Jarrett's Blog

Biggest Tax Grab in Ontario History!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:55:56 -0800

Hello Ontario,

This new RST/GST tax is not getting any coverage in the newspaper/television and I am not sure why. It is going to be the biggest tax increase in history. It's like no one wants to inform us of the facts. I have been investigating and I would like to share my findings.

The new tax will be administered by the Federal Government. It will be based on the GST, that means if the tax is currently collected on the Goods and Service Tax at 5% it is going to be increased to 13%, that sounds fine as Ontario 's Provincial Retail Sales Tax is 8%. Add the two together and things seem fine.

One problem, Retail Sales Tax is not collected on everything that Goods and Services Tax is, the key word here is "Services". Retail Sales Tax is not collected on services. What is going to increase?

Here is a small list of services currently only taxed at 5% going up to 13%.

Natural Gas bill
Internet bill
Water bill
Gas at the pumps- That is like 7 cents per L., or, in English, 31 cents a gallon (that is a tax on top of a tax)
Hair cut
Massage therapy

Condo Maintenance Fees !

Commissions to Sell Your Home

Legal Fees

Home Inspections

Anything that requires labour around your house: plumber, electrician, painting, grass cutting ext.

Electricity bill- This is a good one.

Look at your electricity bill there is a charge on it for debt retirement charge. That is a charge for the huge debt the OPC ran up.

Only in Ontario would we pay tax on a debt, and only in Ontario would we increase this tax.

This is just a small list as there is so much more.

Stand up Ontario and tell him we cannot afford any more Mcguinty politics. No new taxes.

This is not the time to stay passive - Mcginty was voted in on the promise to "help families"!!! This couldn't do more to hurt families in these economic times. Put in the call Ontario - this tax will be pushed through before you know it!!!

Dalton McGuinty, Premier
Legislative Building
Queen's Park
Toronto ON M7A 1A1

Phone Number
(416) 325-1941

Townhomes For Sale - $319,900 - $384,900 - Walk To The Lake!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:20:15 -0700

Description and Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	2
Square Feet:	1550
Year Built:	2004
Floors:	3

Location

Click to view map: 3076 Lake Shore Blvd. W., TH#1 Etobicoke ON M8V 1K3

Links

New Price For 65 Florence - Below Replacement Cost!!!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:16:07 -0700

Description and Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	1
Lot Size:	2442
Floors:	2

Location

Click to view map: 65 Florence Street Toronto ON M6K 1P4

Links

Toronto Real Estate Agent

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:13:52 -0700


Description and Features
Buying or Selling a Home or Condo in Downtown Toronto? Put Jarrett to Work for You! Negotiating the Purchase and Sales of Toronto Homes for Over a Decade. Call Jarrett Today!
Links
Jarrett.ca

Thanksgiving Long Weekend

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:34:47 -0700

A Very Special Long Weekend for me. This is the weekend we give thanks. I especially want to take this time to thank my family, friends, clients, associates and neighbours. I have much to give thanks about.

This has been a very difficult and trying past few weeks for my family. My sister has been in the hospital in Fredericton for the past few weeks trying to fix a problem she has been having with one of her lungs - 3 operations, 2 to fix the opening in her lung and 1 emergency surgery to stop some internal bleeding - Tanya is going to be fine and was moved out of the ICU yesterday and will hopefully be home with her husband and 6 year old son in a few days. And I am thankful.

A call came last week to tell me that my nephew was in a horrible car accident in PEI where he attends college. He and four friends were in a vehicle going too fast on roads that were not familiar. 2 of his friends were killed, one was badly hurt with broken bones and my nephew and the driver were spared. I am told that my nephew was sitting in the middle of the back seat with no seatbelt. When the car rolled, he was thrown through the windsheild and clear of the vehicle. While our family feels so very lucky for our gift of life, we mourn with the families that lost their young sons and brothers. And I am thankful.

We sometimes forget about all the true blessings in our life. Our health (mental and physical). Our home (diverse and free). Our friends (as crazy as some of them may be!). Our families (who accept us with all our faults).

Be good to each other this long weekend. Remember that each day here is a true gift. Embrace your friends and family as their presence is also a wonderful blessing. Keep well my friends.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jarrett

Townhomes for sale in South Etobicoke

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:04:12 -0700

Description and Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	2
Square Feet:	1275
Year Built:	2005
Floors:	3

Location

Click to view map: 160 Tenth St., TH#4 Etobicoke ON M8V 4E1

Links

Newly Renovated Home for sale in Toronto

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:48:03 -0700

Description and Features

Bedrooms:	3
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	1
Lot Size:	2442
Floors:	2

Location

Click to view map: 65 Florence Street Toronto ON M6K 1P4

Links

Stunning Loft Conversion For Sale

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:34:06 -0700

CLICK TO VIEW LISTING WEBSITE

Description and Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	2
Parking Spaces:	1
Square Feet:	1049
Year Built:	2008
Floors:	1

Location

Click to view map: 233 Carlaw Ave., Suite 417 Toronto ON M4M 3E9

Links

Townhomes for Sale Close to the Lake

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:29:49 -0700

CLICK TO VIEW LISTING WEBSITE

Description
and Features

Bedrooms:	2
Bathrooms:	3
Parking Spaces:	2
Square Feet:	1550
Year Built:	2004
Floors:	3

Location

Click to view map: 3076 Lake Shore Blvd. W., TH#1 Etobicoke ON M8V 1K3

Links

Toronto Condo for Lease

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:15:41 -0700

One of the more frequent questions I get asked is about the leasing of condos and if I get involved in that. The answer, of course, is ABSOLUTELY! A good number of my clients who purchase condos in the downtown core are investors and the need to find good tenants for their properties is paramount to secure their investment. Toronto condo buildings will typically have 10 - 20% occupation by investors. If you think about, what a great investment indeed. Not only do you have a tenant paying for all or most of your carrying costs (mortgage, taxes, condo fee, utility costs, insurance) but you also get the added bonus of any increased equity! How many investments can you think of that will end up paying for itself? Toronto has a lovely history of increasing condo prices as well as increasing rents. This is spurred on by the ever increasing need to be downtown. Although we do have a fairly decent transit system, a commute from the burbs can run up to an hour each way and more and more people find this completely unacceptable in our fast paced lives.

The beautiful thing about condominiums is that they completely run themselves. Unlike a freehold investment, you don't have to worry about mowing lawns, shoveling snow, cleaning windows, securing the premises or sweeping stairs. The condo management looks after all these things and more. So what can I do for you? I can find you a great tenant! I can advertise your condo on the MLS system, arrange to show the property, do the credit check, job check and reference checks on any potential tenants and look after all the necessary lease documents and move in paperwork required. And it doesn't end there! Throughout the term of the tenants lease, the tenant can feel free to call me anytime with any problems (broken appliances, leaks, etc.) and I will arrange for the right professional to fix the problem. I don't charge a "management fee" for this as there is really very little to look after with a condominium. This is a great burden off the shoulders of out of country investors or busy professionals.

So, how much does this cost? The cost is one month's rent (plus GST) for a minimum one years lease. If the tenant stays on for more than a year, there is no additional charge.

If you are looking to lease out your downtown Toronto condo, please feel free to give me a call at 416-410-2300 or email me at Jarrett@Jarrett.ca to get the ball rolling. You can also log onto my website at www.CondosinDowntownToronto.com. Also, if you are an investor looking to purchase a condo in downtown Toronto, please call me to discuss the best areas in Toronto to purchase a condo for investment. I know all the buildings and can advise you accordingly.

Downtown Toronto is a great place to invest or live. Call today to get started!

Toronto Market Watch for October 2007

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:46:46 -0800

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for October 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto – best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. – I like to refer to it as “the Core.”
Toronto Real Estate Board Members reported 7915 sales of single family dwellings in the GTA in October, a 15% increase over October of last year and makes it the biggest selling month of all time in the boards history! The downtown area had a total of 781 active listings with a total sales volume of 535. 407 of these were condominiums.
The market still seems to be somewhat hot and the introduction of the new Toronto land transfer tax may push the numbers up to the end of the year with the taxes pending deadline.

The average days that a property was on the market before selling was still an incredible 20.5 days. The average selling price? $379,732.
All great numbers for an excellent fall market in Toronto.
If you require any more specific information, or, want to discuss your own particular real estate needs, feel free to contact me directly via e-mail (Jarrett@jarrett.ca) or call me on my direct line at (416) 410-2300.

Toronto's Approved Land Transfer Tax

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:30:13 -0700

Toronto City Council has approved a new land transfer tax to be levied on top of the current provincial land transfer tax. There are now new rates for both residential properties and commercial properties. For our purposes here, we will only discuss the new rates for residential. To see exactly how this new tax impacts you, please refer to the Land Transfer Tax calculator at http://www.nohomebuyingtax.com/. The additional CIty of Toronto Land Transfer Tax is calculated as follows:

0.5% of the amount of the purchase price up to and including $55,000

1% of the amount of the purchase price between $55,000 and $400,000

2% of the amount of the purchase price above $400,000

This tax will take effect starting on February 1, 2008 but if your agreement is made on or before December 31, 2007 you will be rebated the full amount of the Toronto land transfer tax - regardless of the closing date. Transactions closing before February 1, 2008 will not be charged the Toronto Land Transfer Tax no matter when the agreement was dated. Agreements signed after December 31, 2007 with a closing date after February 1, 2008 will be required to pay the full Toronto Land Transfer Tax.

First time buyers will receive a rebate of the Toronto Land Transfer Tax of up to $3,725 (this equals a 100% rebate on homes purchased for up to $400,000) If you require further clarification on this new tax, please call Access Toronto at 416-338-0338.

July is HOT HOT HOT!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:03:18 -0700

As Posted in my Podcast at www.TuneinRealEstate.com and my website blog at www.Jarrett.ca or www.CondosinDowntownToronto.com: Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for April 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto – best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. – I like to refer to it as “the Core.” Although the numbers are not all in for July, it looks like another record breaking month for sales. Our mid-month totals were up 21% over last July’s mid-month and there doesn’t seem to be any slow down in sight. Other significant numbers quoted recently was the moderate average price increases over last July’s prices of only 8% which is very healthy. Average days on market – 31. So, the numbers are telling us that we are having another hot July and it seems to be steaming into August (and that includes the weather as well!) If you require any more specific information, or, want to discuss your own particular real estate needs, feel free to contact me directly via e-mail (Jarrett@jarrett.ca) or call me on my direct line at (416) 410-2300.

Another HOT Spring Market in T.O.!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Thu, 10 May 2007 09:19:16 -0700

As recorded in my PodCast at www.TuneInRealEstate.com and www.CondosinDowntownToronto.com:

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for April 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto - best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. - I like to refer to it as "the Core."

Toronto Real Estate Board Members reported 9452 sales of single family dwellings in the GTA in April, a 13% increase over April of last year and makes it the biggest selling month of all time in the boards history! The downtown area had a total of 833 active listings with a total sales volume of 520. 406 of these were condominiums.

In spite of the large sales numbers for April, we seem to still be in a very balanced market for both buyer's and seller's. The exception would be in some of Toronto's central neighborhoods where bidding wars are common.

The average days that a property was on the market before selling was still a very fast 25.5 days. The average selling price? $333,687 - a marginal increase over last month.

So, the numbers are telling us that we are having yet another hot spring market.

If you require any more specific information, or, want to discuss your own particular real estate needs, feel free to contact me directly via e-mail (Jarrett@jarrett.ca) or call me on my direct line at (416) 410-2300.

Strong Indicators of Another Busy Spring Market in Toronto!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 09:51:50 -0700

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for March 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto - best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. - I like to refer to it as "the Core."

Toronto Real Estate Board Members reported 8,518 sales of single family dwellings in the GTA in March, a decrease from March 2006 (8707 sales). Still, any number over 8000 indicates a very robust market overall. The downtown area had a total of 891 active listings with a total sales volume of 491 (almost a 25% increase from February's sales volume). 397 of these were condominiums.

As we enter into the spring market we see many more purchaser's entering and with the short "days on market" numbers we will also see a lot more multiple offer situations for prime properties.

The average days that a property was on the market before selling was a very fast 23.5 days. The average selling price? $330,471 - no dramatic change over last month.

We are hoping for a more "balanced" spring market with supply meeting the demand for homes.

135 Maitland St. - Open House Sat. & Sun. Apr. 7 & 8

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:46:53 -0700

1 Bedroom Suite with Private Terrace For Sale!

Rare Terrace Suite!

• 820 sq. ft., 1 bath, 1 bdrm apartment - MLS® #C1105968 $269,900 CAD

Downtown, Toronto - The Prestigious Marquis! 820 S.F. Suite With Private Gated Terrace! Modern Designer Kitchen By Canac With Gas Cooktop. No Disappointments. Centrally Located In Intimate 34 Suite Building. Parking And 2 Lockers Included. Public Open House Sat. & Sun. From 2-4.

Includes: Fridge, Gas Cooktop, Convection Microwave, B/I Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer, Halogen Lighting, Track Lighting And All Window Blinds.

Buying a Loft in Toronto

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:18:02 -0700

WOW! Just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who dropped by over the past week to view the loft I had listed at 68 Broadview. WOW! There certainly was a lot of you! I know quite a few of you were neighbors just wanting to sneek a peek but I also had a ton (over a hundred people/couples) come through the door looking for the perfect loft to call home. So ... are we running out of original loft and condo spaces in the downtown area? Maybe. The nice thing about the Broadview Lofts (Candy Factory, Tip Top, etc.) is that many units in the building are unique to themselves - no copies. No living in a box! Your own space that no one else can say is exactly like theirs. There is something to be said for that. A few years ago I was telling people that loft living was just a trend (phase, a thing of the moment) but I now realize that it is a viable way of life (and preferred) for so many people. They don't want the same old condo in the sky and they even go as far as to opt out of a house - a loft defines them and their lifestyle much better. Anyway, thanks again for storming the place and making it a raging success (we sold it with multiply offers!) And YES - I am looking for another loft in the building to list - great spaces and I met some great people who call loft-living at Broadview home.[:D]

Jarrett

Second Best February on Record!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:47:54 -0800

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for February 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto - best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. - I like to refer to it as "the Core."

Toronto Real Estate Board Members reported 6,772 sales in February, an increase over February 2006 (6,756 sales) and the second best total for this month ever recorded! The downtown area had a total of 840 active listings with a total sales volume of 395 (over a 30% increase from January's sales volume). 324 of these were condominiums.

February's big sales volume should be a good indicator of yet another busy spring market in the core. The average days that a property was on the market before selling was a very fast 25.5 days. The average selling price? $333,818 - no dramatic increase over January's average. Looks like we are in a very balanced market for both buyer's and seller's. The Bank of Canada has decided to hold interest rates once again so it is still a great time to think about making your next move.

As recorded on my Podcast at http://www.tuneinrealestate.com/

For more information on the Toronto Real Estate Market go to http://www.jarrett.ca/ or http://www.condosindowntowntoronto.com/

Second Best February on Record!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:42:13 -0800

Second Best February on Record!

As recorded on my Podcast at http://www.tuneinrealestate.com/

For more information on the Toronto Real Estate Market go to http://www.jarrett.ca/ or http://www.condosindowntowntoronto.com/

Best January Ever!

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:13:46 -0800

As reported on my Podcast at http://www.tuneinrealestate.com/

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for January 2007 for my area which is downtown Toronto - best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. - I like to refer to it as "the Core."

The Toronto Real Estate Board reported that this was our best January ever! Statistics are derived from the Toronto MLS system and reports a 13% increase over January of last year and a 6% increase over sales of January 2002 which was our previous record holder. We had a total of 761 active listings with a total sales volume of 295 of which 233 of these were condominiums.

I am expecting that January's record breaking performance will be a good indicator of the year ahead. The average days that a property was on the market before selling was 40. The average selling price? $334,123 - which is about a 6% increase over December's average price. So, another year is off with a bang. Interest rates are still holding steady and buyer interest is still quite high. A great time to think about making your next move.

Selling Your Toronto Home

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:05:15 -0800

What You Should Know Before Selling Your Home is my new CD available free of charge to Toronto homeowners. Tons of information, worksheets and tips to prepare and sell your home. You can order it on my home page at http://www.jarrett.ca/. As one of Toronto's top Realtors®, it is not only my job to get my clients top dollar for their home but also to have a streamlined approach to get from sell ot SOLD. My clients will now have the ability to have the guidance of a Realtor® when I am not there. If you are thinking of selling at some point in the future, you will want this CD.

Buying a Condo in Downtown Toronto

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:09:16 -0800

Learn Jarrett's "Must Have's" when buying a downtown Toronto condo.

Have you ever wondered what one of Toronto's top Realtors® will look for when shopping for a condo? Typically, they are looking for good re-sale value! "I want to buy a condo - not sell one! Yes, this is true; but one day, you will want to sell.

How do you ensure a good re-sale value of your condo? You buy smart. How do you do that? Simple, you follow Jarrett's tips or "Must Have's" for how to buy smart:

Location, location, location. Downtown Toronto is a large area of many different neighborhoods. Some are very good and some fall short. Please refer to my Neighborhood Page to see some pertinent criteria used to pick a neighborhood. Also, research the neighborhood to make sure it is where you would feel comfortable living.

Public Transit. You may not require it but your next buyer may and this could impact the re-sale value of your condo dramatically. Know where the nearest public transit is located.

Parking. This goes hand in hand with public transit. If your condo is located on the subway line, parking may not be an issue. Many single people looking for a 1 bedroom condo in the core are looking here because they don't own a car (or they make a decision between a mortgage payment or a car payment and can't afford both) Therefore, a parking space with a 1 bedroom condo isn't a "Must Have" if transit is handy. That being said, it will dramatically decrease your re-sale value of a 2 + bedroom condo if parking is not included. Please think about this if purchasing a 2 bedroom.

The View. The very first thing a condo shopper will do is open the door to your suite and run for the closest window. Great view = $$$. A definite impact on re-sale.

Condo Fees. Yes, the cheaper the fees the better. The condo fee is determined by the square footage of the suite so it should be that the smaller the suite - the smaller the fee. Other things that will help make up the condo fee is the size of the building, services provided and any extras (pool, 24 hour concierge, valet service, etc.)

Amenities. Let's face it, a very small number of condo owner's actually use the exercise room or pool. But buyer's typically put this on their "Must Have" list so if the building you are in doesn't have such things, less people will be looking at your suite thus decreasing it's potential re-sale value.

Size Matters. Make sure you are looking at a "livable" space. After all, if your condo is too small, you won't stay there very long. (here is the happy balance with #5-Condo Fees) The space needs to be functional and fit all your furniture properly. Condo furniture is smaller than "house" furniture but a queen size bed is a queen size bed. People always envision their "stuff" when looking to buy a condo.

A Downtown Realtor®. This one is a simple one. You absolutely Must Have a downtown Realtor® who knows the buildings with all it's advantages and disadvantages. One who knows that you are looking for a home and balancing that with the knowledge that you also want a good investment for the future. Jarrett Hunter is experienced and knowledgeable about the downtown Toronto market and all properties listed on MLS. Let Jarrett help you find your next home.

Hope this helps you get off on a running start. Other great Home Buyer reports are available at http://www.jarrett.ca/. Need help with any of your "Must Have's"? Simply Contact Jarrett and let him help you find the perfect condo to call your own.

Fear and the First Time Home Buyer

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:04:34 -0800

Have you had the "First Time Buyer Jitters?" This is a great question for the first time buyer and the Realtor® looking after them. As someone who works with the general public on a daily basis, I need to address the many personality types, their emotions, questions, concerns, attitudes, etc. as that will determine our successful, working partnership with each other. The first time buyer is special. I like to refer to it as the "Fear Factor" - Wow - as Realtors®, we have a lot of different types and severity's of fear to deal with.

The first time buyer is in a very unique situation. They are dealing with a new subject that they know nothing about and usually with someone they have just met. (now I am afraid!) And, let's not mention that they are also on the verge of making one of the most important decisions of their life! Sure, our industry is highly regulated and there is a ton of protections set up for the home buyer but that is not readily known and doesn't help any fears the buyer may have. How do we actually overcome fear? We address its existence and rather than disregard it, we explore it. What form of fear are we dealing with?

Paranoia?-maybe a bit but I don't think that is the whole story.

Terror? I certainly hope not! A little too extreme for the first time buyer!

Distrust? Now we are talking. Yes, I think the majority of peoples fear when buying their first home is wrapped up in several degrees of distrust. And why shouldn't they? This is a whole new venture for them and now they need a stranger's help to guide them. And what is in it for the guide? Money, of course! There is a big payoff for the Realtor® when a home is sold. We are already set up to be distrusted.

Now for the reason I decided to write this article in the first place: How do we earn a clients trust and help their fears to subside? I could start listing in point form all the cute little ways to earn trust but I feel it really comes down to the education of the buyer. Yes, the more the buyer knows, the less he will distrust you and the more the fear will subside. Your buyer needs to know a little about you - how you work, your methods, your plan of attack (so to speak) - they need to know the process.

My buyer clients get a buyer package on the very first meeting with me. It outlines who I am, my credentials and most importantly - the process - the steps to be taken to find the perfect home, put in the offer, negotiate the offer, conditions (protections) of the offer, etc,. etc. The more the buyer knows the better. That way, no surprises for anyone and no fear of the unknown!

So, now that the fear of the agent and the process have subsided, what other fear do we need to address? The fear of the commitment (home ownership, big mortgage, the 20+ years of debt, etc) and all the things that run with owning your own home. Note: the buyer needs to be pre-approved right away! They need to know how much they can afford and they need to know that the financial institution will in fact lend them the money - this fear is one of the first to be addressed as it can hinder the whole process. Hopefully, through the buying process, this fear of commitment will subside as the excitement and the realization of all the benefits of owning your own home increases.

I deal with a lot of first-timers. Their needs are very vast and diverse to say the least. They all require a lot of attention and guidance. They need to trust you and the process. It is the Realtors® job to address the buyer's fears (they typically do not tell you they are afraid so you need to be attentive to this fact) If you cannot address the buyer's fear, another Realtor® will. Be good to each other.

Warm regards,

Jarrett

Jarrett - Your Toronto Realtor®

Jarrett Hunter REALTOR®

www.Jarrett.ca

Toronto Market Report

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:11:58 -0800

Hi, my name is Jarrett Hunter and I am a downtown Toronto realtor with Royal LePage. This is the market information for December 2006 for my area which is downtown Toronto - best defined as the area south of Bloor Street to the lake, west of the Don Valley Parkway and east of Dufferin Street. - I like to refer to it as "the Core."

December sales ended the year on a high note! We had a total of 660 active listings with a total sales volume of 257 of which 211 of these were condominiums.

The downtown market has slowed a bit in December over the November numbers but is somewhat indicative of the time of year. The average days that a property was on the market before selling was 34. The average selling price? $315,123 - which makes us a bargain in most big city markets. Looks like we are entering another great year where the market seems to be more balanced for buyer and seller alike. A great time to think about making your next move.

You can also catch my market report updates on www.TuneinRealEstate.com and sign up for the Podcast.

Toronto Neighborhoods

Jarrett Hunter (Royal LePage) — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:10:36 -0800

Over the years, I seem to get a lot of calls from clients outside the city (province/country) that will ask me a myriad of questions about any particular Toronto Neighborhood. Questions about where it is located, who lives there, what type of housing is available, is it safe, close to good schools, serviced by transit, prices, etc etc.

In an attempt to answer some of these questions, I have set up a link to Toronto Neighborhoods on my main page of my website (http://www.jarrett.ca/) Some of our best neighborhoods are listed below in no particular order and if your neighborhood is not included it may be doe to an oversight on my part or it may be that I just wouldn't include it in my "best" Toronto neighborhood list. I will start in Toronto proper which we call "Old Toronto" and which includes the neighborhoods of Cabbagetown, Harbourfront, Grange Park, Kensington, Little Italy, South Annex, St. Lawrence (home of the St. Lawrence Market for fresh veggies or antique hunting on the weekends) and Trinity Bellwoods.

Old Toronto to the east includes such great neighborhoods as Riverdale, Leslieville, Danforth VIllage and The Beaches. Typically, the Beaches will give you the most expensive offering of homes due to it's stones throw from the Lake. Riverdale, Danforth Village and Leslieville have some great prices and definitely a handyman special can be found - great opportunity's as these neighborhoods are what we call up and coming. Further east, in East York, you will find 2 very nice neighborhoods (established and somewhat more expensive due to the neighborly feel and sometimes larger yards) of Leaside and Thorncliffe Park.

Old Toronto West has such great neighborhoods as Earlscourt, High Park and Swansea. Home to many large older homes. A little further west is Etobicoke which includes the neighborhoods of The Queensway, The Kingsway, Sunnylea, New Toronto, Mimico, Long Branch and Humber Bay - great spots just seconds to the Lake.

Old Toronto Midtown is just north of the downtown core and includes the Annex, Casa Loma, Christie Pits, Seaton VIllage and the more upscale neighborhoods of Forest Hill (million dollar homes), Rosedale (million dollar homes), Moore Park, Summerhill and of course, our famous Yorkville where the stars hang out.

I hope to eventually set up some neighborhood pages with market information for each area but until then you can always give me a call or email me at Jarrett@Jarrett.ca. Keep well.