High gas costs prompt ‘stay-cation’ living

If you’re like most Canadians, you probably wince when you pull up to the gas pumps these days. It’s already having an impact at how many ‘day trippers’ drive out of the city each weekend for visits to the beach or lake. And it doesn’t look like the situation is going to improve any time soon. The latest news comes from Air Canada, announcing that it is eliminating several flights due to the high cost of fuel. With these cut-backs comes a warning that we can expect airfare prices to rise dramatically over the next short span of time. It leaves me wondering if more crowded seating and luggage surcharges can be far behind. So with all these rapid changes and escalating costs, where does that leave the average Canadian family when it comes to their vacation plans? Many of my customers are already telling me that they’re changing their vacation strategies. And not too surprisingly, that brings us back to the subject of real estate. Many homeowners are opting to take their vacations at home. They’re planning to put their holiday budget back into their property, to create their own restful oasis from their daily stress. Luxury features like saunas, home theatres, hot tubs, entertainment size kitchens, swimming pools, outdoor rooms, water features and extensive landscaping are all part of this scenario. Such appealing amenities are going to be increasingly sought after by discriminating home buyers in the future. If you’re thinking of similar improvements, I’d be glad to tell you how your renovation plans might improve your property’s resale value.

Welcome to 26 Wellington Street, Delaware

You’ve got to checkout this immaculate, move-in condition ranch home on a large corner lot in the quiet village of Delaware. Its only 8 minutes to Lambeth and less than a minute to jump onto the 402.

Have a look at the photos and then give me a call direct at 519-670-9223

http://www.26wellingtonstreet.com/

TO RECYCLE OR NOT!

Thank you to the City of St Thomas and BFI Canada for the new “grey recycle bin” that was dumped in my driveway last week. Now I’ll actually have room for all of my recyclables and make recycling so much easier. Nothing but paper goods in the old blue bin and the new grey bin for plastics, tin, aluminum and glass.

But wait!   The only plastics that are acceptable in the grey bin are those marked with a #1 or a #2 recycling symbol. These include items like water and pop bottles, shampoo, laundry soap and fabric softener bottles and salad dressing type bottles.

But every day items such as ice cream, peanut butter, margarine, yogurt, ketchup, honey and mustard, which are a #4 or #5, are not recyclable. They are garbage!

Styrofoam, plastic packaging and even the new grey bins can not be recycled. They are garbage!

After sorting out my plastic recyclables, I had a total of 17 containers but only 6 met the #1 or #2 guideline and the rest are garbage. To add to the confusion, a tub of No-Name Sour Cream had a #2 lid and a #5 tub.

Do I sort it at home and hope that I’m doing the right thing? Or, do I throw everything in the grey bin and hope that, even though its contaminated, the whole lot doesn’t get thrown out as garbage.

Do I continue to recycle or not?

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/recycling-symbols-plastics-460321

Registry of Homes Used For Grow-Ops

Check out this link from the Ottawa-Citizen. I completely agree that a national registry should be established for all Canadian homes that have been linked to being a grow-op or a drug lab.

Click here to read this new article:  http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Ottawa+Tory+bill+would+establish+registry+homes+used+grow+drug+labs/3879709/story.html

Holiday Showings are Worth a Look

The holiday season is fast approaching. It’s a time that is traditionally taken up with family gatherings, parties and general celebration, with all the flurry of activities that go with it. Real estate is often the furthest thing from the most people’s minds – but I’d like to tell you that if you’re one of the home buyers and sellers who think that way, you could be missing out! The holiday season can have definite advantages for both buyers and sellers. If you currently have your home listed for sale, you may find yourself caught up in the time demands of shopping and entertaining. You may be feeling that you don’t need the added stress of keeping your home in “show-ready” condition at a time of year when viewings may tend to slow down. In fact, some home sellers won’t accept viewing appointments during the holiday season. While that’s your choice, you should be aware that a decision like that could result in a missed opportunity. After all, in today’s ethnically diverse society, there are still many prospective buyers who may not be celebrating the holiday season, yet they still have time off to view properties. Also, with some homes not accepting viewing appointments, your listing may have less competition during the holiday period. Of course, if your home is decorated for the holidays, it probably looks at its most attractive. Holiday viewings have the advantage of showing off your home at its most welcoming, and prospective buyers can envision themselves in its warm and inviting atmosphere. So why not roll out the welcome mat to potential buyers too? The holiday season offers advantages for buyers as well. Fewer buyers actively looking during the holidays means there’s less competition from other buyers. It’s still an excellent time to go house hunting. As your local Coldwell Banker real estate professional, I can help bring you a home for the holidays!

Sunday Afternoon in the Kitchen

As a Real Estate Agent I tend to work most weekends. Those lucky people who work Monday to Friday only have the weekend to look at homes. Don’t get me wrong, I do like meeting and working with serious buyers and showing them the next place that they will live.

And Sundays are the best time to hold an open house. Even though I run them from 1 to 3 pm it takes a couple of hours before hand to get ready, load up the signs and get to the house 15 – 30 minutes before opening time to set up.

By the time I get home it pushing 4ish. I’m beat, it’s cold, perhaps rainy and soon it will be snowy. The sun has started to retreat, it’s a bit dreary and the day is dragging .

But Nancy has the back door opened as I trundle in, briefcase and files in hand. And then it hits me. Its the smell of home. Nancy has been a busy bee working all afternoon in the kitchen. The delicious smell of a beef roast in the oven hits my nose, the pot of boiling potatoes have steamed up my glasses and hey do I smell fresh baked bread and apple pie!

Every ounce of stress drains away.

Its Sunday afternoon in the kitchen and I’m home.

P.S. If you don’t have a kitchen like this please remember that I sell kitchens. But it’s up to you to make it a Sunday afternoon kitchen!

I Love My Garage

Its funny when I hear people say that they bought a garage and the house came with it.        I was one of these people.

I had the house that we live in now listed for sale – it  had a 24 x 30 two car detached garage behind the house at the back corner of the lot. The owners, friends of mine, wanted to sell and move to a larger home.

But one day I had arranged to stop by to talk about our sales activity. They had not arrived home yet, the garage door was up so I pulled up a lawn chair and waited. But the more I sat there, the more I realized that this was nice – I could live here.

Well guess what, we bought the garage 11 years ago and have been very comfortable in the house ever since.

I’ve built a few shelves to store our stuff, a shelf for the kayaks, made room to locate the tent trailer, a workbench for the fixits, a grinder to sharpen the tools, a place to do minor car repairs in comfort and even a place to pull out our lawn chairs and just relax.

I love my garage!  If you don’t have one, you should get one.

P.S.   As a Realtor – I sell garages…  and all will probably come with a house attached! Let’s start looking today…

Earl Taylor, Broker

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, Brokerage

Direct 519-670-9223

http://follr.me/earltaylor

SELLING THE FRONT PORCH

We have a large covered front porch on our house.

On Saturday morning I took my steaming cup of coffee to the front porch and relaxed for a bit. What a beautiful day it’s going to be. There’s one neighbour out racking leaves,  another off to get his lottery ticket and in the distance someone has fired up their lawnmower. I could sit here all day!

Well I’m now stuffed after a delicious meal so let’s take our glass of wine out to the font porch. The warm breeze gently blows from the south and a few bees are buzzing around the flowers in the garden. The sun has just dipped below the trees and the sky glows a light red. It’s so peaceful I could sit here all evening!

A flash of lightning then a crack of thunder. It’s just started to rain. Out to the front porch we go to watch the light show. The air smells even fresher now. It’s so dark, no moon to be seen. Then another flash of lighting , the rain increases and the street fills with water rushing to the drains. I love watching a thunderstorm roll through. I could sit here all night!

If you don’t have a covered front porch then you need to get one.

P.S. I sell front porch’s - just give me a call and we’ll get you one of your own.

Earl Taylor – Broker

Coldwell Banker at Success Realty – Brokerage

566 Talbot Street, St Thomas, ON  N5P 1C4

Direct 519-670-9223

UNSAFE ST THOMAS SIDEWALKS

Sidewalks were made for pedestrians and roads were made for vehicles. Right?

Then why is it that people think they can ride their bicycles and skateboards on the sidewalk? Especially in areas were there is a lot of pedestrian traffic like those of a downtown shopping district.

Recently a friend of mine was hit by a speeding bicycle as she stepped out the front door of my office. Injuries were not serious but when you get hit and knocked to the ground, incur lots of scrapes and bruises and your shoes fly off, it’s definitely an injury.

So I sent a letter to the St Thomas City Council, the St Thomas Police and the St Thomas Chamber of Commerce. And I got a response.

City Council acknowledged my letter and referred the situation to the St Thomas Police who jumped all over the issue. Through the month of September, the Police Chief told me that 30 charges were laid against cyclists who were caught riding on the sidewalk – a $60 fine. The police have been instructed to watch for and stop cyclists, the city roads department are investigating the installation of warning signs and the bylaw officers are being trained to issue tickets as well.

As new streets are installed throughout the city, an eye to the installation of bike lanes should also be a high priority. If I was a parent with young children I would not want my kids riding on the road as they go and return from school because it’s simply too dangerous. So maybe a happy medium is required for such cases.

But teenagers and adults who ride and skateboard at high speeds in populated shopping districts like the downtown sidewalks of any city certainly deserve a hefty fine.

Thanks go out to all those who have helped make our sidewalks a little safer in downtown St Thomas!

Why Choose Coldwell Banker at Success Realty

- Coldwell Banker is one of the most recognized and respected names in the real estate business.

 

 - 15 licensed sales professionals.

 

- Maximum exposure through our St Thomas and Aylmer office locations.

- Visible advertising in the Elgin County Market plus advertising in other local publications like the London Real Estate Advertiser and Elgin Listings Magazine.

- Available for business 7 days a week to serve our clients needs.

- Fast pre-approvals through an array of qualified Mortgage Brokers and one stop shopping through our connections with legal services, home inspectors, movers, home builders and contractors.

-  Sales professionals covering London, St Thomas and Elgin County including Port Stanley, Dutton, West Lorne, Rodney, Aylmer, Belmont and all points in between.

- Internet advertising and a website dedicated to your home to display your home to the world

 - Exclusive Coldwell Banker Ultimate Service Customer Satisfaction Program.

 

- Worldwide referral network to make your relocation go smooth.

 

 

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