What to do in Toronto for July 23rd and 24th 2011

Toronto is a fun filled summer city and there is lots going on!

Beaches Jazz festival wraps up this weekend with a 5k, 10k and 20k Beaches Jazz Tune Up.

If Heavy Metal is your thing, there is a Heavy TO festival at Downsview Park.

Rock and Roll hall of farmers Steely Dan is playing at the Molsons Amphitheatre.

Looking for something more subdued? Check out the Farmers Market at the Brick Works. Beautiful back drop and fantastic vendors.

Don't forget Taste of the Danforth is coming up August 5th, 6th and 7th.

Have a great weekend!

Toronto Real Estate: Mid July 2011 Resale Market Figures

It's an interesting market out there. Home prices continue to climb...

Toronto, July 18, 2011 – During the first 14 days of July, Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported an increase in sales and the average selling price compared to the first two weeks of July 2010. The number of sales through the TorontoMLS® system was up 35 per cent to 3,609, compared to 2,672 last year.

"Low mortgage rates, rising incomes and good news on the jobs front have kept consumers confident in purchasing a home in the Greater Toronto Area. In fact, home buyers are much more confident than they were this time last year when concerns around the HST, interest rate hikes and new mortgage lending rules had temporarily put a damper on home sales," said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Richard Silver.

Tight market conditions in the GTA drove a strong rate of price growth through the first two weeks July. The average selling price was $464,277 – up 9.6 per cent compared to the average of $423,773 in July 2010.



http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/news2011/pdf/nr_mid_month_0711.pdf

Toronto Real Estate: June 2011 Resale Market Figures

Toronto, July 6, 2011 – Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 10,230 home sales through the TorontoMLS® system in June 2011 – up 21 per cent compared to June 2010. This number represented the third best June result on record behind 2007 and 2009. The number of transactions during the first six months of 2011 amounted to 48,189 – down by 4.5 per cent compared to the first half of 2010.

"The strong June result capped off an interesting first half of 2011," said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. "The pace of sales was a bit sluggish at the beginning of the year, but rebounded in May and June. Because of the positive affordability picture, home buyers remained confident in their ability to purchase and pay for a home over the long term."

The average price for June transactions was $476,371 – a 9.5 per cent increase over June 2010. Through the first six months of the year, the average selling price was $467,169 – almost an eight per cent increase compared to the same period in 2010.

"While sales have been strong, we would be on track for a record number of transactions in 2011 if not for the decline in listings so far this year," said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. "Tight supply meant more competition between home buyers and an accelerating annual rate of price growth in the second quarter."

"Home owners will likely react to the stronger price growth by listing their homes in greater numbers. A better supplied market would result in more moderate price increases," continued Mercer.

http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/news2011/pdf/nr_market_watch_0611.pdf

Greater Toronto REALTORS® Report June Mid-Month Resale Housing Market Figures

TORONTO, June 16, 2011 – The number of sales and the average selling price reported by Greater Toronto REALTORS® were both up during the first 14 days of June 2011. Sales through the first two weeks of June amounted to 4,787 – up 16 per cent over the same period in 2010. The average selling price for these transactions, at $477,853, was up nine per cent.

"The spring has always been the busiest time in the resale market, but the results for May and the first two weeks of June represented a marked improvement over last year. Low mortgage rates have kept affordability in check and buyers have felt confident in paying for a home over the long term," said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Bill Johnston.

The number of new listings on the TorontoMLS® between June 1st and June 14th was down by eight per cent compared to 2010.

"Listings have been in short supply this year, while a lot of people have been looking to buy. The result has been enhanced competition between buyers and more upward pressure on price," said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. "Strong price growth will prompt more home owners to list as we move toward 2012."

http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/news2011/pdf/nr_mid_month_0611.pdf

Toronto Housing Prices: April 2011

GTA REALTORS® REPORT MONTHLY RESALE HOUSING FIGURES


TORONTO, May 4, 2011 -- Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 9,041 existing home sales through the TorontoMLS® system in April 2011.

This result was down 17 per cent compared April 2010 when sales spiked to a new record of 10,898.

While off last year’s record result, April 2011 sales were in line with the average April sales level reported over the previous five years.
“Existing home sales have been strong from a historic perspective through the first four months of 2011. Expect the pace of sales to remain robust through the spring, as the economy expands and home buyers continue to benefit from affordable home ownership opportunities,” said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Bill Johnston.

Market conditions tightened markedly over the last year. April 2011 sales accounted for 62 per cent of new listings during the month – up substantially from 53 per cent in April 2010. Tighter conditions resulted in the average April selling price growing by nine per cent annually to $477,407.

“The number of listings has been below expectations so far this year. Increased competition between home buyers has led to an accelerating annual rate of price growth,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “The strong price growth experienced in April should result in more listings and more balanced market conditions.
 
For more information, head on over to http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/consumer_info/market_news/news2011/pdf/nr_market_watch_0411.pdf

Just Listed: 422 Victoria Park Avenue

Open House Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1st

2:00 pm until 4:00 pm 

Beautiful oversized detached home in the Upper Beach. This 3 bedroom plus sunroom home offers both traditional and modern touches throughout. The grand living room and dining room are perfect for entertaining. There is an easy walkout from the kitchen to west facing garden oasis with a detached garage and studio work shop. Ideally located close to shops, restaurants, TTC and the Beach.

Extras: Fridge, Stove, B/I Dishwasher, Clothes Washer, Clothes Dryer, Gb&E, Cac, 100 Amp Panel, All Window Coverings, Elf's, Broadloom where laid. New back roof in 2006, new front roof in 2010, New roof on shed & garage in 2009 and HE furnace (gas) in 2010

Join us! Saturday April 30th And Sunday May 1st, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

visit us at http://www.thecorcoranteam.com/

Call us! 416.465.4545 or Email us Info@TheCorcoranTeam.com

 

Opening Soon: What's new in Toronto restaurants

Soon-to-be open restaurants on our radar:

Keriwa Cafe (1690 Queen St. W.) will be opening in May, with a focus on local, seasonal food with an Aboriginal twist.

Uncle Betty's Diner (2590 Yonge St.) will also have comfort food on the menu, but think more traditional diner fare like hot dogs, ice cream and burgers. They're planning a soft opening in early May.

The Combine Eatery is under construction on the Danforth near Broadview. No word on what they'll be serving, but one of the co-owners is Amy Chow, who used to own the now-defunct True Restaurant in Yorkville which specialized in local and organic cuisine.

Against the Grain (25 Dockside Dr.) pub will be opening in the Corus Entertainment building this spring. It's owned by F.A.B. Concepts Inc. who also own Brazen Head Irish Pub and the Foggy Dew.

If you live in Riverdale you may know Amy of the Combine Eatery as the better half of Cam - renowned mechanic and owner of Cam's Thruway Muffler on King Street East.

Good luck Amy!  We will certainly be over to check out your new diggs.

Decorating Tricks to Make a Small Space Look Larger

Lots of people live in a small home, a small room, or just a small space. Some people live in a small apartment because that's all they can afford, and they're grateful for it.


Some people live in a small apartment or home because they're tired of taking care of a larger place and want to "downsize."
Others just don't want a large home. Small is beautiful! And easy, and practical, too!

But no matter what your reason for living in a small space, you'll undoubtedly have to make some compromises in your decorating, get really organized, and make some adjustments to your lifestyle in order to make everything fit and not feel cramped.

If you're looking for a cozy, intimate space, you're in luck. By using soft, snuggly upholstered pieces, dark, warm tones, and dramatic lighting, your tiny corner can become a wonderful private space.

But if you really feel the need to stretch out in your small space, you can make some decorating changes to make the area look and feel larger without moving any walls! With color, furniture arranging, and interesting lighting, your space won't feel so cramped.

See if some of our tips will work for your small space.

•Clear Out the Clutter

There's nothing that makes a small space feel cramped more than having too much stuff. Work out ways to get collections out of view, organized behind doors, table skirts, or on shelves. With things neatly arranged and out of sight, the space that is in view will feel orderly and open.

•Open the Way

With furniture and accessories blocking the view into a room and out to open spaces, a room will look cramped. By moving furniture out and away from walkways, you'll open up the space and make it feel larger. You can also choose short pieces of furniture like an ottoman, an armless, open chair, or a low table, and place large, tall pieces along a wall rather than out in the open space. If you can see the floor, the room will look larger.

•Chooser Soft, Light Hues

Whereas dark, warm colors make a space feel cozy and intimate, light, cool colors make a space feel open and airy. For optimum effect, select soft tones of blues and greens.

•Use a Monochromatic Color Scheme

Choose colors that are in the same color family and use tone-on-tone woven upholstery fabrics, textured wall finishes, delicate tonal drapery fabrics. Cool colors and delicate warm colors on most surfaces give the room a more open look.

•Coordinate Wall and Furniture Colors

Contrasting colors tend to break up a space. Pieces of furniture are less interrupting and tend to blend with the space if they're colored to match the wall color.

•Let in the Light

Any room will look larger if it's well-lit, either by natural light or artificial lighting. Get rid of heavy draperies and open up the windows to let the light of the outdoors into the space. Add more lamps or install track lighting or recessed lighting.
Here are some more things you can do to make a small space at least feel larger, even if the floor space stays the same.

•See-Through Space

By using materials that you can see through, anything beyond will appear farther away. For a tiny bathroom, I got rid of an opaque glass shower enclosure and substituted a clear, frameless one. The room is the same size looks bigger. Now we can see all the way (an extra 3 feet) to the wall at the back of the shower.

You can also use glass or lucite for tabletops. With a sturdy base of wood, stone, or metal, the space around the table will open up the view beyond.

•Reflective Surfaces

 

You might not like the look of a mirrored wall, but you have to admit that it always makes a room look larger. Instead, use a large framed mirror on a wall or stand an over-sized framed mirror against a wall. You'll get the same room-enlarging effect as a mirrored wall, but with more style. The space and the light will be reflected for a more open feeling.

Top a coffee table or side table with a piece of beveled plate mirror or have a chest of drawers or bureau covered with custom-cut and installed mirrors.

•Believe It or Not, Bigger Is Better!

Use a few large, simple pieces of furniture or accessories in place of several smaller pieces which would make a small space look cluttered. With open space and large blocks of color, the room will appear to be more calm and comfortable.

•Keep the Upholstery Plain

Select plain colored upholstery for furniture instead of bold plaids, stripes, or prints. Use texture for interest and stick to neutral tones if you can.

•Airy, Light Fabrics

Sheer fabrics allow light to pass through window treatments, bed skirts, table covers, and furniture slipcovers. If you want something other than plain colors, find soft floral vines or simple stripes to keep the look simple.

By following some of these simple rules about decorating a small space, your home will feel comfortable, not cramped. You'll have an intimate space that suits all your needs.

Thanks to Coral Nafie for this article

Bring your own mug to Starbucks for Earth Day and get a free coffee

April 22nd is earth day and Starbucks is generously offering a free coffee or tea if you bring in your reusable mug.  They are also offering 20% off travel mugs as a long term sustainability strategy.

So bring your mug, head to your favourite Starbucks and enjoy a free coffee on Earth Day!

Getting your home ready to sell: 10 painting don’ts

Painting is not as easy as it looks. Sure, any chimp can be taught how to load a brush and slap some paint on the wall, but a quality paint job requires human intelligence and at least a temporary devotion to detail. For your next painting project, be sure to steer clear of these 10 amateurish painting mistakes.

1. Don’t skimp on the prep work.

Like middle school, prep work is awful drudgery that must be completed before you can move on to better things. Indoors, the most important stuff is cleaning all surfaces, repairing damaged areas, patching where necessary, and prepping the area (see item 10, below). Outdoors, the critical prep work is removing peeling and otherwise loose paint, repairing damaged or rotted wood, and cleaning all surfaces.

2. Don’t mess with old paint unless you’re sure it’s lead-free.

Apart from curious kids eating paint chips, all of the warnings about lead paint can be realized with paint prep work: sanding or scraping lead paint makes it friable (airborne), the perfect state for getting into your body. To play it safe, if there’s any chance a surface may have been painted with lead paint, have a sample tested first.

3. Don’t paint over moisture or active mould.

Stain-blocking (and specifically mould-blocking) primers are good for preventing colour bleed-through from dark mould stains, but they’re not intended to correct a live mould problem. And they’ll only mask a moisture problem for a very short time. Since mould and moisture go together, first stop the moisture (wherever it’s coming from), then kill the mould (with detergent or diluted bleach) and let it all dry completely before priming and painting.

4. Don’t paint bare surfaces without priming first.

As much as you might resent it, primer is your friend. It sticks really well, it fills pores in raw materials and it’s less than half the price of paint. Using an extra coat of paint instead of primer is a waste of money and likely will result in a poorer finished product.

5. Don’t paint masonry on a whim.

Poured concrete, brick, stone and concrete block are among the very few building materials that can fairly be called “maintenance-free.” Painting them once changes that forever.

6. Don’t use tape (in most cases).

Pros don’t use tape for the same reasons you shouldn’t: it’s time-consuming and painstaking to apply, it usually lets paint bleed underneath its edge, and it can peel the new paint off when it’s removed. Instead of using tape in the usual places, remove anything that’s removable (like outlet covers and cabinet hardware), and take the time to “cut in” a clean line of paint along the edges of trimwork and the like.

7. Don’t use cheap paint.

Quality paint goes on better, lasts longer and has much nicer colour than lousy paint. And when you consider that you’ll be looking at the results for the next decade or so, an extra $10 or $15 is a worthwhile upgrade.

8. Don’t use cheap paintbrushes.

This goes right along with the last item. A $3 brush will never work well and should be discarded after the first job, right about the time it starts shedding bristles. A $10 brush knows how to handle paint and will become a treasured tool for years down the road.

9. Don’t paint window tracks.

Errant baseballs aside, painting the tracks where the sashes slide is perhaps the best (and dumbest) way to ruin a window. This is akin to lubricating ball bearings with caulk. For the same reason, never let paint overlap from the stop to the sash and vice versa.

10. Don’t paint over outlet and switch covers.

Being too lazy to remove electrical cover plates before painting, and merely taping off the covers, leaves a ridge along the edge that usually peels away in a large, unsightly chunk if the cover is removed later. Take the two minutes to remove the switch plate.

Thanks to Philip Schmidt of the Toronto Star for this article

Start Gardening Indoors with Spring Herbs

If you're eager to garden, start with an indoor windowsill herb garden and you'll save money on expensive grocery-store varieties. Plant herbs in pots and place them near a window that gets at least 5 hours of sun a day. Herbs adapt well to indoor growing conditions and can be put outside when the weather warms up.

Position well:

Most herbs need five hours of full midday sun in warm weather to produce the best flavour and growth. They can be planted indoors in containers or window boxes, then moved to the garden when it warms up. Although some herbs like parsley and thyme can tolerate a little cool weather, it's best to bring them indoors in the late fall to help preserve them. A sunny south-facing window is adequate for most indoor herbs.

 
 
 
Follow directions:

Not all herbs are created equal. If you've planted your herb garden in one large pot, group together herbs with similar growing requirements for more efficient plant care. For more tips, read our Plant Care Guides or refer to the section on growing conditions below for detailed planting tips on individual herbs.

 
 
 
Water properly:

Most herbs need to be kept damp but not wet; don't over water and do encourage proper drainage. Wait until the soil is dry, down to a depth of a 1/2 inch or so, then water thoroughly until soil is moist.

The best time to pick herbs is first thing in the morning, when they contain the most essential oils and are most fragrant and aromatic.


Harvest herbs by cutting back a shoot to just above a leaf to encourage regrowth. Fiskars has a wide variety of shears available in-store and online, complete with serrated blades and sharp precision-ground blades.
 
Growing conditions

Basil: Plant in full sun in moist well-drained soil.Mint: Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist soil.Oregano: Plant in full sun in rich fertile soil.Parsley: Plant in full sun or partial shade in rich moist soil.Sage: Plant in full sun in well-drained soil.Thyme: Plant in full sun in light well-drained soil.
 
Thanks to Home Depot for the tips!

Getting your house ready to sell? Save 50% off grass seed

Getting your house ready to sell? Now is the time to start throwing down a little grass seed. Add some rain, sun and voila! A beautiful green lawn and a house with curb appeal!

Enjoy this 50% off grass seed coupon from Home Depot. Just print and remember to bring it with you!

Just Listed: 486 Soudan Avenue

Open House Saturday April 9th & Sunday April 10th

2 pm until 4 pm

Charming updated 2 bedroom semi bungalow in highly sought after Bayview & Eglinton area - a great condo alternative. Bright open concept living dining room with cozy gas fire place. Large eat-in kitchen with a walkout to oversized deck is perfect for entertaining. Includes finished basement and parking. Just steps to TTC, restaurants and shopping.

This may be the most useful plant in the garden

Berberis thunbergii ‘Concorde' – a.k.a. barberry – just may be the most useful plant in your garden. In addition to repelling animal intruders, it has tremendous all-season appeal. In the spring, its gorgeous, deep magenta foliage is complemented by yellow flowers and then bright red berries. In the fall, it turns a magnificent scarlet before dropping its leaves to expose a thorny black structure for winter. Very dramatic.

WHERE TO PLANT IT

Barberry has a compact 45-by-60-centimetre form and should be planted in full sun, although I've got one in part shade and it's doing well. It can adapt to fairly dry conditions but shouldn't sit around with wet feet for too long in spring. Even so, mine has put up with those conditions without complaining for some time now. Prune it to keep its shape without worrying it'll get damaged.

WHAT IT OFFERS

I'm crazy about all barberries but this one is the best: It makes a fine small hedge, it shines in containers and its thorniness effectively discourages dogs and cats from traipsing through your plants if planted as an edger. It also offers exquisite sensuality to borders. Plant it with hellebores, black grasses and black snake root (Actaea ‘Chocoholic') for even more drama.

SOURCE AND COST

I sourced one recently at Fiesta Gardens in Toronto (200 Christie St., 416-537-1235) for $39.99.

Thanks to Marjorie Harris of the Globe and Mail

These wines are like sunshine in a bottle

By Beppi Crosariol of the Globe & Mail

George Harrison, the late Beatle, wrote one of the most uplifting odes to springtime, Here Comes the Sun. I plucked it feebly on the guitar last week as the blinding sun – now where it ought to be, on our side of the equator – managed miraculously to penetrate my grimy, south-facing window and fill the back room with happy light. There’s a keen sense of sonic metaphor in the guitar work, arpeggiated riffs of crisply picked treble notes underpinning such lines as “it seems like years since it’s been clear.” It sure seems like years.

Wine flavours can be metaphorical too, I think – crisp, treble notes supplied by tangy acidity as well as herbaceous characters that can bring to mind green grass and even some of the local produce that will soon be poking up in many southern parts of Canada, such as asparagus and fiddleheads. Not surprisingly, Mr. Harrison wrote his song while strolling around Eric Clapton's garden with one of the famous rocker's acoustic guitars. (I hope he had a glass of wine nearby, though I suspect that if any herbal flavours were going down, they were being smoked, not sipped.)

This is the season when lean white wines start to come alive. I think in particular of zesty sauvignon blanc and dry riesling. But I also look more offbeat gems, such as and albarino and verdejo from Spain as well as gossamer-light vinho verde from Portugal.

If you’re in the mood for a little sunshine in a bottle, I hope these selections, or offerings in your local market of similar description, help to fill the bill.

Domaine de Riaux Pouilly-Fumé 2009, France

SCORE: 88 PRICE: $22.95

I don’t hang around gun ranges much, but I’m guessing that those who do might recognize the slightest whiff of a freshly spent bullet in this smoky, flinty sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley. For golfers, there’s some fresh-cut grass too. The rest of us may simply appreciate its citrus-like core and elegance. It would match well with pan-seared or grilled flaky white fish, such as trout.

Bernard Reverdy et Fils Sancerre 2009, France

SCORE: 88 PRICE: $22.95

Light and understated, even for a Sancerre, this sauvignon blanc offers up suggestions of peach, lemon, herb and chalk. But, like most good whites from the Loire, it’s more about elegance and subtlety than adjectives. Sancerres like this are consummate partners for asparagus, delicate fish dishes and goat cheese.

Caves de la Tourangelle Grande Réserve Touraine 2009, France

SCORE: 87 PRICE: $14.95

Best for the two preceding wine styles, the Loire produces good renditions of sauvignon blanc without the high-real-estate premium of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Looking for value? Try Touraine. Light-bodied, with moderate acidity for a sauvignon blanc, this example serves up flavours of grapefruit, honeydew and grass.

Auntsfield Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2009, New Zealand

SCORE: 88 PRICE: $19.95

Some people associate New Zealand lamb with spring. I think of kiwi sauvignon blanc the same way. Assertively fruity and grassy, it’s as though Sancerre had been force-fed bushels of passion fruit and Scott’s Turf Builder. This one leans more toward the fruity side. It would pair well with shellfish.

Quails’ Gate Dry Riesling 2010, British Columbia

SCORE: 91 PRICE: $16.99

Plenty of weight for a dry riesling, though still technically light-bodied, it has a fleshy, silky texture, flavours of green apple, peach and slate, with tangy acidity for lift on the long finish. A fabulous effort from an excellent winery in the Okanagan Valley. Versatile at the table, it would pair well with poultry, fish or pork, and it’s splendid as an aperitif. Available in the West, www.quailsgate.com.

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Riesling 2010, Australia

SCORE: 89 PRICE: $16.95

Bone-dry like most Aussie rieslings, it’s a bushel of tart fruit, with a whiff of drywall dust and a finish as refreshing as a cold swim. Shellfish, including raw oysters, and sushi would make fine partners.

Leira Albarino 2009, Spain

SCORE: 88 PRICE: $16.95

The lean, bracing and elegant whites of Rias Baixas, a district of northwest Spain, are underappreciated treasures. The cool weather of Rias Baixas (REE-ahs BYE-shuss) locks in the natural acidity of the albarino grape. Light and silky, this one delivers a subtle note of cherry along with hints of flowers and mineral. It’s sublimely delicate and perfect for shellfish.

Agricola Castellana Cuatro Rayas Verdejo 2009, Spain

SCORE: 86 PRICE: $14.95

The verdejo grape anchors the whites of the arid Rueda district northwest of Madrid. High-strung – like a guitar badly tuned by yours truly – with crisp acidity, this is a simple, straightforward Rueda, but it shows good balance, with a touch of bitterness in the clean finish. Good for shellfish and salads. A fine, widely available alternative: Marques de Riscal Rueda white, $10.95 in Ontario. In British Columbia, look for the excellent Telmo Rodriguez Basa, $17.99.

Varanda do Conde Alvarinho Trajadura Vinho Verde 2009, Portugal

SCORE: 87 PRICE: $13.95

Vinho verde, a sometimes delicately spritzy wine, can be a blend of various grapes. In this case, there’s not much effervescence, but the wine could almost rise into thin air it’s so light. Yet there’s a vaguely silky quality to this charmer, owing to the trajadura grape, here blended with lean alvarinho (the Portuguese name for albarino). Expect notes of lemon and green apple in this baby’s breath of a white. Pair it with oysters.

Canadians confident about home ownership: RBC

Canadians are not only confident that they are assiduously paying down their mortgages, but they also believe they have the means necessary to weather a drop in house prices, contrary to worries that household debt is out of control, a poll showed on Wednesday.

Almost three-quarters of Canadians, or 73 per cent, believe that they or their families are well-positioned in the event of tumbling home prices, according to the annual RBC Homeownership Study undertaken by Royal Bank of Canada

The poll found that 85 per cent of respondents feel that they are doing a good or excellent job of paying down their mortgage, while 90 per cent of Canadians are confident that real estate in Canada is a good investment.

“There’s been a lot of noise around debt-to-income ratios,” said Marcia Moffat, RBC head of home equity financing, noting that she found it comforting that such a large segment of Canadians said they were able to handle what is typically the biggest purchase of an individual’s life.

She said confidence was drawn from stable employment and rising incomes.

The survey was released a week after the Bank of Canada left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a low 1 per cent.

The central bank and other policymakers have flagged personal debt as a danger to the economy, although the Bank of Canada last week said household debt was less of a concern than it has been in past months. Consumer spending remains strong but is easing to levels more in line with incomes, the bank said.

Worries about personal debt have twice prompted the government to introduce stricter mortgage rules to prevent overheating in the housing market.

The survey showed that Canadians, supported by a strong banking system, still have a strong interest in purchasing a home over the next two years. Interest declined slightly in the quarter, but remains high overall with 29 per cent saying it’s likely they will buy.

That was down two points from 2010 but is higher than any other year since 2006, the report said. Compared with last year, however, fewer Canadians said it was better to buy now than wait.

Rising home prices were the No. 1 concern about purchasing a home followed by rising mortgage rates, the poll showed.

The poll found that 40 per cent of Canadians feel the current housing market is balanced equally between buyers and sellers, a rise of five points over 2010.

The survey of 2,103 people is considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Thanks to the Globe and Mail for this article

Small Spaces: Under 500 sq feet

There is a genius in being able to design a function 500 sq foot living space and these folks have thought of everything!










http://www.littlediggs.com/

FAQ's about when to plant flowers in Toronto

The saying April showers bring May flowers must have been coined by someone living slightly south of the Canada border. In Toronto, we can still get cold weather, even frost up until the end of May. For those of us in southern Ontario, it's May showers that bring June flowers.

With patio furniture in the stores and garden centres slowly being stocked, it's time to start thinking about planting even if it is still hopeful thinking at this time of the year.

Here are some gardening FAQ's:

I just cannot wait to get out there and garden! At what temperature is it safe for me to plant annuals?

The frost free date in Southern Ontario varies per location, but historically May 24 is the start of the safe time to plant all annuals. But cool loving annuals such as pansies can go into the garden well ahead of the 24th! Different annuals have different tolerances to cold temperatures. We like snaps, viola, dianthus, and pansies early – ahead of the warmer weather.

Every year I plant annuals — pansies, violas, lobelia, etc… they look great for the first month or two, but by mid-summer they start to fade.

Annuals often are either 'cool' or 'warm' season flowers. Pansies are the best known of annual flowers that will flower while the night temps are low, but sort of poop out when the summer heat starts. While some of the heat loving plants will not do well early in spring when it is cool, coleus, New Guinea impatiens and vinca are some well known warm plants. For a great looking annual flower bed many folks plan a 'change-out' mid summer. Plant the cool flowers early in spring, say late April, then by end of June come back in with the warm flowers.

What are the best perenial bulbs for a Toronto Garden?

Narcissus ‘Salome’, Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’, Tulipa ‘Orange Emperor', Tulipa tarda, Crocus vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’, Crocus tommasinianus ‘Ruby Giant’, Camassia cusickii
, Leucojum aestivum - Common names: meadow snowflake and summer snowflake, Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’- common name windflower, and Scilla siberica

Do you have a chemical free way to kill weeds between patio stones?

Yes! 5 min | 5 min prep | 1 Liter 4 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons dish detergent

Mix ingredients together and spray on the weeds- Goodbye Weeds!

You can also pour boiling water on weeds and that will also kill them. You may have to repeat both remedies but the result is environment freindly


When is the best time to plant trees?

Plant deciduous trees in the spring, as soon as the frost is out of the ground, or in the fall, from leaf-fall until freeze-up.

Evergreens can be planted early in the spring until four weeks after deciduous trees have opened their leaves or in the fall, from about the first week of August to the end of October.


Thanks to these sites for the informaiton!

http://landscapeontario.com/plant-resource-faq

http://www.treesontario.ca/programs/index.php/workbook

A Canadian federal election would rule out a spring interest rate hike

Michael Babad

What an election could mean:

If Canada in fact heads into an election, economists believe there could be some headwinds for the Canadian dollar (CAD/USD-I1.02-0.002-0.21%), which didn’t react much yesterday after NDP leader Jack Layton said he wouldn’t support the budget, and uncertainty surrounding the fiscal outlook. Most likely is that a campaign would stop any talk of the Bank of Canada hiking its benchmark overnight rate in April.

“First, the uncertainty over the near-term fiscal policy environment just went up in that it is less clear whether fiscal policy will act as a drag on growth if election goodies are dangled about,” said economists Derek Holt and Gorica Djeric of Scotia Capital.

“Second, over roughly the past 20 years, the [Bank of Canada] has generally avoided starting a tightening campaign in an election. It only did so in 1997, and that was because the economy was rapidly healing after the disaster of the first two thirds of the 1990s via over 734,000 jobs having been created in the back to back years of 1997-98. Now, if a May or June vote is in the cards, that adds to a long list of reasons why most analysts have abandoned much of any notion of a spring hike.”

Avery Shenfeld, the chief economist at CIBC World Markets, agreed, moving back his forecast for a rate hike to July, from his initial projection of May. He cited three reasons:

•The loonie will probably stay firm given high oil prices.
•Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney may be "reluctant" to even signal a May rate hike at his next meeting in April.
•Softer core inflation amid 7.8-per cent unemployment could prompt Mr. Carney to raise his estimate of "potential" economic growth.
Over all, economists believe that Canada's fiscal standing will trump any uncertainty surrounding an election, which should leave the loonie in a strong position.

"Political uncertainty will be a looming question, however the global market has become quite comfortable with Canadian elections, the differences (or lack of) in our parties and a minority government," said Scotia Capital currency strategist Camilla Sutton. "Accordingly, we think in the medium term the focus should reside more with the strong sovereign position in Canada and less with political uncertainty."

Carl Weinberg, the chief economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, N.Y., told his clients today that there wouldn't be a "sea change in power" if an election is called, and deficit-reduction will still be on the table regardless of what happens.

"Anything can happen at the polls, and the resulting budget is likely to differ in some respects from the plan outlined yesterday," he said. "However, fiscal austerity will be a key part of the platform of any party that wants to form a government Up North. So we see an election as neutral for the loonie and the bond market."

There was no detremental news to the housing industry and with the budget likely to be over turned, any fundamental changes won't be seen until the next adminstration.

Laneway Housing: Affordability goes small

The award-winning Smallworks Studios have been pioneers in Vancouver, a city now firmly on the forefront of new laneway housing nationally. Ever since council passed a bylaw in 2009 that allowed for laneway homes in RS1 and RS5 zones of the city, Smallworks have been creating variants of six two-level prototypes for a wide variety of Vancouverites.

Tiny castles From a 650-square-foot Arts and Crafts style home, to a more modern-feeling “loft house”, the firm – the brainchild of builder Jake Fry – has exemplified the new residential take on “small is beautiful.”

But now their kind of beautiful is even smaller. With the recent unveiling of a new trio of more affordable 380-square-foot “laneway cottages”, Smallworks hopes to attract dozens of buyers.

As always, the firm works collaboratively with homeowners, in-house designers and architects (notably James Burton of Birmingham and Wood) to customize homes according to site demands and client preferences. And they pre-assemble the homes at their studio/factory in Southlands (the bucolic location begs the moniker “cottage industry”) so 10 to 12 components – constructed with locally sourced and sustainable materials – are neatly bolted together on site just like an Ikea cabinet.

The difference now – one that has almost halved the price of their standard laneway houses – is that their designers have literally gone back to the drawing board to envision inventive ways of reducing infrastructure costs. Building costs account for only 30 per cent of the total price point, with infrastructure and onsite costs taking the lion’s share of expenditures. But these new laneway cottages have been designed with a small footprint and, at $150,000, a much smaller price.

They are available in three different styles, with floor plans that can be interchanged or modified for maximum flexibility. The “elegant” – a cousin to their Edwardian style laneway house, features a traditional pitched roof and dormer window. The interior consists of a bedroom walled off for privacy, a small bathroom, galley kitchen and larger living/dining area. Skilled use of custom-built millwork throughout streamlines clutter and maximizes space. Consider the bedroom, for instance, where deep drawers on one side merge into a large-screen TV in the living area in a single piece of millwork.

Then there’s the “modern” – a miniature riff on the work of iconic West Coast architect Ron Thom – with a multilayered flat roof raised to maximize floor space in the living area (and also available for “greening”). The floor plan offers a double-access closet in the bedroom, and a captains’ bed with built-in cabinetry underneath that could double as a linen cupboard. A sliding wall separates the bedroom and kitchen area from the living space – making it a perfect live/work space.

The “simple” has a more contemporary exterior with a shed roof and ample glazing to let in light. It also features the same patio door that the other two prototypes have to encourage a real indoor/outdoor aesthetic as well as two sets of French doors. But this unit more than the others offers a singular interior space. It’s designed with extra storage space and a Murphy bed, so that living area can quickly be converted into a work space.

For clients David Vogt and his wife Tracy Proke – who chose the “simple” style for the backyard of their Dunbar home – the appeal of the cottage was not just its reduced price – but its smaller footprint.

In a “transitional” stage of new empty-nesters, Mr. Vogt says, “We didn’t want something that would impose itself too much on the property.” Happily, with their home’s sloping site, their existing balcony will still tower above their soon to be built (building time is a mere three months with the new Smallworks prototype) cottage. But above all they wanted something that would be flexible to fit their changing needs.

“We have children in their 20s and they all have partners,” says Ms. Proke, “we don’t know if perhaps one day one of them might like to live here. Or perhaps it might be a suitable place for my mother.”

It’s also a place they might rent out to a tenant. But it’s not just a case of bringing in revenue, they say, it’s also a way of doing their bit for densification.

“I remember when a Japanese colleague of mine came to visit,” Mr. Vogt, who works at UBC, recalls. “He looked out at our lane, saw all the garages, and wondered if there were some strange underclass of people who lived in windowless residences in other people’s backyards. He couldn’t imagine that all that space was being used to house cars.”

Having laneway housing on their property, he contends, is a way of “socializing and beautifying the laneway.”

It’s also a way of adapting to their changing circumstances. “Sometimes it feels like the two of us rummaging around in this big old house,” says Ms. Proke of their 2,600-square-foot 1920s Arts and Crafts style home. “But we’re not quite ready to pick up and move downtown.” The laneway cottage will create a sense of multi-family living without having to forsake the place where she raised her own family.

“In some ways,” notes Mr. Fry, “laneway housing is a more sustainable alternative to the ‘monster house’ ”– which was after all – a form of “family compound” very popular with new Asian communities.

And laneway housing isn’t a new housing type of course, with its roots in the traditional coach house. “Even in Dunbar” notes Mr. Fry of the now tony neighbourhood,” which was really a largely working class area until the eighties – it wasn’t uncommon for people to live in their garages.”

A quick tour of Dunbar’s back lanes reveals a few earlier, pre-Smallworks attempts at laneway housing – including an interesting and quite modern backyard writer’s studio encased in steel – as well as some of Smallworks’ – who have essentially standardized, modernized and made sustainable a rather old world housing-type works-in-progress.

In front of one “Edwardian” style house with a modern, spacious, high-ceilinged interior, a 40- something woman and her parents in their late 70s are sizing it up with a view to purchasing one of their own. Mr. Fry notes that 30 per cent of his clientele are young first-time homeowners building on their parents’ property (one such couple is even blogging about the whole experience) while an equal percentage are older folks moving into laneway housing on their children’s property.

As Vancouver’s population continues to grow – and age – not to mention as demand and cost of housing rises, it’s easy to imagine a city where laneway cottages can become part of a well- designed and rather charming solution.

It also offers the possibility of “having your own house and garden,” contends Mr. Fry, “to a much wider segment of the city’s population.”

Special to The Globe and Mail
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