• apartment – FOR SALE CAD505,000 . from $505,000/-
in Beverley Glen, Vaughan
Boulevard at The Thornhill is a new condo development by The Daniels Corporation and Baif Developments currently in preconstruction at Bathurst Street & Beverley Glen Boulevard, Vaughan.
Available units range in price from $355,900 to over $1,564,900.
Boulevard at The Thornhill unit sizes range from 337 to 1772 square feet.
he development is scheduled for completion in 2023.
On home staging
On curb appeal
• 2 storey – FOR SALE CAD1,779,990 . from $1,779,990/-
in Dundas/Sixth Line, Oakville
Royal Oaks is a new townhouse and single family home development by Castleridge Homes and Falconcrest Homes currently in preconstruction at Sixth Line & Bowbeer Road, Oakville.
The development is scheduled for completion in 2023.
36 and 38′ lots available
• single story – FOR SALE CAD2,089,990 . from $2089990/-
in Dundas/Third Line, Oakville
Glen Abbey Encore
Glen Abbey Encore Community | Upper Middle Road West & Bronte Road, Oakville, ON
By CountryWide Homes
Closings are scheduled for Fall 2022
• 2 story – FOR SALE CAD1,228,990 . Starting Price
in Main/10th Line, Stouffville
Cityside homes, Stouffville
Cityside Stouffville Community | Tenth Line, Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON
Single Family Home
– Units
4 Bedrooms
Preconstruction
Cityside is a new single family home development by DECO Homes currently in preconstruction at Tenth Line, Whitchurch-Stouffville.
Cityside Details
Community Name: Cityside Stouffville
Building Type:
Single Family Home
Ownership: Freehold
Construction Status: Preconstruction
Ceilings: Up to 9’0″
All New Release of 36′ and 40′ Detached
Are you a borderline hoarder? Maybe it’s time to minimalize! Canada’s top organizing experts share helpful hints on how to declutter every room of your home.
The trick to decluttering your home: less is more.
If You Want to Declutter, Think “Less Is More”
For many of us, the feeling of having too much stuff can cause panic. Here’s how to pare down what’s in your home—a daunting task, even if you’re organized by nature.
Remember: decluttering doesn’t mean getting rid of everything you own. Rather, it involves taking time to consider your lifestyle and recognize what’s working for you, what isn’t and why you’re hanging on to stuff. As the following experts can attest, organizing your home one room at a time can be a winning strategy.
Living Room
How to Declutter Your Living Room
“Look around as if you are a visitor and this is your first time in the space,” says Regina Leeds, the Los Angeles–based author of 2008’s One Year to an Organized Life. “Does the room reflect the reality of today, or has it become a monument to the past?”
Next, sort objects and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. With each one, ask yourself: does it serve me well? Is it broken? Do I use it? Remote controls can be stashed in a basket; magazines can be recycled. Even something as unwieldy as a collection of VHS home videos can be digitized, says professional organizer Elinor Warkentin of Goodbye Clutter! in Vancouver.
If you’ve been keeping gifts, heirlooms or anything expensive solely out of guilt, just don’t. “Your goal is to make your home comfortable for you,” says Cherri Hurst, owner of Toronto’s Hurst Class Organizing. “Your affection and love for the person who gave you these objects doesn’t change if you let go of them.”
Kitchen
Tips to Declutter Your Kitchen
Unless you’re Old Mother Hubbard, your kitchen cupboard is likely full of mismatched china, oversized roasting pans and souvenir mugs. Montreal-based Kathleen Murphy of Organizing Options recommends getting rid of anything that’s damaged, neglected or unpleasant to use. “You’re the Chagall of your kitchen. You need good kitchen tools, and you want to enjoy the experience,” she says.
It may be tempting to hang on to objects in case you need them someday, but that’s not a valid reason to hoard stained, mismatched Tupperware. “For every 10 things you give up, you may end up regretting one. Save the space for something you’re using now,” says Hurst.
Once you’ve pared down those cooking utensils, streamline your kitchen to enhance the experience of making and eating a meal. Anything you use on a daily basis should be easily accessible, says Murphy, who suggests storing items such as baking tools, juicers and giant soup pots on higher shelves or in a closet.
Think your kitchen is spotless? Do you know about these 7 Surprisingly Germy Kitchen Items?
Bathroom
How to Declutter Your Bathroom
Expired medication, yellowed Band-Aids, rusty safety pins and personal care products that haven’t been touched in years are some of the things Warkentin has seen lurking underneath bathroom sinks. “If you’re not certain where to start, try attacking your vanity from top to bottom,” she suggests. Unused prescription medication can be properly disposed of at a pharmacy. Unopened toiletries can generally be donated to a women’s shelter.
Group items in clear categories and commit to using everything up before buying more. “That way you’re reminded not to buy five tubes of toothpaste at once. To reinforce a new behaviour, you have to live with the consequences of the old one,” says Murphy, who recommends going through bathroom cabinets at least once a year. If you want to take advantage of a great sale, reserve a clearly designated shelf or area in your closet for duplicates, so you’ll remember to draw on your own supply.
Check out our Best-Ever Bathroom Cleaning Hacks!
Home Office
Declutter Your Home Office
Warkentin often sees home offices full of reference materials, such as books and binders, that are rarely, if ever, consulted. “People have a sense that they need this stuff to function,” she says, but in general, they usually do just fine without it. Check to see if any of your hard copies are available online. And if you’re holding on to something you haven’t consulted in years, consider getting rid of it. Gather items like pens, file folders, stationery and other office supplies into categories and assess what you truly use and need.
Surplus pens and paper can come in handy while decluttering, as making a list of spaces or item categories that you’d like to tackle may help keep the process moving along, says Murphy. “Lists help you feel like you have control, and you can see your progress.” (Just pare down your supplies once you’ve finished with them.)
Garage
How to Declutter Your Garage
The place you park your car can easily become a graveyard for things you don’t want in the house, says Murphy. Spare tires for cars you no longer own, paint tins, canned food and boxes belonging to grown children are frequent offenders when it comes to garage clutter.
When deciding what to get rid of, “Rust is a good clue,” says Warkentin, who recommends investing in a shelving system to keep things off the floor. If you’re sick of storing other people’s items, give them a deadline—if they don’t pick up their stuff by then, you’ll be getting rid of it.
If you’ve been holding on to bulky exercise equipment in the hopes that you’ll finally get in shape, a timeline can help. “Tell yourself, If I don’t use this bike in the next three months, I’m going to take up walking,” says Murphy.
Above all, remember: decluttering your home won’t happen overnight. Enlist a trusted friend or a professional and recognize it may get worse before it gets better. Be realistic about your expectations and stay positive. As Leeds points out, “Empty space is full of possibility.”
Residential transactions reported through TRREB’s MLS® System remained high in May 2021, but fell short of the 2016 record and were below this year’s March peak. Despite a slight ebb in sales over the last two months, market conditions remained tight enough to push the average selling price to an all-time record in May.
Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 11,951 sales in May 2021 – more than double the result from May 2020, the second full month of the pandemic. May 2021 sales were below the May 2016 record of 12,789 but remained well above the average May sales of 10,336 for the 2010 through 2019 period. Often, May is the strongest sales month in any given year; however, 2021 results bucked this trend, with May sales below the 15,646 deals reported in March.
“There has been strong demand for ownership housing in all parts of the GTA for both ground-oriented home types and condominium apartments. This was fueled by confidence in economic recovery and low borrowing costs. However, in the absence of a normal pace of population growth, we saw a pullback in sales over the past two months relative to the March peak,” said TRREB President Lisa Patel.
The MLS® Home Price Index Composite Benchmark was up by close to 19 per cent year-over-year in May 2021. The average selling price across all home types was up by 28.4 per cent year-over-year, reaching a record $1,108,453. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average price increased by 1.1 per cent between April and May 2021.
“While sales have trended off the March 2021 peak, so too have new listings. This means that people actively looking to purchase a home continue to face a lot of competition from other buyers, which results in very strong upward pressure on selling prices. This competition is becoming more widespread with tighter market conditions in the condominium apartment segment as well,” said TRREB Chief Market Analyst Jason Mercer.
When looking for a new home, deciding what type of home you want can help to narrow down your options. If you’re looking for a detached home, one of the questions you need to ask yourself is whether or not you would be happy living in an older home.
But first, what qualifies as an older home? The answer varies depending on who you ask. It could be 25 years old to someone who generally deals with new homes, or 50 years for other people. Some people say a home needs to be 100 years or older to be considered old. It’s best to clarify the age range of homes you’re interested in to avoid confusion when beginning your search.
Advantages
Older homes, especially those built in the 1800s, have a certain charm and character that can be hard to find in modern-day homes. For people who like the Victorian look, a new home just doesn’t have the same appeal. For fans of Modernism, buying an original midcentury modern home is the ultimate place to display your Eames furniture collection. There are also reasons to buy an older home that go beyond the property line.
Established Neighbourhood
Older homes, it stands to reason, are found in older neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods are more likely to have several generations, from older folks who have lived there for decades to younger families who have recently moved into the area. This diversity is great for developing a sense of community in the neighbourhood.
See before you buy
Older homes, or any prebuilt home for that matter, has the advantage of being able to walk through it and see the house for yourself before you buy it. Unlike new, under development subdivisions with only a model home, the actual home you walk through in older subdivisions is the one you’ll buy.
When it comes to knowing what you’re buying, this is about as good as it gets.
Flip potential
For those looking for an income property, older homes are especially appealing. Bought at the right price, these homes can sell for a substantial profit after a few renovations. One approach to flipping houses involves living in a house while renovating it, then selling it and moving to the next flip. Another approach involves buying a house and renovating it without living in it. A third approach is to buy an older home and rent it to provide passive income.
Disadvantages
For all the appeal of an older home’s character and charm, there are some disadvantages that come with owning an older home. Whether or not these are deal-breakers really depends on individual preferences.
Structural issues
An older home may have serious problems with the foundation or other structural components. It’s best to have the house inspected by a knowledgeable professional, especially if the home is in the 100-year-old range.
Updates required
Older homes come with older conveniences that modern-day homeowners may not desire. The things that need updating can range from rewiring the house to updating light fixtures to renovating the kitchen to improve its function.
Maintenance
All homes require maintenance, but older homes require more maintenance. The need for maintenance tends to rise with the age of the house and can be anything from minor work to full repairs. Keep in mind the costs of maintenance when considering the price of the home.
The national housing market continued to cool down in May with the number of sales and new listings dipping from April and March, according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association.
Their May report reveals the pandemic-fueled trends that have driven the market – such as demand for larger homes and urban flight – are starting to wind down. The number of homes trading hands decreased by -7.4% month over month, though remain 103.6% higher than at the same time in 2020. That follows the -11% drop recorded in April, further cementing March as the market’s peak month. Sales activity was down in 80% of all markets – though CREA points out that, from a historical perspective, it was still the strongest May of all time.
It’s Still Tough Out There for Buyers
While there are signs the market is starting to settle, buying conditions are still fiercely competitive: the number of new listings brought to market also declined by -6.4% last month, contributing to the ongoing supply-and-demand imbalance and putting the squeeze on buyers.
Bidding wars and multiple-offer scenarios are still prevalent in markets across the country, keeping prices on a boil. While CREA notes the pace of price growth has started to calm in comparison to the first half of 2021, home values are up 38.4% from May 2020 to an average of $688,000. CREA’s Home Price Index, which tracks the benchmark for home prices with the upper and lower extremes stripped out, rose by 1% month over month – reflecting prices are chilling in the short term – but was still up a gargantuan 24.4% year over year. However, CREA believes price growth has likely peaked for the year, and anticipates its pace to continue to moderate into the summer months.
Huge year-over-year price growth was recorded in Canada’s major markets, but some experienced small short term dips as demand has buyer demand shifted from higher-priced detached homes, says CREA.
Greater Vancouver: $1,003,863 (+34.9% yoy, -2.7% mom)
Greater Toronto: $1,106,462 (+28.4% yoy, +1.1% mom)
Calgary: $516,196 (+18.6% yoy, -1.9% mom)
Montreal: $569,313 (+28.5% yoy, -0.8% mom)
Halifax-Dartmouth: $466,633 (+29% yoy, -0.5% mom)
Related Read: GTA Home Sales Continue to Drop in May
Why is the Housing Market Cooling?
May and June are typically the hottest months for real estate activity – so why are this years’ sales bucking the trend? Simply put, real estate is becoming less of a focus as society opens back up and consumers direct their spending power elsewhere. Buyers are also fatigued from months of “supercharged” conditions that have heavily favoured sellers, while others are hitting a price wall as affordability shoots out of reach in many markets.
Says CREA Chair Cliff Stevenson, “While housing markets across Canada remain very active, we now have two months of moderating activity in the books, and that goes for demand, supply and prices. More and more, there is anecdotal evidence of offer fatigue and frustration among buyers, and the urgency to lock down a place to ride out COVID would also be expected to fade at this point given where we are with the pandemic.”
However, sellers’ market conditions persist in markets small and large across the nation; the national sales-to-new-listings ratio (SNLR) was 75.4% in May – a slight decline from 76.2% in April and well below the 90.7% recorded in January, but still quite steep compared to the long-term average of 54.6%. This ratio is calculated by dividing the number of sales by the number of new listings in the market over the course of the month; a range between 40 – 60% indicates a balanced market, with above and below that threshold indicating sellers’ and buyers’ markets, respectively.
Related Read: 4 Ways Home Buyers Can Stand Out in a Sellers’ Market
The level of inventory – the amount of time it would take to fully sell off all available homes for sale – sits at 2.1 months. That’s an improvement from 1.7 months in March, but well below the long-term average of five months.
What’s Next for the Housing Market?
CREA also updated its forecast for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, saying that while sales will continue to slow, activity will still be very strong from a historical standpoint. It calls for a record 682,900 home sales in 2021 – an increase of 23.8% from 2020, before dipping -13% in 2022 (which would still be the second-best year ever). Home prices will continue to rise by 19.3% next year, reflecting a continued supply and demand imbalance, before levelling out by 0.6% in 2022 to an average of $681,000.
However, CREA points out that as the pandemic recovery period will be unprecedented, it’s hard to gauge with certainty just how things will shake out. The association expects immigration and migration to strongly pick back up once lockdowns end, which will also have an impact on the market.
To sum up: while conditions won’t be as crazy as they were during the pandemic’s peak, historically strong demand and too-little supply will continue to make it a challenging market for would-be buyers this year and next.
With summer just in, you might be thinking of spending time in the garden or enjoying the patio. But now is also the perfect time to refresh your interior design for a warm-weather makeover. Here are five fun ideas for summer decorations that will make your home feel as bright and airy as a day at the beach.
Keep Things Light
After being cooped up in our cozy winter dens with heavy throws and bulky blankets, it’s time to shed some layers. The arrival of summer is your cue to pack away all the dark colors, heavy textiles and winter patterns and swap them for light and airy summer styles.
Exchange flannel sheets and heavy duvets for linen sheets and a light bedspread to help keep you cool while you sleep. Switch out cozy winter throws and thick towels for lightweight Turkish blankets and towels that are both stylish and quick-dry!
Get a Little Fruity
fruit bowl on kitchen tableImage: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock.com
If you’re searching for the perfect summer decoration that goes with everything, comes in a variety of pretty colors and smells great too, look no further than your local market. A bowl full of citrus adds an instant splash of summer to your kitchen, dining room or patio. Pick a pretty bowl or basket and fill it up with your favorite colorful fruits. Not only do you get a low-cost and affordable summer decoration, you also get a tasty and healthy treat!
Add Flower Power to Your Decor
floral pattern on bedroom pillowImage: Photographee.eu / Shutterstock.com
When it comes to the top summer decorations, it’s important to remember that flowers are not just for vases! Summer is the season to embrace pretty colors and patterns, and that means more flower power!
Test the waters with a pillow or a throw in a floral pattern, but you won’t want to stop there. Add a flowered tablecloth or put down a flowered runner to dress up the dining room or a hallway. To really pack a floral punch, switch out some more prominent decor items like curtains and area rugs.
Make Your Mantle a Summer Focal Point
decorated mantle in living roomImage: Photographee.eu / Shutterstock.com
T’is not the season to get cozy by the fire. But that doesn’t mean you should just ignore your fireplace for the rest of the year. Now is the perfect time to clean and inspect your fireplace so it’s ready for use in the fall. Once the fireplace is looking its best, clear off the mantle so you’re starting with a blank canvas.
Choose fun summer decorations like seashells, colored glass, driftwood and handpicked flowers and greenery to give your mantle the perfect summer vibe. Finish by arranging some pretty candles in the fireplace so you can still have that romantic glow without all the heat of a roaring fire.
Step Up Your Holiday Decor
No matter what holiday you’re celebrating, if it’s in the summer, you can go all out. Whether it’s Independence Day, Canada Day or a birthday, take your summer decorations to the next level. Wrap your home in red, white and blue, deck your halls with maple leaves or line your walkway with balloons. Whatever you celebrate this summer, go ahead and have fun with it!
Have a great summer with these five ideas for fun summer decorations!