Toronto Real Estate News from Paul Chan May 2017   
Real Estate News
Paul Chan
Founder

315 Castlefield Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
416-705-2444
www.ModernFamilyRealtor.ca


Apply today to the Modern Family Realtor Start Proud Leadership Scholarship before the deadline of May 26, 2017 for your chance to win 1 of 2 $2,500 scholarships.

Buyers will often drive by a home before deciding whether or not it’s worth taking a look at the inside.  This month’s article offers some great ideas on how to enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Thanks so much for checking out this month’s newsletter.  Please get in touch if you have any questions or comments regarding the articles, or real estate in general — it’d be great to hear from you!

Paul Chan

In this issue...
MODERN FAMILY REALTOR START PROUD LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP
We are excited to co-sponsor the 2017 Start Proud Leadership Scholarship with Out on Bay Street.  It is our commitment to support students who make a difference in their LGBTQ+ and other communities and we are offering two scholarships to provide resources to help them achieve their educational goals.

To apply, please click on the link below before the deadline of Friday May, 26 2017.

www.startproud.org/awards/#scholarship

TORONTO REAL ESTATE MARKET UPDATE
Toronto sees strong growth in new listings during April.

Toronto Real Estate Board President Larry Cerqua announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® entered 33.6 per cent more new listings into TREB’s MLS® System in April 2017, at 21,630, compared to the same month in 2016.

New listings were up by double-digits for all low-rise home types, including detached and semi-detached houses and townhouses.  New listings for condominium apartments were at the same level as last year.

Total sales for the TREB market area as a whole amounted to 11,630 – down 3.2 per cent year-over-year.  One issue underlying this decline was the fact that Easter fell in April in 2017 versus March in 2016, which resulted in fewer working days this year compared to last and, historically, most sales are entered into TREB’s MLS® System on working days.

COMING SOON – TASTE OF TORONTO
This event is sure to satisfy everyone’s culinary cravings!

The Taste of Toronto returns to Garrison Common at Fort York for a four-day foodie wonderland.  It’s all about food, drink and summer fun!

Toronto’s greatest restaurants will serve taster size signature dishes and world-class chefs will appear in live cooking demonstrations along with interactive masterclasses.  With over 60 food and drink exhibitors to browse, it will be foodie heaven!

This year, Taste of Toronto will be held between Thursday, June 15th and Sunday, June 18th.  Tickets are sold for separate afternoon and evening sessions, each lasting between 4-5 hours.  Hope to see you there!

CASHING IN ON CURB APPEAL
A few small changes will transform your home’s first impression!

The key to getting top dollar for your home is to create huge demand.  In order to get as many people through the door as possible, your home has to stand out from the competition.

There’s no need to completely overhaul your home’s exterior as it’s often the small details that increase the visual appeal of a property.  Here are a few ideas that will enhance your home’s curb appeal:

  1. Light It Up – Solar lights will add a welcoming glow and dramatically highlight your home’s exterior.
  2. Perfect Porch – A well-lit porch with a few comfortable chairs and a couple of hanging baskets will set a tranquil tone.
  3. Peeling Paint – You want buyers to see that your home is well cared for so paint or power wash the exterior and clean all the windows.
  4. Accessorize – Replace outdated fixtures such as your mailbox, door handle and porch light and make sure your house numbers are attractive and visible from the street.
  5. Landscaping – Cut the grass and trim the hedges.  Well-kept flower beds show pride of ownership and a few large pots full of bright flowers will accentuate the entranceway.
  6. De-clutter – An uncluttered exterior is as important as an uncluttered interior so put away tools, toys, bikes, pet toys and gardening equipment.
  7. Watch Your Back – When buyers drive by your home, they’ll usually try and get a glimpse of the backyard so make sure it also gets top notch treatment!

Just as people judge a book by its cover, buyers make assumptions about the interior of your home based on how the outside looks.  It’s therefore important to make a great first impression starting with the curb.  Your efforts will significantly increase the chances of your home selling quickly and for top dollar!

UNPLUGGING KIDS FROM TECHNOLOGY
It just takes a little planning to curb the addiction to screens.

Children rely on technology more than ever resulting in less exercise and a lack of creativity.  Here are a few “old school” activities to help them disconnect from their devices:

  1. Personal Puzzles – Cut an old photograph into various pieces and then see how quickly they can put it back together.
  2. Build a Fort – Drape blankets over chairs to create a cool fort.  Once they’re comfortable in their new abode, drop by with some “fort warming” snacks.
  3. And… Action! – Putting on a play is a great way to exercise a child’s imagination.  They can take turns writing, acting, designing costumes and even filming.
  4. Egg & Spoon Race – Give your children an egg and spoon and see how quickly they can cross the finish line without dropping it.  This old-fashioned game will get them active and outside!
  5. Caching In – Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game!  Register online and then set off to find the hidden cache with the help of a GPS.

Kids love being tourists in their own cities so take some time to regularly plan fun family outings that don’t involve technology.  If we make the effort to disconnect once in a while, our kids will be more likely to do the same.

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