Yesterday was the Annual Spring Wild Leek and Maple Syrup Festival 2016 at the Stadtlander Eigensinn Farm in Singhampton, which is about 2 hours north of urban Toronto. Eigensinn Farm grows and raise their own vegetable and livestock led by Canadian Chef Michael Stadtlander, with the mission to share his wisdom on locally sourced food. You can read more about this bio here.‬The weather was everything but Spring-like. Four hours of driving, at 0.5 degrees celsius, with hail and blizzard, my husband and I arrived feeling much excitement. Everyone was there with one common goal... for the love of food and reconnecting with the earth. Every year, over a dozen chefs from the city's well known culinary scene participate in the event, with each team setting up stalls in the forest, and prepari... 05/16/2016

"Old ideas can sometimes use new buildings. New ideas must use old buildings." - The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. The 2016 Annual Doors Open event is coming up scheduled for the last weekend of May . This year's theme is "Re-used, Re-visited, Revised", with up to 130 rare and historically significant buildings open to the public for architectural tours. A number of buildings fall under the adaptive-reuse theme, and happens to be one of my favorite architectural topics. For the first time, there will be a feature keynote speaker. Industrial Designer Karim Rashid has been invited to speak at the DX on May 27th on the Future of Design.  You can find the list of buildings open for public tours here. 05/09/2016

There’s a long list of ingredients needed to sell your home quickly. Obviously, you want to make your home as clean and uncluttered as possible. You should also make sure any outstanding repairs are done. And, of course, all the little things you can do to make your home “show” well are important, too.But the number one ingredient needed to sell your home quickly is the right price tag. If you set the price of your home just right, buyers will come to see it, and there’s a good chance you’ll get some good offers. If you price your home too high, however, few buyers will take an interest in your property and it might languish on the market for months. Worse, it might not sell at all.So how do you determine the right price at which to list your home?One of the best ways is to do an analys... 05/06/2016

Toronto just broke a record in April.There were a reported 12,085 home sales in Toronto last month, according to the Toronto real estate board, who argues that figure could have been even higher had there been more supply.“While April’s sales result represented a new record for sales, that number could have been even higher if we had benefitted from more supply,” Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean said. “In the City of Toronto in particular, some households have chosen not to list their home for sale because of the second substantial Land Transfer Tax and associated administration fee. “The lack of available inventory, coupled with record sales, continued to translate into robust annual rates of price growth.”Sales increased 7.4% year-over-year in April, according to TREB, ... 05/04/2016

What kind of stool is most likely to keep you from toppling over when you sit on it? Of course, two-legged stools won’t even stand on their own. Three-legged stools are okay, but still unstable. Four-legged stools are rock solid.What does that have to do with shopping for a new home?Well, if you want to find the right home quickly and for the best price, you need to have four things in place – the four legs of the stool. They will help ensure the experience goes smoothly.The first leg is your wish list. You need to have a clear picture of the type of home you want. A bungalow or two stories? How many bedrooms? A large deck? Don’t forget about the neighbourhood. Need to be close to major highways for ease of commuting? Need good schools and playgrounds within walking distance?The second ... 04/25/2016

The lack of newer three bedroom family sized homes in urban Toronto continue to push prices upward in the freehold property sector due to the imbalance of supply and demand, and hardly any new family sized homes are being built. The average price gap  from a condo to a detached home is growing wider since there is a finite amount of land in the Central areas when condo dwellers need to source bigger spaces to raise a family. In the past 5 years, we are increasingly noticing more infill redevelopments in Toronto neighbourhoods  that were once saturated with 20th century bungalows, turn down or topped up being replaced by 2 storey homes. At the edge of the city core where old suburbs like  East York, Mimico, Long Branch, Don Mills, Birchcliffe and Brookhaven which are still considered to ... 04/25/2016

When shopping for a new home, create a wish list of the features and characteristics you want. After all, there’s no sense looking at properties with kitchenettes when you won’t settle for anything less than a full-sized kitchen that Julia Child would envy.But there are probably some features that are nice-to-haves but not must-haves. For example, you might like a large wrap-around deck in your backyard, but would settle for a home that doesn’t have one. (After all, you can always install one later.)That’s why it’s a good idea to create two wish lists. One list would include all the features you absolutely would not do without in your new home, and the other would list all those things you’d like to have, but are not necessities.With two lists, you’ll make better decisions. Your shoppin... 04/19/2016

Canadian home sales posted their third month-over-month increase on the way to breaking March’s previous record.  Driven by activity in the GTA and Vancouver, home sales increased 1.5% month-over-month in March, and 12.2% year-over-year, according to the Canadian Real Estate Board.The GTA is heading into the spring home buying season with soaring demand and a shortage of listings,” CREA President Cliff Iverson said. “Meanwhile, other major urban markets in Canada are well balanced or are amply supplied.”Sales were up month-over-month in nearly 60 different markets, according to CREA.“Single family home sales in the GTA set new records for the month of March in the range between a-half and one-million dollars – as did sales above a million dollars,” Gregory Klump, CREA’s chief economist,... 04/15/2016

Phil Kessel sells his Toronto Condo in the Sky  Former Toronto Maple Leaf forward, Phil Kessel, has sold his mansion in the sky.  Boasting 5000+ sqft of living space, this 3+1 Bedroom, 4 Bathroom Condominium in downtown Toronto also had 5 walkouts to a wrap-around Terrace.  Now that's condo living at its best.            If you missed out on this deal, I can show you other units in the building... at every price range.  Call me today to see the best condominiums in Downtown Toronto.  Who knows, maybe you'll run into someone you know.    04/14/2016

Back in 2014, Toronto's Queen West neighbourhood was named the second coolest neighbourhood to live in by Vogue magazine.  Toronto made it to Vogue again as one of the top 11 favorite places for the food scene. I am a big foodie, and it's hard for me not to find every excuse to write about the Toronto gastronomic scene.  The diversity of  restaurants has exploded in the last couple of years. Torontoniansare spoiled with so many culinary specializations, from traditional to fusion to experimental, from farm-to-fork to fine dining, from micro-breweries to distilleries, from indie cafes and roasters to artisan patisseries. A smorgasbord of living which represents the cultural diversity in Toronto.   A high concentration of these restaurants have plugged themselves in character neighbourhoo... 04/12/2016

After purchasing a new home, buyers are often focused on securing a good mortgage, hiring a reputable moving company, and preparing for moving day.Those are all important. Just don’t forget about home insurance! It’s an easy detail to miss. If you wait until the last minute to make those arrangements, you may not have time to shop around and get the best policy and rate.When is the ideal time to shop for home insurance? When your offer is accepted. Don’t leave it until the last minute.  04/08/2016

Strong March home sales figures help push Q1 transactions to record high There were 10,326 sales in March and 22,575 sales in the first quarter, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board.“At the beginning of 2016, TREB’s outlook for the year pointed to a strong possibility of a second consecutive record year for home sales,” Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean said in a release. “This outlook was based, in part, on upbeat consumer survey results pointing to robust home buying intentions.  It is clear that these upbeat intentions have translated into record first quarter results.”However, while sales hit highs, listings slumped.“Demand was clearly not an issue in the first three months of 2016, regardless of the housing market segment being considered.  The supply of listing... 04/06/2016

Have you had a Buyer put in an Offer without viewing the property?  It happened to me over the weekend. I spent the afternoon showing them several condo units. There was one that they liked but it was already sold and waiting for deposit. So, we went back to the office to chat and see what else was listed that met their criteria; and there was a lisiting …. 0 days on the market, ie: just listed that day ……  My Buyers wanted to see the pictures ….. showed it to them …….  I was surprised .....  when he said, lets put in an offer. I tried to book a late showing …… he said, "I am a ’dynamic person’" …… "I want you to submit the offer now; I don’t need to view the unit!!!" …. I did as instructed, and he wanted to offer more, than what I suggested! The offer was accepted within hours.   04/05/2016

CONTACT ME FOR THE WYATT PRICE, FLOOR PLANS AND SUITE SELECTION. FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.  The Wyatt Condos in Regent Park Phase 3 built by Daniels Corp is now on sale for VIP agents and their clients before release to the public!This modern condo designed by KPMB Architects will be located at the corner of Sumach St and Dundas St E. Units will go on sale this Fall. I am currently registering clients for the VIP one day exclusive sale for the best suites to go on sale at the promotional price, and you will receive the pricing and floor plans before the public sale. Situated in East Downtown with the benefits of immediate surrounding neighbourhoods such as Cabbagetown, Corktown, Riverside, and the Downtown core, and minutes from DVP and Gardiner Expressway! View the online tour of area a... 04/05/2016

Before shopping for a new home, people often create a “wish list” of the features they desire most. That's a good way to ensure you choose a home that best fits your needs and desires. For example, you might want an extra bedroom for guests, ample space for a home office, a local playground for the kids, and so forth.However, many buyers don’t make their lists complete enough. You might find a home with the extra bedroom and nearby playground you want, only to realize, too late, that your commute to work becomes twice as long. You missed the importance of the commute because it wasn’t on your list. Ouch!When you make your wish list, don’t be afraid to dream big. You might not be able to find a home that includes everything you desire, but you may be surprised by just how close you can g... 04/02/2016

What's new in Regent Park?The Regent Park 15 year Revitalization is now 50% complete. Phase 2 is near completion and phase 3 has broken ground. Regent park has a transit score of 98, and its proximity to DVP and Gardiner Expressway, walking distance to Cabbagetown, Riverside, Corktown, the Historic Distillery, Canary District, and Historic King East Design District, is a neighbourhood that offers the best value in Toronto Downtown real estate. Whether you are an investor or homebuyer, you will get the benefits of living in this masterplanned community close to vibrant urban scene.                                                                                                         George Brown College Fashion Exchange, 63 Regent Park Blvd.On March 29th, George Brown College and the co... 03/27/2016

You shop for a home. You find one you like. You make an offer — conditional on a satisfactory home inspection.Okay so far.Then the inspector discovers a problem with the home that may require an expensive repair or renovation. Perhaps the frame in the front door is cracked; or there's a leak in the roof; or the furnace is due to be replaced.What do you do?You don't want to pass up an opportunity to purchase what could be your dream home. On the other hand, you don't want to have to deal with potentially costly repairs.First, keep in mind that you did the right thing.It's always a good idea to get a home inspected by a professional before the offer is finalized. A qualified home inspector will go over the property with a fine tooth comb, top to bottom, inside and out, inspecting the stru... 03/24/2016

SOCAN [Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada] recently did a survey that tabulates which neighbourhoods in Canada has the most royalty-earning songwriters and composers per capita. By narrowing the statistics down to the postal code based on royalty cheque earnings mailed out to the 135,000 members nation wide, Toronto's Trinity Bellwoods/ Little Portugal, Parkdale/ Roncesvalles, Dufferin/ Dovercourt Village, and Christie Pits made it to the shortlist  as the centre of music creation for songwriters and composers. The M6J postal code of Trinity/ Little Portugal was ranked the most successful.  6 of Greater Montreal neighbourhoods grabbed most of the spots on the top 10 list.  Interesting that these creative neighbourhoods all fall under the urban old Toronto zones... 03/21/2016

DO YOU HAVE STUDENTS GOING TO UNIVERSITY DOWNTOWN TORONTO? Don't pay the landlord's mortgage, pay your own.NEW PRICE !!! 32 Davenport Unit 304 Now $669,900. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom,Open House mARCH 19 & 20, 2-4www.32davenport.comwww.homesearchintoronto.com  Please come by and meet the agentsDiane Plant, BrokerSteven Plant, Sales Representative    ‪#‎32davenport‬,‪#‎openhouse‬,‪#‎weekendopenhouse‬,‪#‎yorkvillecondo‬,‪#‎1bedroomcondo‬,‪#‎bloorst‬,‪#‎annex‬,‪#‎dianeplant‬,‪#‎homesearchintoronto‬ 03/18/2016

It’s great when you have lots of time to prepare for something important. But life doesn’t always happen that way. Sometimes you have to move quickly, and do the best you can with the time you have.Say, for example, you had to get your house ready for sale, and you only had a week to do so. What could you do in those few days to make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers? Here are some ideas: Clean the house from top to bottom. Make it look “guest ready”. Get rid of as much clutter as possible. If necessary, put some things in storage. Try to make every room look organized and spacious. Get all minor repairs done. Paint. It’s the fastest and cheapest way to dramatically improve the look of any room. Don’t forget the outdoors. Prune the hedges, sweep the walkways, and d... 03/13/2016