Kinnear's Komments

Volume 16, Issue 5
September 2008

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Julie's Scoop

Hi! I'm really grateful to share my scoop with you! As we head into a busy fall, there is much to do! As I mentioned back in July, our team is expanding. Please help us welcome Holly Chandler to our team of real estate agents. Holly is a compassionate, patient and insightful real estate consultant working out of our Bloor West Village offices, and she brings not only a wealth of real estate and negotiating experience but also a fun, vibrant personality and a wicked sense of humour! You can read Holly's bio on our website, www.JulieKinnear.com and you will surely get to know her better as we continue our journey together.

On a personal note, Mary and I just celebrated our one year wedding anniversary! I received so many responses to the special letter this summer about buying our new home, and happily, we just took possession of it deciding what's going to go where, and what to do with the extra space - it's fantastic! Hope the fur-kids are as enthusiastic about the change as we are. We say goodbye to our current home on Fermanagh and will always think so fondly of it and our many happy memories there.

Our Team is currently reading as part of our personal & professional development "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. It has been very impactful for all of us, and we highly recommend it. It has been around a long time, and although the title sounds like one of those quick-fix self help books it's actually a complete design for living as a whole person in every aspect of your life!

To continue to help us hone our skills in this evolving real estate marketplace our team recently spearheaded a brainstorming seminar bringing in over a dozen successful real estate agents to discuss everyone's experiences and some excellent ideas came as a result for us to implement. Jen and I will also be attending a challenging By Referral Only seminar this Fall in Vegas.

The Toronto real estate market feels strong and steady with a lot of activity so far this Fall. There tends to be a little less urgency on the part of some buyers, although we have been a part of a number of multi-offer situations this fall on the best properties.

News from the rest of the Team...Nicole is hard at work studying property law and making time to see all her friends who have recently had babies! Jen has been loving her bike she bought this summer. KJ came back from his summer holidays in Kingston feeling refreshed and ready to help daughter Cassidy through her first days at school. Elise and husband Steve are about to celebrate their first anniversary as a married couple - and have been checking out a lot of movies at the TIFF! And Holly of course is happily settling in to our Team.

Hope you enjoy an invigorating, productive Fall,

J.

Chit Chat

• Congratulations to Adam Quinn and Lara Berry! They got engaged on August 9 at Inn at Manitou.
• Our client Suzy Brown, CFP, a Wealth Advisor at BMO Nesbitt Burns is pleased to announce the addition of a new resource for her clients and referral sources! She has just launched her website - www.suzybrown.ca - a site tailored to provide her existing clients with news, commentary and background information on a wide range of topics that may have an impact on their wealth. Please visit it often for updates and education!
• Sue Seaman attended a beautiful wedding in St. David's, near Niagara on the Lake which was in a vineyard and catered by Anna Olson. The Vineyard is available for wedding bookings, contact www.olsonfoodsandbakery.com. The surroundings and food were glorious so check out the website and visit their store if you're travelling that way. At the wedding Anna showed everyone "the pose for famous people": Stand facing the camera with your hips 90 degrees turned sideways. Turn your shoulders to face forwards, (your body is facing sideways, your shoulders face forwards). Lean back on your back leg and point your front foot forward. Don't fall. Smile for the cameras. This lengthens your body to make you appear suave, thin and wise - try it!
• Cathrine Kinnear (Julie's cousin!) is looking forward to starting a full time sales position at Canadian Geographic magazine in 2 weeks. Her new home is slowly but surely coming along!
• This summer artist Sarah Merry landed the largest commission she's received to date... for a 5x10' diptych. It was a private commission for a Toronto banker and it looks stunning in his home. The painting school she runs is going very well, so well that this fall she has even expanded class schedules to accommodate more students! If you are interested in a creative outlet, please contact her at
• If you watch Canada's #1 Drama Series The Border - a new Season is coming this fall on CBC, you can look for our client Rolando Alvarez Giacoman playing the "Colombian Drug Dealer" in episodes #8 and #9. It's a great show and he's very happy to be a part of it!
• On Saturday October 25th, 2008, Ryan Packer will be bowling in the 17th Annual BMO Boo la-thon in support of Kids Help Phone. The funds raised through this event will ensure that youth in our community and across the country receive the immediate support and counselling they need, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Ryan will be dressing up in his best Halloween costume to bowl, and he needs everyone's support to reach his goal of $1500 to benefit the services Kids Help Phone provides to children and youth across Canada. You can make a tax-deductible online donation on Ryan's personal homepage at www.kidshelpphone.ca, or even join his team, or start a team of your own! You can register or join online at kidshelpphone.ca/boolathon and take part in the monstrous good times on Saturday October 25th, 2008.
• Julie Pearce and Fred Shaver were wed on September 12, 2008.

Babies

• Dominic Atkinson and Cathy Lawson are thrilled to announce the 4th (and last!) addition to their family: Craig Peter Atkinson was born on Thursday August 28th in Windsor, Ontario!
• Kaye Puhlmann and Paul Nobles are thrilled to announce daughter Alexandra, who was born on August 30, just over two months after they moved into their new home. She is 'just perfect'!

Are you feeling like Giving Back?

Q: How do you achieve lasting satisfaction that money can't buy?

A: By supporting a great cause!

Our charity of the month is Right to Play, an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play to rehabilitate children severely traumatized in war-torn countries - actively supported by Holly and Nicole

Special Offer for our Valued Clients!

Our client Nick Kaczun would like to offer you a 10% discount on his company Lustre Luxury Cleaning and Services' wide array of professional home services.
If you need help with: Residential (House & Apartment) Cleaning, Newly Built Home Cleanings, Post Renovation/Contractor Cleanings, De-Clutter/Organization Project , Home Office Set-Up, Pre/Post Move Packing & Cleaning, Seasonal Cleanings, Interior and Exterior Window Cleaning, Carpet and Upholstery Steam Cleaning, Laundry/Ironing, Cooking/Meal preparation, House/Pet "Sitting" Services, Holiday/Event Decorations (installation & removal) and more!
Simply contact Nick at 416-918-0209 or and let him know you want to take advantage of the offer in this newsletter!

Did you know...

In 2007 the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation raised $1,251,000 and set a new fundraising record. Thanks to the support of generous agents and brokers, Royal LePage has contributed more than $7,240,000 to become the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to supporting shelters and ending family violence. As the only real estate company in Canada with our own Foundation (where 100% of money raised goes to the cause), together we make a tangible difference in the lives of more than 30,000 women and children annually. Now, that's a record to be proud of!

Market Watch

TREB Members reported 6,318 in sales in August, President Maureen O'Neill recently announced today. "The 2008 Toronto summer market is ending on a solid pace," noted the President. Sales were only off nine per cent from the typical figure of 6,976 sales recorded in August 2006.

Prices increased marginally in August, with the overall average moving up one percent to $364,886 from the $361,890 seen last August, and up eight per cent from the $338,192 recorded in August of 2006. Once again, however, price movements varied depending on area. Within Toronto proper, the average actually fell one per cent to $377,990 from last August's $381,681, although it was up 10 per cent from the $344,419 recorded during the same month in 2006.

NEIGHBOURHOOD CORNER

Rosedale

In Rosedale (part of C09) there have been 29 sales recorded this year. All 29 sales were of detached homes, which averaged $2,336,472. This is up six per cent from the $2,203,457 recorded during the first 8 months of 2007.

The JKT-List: A Few of Our Favourite Things!

Jen

I love going to Fall fairs. They usually have some sort of horse show, petting zoo, prize vegetables, rides, crafts and lots of good eatin' - you can check out what fairs are on at www.ontariofairs.com

Elise

fell in love with In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. An ironic choice, since she probably has the unhealthiest eating habits on the team! Regardless she loved the simple philosophy and the back-to-basics approach (ie. Don't eat anything that your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food) that is seldom found in recent nutrition guides.

KJ

Table 17 Resturant.782 Queen St. E.(416) 800-2562 With an ever-changing seasonal menu, inspired by local ingredients and European preparation techniques, Table 17 is a great option for those that live in and those from outside the Leslieville area that are looking for an inspired meal at an honest price.

Julie

Finally read Ken Follett's 1989 epic novel The Pillars of the Earth this summer and followed up with the recently released sequel The World Without End. Lots of time to read at the cottage this summer with the wet weekends!

Nicole

fell in love with the Toronto Zoo - sounds weird but it's a really fun day for adults if you love animals! Avoid the smelly monkeys and check out the spectacular jaguars and giant turtles that look like prehistoric throwbacks.

Holly

Racer Sportif Bike Shop in Bloor West Village for being so supportive and encouraging of her cycling efforts and Swim coach Murray Drudge at Absolute Endurance for completely overhauling her swimming stroke.

Curious George

See a For Sale Sign/Sold you were wondering about? We are happy to let you know about houses in your neighbourhood - feel free to contact Nicole directly at:

The Julie Kinnear Team's GEMs (Genuine Evidence of Merit)

'We love the website! In fact, that's how we found Julie. We think she has one of the best if not "the best" marketing for selling a property. The visuals are excellent, the video's are fantastic, and her descriptions are very accurate. The feature sheet was very detailed and contained all the necessary information a buyer would need.'

Lina Sloan

What They Got! A continuing column of the Julie Kinnear Team's Sales

70 High Park Avenue 1904

70 High Park Ave. #1904.
High Park
Asking Price: 484 900
Selling Price: 489 000

176 Wolfrey Avenue

176 Wolfrey Ave.
Riverdale
Asking Price: 589 000
Selling Price: 589 000

188 Redpath Avenue 307

188 Redpath Ave. #307
Davisville
Asking Price: 299 000
Selling Price: 312 000

Mortgage Rates courtesy of Carrie Davidson, Dominion Lending for September 9, 2008

Rates are subject to change without notice. *OAC E&OE

Prime Rate is 4.75%.

Variable rate mortgages from as low as Prime minus 0.60%.

"Do Not Call" Registry effective September 30, 2008
What is the National Do-Not-Call List?

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is responsible for the National Do-Not-Call List (DNCL), which contains the names and telephone numbers of the consumers who do not want to receive unsolicited telephone calls from telemarketers.

Telemarketing is the use of telephony technology (telephone, cellphone, fax, etc.) to make unsolicited telephone calls or send unsolicited messages to consumers for the purpose of solicitation. Solicitation is selling or promoting a product or service, or soliciting money.

The object of the National DNCL is to provide a way for consumers to prevent telemarketers from calling them without consumers having to deal with individual telemarketers and their do-not-call lists. Telemarketers will not be permitted to call any of the numbers on the National Do-Not-Call List (DNCL), unless they already have an existing business relationship with the consumer or individual.

The federal legislation creating the framework for Canada's National Do-Not-Call List was passed in 2005. On December 21st, 2007, the CRTC awarded a five-year contract to Bell Canada to operate the National DNCL, and announced the list would be active on September 30th, 2008. The operator is responsible for registering numbers, providing telemarketers with up-to-date versions of the National DNCL, and receiving consumer complaints about telemarketing calls.

Consumers can register up to three different numbers on the list, and have to renew that list every three years. There is no cost for getting onto the list. Telemarketers are required to monitor the National DNCL and remove any numbers they find on it from their calling lists. Telemarketers have to pay for access to the list.

So it looks like dinner hour might once again become sacred with no interruptions!!

-sourced from TREB

Thanks for reading. The Julie Kinnear Team: Your online resource for Real Estate in Toronto.