Bank of Canada urged to hike rates after June

Mortgage News:

News reports are in suggesting that the Bank of Canada should uphold its pledge to keep its key policy rate at 0.25% until July 2010.  Expect to see sharp rate hikes of 50 basis points at every announcement date until mid-2011 however (according to an analysis prepared for the C.D. Howe Institute).    This would bring the benchmark rate to roughly 4.25% (with the assumption of 8 scheduled rate announcements from July of this year to July .

For any first time Buyers waiting to see what will happen to rates - now is a great time to buy.  

For the rest of us who may be on a variable rate mortgage - keep a close eye on news to come.

The Gordon Brothers

Posted via email from thegordonbrothers.ca - Blog - Remax

Lakeside Update - Feb.22.2010

Hi all,

We had a great weekend this past weekend and worked quite a bit. I did an open house at 14 Holliman in Lakeside with another agent in our office. We had a great turnout and met some very nice Buyers looking for property in the Lakeside area specifically. Though 14 Holliman shows very well, this was not the right house for them. If anyone knows of someone thinking of selling in Lakeside please have them call Rich or myself directly first. We have several Buyers looking for different types of homes.

Over the weekend, one of the single car garage homes sold firm which means that there are currently:

1 x townhouse

3 x single car garage
5 x 2 car garage (2 came up this past weekend. One priced over the $500k mark and another just above $400k. )

***Because of the privacy act, we are not able to advertise price or location of these properties. If you want more information please call or email me anytime. I'm happy to send the listings.

Happy house hunting.

Doug and Rich
The Gordon Brothers

Posted via email from Ajax Lakeside Blog

Children's Miracle Network and Sold on a Cure

RE/MAX is proud to be the exclusive real estate sponsor to the Children’s Miracle Network; an international non-profit organization, which consists of 170 children’s hospitals providing state-of-the-art, life-saving care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

RE/MAX real estate professionals also take an active role in creating a future without breast cancer through the RE/MAX “Sold on a Cure” program. The program raises vital funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in Ontario and Atlantic Regions.

Doug Gordon

Sales Representative

(905) 831-3300

Toll Free: 1-866-539-3300

Fax: (905) 831-8147

Email:

doug.gordon@rogers.com

http://www.douggordonhomes.com

Re/Max First Realty Ltd., Brokerage

Independently owned and operated

1154 Kingston Road., Pickering ON L1V 1B4

Posted via email from thegordonbrothers.ca - Blog - Remax

Reducing Hazardous Household Waste

As consumers , we sometimes purchase items that seem harmless when used properly but don't always think about how we should dispose of them. This can be a serious problem with hazardous household waste, also known as HHW. Careless or improper disposal of items such as cell phones, batteries, printer cartridges and inks, oils, paints and solvents (and even some medications) can become very harmful to the environment - and to human health. That's why many communities are stressing that citizens need to follow guidelines, rules and regulations that dictate the proper way to recycle or dispose of many HHW products. We could all be more mindful of proper disposal. If you're not sure which items are classified by your community as HHW, be sure to inquire before you throw out anything that's even remotely suspect. Also, ask retailers if they will take back your empty containers or leftover product when you're finished. Many stores now have recycling drop areas where you can properly recycle or dispose of these items.

thegordonbrothers.ca

4 Simple Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive

There are dozens of ways to make your property more enticing to potential buyers. For example, you can invest in getting your home professionally “staged”, which involves making it look a little like a model home. Or, you can do a major renovation to improve your home‘s look and value.
But what if you don’t have a lot of time and are on a limited budget? What can you do today to make your home irresistible to buyers tomorrow? Here are some ideas:
1. Paint
It doesn’t cost much to paint key areas of your home, like the foyer, kitchen or master bedroom. Yet the impression it makes on buyers is significant. In fact, compared to most other types of home improvement projects, painting gives you the highest payback when you sell.
2. Create space
Homes naturally get cluttered over the years. Even a double car garage can seem claustrophobic if there are a lot of boxes, equipment and other items stored in it. Go through each room of your home and do a major decluttering. It will make your property seem more attractive and, when you sell, make moving easier too!
3. Clean and tidy
Obviously, you’re going to make sure your home is clean for viewings. But you’d be surprised what a homeowner can miss and a buyer notices. Closets, laundry rooms, side yard, basement furnace room and all other nooks and crannies should be as tidy and clean as possible.
4. Roll out the red carpet
Not an actual red carpet! But you do want the entrance way to your front door and into the foyer to make the best impression possible. After all, those are the areas that a buyer sees first. Make sure walkways are clear and clean. Ensure that when a buyer opens the front door and walks in, the impression he or she gets is that of a great looking place to live.
These four tips don’t take much time or money to implement. Yet, they can all help make your home even more irresistible to buyers than it is today.
Want more tips on preparing your home for sale? Call today The Gordon Brothers today.

Problems Window Condensation? -

If your home is showing signs of condensation build up in the windows, over time you could have issues with:
- mold or mildew
- wood rot and warping
- damp, ineffective insulation
- discoloured, blistered or bubbling paint
- damaging moisture inside walls and attic

Prevent condensation and unwanted moisture in your home by:

1. ensure your humidifier is working correctly - turn it down in cooler weather
2. vent all appliances to the outside (rather than attic and crawl spaces)
3. run exhaust fans while cooking and in shower or bath

Remember that windows do not cause condensation and are therefor not the cure for condensation problems.

thegordonbrothers.ca

real estate area sales information

Looking for sales information about properties in your neighbourhood that have recently sold? Email doug.gordon@rogers.com and request this information. We are happy to help and promise a prompt reply.

thegordonbrothers.ca