The Spirit of Giving.

Tis the Season of Giving. Here are some great ideas to make this time of year even more special.

The Giving Tree

Changing children’s lives in Mississauga and making wishes come true.

Every year the Giving Tree goes up 3^rd week of November. Young children from our neighbourhood who are in need write a letter with their wishes.

If you would like to be a help to Santa, please pass by Saints Martha and Mary Church at 1870 Burnhamthorpe Road East, Mississauga, On L4X 2S5 (905) 625-5670. You just pick up a card from the tree and sponsor the wish of a deserving child.

Adopt a dog or cat today! Search for local pets in need of a home.

Pet Adoption - Search dogs or cats near you. Adopt a Pet Today. Pictures of dogs and cats who need a home. Search by breed, age, size and color http://www.adoptapet.com 

 

DONATE

Help To Create a Future Without Breast Cancer

You can choose how you want to make an impact on lives of women and the future of our daughters.

Futures Fund

Your gift will support over 200,000 Canadians living with breast cancer by funding the best and brightest researchers and providing the emotional support needed to those affected by this disease. Donate Today!

PERSONAL GIVING

There are many ways you can make a difference and support a future without breast cancer. For information, please e-mail  connect@cbcf.org, or call  1-800-387-9816 ext. 264. By phone - Call from anywhere in Canada using our toll-free number, 1-800-387 9816, ext. 264. 

Hope for the Holidays-Feed The Hungry In Mississauga - Please Give To The Food Bank‎

www.themississaugafoodbank.org /‎(905) 270-5589

This holiday season, help hungry neighbours. Just $2 will feed 5 people.Will You Help? · Food For Christmas · Holiday Donations · $2 Provides 5 Meals.

Children can make Home Made Holiday Cards or pictures for nursing home residents

The Beechwood

Address: 1500 Rathburn Rd E, Mississauga, ON L4W 4L7

Province: Ontario

Donate toys and clothes to the Salvation Army 

Address: 3173 Cawthra Rd, Mississauga, ON L5A 2X4

Phone:(905) 279-3941

Random Acts of Kindness

Bring a meal to an elderly neighbor – Do you have an elderly neighbor who is alone during the holidays? Invite them over to share a meal with you. Or bring them a homemade meal. Or even bring them the ingredients for a holiday meal.

Support Local Business. Shop at locally-owned businesses – One of the easiest ways you can give back to your community is to do your holiday shopping at a locally-owned business. Purchase gifts and gift certificates.

Donate to a charity in lieu of buying a gift – This option is not only people-friendly but earth-friendly too. Gift clean water to a family in need through The Water Project. Donate seeds and livestock through Heifer International

Have more ideas? Please let me know and I will add them.

Thank you! 

Fun stuff to do in Mississauga!

Community Calendar Winter 2016/2017

Light up the Square Celebration Saturday November 19th, 2016

Join Celebration Square on Novemeber 19th from 5pm until 9pm when it is transformed into a wintry wonderland at Light Up the Square. There will be skating, carousel rides, a pop up Holiday Street Market and plenty of cheer to go around. Grab a bite from one of their tasty food trucks, and sing along with rising Canadian star Stella Rio, as she raises holiday spirits with her poppy mix of Christmas classics and new music to celebrate the season. Join Mayor Crombie and members of council as we light the tree for the first time this year. Celebration Square - 300 City Centre Drive – Mississauga, ON - celebration.square@mississauga.ca

Mon, November 28, 9am – Sat, December 3, 6pm

103 Lakeshore Rd E, Mississauga, ON

Annual food drive campaign to support the Compass Food Bank in Mississauga. Drop off a non-perishable food item or a donation and receive a free poinsettia while supplies last! Contact: Jeff Peterson Phone: 905-271-5151

Cost: Free

November 26^th- December 11^th Christmas Open House (Weekends)

Santa Claus will be dropping by Spring ridge Farm (just a short drive from Mississauga.

Loaded with children and family activities. Paint a glass ball ornament or decorate a freshly baked ginger cooked to take home.

905-878-4908

Info@springridgefarm.com

Free Movies @ Cineplex

December 3, 2016 @ 10:00 am Free Movie Event!

Enjoy free family movies. The films are The Peanuts Movie, The Lego Movie in 3D and Kung Fu Panda 3 in 3D

North of Square One on Rathburn Road.

December 3^rd, 2016 10:00am

Nightmare Before Christmas Dog Photos

Sat, December 3, 10am – 3pm

Barks n' Rec 1590 Matheson Blvd unit 8&9 Mississauga L4W1J1

Christmas Holiday Photos @ Barks n' Rec Saturday December 3rd 10am to 3pm 7th annual holiday photo party.

Matt Phone: 905-629-2622 Email: info@barksnrec.com Cost: $20.00 Website: www.barksnrec.com

Superpower Art Hour!

Sat, December 3, 1pm – 3pm

Art Gallery of Mississauga Get art-charged with a Saturday afternoon filled with fun, family arts activities at the Art Gallery of Mississauga! Contact: Sharada Eswar Phone: 905-896-5088 Email: sharada.eswar@mississauga.ca Cost: FREE Website: artgalleryofmississauga.com

A Christmas Carol

Sat, December 3, 7:30pm – 9:30pm

Living Arts Centre, RBC Theatre

Scrooge's journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas comes alive with song, dance, special effects and a brilliant cast led by Rod Campbell (nine seasons at Shaw Festival, Ragtime on Broadway) as Scrooge. Contact: Sara Richardson Phone: 905-306-6059 Email: sara.richardson@livingarts.on.ca Cost: 30-50 Website: http://www.livingartscentre.ca/theatre-performances/a-christmas-carol-17

A Mississauga Christmas

Sat, December 3, 8pm – 10pm

Hammerson Hall, Living Arts Centre

MFC celebrates the season, accompanied by the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra! MFC will perform traditional and new holiday music, along with our annual sing-along and a special version of the classic Christmas poem ’Twas the Night Before Christmas with guest narrator Hazel McCallion! Contact: Mississauga Festival Choir Email: info@mfchoir.com Cost: 35 Website: www.mfchoir.com

"O Come Emmanuel" Christmas Concert

Sun, December 4, 3:00pm – 4:30pm

St. Mary Star of the Sea Church

An afternoon of Christmas Carols and Music, presented by St. Mary Star of the Sea Choir, The Salvation Army Band Ensemble, St. Gregory Ensemble, The Childrens' Choir and John Scerri, all under the direction of Fergus Egan. Tickets available at the door. Contact: Lisa Email: lisa.rinaldo@rogers.com Cost: $10-Adults; $5 Senior/Students

  

Credit Valley Horticultural Society meeting

Wed, December 14, 8:00pm – 9:30pm

South Common Community Centre, Arbour Green Room, 2233 South Millay, Mississauga

To celebrate the season, Jennifer Mark from Sheridan Nurseries will give a presentation on ‘Last Minute Hostess Gifts’. Members and visitors are welcome (non-members $2.00). For more information, please visit www.creditvalleyhort.ca or call 905-822-1606. Contact: Kathy Lytle Phone: 905-822-1606 Email: creditvalleyhort@gmail.com Cost: Non-members $2.00 Website: creditvalleyhort.ca

The Nutcracker Ballet

Sunday December 11^th, 2016 2 p.m.

The Living Arts Center-4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga, Ontario

Tickets (905) 306-6000

December 24^th, 2016 10 p.m.

Christmas Carols and Midnight Mass

Saints Martha and Mary Church at 1870 Burnhamthorpe Road East. (905) 625-5670

www.stsmarthaandmary.org

Family Fest - Featuring the "Finding Nemo" Film

Tue, January 3, 2017, 12pm – 4pm

Meadowvale Theatre

Enjoy interactive activities for the whole family! Featuring the “Finding Nemo” film, storytelling, dance, crafts, and more! Presented In partnership with Mississauga Library System and Museums of Mississauga. Finding Nemo Film Show Times 12:15pm and 2:15pm (Doors open at Noon) Phone: 905-615-4720 ext. 2588 Cost: Adult $7, Child $5, Family Pass $15 Website: https://culture.mississauga.ca/meadowvale-theatre

Love to Sing?

January 3^rd 2017 – May 20^th, 2017 Join the family friendly choir at Saints Martha and Mary Parish, practices are held Thursday evening from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. for Children and Sopranos and 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. for all other sections.

Contact Mike Thornton for more information 416-937-1601

Annual Skate Party February 5^th, 2017 Noon to 2:00 p.m.

Chris Fonseca Skate Party! Free! @  Chic Murray Outdoor Rink Burnhamthorpe Community Center 1500 Gulleden Drive, Mississauga

Family Day Mississauga Extravaganza!  

Monday, February 20th, 2017 at the Mississauga Convention Centre from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm for a busy day of family shows and activities. Children under 12 months are free. ADVANCE TICKETS are highly recommended.

http://familydaymississauga.com/about-family-day-events-mississauga/

Mississauga Residential Program offers across the GTA (at no cost)

2016 Burnhamthorpe SNAP Residential Program

We’re here to help you improve and renew your neighbourhood – to make it more sustainable, resilient and adapt better to future extreme weather. We provide you with tools and understanding so that you can make the best decisions for your home, property and family.

Residential Program offers (at no cost):

1) Home Consultations:
Call us to arrange for a Program Advisor to visit your home and explain what may help protect your property from stormwater damage. These 20 minute visits will include a walk-around your property to review how your home and property can not only better manage stormwater, but also how you can potentially make use of this free resource! Pertinent information will be provided to you according to your needs.

2) Spring Workshops:
Join us to learn how to disconnect your downspout and more! Learn how to ‘Green your Grounds’ with such things as rain barrels and rain gardens. Representatives from the Region and Municipality will also be there to provide information on rebate programs and answer questions. 

3) Burnhamthorpe SNAP Information Station:
We want to get to know you, the residents of Burnhamthorpe SNAP. And, we want you to get to know us! Come out and learn about the SNAP action plan developed for your neighbourhood and our newly introduced residential program you can take advantage of right now!

Contact us:

Burnhamthorpe SNAP Program Advisor: 416-786-5064 or bsaradakutty@trca.on.ca

Residential sales up 4.9% in January 2016 compared to a year earlier.

Ontario home sales remain very strong in January

Highlights

·         Residential sales up 4.9% in January 2016 compared to a year earlier. ·         New listings in Ontario numbered 21,405 units in January 2016, a decline of 10.6% compared to last year. ·         The provincial average price of homes in January 2016 rises 11% compared to a year earlier. ·         There were 4 months of inventory at the end of January 2016.

Unit Sales Residential sales activity reported through the MLS® Systems of real estate Boards and Associations in Ontario numbered 10,323 units in January 2016, up 4.9% from a year earlier. Newly Listed Units New listings on the MLS® Systems of real estate boards in Ontario numbered 21,405 units in January 2016, a decline of 10.6% from a year earlier. Average House Price The provincial average price for homes sold in January 2016 was $466,053, rising 11% from a year earlier. Months of Inventory There were 4 months of inventory at the end of January 2016, down from 5 months from the same time one year ago. The number of months of inventory is the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity. Sales to New Listings Ratio The Ontario sales-to-new listings ratio was 65.2% in January 2016. A sales-to-new listings ratio between 40 and 60 percent is generally consistent with balanced housing market conditions, with readings below and above this range indicating buyers’ and sellers’ markets respectively. View detailed report

Strong Start to 2016

February 3, 2016 -- Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 4,672 residential transactions through TREB's MLS® System in January 2016. This result represented an 8.2 per cent increase compared to January 2015.

"It is clear that the handoff from 2015 to 2016 was a strong one. This is not surprising given that recent polling conducted for TREB by Ipsos suggested 12 per cent of GTA households were seriously considering the purchase of a home in 2016. Buying intentions are strong for this year as households continue to see home ownership as an affordable long-term investment," said McLean.

The MLS® Home Price Index Composite Benchmark Price for January 2016 was up by 10.7 per cent on a year-over-year basis. The average selling price over the same period was up by 14.1 per cent.

The difference in the annual growth rates for the MLS® HPI and average price was largely due to a greater share of high-end detached homes sold in the regions surrounding the City of Toronto this year compared to last. The MLS® HPI removes the impact of shifts in the share of different property types sold from one year to the next.

"Market conditions in January were tighter compared to a year earlier, with an annual increase in sales up against a decline in listings. This is why growth in the MLS® HPI benchmarks continued to be strong, especially for singles, semis and townhouses, where there has been a persistent lack of inventory," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Director of Market Analysis.

For help with any of your real estate needs.

Contact me direct at (905) 568-2121

Increase to Minimum Down Payments

Increase to Minimum Down Payments

December 11th, 2015 the government announced its intent to raise the minimum down payment requirements on homes valued over $500,000. 

For example a $700,000 home will require a $45,000 down payment, 5 per cent on $500,000 and 10 per cent down on the remaining $200,000. 

The government cites its desire to “contain risks in the housing market” as the reason for its decision.
The issue of an increase to minimum down payments is something CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association)  has effectively and successfully fought against since 2011.

CREA is disappointed with this decision and have communicated to the government and the media our concerns. That said, we believe the tiered approach the government is taking is preferable to an increase in minimum down payments for all consumers, given the importance of first time homebuyers to the market and the economy.

Talking Points

• Canada’s housing market is a key component of Canada’s overall economic stability and an important job creator.

• In 2015 each home sale generates an estimated $51,409 in spin-off spending. This translates into one job for every three transactions. Home sales and purchase in 2016 will add an estimate $26 billion in spin-off consumer spending and creates nearly $183,000 jobs.

• Indeed, our economy grew at 2.3 per cent in the last quarter, and home sales and purchases were a significant reason for that growth.

• Given the tools available to the government to intervene in the housing market we believe today’s announcement will cause unintended collateral damage to markets beyond Toronto and Vancouver.

• It could turn buyers and balanced markets into distressed markets, at a time when our economy is struggling.

Requirements will remain at 5 per cent down payment for homes under 500,000. Any amount over $500,000 will require a 10 per cent down payment.

The announced changes will take effect on February 15, 2016.

CREA will continue to advocate for homebuyers, sellers and members on this issue.

If you would like to know how this decision affects you and your personal situation. Give me a call. With over 20 years real estate industry experience I would love to be of assistance to you. 

Sincerely,

Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Signature Realty

Email: LisaMovesYou@Rogers.com

(905) 568-2121

Municipal Land Transfer Tax: UPDATE!

Municipal Land Transfer Tax:  UPDATE!

From Patricia Verge,
President, Ontario Real Estate Association

It gives me great pleasure today to inform you that this morning, Ted McMeekin, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, informed the legislature that the government will not give municipalities the ability to charge a municipal land transfer tax (MLTT).

Below is a portion of copy of the Minister's statement:

While we are currently reviewing the feedback from our partners, it is clear is that there has been no call for a Municipal Land Transfer Tax.  I was pleased communicate our government's position today, that other than in Toronto, where the power already exists, our government will not be extending Municipal Land Transfer Tax powers to other Ontario municipalities.

In short, the government has listened to our campaign and agreed that the MLTT was the wrong tax for Ontario municipalities. In doing so, you, Ontario REALTORS, have helped stop one of the largest tax increases on home ownership in a generation. 

It is one of the biggest government relations wins in our association's history. Congratulations everyone!


Lisa Portolese
Royal LePage Signature Realty
416-953-9714

How to protect your property during a buyer ‘open house’

HELPFUL RESOURCE

How comfortable would you feel opening your home to a complete stranger? Under normal circumstances, most people would never let strangers roam around their home, but it’s a key component of an open house when selling a home. It’s important to understand the potential for theft or damage.

“Holding an open house can be a great way to attract potential buyers, but it’s important to consider safety and security,” says Joseph Richer, registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario.

Fortunately, a few simple steps can go a long way. Protect your valuables, such as:

• Portable electronics,
• Jewelry and other valuables,
• Passport and travel documents,
• Receipts, bills and personal information
• Prescription medication.

Thieves know to look in closets and sock drawers, so the items should be placed somewhere secure, like a safe, or offsite at a friend’s home.

Keep track of who enters the property by having your real estate professional ask each visitor to show identification and complete a registration form.

Ask your representative to limit the number of visitors at one time, or to bring an assistant to ensure that all visitors are escorted as they tour the property.

“It’s important to remember that it’s your home, and you set the rules for visitors,” says Richer.

“Communicate early and openly with your registered broker or salesperson about how the open house will work.”

For other helpful real estate tips or to subscribe to my mailing list contact me.

Have a great day! 

Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Signature Realty, Brokerage

30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Bus (905) 568-2121 Cel  (416)  953-9714 

Website http://www.lisamovesyou.ca