6 new homes from Habitat for Humanity

I was privileged last Sunday to attend the dedication ceremony and handover of the keys to 6 families who were taking possession of their new homes built by  Habitat for Humanity. 

My Grandson and I worked on this project in the spring.  It was an amazing experience for him, not only the volunteering part, but learning how to install drywall and build decks.
Check out the following TREB release.

TREB Habitat Sponsor Home Dedication Ceremony
June 19, 2012 -- On behalf of all Greater Toronto REALTORS®, President-Elect Ann Hannah presented the Khemraj family with the keys to their new TREB-sponsored Habitat for Humanity home on June 17.

The presentation took place at the site of six newly constructed townhouses at Macey Avenue and St. Dunstan in Toronto. Habitat for Humanity Chief Executive Officer Neil Hetherington welcomed sponsors, local dignitaries from all levels of government, and the six families who received the keys to their new homes.


Lillwatie Khemraj immigrated to Canada from Guyana in 1982 in search of a better life. Her husband Tajipaul (Clement) Khemraj followed in 1989, with a goal of furthering his education. He worked to earn a degree in Business Administration and thereafter completed a Masters degree.


The couple and their three sons, age 22, 18 and 16, were living in a two-bedroom apartment in Scarborough in order to be close to Clement’s work, when they applied for a Habitat for Humanity home in an effort to give their sons a more positive environment.

Upon being approved, they completed the required 500 sweat equity hours in just five weeks, working seven days a week.

Their new home has been custom-designed to accommodate the needs of their eldest son, who was born with cerebral palsy.

The family is very grateful for the hand-up and Clement, who wants to be able to help others in turn, hopes to establish an e-commerce, non-profit organization to assist the disabled and the elderly.
TREB’s Habitat for Humanity sponsorship was made possible as a result of Members’ support of the REALTORS Care Foundation. At a General Meeting, held in conjunction with TREB’s annual REALTOR® QUEST conference in May, Members voted in favour of continuing, for the fifth consecutive year, participation in the REALTORS Care Foundation’s Every REALTOR® campaign. This authorizes TREB to make a contribution of $1 per Member per month for a year to the Foundation in support of shelter-related charities.

In addition to their contribution of 500 volunteer hours to Habitat for Humanity, sponsor families are required to repay a zero-down payment, interest free mortgage over an average of 25 years.
Habitat for Humanity Toronto has constructed more than 225 simple, decent and affordable homes with partner families throughout the city, and has set a goal to build 50 new homes each year by 2015.

The Khemraj’s home marked TREB’s fifth Habitat for Humanity title sponsorship in recent years.

June 2012 Market Newsletter

June 2012

I was very pleased to attend the key handover ceremony this week for six families who have just moved into their new homes. These were built by Hanitat for Humanity and I was one of many volunteers who had the priviledge of helping to build these homes over the past winter. Habitat builds affordable homes for families who would otherwise nevr have the opportuniy of home ownership. It was a great feeling to meet these families and share in their joy. In this issue, we talk about how smart homes are making our lives easier, safer and more comfortable. This month we highlight how innovative networking technology provides the homeowner greater convenience and control over their daily lives. We also discuss why it's important to have your air conditioner serviced on a regular basis. Also, please have a look at two beautiful properties that we are featuring this month. Thanks so much for checking out this month's newsletter. Let us know if you have any questions or comments regarding the articles or real estate in general -- it would be great to hear from you! Sincerely, Armand Strong Toronto Sales and Price Growth in May Fabulous Opportunity in relaxing Niagara-on-the-Lake Wonderful Waterfront Home is Where the Hard Drive Is Don't Get Left Out In the Heat Strong Toronto Sales and Price Growth in May There were 10,850 homes sold through the Toronto MLS System in May 2012, an 11 per cent increase over the 9,766 sales in May 2011. Sales growth was strongest in the ‘905’ regions surrounding the City of Toronto. This pattern continued in the first half of June. Total GTA sales were flat while sales in the 416 area code were -8% vs a very strong performance in June 2011. By comparison, 905 area sales were +6% in the 1st half of June. “Sales growth in the ‘905’ area code was stronger than growth in the City of Toronto across all major home types. While lower average prices are certainly one factor that has contributed to this trend, recent polling also suggests that the City of Toronto’s land transfer tax has also prompted many households to look outside of the City for their ownership housing needs,” said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Richard Silver. Prices continue to remain very solid, +8% on average over the the May /June period. The average selling price in the GTA is now $516,834. Please conatct me if you would like to have a detailed report for your neighborhood. Fabulous Opportunity in relaxing Niagara-on-the-Lake Live in a beautiful home -- on your own private vineyard -- and make money! Exquisite House: This is a beautiful, custom built, 3600 sq. ft. home featuring excellent architecture and superb workmanship. Have a look at the video tour and feature sheet for a more detailed description. Click on the links below. Just sit back and relax: Entertain while the expert vineyard staff looks after all of the day to day details for you. Great Income from the Vineyard: The property includes17.43 acres of vineyard that grows exceptional quality Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Gamay Noir grapes. All planting stock was imported from France. Income from the sale of the grapes is significant. Contact me for full details. Click here for Feature Sheets Click here for Video Tour Please contact Armand Gilks for more details. Offered at $2,225,000 Wonderful Waterfront 100 Ft Of Waterfront On The Most Pristine Boating Bay On Lake Simcoe. One Hour From Toronto. Private dock & boathouse. Updated & renovated brick ranch bungalow features a wrap around deck with plate glass railings overlooking the water. Beautifully landscaped including a new 7 foot cedar hedge along the front property line. Open concept living, dining room & kitchen. Large family eating area off the kitchen that opens to the deck. 3 bedrooms on main level, plus a 4th bedroom and 2nd kitchen on lower level. Fam Room With Gas F/P Opens To 4 Season Garden Room With Lakeview. Ample parking plus an oversized heated double car garage. Boathouse with boat storage, marine railway & cradle system. Sleeping quarters above with rough In for 4-piece bath. Gas fireplace & walkout to the deck overlooking the water. There is also a large concrete sunning pad and a 30 ft cedar dock, new in 2010. Please click here for more information and pictures. Offered at $1,250,000 Home is Where the Hard Drive Is Imagine arriving home after a hard day's work and instead of agonizing over what to cook for dinner, your refrigerator offers you an array of delicious recipes based on what's inside! Then just for good measure, it detects food that's about to expire! Smart homes allow devices to communicate with one another in order to complement your daily routines. You can program your blinds to slowly open in the morning while at the same time the bathroom floor warms up and when you're done in the shower, your coffee will be ready and waiting! Smart features such as voice command systems help support independent living for the elderly and disabled. Having the know-how to sense scenarios such as the homeowner falling means help will arrive quickly as it automatically calls emergency services as well as other emergency contacts. This provides peace of mind for both the homeowner and their family members. Intelligent homes also provide exceptional security as lights and blinds can be enabled remotely and your smartphone can even notify you if someone's lurking around your property! These features are especially beneficial for those who own vacation properties. Keyless entry systems that use fingerprint sensors can also trigger certain home appliances and devices depending on who enters. Intelligent climate and light control saves energy and lowers bills so your home will be both the smartest and eco-friendliest on the block. The heating and cooling system can even create climate zones specific to individual family members preferences and can monitor how much electricity homeowners use in order to find ways to save even more energy. A smart home is like a personal assistant who handles all the odds and ends such as preheating your oven for your arrival home! You can now relax if you're not sure whether or not you set the alarm as you know it'll be taken care of. This type of technology is no longer for just the rich and famous. It's a major selling point and the higher your home's IQ, the higher the resale value will be! Don't Get Left Out In the Heat If something's going to go wrong with your A/C, it'll likely happen at the beginning of a heat wave. You'll roast for days until a technician’s able to come out and when they do, the repair cost will make your blood boil! A neglected air conditioner isn't as efficient or reliable so it's important to have it serviced every so often in order to ensure optimum performance. The service check will include cleaning the unit coils, checking the amp draw of the compressor, adjusting the belts and topping up the fluid. Regularly servicing your air conditioner will prevent wear and tear plus it will increase the efficiency of your unit which in turn will reduce your electricity bills. Don't let it slide again this year! Schedule your check-up today and avoid being left out in the heat.

Are you tired of scouring the paper and MLS sites looking for homes? Tired of playing telephone tag with agents only to hear the home's already sold? Sit back, relax and let me do the work for you! Just visit my website and check off the features you're looking for. Whenever a home matching your criteria hits the market, it'll be automatically flagged and emailed to you so you'll never have to worry about missing your dream home. This service is free and there's no obligation! Click here to get started. Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage 290 Merton St., Toronto ON M4S1A9 416 322 8000 View Previous Issues [Subscribe] - [Disclaimer] - [Unsubscribe] Created by RealEstateWord.com

Not meant to solicit clients already under contract.

Mortgage Rule Changes

Mortgage Rule Changes will mostly affect 1st time buyers and homes over 41mm.
June 21, 2012 -- The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced four measures for new government-backed insured mortgages with loan-to-value ratios of more than 80 per cent:

1. Reduce the maximum amortization period to 25 years from 30 years.
2. Lower the maximum amount Canadians can borrow when refinancing to 80 per cent from 85 per cent of the value of their homes.
3. Fix the maximum gross debt service ratio at 39 per cent and the maximum total debt service ratio at 44 per cent.
4. Limit the availability of government-backed insured mortgages to homes with a purchase price of less than $1 million.

The new rules will take effect on July 9, 2012.
For more detailed information, please visit www.fin.gc.ca

May 2012 Newsletter

If you're thinking about buying a condo, there are various personal and financial factors you'll want to consider. This month we examine some of the condos and condon'ts. We also discuss a few security precautions to help make sure your Facebook account never gets hacked as well as some tips on how to keep fresh cut flowers strong and healthy. Thanks so much for checking out this month's newsletter. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments regarding the articles or real estate in general -- it'd be great to hear from you! Armand

Toronto Market Remains Tight with Sales Up in April Condo Conundrum -- Freedom vs. Freedom Friends, Foes and Facebook Woes Fresh Cut Flowers Forever

Toronto Market Remains Tight with Sales Up in April

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 10,350 transactions through the TorontoMLS System in April 2012. This level of sales was 18% higher than the 8,778 firm deals reported in April 2011. The strongest sales growth was reported in the single-detached market segment with transactions of this home type up by 22% compared to a year ago. “Interest in single-detached homes has been very high, both in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions. Growth in single-detached listings has not kept up with demand, which means competition between buyers in this market segment increased. With this in mind, it was no surprise that the strongest annual price increase was also experienced in the single-detached segment,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President, Richard Silver. The average price for April 2012 transactions was $517,556 – up 8.5% compared to April 2011. While price growth was strongest for single-detached homes, the better-supplied condominium apartment segment experienced a more moderate annual rate of price growth, at 4%. “Monthly mortgage payments remain affordable for home buyers in the Greater Toronto Area. While interest rates are generally expected to increase over the next two years, the extent and timing of rate hikes has been thrown into question by slower than expected economic growth in the first quarter of this year. On net, borrowing costs are expected to remain a positive factor influencing home sales through 2012,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Condo Conundrum -- Freedom vs. Freedom

Condos appeal to virtually everyone from young urbanites who want to be in the heart of the action to seniors who just want to relax and enjoy their golden years playing tennis and relaxing by the pool. Condos are very low maintenance which means you don't have to spend your weekends cutting the grass and cleaning the gutters. They also offer enhanced security features which is perfect for those who like to travel. Living in a condo is a lot like living on a resort. Some condos even offer room service! Convenience comes at a price though in the form of condos fees which can be costly depending on the amenities offered by the complex. That said, condos are often very affordable compared to single family homes. When you buy a condo, you don't own the land beneath you. You instead share a common interest with others in the complex which means you'll be subject to rules and regulations which can dictate anything from the type of planters you’re allowed to display to the kinds of blinds you can hang. Joint ownership also means you'll be in close contact with your fellow condo owners. Some people love the sense of community condos offer but for those who value their privacy, condo living can be a difficult adjustment. Pets are another key consideration as Fido may not be welcome in some buildings. If your real estate vision includes extensive renovations, condo living may not be for you as your options may be limited. If however you'd rather spend your time chilling by the pool instead of painting shutters, the low maintenance factor may be just what you're after. It's really a choice of freedom vs. freedom.

Friends, Foes and Facebook Woes

Imagine if someone hacked into your Facebook account, changed your password and started posting inappropriate comments and obscene images. You'd be forced to sit and watch your reputation go down the drain. Here are a few ways to avoid social media suicide: ix38wqPc - Make sure you have a really strong password that's at least 8 characters long with a mix of numbers and letters that are both upper and lower case. https: - It's important to encrypt your connection if you access your account via public Wi-Fi hotspots. Just click on "Account Settings", "Security" and then enable "Secure Browsing". Play Hard to Get - Information such as your date of birth and your mother's maiden name make it easy for thieves to steal your identity. Select "Privacy Settings" to limit who's able to view your details. Trust Your Gut - Phishing scams that reveal your personal details to hackers are rife on Facebook so always be aware of what you're clicking on no matter how tempting it is. If in doubt, Google it! Social media sites are virtual candy stores for hackers and thieves. It's easy to let your guard down when you're in the company of "Friends" who are eager to share their personal details but if you use common sense (and a strong password) you'll avoid what could be a very socially awkward experience.

Fresh Cut Flowers Forever

If you're fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of fresh cut flowers, you'll want to make sure they stay healthy for as long as possible. Here are a few tips that will extend their life expectancy: don’t display them in direct sunlight or near drafts move them to a cool spot when you’re not around cut the stems on an angle and remove excess foliage change the water each day and add a splash of lemon juice These are just a few ideas to help keep your flowers strong and healthy. There are other more controversial methods such as adding bleach, vodka, and aspirin to the water but if you follow the tips above, your flowers will enjoy an extended lease on life.

TTC Board meeting about firing the GM, Gary Webster

I sent the following email to TTC Board members, all Councillors, and major newspapers. I think this reflects the frustrations that a lot of Torontonians are having about Mayor Ford.

Dear Councillor ,

If the intent of this is meeting is to fire the TTC General Manager, Gary Webster, then I would ask that you consider a few observations that I feel are very important to your decision.

- The consensus seems to be among industry professionals that Mr. Webster is highly qualified and has been doing an excellent job of running the TTC.

- I am not aware of any complaints by council or the residents of Toronto, or the TTC Board, about the way Mr. Webster has been doing his job except that he has disagreed with Mayor Ford.

- According to people In the transit business there are not many people who are qualified, and
have the experience to run a transit system as large and complex as the TTC.

- If Mr. Webster is fired because he does not agree with the Mayor’s vision it will be very
difficult to hire a qualified replacement if they know that their job status is determined by whether or not they agree with the Mayor, even though the Mayor’s vision may be flawed.

- In my opinion, the decision to fire as senior an executive as Mr. Webster should be made by
the whole of the City Council, not simply by the TTC Board.

It appeares to me that we have been deceived by Mayor Ford in that he has held back a significant report that does not support his position. This is breach of trust to the residents of the City of Toronto and should not be allowed by any elected official. If in fact, this is true, then it should be Mayor Ford’s head on the block, not Mr. Webster’s.

I implore you, as elected representatives of the residents of Toronto, to do your job properly and not just cave in to the Mayor. You were elected by the people of Toronto, not by Mayor Ford and it is your duty to serve them properly.

Sincerely,

Armand Gilks

E. agilks@sympatico.ca
T. 416 561 2710

This an excellent interview with Mark Carney about the world financial situation and what needs to be done. The Star. http://ping.fm/2gcMk

Great article on sharpening knives including a video. The Star http://ping.fm/sTLYz