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Toronto, ON Real Estate News

By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
The resale housing market in the GTA continued stable in July. The average price in the City of Toronto is $395,342, which is an increase of less than one percent over July 2007, and ten percent over 2006. In the 905 region, the price increased three per cent, compared to July 2007. This also represents an increase of about eight per cent over July 2006. TREB President Maureen O'Neill said: "Sales declined 12 per cent last month from the best-ever July 2007 record of 8,912 but increased 10 per cent from the 7,082 sales transacted in July 2006,"... "Comparing July 2007 with July 2006, sales increased by 26 per cent." In the City of Toronto 3,132 sales were recorded, down 14 per cent from July 2007, but up 10 per cent from the sales recorded two years ago in 2006. Comparing July 2007 with...
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By Richard Silver, Sales Representative, ABR, e-PRO, CIPS
(Sotheby's International Realty - Canada)
Whether one likes the technology or not, email is here to stay and not going away. Don't plan on the horse and buggy making a big come back anytime soon either. That is Today's reality.  Here is what I don't get....I sell Real Estate and make a good living because I pride myself on returning phone calls AND emails as fast as I can. I have often found myself the REALTOR chosen because I do the small thing of returning calls and emails. If I am in meetings/away or cannot respond right away, I let the client know and give them good options.  The stats from service industry research say that service providers do not respond quickly to their emails. Someone sending an email is already on the Internet and moving at high-speed expecting full information. They expect responses and communication...
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By Casey Ragan
(RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd.)
You are ready to make your first real estate purchase, but is a condo right for you? Affordability and Location First determine what you can afford. Housing costs are now more than the traditional 25 to 30 per cent of household income, so ensure your budget can accommodate this and the monthly condo fee. Consider the building itself - will you use all those amenities (pool, gym, etc.) you're paying for, which increase the monthly fee? Location, location, location is the best rule. Think long term and consider resale value. Monthly fees Know what you're buying and paying for. Owners are required to pay a monthly common-element fee, which covers the building's carrying costs and maintenance, and is set by the board. Different legal structures of condos give owners different obligations an...
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By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
My Toronto...   Toronto offers a full range of investment opportunities.Toronto's Healthcare and Education standards are ranked among the highest in the World.Toronto has world class medical institutions and research facilities and an extensive medical community.Toronto is committed to the development of arts and culture. Toronto is admired for its rich cultural mosaic, cultural offerings ...                                    ... and the calibre of sports and entertainment...       ...   Toronto is a gateway for the World.WHAT SETS TORONTO APART FROM OTHER WORLD CITIES? Diversity - Religion - Lifestyle...Toronto is home to virtually all of the world's culture groups and is the city where more than 100 languages and dialects are spoken. The Toronto area attracted over 100,000 internatio...
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By Lauren Mitchell
(Red Carpet Royal Realty Ltd., Brokerage)
Staying in town this August long weekend? No invites to the cottage? Wondering what to do for entertainment? If great ribs, free admission, no cover charge and lots of family fun sounds appealing, you'll want to drop by Scarborough Rotary Ribfest. Be sure to bring your appetite! Yes, some of North America's best ribbers are In The House and there will be great food for everyone. Ribbers are competing for "best ribs" and "best sauce", with winners being announced daily. To continue reading this article, click here.
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By Richard Silver, Sales Representative, ABR, e-PRO, CIPS
(Sotheby's International Realty - Canada)
Not that I'm complaining, but I'm constantly amazed by the number of people who stop me in the street at any time in the day or night and assume that "How's the real estate market?" is another way of saying, "How are you?" or "Wassup?"  I'm a Realtor, yet for many friends, clients and ad readers, I am the keeper of information that has become too much of a bell weather for their financial health. When I give my answers, I can hear their minds tally the spreadsheets and refresh the new totals.  As an immigrant from another part of Canada, I think that Torontonians are too obsessed with "market" and have forgotten the "estate" part of "real estate market". No matter what the size, your home is where you entertain friends, express your private relationships, and raise your children. It sho...
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By Lauren Mitchell
(Red Carpet Royal Realty Ltd., Brokerage)
I like spiders. In fact, I'm quite the fan of their work. Just check out those webs, and you can see the work of an artist, an architect, a mathematician and an engineer. That's a LOT of talent in such an itsy bitsy package. But the thing that really impresses me is that the spider never (well, rarely) gets caught in its own web. Spiders know exactly how they must spin and move about their webs in order not to entangle themselves; they move deftly, rarely making a wrong move as they go about their day. But what, if anything, do spiders have to do with the Toronto real estate market? To continue reading this article, click here.
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By Lauren Mitchell
(Red Carpet Royal Realty Ltd., Brokerage)
Welcome to my mid-month activity report for the Toronto 2008 real estate market. Brief and to the point, it's my virtual flip chart of the numbers Toronto buyers and sellers can use to make good real estate decisions. If interested, a more detailed statistical breakdown can be found on the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) website. To continue reading this article, click here.
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By Michelle Finnamore, Preparing your property for sale
(Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket)
In our market, the furniture rental supply companies are actually running out of furniture to rent. They have been in business for 30 years and this is the busiest year they have ever had. I asked why in their opinion. They said that the market has changed and  it has become a buyer's market, and they cannot keep stock around. More Realtors than ever before are waking up to the idea that Staging will help market their listings saving them money on advertising. Yeah!!!! I actually had to go pick up a rental couch with a client in Toronto as they couldn't deliver before the open house that was booked in 2 days. Due to the increased demand they are experiencing, it was either pick it up or wait 1 week for delivery. If you have ever driven across the 401 from Scarborough to the Yorkdale Mal...
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By Michelle Finnamore, Preparing your property for sale
(Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket)
In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners the importance of Staging all the spaces in the home. If you market your outside spaces you have added additional "rooms" and square footage that your competition has ignored.  I  swapped the locations of the two patio sets, placing the black one on the upper deck and the white in the pool area to draw your eye to that location. With the black set down below you would not have noticed it. I also removed several bird feeders as they obstructed the view to the rear of the property which was one of the main selling features of this home in Toronto. I placed their plants from indoors outside and placed their morning tea set on the table. All items were already at the property but not placed in the best location to market the prope...
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By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
I am not sure whether or not this will help some people who are 'on the fence' to make some quick decisions; but I thought it was information worth sharing.  I have some clients who only qualify based on the 40 year mortgage. I'm sure there are others out there, who only qualify if they go for the 40 year mortgage - sometimes with 100% financing.I have always said that although no one should plan on taking 40 years to pay their mortgage, this option certainly helped a lot of people to get into the housing market.Now, however, the Government is stepping in, and changing the rules.  CMHC will no longer offer a 40 year mortgage with 100% financing.  Additional information follows.The Government of Canada announced adjustments to the rules for government guaranteed mortgages aimed at protec...
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By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
There's only about 1 month left, before we start preparing for school again.Summer is short ... enjoy it.Here are some of the most popular local attractions Air Canada CentreAir Canada Centre is a state-of-the-art arena that is home to the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. Rogers Centre (formerly Skydome)Famous for its retractable roof, the Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Argonauts football team and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team, 1992 and 1993 World Series Champions. CN TowerRecently nominated one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the CN Tower features glass floor observation decks, a revolving restaurant, and a Simulator Theatre. It is Toronto's most recognizable landmark and as such, it ...
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By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
KidsPlay & YouthOutlook present Youth Day 2008July 26 - 12:00 to 9:00 p.m.  - FREE Celebrate over 40 non-stop music and dance performances on 2 outdoor stages at the FREE concert. Youth ranging from 14 to 24 years old, plus mentor bands and Canadian recordings artists will rock City Hall for a full 9 hours!Enjoy the incredible talent at the "Youth Gallery", where artists and photographers will display their works around the fountain. There will be delicious food booths, retail vendors and a Fan Station too. With a capacity audience of 25,000, join us this year!Come out and support our next generation! For more information contact:Phone: 416-813-0909 Toronto City Hall - Nathan Phillips Square at Queen Street and Bay Street, 100 Queen Street WestToronto, Ontario           Sylvie Conde, Br...
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By Steven Campbell, REALTOR
(Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., Brokerage)
Below are the real estate statistics for North York's Harrison Garden Blvd Condos near Yonge and Sheppard.  For currently available and more information visit the Harrison Garden Blvd Condos. Page.  The condo statistics are based on information from the Toronto Real Estate Board MLS for the month of May 2008. Average Days on Market The average days on market went up in May to 23.30 over April's 19.52 days on market.    Units Sold  There were 23 units sold on Harrison Garden Blvd in May.  A slight decrease from the 25 sold in April.  Average Sold to Asking Ratio May's average selling to asking price ratio was 99.19%.      Average Selling Price Harrison Garden Blvd's. average selling price increased to $320,196 an increase over April's average of $284,958.   Get all new listings and weekl...
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Duncan Scott, (President), and Laurie Handley, (Project Manager), of the The Scotts Group Inc, a Toronto Based Home Staging company, are please to announce that they have joined the Certified Staging Professionals(TM) “Pay if Forward” Charity of Choice:Habitat for Humanity(R). The Scotts Group will donate a portion of its staging fees for every property staged to Habitat for Humanity(R). Donations collected by all CSP(TM) will be presented to Habitat for Humanity(R) at the CSP(TM) 2009 Convention. Canadian Staging Professionals, (Certified Staging Professionals in the US), was founded in 2005 by Christine Rae. Christine has personally instructed more than 2,600 entrepreneurs on how how to start and grow a successful home staging business. In 2007 Christine was awarded the Real Estate S...
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By Lauren Mitchell
(Red Carpet Royal Realty Ltd., Brokerage)
It must be difficult to walk the tightrope, non? Far above the crowds, all eyes expectantly trained on you as you walk the thin wire. Fighting for your balance, knowing that the slightest hesitation or lack of confidence will send you tumbling to the ground. Knowing there's always someone that hopes you will fall. The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has just reported the June 2008 numbers. Just think: we're half-way across the wire! It's been quite a nerve-wracking market performance to this point; off to a good start to the year but quickly encountering challenges. To continue reading this article, click here.
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By Steven Campbell, REALTOR
(Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., Brokerage)
Below are the real estate statistics for North York's Harrison Garden Blvd Condos near Yonge and Sheppard.  For currently available and more information visit my Harrison Garden Blvd page for more information.  The condo statistics are based on information from the Toronto Real Estate Board MLS for the month of May 2008. Average Days on Market The average days on market went up in May to 23.30 over April's 19.52 days on market.    Units Sold  There were 23 units sold on Harrison Garden Blvd in May.  A slight decrease from the 25 sold in April.  Average Sold to Asking Ratio May's average selling to asking price ratio was 99.19%.      Average Selling Price Harrison Garden Blvd's. average selling price increased to $320,196 an increase over April's average of $284,958. Get all new listings...
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By Casey Ragan
(RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd.)
It is the first Trump property of its kind to be built outside of the continental United States and the first of its kind in Canada. The $500-million Trump International Hotel & Tower, Toronto will be the tallest, mixed-use residential and hotel building in Canada at 68 stories and 308.45 meters/1,012 feet. Located at the corner of Bay and Adelaide Streets in the heart of downtown Toronto, it will overlook Lake Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. Donald J. Trump, who is known throughout the world for his luxurious real estate developments, will operate and manage the condominium residences and hotel. The building was designed by Eberhard Zeidler, Senior Partner for the renowned Toronto-based firm of Zeidler Partnership Architects. The building has two distinct sections. A luxurious ho...
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By Casey Ragan
(RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd.)
The winners of the fourth annual Pug Awards were recently announced. The Pug awards are given to Toronto's newest architecture. Torontonians voted online, to rank Toronto's best, and newest architectural condo developments. To qualify, buildings had to be completed in 2007, be located in the city of Toronto, and have an area greater than 50,000 sq. ft. or be considered noteworthy by the Pug Awards Advisory Board. The complete voting results for all the buildings nominated are as follows: Rank  1.    Argyle Lofts 2.    Broadview Lofts 3.    Residences of College Park 1 4.    The Met 5.    533 Richmond 6.    20 Stewart 7.    Spire 8.    One City Hall 9.    22 Condominiums 10.  Windemere by the Lake 11.  Quantum 1 - South Tower 12.  Infinity Condominiums 1 13.  Wellington on the Park 14.  ...
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By Sylvie Conde, Broker, Toronto Real Estate
(Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage)
JULY 18th to the 27th, 2008 - The Beaches International Jazz Festival THE BEACHES (or The Beach as they now call it), is just 15 minutes from downtown Toronto.Antique shops, clapboard cottages and quirky stores and restaurants typify the Beach. The beachside boardwalk is crowded with joggers, dog-walkers and picnickers, and the beach itself is packed in the Summer.This annual event is just around the corner again. The Beaches International Jazz Festival showcases jazz, blues, big band, vocalists, African, Caribbean, reggae, hip-hop, South American, Latin, rhythm and blues and more. The festival is spread out over three venues in the Beaches and features an eclectic lineup of musicians. The Woodbine Park venue boasts three stages with artists like Dr. Draw, Cimarron, Richard Underhill an...
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