REAL ESTATE MARKET SHOWING NO SIGNS OF COOLING OFF!!!
I’m giving you my report a little early because of the holiday weekend coming up. After reviewing the latest sales figures from the Toronto Real Estate Board, so far in June 2011 there have been 9,398 sales for the month. We should end up at approx 10,000 in total. June 2010 there were 8,422 sales so we have experienced an approx 18% INCREASE in the number of sales compared to last year.
Currently there are only 18,435 homes for sale on the Toronto Real Estate Board, compared to 23,923 at the end of June 2010. There are almost 1,000 active listings set to expire in the next 3 days so the number for sale will be probably around 17,750. That’s REALLY LOW and represents about a 30% drop! Think about this for a minute. The number of sales is increasing and the number of homes for sale is decreasing. Currently there is less than a 2 month supply of homes for sale in the Toronto Area.
In little old town of Milton, the market is even hotter. IT IS NOW OFFICIAL. Milton is the hottest market in the GTA! There are currently only 201 homes for sale and there will end up being about 180 sales reported in June. It’s almost down to one month’s supply. I don’t think things have ever been more tilted in the favour of a seller than it is in Milton right now. That’s hotter than the hottest areas of Toronto like The Beach, Bloor West Village & Lawrence Park.
So the question remains .... what will happen to the market? My prediction is that prices will continue to increase slightly until at least the end of the year. Below are 4 situations that could reverse this trend, cause the market to cool down and prices to level off or drop.
1. The number of Buyers (the number of sales) will need to drop. That surely doesn’t seem to be the case.
2. Mortgage rates will need to go UP significantly! Nobody is predicting this any time soon.
3. Inventory levels will need to go UP significantly. They keep dropping at an alarming rate and there’s a surprisingly low number of new listings coming on the market.
4. Our national or local economy will need to SUFFER significantly. The economy in Canada and particularly in the GTA seems to be getting better. Despite the scary messages from political parties wanting to get into power, things are pretty darn great. I am SO happy to live in this Country.
Have an awesome Canada Day on July 1st and wonderful July 4th!
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage.
http://www.lisamovesyounow.com/
(905) 568-2121
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Pasta with Pesto(the low carb, healthy version)
This has the LP YUM factor of 10!
I have modified this recipe for simplicity.
1 zucchini
1 tsp of Pesto Sauce(homemade or pre-made i.e Classico Brand)
1 tsp Romano or Parmesan Cheese(Fresh no fillers)
Hot Chili(optional)
Okay, you can spend hundreds on some fancy kitchen gadget or just grate it by hand. It takes 5 minutes.
Grate the the raw Zucchini
Spoon in the Pesto
Add the cheese and chili
you are done!
Makes a great snack or side dish
Perfect for Diabetics.
How I am doing after the car accident and gaining 150 pounds? Well, I quit smoking August 13th, 2009...I have lost 50 pounds and just started power walking and going to Curves.....I am almost off the Metformin and controlling my blood glucose by staying active.
I am using techniques that I have learned from Dr. Bernstein, Newtopia and Dr. Poon, sometimes it takes a Village. I thank you all!
Stay posted.
Helping YOU is what I do.
Real Estate, Music and Acting have been a part of my life for decades but like all of you, I am not one dimensional. Hoping that my journey back to health will inspire someone else.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Who is Bob Lefsetz?
Check out his piece on Clarence...Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Betty Fox Bio
Betty Fox Bio
In 1977, when her son Terry’s leg was amputated due to osteogenic sarcoma, Betty Fox
had no idea how the experience would change her life. When Terry revealed his plans
to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research, Betty and the family
responded with support and encouragement. Through phone calls, television and
newspaper reports, she followed his every step during the 143 days he ran his
Marathon of Hope.
When cancer spread to Terry’s lungs and it became clear that he would not survive the
disease a second time, Betty found the news very difficult to accept. When he died in
1981 and The Terry Fox Run was established, she was asked to take an active role in
the development of the organization. Although reluctant, she did take on the role of
Honourary Chairman, together with husband Rolly (also an Honourary Chairman),
realizing how important it was that a family member safeguard Terry’s integrity and
principles.
Since that time, Betty has been involved in all aspects of The Terry Fox Foundation,
particularly commercialization issues and protection of Terry’s name and image. She
was honoured to have the opportunity to visit schools, communities and companies
during her bi-annual cross-Canada tours each year to share Terry’s story and inspire
listeners to follow their own dreams. It is estimated that Betty spoke to more than
400,000 school children alone during her 25 years of touring, leaving each and every
child with the inspirational story of the Marathon of Hope. The final words of every
speech, “Never, ever give up on your dreams”, have become her memorable hallmark.
In recent years Betty has vetted many proposals and welcomed opportunities to
enhance Terry’s legacy. The 25th Anniversary year in 2005 introduced new books, a
new movie, and a new fundraising initiative called The National School Run Day, all
made possible under the careful and watchful eye of Betty. With the introduction of
The Terry Fox Research Institute in 2007, together with the Foundation’s impressive
record of fundraising for cancer research, Betty has ensured that Canadian cancer
research continues to forge discoveries and save lives.
In 2010 Betty was honoured to take part in the Vancouver Olympics by acting as a flagbearer
in the opening ceremonies, representing her son Terry in a way only a mother
could. Together with Rolly, she carried the torch into the opening ceremony of the
Paralympic Games, partaking in a breathtaking tribute to Terry and his inspirational
influence on all athletes. Throughout the 30th Anniversary year she continued to take
part in events that honoured Terry, culminating in her participation on Terry Fox Run
Day in Barrington, Nova Scotia, an opportunity for Betty to once again express her
gratitude and appreciation for the magnificent support of Canadians for Terry’s dream.
Betty and Rolly Fox have three other children: Fred, Darrell, and Judith and nine
grandchildren.
In 1977, when her son Terry’s leg was amputated due to osteogenic sarcoma, Betty Fox
had no idea how the experience would change her life. When Terry revealed his plans
to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research, Betty and the family
responded with support and encouragement. Through phone calls, television and
newspaper reports, she followed his every step during the 143 days he ran his
Marathon of Hope.
When cancer spread to Terry’s lungs and it became clear that he would not survive the
disease a second time, Betty found the news very difficult to accept. When he died in
1981 and The Terry Fox Run was established, she was asked to take an active role in
the development of the organization. Although reluctant, she did take on the role of
Honourary Chairman, together with husband Rolly (also an Honourary Chairman),
realizing how important it was that a family member safeguard Terry’s integrity and
principles.
Since that time, Betty has been involved in all aspects of The Terry Fox Foundation,
particularly commercialization issues and protection of Terry’s name and image. She
was honoured to have the opportunity to visit schools, communities and companies
during her bi-annual cross-Canada tours each year to share Terry’s story and inspire
listeners to follow their own dreams. It is estimated that Betty spoke to more than
400,000 school children alone during her 25 years of touring, leaving each and every
child with the inspirational story of the Marathon of Hope. The final words of every
speech, “Never, ever give up on your dreams”, have become her memorable hallmark.
In recent years Betty has vetted many proposals and welcomed opportunities to
enhance Terry’s legacy. The 25th Anniversary year in 2005 introduced new books, a
new movie, and a new fundraising initiative called The National School Run Day, all
made possible under the careful and watchful eye of Betty. With the introduction of
The Terry Fox Research Institute in 2007, together with the Foundation’s impressive
record of fundraising for cancer research, Betty has ensured that Canadian cancer
research continues to forge discoveries and save lives.
In 2010 Betty was honoured to take part in the Vancouver Olympics by acting as a flagbearer
in the opening ceremonies, representing her son Terry in a way only a mother
could. Together with Rolly, she carried the torch into the opening ceremony of the
Paralympic Games, partaking in a breathtaking tribute to Terry and his inspirational
influence on all athletes. Throughout the 30th Anniversary year she continued to take
part in events that honoured Terry, culminating in her participation on Terry Fox Run
Day in Barrington, Nova Scotia, an opportunity for Betty to once again express her
gratitude and appreciation for the magnificent support of Canadians for Terry’s dream.
Betty and Rolly Fox have three other children: Fred, Darrell, and Judith and nine
grandchildren.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
RECO AGM will stream a live broadcast Thursday June 16th, 2011
To accommodate registrants who are unable to attend RECO’s Annual General Meeting in person, RECO will stream a live broadcast of the meeting. Visit the RECO website at www.reco.on.ca on Thursday, June 16 at 10 a.m. where you will find a link to view the formal portion of the meeting including the remarks of the Chair, President/CEO and Registrar.
The Question and Answer portion of the AGM will not be broadcast live. Instead, it will be recorded and posted on RECO’s website by June 20, 2011.
Registrants will not be able to vote or submit questions by conference call or video conferencing. However, individuals who cannot attend the AGM can e-mail their questions in advance to AGM@reco.on.ca. Please e-mail your questions by end of day, June 14. Questions submitted in advance will be read and responded to, with time permitting, by a RECO Director or staff member. Questions raised by registrants should be of general interest. Matters related to an individual, a specific situation or regulatory actions against a specific member will not be addressed at the meeting.
Information about RECO’s 14th Annual General Meeting:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Old Mill Inn, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to:
◦Present the annual report and report on the affairs of the Council over the past fiscal year
◦Present the financial statements and the report of the auditors
◦Appoint the auditors of the corporation until the close of the next annual general meeting of the corporation
◦Install the newly elected directors of the corporation
◦Vote on proposed changes to RECO By-Law No. 9: “It is moved that RECO By-Law No. 9, being the Election of Directors By-law of the Real Estate Council of Ontario, be amended by deleting and adding those provisions in the Synopsis of Changes mailed to members”.
Voting on agenda items will take place only at this meeting. By-law No. 11, Section 49 provides that there is no right to vote by proxy or mail-in ballots.
To be eligible to vote at this meeting, RECO members must show:
◦Original certificate of registration from the Real Estate Council of Ontario; and
◦One piece of photo identification.
Further details are available on RECO’s website at www.reco.on.ca or on MyWeb at https://myweb.reco.on.ca.
The Question and Answer portion of the AGM will not be broadcast live. Instead, it will be recorded and posted on RECO’s website by June 20, 2011.
Registrants will not be able to vote or submit questions by conference call or video conferencing. However, individuals who cannot attend the AGM can e-mail their questions in advance to AGM@reco.on.ca. Please e-mail your questions by end of day, June 14. Questions submitted in advance will be read and responded to, with time permitting, by a RECO Director or staff member. Questions raised by registrants should be of general interest. Matters related to an individual, a specific situation or regulatory actions against a specific member will not be addressed at the meeting.
Information about RECO’s 14th Annual General Meeting:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Old Mill Inn, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to:
◦Present the annual report and report on the affairs of the Council over the past fiscal year
◦Present the financial statements and the report of the auditors
◦Appoint the auditors of the corporation until the close of the next annual general meeting of the corporation
◦Install the newly elected directors of the corporation
◦Vote on proposed changes to RECO By-Law No. 9: “It is moved that RECO By-Law No. 9, being the Election of Directors By-law of the Real Estate Council of Ontario, be amended by deleting and adding those provisions in the Synopsis of Changes mailed to members”.
Voting on agenda items will take place only at this meeting. By-law No. 11, Section 49 provides that there is no right to vote by proxy or mail-in ballots.
To be eligible to vote at this meeting, RECO members must show:
◦Original certificate of registration from the Real Estate Council of Ontario; and
◦One piece of photo identification.
Further details are available on RECO’s website at www.reco.on.ca or on MyWeb at https://myweb.reco.on.ca.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Why I Love Liberty Village in Toronto
Liberty Village is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Liberty Village has experienced phenomenal growth from 2004 to the present in terms of new condos/lofts, office space, a new park, and a multitude of new shops and restaurants. It has been dubbed by many the "hottest" neighbourhood in Toronto.
It is bounded at the north by King Street West, the west by Dufferin Street, the south by the Gardiner Expressway, the east by Strachan Avenue, and the northeast by the CP railway tracks.
The Liberty Village name was introduced as a positive 'brand' by the property owners and developers in the area in conjunction with the City of Toronto and the neighbourhood aims to distinguish itself from Parkdale.
Its location is considered one of its finest assets being a 5 minute walk to the Lakeshore, 20 minute walk to the financial core and a 10 minute walk from the entertainment/fashion/gallery districts of King St. West, West Queen West, Ossington, Dundas St. West and Wellington St. West.
It has been dubbed by many the "hottest" neighbourhood in Toronto.
It has become a trendy neighbourhood for young professionals and artists pushing farther west for less established areas, while still remaining a short walk or streetcar ride from the core. Many old factories have been repurposed as lofts while others have become restaurants, gyms, furniture stores and galleries, as this area was primarily a former heavy industrial area.
The Toronto Carpet Factory Building on Mowat Avenue and its surrounding campus of industrial structures is an example of 1900s' turn of the century industrial architecture and currently houses a mixture of design, technology, media and marketing companies.
Old storage and factory spaces at Liberty St. and Hanna Ave. have been converted into commercial spaces that comprise Liberty Market. The Market houses design firms and collectives, media, technology and marketing firms, and an eclectic mix of retail stores. Structures from the old Inglis Factory and the former Massey Ferguson Head Office surround the heart of Liberty Village, further testifying to the industrial history of the neighbourhood.
Artscape, a non-profit urban development organization that revitalizes buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities through the arts has a strong presence in Liberty Village, providing mixed live/work spaces for local artists. Its influence can be seen throughout the neighbourhood and maintains the valued tradition of a neighbourhood that was once dominated by artists searching for affordable living and studio spaces.
Liberty Village is known for its successful Art and Design studios, but media and technology companies also have a strong presence in the community. Many Canadian and US design and technology firms have located to Liberty Village, creating many jobs for the increasing number of citizens that have moved into the growing neighbourhood.
Offices are mostly concentrated in the west end of Liberty Village. New residential developments are currently focused on East Liberty Street, which begins east of Hanna Avenue. Over 20 new restaurants have opened in the past 3 years, providing the residents and workers in the community with many eclectic places to dine and enjoy their developing neighbourhood.
A documentary film on Liberty Village titled "Liberty Village - Somewhere in Heaven" was produced and directed by David Sloma for Rockin' Films. The film was released in 2006 (before much of the current development was completed) and features interviews with longtime Liberty Village residents Corky Laing (who provided music for the soundtrack via his band Cork), Taffi Rosen photographer/videographer, as well as other artists, business owners and workers in the area. The film was made in part with the support of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) through their Filmmaker Assistance Program
Liberty Village has experienced phenomenal growth from 2004 to the present in terms of new condos/lofts, office space, a new park, and a multitude of new shops and restaurants. It has been dubbed by many the "hottest" neighbourhood in Toronto.
It is bounded at the north by King Street West, the west by Dufferin Street, the south by the Gardiner Expressway, the east by Strachan Avenue, and the northeast by the CP railway tracks.
The Liberty Village name was introduced as a positive 'brand' by the property owners and developers in the area in conjunction with the City of Toronto and the neighbourhood aims to distinguish itself from Parkdale.
Its location is considered one of its finest assets being a 5 minute walk to the Lakeshore, 20 minute walk to the financial core and a 10 minute walk from the entertainment/fashion/gallery districts of King St. West, West Queen West, Ossington, Dundas St. West and Wellington St. West.
It has been dubbed by many the "hottest" neighbourhood in Toronto.
It has become a trendy neighbourhood for young professionals and artists pushing farther west for less established areas, while still remaining a short walk or streetcar ride from the core. Many old factories have been repurposed as lofts while others have become restaurants, gyms, furniture stores and galleries, as this area was primarily a former heavy industrial area.
The Toronto Carpet Factory Building on Mowat Avenue and its surrounding campus of industrial structures is an example of 1900s' turn of the century industrial architecture and currently houses a mixture of design, technology, media and marketing companies.
Old storage and factory spaces at Liberty St. and Hanna Ave. have been converted into commercial spaces that comprise Liberty Market. The Market houses design firms and collectives, media, technology and marketing firms, and an eclectic mix of retail stores. Structures from the old Inglis Factory and the former Massey Ferguson Head Office surround the heart of Liberty Village, further testifying to the industrial history of the neighbourhood.
Artscape, a non-profit urban development organization that revitalizes buildings, neighbourhoods, and cities through the arts has a strong presence in Liberty Village, providing mixed live/work spaces for local artists. Its influence can be seen throughout the neighbourhood and maintains the valued tradition of a neighbourhood that was once dominated by artists searching for affordable living and studio spaces.
Liberty Village is known for its successful Art and Design studios, but media and technology companies also have a strong presence in the community. Many Canadian and US design and technology firms have located to Liberty Village, creating many jobs for the increasing number of citizens that have moved into the growing neighbourhood.
Offices are mostly concentrated in the west end of Liberty Village. New residential developments are currently focused on East Liberty Street, which begins east of Hanna Avenue. Over 20 new restaurants have opened in the past 3 years, providing the residents and workers in the community with many eclectic places to dine and enjoy their developing neighbourhood.
A documentary film on Liberty Village titled "Liberty Village - Somewhere in Heaven" was produced and directed by David Sloma for Rockin' Films. The film was released in 2006 (before much of the current development was completed) and features interviews with longtime Liberty Village residents Corky Laing (who provided music for the soundtrack via his band Cork), Taffi Rosen photographer/videographer, as well as other artists, business owners and workers in the area. The film was made in part with the support of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) through their Filmmaker Assistance Program
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Why would anyone look to the U.S. housing market for guidance or leadership on anything?
Canada's real estate industry has been changing its rules to open up competition. Madame Commissioner, why not do Canadians a favour, and look more closely at the obvious companies that appear to be fixing prices? Last time I checked, the major oil companies were all charging virtually the same price per litre of gasoline, give or take half a cent per litre.
As I read the latest application by the Competition Bureau against organized real estate, I thought of the great line used by Ronald Reagan when he won the debate over Jimmy Carter in 1980. “There he goes again,” or in the commissioner’s case “there she goes again.” Let me start by disclosing that besides being a lawyer, I also educate buyers, sellers and real estate agents on how to safely buy and sell a home.
In the first application, launched in February 2010, the commissioner, Melanie Aitken, decided to go public with a complaint about access to Multiple Listing Service (MLS), even though she was told that the real estate boards across Canada were in fact meeting to clarify their rules to permit access.
The boards clarified their rules in March 2010, permitting access to the MLS system without having to use a real estate firm for the entire transaction. Still the government persisted in their court application, until the matter was settled last October. The settlement was exactly what the boards implemented the previous March. In my opinion, the whole process was a waste of taxpayer money.
Now the competition bureau states that the rules of the Toronto Real Estate Board prevent private brokerages from setting up virtual offices, denying Canadian consumers more choice when buying real estate. They point to selective data from the U.S. on the issue, but conveniently leave out the rest of the important U.S. data.
In the U.S., buyer agent commissions are normally 3 per cent. Some real estate brokerages such as redfin.com, through their own website, make available all local listings, including historical data to buyers who visit their website. This is referred to by the Bureau as a “virtual office website.” It allows consumers to see what homes in the area sold for and how long a listing has been on the market.
When Redfin started around 9 years ago, they advertised that if a buyer found a home on their site and decided to use a Redfin agent, Redfin would give back 2 per cent of the 3 per cent buyer commission, so the actual commission payable by the buyer would be 1 per cent. Redfin lost a lot of money.
Today, Redfin advertises that buyers can get back “up to 50 per cent” of the buyer agent commission when they use Redfin. I get nervous when I see the words “up to.” That means a minimum buyer commission of 1.5 per cent and possibly more. In addition, the National Association of Realtors has released results for 2010 that show that even with all of this information available to buyers, only 10 per cent of real estate deals in the U.S. are done without a realtor.
In Canada, buyer commissions are negotiable, but in many regions, they are 2.5 per cent. So I suppose the commissioner is looking at potential savings of at most 1 per cent, without taking into account all the rest of the services provided by buyer agents.
The Toronto Real Estate Board is legitimately concerned about how to protect the privacy and integrity of all listing information, before permitting it to be used on private websites. We have already witnessed situations where listing information has been fraudulently posted on Kiijii and similar websites, and unsuspecting buyers or tenants are paying money to intermediaries who claim to be representing the seller or landlord.
Personal information could conceivably be taken and used by fraud artists who commit identity theft. I understand that the real estate board intends to adopt new policies to make sure that when this private information is used by a registered brokerage on their own private website, they agree to follow all of these guidelines.
Sellers will have to be informed that when they list their property, it may appear on these other private websites as well. In particular, every consumer who visits these private websites will have to enter some personal information themselves, like a legitimate email address, so that there is a record as to who is using the site. This should work to discourage the fraudsters.
I expect that these new policies will be implemented by the Toronto Real Estate Board by the end of the summer, with no need for any further taxpayer-funded competition tribunal proceedings, where only lawyers make money.
Finally, why would anyone look to the U.S. housing market for guidance or leadership on anything? This is the same market that almost caused the collapse of the world’s financial system two years ago and is still at historic lows.
Last time I checked, the major oil companies were all charging virtually the same price per litre of gasoline, give or take half a cent per litre. Madame Commissioner, why not do Canadians a favour, and look more closely at the obvious companies that appear to be fixing prices?
This article by Mark Weisleder- a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. If you have any questions about real estate issues, email mark at mark@markweisleder.com
As I read the latest application by the Competition Bureau against organized real estate, I thought of the great line used by Ronald Reagan when he won the debate over Jimmy Carter in 1980. “There he goes again,” or in the commissioner’s case “there she goes again.” Let me start by disclosing that besides being a lawyer, I also educate buyers, sellers and real estate agents on how to safely buy and sell a home.
In the first application, launched in February 2010, the commissioner, Melanie Aitken, decided to go public with a complaint about access to Multiple Listing Service (MLS), even though she was told that the real estate boards across Canada were in fact meeting to clarify their rules to permit access.
The boards clarified their rules in March 2010, permitting access to the MLS system without having to use a real estate firm for the entire transaction. Still the government persisted in their court application, until the matter was settled last October. The settlement was exactly what the boards implemented the previous March. In my opinion, the whole process was a waste of taxpayer money.
Now the competition bureau states that the rules of the Toronto Real Estate Board prevent private brokerages from setting up virtual offices, denying Canadian consumers more choice when buying real estate. They point to selective data from the U.S. on the issue, but conveniently leave out the rest of the important U.S. data.
In the U.S., buyer agent commissions are normally 3 per cent. Some real estate brokerages such as redfin.com, through their own website, make available all local listings, including historical data to buyers who visit their website. This is referred to by the Bureau as a “virtual office website.” It allows consumers to see what homes in the area sold for and how long a listing has been on the market.
When Redfin started around 9 years ago, they advertised that if a buyer found a home on their site and decided to use a Redfin agent, Redfin would give back 2 per cent of the 3 per cent buyer commission, so the actual commission payable by the buyer would be 1 per cent. Redfin lost a lot of money.
Today, Redfin advertises that buyers can get back “up to 50 per cent” of the buyer agent commission when they use Redfin. I get nervous when I see the words “up to.” That means a minimum buyer commission of 1.5 per cent and possibly more. In addition, the National Association of Realtors has released results for 2010 that show that even with all of this information available to buyers, only 10 per cent of real estate deals in the U.S. are done without a realtor.
In Canada, buyer commissions are negotiable, but in many regions, they are 2.5 per cent. So I suppose the commissioner is looking at potential savings of at most 1 per cent, without taking into account all the rest of the services provided by buyer agents.
The Toronto Real Estate Board is legitimately concerned about how to protect the privacy and integrity of all listing information, before permitting it to be used on private websites. We have already witnessed situations where listing information has been fraudulently posted on Kiijii and similar websites, and unsuspecting buyers or tenants are paying money to intermediaries who claim to be representing the seller or landlord.
Personal information could conceivably be taken and used by fraud artists who commit identity theft. I understand that the real estate board intends to adopt new policies to make sure that when this private information is used by a registered brokerage on their own private website, they agree to follow all of these guidelines.
Sellers will have to be informed that when they list their property, it may appear on these other private websites as well. In particular, every consumer who visits these private websites will have to enter some personal information themselves, like a legitimate email address, so that there is a record as to who is using the site. This should work to discourage the fraudsters.
I expect that these new policies will be implemented by the Toronto Real Estate Board by the end of the summer, with no need for any further taxpayer-funded competition tribunal proceedings, where only lawyers make money.
Finally, why would anyone look to the U.S. housing market for guidance or leadership on anything? This is the same market that almost caused the collapse of the world’s financial system two years ago and is still at historic lows.
Last time I checked, the major oil companies were all charging virtually the same price per litre of gasoline, give or take half a cent per litre. Madame Commissioner, why not do Canadians a favour, and look more closely at the obvious companies that appear to be fixing prices?
This article by Mark Weisleder- a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. If you have any questions about real estate issues, email mark at mark@markweisleder.com
Sunday, June 5, 2011
I am gonna Blog about my BLOG...it is boring me, is it boring U2?
How to write an exciting blog
by ~lexidh
How to write an exciting blog in 15 easy steps!
1: First you need a very cool username! Your real name doesn't do. Something with "sex" "666" "devil" "tears" "angel" or a lot of XxXxX in it should do.
2: Live an exciting life and write about that. If you don't have a great life, make up stuff you COULD have done during the day.
3: Update at least once per day. You don't get those all important pageviews if people don't come back every day.
4: Provoke your readers. Politics is a great way to do that. If you live in the US; write about why you support Bin Laden. If you live anywhere else; write about why you support Bush. If that fails you can pretend to have homophobia, hate _all_ animals, be a racist or become a nazi.
5: Tell about your sex life. If you don't have one, make one up. The more sex partners, the better.
6: Take and post a lot of pictures, often. Clothes are no good, try to aviod those. If you don't own a camera you should steal other peoples pictures. You should at least get a webcam to show off yourself, and your cat/dog/whatever. If you are eating something, take a picture of that too.
7: If another blog you read writes about something you find stupid, don't let the author get away with it! Write your arguments in your blog and use a lot of nasty words that you link back to the blog in question. Remember to put that person down for weeks, and comment in that blog all the time with links back to you putting them down. Use trackback if possible.
8: Write horrible things about your friends, family and coworkers. Don't leave anything out!
9: Involve yourself in a huge project your readers can follow, like getting pregnant, build something large, plan a wedding or take over the world. And at all times you should "diet". Never lose any weight, but complain about your weight while you keep your regular diet. If you gain weight you have a perfect opportunity to rant!
10: Tell EVERYONE you meet about your blog, both online and offline. Lots of readers and comments is the most important thing of all!
11: Post a lot of lyrics that seem to have a deeper meaning. That makes you look reflected and smart.
12: Take ANY survey you can find and post them in your blog. If it's a long time since you found a new one, make one up! If it spreads to other blogs you are well on your way to total popularity! And take a lot of tests and post the results in your blog. Remember to fake the results if you think the fake results makes you look better.
13: Fake depression. Pretend to want to kill yourself every week. That gives you a lot of those all important comments! You should also write something depressing poetry of your own once in a while, and don't update your journal with more than that piece of depressing poetry all day.
14: You don't have to spellcheck. Typoos, l337-74lk and shrt wrds work just as well as proper english.
15: Have a link to your wishlist in your blog at all times. Your readers may want to buy you something if they feel sorry for you or think you are supercool.
by ~lexidh
How to write an exciting blog in 15 easy steps!
1: First you need a very cool username! Your real name doesn't do. Something with "sex" "666" "devil" "tears" "angel" or a lot of XxXxX in it should do.
2: Live an exciting life and write about that. If you don't have a great life, make up stuff you COULD have done during the day.
3: Update at least once per day. You don't get those all important pageviews if people don't come back every day.
4: Provoke your readers. Politics is a great way to do that. If you live in the US; write about why you support Bin Laden. If you live anywhere else; write about why you support Bush. If that fails you can pretend to have homophobia, hate _all_ animals, be a racist or become a nazi.
5: Tell about your sex life. If you don't have one, make one up. The more sex partners, the better.
6: Take and post a lot of pictures, often. Clothes are no good, try to aviod those. If you don't own a camera you should steal other peoples pictures. You should at least get a webcam to show off yourself, and your cat/dog/whatever. If you are eating something, take a picture of that too.
7: If another blog you read writes about something you find stupid, don't let the author get away with it! Write your arguments in your blog and use a lot of nasty words that you link back to the blog in question. Remember to put that person down for weeks, and comment in that blog all the time with links back to you putting them down. Use trackback if possible.
8: Write horrible things about your friends, family and coworkers. Don't leave anything out!
9: Involve yourself in a huge project your readers can follow, like getting pregnant, build something large, plan a wedding or take over the world. And at all times you should "diet". Never lose any weight, but complain about your weight while you keep your regular diet. If you gain weight you have a perfect opportunity to rant!
10: Tell EVERYONE you meet about your blog, both online and offline. Lots of readers and comments is the most important thing of all!
11: Post a lot of lyrics that seem to have a deeper meaning. That makes you look reflected and smart.
12: Take ANY survey you can find and post them in your blog. If it's a long time since you found a new one, make one up! If it spreads to other blogs you are well on your way to total popularity! And take a lot of tests and post the results in your blog. Remember to fake the results if you think the fake results makes you look better.
13: Fake depression. Pretend to want to kill yourself every week. That gives you a lot of those all important comments! You should also write something depressing poetry of your own once in a while, and don't update your journal with more than that piece of depressing poetry all day.
14: You don't have to spellcheck. Typoos, l337-74lk and shrt wrds work just as well as proper english.
15: Have a link to your wishlist in your blog at all times. Your readers may want to buy you something if they feel sorry for you or think you are supercool.
Friday, June 3, 2011
IS THE REAL ESTATE MARKET GOING TO “TANK”?
IS THE REAL ESTATE MARKET GOING TO “TANK”? .... NOT ANY TIME SOON!!!!!!!
I want to keep you updated with the Greater Toronto Area Real Estate Market. After reviewing the latest sales figures from the Toronto Real Estate Board, in May 2011 there were 10,046 sales for the month, which is exactly what I had predicted 2 weeks ago.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Currently there are only 18,481 homes for sale on the Toronto Real Estate Board, compared to 25,414 at the end of May 2010. That’s about a 27% drop! Insane! With the current inventory and how fast we are selling them, we have only a 1 ½ month supply of homes. The buyers out there don’t have very many choices. In Milton the supply is even tighter.
Is this market going to last forever? Of course not! Is the real estate market going to “tank”? Not THIS year.... that’s for sure!! The question remains, how long can the market keep going like this? There will be very little change unless one of the following things takes place.
1. Mortgage rates will need to go UP significantly! Nobody is predicting this any time soon.
2. Inventory levels will need to go UP significantly. They keep dropping and there’s a surprisingly low number of new listings coming on the market. We keep waiting for more listings, but it’s not happening.
3. Our national or local economy will need to DROP significantly. The economy in Canada and particularly in the GTA seems to be getting better. Love him or hate him, Prime Minister Harper has been able to keep the wheels on the road. So far we seem to be “bullet proof” compared to what is going on in other parts of the world. Thank God, we’re Canadian!
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
I want to keep you updated with the Greater Toronto Area Real Estate Market. After reviewing the latest sales figures from the Toronto Real Estate Board, in May 2011 there were 10,046 sales for the month, which is exactly what I had predicted 2 weeks ago.
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Currently there are only 18,481 homes for sale on the Toronto Real Estate Board, compared to 25,414 at the end of May 2010. That’s about a 27% drop! Insane! With the current inventory and how fast we are selling them, we have only a 1 ½ month supply of homes. The buyers out there don’t have very many choices. In Milton the supply is even tighter.
Is this market going to last forever? Of course not! Is the real estate market going to “tank”? Not THIS year.... that’s for sure!! The question remains, how long can the market keep going like this? There will be very little change unless one of the following things takes place.
1. Mortgage rates will need to go UP significantly! Nobody is predicting this any time soon.
2. Inventory levels will need to go UP significantly. They keep dropping and there’s a surprisingly low number of new listings coming on the market. We keep waiting for more listings, but it’s not happening.
3. Our national or local economy will need to DROP significantly. The economy in Canada and particularly in the GTA seems to be getting better. Love him or hate him, Prime Minister Harper has been able to keep the wheels on the road. So far we seem to be “bullet proof” compared to what is going on in other parts of the world. Thank God, we’re Canadian!
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
Selling Your Own House: Wisdom and Folly
Selling Your Own House: Wisdom and Folly
October, 2010, the Canadian Real Estate Association ratified an agreement with the Competition Bureau. The agreement allows homeowners to negotiate the level of service they receive from their real estate agent. The most basic level of service now permits a willing Agent to post a property on the Multiple Listing Service, then leave the homeowner to handle the rest of the transaction.
On the surface, this is an attractive idea. By hiring a posting-only Agent, a Seller gains the exposure of an MLS posting for a nominal fee. However, anyone thinking of selling their house in this way should be aware of the impacts of operating this way.
When it comes to marketing a property, a posting on MLS is just the start. A full-service Agent will do a great deal more than using print, media and the web to advertise a listing. Most importantly, they engage the confidence of other full time professionals. The full service Agent representing a Buyer may interact confidently with the full service professional representing the Seller and both are likely to stay focused on bringing Buyer and Seller together. When the focus widens to include concerns about who gets paid what by whom, confidence in the process is weakened on both sides of the table. The risk is that the Seller will either net less on the sale or not get a sale at all. Many disappointed do-it-yourselfers wind up signing with a full service Agent who then gets the job done. If time is a valuable commodity to a Seller, the cost of perhaps having to start again ought to be factored into the cost/benefit analysis.
Few homeowners are experienced in pricing a home accurately, or in adjusting that price to changing market conditions. Fewer still are comfortable with negotiating an offer to receive the best possible price. If an offer is made, the majority of Buyers will have an Agent negotiating for them, pitting the homeowner against an experienced professional.
In a full-service scenario, after the deal is signed the Buyer's deposit is held in the Brokerage's trust account. Without an Agent, Seller and Buyer will have to decide where the money is to be placed. Before the deal closes, Buyer visits may have to be scheduled, and in the case of condominiums, Status Certificate packages obtained. Without a full-service Agent, this is up to the Seller as well. Finally, if there is a problem in the closing of the deal, an Agent will drop everything to straighten it out. Full-service professionals have a wealth of experience in handling objections and solving problems both pre and post-sale. Solo Sellers may find themselves standing in front of a very steep learning curve that is interfering with their normal routines and responsibilities.
There is an old homily that says "The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client." If a doctor gets sick, the objective analysis of a colleague is likely to serve him better than his own subjective and perhaps emotional, diagnosis. Why then, would a homeowner want to sell his house himself?
Article By R Peter Russell
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
*not intended to solicit buyers or sellers already under contract*
October, 2010, the Canadian Real Estate Association ratified an agreement with the Competition Bureau. The agreement allows homeowners to negotiate the level of service they receive from their real estate agent. The most basic level of service now permits a willing Agent to post a property on the Multiple Listing Service, then leave the homeowner to handle the rest of the transaction.
On the surface, this is an attractive idea. By hiring a posting-only Agent, a Seller gains the exposure of an MLS posting for a nominal fee. However, anyone thinking of selling their house in this way should be aware of the impacts of operating this way.
When it comes to marketing a property, a posting on MLS is just the start. A full-service Agent will do a great deal more than using print, media and the web to advertise a listing. Most importantly, they engage the confidence of other full time professionals. The full service Agent representing a Buyer may interact confidently with the full service professional representing the Seller and both are likely to stay focused on bringing Buyer and Seller together. When the focus widens to include concerns about who gets paid what by whom, confidence in the process is weakened on both sides of the table. The risk is that the Seller will either net less on the sale or not get a sale at all. Many disappointed do-it-yourselfers wind up signing with a full service Agent who then gets the job done. If time is a valuable commodity to a Seller, the cost of perhaps having to start again ought to be factored into the cost/benefit analysis.
Few homeowners are experienced in pricing a home accurately, or in adjusting that price to changing market conditions. Fewer still are comfortable with negotiating an offer to receive the best possible price. If an offer is made, the majority of Buyers will have an Agent negotiating for them, pitting the homeowner against an experienced professional.
In a full-service scenario, after the deal is signed the Buyer's deposit is held in the Brokerage's trust account. Without an Agent, Seller and Buyer will have to decide where the money is to be placed. Before the deal closes, Buyer visits may have to be scheduled, and in the case of condominiums, Status Certificate packages obtained. Without a full-service Agent, this is up to the Seller as well. Finally, if there is a problem in the closing of the deal, an Agent will drop everything to straighten it out. Full-service professionals have a wealth of experience in handling objections and solving problems both pre and post-sale. Solo Sellers may find themselves standing in front of a very steep learning curve that is interfering with their normal routines and responsibilities.
There is an old homily that says "The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client." If a doctor gets sick, the objective analysis of a colleague is likely to serve him better than his own subjective and perhaps emotional, diagnosis. Why then, would a homeowner want to sell his house himself?
Article By R Peter Russell
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
*not intended to solicit buyers or sellers already under contract*
Thursday, June 2, 2011
BUYING WITH MOM & DAD (New Toronto Real Estate Show)
Brand new show, from the producers of quality real estate programs Property Virgins, Property Brothers and the Unsellables, is now in pre-production.
They are looking for families, buying real estate for, or with their adult children. (Examples - Parents contributing to the purchase of their child's first home or purchasing a condo for their child attending University; or aging parents moving in with adult children.)
Each episode features a family, maneuvering through the drama and excitement of property purchase, with their unique family dynamic and the agent who guides them on their journey.
A television appearance fee of $2,000.00 for each family and $1,000 for the assisting agent.
A time commitment of about 4 days is required and we will do our best to shoot over the course of 3 weekdays and 1 day on the weekend. The shooting schedule would not be determined until the participants are approved by the Producers and the Network and officially booked.
The next step, is an informal telephone interview, followed by an audition, conducted in the participants' home.
Please don't hesitate to contact my friend Melissa with with questions or concerns. If you are a buyer than call me! Thanks.
mcassin@cineflix.com
Also, here is something fun, my friend Tal Bachman is back in studio- check out www.reverbnation.com/talbachman. for free downloads and tour info.
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
They are looking for families, buying real estate for, or with their adult children. (Examples - Parents contributing to the purchase of their child's first home or purchasing a condo for their child attending University; or aging parents moving in with adult children.)
Each episode features a family, maneuvering through the drama and excitement of property purchase, with their unique family dynamic and the agent who guides them on their journey.
A television appearance fee of $2,000.00 for each family and $1,000 for the assisting agent.
A time commitment of about 4 days is required and we will do our best to shoot over the course of 3 weekdays and 1 day on the weekend. The shooting schedule would not be determined until the participants are approved by the Producers and the Network and officially booked.
The next step, is an informal telephone interview, followed by an audition, conducted in the participants' home.
Please don't hesitate to contact my friend Melissa with with questions or concerns. If you are a buyer than call me! Thanks.
mcassin@cineflix.com
Also, here is something fun, my friend Tal Bachman is back in studio- check out www.reverbnation.com/talbachman. for free downloads and tour info.
Lisa Portolese, Sales Representative
Royal LePage Kingsbury Realty, Brokerage
30 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bus (905) 568-2121
Res (905) 238-3434
Cel (416) 953-9714
LisaMovesYouNow@Rogers.com
www.lisamovesyounow.com
"The referral of your friends and family is the greatest give you can give me. Thank you for your trust!"
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