Yes you May...!

Every year it seems we forget how many surprises our Spring season can hold for us. We get out our shorts and sandals on the first warm day and then respond with shock and disbelief when freezing temperatures snap back at us. Well May is here and I say jump right in and embrace the outdoor season, hot or cold, rain or shine. If you haven't already, scrub down that barbecue, pull out your garden pots, and call your local window cleaning services. Put away your winter clothes, give away half of your old summer clothes, and go shopping. My big excitement this season is buying a power washer on sale at Canadian Tire - I can't wait to blast the last bits of grey off of our porch and patio. Not to mention detailing my car.

With all of the seasonal activity, this remains an excellent time to buy or sell a house. If you're thinking about your options for something new or different, immediate or future, call me. I'm happy to help - this or any season.

Toronto Real Estate Sales Headed for 9,000

TORONTO - , April 18, 2005--With 4,017 homes changing hands in the first half of April, the resale market rose eight per cent over the 3702 sales recorded during the first half of March, TREB President Ron Abraham announced today.

"Not only has the pace quickened over last month, sales totals are only two per cent off the record setting pace of last April. With sales nearly equivalent to the record, a month-end total of 9,000 single family home transactions is within reach."

Average home prices have risen marginally so far in April, to $337,279 from a figure of $335,697, recorded over the same time period in March. The median price is also up slightly, to $288,000 from $287,000.

"Prices may continue to rise," said the President, "but total inventory has expanded 14 per cent in April to 23,341 listings, and this will likely moderate the rate of increase."
During the first half of the month, a number of areas outside the city showed substantial sales increases over March. Oshawa showed a 41 per cent increase in sales, to 145 transactions.

North of Toronto, strong figures were shown in Thornhill where the number of homes changing hands rose 52 per cent over March, to a total of 61. Southern Richmond Hill also showed strength with 102 sales, a 32 per cent increase over the same time frame.

In the city of Toronto , the Islington/Kingsway area of Etobicoke recorded 69 sales in the first half of April, 41 per cent more than last month, while the Martin Grove/Westmount area increased 62 per cent to 34 sales.

Sales in the downtown core and Harbourfront rose 21 per cent over the first half of last month to a total of 126 transactions. Of these, 102 were condominium units. Sales figures were also strong in Don Mills, showing an increase of 71 per cent to 41 transactions.

Serving more than 21,000 REALTORS throughout the Greater Toronto Area, the Toronto Real Estate Board is Canada 's largest real estate board.

(Source: The Toronto Real Estate Board)

How does your garden grow?

If you're like a lot of people, your garden (or decorative planter) grows a lot more than you think it will at the time you're planting it. It's easy to get carried away at your local garden centre when the warm weather arrives. So before you load up your cart, do some planning. Consider your space, soil and sunlight. Think about height, colour, contrast, and the shape of your beds. Choose an array of plants and flowers that will ensure continuous new blooms from Spring to Fall. Include flowers you can cut to enjoy in your home. Know to what degree plants will spread and grow when established, particularly shrubs and perennials. Consider the amount of time you want to spend maintaining your garden - if you're not up for regular weeding and dead-heading, plan accordingly. Unless you are an avid, experienced gardener (and no doubt some of you are), it can save time and money and add enjoyment to get professional design advice before you start. If you're keen, take some classes, read books, talk to people. Look at other people's gardens and pots for ideas. You don't have to do it all in one year. In fact, a garden is often a progressive project. Like so many things, a little careful planning goes a long way.

Note:  You may want to wait for the traditional garden green light on the May long weekend to be safe from another surprise frost.

Clean it up and clear it out - now before the weather gets too nice to stay in!

You may have noticed that I often mention culling your possessions regularly. That is because I so often see houses with too much "stuff". When a house is prepared for sale, often the most helpful action is to remove a significant amount of what's in it. That can involve donations to Goodwill, trips to the dump, yard sales, and on occasion, storage locker rental. Apart from the aesthetics, houses that are too full or messy tend to weigh on the occupants. So free yourself of the burden, get down to the things you love, and enjoy your freedom. If you need some help: www.thesortinghouse.com

For more resources check www.organizersincanada.com - in case you didn't hear, it's National Organizing Week (I wonder if they noticed their own acronym?)!

Blue Box now accepts plastic tubs, jars and lids

Toronto residents can now kick their recycling efforts up a notch by including all plastic food jars, tubs and lids in their blue boxes. Items include plastic peanut butter jars, margarine, cottage cheese, sour cream and yogurt tubs, as well as plastic ice cream containers and lids.

Spice up your barbecue menu!

At Thanksgiving I included a soup recipe to great reviews, so in honour of the official start of barbecue season I am including another of our house favourites for entertaining:

Jerk Chicken (4 servings - though makes enough marinade for more)

INGREDIENTS:
6 green onions, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor or blender, combine the green onions, onion, jalapeno pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, vegetable oil, brown sugar, thyme, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Mix for about 15 seconds.
Place the chicken in a medium bowl, and coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.
Preheat grill to high heat to lock in the flavour. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook chicken on the prepared grill 6 to 8 minutes, until juices run clear.

Original Source: www.allrecipes.com

Mother's Day Gift Idea

Some people believe that every day is Mother's Day, and there is certainly a good rationale for that, but for those of you who care to celebrate the generally recognized version, it's this coming Sunday, May 8th . If you're wondering about a gift, perhaps a gift certificate for a consultation with a professional organizer as mentioned earlier?

Despite the month of May being perfect for de-cluttering the house and working in the garden, you may still be looking for some outings. Here's a tiny bit of what's happening in Toronto this month:

Sante: The Bloor Yorkville Wine Festival - May 11 to 15, 2005
Sante: The Bloor-Yorkville Wine Festival is an annual celebration of great wine and great food set in Toronto's renowned Bloor-Yorkville district. Sante combines the world's best winemakers with the city's leading chefs and most spectacular venues. All winemakers and principals of participating wineries will be in attendance.
Location: Bloor-Yorkville District www.santewinefestival.net

Distillery District Outdoor Art Exhibition - May 14 & 15, 2005
This event will be showcased on the streets of the Distillery District. Check out the Real Estate, too.
www.thedistillerydistrict.com

Doors Open Toronto - May 28 &29, 2005
The City of Toronto Culture Division is proud to present Doors Open Toronto - one weekend, once a year - when over 100 buildings of architectural and/or historic significance open their doors to the public for a city-wide celebration. Step inside national historic sites, hidden gems, modern landmarks, places of worship, banking halls, mansions, museums, private clubs, theatres, historic transportation hubs, architects' offices and more. Various Locations.
www.doorsopen.org

A friend of yours is a potential client of mine!

Many of my new business contacts come through friends and clients - people like you! One easy way for you to make an introduction is through this newsletter. If you know someone, friend, family or colleague, you think might enjoy getting this newsletter, forward it, sign them up, or suggest they sign up directly - it takes just a few seconds at www.torontomoves.ca.

Thank you for your feedback!

Thanks so much for all of your positive comments about this newsletter - it's great to know you're enjoying it. If there is anything you would like to see in future issues, please send along your suggestions and ideas.