TREBCourtesy of the Toronto Real Estate Board.

GTA Springs Into Strong Real Estate Season

SAlES & AvERAGE PRIcE By MAjoR HoME TyPE

JanuaRy 2012 SalES avERagE PRiCE

416 905 Total 416 905 Total

Detached 559 1,577 2,136 $743,993 $530,129 $586,098

yr./yr. % Change 9% 15% 13% 15% 5% 8%

Semi-Detached 157 336 493 $526,599 $377,456 $424,952

yr./yr. % Change -5% 16% 8% 6% 11% 7%

Townhouse 194 531 725 $410,129 $340,957 $359,467

yr./yr. % Change 10% 19% 16% 7% 10% 9%

Condo apartment 775 351 1,126 $343,835 $272,103 $321,475

yr./yr. % Change -2% 1% -1% 5% 7% 5%

greater Toronto REalTORS® enjoyed an impressive start to 2012, reporting an 8.8 percent increase in sales activity for January 2012 over January 2011. The spring season promises even more positive action.

“a favourable affordability picture bolstered by very low posted fixed mortgage rates has kept homebuyers confident in their ability to achieve the Canadian goal of homeownership,” said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Richard Silver. “The buyer pool remains diverse in the gTa with strong interest in home types across the pricing spectrum.”

as year-over-year sales increased, so did the average selling price in the gTa, with an average January selling price of $463,534, showing an increase of almost nine percent over last January’s average selling price.

“low inventory levels have kept competition between buyers strong, resulting in robust annual rates of price growth over the last year. Strong price growth is expected to attract more listings. a better supplied market should result in a slower rate of price growth, especially in the second half of 2012,” said Jason Mercer, TREB Senior Manager of Market analysis.

Wondering how much your property might be worth in today’s market? interested in seeing what other homes are selling for? Simply pick up the phone and ask for a no-obligation property evaluation and the most recent market updates!

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Recine Team ReportCompliments of Melanie & Fabio RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Melanie Maranda Recine &Fabio Recine

Sales Representatives

"It's your callCall Melanie and Fabio"

RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage9100 Jane Street, Bldg. L, Suite #77Vaughan, ON L4K 0A4

Office: 416-987-8000Fax: 416-987-8001Direct Melanie: 647-836-4062Direct Fabio: 416-828-5441mmaranda96@hotmail.comfrecine@trebnet.comwww.RecineTeam.ca

Greetings! You’re receiving thisnewsletter with hopes that you find itinformative and entertaining.

If you’re thinking of making a move, orare just curious as to real estate trendsin your area, please feel free to call atany time. It’s always good to hearfrom you!

Best wishes,

Melanie and Fabio

Volume 8, Issue 3

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Money is a powerful motivator. Ask yourself if there’s profit in selling items you no longer need. Thanks to the Internet (and sites like eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist) there are more ways than ever to turn your trash into someone else’s treasure. Also consider “trade in, trade up” programs where you swap things you don’t need (e.g. older electronics) for credit toward things you do. You won’t get rich via consignment stores and yard sales, but the goal is less stuff – any financial benefit is a bonus.

Remember, it’s the thought that counts. Sometimes, it’s the memory associated with an item that makes it hard to let go of: the gift given to you by a friend, or the knick-knack bought on vacation. But you don’t need to keep the item in order to honor the giver or treasure the memory attached; keep the thought instead. If it helps you let go of the item with a clear conscience, take a picture of it and put that in a scrapbook, along with the story of the item’s origins.

Think about the good your belongings could do for, or joy they could bring to someone else. When you consider that the clothes you no longer wear could help someone land

a job or that the house wares you no longer use could mean a family’s fresh start, letting go of stuff makes a whole lot more sense than hanging on to it. So in addition to that “sell” pile, make a pile marked “donate to charity.”

Another stumbling block that makes it difficult to purge is the question, “What if I need it someday?” Those who frequently find themselves asking that question need to ask themselves these questions: When did I last use it? How likely am I to use it in the future? What might the consequences be of getting rid of it? Put items you never/rarely use, but think you might need, in a box and set a deadline (e.g. six months) – any boxed items not used by the deadline are ones to purge.

Focus on the positive. What do you stand to gain by parting with some of your things? Clutter can be a source of stress, so purging can actually be good for your mental well-being, allowing you to feel lighter and free. Maybe letting go of certain belongings will allow you to move past painful memories and onto a new phase of life. At the very least, fewer things mean less stuff to clean and, when it comes time to move, less to pack up.

Do you know someone who’s a bit of a hoarder? Or do you yourself have trouble parting with belongings

doing little more than occupying space? Then keep reading – whether you’re downsizing to a smaller home or

purging as part of your spring cleaning ritual, here are some strategies to help make letting go a little easier.

Learn TO LeT GO

Volume 8, Issue 3 3

Respect appointment times and open-house hours. Sellers often have to shuffle their schedules around to accommodate showings. Don’t cancel at the last minute or show up late. Also, don’t surprise sellers by showing up outside of established open-house hours.

Exercise good etiquette when viewing homes. Don’t show up with a crowd or with rambunctious kids; don’t bring food or drink inside; respect requests to remove shoes; don’t take pictures without permission; don’t rummage through closets, cupboards or drawers.

Get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Given two buyers, one pre-qualified, one not, with which do you think sellers prefer to deal? Answer: the pre-qualified one, since the seller can be more confident such buyers are capable of obtaining the financing they need to seal the deal.

Keep your comments to yourself. You might think the sellers’ taste in décor is dreadful or that their property isn’t worth nearly what they’re asking. You might even think voicing such opinions to the seller will net you a better deal. Chances are you’ll just offend the seller, to nobody’s benefit.

Think through an unreasonably low offer. Offering something less than the asking price is par for the course, and there may be justifiable reasons to do so. But simply throwing out a number that’s based more on what you’d like to get away with rather than what’s reasonable may just insult the seller.

It’s overpriced. This is the top reason why quality properties don’t sell more quickly. Buyers tend to assume, rightly or wrongly, that a seller whose home is priced above fair market value isn’t serious about selling or open to negotiating. As such, buyers may feel they’d be wasting their time by even making an offer.

It doesn’t show well. A home may have excellent “bone structure”, be fairly priced, and boast a great location, but if it doesn’t perform well at showings, it won’t sell quickly. What makes for a poor performer? A home that smells bad, is cluttered, dirty, dark, hasn’t been well maintained, or whose décor is seriously outdated.

It’s inaccessible. Even if buyers could see past the mess, if they can’t get inside the home to see it at all, they’re certainly not going to buy it. Sellers who are too restrictive about showing hours, insist buyers make appointments, require 24 hours’ notice, or cancel appointments, for example, are sellers who should be prepared to have their property linger on the market.

The seller isn’t working with a real estate representative. Owners taking the do-it-yourself approach to home selling often don’t have enough time or money to effectively market their properties. If they do find interested buyers, these sellers may lack the knowledge (e.g. document preparation) needed to see the sale through to completion, meaning the home remains on the market.

A property that doesn’t generate as much interest and sell as quickly as expected isn’t necessarily one that’s flawed. There are several reasons why perfectly good homes linger on the market. Below are some of the most common.

Spring’s here, which means the real estate market is in high gear! Don’t run the risk of losing your dream home to a competing buyer by inadvertently disrespecting the seller. If you’re looking to buy, please take a moment to consider these points.

A GuIDe for BuyerSA GuIDe for SellerS

Talk to your real estate representative about your home-buying and selling needs to ensure the smoothest, most successful transaction.

When it’s time to sell your house, your street’s appeal can be just as important as your home’s. Unfortunately, living next to (or near) that house – you know, the neighborhood eyesore – can be another obstacle on the way to a sale. What can you do?

It’s worth checking local laws to see if there are any ordinances that would enable officials to step in; in some areas, for example, owners can be fined for property neglect. Good places to start include your municipality’s building department, public-health division and fire department.

Of course, you could always try the direct route: talking to the owner. However, avoid an adversarial approach: you never know – they could simply be too ill to keep up with maintenance. Consider offering your assistance, whether by helping them find affordable services, to pitching in yourself – consider it just one more thing on your pre-sale “to-do” list. Your neighbors may also pitch in to mow the lawn, remove weeds and trim the shrubs, even if it’s only to improve their own views of the property. A word of caution though: make sure you have permission from the owner to step foot on their property, as you don’t want to risk a trespassing charge.

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure anyone so much as driving by can clearly distinguish your property from the eyesore next door. Define property boundaries by meticulously maintaining your landscaping, and consider adding shrubs or fencing if you don’t have such boundaries already.

The eyesore NexT Door

Terminology TipContingency — A contingency is a written provision in a real estate contract that specifies any conditions that must be met in order for the contract to become legally binding. If those conditions are not met, the contract is null and void. Contingencies are very common in real estate contracts, particularly in buyers’ offers. For example, buyers often make their purchase of a property contingent on obtaining financing, having the property professionally inspected, or selling their current property.

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The information and opinions contained in this newsletter are obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The publishers assume no responsibility for errors and omissions or for any damages resulting from the use of the published information. This newsletter is provided with the understanding that it does not render legal, accounting, or other professional advice. Not intended to solicit properties or businesses listed for sale and agency agreements in place with other real estate brokers. Whole or partial reproduction of this newsletter is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. © Market Connections Inc.® 2012, Phone: (800) 387-6058.

www.RecineTeam.caMelanie Direct647-836-4062

Fabio Direct416-828-5441

Fabio and Melanie RecineSales Representatives

Compliments of Fabio & Melanie Recine RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage