Calmer times have arrived to Toronto housing market

All Toronto realtors and homeowners can be happy about the numbers concerning the August development on the market. The Toronto real estate board published their monthly report showing that the market is still very active, however slowing down a bit after the turbulent times in the previous three months. For example the number of items sold in August was somewhat lower than in July, but much better compared to August 2008.

The development concerning all the other key indicators is quite similar - figures are generally a bit smaller than in June or July, but higher than for the same period last year. For more details, why don't you read the who GTA real estate article.

Ants - Friend or Foe?

Annually, with the arrival of warm weather, a lot of people living in houses and condos in Toronto have to fight against thousands of uninvited guests. There are two kinds of ants that most usually move into people's houses - sugar ants and carpenter ants. Whereas real Sugar Ants live in Australia, the small black Pharaoh and Pavement ants that you keep stepping on in your kitchen are usually called ‘sugar ants’ in the US and Canada because of their inexhaustible appetite for sweet foods. They would be seldom found living indoors.

Sugar ants are tinier than Carpenter ants, the other common ant species, who are sometimes even half an inch long. A common mistake is confusing the Carpenter ants with termites. However, termites eat wood and they are white, while Carpenter ants are black and they only use the wood for making homes for their colonies, they don't really eat it, just burrow into it. They usually live in old tree stumps or fence posts, but sometimes they try to find a cosy place inside of a human house. If there is anything attractive for these ants in your home, they will keep coming there, so in order to get rid of them, just take away they favourite things.

How to close the ant restaurant It's quite likely that the ants only come into the house to search for food. In that case, these easy cleaning routine steps, done for at least two weeks, may help. If not, there is always time for something more radical. The great place for ants is your kitchen sink area, as it provides them with food and water. So you have to keep this place clean and dry. Always try to wash the dishes so that they are not left dirty overnight, and make sure you wipe the sink dry, so that there is no food or drink offered for the ants. A great tip is also using bleach or white vinegar for wiping down all the kitchen surfaces every night. The floor should also be washed properly - you can use the vinegar or bleach for this too. Vinegar is a very environmentally-friendly but effective cleaning agent. And when you clean the sink, also pour a couple of drops of bleach or white vinegar down the pipes. This is also a really practical advice. Keep all groceries in air tight boxes. Take the rubbish bin out at least once a day, but if you manage to do it more often, it's better. If there are any cracks in the walls of your home that the ants can use as the entrance, seal them up. Expanding Foam is probably the easiest and fastest choice to achieve this (your local Hardware store will stock this). If they still find their way in after all your efforts, toss some bay leaves or cloves nearby and this should do the trick.

How to find the nest To prevent Carpenter ants from nesting near or within your home, the optimum thing to do is to get rid of rotten wood in your garden and damp places in your home. But it's likely the ants have already moved into your house, usually if you cannot find any nest outside but the ants are still in your house. So you will have to use your detective skills to find out where the nest is placed. Carpenter ants enjoy damp wood, so look for old trees or fire wood in your garden. Look around sweaty pipes, washing machines, dishwashers and any other damp spots. Remember that the damage caused by one ant colony (as there may be up to 3 or even 10 thousands ants in it) can be quite extensive and possibly dangerous, depending on its location within the house's wooden structure. Sawdust can give away the ant nest, as Carpenter simply love feeding on wood. Or at silent times you might hear a dry rustling sound, also detectable with stethoscopes. Even if you use the services of a professional exterminator to clean your home of these horrible creatures, if you don’t deal with the damp wooden areas around your property that attracts them, then for sure they will be back to visit you again next year. If you don't want the ants to come back, you will have to get used to keeping your kitchen perfectly spotless, or no bait will be of any help.

Photo source: nullboy

Is Canada the preferred choice for real estate investors or is the USA?

Real estate properties have interesting discounts available now the boom period prices have been regulated. This is what real estate investors are always anticipating. To pick up a bargain. What are the dissimilarities between the rivals?

The USA real estate prices are not yet seeing recovery, whereas in Canada the MLS have plenty of real estate and prices are beginning to rise. As prices are lesser in the USA wouldn't you think this was the prime place to invest? If you have additional money to invest, professionals still say Canada is the top investment.

Global Property Guide professionals still warn of rushing into the US market and suggest Canada as a more practical option. Even though prices seem to be levelling off in the USA, experts expect that there may be more busts ahead. Profits are moderate to poor, the tax system is perplexing and the rental market heavily pro tenant. The long term investment grading chart only awards the USA 2 stars out of 5.

Although Canada is not the top market in the world (top rated is Uruguay, followed by other South American markets), we have been given 3 stars, primarily for good yields, secure economy, a better tax system and a strong rental market for immigrants (Canada is represented by Toronto and the USA is represented by New York).

Buying real estate in Canada has less expensive fees joined with it. Example property (resale $250 000 condo in major city, cash paid) transaction costs (inclusive of registration costs, real estate agent charges, legal charges and sales and transfer taxes) count for 6.96% of the sale price in Canada, while it is 9.07% in the USA. Real estate investors will appreciate the 2% lower fees.

Photo source: swisscan

Asbestos : Are You Safe?

Because of its great characteristics such as resistance to heat, fire, wear or chemicals, asbestos used to be a very desirable material - until a short time ago.

For decades it was used in making thousands of products, from building material to clothes and toys, until about 50 years ago when it became clear that it was also poisonous. What is asbestos poisoning? The advantage and disadvantage of asbestos at the same time is its durability, which has been exploited in various industries. On the other hand, when present in human bodies, the body has no way of disposing of it.

If asbestos is part of some material, as long as it stays in it, it is not dangerous. It only becomes dangerous when the tiny needle-like fibers become airborne, which makes them possible to be inhaled. The trouble with asbestos poisoning is that its primary symptoms such as dry cough, tightness in the chest or shortness of breath match the symptoms of a lot of less serious diseases. Regarding also the long latency period, it often happens that the real cause of the sickness is found out only when it is too late.

The most common sicknesses that have been linked to asbestos poisoning are asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Asbestosis is caused by the lungs trying to get rid of the asbestos fibers by producing acid, scaring the tissue, causing it to harden. Eventually, the capability to breath is very limited. Mesothelioma is an cureless cancer of the outer lining of the lungs. Mesothelioma can be caused also by only a brief, even accidental exposure to asbestos poisoning (unlike asbestosis). More than half of the people dying from asbestos poisoning suffer from asbestos-induced lung cancer. Nevertheless, if the diagnosis is determined correctly and the patient starts the treatment early, he/she is quite likely to lead an active life for many years after.

Asbestos in Canada, being once one of the most important asbestos producers in the world, still supports its use in its less dangerous variations. The asbestos mines in Quebec are still in use. Until the 1980s, asbestos had been widely used in most office buildings, public buildings and schools, usually for thermal, fire and sound insulation. The people who were most 'at risk' were mostly the workers installing asbestos materials, especially in cases where health and safety rules were ignored. Then the dust from the installation process could get into the air and people were breathing in the poisonous toxins. The use of asbestos still hasn't been banned in Canada. Nevertheless, improvements have been made - Ontario banned using asbestos as insulation back in 1973. Local governments have been trying to get rid of this material from public buildings and any work that involves either installing or removing it is governed by very stringent regulations.

Asbestos in Toronto Since 2007, Ontario has established strict regulations for asbestos used in buildings. If a landlord finds any suspicious material deteriorating in the building he owns, he has to submit it for examination. There are professional companies that can remove the asbestos safely, if its presence is discovered. If there is any danger of continuous deterioration, the whole impacted area has to be removed, again following strict safety rules.

The most common use of asbestos in non-domestic buildings: - insulation on pipes - ceiling tiles - panels boards - cement panels - sprayed coatings on walls - asbestos ropes and cloth - textures coating The most common use of asbestos in residential homes in Toronto: - exterior surfaces: deck undersheeting, roof felt and shingles, window putty - all kinds of insulation - flooring: vinyl asbestos sheets, tiles and undersheeting - interior surface: sprayed-on acoustic ceilings, acoustic tiles - appliances: water heaters, range hoods, clothes dryers and dishwashers Asbestos is still not a solved problem. A year ago, there was the Sunrise Propane blast, as most of us can still remember. Five streets were hit by asbestos debris and 3000 inhabitants had to leave their homes until a complete and careful clear up of the place. One of the assignments for our local governments is to keep struggling against the danger posed by asbestos. Nevertheless, the extent of this danger is very hard to quantify. As only 0.5% of asbestos in material is considered toxic, it’s hard to trace back all the potential risks.

There are professional companies that you can summon and they will inspect your home in case you have even the smallest suspicion it might have been impacted (there is a list of such companies available in the Toronto region). Under no circumstances, you should try to deal with the suspect material yourself!

Photo source: Marshall Astor

Restructuring of Public Transport in Toronto: Finally!

In the Ontario region a vital public transport restructuring has been hugely expected by the public since 2007. GTA will mainly benefit from the ‘MoveOntario 2020’ project. This 12-year plan comprises of 52 transit proposals including the growth of various subways, train, and bus lines and selected highways. From the real estate point of view this reorganization will ultimately have some real decisive effect on the real estate demand in the affected regions, alongside with the environmental consequences on the life of Torontonians.

Rising real estate values

Accessibility to a property is an important variable when measuring property prices by real estate agents. Various studies have analyzed that nearby railway station significantly raises the value of property. For example in Portland, houses within 500m range of light rail way station sold by over 10 per-cent more than houses positioned further away. Overall the positive ramification of new stations on the property prices rise is recorded in a half-mile range.

Improving air quality: A genuine environmental impact.

Unsafe elements of exhaust gases harm our bodies. Long term these gases cause serious disease and possibly premature death. The parts of the body most afflicted are the lungs, heart and veins.

Since the air we breathe is not pure, the pollutants and fine specks enter the body through mouth or nose and part of it stays in our lungs, causing its aggravation or irreversible damage. Air pollution can either cause or worsen asthma or bronchitis or other lasting respiratory disorders, it can cause blood clotting or heart attack and of course it can eventually lead to premature death. Research is continuing but at the moment, in Toronto, about 1.700 premature deaths are associated with air pollution each year.

The affect on automobilist

The shake-up plan claims to be designed to cut greenhouse emissions by replacing about 300 million car trips. Can it work? Is this the best idea to have cleaner air? Day to day drivers must not be ignored, but this proposal aims to focus on the public transport system. This includes railways, bikers and pedestrians supporting people to use these modes of transportation. At the moment, automobilists in Toronto spend about 67 hours in traffic jams every year. A study into congestion has found that 70% of all excursions in Toronto will still be made in cars in 20 years. This is although the increased capacity of other means of transport. For example, I know for sure that most of my colleagues working as real estate agents will never give up their cars no matter the cost or availability of public transport system.

Exhaust gas emissions are higher when traffic is stopping and starting. Cuting out congestion and improving traffic flow will improve air conditions. Or maybe the way to go is to find ideas in the recent plans of Israel or Denmark. These countries decided to heavily advocate electromobile vehicles by exemptions and by building a giant system of charging stations throughout the country. Expanding the public transport system should not be the only upgrades GTA makes. It has to answer the needs of those who chose cars as their main means for transportation.

(picture by ithinkx)

Solar panels - get some grant from Canadian government!

Just like many of you, I too feel responsible for our environment. Being a Toronto real estate agent I am always looking for new opportunities to make green living more accesible either for my clients or for whoever is interested. Today let's find out what the Canadian government grants are there for solar energy.

Why energy from solar panels?
The greatest advantage of solar energy is its

nature-friendliness. With more people being able to create their own energy by nature-friendly means, the better for the environment. With the price of energies growing fast in the last couple of years, many countries all over the world started to endorse the clean energy over the conventional energy. Canada is among them.

Before you start

Without the home energy audit you will not be suitable for receiving any grants, so let's have a look at what needs to be done.
- You only get the grants if you start all the installations AFTER the auditor's first visit.
- You have to be finished with all the repairs within 18 months since the auditor's visit.
- To ensure you will have no problems claiming all your government grants, don't forget to store all your documentation and receipts and even take photos during the works.
- Forgetting to book and complete the follow-up visit could be costly since without it you cannot receive any funding.

A note about the cost: The home energy audit will cost you at least $498.75 (first visit $341.25, the second visit $157.50, inc. GST) or a little more (depends on the sq ft of your home). The government will refund you $150 towards the cost of the first evaluation visit.

So what are the grants?

Basically at the moment there are two solar technologies that are available to masses: the solar photovoltaic system (sunlight --> electricity) and the solar thermal system (sunlight --> hot water). But no matter what you choose, the government is here to help you. There's a nice sum of up to $500 from the federal government, should you choose a system that is in compliance with the CAN/CSA standards. No need to hurry, since you can apply for the grant till March 2011. But the federal grant is not all you can get: the Ontario government will much the federal grant so you can get up to $1000. Another good news is that you can claim a refund of the 8% RST from the Ontario government.

Currently you can only claim the RST on the equipment purchased until the end of 2009.

(photo by powerhouse museum)

Inukshuk and me

If you visit our Houses for sale in Toronto website, you may notice our motto:"Guiding you home" and our logo - the inukshuk. Inukshuk is not only our logo - we based our whole business philosophy on it!

If you don't know what is an inukshuk(so it means you ar not Canadian! :)) - inukshuk (or inuksuk, plural inuksuit) is statue, made of few stones, resembling cross-like figure (inunnguaqs are human like, with two separate legs). The have been erected by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America, from Alaska to Greenland.

And in these days, they are erected by fans, tourist, artist, or just citizens on their gardens. You can find it in logos of many companies, institutions or persons. In a year, it will be world know - it was chosen as official logo for Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.



And why do we use it in Toronto Houses for sale company?

Because an Inuit word that literally translated means "stone man that points the way." Inukshuks are stone cairns that were erected by Inuit at prominent locations throughout the barrens to serve as guideposts or markers. They were also erected to help herd caribou during their annual migration towards where they could be more easily hunted by the ancient Inuit.

It resembles what we are doing - we are here to guide you safely and comfortably through the sale and/or purchase of your cherished asset, your home. We are not just here for today but for life. Our goal is to employ our combined experience and expertise to assist you to realize your housing dreams.

Canada is the first!

Many people are concerned about their banks in these days. I am dealing Toronto houses for sale so for me, a sound bank system is extremely important - real estate business and banks are very closely bounded.
Full of negative thoughts and dubitations, you should open World Economic Forum's survey The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, because in chapter 8.07 (named The soundness of banks) you can find very interesting information. Canadian banks placed as the soundess in the world!
Around 10000 proffessionals were asked between the years 2007-2008 to evaluate banks in more than 130 countries. They should give 1 to 7 points (the more the sounder bank). Canada recieved average score 6.8 points and placed 1st! This is definitely nice information, which may fortify people's trust in our bank system - and positive thinking and trust is the main core for the banks.
You may think that business proffesionals had tendency to overvaluate banks in developed countries, but if you look at the results you will see it's not true. Germany placed 39th, USA 40th and UK even 44th, beaten by Botswana or Senegal for example.
The worst banks are in Algeria (3.9 points, last place), Libya (4.0), but also Argentina (4.2), or Russia (4.86 points, placed 107th).

Market in August

While waiting for results from September, why not to have a look on August?
As Market Watch reports, trend of falling sales continued also in August and sales drop reached -22% compared to the same month of 2007 and even -9% compared to August 2006. This drop results in active listings increase (+31%), but this news shouldn't be interpreted pessimistically - offer is now broader, but there is no uncontrolled inflow of properties - new listings were down -1% compared to the last year's number and average days on market reached still pleasant value of 35 days.
Price growth was below inflation (+1% overall, -1% for the City of Toronto, +2% for the rest) so that means your investments into the real estate are losing power, on the other hand it opens the market for the buyers, especially the first-time buyers, troubled by skyrocketing prices till now.
Generally, as a Toronto realtor I still can feel enough optimism on the market. Financial crisis in the USA has not influenced the market much till now and business remains fast-turning.