A very interesting article in the Saturday Toronto Star quoting Joe Hoffer. The condominium corporation at 95 Baseline Rd W in London according to this article ignored The Condominium Act but also spend thousands of the condominium's money doing so with lawyers and court challenges. It would appear the Joe Hoffer has made some condominium law. We will provide the link to the compete case when it is available.
End-of-Summer Checklist for Home Sellers
As we near the end of summer, it???s time to look ahead and plan out home maintenance projects that have to be done before the cold weather strikes. Real estate agents can help homebuyers understand which home fixes take priority if their new home isn???t quite new. Likewise, agents can help sellers prioritize their last warm weather fixes to increase a home???s curb appeal. While the weather is warm and before the peak months of September and October, encourage clients to walk around the exterior of their home and make a list of problematic areas. Some can be fixed by the current owners and others will require assistance from an expert. To help locate any issues and take care of them before winter arrives, REALTORS?? can help their clients by hiring a reliable, thorough home inspector to check around the exterior of the home. An inspector will be able to get to areas where a buyer may not want to venture, including the roof and under the home.
End-of-summer projects agents can suggest to their home sellers include:
1. Outdoor painting. If the owners don???t have the time or the resources to do a full painting job, have them go around the outside of the house and touch up any areas that look rough. If they find peeling paint, the areas can be scraped and sanded, then primed and painted to maintain even texture.
2. Outdoor caulking and sealing. Windows should be checked inside and out for possible leaks or cracks. With cold weather just around the corner, leaks or cracks could mean higher heating bills. Have leaks and cracks sealed with caulk, then look at the trim around each window???if any pieces are pulling out, have the owners check for mold or rotting, then replace or reattach wood.
3. Concrete and asphalt patching. If the home features an asphalt driveway, it can be repaired with asphalt patching material. Asphalt should be sealed every other year. If the driveway or walkways are concrete, cracks or holes can be repaired with epoxy patching material.
4. Patio and deck maintenance. On wood decks, rotted boards should be replaced, painted or stained as needed, and critter nests and debris cleared. On brick patios, owners should replace missing bricks, level off areas where tree roots have pushed up the bricks and re-grout any areas where weeds or weather have degraded the hold between bricks.
5. Landscaping. Keep landscaping clean and attractive. Weeds should be pulled, dropped fruits and nuts removed from under trees to deter animals, and trees and bushes trimmed so they don???t scrape the side of the house. Many landscaping companies offer affordable fall clean-up packages for homeowners who don???t want to do the work themselves.
If the home is still on the market leading into the holidays, owners can spend the colder months doing interior cosmetic upgrades, such as replacing floor coverings, upgrading cabinet hardware and interior painting. With a prioritized list, homeowners will feel more confident in their ability to finish interior updates before the start of the 2013 real estate season.
Dan Steward is the president of Pillar To Post Home Inspections.For more information, visit www.pillartopost.com
By: Staff Sergeant Ed Hickey, Detachment Commander, Ontario Provincial Police
Drivers know that it???s important to share the road with emergency vehicles, but did you know that it???s the law?
In Ontario, Section 159(2) and (3) of the Highway Traffic Act requires drivers to slow down and proceed with caution when passing an emergency vehicle parked on the side of a highway with its lights activated. If the highway has more than one lane, the law requires the driver to move over and leave one lane between their vehicle and the parked emergency vehicle if it can be done safely. Failure to do so can result in fines starting from $400 to $2,000 and three demerit points.
407 ETR has partnered with the OPP and MTO to increase awareness of this important law to protect emergency personnel performing their duties on Ontario roadways. Road safety messages are routinely posted on 407 ETR???s programmable message boards and the ???Move Over Law??? is one of the key messages.
There is no higher priority than saving lives. As a driver, your actions can directly increase safety. Please be aware of emergency vehicles and remember the ???Move Over Law???.
You will love this Westmount pristine condition garden home. Located in a private enclave of 19 condominium units. 2 fireplaces, Blinds and 5 appliances included Cathedral ceilings on 2nd level, 2 full 4 pc. bathrooms. Master bedroom has a walk in closet. Kitchen is truly functional with gleaming white cabinetry & patio doors to delightful patio area. 2 fireplaces, one on main level and 2nd in finished lower. The décor is neutral and easy to fall in love with. Check out the pictures. For a private showing call THE GRANTS 519.667.1800 or sales@the-grants.com
Watch Out! Combustible Plastic Bottles Found in Public Places across Ontario The Parks and Recreation Department of the City of London informed us that, in parks across Ontario, there have recently been several incidents involving flammable plastic water bottles. These bottles contain a small amount of liquid drain cleaner, or liquid toilet bowl cleaner, and some tin foil. They are usually placed on people's front lawns or in other public places and, if picked up, explode ??? causing chemical burns to the person's face and/or hands. To date there have not been reported any such incidents in the City of London's parks and sportsfields, but, if you see a plastic bottle like the ones described above, please do not touch it and contact the Police immediately. |
Click here to see property: http://www.the-grants.com/viewlisting.php?id=403903
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Broker, ACCI, FCCI, CRES, Broker, CPM, FRI, CMOC, CRP,
CMOC ACCI, FCCI
RE/MAX Hall Of Fame RE/MAX Hall Of Fame
Formal Invite
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The Grants attended the launch of the 1410 Comedy AM Radio at Yuk Yuk's London Club Wednesday night.
London Ontario Real Estate – Who Is The Winner?
According to many of the talking heads on TV, on radio, in the newspapers and on Internet blogs, the housing market “bubble” is about to burst.
Connie and I spent lunch today listening to Walter Schneider, President and Co-founder of RE/MAX Ontario Atlantic, tell us that in his opinion, the Canadian real estate market is strong and very competitive compared to the rest of the developed world.
The Canadian housing affordability level is a fraction of most of the European and Asian markets. London real estate is a bargain even compared to the Toronto market, which in its self is seen as a bargain compared to the rest of the world markets with one exception at the moment, the US market.
Currently lenders are offering current and future home owners mortgage rates as low as 2.99% for 5 years and 3.99% for 7 years. How low will the interest rates go? Mr. Schneider is of the opinion that the current low interest rates being offered today are here for a few years.
This brings us back to the question “Who Is The Winner?”
It is our opinion that London Ontario home owners, current and future are the clear winners. Low interest rates, low housing costs and a quality of life make London one of the best places to invest in home ownership.
Fraser Grant is a broker with Remax Centre City Realty Inc.
