MFR Newsletter April 2017

Luxury, multi-level custom-designed 3 bedroom in the heart of St. Lawrence Market. Feels like a house! $100K+ 2016 gut renovation, the ONLY layout like this in the building with beautiful open concept living/dining/kitchen facing iconic Flatiron. Large master with ensuite, walk in closet. Boutique building has a stunning rooftop terrace with BBQ’s, downtown views & low fees. 100% Walk Score, minutes to TTC, restaurants, shops & financial district. Shows 10+, a must see!

Toronto Real Estate Board President Larry Cerqua announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 12,077 residential sales through TREB’s MLS® System in March 2017.

This result represented a 17.7 per cent increase compared to the 10,260 sales reported in March 2016.  For the TREB market area as a whole, annual sales growth was strongest for condominium apartments and detached houses.

The number of new listings also increased on a year-over-year basis, at 17,051 – a 15.2 per cent increase compared to March 2016.  The strongest growth in new listings was experienced in the detached market segment.  While new listings were up strongly compared to last year, the rate new listings growth was still lower than the rate of sales growth. As a result, GTA market conditions continued to tighten.

Strong competition between buyers continued to cause high levels of price growth in all major market segments.  The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark Price was up by 28.6 per cent year-over-year.  For the TREB market area as a whole, the average selling price was up by 33.2 per cent, with similar annual rates of growth in the low-rise and condominium apartment segments.

Since its inception in the year 2000, Doors Open Toronto has attracted more than two million visitors to nearly 600 unique locations across the city.  It’s Canada’s largest Doors Open event and one of the three largest Doors Open events in the world!

This free event, which is held on May 27th – 28th, is a great opportunity to take a peek behind the doors of over 150 buildings across Toronto, many of which are normally off-limits to the public!

Venues participating this year will include stately homes, architecturally significant office buildings, museums, halls and even old farmhouses.

The Doors Open Toronto 2017’s theme is “Fifteen Decades of Canadian Architecture” and features highlights from each decade since the 1860s, as well as a pre-Confederation cluster.  By looking at our architectural, design and urban planning past, we can more easily look ahead to the next 15 decades!

It’s the time of year when many of us start coming up with ideas on how to jazz up our outdoor space.  If you’re the type who can’t wait to get your hands dirty, here are a few ideas to inspire you:

1. Natural Materials – Wood and rocks are popular gardening materials as people are moving towards a more organic and authentic look.
2. Cozy Comfort – The Danish concept of Hygge is about creating comfortable gathering areas for friends and family such as pillow chairs that surround an outdoor fireplace.
3. Grow Local – Sprawling lawns are being replaced with edible landscapes so homeowners can organically grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.
4. eGardening – Smartphone apps make it easy to plan and grow your garden based on your climate zone.  They can even alert you if a cold snap’s coming so you can cover your plants.
5. Gardening Gadgets – Robot grass mowers and customizable sprinkler systems that monitor the weather and adjust watering schedules are helpful for those who love lush lawns.
6. Polly Plants – Create an inviting garden by planting bright, nectar rich flowers that will attract a variety of pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds.

Gardening is a great way to get outside and get in touch with mother nature so it’s no surprise in this ever-connected digital world that taking a break to work on our gardens is growing in popularity.  Regardless of whether or not you follow the latest trends this spring, here’s to digging in and getting your hands dirty!

Spring has sprung which means fresh scents, chirping birds and new life in the garden!  It’s time to bring that spring fresh feeling into your home so open the windows, let the fresh air in and:

• create a spring cleaning checklist
• focus on only one room at a time
• throw out all expired items
• vacuum and rotate your mattresses
• clean under the beds

With a clean, fresh home under your belt, you’ll be all set to focus on cleaning up your outdoor furniture so that you can enjoy the summer months that are just around the corner!