a lot of people tell me that i talk a lot.

which makes it difficult for me to write blogs.  I'd much rather talk then type.

however, i have to tell you about an amazing new listing I have in Trinity Bellwwoods. and yes that means its in the 2nd coolest neighbourhood in the WORLD http://www.vogue.com/slideshow/1080625/fifteen-coolest-street-style-neighborhoods/

Welcome home to 50 Shannon Street

Perched high on the north side, this Open Concept Victorian has mountains of original character and all the renovations needed to move right in.

Hardwood floors, soaring 10’ ceilings, huge main floor, exposed brick, 2nd Floor Laundry, 3 decks, manicured gardens. CN Tower view, Updated Electrical, Plumbing, Furnace/AC (’08), Freshly painted, New Windows, Flat Roof (’12), Eavestrough. Revenue Basement apartment with 2 Separate Entrances, Garage, YMCA, parks, fabulous restaurants and shops!

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 garage parking, main floor office and family room. 

Taxes: 

$4,923.69 / 2014

Lot size:

15.5 feet x 121 feet

Schools:

Ossington Old Orchard Junior Public School – JK to 6

Alexander Muir/Gladstone Ave Junior and Senior Public School – JK to 8

Bloor Collegiate Institute Secondary School – 9 to 12

Central Toronto Academy – 9 to 12

Central Technical School – 9 to 12

Toronto Catholic District School Board Catchment for:

Senhor Santo Cristo – JK to 8

St. Helen Separate School – JK to 8

St. Luke Separate School – JK to 8

Bishop Marrocco/Thomson Merton Catholic Secondary – 9 to 12

Loretto College School – 9 to 12

St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School

 And in case you are not familiar with this amazing Toronto street...

here are just some reasons why my clients have LOVED living here

-the excellent schools and West End Daycare

-multitude of parks (Bellwoods and Dufferin grove being the best) 

-at Grove park you can rent the fire pit for parties or make bread/pizza in the wood oven

-farmers markets at Bellwoods and Dufferin Grove

-Bar Isabel, Pizzeria Libretto and Yours Truly are top rated restaurants in Toronto and are all a 5 minute walk away

-Bang Bang Ice Cream has become the spot for dessert on Ossington

-fantastic playgroups (art scape, McCormick Recreation Centre)

-West End YMCA

-Dundas West Street festival, taste of Little Italy

-public libraries (shaw library and Gladstone library)

Everything noted above is walking distance from the house.

open house: saturday oct. 11 and sunday oct. 12 between 2-4pm

cheers, 

amy

With Easter behind us, and our hopes dashed for a Raptor playoff run, it’s time to concentrate on the task at hand, get that house all gussied up for the Spring market. There are flowers to plant and porches to paint. Curb appeal, after all, is the name of the game.  As if but a dream, the real estate market is back in full swing.

Freehold home listings saw a 16% increase last week with the biggest gain happening in the East and West core, particularly in the first time buyer segment ($400k-$700k). This is great news for people looking to get into the housing market however, competition remains tight. We were somewhat shocked to see a 74% increase in the number of sales last week. 62.5% of homes traded at or above asking price. You probably heard the one about the house that got 72 offers. Let us be the first to state that is not the norm. A good house, well priced, and given enough time on the market should get 2 to 6 offers depending on location, price and condition.

Meanwhile, in the condominium market, no news is good news. Available listings increased by a marginal 5% while sales increased nearly 14%. As long as sales outpace new listings we can sleep well at night. Sales happening at or above the list price seem to be hovering in the 20-30% range, which we consider to be very healthy.

Bosley Real Estate Ltd. is a full service boutique brokerage operating in Toronto and Niagara-on-the-Lake since 1928. We have four centrally located offices and over 220 sales representatives selling and leasing homes and condominiums in all the vibrant communities we work in. Our brand is well recognized thanks to our unique affiliation with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Our sales teams meet weekly to discuss market conditions, trending topics, and anecdotes that more accurately report on the true temperature of the real estate market.

Cheers,

amy

go ahead, ask me if I know where taylor creek park is?

or where mortimer avenue turns into lumsden avenue?

or what elementary school your children will attend if you lived on Cedarvale Avenue?

because i know these answers and likely quite a few more about the east end...hey maybe i should change my brand from west-end-girl to east-end-girl? naaaaaaaah...

i have more clients today than ever before who are seeking out east york or east of the dvp to lay their roots.

in fact the area is so hot right now that most of my clients that i moved out there in the last 2 years could not afford to buy their own home today.  

didn't that make your eye brow rise...well its true.  i helped clients buy their first home in the coxwell and gerrard area last year and last week a very similar house with less features sold for 33% more than what they paid for.  i know this because i offered on the house and lost. holy macaroni!

so what is the reason? why is there such a demand for the east?

lots of reasons! including affordability, great schools, amazing communities, easy access to transportation, shops, restaurants, parks, libraries and hospitals...not to mention carrot common and its antagonist the fuzz box for delicious halifax donairs!

are you interested in knowing more about the east, are you thinking of making a move? 

whether its the east or the west, i'm at your service to help you find your new home.

amy

one week before the Fall market is supposed to start and you guessed it, i'm in a bidding war.  which was no surprise considering the low list price was designed to attract many...many buyers.

and last night was no exception.

so i got my skiis shined up and grabbed a stick of juicy fruit...oh wait that's a gum commercial...but i did suit up and got my game face on for a friendly night of competition.

competition is not new to me, i grew up playing sports and unlike todays kid, i don't want a ribbon for participation.

so how do i gain the competive edge, when i literally have no idea what i'm up against?  well for starters i set realistic expectations for my clients, because i've been through this more times than they have and its my job to know and understand every possible outcome.  i then i make a point of knowing as much as possible about the sellers and any intimate details of the house being sold.  is there something special in the home that i noticed that will give me the upper hand when presenting?  and how can i win over the sellers, making them want to sell to us?

the house we offered on last night was in east york, owned by the same lovely Greek owners for the past 36 years.

so i pulled out the perfect blue and white dress, packed up all the necessary documents and gased up to trek across the city for a 7pm presentation. 

after presenting the first price and then being asked to come back with a second price, we all thought for sure we were a shoe in, until i got another call from the listing agent.  

"amy can you come back in again, we have a bit of a dilemma".

so i went back into the house as requested, greated with a big hug from the home owner followed by a buffet of nuts, grapes and what i think was metaxa?  the agent stated that there was another offer a bit higher than ours, but the dilemma was; the sellers wanted to sell the house to my clients, because they liked me the best.

they even wanted the listing agent to tell me what the other offer was, so i could ask my clients to offer $500 more hoping that my clients would move into their very loved home.

well in case you didn't know, you cannot divulge details of another clients offer to the competion...i mean i would have loved to know, but if the tables were reversed my clients would have been pretty sour about that.

i took this information to my clients and we offered our third and final price.  

but it just wasn't enough to take the baklava and the house went to another happy couple.  

so we move on to the next house and as the search continues I might have to brush up on my Italian or Polish...never the less, i will continue to dazzle sellers and knock back the odd shot if need be :)

does your agent have the upper hand?

Oppa!

walking around various neighbourhoods walking dunkel, i often get pulled in various directions...mostly due to interesting scents, but it forces me to slow down and smell the __________ and appreciate local curbside attractions.

i believe curb appeal is a very important element for an overall house experience, especially if you are preparing your house for sale.

picture this: walk up to a house forsale showcasing lovely potted plants, a painted porch with inviting chairs, a stylish address plate and matching mailbox. not to mention a clean walk way, window shutters in tact and gutters cleaned. very inviting isn't it? makes you want to see more eh? congratulations, with a few improvements and accessories, you have accomplished what you wanted.

now picture the same house for sale, with a cracked flagstone walk-way taken over by weeds, peeling and chipped paint on the porch, a broken mail box overflowing with flyers and a rusted table and chair set with an ever so inviting ashtray full of butts from the last month.

considering this house is not being sold 'AS IS', are you excited to see more? does it cross your mind that if the exterior of the house is not in ship shape that the interior might be a disaster as well? or even worse, that the seller has simply put "lipstick on a pig" giving the illusion that the house has been well maintained.

when considering buying a home, it is important to look at the entire building envelope and not just the shiny bowl of green apples and white waffle shower curtain.

often the first question i get from my clients who want to sell their house and buy another is simply that...do i buy or sell first?

is it better to buy a new home or sell your existing home first? both options have their advantages and their risks. by carefully examining the pros and cons, and by providing alternatives in case of setbacks, you will be able to make an informed decision.

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selling first
by selling your current home before buying a new one, you’ll know the exact amount you’ll be receiving from the sale. you’ll therefore have a very good idea of how much money is available to buy your new home.

you might start feeling an urgent need to find a new home right away. but keep in mind that you’ll already have all the information needed to make your promise to purchase. for example, you’ll know when the buyers of your current home are moving in, and can therefore easily establish when you’ll need to take possession of your new home. If ever the dates don’t coincide, you can always plan for temporary accommodation.

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buying first
when you buy first, you’ll know your new address, the exact price of your new home, the date on which you’ll become owner and the transaction date. you’ll be able to consider these things when you receive a promise to purchase for your current home.

You can also make a promise to purchase that is conditional on the sale of your home. in this case, the owner of the property you’re interested in might receive another offer without any conditions. in order to give yours priority, the owner will ask you to withdraw your condition. you will therefore have to decide whether you’d rather buy that property before selling your existing home, or withdraw your offer.

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one way or another, it’s a good idea to plan a temporary source of financing in case your current home isn’t sold when you sign the purchase contract for your new home.