GTA(Toronto Area) Home Prices Up in July 2012

Going for Camping ? Don't forget to carry.....

Summer is at it's best, temperature is perfect 25-35 degree, kids are having good time. Everyone is thinking to heading for camping or some have their cottage reserved.

Each year we go for Camping. Me and my wife both try our best that we shouldn't forget anything, but it never happened.

I thought let me write something on that note.

1) A butane lighter. Now this could be just a cheap cigarette lighter, but it would be far better to carry one of those butane ‘wands’ for lighting the stove or campfire.  A far better alternative than ordinary matches, but don’t forget the matches – just in case you experience a butane gas leak! 

2) Garbage bags have endless uses.  You can use them to wrap over things – even your backpack, and you can cut them in half to lie flat to protect items from rain and moisture.  Hey, you can even put your garbage into them to carry it off your campsite ready to discard in a more environmentally friendly place. We have used one or two to protect our bedding when having to decamp our wind-up camper in foul weather.

3)  Wet wipes or baby wipes will help you conserve water.  You can use them to wipe your face, hands or feet, and even wipe down preparatory surfaces. When you are finished with them you can throw them in with the garbage (most are biodegradable), or simply cast them into the campfire. Choose the plain ones that contain no scented additives.

4) LED flashlights or head lights.  This is amazing technology and these things seem to last for ever.  The head lights we find particularly useful as they leave both hands free to tend the BBQ or find your way to the amenities on a dark night.  Keep a couple close by, they are cheap enough – cheap enough to give to the kids as a night time toy.

5) Games.  Never mind the TV and DVD player, or even the electronic hand held games.  Sometimes the trusted favorites such as cards or Scrabble just hit the spot.  You can also purchase cheap books or ebooks of card games, so you never need to get bored with the same old game.  Scrabble is always a good leveler – fun too! If you are really adventurous how about a game of chess – mate?

6) And lastly,   You’re camped. You want to go out hiking, and you don’t know what to carry or where to put it.  Get hold of a small knapsack.  We have one that my wife used on her Kontiki trips around the world many years ago.  It is still water proof and has come in useful on many occasions.  It easily carries water, snacks, camera and showerproof jackets, but as it’s small it is also easy to stow away when not in use. 

I hope this got you thinking.  Happy camping folks! For more little things to take

What is RADON gas ? Where RADON is coming from ?

Recently I visited my uncle living the USA, Pennsylvania state. He informed me that one of his friend bought a house and home inspection revealed that house had higher than normal concentration of RADON gas. 

In Canada, the RADON gas is not that known as it is in the USA. 

Here are some important fact about RADON

- Radon comes from uranium in the ground. Uranium is everywhere. It's in all kinds of soil. And when it breaks down it produces a radioactive gas that's odourless, colourless and tasteless. This gas is radon.

- Radon come into a home, through unfinished floors, pipes, windows, sumps, cracks in foundation walls and floors.

- If exposed to high doses of radon over a long period of time is a huge health risk. 

- According to Health Canada, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. In fact, 10 per cent of all cases of lung cancer in Canada are caused by radon.

- As per Health Canada, if concentration of Radon is more than 200 Bg/m3 (Becquerels are used to measure radioactive concentration.) is dangerous to health.

- But regardless of where you live, there's no way of knowing if you have a radon problem — unless you test for it. One house can have radon levels next to zero. You go to the house next door and the levels can be off the charts.

- These levels also fluctuate. Depending on the weather, humidity, the home, or the time of year, radon levels will be higher or lower.

For example, during the winter we keep our windows and doors shut. This lets radon accumulate in the home. That's why radon levels tend to be higher in the winter. And for that same reason, it's also the best time to test for radon.

There are radon test kits homeowners can buy at big box stores or from organizations like Pinchin Environmental. But testing can be tricky.

That's why there are professionals who know how to measure for radon. Who's a pro? Someone who is certified by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) or National Radon Safety Board (NRSB).

There are short term and long term tests for radon. Short term is usually over 2 to 7 days and long term is anywhere between 1 to 12 months. The longer you test the better. Health Canada recommends a minimum of three months. But what if there is a radon issue? Should you be waiting for months to find out?

Your best bet is to do a short term radon test in closed conditions. That means keeping windows and doors shut as much as possible — some homeowners do it while they're away on vacation. And if the results show you've got radon levels higher than 200 Bq/m3 call in a pro to verify.

If you have a radon problem it can cost $1,500 — $3,000 to fix it. You need to call in a contractor who has experience in dealing with radon mitigation. You need someone who is certified in radon mitigation by the National Radon Proficiency Program.

Putting a cap on sump pumps and sealing foundation cracks helps. But the most effective method is drilling a hole through the basement floor and installing a pipe with a fan. This process is called de-pressurization and it draws the gas from the ground to outside the home.

Is radon something we should think about? Yes. Should we panic? No. Is it more serious than something like mould or asbestos? As far as I'm concerned, they're all bad. If you have high levels of radon in your house it's bad. If you have asbestos or mould in your house it's bad.

Bottom line: Whether it's mould, asbestos or radon, any time our health or our family's health is compromised we need to be concerned.

 

Best regards,

 

Ritesh JoshiYour Next Door Realtor

Who owns trees and who pay if they fall

One of my client asked about the trees in between properties (Houses), I am sure so many of us doesn't know the answer.  First question  Who owns the tree? - A tree whose trunk is on the boundary between properties belongs to both property owners, according to the Forestry Act of Ontario. When you can trim them ? - The owner can trim branches on their side of the property.  - If the tree on your neighbour’s land, but roots and branches extend onto your property, you have the right to trim them, so long as it does not do any harm to the tree. - You cannot go into your neighbour’s yard to do this. While this is usually simple to determine when it comes to branches, it is not so easy to figure out when roots are involved. In other words, how do you know whether cutting part of the roots on your land will injure the tree? What of  a tree is dying ? - If you think a tree is dying and you get a report from a certified arborist, you can remove the tree from your yard, in most cases without a permit. Still, you need to send in a copy of the arborist’s report to the City before taking down the tree. If a tree falls If a tree falls and damages your property, it will largely depend on whether the tree was healthy or whether you had warned your neighbour to remove the tree because it was dying.  Case law has determined that if the tree was healthy, then you cannot sue your neighbor for damages. It becomes a matter between you and your insurance company, although in my experience, many policies do not cover this type of damage. However, there is also case law that if you had warned your neighbor to take down the tree because it was dying, they did nothing and then damage occurred, you can successfully claim for your losses. Protected trees Most trees within 15 feet of the road are typically owned by the City, so you can’t cut any of the branches or remove the tree yourself. If you are worried that the branches may damage wires from the hydro poles, contact the City. They’ll come and trim the branches or remove the tree. There are also rules against trimming or cutting down a heritage tree. You can find a listing of heritage trees atwww.heritagetrees.on.ca.

No Rate Change Again..What You Expect ?

The Bank of Canada announced on July 17th,  that it is keeping its key policy rate steady, which means no changes for variable rate mortgage holders; the prime rate for most lenders should stay at 3%. 

The Bank's statement noted that "global financial conditions have deteriorated since April, with periods of considerable volatility" and that "global headwinds are restraining Canadian economic activity."

They continue to mention that future rate hikes may be necessary by cautioning that "some modest withdrawal of the present considerable monetary policy stimulus may become appropriate, consistent with achieving the 2 per cent inflation target."

The Bank's next rate decision is scheduled for September 5.

If you are considering a fixed-rate mortgage, the great Canadian mortgage sale continues this summer, with historically low 5 and 10-year fixed rates.  Take advantage.

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Best regards,

 

Ritesh Joshi
Your Next Door Realtor

www.riteshtherealtor.com

647-281-3424

GTA listing up 14%

Greater Toronto Realtors reported 3,679 sales through the first 14 days of July 2012, representing a 5.6 per centincrease compared to the 3,484 sales reported for the same period in 2011. New listings were up by 14.4 per cent over the same time frame.

“Housing demand remained strong in the first half of July. Sales growth occurred in the regions surrounding the City of Toronto. In the City of Toronto, where sales were down, the relatively higher cost of home ownership likely prompted some buyers to purchase elsewhere in the GTA. Higher costs in the City of Toronto include the upfront payment of the additional land transfer tax,” said Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President Ann Hannah.

The average selling price in the first half of July was $473,466 – up by 2.3 per cent compared to last year. On average, homes sold for 98 per cent of the asking price in 25 days – in line with July 2011. Price growth was strongest in the City of Toronto, climbing by 3.5 per cent to $496,645.

“A better supplied market contributed to a slower annual rate of price growth in July relative to the first half of 2012,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “As buyers benefit from more choice in the second half of this year, expect price growth to slow to a more sustainable pace.”