Catherine's Real Estate Blog

Unbeatable Mortgage Rates!!

2010-10-26T16:55:00.020-04:00

( Please check daily for most recent updates)

Current Mortgage Rates*:

30 DAY NO FRILLS 5-year fixed/closed-3.46%

5-year variable/closed-2.20%

1-year fixed/closed-2.20%
1-year variable/closed-2.10%
3-year fixed/closed-3.19%
3-year variable/closed-2.06%
5-year fixed/closed-3.46%
5-year variable/closed-2.20%

(Refinancing also available)

*Rates shown available O.A.C. as at November 17, 2010. The 1 yr Variable/Closed rate is Prime - 0.90% = 2.10%, 3 yr Variable/Closed rate is Prime - 0.94% = 2.06%, and 5 yr Variable/Closed rate is Prime - 0.80% = 2.20%. All variable rates based on the current Prime rate of 3.00%. Rates are calculated semi-annually and not in advance. Terms and conditions apply. BC & ON only. Mortgages processed by Finder Financial Services Ltd. FSCO# 10245. Property must be closing within 45 days to be eligible for the Quick Close rate. Certain rates are applicable to purchases only. Available only to members who purchase a home through a Sutton agent registered with the Sutton Member Program (SMP) except for refinance in which case the individual must be referred by a realtor member of SMP. Finder Financial Services Ltd. reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.

Belong pas de deux

2009-10-13T00:12:00.001-04:00

Market Increases-July 2009

2009-08-12T08:46:00.010-04:00

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported a record 9,967 sales, up 28 per cent from July 2008.
The average price for July transactions was $395,414 – up by six per cent compared to the same month last year. “Households confident in their positioning within the current economic environment have taken advantage of housing affordability in the GTA,” said TREB President Tom Lebour. “The real estate sector has been one of the sectors making a positive contribution
to economic growth in the GTA, not to mention Ontario and Canada more broadly.”
Year-to-date sales, at 50,632 are down 1.2 per cent compared to the first seven months of 2008. Average price, at $385,808 is down by less than one-half of one per cent. “The steep drop-off in sales experienced at the beginning of the year has all but dissipated,” explained Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “With five months left to go in the year, it is probable that total existing home sales in 2009 will be at or above last year’s level.”

Source: Toronto Real Estate Board: Tom Lebour, President

RE: CONDO FIRES

2009-03-05T11:53:00.004-05:00

CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY'S SAFETY
What to do in case of fire in your condo. (The Toronto fire department offers these tips for high-rise residents in the event of a fire. )

If the fire is in your condo:
Alert everyone in the home.
Leave immediately. Close, but don’t lock, all doors.
Sound the fire alarm by activating a red pull station on the fire floor [if safe to do so].
Call 9-1-1. Never assume that someone else has already done so. Make sure you give your name, the correct address and exact location of the fire.
Use the exit stairwells, not the elevators. Don’t return until firefighters declare the condo safe.

If you hear a fire alarm:
Before opening any door, feel the handle and the door itself, starting from the bottom, moving to the top. If the door is not hot, open it slightly.
If you see or smell smoke, take your keys, close the door behind you, and leave the building by the nearest exit stairwell, again closing all doors after you.
If you encounter smoke in a stairwell, consider an alternate stairwell. Be sure to crawl low under smoke. If the alternate is also contaminated with smoke, return to your suite.
When you are safely outside, call 9-1-1. Never assume that someone else has already done so. Make sure you give your name, the correct address and location of the fire.

If you cannot leave:
Close, don’t lock, doors so firefighters can enter if needed.
Seal all cracks where smoke can enter by using wet towels for sheets. Seal mail slots, transoms and ventilation outlets as necessary [a role of wide duct tape is handy].
Move to the balcony or the most protective room and partially open a window for air. Close window if smoke enters.
Keep low to the floor. Heat and toxic gases rise.
Signal firefighters by waving a white sheet or towel.
Wait to be rescued. Remain calm. Don’t panic or jump.
Listen for instructions or information over the building’s internal speaker system.

High rise survival kit:
Fire officials also recommend creating this survival kit, using items that can all be purchased for less than $50.00.
What towel: to place at base of a door.
Duct tape: to cover door and vent openings.
Foil wrap: to cover vent openings.
Whistle: To signal for help.
Flashlight: use in case of power failure, smoke, or to signal for help.
Bright colored cloth: Hang in a window or on a balcony to identify your location.
Ink marker: To write messages on cloth, door or windows.
Cotton bed sheet: If smoke is heavy in your room, soak the bed sheet with water and make a tent near an open window.
Washcloth: Place with cloth over your mouth and nose in order to aid breathing in smoky areas.
Fire safety plan: have a copy of your buildings emergency procedures available.
Plastic pail with lid: use to store survival equipment. [ fill with water during a fire. ]

Source: Toronto Star January 15, 2005 The Toronto fire department offers these tips for high-rise residents in the event of a fire.

First Impressions Count

2009-02-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

In a fast market, first impression is not so important to consider.
Now more than ever, First Impressions really do matter.
It is critical before you try to sell your home, you find out what you MUST do to get your home sold. If you need any questions answered, I welcome your call to send you my FREE Home report without any pressure to sell or buy.
I recently sold my own listing within a couple of weeks of listing it while the activity on comparable listings remained minimal. I would be happy to show you how I can get your home sold fast and for top dollar with my advanced marketing system. If you are contemplating a move and before you list your home for sale, call today for my FREE no obligation consultation.

Realtor Care Foundation

2009-01-16T12:01:00.000-05:00

I give back to the community by contributing to the Realtor Care Foundation. It is a charity I know helps people and my financial contribution helps to build Homes for Humanity.

Furnace Fitness

2009-01-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

A heating system converts fuel into heat which then flows through a house. The efficiency of a heating system depends on the amount of fuel consumed to meet heating needs. Using less fuel means your system has increased its energy efficiency.

Check your heating system first
One way to maximize output using the least amount of fuel is to reduce air leakage. Before deciding to replace or upgrade your present heating system you will have to consider how much of your present system can be saved. Are the heating ducts or water distribution pipes in good condition? Oil and gas fired furnaces require a constant supply of air to operate, because fire needs oxygen to burn. An air-starved furnace can cause carbon monoxide to build-up in quantities that can be dangerous.

Additional ventilation can sometimes be required in houses with heating systems that require little or no indoor air, electrically heated homes, homes with chimney-free condensing furnaces, or houses with a fuel burning furnace enclosed in a room with air for combustion from the outside.

Improve heating efficiency
If you decide to change your system, you'll have to consider what type of fuel you want to use. Cost and availability of fuel is usually the deciding factor. If you're keeping your present system, here are a few ways you can improve its operation.

· Hot air ducts are notorious wasters of heat and money. If your basement feels too warm, too much heat is probably seeping out of your ducts. You can seal all joints and seams in the ducting with vinyl duct tape. With forced air-systems, the furnace filters should be changed regularly.

· With hot water systems, the exposed accessible heating pipes should be insulated with flexible foil- faced fiberglass at least 19mm thick. If there is an aquastat on the boiler, (a water temperature control) the water temperature can be reduced to about 49 Celsius of 120 Fahrenheit during warmer parts of the heating season. (If your boiler is made of stainless steel, or if your main boiler also heats your domestic hot water, you shouldn't reduce the water).

· "Downsizing" your oil furnace can reduce fuel bills by seven to 10 per cent. Retention head burners mix the air and oil spray very quickly which permits the combustion of oil with less air. Less air entering the burner means that less heat escapes out the chimney.

If you think you might be having problems with household air supply, contact a registered heating contractor for advice. Source: OREA

About Me

2009-01-16T09:37:00.003-05:00

Since 1997, my real estate experience has been in and around Gta, downtown, Toronto West, Mississauga, including outskirt cities such as North Toronto in King Township, Burlington, Oakville - residential properties including condos, homes, horse farms and rural property, and vacant land. Born in Toronto native to the Baby Point neighbourhood on the Humber River, I attended Humbercrest Public School and chose a career path to sustain a Senior Programmer Analyst position in a corporate setting for 20 years. I always felt a high level of satisfaction when helping others, whether training them, educating them, or just plain helping others with chores to make things easier for them. To give the highest level of real estate expertise to the public I furthered my education to become a real estate broker. With my past analytical (problem solving) background experience and my regular use of coaches and training keeps me advanced in the technical world in synch with buyers and sellers of real estate. In effect, this gets you the highest demand for your home and gets buyers what they are looking for with high speed efficiency. My philosophy is of high esteem. In order to save the public unbelievable amounts of money I have a state of the art system for buyers and sellers.