes, your neighbor sold their home - and got a great price. More than they were asking.  - Your reasons for selling, however, are not the same. - The market is not the same.  - Their house was totally renovated; and yours is not.... 04/22/2009

          © Copyright 2009 - All rights reserved.All photos are copyrighted property of Sylvie Conde.  Do not reproduce or reprint without the express written permission of Sylvie Conde.       Toronto Real Estate by Sylvie Conde, BrokerSutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage        416-966-0300(Independently Owned & Operated)358 Davenport RoadToronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6416-966-0300 Office416-564-7431 Directsconde@sutton.comwww.sylvieconde.com  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     04/22/2009

© Copyright 2009 - All rights reserved.All photos are copyrighted property of Sylvie Conde.  Do not reproduce or reprint without the express written permission of Sylvie Conde.       Toronto Real Estate by Sylvie Conde, BrokerSutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage        416-966-0300(Independently Owned & Operated)358 Davenport RoadToronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6416-966-0300 Office416-564-7431 Directsconde@sutton.comwww.sylvieconde.com  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~       04/22/2009

Bank of Canada reduced the overnight rate to 0.25%, therefore Banks are lowering  Prime rate to 2.25%.  The change will be seen in line of credit lending rates as of April 22nd, and will be reflected in variable rate mortgages as of May 1st, 2009. The Bank of Canada's next scheduled overnight rate announcement is June 4th, 2009. This Bank of Canada reduction by a quarter of a point today is at the lowest level ever.  In its announcement the Bank of Canada also stated that it expects to hold this policy rate at its current level until the end of the second quarter of 2010, conditional on the outlook for inflation.  While rates for variable rate mortgages are typically impacted by Bank of Canada policy rate changes, what's interesting is that rates for popular five-year fixed rate mortgag... 04/22/2009

Are you personally, or is your organization participating in an Earth Day event? If you haven't decided what to do, there are many events taking place in the City of Toronto, tomorrow, and over the rest of the week. Shoppers Drug Mart is holding an Awareness Day on environmentally friendly products.This will be held at their head office on Consumers Road. Rona will be holding their Eco responsible day by cleaning up High Park and then having a picnic afterwards.  This may be something you want to be part of.  High Park is a beautiful place to spend the day. The Black Creek Conservation Project will be holding a ceremony, starting at 1 p.m. - they will be cleaning the park and then planting trees.  (Chalkfarm Park, at Jane & Wilson) Tao Sangha Canada: Buddhist Nembutsu Chanting for Heali... 04/21/2009

If you want to feel better about the market, you have to stop listening to negative people and negative news. I have a client who has been waiting for a couple of years for the prices to drop, so she can buy a house.  Now, that the prices are low, and interest rates are ridiculously low, she still thinks the prices still have a LONG, LONG way to go, before they hit rock bottom. If you wait for the day when someone says "NOW the prices have hit rock bottom", you will wait forever. Concentrate on what is GREAT right now:  -- lower prices -- lots of selection -- LOW, LOW, LOW interest rates Rather than listen to the usual family members and friends who know everything about real estate and where the market is at, speak to a professional about your goals and how you want to achieve them (es... 04/20/2009

Today I called the City of Toronto. I told them that my blue/recycling bin is no longer big enough.(I have already called them twice since they brought them out.) I asked them to exchange my current bin for the EXTRA LARGE HUGE one.   I try so hard to reduce waste, and try so hard to recycle, yet I find myself out of space every single week, because of the PACKAGING in a lot of the food I buy.   I know Toronto is taking action and trying to get packaging reduced, but when will this happen?     Soon, I'll have to have a dumpster in front of my house, because the bins aren't big enough.     Not only that, the City is now saying they won't pick up any additional bags, left out with the bin.  :/   We can all help, by using our green bags every week (hopefully you've been using them for a wh... 04/20/2009

Today's weather got me searching around the house for candles. It was dark and cold all day.  The wind is whistling and the tree in backyard is threatening to fall in pieces (or at least, it looks that way). My electricity went out for a few minutes, and that's why I started looking for candles. Then it dawned on me that I don't even know where my emergency kit is (work at the house, boxes everywhere, and nothing is where it should be). Do you have an emergency or disaster kit or box? This isn't just about candles - which is all I needed today... Are you prepared for a real emergency?Do you have enough water for at least 72 hours?Enough food?If you have pets, do you have food for them, and anything else they may need? Have you talked to a neighbour or neighbours about how you can help e... 04/20/2009