FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO – Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Beat the HST

The July 1, 2010 deadline looms for those looking to buy a new home….another tax to be added onto the current 5% goods and services tax.  There is an exemption on the first $400,000 of any new home, however about 40% of people buying a new home in Toronto are going to face the tax hike (that’s the percentage of new homes that sell for more than $400,000).

On a $500,000 home in Toronto, the HST means $6,000 in new taxes.  How?  The HST means $400,000 in new taxes. Builders get approximately 2% tax credit on supplies, leaving $30,000.  Subtract a $24,000 tax break on the first $400,000, someone’s left with $6,000.  As the price goes up, the tax bill increases…. it’s $36,000 for a $1 million home!!

If you or someone you know is considering purchasing a new home, it may definitely be worth doing so before the looming deadline.

    5 Tips on How To Organize Your Closet for Fall:   

1.  Take Inventory

- before you even think of hitting the stores, take store of what you already own

- try on all your clothes and footwear to make sure they in good shape and that you look good and feel good in them

- throw out or give away anything that does not fit with your current lifestyle

- make a list of things that you would like to add to your wardrobe and keep it in your wallet and stick to it

- shop for your body type and lifestyle.  Just because its a trend does not mean it is the right look for you!

2.  Shopping

- check out the sales sections first for basics and neutral coloured items in black, white, navy and cream (these colours never go out of style!)

- start looking now for the best selection and put away for the cooler weather

- before you purchase something, ask yourself what three items do you have that you can wear with it.  This will help determine whether its a practical purchase or if it will end up sitting in your closet with the price tag on it for years to come.

3.  Categorize and Colour Code Your Clothes

- to better see what you have, group your clothes by item.  Hang all your shirts together, pants together, etc.

- colour code each group from light to dark, solid to print, and short to long

4.  Renew Your Shoes

- inspect your current fall/winter footwear and make sure they are in good condition.  If they need new heel lifts, salt removal or a good polish, take care of that now before the cold weather hits.  To make it easier on the wallet, late summer is a good time to start taking one pair at a time to your shoe guy.  Plus, if you start early enough, you’ll ensure that all your favourite shoes and boots are good to go when you really want to wear them

5.  Send Your Spring/Summer Wardrobe Packing

- dry clean any clothes that you need to

- use cotton or nylon garment bags to store hanging clothes.  They breathe better than plastic!  Hang the bags at the back of your closet

- store your tops and bottoms in lined totes under your bed.  You can do the same for your shoes, just use plastic totes instead

- place a dryer sheet in the totes to keep everything fresh

It’s Printed On The Bottom…..

A little boy returned from a trip with his father to visit the neighbour’s new kittens.

He excitedly told his mother there were four new kittens:  two boys and two girls.

The mother asked him how he knew which were boys and which were girls.

The little boy replied,

“Dad picked them up, and looked under them.  I guess it’s printed on the bottom

Adam and Kristi Stop Wishing and Start Packing!

  Here’s a quick note to let you know how I can help you or anyone you might introduce to me.

        After their house sat on the market, unsold, for 5 months, Adam and Kristi’s listing expired and so did their hope of selling their home.  Their one wish was to move their family into a better school district, but it looked like their wish would go unfulfilled.

        I contacted Adam and Kristi when they took their home off the market, and I could tell I wasn’t the first Realtor who’d done so.  What will you do that’s any different? Adam asked skeptically.  I said, I’ll price your home to sell,  not to sit.  I explained that the price of their home could not be based on what they wanted, but rather on what the market dictates.  When I assured Adam I’d rather not take their listing than price it incorrectly, he asked me to meet with them.  Nineteen days later, Adam and Kristi stopped wishing and started packing!

P.S.  Who’s the next family you know who wants to move?  Be sure to give me a call to discuss how I can help them.

What Do You Do When Life Gives You Lemons?

You’ve probably heard the expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  Here’s a story about a little girl that gives a whole new meaning to that thought:

When four-year-olds say they want to help, it’s usually with household tasks or some such thing.  Not so for four-year-old Alexandra Scott.  When she said she wanted to help, the tiny cancer patient meant she wanted to help her doctors find a cure for kids with cancer.

She planned to raise money through a lemonade stand.  With the help of her older brother Patrick, she set up her first Alex’s Lemonade Stand for childhood cancer in the year 2000.  Over the next four years, even as Alex’s health declined, the sibling duo staged the annual lemonade event.  By the time she died at the age of eight, Alex had managed to raise more than $1 million.  And, inspired by her example, thousands more children and adults have continued her cause, raising more than $25 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream of finding a cure for all children with cancer.

As they say on their Web site, One cup at a time, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is making a difference in children’s lives! 

Quick Home Makeover Tips

Do you need a change ? Try these 5 winning ideas to make your old space seem new… you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be!
1. Clean It and Clear It: If you have every heard the phrase “Out with the old and in with the new” now is the time to test it out on your own space. Less can often times mean more in terms of style, organization and overall appearance. If parting with your time worn treasures brings you to tears, try storing them away and rotating accessories every few months.
Time: This one will vary on how through you want to be anywhere from 1- 8 hour
2.  Change Your Hardware: Sometimes the smallest changes can make a HUGE impact on the visual style of a room. Hardware can be anything from cabinet knobs to curtain rods and finials. This can instantly personalize your space. If you are renting, the landlords hardware can be replaced upon your departure and you can take your new hardware with you! Time : 45 minutes – 1 hour
3.  Cover Your Furniture: Simply put… throws or slipcovers
Time: 5- 20 minutes
4. Cover Your Walls: The options are wide and varied for what you can do with your walls. The most obvious option is painting, there are different techniques to create special effects and details. For an even quicker makeover you can assemble folding screens or drape fabric from hooks. Try thinking outside the box and using other materials such as fabric and form core board.
Time: 1 – 5 hours
5.  Lay an Area Rug:  Once you have chosen color coordinating rugs for your space, this process is the fastest to implement!
Time: 2 minutes

If you need to go shopping how about purchasing 2 – 3 different coordinating options so you can change their location when you want to freshen up your look

October 5, 2009 — In September 2009, Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 8,196 sales, up 28 per cent from September 2008. The average price for September transactions was $406,877 – up by 10 per cent compared to the same month last year.

“We have experienced an increasing rate of existing home price growth in the GTA as sales have continued outpace 2008 results,” said TREB President Tom Lebour. “Consumers have remained confident in ownership housing as a long-term investment.” Year-to-date sales, at 66,437 were up 4.5 per cent compared to the first nine months of 2008. Average price, at $388,417 was up by almost 1.5 per cent.

“Existing home sales will finish strong this year, pushing through the 80,000 mark and moving in line with some of the best years on record under the current TREB market area,” according to Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Median Price
In September, the median price was $347,000, from the $322,000 recorded during September of 2008.

For the complete current issue of Market Watch in pdf file format:   http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/index.htm#market

In addition to excellent service, I now offer my sellers and buyers the opportunity to earn Aeroplan Miles.

For more information, contact me today!

For the full report:  http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/news2009/pdf/nr_july_mid-month_09.pdf

Any questions?  Visit www.lorianntoplak.com or email LoriAnn at ltoplak@trebnet.com

How exciting – www.606inLibertyVillage sold in 6 days for 107% of asking price.

JUNE 2009

BEST JUNE ON RECORD

TORONTO – Monday, July 6, 2009
In June 2009, Greater Toronto REALTORS� reported a record 10,955 sales, up 27 per cent from June 2008.  The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales in June was 100,700.  The record result in June is testament to the fundamentally sound housing market in the GTA, said TREB President Tom Lebour.  An increasing number of households have been confident in purchasing a home in the region’s affordable and diverse resale housing market.

The average price for June transactions was $403,972  up by two per cent compared to the same month last year.   The re-emergence of seller’s market conditions has exerted upward pressure on home prices, explained Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.  Look for sales to remain high relative to listings in the second half of the year. This will keep home prices growing.”

Click here for the complete Market Watch in pdf:  http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/mw2009/pdf/mw0906.pdf