The results are almost the same for Halifax, though its prices are slightly lower than in its counterpart, Boston.

As of the end of March, prices were significantly higher north of the 49^th parallel. For instance, in Toronto, the average housing price fell only four percent to $394,099, while in Chicago, the average price plummeted 34 per cent to US$249,901.

Likewise, Toronto homes were on the market for only about three weeks before being sold, substantially shorter than the Chicago homes’ 168-day (or 24-week) turnover.

In Winnipeg, the average selling price rose three per cent to $209,628, while in Minneapolis the average price fell 24 per cent to US$148,317. In St. Paul, the selling price dropped even further (36 per cent), to US$105,858.

Meanwhile, Halifax continues to buck recent real estate trends, posting a notable seven per cent increase in the average selling price (to $282,499), compared to Boston, which posted a 28 per cent plunge (to US$394,550). However, homes in both cities remained on the market for almost the same number of days.

In the nations’ capitals, prices inched upward one percent in Ottawa, while prices in Washington fell three per cent. It also took more than twice as long to sell a home in Washington.

But things are different for Calgary and its “twin”, Houston.

In Calgary, where the prices are significantly higher and selling times much shorter than in Houston, the Stampede city still posted a hefty 11 per cent price drop compared to its American counterpart. Average home prices in Calgary were $380,737 and US$200,233 in Houston.

When exposed to humid conditions, the defective drywall gives off toxic gases like hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide and others. Not only do these gases create a noxious odour (comparable to a rotten egg smell), they also cause health problems such as shortness of breath, eye irritation, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, sore throat, bloody nose, and headaches.

Along with unpleasant smells, other evidence of the presence of the toxic Chinese drywall in new or renovated homes includes blackened and burnt wiring behind wall plugs and switch plates, and corroded evaporator coils on air conditioning units.

Unfortunately, homes containing defective Chinese drywall cannot be repaired. The only course of action is for them to be completely gutted and rebuilt. Experts in the field estimate that it can take as few as three sheets of the toxic drywall to contaminate an entire home to the point of making it uninhabitable.

Between 2001 and 2008, hundreds of millions of sheets of the toxic drywall were imported to the U.S. During the same time period, about a million square metres were shipped to Canada.

America’s Watchdog, a national advocacy group for consumer protection, is taking an active role in tracking down those responsible for the defective drywall. The president of America’s Watchdog, Thomas Martin, says the crisis is “the worst case of sick houses in U.S. history.”

In April of this year, the Drywall Safety Act was introduced in the United States House of Representatives. If approved, the Act would prompt a recall of all Chinese drywall imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2007.

Meanwhile, the full extent of Chinese drywall installation in Canadian homes is still under investigation. You can read a 9 page report on Chinese Drywall by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here.

If you suspect your home may contain the defective drywall, contact an environmental engineer or a qualified home inspector.

Looking for no-strings-attached advice about buying or selling in central Toronto?  Write to me at  rsmithcarr@sympatico.ca or call me at 416-482-8360 ext. 3519

In the first two weeks of May,  housing sales in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) were in positive territory for the first time since the market’s tailspin last fall, chalking up a healthy 3 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Housing analyst and economist, Will Dunning, explains that the current mini-boom is what he calls a return to reality of sorts. “Buyers have returned to the market with the realization that apart from manufacturing and construction, the GTA economy is holding up well.”

Indeed, the Toronto real estate market has been more than encouraging of late. A lack of homes on the market and record-low mortgage rates have lured buyers back into the game.

And game they are. In May 2009 in Davisville Village and Leaside, 41 per cent of homes in the 500,000 to 950,000 range sold for the full asking price or above, while a property on the Danforth listed for $549,000 sold for $715,000, or 130 per cent of the asking price.

However, despite these promising signs, some analysts are already warning the mini-boom won’t last and that average existing home prices will drop 5 per cent by the end of the year. And while consumer confidence is buoyed by the more positive economic news, the seas ahead could be choppy.

Once again, the word here is caution. Dunning tempers his enthusiasm over the mini-boom by looking ahead at the long-term implications. “Improved affordability generally results in a short-lived wave of buying. So we may see several good months, but there could be another slowing in the second half of the year. I remain sceptical.”

High demand for housing has already caused a rise in mortgage rates. We are well advised not to experience a second round of Irrational Exuberance, as the title of Robert Shiller’s book so aptly describes it.

Unsure as to what to do in this real estate market? Simply send me an email, or call me: Rosalin Smith-Carr, at my direct line (416) 482-8330 ext. 3519

Real Trends 500

In a recent comparison, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., including Johnston & Daniel Division, was measured against similarly-sized American companies on the 2009 RT500 list. 

In comparable dollar-volume closed sales, Royal Lepage ranked 9^th out of 500 firms (or in the top 2 percent), and 22^nd overall in closed transaction sides, known as “ends”. Such impressive standings testify to Royal Lepage’s ongoing strength in the real estate market. 

In Canada, Royal Lepage remains the #1 brokerage firm in dollar volume, thanks in large part to the success of its Johnston & Daniel Division. Royal Lepage is both the largest and the oldest real estate company in the country, launched in 1913 by Albert Lepage and today boasting more than 14,000 agents.

Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about real estate. Since the mid-1990’s, in response to expanding market conditions, Royal Lepage tripled the size of its sales team and almost doubled its market share.

Today, Royal Lepage offers its sales and services in over 600 cities and towns all across Canada, so wherever you want to live, you’ll find a Royal LePage agent ready to serve you. In addition, we are always updating, streamlining and adding to our services to help our clients realize their dreams faster and easier.

In our steady rise to the top, we have never forgotten our roots: Royal Lepage remains proudly and steadfastly Canadian. We also remain dedicated to helping our clients through the real estate process, from start to finish.

Our commitment to innovation and customer service is as strong as ever and has provided the solid and enduring cornerstone to our success.

Looking for no-strings-attached advice about buying or selling in central Toronto?  Write to me at rsmithcarr@sympatico.ca or call me at 416-482-8360 ext. 3519

She would arrive at the open houses with a fashionably large black purse and two cute little boys. The younger boy, around eight, would cling to the woman as she toured the house.

Meanwhile, the older boy, around ten, would linger in a particular area with the realtor, making the kind of charming small-talk any ten-year-old might make.

But while the boy was keeping the agent’s attention fixed on baseball and the latest Disney movie, the woman was beyond viewing range, stuffing digital cameras, Wii video-game consoles, jewellery and even cash into her purse, as reported in the Toronto Star.

In one instance, the two boys started screaming and running around. The woman explained to the startled realtor that they were terrified of cats (there was a small tabby at the home) and the agent did what he could to calm them down.

While he was tending to the children, the woman stashed over $1,000 worth of items into her bag.

Peel police, who are investigating several of the thefts, admitted yesterday they’d never heard before of someone using children to steal at open houses. They also warned that there are likely home owners who have had open houses and haven’t yet noticed that things are missing.

The truth is - open houses are good for agents but not necessarily for sellers. Less than one percent of buyers find their home by visiting an open house. The majority of attendees show up either out of curiosity or to kill time. And some, apparently, show up just to steal.

So, if you do decide to hold an open house, make sure you put away (or better still, lock up) your valuables. And keep an eye on anyone who arrives with a fashionably large purse!

Recently, a pair of Canadian Geese decided that their starter home was going to be in a flower bed, at the Toronto Real Estate Board’s (TREB) office, on Don Mills Road. 

Your Starter Home
Your starter home will fulfill the needs of your family depending on things such number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the size of your kitchen, and proximity to different schools.

A couple with no children but planning to have one, may be happy with a 2 bedroom home.
Another couple with young children, and more on the way, will want a starter home with more bedrooms.

Our Canadian Geese couple, only needed their nest or “starter home” for about 30 days, until their seven goslings hatched, and they needed to move to their next home. Hopefully, changes to your own family needs will not happen so quickly. 

On to Your Next Home
Once the goslings hatched, a nest was no longer necessary, so father goose lead his family towards open water. Living on open water keeps the goslings safe from predators, and provides a source of food.

You will also need to make changes to your housing situation to accommodate the growing needs of your family. Will you need a home with more bedrooms and bathrooms, better access to schools, or just more space in general? The point is …  a lot of us tend to believe that our lives will unfold as they have in the past. Often we do not give much thought to impending changes that will make a profound impact on our housing needs and family life.  

Goose Family Thanks TREB Members
Real estate agents work hard to try and accommodate different kinds of families. A good and caring real estate agent will stay in touch with you over time, and try to anticipate your family’s ever changing housing needs.

The Toronto Real Estate Board thanks all members who gave the nesting couple their space, while they waited for their goslings to hatch, before moving to a new home on open water.

The new fully-applianced kitchen overlooks the formal dining room while the family room ensures quiet enjoyment with its view overlooking the private rear garden … delightful for a quiet BBQ.

The current owners have enjoyed the many amenities of Wanless Park, the easy access to bus and Subway, highly regarded schools, and the renowned neighbourhood shops, restaurants and boutiques on nearby Yonge Street.

Wanless Park

In 1912, Toronto Suburbs Ltd., guided by George Kappele and D.F. Crowagen registered a plan of subdivision for the old Waverley farm at Mount Pleasant Road and Lawrence Avenue. The developers named this new subdivision Waverley Park.

Like other Toronto neighbourhoods from this era, the actual building of homes in Waverley Park was stalled initially by the First World War and then by the depression.

In 1931 the City of Toronto expropriated the properties in the centre of Waverley Park for the creation of a public park. The Park was named Wanless Park, and eventually the entire neighbourhood adopted this name.

Wanless Park, Wanless Road, Wanless Avenue, and Wanless Crescent are all named after John Wanless, a former Toronto alderman and educator.

For more information or to view this delighful Wanless Park home email Rosalin Smith-Carr or call 416-482-8330 ext. 3519

A sunken family room with a “Muskoka” style opens to the south deck. The private garden with a concrete pool ensures the new owners recreation and tranquility in the summer sun.

The current owners enjoy the easy access to downtown, highly regarded schools and the much-enjoyed stores, boutiques and restaurants on Mt Pleasant and Bayview.

Lawrence Park
Lawrence Park is one of Toronto’s most exclusive residential neighbourhoods. It is located in a very peaceful and safe setting that includes gently rolling hills, winding roads, and a lush blanket of mature trees.  The beautiful setting, and exceptional private and public schools, keeps Lawrence Park in high demand as an excellent place to raise a family.

Most of this neighbourhood’s recreational facilities centre around Lawrence Park, east of Yonge Street, and south of Lawrence.  This park has three clay surface tennis courts, a lawn bowling club, and the Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens, an award winning multi level strolling garden. This park also provides access to the Lawrence Park Ravine footpath that is popular with fitness and nature enthusiasts.

Shopping
Lawrence Park’s shops, schools, and recreational facilities are located on its periphery, keeping traffic on the residential streets to a minimum. There are three wonderful parks which make life very enjoyable for children.

Another thing that draws families to Lawrence Park is The Granite Club, which is located two minutes north on Bayview Avenue.  The Granite Club is a family, athletic, dining, and social club.  It offers a range of services and activities that are too numerous to mention, but include something for every member of the family, ranging from five-pin bowling to computer classes, and from ballet and dance classes to art and wine societies.

Offerd at $1,595.000

For more information or to view this gracious Lawrence Park home email Rosalin Smith-Carr or call 416-482-8330 ext. 3519

This Lawrence Park home has been sold.

This traditional Moore Park home on a wide 40′ foot lot offers abundant space for a growing family. The attractive side centre-hall design with generously proportioned formal living and dining rooms, allows for easy entertaining.

The spacious eat-in kitchen opens to a delightful private garden with many flowering shrubs. The current owners enjoy the easy access to downtown, highly regarded schools and the much enjoyed stores, boutiques and restaurants on Mount Pleasant and Bayview in Toronto.

Featuring four bedrooms, two and half baths and a perfect teen retreat in the lower level, this very attractive home is perfect for a growing family.  The large third floor attic affords great possibilities for an ideal new master suite.

Extras included in this sale: Slate foyer, Dacor dual range, Bosch dishwasher, refrigerator, built-in microwave oven, second refrigerator in basement, all window treatments, all electric light fixtures, broadloom where laid, water softener, washer and dryer, furnace rental from Enbridge at $58.71/month.

Avail of this great opportunity- Moore Park four bedroom with private drive and generous lot.

This traditional side centre-hall home boasts excellent curb-appeal.

Offered at $899,000.

This home Moore Park home has been sold.

For more information or to view this traditional Moore Park home email Rosalin Smith-Carr or call 416-482-8330 ext. 3519

The well proportioned living and dining rooms with doors out to the patio allow for easy entertaining.

This home is situated on a tree-lined winding street. Features gleaming hardwood floors, an inviting log-burning fireplace, and a much sought-after main floor family and powder rooms.

A modern kitchen opens to the family room overlooking the rear garden, and there is direct access to the attached garage. 

The second level with its walk-out over the existing garage affords an easy possibility to create a new spacious master suite. Excellent opportunity to locate in Toronto’s desirable Saint Andrews neighbourhood.

The current owners enjoy the easy access to the subway, 401, and highly regarded area schools. Extras included in the sale of this home: built-in convection and microwave ovens, gas cook top, refrigerator, Maytag dishwasher, washer, dryer, freezer in garage, broadloom where laid, ADT security system (Monitoring Fee $25/Month), gas line to Barbeque and two automatic door openers to garage.

Well maintained home on generous  ‘Saint Andrews’ Lot. Priced at $699,000.

For more information or to view email Rosalin Smith-Carr or call 416-482-8330 ext. 3519