Virtually Toronto Real Estate: News and Information
for Jan. 2004
TODAY'S TOPICS
-Toronto Real Estate Board 'MarketWatch'
January 2004
-Remember Home Safety in 2004
-If You're Remodeling, Keep Your
Neighbours In The Loop
-MARKET WATCH-JANUARY 2004-
Almost 79,000 Sales Makes 2003 Best Year EverWith 78,898 sales
recorded,
2003 turned out to be the best year ever for the local residential
re-sale market,
Toronto Real Estate Board President Cynthia Lai announced today.
"This is up six per cent over 2002, and an astounding
result given some
of the trying events Toronto experienced during the course of
the year."
Prices continued to climb in 2003, reaching a year-end total
of $293,067, which
is up six per cent over last year, and the highest level ever
recorded.
"While this is better news for homeowners than potential
homebuyers,"
Ms. Lai commented, "It should be noted that for many house
types, like
condominium apartments, and for many areas of town, prices are
still quite
affordable."
TREB Market Watch (January 2004)
-REMEMBER HOME SAFETY IN 2004-
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), which is the national
trade association
for more than 90% of the Canadian private property and casualty
insurance
industry, the Canada Safety Council and many other organizations
want
Canadians to take a few minutes to think about home safety and
make sure
their families are protected.
Safety-conscious organizations suggest you should remember
these
safety precautions:
Practice your fire drill routes out of the house should fire
strike. If you
don't have clear escape plans, make them. Ensure all members
of the
family know what to do if they hear an alarm. This includes
knowing
the fastest way out of the home, and who will assist children
and
anyone with mobility problems.
Check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO)
detectors.
Change the batteries at least twice a year. If you don't do
this when
you change the clocks for Daylight Savings, why not include
this in
your December celebrations and on Canada Day (July 1). Do not
use
rechargeable batteries as they die suddenly and will not give
a warning alarm.
Check that you have enough smoke detectors (at least one on
every level),
and that they are distributed (near sleeping areas) so as to
protect all
inhabitants of the home. If you have only one CO detector, install
it at knee
height near the sleeping area. It is a good idea to have a second
detector near
your furnace or heat source and one on each level of your home.
Test CO detectors at least once a month.
Keep household chemicals -- such as butane, nail polish remover,
rubbing alcohol,
and propane -- away from your CO detector. Over time, these
could affect the
sensing device, which could lead to false alarms.
Be sure that flashlights and fire extinguishers are in working
order.
Move fire hazards like matches, lighters, candles and heaters
out of harm's way.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions in the owner's manual,
or use the care
guide for maintenance and use of your gas fireplace. A fireplace
should be
inspected before use and checked annually by a qualified professional
service
person. Young children should be carefully supervised when they
are in a room
with a fireplace. Clothing or other flammable material should
not be placed
on or near the fireplace.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a silent killer. Colorless, odorless
and tasteless,
it can invade your home without warning. As you breathe it in,
the CO
displaces the oxygen you need to survive. It quickly accumulates
in your
bloodstream, forming a toxic compound called carboxyhemoglobin
(car-box-see-HEE-muh-glow-bin). Even in small quantities it
can cause
headaches, nausea, dizziness, irregular breathing, sleepiness,
and
confusion. In larger concentrations it leads to unconsciousness
and death.
A properly installed CO detector can alert you to the presence
of carbon
monoxide. If the alarm sounds, GET OUT OF THE HOME QUICKLY.
Call the fire department from another location and ask them
to check
your home for the presence of carbon monoxide.
Wherever there is incomplete combustion, there will be carbon
monoxide.
Some causes of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home include:
A defective chimney
Improperly installed gas appliances (for example, a stove, cook
top, or clothes dryer)
Car running in an attached garage
Barbecue used in an enclosed area
Gas or wood-burning fireplace
Corroded or disconnected vent pipe
Blocked vent
Cracked heat exchanger
Portable heater (for example, one fueled by gas, propane or
kerosene).
Shopping tips:
Look for the CSA mark, which indicates that the unit complies
with recognized
safety standards.
Contact your local municipal office or fire department to confirm
local standards
and requirements.
Louder is better since that annoying noise could save a life.
Choose a suitable power source for your purposes: battery operated,
plug-in,
or hardwired. Some plug-in or hardwired models have a battery
backup so that the alarm will sound even if the electrical power
is shut off.
(realty times)
-IF YOU'RE REMODELING, KEEP YOUR NEIGHBOURS
IN THE LOOP-
Going through a major remodel can be a stressful time. Strangers
are in your
house for weeks or months, your daily routines are disrupted,
dust is flying,
parts of your house might not be functional (like the kitchen),
and the work
may take longer than expected. But the chaos isn't confined
to just your
house -- your neighbours are feeling the effects, too.
It's important to keep them apprised of your remodeling plans
and what to
expect in the coming weeks or months.
Keeping the line of communication open with your contractor
is the first step.
But whether you're undergoing a two-week or two-month remodel,
you'll need
to know how the process will go -- how you'll cook if you're
going through a
kitchen remodel, and how you'll shower and primp for work if
you're having a
bathroom remodeled. And how you'll live with a work crew and
materials scattered
about your house.
You should make sure you understand all the terms of the contract
and that you
know what to expect of the contractor -- what time crews will
arrive in the morning,
when they'll leave, where they'll need to put materials, when
heavy equipment or
work trucks will be arriving, what procedure will be used if
change orders are
needed, etc.
Once your family has a game plan, the next line of defense
will be contacting your
neighbours and letting them know what will be happening over
the next few days,
weeks or months.
The first thing you'll want to do is let your neighbours in
on what you will be
doing, how long you expect it to take, and, most important,
who they can contact
if they have any problems or concerns.
Also, making sure your remodel or addition is legal is one
of the most important first steps.
Get permits for the work you are going to have done.Your project
will be shut down if a
neighbour complains about the work you are doing and it is found
that you have no permit.
In addition, remember the following when it comes to your remodeling
project and keeping
peace with your neighbours:
Keep them apprised of what's going on, detail by detail. That
includes the day work will begin,
approximate completion date, what work will be done, whether
their property might need to be
used (ask permission if workers will have to come onto the property).
Let them know if delays come up.
Inform them of any large trucks coming, like for a cement pour.
Ask subcontractors to park on one side of the street only.
Make sure noisy power tools are only used during standard business
hours.
Try your best to have materials dropped off in your driveway
or yard rather than
the street. You don't want dirt or gravel to get washed into
the street or be in the
way when kids are out playing and riding bikes.
Get rid of dumpsters as quickly as possible. If you have room
left in your last
dumpster, invite neighbours to dump anything they might have
lurking in their
garage that needs tossing.
Keep your yard as normal looking as possible. Watch for debris
that might find
its way onto your neighbours' yards, especially if a roofing
project is involved.
And when your project is complete, show your neighbours your
appreciation
by throwing them a party. You can thank them for their patience
and proudly
show off your remodeled house.
(realty times)
