Nada Thomson
courtesy of The Sanctuary

Thomson has made a real shift from helping to organize people's homes to helping to organize their lives.“I’ve been good,” says Nada Thomson, Director of Development at The Sanctuary Mission. “It’s been an adjustment period. There is so much emotional stress everyday. So you’re better for it.”

The Santuary is a healthy or wealthy community that is embodied for the poor. It is open to all belief systems and all ethnic backgrounds. The community is made up of men and women from 25 to 55. Five hundred faces every week and annually in the thousands.

Christmas tree by ShedBOy

Do you love Christmas? Well, who does not. Another question - did you think about Feng-Shuei? Maybe Christmas time it's time, when you can try to apply this philosophy in your home.

For those, who haven't heard about it, or those, who believe Feng-Shuei is a mixture if Chinese martial art and roasted duck: Feng Shuei is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics, which should help to aim positive qi in human life by positioning buildings and furniture in accordance with Earth's powers.

Picture by M J M

CMHC informs - Canadian seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was going up again in November, all thanks to Toronto. While the rate was 167,800 units in October 2010, November results moved it up to 187,200 units level.

Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre explains it clearly – it is Toronto! Urban starts increased by 82.8% in Ontario, because of several large apartment project launched in Toronto this November, multiple starts in Ontario added almost 30,000 units in the last month.

November results, GTA

November results for the GTA area release by Toronto Real Estate Board confirmed activity decline on monthly basis. Annual results remain one of the best.

There were 6,510 sales in November 2010, 13% down compared to the same months of 2009. Average price continued to grow (we explained why in our recent article Strange Market), adding 5% compared to November 2009.

(November GTA Sales: Tightened Market continued...)

As you know we love to support many independant artists – this show coming up in Roncesvalles sounds like a wonderful opportunity – one night only – NOVEMBER 24th, 2010.

My sister’s friend Renata Dusk is having an Art Exhibit “Colour of my Soul”  @ Gallery 345

345 Sorauren Ave. Toronto.

10% of the proceeds will sponsor First Nation Hope in Action Programs.

You’ll hear Julia Morgan sing and perform throughout the evening as well.

(Art as a gift this holiday continued...)

Check out this interesting analysis for you to understand exactly how the real estate market is, not how people seem to put “spins” on it!

As you can see on our latest visualization of Toronto Real Estate Board Statistics, GTA market seems kind of strange. It seems that there are typical signs of market slow-down:

(Visual Toronto Housing Market Stats For October: Strange Market continued...)

Home sweet home by chacrebleu

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, GTA area housing starts recorded no significant change in housing starts trend in the third quarter. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of total housing starts reached 31,000 homes. Single-detached are down by 30% since the beginning of 2010, but apartments are close to the 10-year average. Row houses are the best performing segment, since the activity returned to the high levels, last seen before the recession.

The JKT and all kinds of amazing clients had a fabulous family friendly day - we gave away a whole bunch of pumpkins that we had brought in from Caledon.  Everyone contributed to raise $301. for breast cancer - and  games were played, hallowe'en treats devoured.  Hilarious fun was had by all.  Come out next year for more good times! 

Click here for more pics!

Pumpkins pumpkins pumpkins!

Photo by Julia Manzerova

The Bank of Canada announced this morning that it will leave it’s key interest rates unchanged…

(This just in from the Bank of Canada… continued...)

Master key by Zarko Drincic

Discovering what is important to our clients is crucial to our process – it allows us to focus on their wants and needs, and helps us guide them through the whole experience…

(Negotiation – A Key Factor in Getting the Deal Done! continued...)

Real estate is not only about listings, interest rates and market trends and other boring stuff. Quite opposite - real estate is also about meeting people, networking and socializing and yes - most of the time it is quite fun (or else we wouldn't do it, trust me).

To demonstrate the funny side of real estate life, we have collected three videos from the Really Real Real Estate section of the Ellen DeGeneres Show. See some really special real estate listings.

Laughing out loud at realtors allowed!

Junction Triangle

The Julie Kinnear Team is one of several realtors who are sponsoring the Junction Triangle Rail Committee…

(http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/rail continued...)

Photo by Montse PB

Next weekend, on October 2 from 6:57 p.m. to sunrise is the 5th annual Nuit Blanche. A celebration of contemporary art that takes over the streets of Toronto. Discover 130 projects by close to 500 artists in unique places across the city.

One night only. All night long – and it’s all FREE!!!

For more information: scotiabanknuitblanche.ca or call 311

(Pull an All-Nighter continued...)

Photo by Jason

Toronto Real Estate Board published its regular market update for August 2010. According to data gathered from GTA realtors, year-to-date sales continue to outpace the previous year, while August sales were down, compared to August 2009.

(Toronto Real Estate in August continued...)

In your hands by Ibrahim Iujaz

Our clients Christa and Greig have seriously busy work lives and a young family. When they decided it was time to move from their High Park home, they wanted it to happen as quickly and efficiently as possible so it wouldn’t interfere with their work commitments and family time. They turned to The Julie Kinnear Team for help.

Read on to hear how the quickly and efficiently we helped them buy low and sell high!

(Bought low and sold high! continued...)

Garage by O Palsson

Parking rates have been climbing up all over Canada during the last ten years. However, if you like to spend a lot of money on parking, you should not miss out our beloved Toronto. According to an annual survey by Colliers International, Toronto ranked the second most expensive city for parking after Calgary.

(Parking in Toronto? $336.26 Monthly! continued...)

Rock balance by James Jordan

TREB issued their regular monthly report with fresh data from Toronto MLS. Realtors recorded lower sales numbers than the previous year; however both average price and year-to-date sales keep the record levels.

There were 8,442 properties sold in GTA area in June 2010, 23% less than in the same month of 2009. Activity generally slowed down in summer – the numbers dropped also compared to May 2010 (9,470 sales) and average days on market indicator reached 27 days, 6 less than the previous year, but also it took also 5 days more to sell your property compared to the previous month.

(June results: Market Balanced continued...)

Here’s a quick note of how we were able to bring family together on offer night to share in the decision making process. Technology is SO cool!

(Video call works wonders for a “live” offer presentation – Keeps family connected all the way from Toronto to the Caribbean continued...)

Some fun and original ideas in this movie.....

Pirate Radio review

You never know what you’re going to get with a comedy. They can sometimes surprise you...

Date Night review

SLOW by Rex Dingler

GTA Realtors recorded 4,139 sales during the first two weeks of June. Compared to the same period of June 2009, we experienced 20% decline. Inflow of listings to the Toronto lisintings rose by 21%, reaching 7,985 new properties.

Toronto Real Estate Board President Tom Lebour said: “The pace of existing home sales in the GTA has slowed to more normal levels following a record-setting start to 2010. Due to higher mortgage carrying costs, sales in the second half of 2010 will not be as high as what was experienced during the last six months of 2009.”

(Mid-Month Sales Signalize Further Slowdown continued...)

Sequels tend to be a big disappointment in the movie world, but Iron Man 2 is the exception!  new JKT member, Heidi, shares her thoughts

Iron Man 2 review

High Flying by Michael Kain

Not to our surprise, Bank of Canada increased its overnight target rate from 0.25% to 0.5% on the beginning of June. That confirms that our economy is slowly leaving turbulent waters of recession, so BoC is slowly abolishing the emergency rates.

There are reasons to believe more rate hikes are ahead. As Scotia Capital suggest in their latest newsletter, BoC keeps neutral bias to prevent market actors from premature preventive tightening. However, there are reasons to believe hikes will continue to hit the bottom of the standard rate range around 2.75% until the late summer 2011.

(Bank of Canada Increased the Rate: And What Next? continued...)

STOP by Emily Martin

After a year of positive increases in resale numbers, Greater Toronto Area sales stalled in May, according to the latest market report from TREB. However, the number of sold properties remains high: 9,470 sold homes is the third highest result on record in May.

(Sales in GTA Stalled continued...)

While the growth of the resale market during the year 2010 has been surprisingly fast-paced so far, we will experience slow-down towards the end of the year and overall worse results during 2011, at least according to recent report prepared for Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals.

(Mortgage Professionals Forecast Demand Drop continued...)

Plan for Affordable Housing
by woodley wonderworks

A survey says Canadian realtors are not in favor of deregulation. Majority of 1,726 real estate professionals polled by Royal LePage Real Estate Services believes the proposed changes to MLS represent a wrong way to improve the real estate industry.

(Real Estate Market Competitive and Secure continued...)

New JKT newsletter Hot off the presses!

The Roof Tiles by
Dilip Muralidaran

Following the price level of housing starts has become more difficult in recent weeks. This index distortion is caused by upcoming Harmonized Sales Tax, which is about to kick in at the beginning of July 2010. However, some builders in Ontario, aware that part of their houses will not have a new owner before July, started adding the tax on newly built homes. Since the New house price index strips out HST, the results from February (and upcoming March results as well) may be confusing.

Faster by Chuckyeager

Fresh results for May have been announced by TREB just few hours ago. GTA market keeps the fast pace, despite the rising inflow of new listings. Toronto realtors recorded 10,898 sales during April 2010, compared to 8,107 sales in April 2009 (34% growth). The overall number is comparable with last month’s results (10,430 in March 2010).

(April Results: More Records continued...)

Cigarette butt by Santi

It's clean up Toronto day - in lieu of the 20 minute makeover between 2-3pm, I spent a good half hour cleaning up my High Park street this morning.

I encourage everyone to try it.

You'll be surprised at how rewarding it is AND how much junk is out there.

Attention SMOKERS! PLEASE put your butts in the trash! It was BY FAR the vast majority of the garbage on the streets.

Keep our Toronto the Great clean! J.

Bank of Canada officials announced maintaining the overnight rate at 0.25% on Tuesday. This step was expected by markets, however, the Bank finally removed the conditional commitment to keep the rate so low for the future.

(BoC Keeps Rate But Removes Commitment continued...)

KONGRATULATIONS TO ANDIE MILLER!!

She is the winner of this years Easter Koloring Kontest. We would like to say Thank You to all of the budding artists that submitted a picture. Here are a few samples of the great work that was sent in!

(Winner of our Easter Koloring Kontest continued...)

Numbers by David Bleasdale

TREB issued regular mid-month market report with more positive results showing a solid trend. GTA realtors reported 4,601 sales via MLS listings. The first two weeks of April were up by 25% compared to the same period year ago, when 3,681 sales took place.

(Mid-April Figures Strong continued...)

Meryl Streep by
Worthing Theatres

Gotta Love Meryl Streep. I laughed alot, must admit. Saw it on the airplane - you know how we all have our own little terminals now? Hope the people around me were ok with my giggling.

It\'s Complicated review

Bring your kleenex... Kids can really see things so clearly and so simply... check out this movie, FOR SURE!

Letters To God review

Housing Prices Up,
More Hikes Expected
photo by Becka Spence

Housing prices increased in Canada on average by 10.3% in Q1, compared to the same period year ago, showed Price Survey from Royal LePage. 40 markets around the country experienced double digit growths, with Toronto adding 9% to the price level for standard two-storey homes.

Professionals believe that introduction of HST in July in Ontario and British Columbia plays some role in the increase (Vancouver recorded staggering 19% increase). While HST does not directly affect resale market (it applies only to new homes), it may turn the potential buyers from new housing market to resale market, thus fueling the competition.

(Housing Prices Up, More Hikes Expected continued...)

Good news by Chris Vecchio

March 2010 sales results for GTA recorded another steep jump and broke one more record. Toronto realtors made 10,430 sales via MLS, 69% up from March 2009 (6,171 sales) and almost one third up compared to the previous month (February 2010 sales reached number 7,291).

This means there were 22,418 items sold during the 1Q – the highest number ever reached under the current Toronto Real Estate Board boundaries!

(Housing Sales Broke Historic Record continued...)

Greater Toronto
Area housing starts

February results for new housing starts in GTA area inverted recent negative trend. According to CMHC statistic released recently, there were 2,514 new units announced in February 2010. This number is 65% higher than in February 2009.

(Housing Starts Back in Track continued...)

Fantastic night at the Theatre!

(Young Frankenstein at Princess of Wales continued...)

We've just posted a neighbourhood video of The Beaches. Have fun getting to know this cool 'hood!

See the video in our The Beaches real estate guide or right here:

This is just a reminder that this weekend you SPRING FORWARD!! Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one  hour the morning of March 14, 2010.

Winter Storm in Toronto
by Archie Wong

Have you enjoyed this nice sunny weekend? Did you take out your patio furniture and thinking about inviting guests? Don’t get fooled, winter has still some aces up sleeve.

You have few days more to make this year’s first bike trips around or have a long walk along the waterfront; however you should plan it before the next weekend comes. David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada and Canadian weather guru, said “We’re being seduced by Mother Nature, but if you’re realistic about it, you really have to expect some more winter.”

(Winter is not gone yet continued...)

Strong year
by Branden Williams

TREB just prepared a new issue of their regular Market Watch report, confirming a strong year ahead.

One look at the February 2010 sales results will help you to make a clear picture. With 7,291 items sold, there was 77% growth in sales compared to February 2009 and almost 50% growth compared to the January 2010 results. But everybody who read the mid-month report could expect it.

(February Results – Strong Year Ahead continued...)

Buildings by Curtis Perry

The provincial government has passed legislation to combine the eight percent Provincial Sales Tax with the five percent federal Goods and Services Tax, creating a 13 percent Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

The following are rules/guidance on how the transition of the upcoming Harmonized Sales Tax which comes into effect July 1/2010.

HST will not apply on the purchase price of re-sale homes.

HST would apply to services such as moving cost, legal fees, home inspection fees, and REALTOR® commissions.

HST will apply to the purchase price of newly constructed homes.

(HST – How it affects You and Your Real Estate Transactions continued...)

Housing Market by David Salafia

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty recently announced new federal real estate rule recently to contain the hot housing market. While this rule won’t have very broad impact, it may definitely affect certain groups of buyers.

The new rules say you have to be able to qualify for five-year fixed-rate mortgages, no matter what option you really aim for. It will affect mainly potential buyers at the edge of qualifying, who will be required to have higher income to qualify since April 19.

(New Rules May Change Your Plans continued...)

Mid month results, presented in today’s report from TREB, indicate growing number of sales in the GTA area. February results (despite the month having only 28 days) will most probably outperform last month’s results.

(February Sales Record continued...)

The rumours about the neighbourhood finally getting an LCBO location have been confirmed. A new store will be opening this spring or summer alongside the Loblaws and Zellers in the retail plaza on the East side of Dundas. St. south of Bloor.

I know what many of you are thinking - that's not quite in the village. It's true that in terms of convenience many local residents will still be closer to the Parkdale LCBO, but the selection should be worth the relatively long walk or short drive. The new store will boast 5,600 sq. ft. of retail space so the selection should far surpass both the Parkdale and Bloor West locations. It will be very close in size to the Liberty Village store which has 5,500 sq. ft of shopping area.

Breaking the News
Let the youngsters know about the move at the earliest possible moment.
Realize first reactions of some young children involve fear of the unknown: “Where will I go to school?” “Will I have any friends?”

(Moving with Kids? continued...)

The Government of Ontario has made a number of changes to the property assessment system that went into effect in the 2009 property tax year. These changes include the introduction of a four-year assessment update cycle and a phase-in of assessment increases.

(Attn Toronto Home Owners – Phased-in Property Assessment Explained continued...)

Star Trek Movie

This chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members is excellent. If you ever watched the original Star Trek as a kid, it brings in all your favourite characters – Bones, Scotty, Spok. The movie combines action, humour and drama to keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved it!

(Jen reviews Star Trek the Movie continued...)

True story of how our clients bought their amazing property in Leaside, despite the competitive market.

If you know someone who has given up on their search, be sure to introduce them to our team so we can help them.

(Frustrated No More! True Story of buying now in Toronto continued...)