NEW LISTING – Suite 1903 at 18 Yonge Street listed for $360,000 including parking!

What a great opportunity to live in 18 Yonge, a quality building built in 2006 by Lanterra Developments and Architects Page & Steel. This upgraded & extremely bright one bedroom 632 sf suite has the perfect open concept layout with floor to ceiling windows showcasing the best panoramic northwest city & lake views in the building! It’s the perfect location just steps to Union Station, GO Station, the Harbourfront, St. Lawrence Market, ACC, Rogers Centre, CN Tower, financial and entertainment districts and more. Open House is this Saturday Jan. 14th and Sunday Jan. 15th from 2-4pm.

Click HERE to view more property photos, the floor plan and to contact me to schedule a showing.

TREB, Toronto, January 5, 2012

Happy New Year! Following the success of 2011, which was another record year for the Toronto Real Estate Board, 2012 is sure to be a great year!!

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 4,718 transactions through the TorontoMLS® system in December 2011. The December result capped off the second-best year on record under the current Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) boundaries. Total sales for 2011 amounted to 89,347 – up four per cent in comparison to 2010.

“Low borrowing costs kept Buyers confident in their ability to comfortably cover their mortgage payments along with other major housing costs,” said TREB President Richard Silver. “If Buyers had not been constrained by a shortage of listings over the past 12 months, we would have been flirting with a new sales record in the Greater Toronto Area,” added Silver.

The average selling price in December was $451,436 – up four per cent compared to December 2010. For all of 2011, the average selling price was $465,412, an increase of eight per cent in comparison to the average of $431,276 in 2010.

“Months of inventory remained below the pre-recession norm in 2011. Very tight market conditions meant substantial competition between Buyers and strong upward pressure on selling prices,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

“TREB’s baseline forecast for 2012 is for an average price of $485,000, representing a more moderate four per cent annual rate of price growth. This baseline view is subject to a heightened degree of risk given the uncertain global economic outlook,” continued Mercer.

Interest rates are expected to remain low and even lower further from now now until the end of 2012 and we anticipate inventory will increase which will improve conditions for buyers. Here’s to a new year and a positive outlook!

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 7,642 home sales through the TorontoMLS® in October 2011. This represented an increase of 17.5 per cent compared to the 6,504 transactions reported in October 2010.

Monthly sales data follow a recurring seasonal trend that should be removed before comparing monthly results within the same year. After adjusting for seasonality, the annualized rate of sales for October was 97,100, which was above the average of 90,700 for the first three quarters of 2011.

“The pace of October resale home transactions remained brisk in the GTA. This bodes well for a strong finish to 2011,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. “Home buyers who found it difficult to make a deal in the spring and summer due to a shortage of listings have benefitted from increased supply in the fall.”

The average selling price through the TorontoMLS® in October was $478,137 – up eight per cent compared to October 2010.

“Sellers’ market conditions remain in place in many parts of the GTA. The result has been above-average annual rates of price growth for most home types,” said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.
“Thanks to low interest rates, strong price growth has not substantially changed the positive affordability picture in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions.”

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 7,658 transactions through the TorontoMLS® system in September – a 25 per cent increase over September 2010. Sales during the first three quarters of 2011 amounted to 70,588, representing a 2.6 per cent increase compared to the first nine months of 2010.

“We have experienced strong growth in sales so far this year, with a much more active summer compared to 2010. However, while sales have been strong, we have continued to experience a shortage of listings, resulting in more competition between home buyers,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver.

“Over the past few months, the listing situation has started to improve, so we expect home buyers will have more homes to choose from in the months ahead.” With annual growth in sales (+25 per cent) outstripping annual growth in new listings (+15 per cent) in September, market conditions became tighter and the average selling price continued to grow by close to 10 per cent on a year-over-year basis.

“Strong price growth through the first nine months of the year was mitigated to a great degree by low interest rates and rising incomes,” said the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis Jason Mercer. “As buyers continue to take advantage of the affordable home ownership options in the GTA, we remain on pace for the second best year for sales under the current TREB market area.”

Click HERE to view the entire September 2011 Market Watch.

NEW LISTING – 87 Weybourne Cres. listed for $995,000!

What an amazing opportunity to use as an investment property or convert it to a single family home on a 50X100 corner lot in prime Lawrence Park. This handsome duplex has two 2 bedroom units plus a 2 bedroom unit in the basement plus a private drive with double garage.

Click HERE to view more property photos, more information and to contact me to schedule a showing.

NEW LISTING – 1 King Street West Suite 2601 listed for $279,000!!

What an opportunity to own your own condo!! This approximately 550 sf studio suite offers bright northwest city views from the 4 star King West Hotel & Residence (the historic Toronto Dominion building) in the perfect downtown location in the heart of the financial district. Connected to the Path so need to go outside with direct access to the subway and all the conveniences. A great investment, live/work or rent out to city dwellers or out of towners. Enjoy the benefits of hotel living in your own condo!

Click HERE for more information and to contact me to schedule a showing.

Well, not really MY festival but I like to think so…lol

As of yesterday, Thursday September 8th, the anticipated Toronto International Film Festival has begun in Toronto and the city is buzzing!

The Toronto International Film Festival has become the launching pad for the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema, and is recognized as the most important film festival after Cannes. What began as a ten-day film festival has grown to embrace programming 365 days a year. TIFF offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops industry support and the chance to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world.

It is 2011 so why not stay up to date on all the TIFF activity on your smartphone! Download the TIFF application HERE  so you can have access to film descriptions, schedule information as well as maps and special features on Festival picks and the exclusive Mavericks Programme.

A few films I recommend seeing are The Artist, Drive, Take This Waltz, and Martha Marcy May Marlene. Click HERE to view the list of films and buy your tickets.

What films are you seeing?

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 7,542 sales through the TorontoMLS® system in August – a 24 per cent increase over 6,083 sales in August 2010. New listings, at 12,509, were up by 20 per cent compared to August 2010. Market conditions remained tight as sales growth outstripped growth in new listings.

“Home sales in the GTA have stood up well despite a less certain economic outlook,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. “Home sales will be bolstered by low mortgage rates moving forward. The Bank of Canada is expected to be on the sidelines until the second half of 2012 or even into 2013. However, home ownership affordability in the City of Toronto could be further improved with the removal of the City’s land transfer tax. This tax currently represents a substantial upfront cost for home buyers.”

With market conditions remaining tight in the GTA, the average selling price continued to grow strongly in August – up by more than 10 per cent year-over-year to $451,663.

“We remain on pace for the second best year on record for sales. Approximately 90,000 transactions are expected by the end of December,” said TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis Jason Mercer. “Major home ownership costs, including the average monthly mortgage payment, remain affordable despite the strong price growth experienced so far this year.”

Just in the first week following the Labour Day weekend we have already seen evidence of an active Fall market with an increase in new listings and positive activity. We anticipate this active market will remain strong straight through to Christmas. Welcome Fall!

Source: Toronto Real Estate Board, July 6th, 2011

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 10,230 home sales through the TorontoMLS® system in June 2011 – up 21 per cent compared to June 2010.

This number represented the third best June result on record behind 2007 and 2009. The number of transactions during the first six months of 2011 amounted to 48,189 – down by 4.5 per cent compared to the first half of 2010.

“The strong June result capped off an interesting first half of 2011,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. “The pace of sales was a bit sluggish at the beginning of the year, but rebounded in May and June. Because of the positive affordability picture, home buyers remained confident in their ability to purchase and pay for a home over the long term.”

The average price for June transactions was $476,371 – a 9.5 per cent increase over June 2010. Through the first six months of the year, the  average selling price was $467,169 – almost an eight per cent increase compared to the same period in 2010.

“While sales have been strong, we would be on track for a record number of transactions in 2011 if not for the decline in listings so far this year,” said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “Tight supply meant more competition between home buyers and an accelerating annual rate of price growth in the second quarter.”

“Home owners will likely react to the stronger price growth by listing their homes in greater numbers. A better supplied market would result in more moderate price increases,” continued Mercer.

To read the whole TREB Market Watch for June 2011, click HERE.

NEW LISTING – 736 Spadina Avenue Suite 711 listed for $395,000

Don’t miss this fantastic first-time Buyer opportunity!

Completed in 2008, The Mosaic is a 20-storey condo in the heart of the Annex located above the JCC & is just a short walk to the ROM, Royal Conservatory of Music, U of T, hospitals, Yorkville & Chinatown plus the Bloor & Yonge TTC Subway lines, the Spadina streetcar line and Bloor Street restaurants & shops are at your doorstep. This fabulous 1+den 636 sf suite has desirable quiet North and West views over the Annex perfectly set back from Bloor St. Just move in & enjoy!

Click HERE to see property photos, floor plans and find out more!