The Spring activity has begun!

Spring is here with extended daylight hours (a big plus for looking at houses!) and the annual flurry of activity in the real estate market. While the Toronto market is interesting all year round, there is something special about this time of year – there’s a freshness and an energy about it. Even people who are not planning to buy or sell, get out to look at Open Houses, looking for ideas. And that’s good. Sometimes looking at other houses can help you to appreciate what you have, or inspire ideas for improvements. Before you invest time and money in updating your house, it’s important to look around at different ideas and options, and decide what’s best for you. And if looking at ideas for houses gets you to thinking about moving, call me. I’ll help you find "Just the Right Home" - any time of year.
 

Sales up 10 Per Cent over 2005

TORONTO - Wednesday, April 5, 2006--TREB Members reported 8,707 sales of existing homes in March, a 10 per cent increase over the 2005 total of 7,904, Toronto Real Estate Board President John Meehan announced today. "The March performance is the second best ever recorded for the month," Mr. Meehan said. "Furthermore, year-to-date we have seen 19,831 sales, which is the best first quarter result since statistics have been kept."
Prices steadied last month, with the average registering at $353,134, almost the same as in February and up seven per cent from the $330,545 recorded in March of 2005. Inventory climbed four per cent over last March to 22,765, and average time-on-market fell to 30 days.

Breaking down the total, 3,281 sales were reported in TREB’s 28 West districts and averaged $334,274; 1,558 sales were reported in the 14 Central districts and averaged $458,623; 1,710 sales were reported in the 23 North districts and averaged $381,774; and 2,158; sales were reported in TREB’s 21 East districts and averaged $282,954.

Neighbourhood Corner

The Beaches and Riverdale

The Beaches (E-2) experienced 226 sales in the first three months of 2006 for an average price of $454,495, up 10 per cent over 2005's $411,203 first quarter figure. Detached homes in The Beaches averaged $615,780 and semis $408,898. Riverdale (E-1) recorded 224 sales during the same time-frame, up 15 per cent over the January to March period of 2005. Detached homes averaged $390,388.

(Source: The Toronto Real Estate Board)

LAST CALL to be my guest at The National Home Show - April 7 - 16!

I have purchased passes to the National Home Show just so that I can give them away FREE to you! If you or your friends and family would like to go, e-mail me at garycrowder@torontomoves.ca – I still have a few passes available....but hurry...the show starts tomorrow!

Need help with Spring cleaning?!

There’s no better time to clear things out and clean things up than the Spring. And sometimes you need help. Here are some services we have been very happy with:

European Clean can provide regular cleaning in your home, or bring in a whole team for a one-shot deep clean. www.europeanclean.com

Healthy Home Carpet Care - call Garvin Pierre at (416) 783-3434 – They use non-allergenic, non-toxic cleaning products, especially important if you have children or pets, and they do a great job on rugs and upholstery.

When it comes to clutter, think outside the house.

Clutter doesn’t just happen inside your home. This Spring, look at what you have around your house – garbage bins, bikes, tools. Look under your porch to see what is hiding there – old flower pots, containers, toys, odds and ends. Sometimes, particularly in the city, it’s a question of too little storage space. If you minimize what you have and you still need space, consider buying a small shed, or even a storage box. There are some nice new styles out now at a reasonable cost, including boxes to hold your garbage and recycling boxes. Have a look for something that will work for you.

Clutter can even happen in the garden. Be sure you keep shrubs trimmed to a size that is in keeping with the rest of the garden and yard. Evergreen varieties in particular can get out of control in just a few years. When you are planting, be sure to allow room for growth so shrubs don’t end up encroaching on the house or fence, and plants don’t end up fighting with each other for space. If you inherited a garden that was unplanned, or is inherently overgrown, don’t be shy about removing or reducing some elements. Gardens need clearing and renewal as much as the insides of houses!

Think long-term, even in the little things.

No matter how long you expect to stay in your house, think long-term in everything you do, inside and out. Inside your house, buy good quality fixtures, especially those you use and touch all the time. Things like your kitchen faucet, bathroom taps, cupboard hardware, outside door handles, light switches and plates – you can get significantly higher quality for not that much more money, and get way more enjoyment. In fact, upgrading hardware and fixtures is a way to improve the overall feel and look of your house without huge expense.

Outdoors, when you plant shrubs and trees, think of what they will be like in 5, 10, 15, even 30 years. They stay with the house even if you move, and need to be a size and variety that suits the property. Take some time to read about plants and perennials, learn what is likely to do well based on light, soil and climate. Look at neighbours’ gardens for ideas. You can save a lot of time and money with a little research.

See the light – install a dimmer.

Some of you will already know the pleasure of dimmer switches, but surprisingly few people really take advantage of this easily installed feature. Dimmer switches are great in pretty much every room – especially bedrooms (you can check on sleeping children more easily, get dressed for early morning hockey without turning on the full light), bathrooms (easier on the eyes for late night visits), dining rooms (you can dine by candlelight and still see your food), and front entryways (guests can put on their shoes without getting blinded by the light). Not only do dimmers create a pleasant atmosphere, they also save on electricity.