chucksurette's posterous

Friendly Variety still the best deal in town

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:57:55 -0800

Friendly Variety, where a five dollar special costs you FIVE BUCKS!

Any questions on a property listed on the MLS -give me a call.

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Coldwell Banker at Success Realty
http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Best Valentines gift ever!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:36:14 -0800

Beer always fits!

Chuck Surette

http://www.chucksurette.ca

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Coldwell Banker at Success Realty
http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Sledding in the snow St. Thomas mls

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:58:07 -0800

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Coldwell Banker at Success Realty
http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Telus Problems

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:57:06 -0800

Hi,do you use telus?

I swore I never would again...

If you have had an issue with them - let me know.

I just learned that the plan I signed up for - was not the plan I got...and to get the plan I was promised - it would cost me an additional $15/month...I feel that I have been bait and switched by Telus, again.

Has this ever happened to you?

Chuck

http://www.chucksurette.ca

Sent from my Android phone on TELUS

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My experience with Telus

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:50:00 -0800

I have been a customer of Telus for a few years now. When I first signed up with them I thought everything was fine, then the bill arrived - and it was a WHOPPER!

I didn't understand - so, I went back to my local Telus store and they told me that they would fix everything. Until the next bill came and you guessed it, it was a WHOPPER!

Another trip to the Telus store and more guarantees of everything being fine and discovery that the plan I THOUGHT I signed up for no longer existed and the new plan I was getting was of course more, even though I had reduced the number of items on my plan....If you have a cell phone plan - you know the dance.

So, the end of my contract is around the corner and I call Telus on how exactly I am to be released from this bondage ($120/month) 1st rep tells me I just have to cancell before the end of billing cycle and it will all be fine...I should have known right there that something was wrong - but I believed, don't ask me why - but I did...

In the meantime - I shopped around a little and everyones rates were better than Telus. So, I decided to call them and find out why. When I called, I asked for confirmation of how I could cancell and got A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY. Now I was told that I needed to give notice (30 Days) now past... So, now I'm stuck for another month of this - I'm MAD.

I talk to the pleasant people at the retention dept and they make promises. Promise after promise, they just keep coming - along with the idea that everything will be fine...(oops) I forgot who I was dealing with.

So, now I have talked to three different reps with no resolution. I am told that the plan I was promised does not exist. I am told that I will have to pay more.

I must have forgotten who I was dealing with... I am currently waiting for a manager to call me back and I'm mad. I feel that there has been a misrepresentation. I feel I was bait & switched. I don't want to be part of this anymore...

Have you had a similar experience with Telus? If you have - I'd like to hear about it.

Chuck Surette

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Canadian home sales edge higher in December

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:39:13 -0800

OTTAWA – January 16, 2012 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national resale housing activity posted an increase from November to December 2011.

Highlights:

Sales activity rose 1.8 per cent from November to December.
Annual activity totalled 456,749 sales in 2011, up 2.2 per cent from 2010.
The number of newly listed homes increased 3 per cent from November to December.
A simultaneous increase in sales and new listings kept the national resale housing in balanced territory.
The national average home price was up just 0.9 per cent on a year-over-year basis in December, marking the smallest increase since October 2010.

Sales activity recorded through the MLS® Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations rose 1.8 per cent from November to December 2011, marking the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

Activity rose in more than half of all local markets, including some of Canada’s most active, with monthly declines posted in most of the remaining markets.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity came in 4.6 per cent above year-ago levels in December. It also stood above the five- and ten-year average for December sales.

A total of 456,749 homes traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems in 2011. This stands broadly in line with the average over the past ten years, and represents an increase of 2.2 per cent from annual levels reported in 2010.

“The momentum in sales activity provides clear evidence that low interest rates continue to draw homebuyers to the housing market,” said Gary Morse, CREA President. “While buyers have become increasingly cautious, the hand off for sales activity going into the New Year suggests that Canada’s housing market will continue to benefit from low interest rates in 2012, and continue making a significant contribution to Canadian economic activity. Even so, prospects among housing markets and neighbourhoods differ, so buyers and sellers should talk to a local REALTOR® to understand how trends are shaping up where they live.”

The number of newly listed homes rose three per cent on a month-over-month basis, reversing an equivalent monthly decline in November. New listings rose in almost 70 per cent of local markets, including some of Canada’s most active.

With sales and new listings having climbed in tandem, the national housing market remained in balanced territory in December. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 54.8 per cent in December, down slightly from 55.5 per cent in November.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 to 60 percent, just over half of local markets in Canada were balanced in December. This result is little changed from November.

The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is a further measure of the balance between housing supply and demand. Nationally, it stood at 5.8 months at the end of December, down from 5.9 months at the end of November. While it has held fairly steady near six months since April 2011 onward, it peaked in August, with December marking the fourth monthly decline and a return to where it stood at the end of the first quarter.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in December 2011 was $347,801. This stood just 0.9 per cent above the average selling price in December 2010, marking smallest increase since October 2010.

“Momentum for national sales activity and average price remains positive but is slowing, which suggests that the continuation of low interest rates is not causing the Canadian housing market to overheat,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “High end home sales seem unlikely to spike again in the first quarter like they did at the beginning of 2011, so national average price momentum may wane further over the next few months. With interest rates widely expected to remain low throughout 2012, homeownership will remain affordable, and continue to support home sales activity.”

Source: CREA

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas says "NO" to White House Visit

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:59:19 -0800

In a time when people Think star athletes aren’t fit to be role models – one man challenges that theory - and his name is Tim Thomas!

The Boston Bruins made a trip to the White House on Monday afternoon to celebrate their Stanley Cup championship. However, the man perhaps most responsible for that Cup title, Tim Thomas, was absent.

The defending Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe winner released a statement on Facebook regarding his absence on Monday evening.

It reads in its entirety below.

"I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.

This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.

This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT"

Source: NESN http://www.nesn.com/2012/01/tim-thomas-releases-statement-on-white-house-absence-says-government-has-grown-out-of-control.html

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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401 + 402 Shut Down

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:12:31 -0800

Trucks heading down hiway 3 in Shedden today, as other routes have been shut down.

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker at Success Realty
http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Third Quarter Residential Sales up 13 % in London Area

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:56:22 -0800

Residential Activity

Print Data

Home sales in London posted a year-over-year increase in the third quarter of 2011. Residential sales totaled 2,264 units in the third quarter, up 15 per cent from activity in the same period in 2010.

Single detached home sales numbered 1,498 units in the third quarter of 2011, an increase of 13 per cent from year-ago levels.

The number of months of inventory for single detached home sales was down from a year ago in the third quarter of 2011, falling to five months from 5.7 months a year earlier.

The median sale price for single detached homes edged up two per cent from year-ago levels to $227,000 in the third quarter of 2011.

Single Detached
Category	Q3 2011	Q3 2010	Year-over-year percentage change
Unit sales	1,498	1,325	+13
Median sale price ($)	227,000	222,000	+2

Source: CREAstats

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Canadian home sales edge higher in November - Chuck Surette

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:56:57 -0800

OTTAWA - December 15, 2011 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national resale housing activity rose slightly in November 2011 from the previous month.

Highlights:

Sales activity rose slightly (+0.5 per cent) from October to November on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Year-to-date sales remained in line with the 10 year average, but pulled further ahead of last year’s levels.
The number of newly listed homes was down 3.4 per cent from October to November.
The national housing market remains balanced, but is edging closer to seller’s market territory.
The national average price posted a 4.6 per cent year-over-year gain in November, the smallest increase since January.

Sales activity recorded through the MLS® Systems of real estate Boards and Associations in Canada edged upward by one-half of a percentage point. This marks the third straight month in which national activity was up from the previous month’s levels.

Activity rose in about 60 per cent of all local markets with a record November in the Halifax-Dartmouth region offsetting a dip in sales in Toronto.

“The Canadian housing market is proving resilient in the face of ongoing global economic and financial uncertainty, to the benefit of Canadian economic growth,” said Gary Morse, CREA’s President. “That said, some housing markets are picking up while others are holding steady or consolidating, so buyers and sellers should talk to their local REALTOR® to understand current and prospective trends in their local housing market.”

Throughout most months in 2011, actual (not seasonally adjusted) national home sales were in line with the 10-year average. November sales marked a break in that pattern, climbing seven per cent above the 10 year average and reaching the fourth highest level on record for the month.

“Toward the end of every year, there’s a natural inclination to compare how momentum for national sales activity and average price compare to the year before,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “National sales activity picked up late last year, and November’s results suggest that a similar trend may be playing out again this year. By contrast, national average price also picked up toward the end of last year, whereas this year it has held steady after having peaked in the spring.”

“With interest rates expected to remain low for longer, the housing sector will no doubt be closely watched for signs of excess,” added Klump. “That said, current trends for resale housing and new home construction suggest that tightened mortgage regulations are working as intended and fostering economic stability in Canada.”

A total of 432,048 homes have traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems so far this year, up 2.1 per cent from levels in the first 11 months of 2010. The year-to-date sales figure remains broadly in line (+0.7 per cent) with the average for that period from 2001 to 2010.

Compared to October, the number of newly listed homes fell 3.4 per cent in November. New listings slipped lower in more than two-thirds of Canadian housing markets, with Toronto, the Hamilton-Burlington region, and Calgary contributing most to the national decline.

The national housing market remains balanced, but is edging closer to seller’s market territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 55.5 per cent in November, up from 53.4 per cent in October. This marks the third month in which the national ratio has risen, and it now stands at its highest reading since the spring.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 to 60 percent, just over half of local markets in Canada were balanced in November, while a third of markets qualified as sellers’ markets.

The number of months of inventory nationally stood at six months at the end of November. It has held steady at about this level since April, which is above levels posted during the first quarter. The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in November 2011 stood at $360,396. This represents a year-over-year increase of 4.6 per cent, its smallest increase since January.

Source:CREA

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Reindeer Cupcakes

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:50:40 -0800

Josies latest project - Reindeer Cupcakes.

I'm here to help,
Chuck Surette

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Green Door

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:13:06 -0800

Finishing up the door to my office tonight. It's made from scrap ship-lap cedar board and 100 year old studs removed during renos to our home + a salvaged window.
I'm here to help,
Chuck Surette

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Making Rice Krispies Packages

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:02:02 -0800

Todays project -Josie saw this idea online and just "had to" make them.

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Don't be scared of the Dark

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 07:46:31 -0800

This Holiday Season - Don't be scared of the Dark. Kegging up some dark ale for our Christmas guests. This one should be very mild. I wonder how many takers we'll get?

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Sales Representative Coldwell Banker at Success

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Client/Partnership Support

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:25:07 -0800

Big thanks to Ryan at Kileys Sweetcorn for designing + displaying my billboard! We used our billboard/parade float to participate in 3 local parades this year. It was a blast! Thanks for your support.

I'm here to help,

Chuck Surette
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker at Success Realty
www.chucksurette.ca

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Untitled

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:07:01 -0800

Deadly-Sins-Overpricing - Chuck Surette.pdf Download this file

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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A thank you from Peter Brown my Client

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:47:09 -0800

This format should work better:

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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A thank you

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:35:10 -0800

Nice referral - not sure if it will show up. Thanks Peter!
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: peter brown
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 2011 00:53:16 To:
Subject: a thank you

Chuck

I wanted to take this opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude for your professional assistance when my son and his wife purchased a home. As you know, my son relocated from Ohio to St. Thomas and he was very unfamiliar with the area, house prices and value. Your help was most appreciated as you listened, gave great advice and continued to work right up to and including the closing on the home they bought. You were honest, hard-working and showed care and knowledge. As you know, my son had "tried" to find a home with 4 other realtors but they simply were more interested in a sale rather than the process of picking a home that suited their needs and likes.

It was a very pleasant experience dealing with you and my son, daughter-in-law and I would highly recommend you to other buyers as we know you are a person of quality and someone who can be trusted.

All the best to you and your family.

Respectfully
Peter Brown

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London St. Thomas Real Estate Results from November 2011

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:19:34 -0800

The news from St. Thomas was very positive. Fifty homes sold in London’s Sister City in November, up 22% from November 2010. The average price for a home in St. Thomas Year to Date stands at$185,303.

Data shown was taken from CREA’s National MLS® Report for September 2011, and it demonstrates how homes in London /St. Thomas continue to maintain their affordability compared to other major Ontario and Canadian centres.

Source: LSTAR E-STATS

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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Stable outlook for Canada's housing market in 2012 - Chuck Surette

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:44:16 -0800

House prices and sales will remain stable through 2012, according to the latest forecast by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

In its fourth quarter outlook, CMHC predicts the average price will increase 1.2% from $363,900 in 2011 to $368,200 in 2012. Sales will rise from 450,100 units in 2011 to 458,500 in 2012, up 1.9%. Housing starts, however, will drop 2.2% from 191,000 in 2011 to 186,750 in 2012, according to the CMHC outlook.

Global economic concerns have resulted in growing fears about how that might impact Canada’s market, but CMHC Deputy Chief Economist Mathieu Laberge said the country’s real estate market will remain strong.

“Despite continued uncertainty in the global economy, Canada’s economic fundamentals remain positive, particularly with respect to interest rates, employment and immigration,” said Laberge. “These factors will continue to support Canada’s housing sector in 2012.”

In Vancouver and Abbotsford, where average-price growth has topped any other Canadian city, the average will gain 3.2% in 2012, on top of 5.3% gains forecasted for this year.

Unemployment there will drop from 7.9% to 7.5%, said the CMHC report. Sales activity, however, will start to tail off from the 7.3% growth in 2011 to 3.3% growth in 2012.

The market will likely continue to attract builders, with housing starts expected to rise 9.4% in 2012 and building on 5.1% gains in 2011 over 2010.

In the Greater Toronto Area, apartment starts are expected to be 37.5% higher in 2011 over 2010, totalling 18,200 stats in 2011. Those numbers won’t slow in 2012, as apartment units will gain another 1.6% to reach 18,500 in 2012.

Overall housing starts will drop 2.3% in Toronto, CMHC predicts, largely based on a 14.1% drop in single-detached starts, from 8,500 in 2011 to 7,300 in 2012.

Toronto price gains will also slow, from 4.3% gains in 2011 to 1.4% gains in 2012 to an average of $457,500.

source:canadianrealestatemagazine.ca

I'm Here to Help,

Chuck Surette

Sales Representative

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Office-519-633-5570

Cell-519-777-4727

http://www.chucksurette.ca

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chucksurette's posterous

Friendly Variety still the best deal in town

Best Valentines gift ever!

Sledding in the snow St. Thomas mls

Telus Problems

My experience with Telus

Canadian home sales edge higher in December

Bruins Goalie Tim Thomas says "NO" to White House Visit

401 + 402 Shut Down

Third Quarter Residential Sales up 13 % in London Area

Single Detached

Canadian home sales edge higher in November - Chuck Surette

Reindeer Cupcakes

Green Door

Making Rice Krispies Packages

Don't be scared of the Dark

Client/Partnership Support

Untitled

A thank you from Peter Brown my Client

A thank you

London St. Thomas Real Estate Results from November 2011

Stable outlook for Canada's housing market in 2012 - Chuck Surette