School is almost over and parents are going to be wondering what to do with their children when school's out.  I thought my clients would appreciate a gift they could use for the whole family, and thought of getting them some Canada's Wonderland Tickets, which we are able to get at great prices. I thought I would also post the information here, in case any of you have just sold a home to families with children - it may be a nice gift, and I'm sure they will appreciate it. It's probably easier for us to buy them a couple of tickets, than it is for them to pay for them, especially at a time when they've just made the biggest purchase of their lives, and are probably very short on cash. Canada's Wonderland Save $16.02 on Adult Admission All Season Flexible TicketAny One Day All Season Long... 05/23/2008

Visit William U Regan at Google click here> http://sites.google.com/site/williamuregan/ Toronto residential real estate market analsis expert My views on investing in Toronto  Baseball Basketball Football Hockey Soccer Fans. This is a Rest and Recreation Sports and Investing benefit for you. If you have an interest in Sport Teams, my links can provide you with directions to Toronto Sport Teams at Google and Yahoo Groups. You are welcome to browse the Web Pages. I also provide my views on investing and saving your money. You might be thinking what has respect and dignity got to do with your earnings, your money, and Toronto Sport Teams, and visiting your favorite Sport Teams in Toronto. People who work and earn money have the right to enjoy using this money. You also wish to respect and ... 05/22/2008

So you're thinking about moving to Toronto. It can be tough just moving to another neighbourhood, let alone another city. Knowing a little something about your destination can be extremely helpful in either making the decision, or smoothing the transition. And we all know that good information leads to good decisions. But what you really need is ... insider information. As a native Torontonian, I'm happy to oblige. To continue reading this article, click here. 05/22/2008

This information came to me via email, from my 'miracle worker' (mortgage specialist), and I thought it was worth sharing. Exactly how safe is it to submit your credit card details over the net? While most of us do it every day without batting an eyelid, there are always those horror stories of people who had their bank accounts wiped out by malicious hackers, or even fraudulent websites. How can you tell when a site is safe? What is SSL? SSL (Secure Socket Layering), an Internet protocol, is a set of specifications that allow two applications to communication with each other via the Internet, in a secure environment. SSL allows a web browser or client to authenticate the existence and identity of a website using digital keys and certificates. It also allows for all information that it ... 05/22/2008

According to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, an epiphany can be "a moment of sudden and great revelation". I LOVE the word. I love the idea that sudden, profound insight into the essence or meaning of some "something" can be triggered by unremarkable events and experiences. Or everday life, as it's known. Really, who hasn't had one or two epiphanies in the course of a lifetime? These moments of revelation can inspire us to take action immediately ("I Quit!", "It's Over!", "I'm Doing This!"). Or at least to realize, at last, that changes have to be made soonest in some aspect of our lives. Major or minor. To continue reading this article, click here. 05/21/2008

Moderate sales and healthy price increases continued to characterize the GreaterToronto Area resale housing market during the first half of May, announced Maureen O'Neill, President of the Toronto Real Estate Board. "With 4,422 sales throughout the GTA in the first two weeks of this month, activity has declined 12 per cent compared to the 5,003 homes sold during the first half of May 2007," said Ms. O'Neill. "Prices however, continue to be strong, averaging $400,817 in the GTA, up six per cent from the $377,612 reported a year ago." In the City of Toronto, there were 1,734 sales, representing a 15 per cent decline from the 2,053 homes sold during the first half of May 2007 and an 11 per cent decline from 006. The average price in the 416 is $437,205, up six per cent from $412,701 a year... 05/20/2008

Don't miss the SPRING FEVER on St. Clair; starting May 22 to June 1, 2008. Experience the diversity of food and flavours on St. Clair, from Bathurst to Lansdowne.Enjoy a full 3 course dinner, at some of the 18 restaurants participating, for just $20 to $25 per person (plus tax and gratuity.  Some restrictions apply.  Also, coming this Summer, the SALSA ON St. CLAIR. Get your fix all that Latin culture has to offer as the Hillcrest Village BIA, the Wychwood Heights BIA, TLN Television & the City of Toronto heat up the summer with the 3rd annual Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival. SALSA ON ST. CLAIR STREET FESTIVAL Saturday, July 14th - Noon to 11pm Sunday, July 15th - Noon to 8pm *Between Winona Drive and Wychwood Ave on St. Clair Avenue West (FREE admission) In light of the overwhelming... 05/19/2008

Here's a little reminder from our Fire Guy/Fire Department, which I thought was worth passing on.   When planning a backyard fireworks display, follow these safety guidelines: While children are an ideal audience, never allow them to light any fireworks. Only responsible adults should handle all materials while all spectators watch from a safe distance. Only one person should be in charge of igniting fireworks. With the exception of sparklers, fireworks are not meant to be handheld. Carefully read the instructions and precautions that accompany the fireworks. Before they are used, store them in there original package to avoid sparks. Fireworks should be buried to at least half their length in a bucket of sand or earth before they are ignited. If portable firing bases are not available, ... 05/18/2008

Featured Toronto Condos: 1 Rean Dr. Welcome to 1 Rean Drive. A luxury Condo building located in North York at Bayview ave. and Sheppard Ave. This building is part of the New York Towers complex. Transit and Local Attractions 1 Rean Dr. is close to Bayview Subway on the Sheppard TTC line. Highway 401 is minutes away and highway 404 and the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) is just 5 minutes east. Bayview Village shopping center is directly across the street, featuring groceries, restaurants and shopping. The YMCA is located right at Bayview. A movie theatre, more shopping and entertainment is just 5 minutes away at Yonge st. Types of Condo Apartments This building features 1 bedroom, 1 bedroom plus den, 2 bedrooms, 2 bedrooms plus den and 3 bedrooms units. Building Amenities 1 Rean Dr. features s... 05/17/2008

Featured Toronto Condos: 33 Empress Ave. Welcome to 33 Empress Ave. A beautiful Condo building located in North York right at the corner of Yonge St. and Empress Ave. 33 Empress has direct access to the TTC Yonge subway line and bus routes. Highway 401 is a very short drive just 5 minutes south. Local Amenities 33 Empress is a very popular building. Besides being located in the heart of North York these condos have direct access to Empress Walk, which is a shopping plaza featuring Loblaws, a movie theatre, restaurants, and shopping. This building is also walking distance to more shopping, restaurants and other entertainment. Centerpoint Mall is a short drive, located at Yonge and Steeles. 33 Empress Condo Features Condo apartments in this building range from bachelor's or 1 bedrooms to ... 05/17/2008

Earlier this week Realosophy.com released their first Quarterly Move Smartly Housing Report to subscribers.  The Realosophy team is obsessed with analyzing Toronto real estate data and we love looking for micro trends within this data.  In the same way Calgary's real estate market is different from Toronto's, we believe that the real estate markets in two different neighbourhoods within the same city can be equally different.  Every neighbourhood has its own set of factors that influence sales and prices.  Only by looking at Toronto real estate sales at the more granular neighbourhood level can we begin to see these micro trends.  We decided to launch our report with a summary of sales for 2007.  We will soon follow this up with first quarter results for 2008.  The fascinating story we... 05/15/2008

This information was just forwarded to me from my Broker, and I thought it would be worth distributing.  It is NOT a joke. Effective June 23, 2008, all real estate transactions will be subject to new requirements under a Federal Law that supersedes both REBBA and the Provincial Privacy Legislation.  Under these regulations, Brokers and salespeople obtaining deposits will have to obtain and verify the true I.D. of the client.  Additionally, 'suspicious' behaviour (yet to be determined) will have to be reported to FINTRAC. Names of depositors will have to be checked to ensure that they are not listed as "Members of Terrorist Organizations". The long and short of this is that the agents will have to obtain I.D. from their clients and Brokers will have to do a lot more paperwork.  We don't ... 05/14/2008

Bad economic news is all we've had lately. In February, the Canadian economy shrunk by 0.2%, contrary to the projections of growth, due largely to the slowdown in the industrial and wholesale sectors. Ontario is facing layoffs in the industrial/automotive sector, tight availability of credit, record high energy costs and uncertainty regading the economical future of the Province as a whole. The Toronto Real Estate Board is reporting slower sales across the board. Whle average prices are higher than last year's, year to date sales are 9% down from last year. The Central districts have suffered a 14% setback. This is particularly worrisome in light of the increased inventory of housing units that are still coming onto the market. The good news is that downtown Toronto is experiencing cont... 05/14/2008

We are all trying to do our part in the on-going battle with our conscience. I don’t know about you, but every purchase I make, no matter how big or small, I agonize over packaging, fuel-waste and that whatever I am replacing is landfill-bound. Certainly takes the enjoyment out of shopping, doesn’t it? As a lover of all things new (new to me, that is) I am plagued by all the things that I have carelessly thrown away. However, I am redeeming myself through Freecycling. Freecycling is simply giving away the things you don’t need or want to someone who does, and it is obtaining goods you need that someone else doesn’t. It’s a brilliant concept, really. Have an old FIDO cell phone charger, but a Bell Mobility phone? Freecycle it. Have the 1960’s wood panelling from your basement in good con... 05/14/2008

In January 2008 my partner and I took a risk and moved further West than we ever thought we would. Not that we moved out of our City, we just gravitated into a potential "up and coming" neighbourhood. As a Real Estate Sales person in the City of Toronto, I feel strongly that agents should be promoting all of our wonderful neighbourhoods. However, we tend to "farm" certain areas more so than others. Well, we moved from King and Bathurst to Queen and Brock, otherwise known as Parkdale.  To some, this area is a tad "dodgy" and unpredictable.  To me and my other half, it's now home.  And we LOVE it!! Our city is growing everyday and as people move further out of the core, they gravitate towards the East and West ends of the City.  We can all agree that the gentrification of Leslieville and ... 05/13/2008

I moved to Toronto, Ontario 12 years ago and have loved every minute of it!  Well, except for the Snow Storm of 1999 when the mayor of Toronto called in the Armed Forces to cope with the unprecedented snow fall!  And as the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) shut down operation, I watched Torontonians cross country ski to work!  Now thats dedication. We live in a city, province actually that enjoys what we call "Seasons", you know, winter, spring, summer and fall.  Our city thrives on seasons; retailers, restaurateurs, sports teams and REAL ESTATE!  From the lousy "love/hate" relationship we all have with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nuit Blanche, Winterlicious, ferry rides to the Island to Pride Weekend...Toronto has it all!  Great dining, museums, shopping and of course the Torontonians!! O... 05/13/2008

Featured Toronto Condos: 797 Don Mills Road Welcome to 797 Don Mills Road. A Toronto Condo building Located right at Eglinton Ave East and Don Mills Road. 797 Don Mills Road Condos This Condo building features units ranging from 1 bedroom plus den to 2 bedroom plus den that can converted to a 3rd bedroom. They range from just over 700 square feet to just under 1200 square feet. The units feature vaulted ceilings and some have balconies. There is underground parking which is owned by the individual unit owners. What do Maintenance Fees Cover? Maintenance fees include heat, central air conditioning, parking (when spots belong to unit owners), and gym. Property taxes, cable and hydro are not included. Building Amenities 797 Don Mills Road features a 24 hour gym and recreation room. There i... 05/11/2008

Featured Toronto Condos: 28 Harrison Garden Blvd. Welcome to 28 Harrison Garden Blvd. This condo apartment building is located at Yonge st. and Avondale st., which is just south of Sheppard Ave. east of Yonge st. and just north of highway 401. The Back side of the condo building faces Yonge st. Types of Condos/ Apartments in the Building This building has several different styles of condo apartments in it. They range from 1 bedroom and 1 washroom to 2 bedrooms, 2 washrooms and a den (which some can be used as a bedroom). Parking is available in the building, spots are owned by individual unit owners. South West facing units have a view of downtown Toronto. Building Amenities This high end condo building has a 24 hour concierge and security system, exercise room, recreation room and a sa... 05/09/2008

And baby makes three…   You’ve received the happy news - you’re expecting.  And that’s when you realize you need bigger, better digs for junior.  You need a second bedroom, to lose that dangerous balcony, and a backyard to play in.   Here are some tips to help you select not only the home that makes you happy, but a home that will be functional through the various stages of pregnancy, infancy, toddlerhood and beyond.   Carefully research your ‘hoods.    With a very young child, you’ll want to make sure that there are plenty of destinations that you can walk to, and a walking-friendly park nearby.  Is there a neighbourhood park that is safe and clean nearby?  If there isn’t, take a pass.   Look for neighbourhoods with Ontario Early Years Centres nearby.  Finding a place to go each day w... 05/07/2008

May 5, 2008 -- April statistics show that 8,762 houses sold in the Greater Toronto Area. "The market continues to experience a supply and demand situation and to-date it remains a sellers market," said TREB President Maureen O'Neill. The GTA market was down 7 per cent from last April's record 9,452 transactions. However, it is showing signs for a healthy 2008 compared to the diminished activity during the first quarter of 2008. The sales pace however, did not take place evenly throughout the GTA. With 3,467 transactions in the City of Toronto, sales were down 10 per cent from a year ago. The 905 region was down five per cent from April 2007 sales, with 5,295 homes changing hands. Prices continued to appreciate last month, to a GTA average of $398,687, up eight per cent from last April's... 05/05/2008