April 2018

NEWSLETTERPremium Real Estate Services

OUR NEWSLETTERApril 2018 E-NEWSLETTER

CONTENTSThis newsletter is a regularly monthly-distributed publication that is generally about local and national real estate statistics, topics of interest to home ownership or leasing for its subscribers.

April 2018 TREB Market Watch01

Spring Cleaning02-03

Things to do in April in the GTA04

Easter Parades and Festivities05OUR MESSAGE

Driven by a passion for helping people, with their real estate needs, the Espinosa & Associates are comprised of experienced and enthusiastic representatives committed to superior customer service. We are con dent that we will be able to effectively DO MORE NOT LESS to assist you with every stage of the real estate process.

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by Espinosa & Associates

TREB RELEASES MONTHLY MARKET FIGURES REPORTED BY GTA REALTORS®

TORONTO, April 4, 2018 -- Toronto Real Estate Board President Tim Syrianos announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,228 residential transactions through TREB’s MLS® System in March 2018. This result was down by 39.5 per cent compared to a record 11,954 sales reported in March 2017 and down 17.6 per cent relative to average March sales for the previous 10 years.

The number of new listings entered into TREB’s MLS® System totaled 14,866 – a 12.4 per cent decrease compared to March 2017 and a three per cent decrease compared to the average for the previous 10 years.

“TREB stated in its recent Market Outlook report that Q1 sales would be down from the record pace set in Q1 2017,” said Mr. Syrianos. “The effects of the Fair Housing Plan, the new OSFI-mandated stress test and generally higher borrowing costs have prompted some buyers to put their purchasing decision on hold. Home sales are expected to be up relative to 2017 in the second half of this year.”

The MLS Home Price Index Composite Benchmark was down by 1.5 percent on a year-over-year basis for the TREB market area as a whole. The overall average selling price was down by 14.3 per cent compared to March 2017.

While the change in market conditions certainly played a role, the dip in the average selling price was also compositional in nature. Detached home sales, which generally represent the highest price points in a given area, declined much more than other home types. In addition, the share of high-end detached homes selling for over $2 million in March 2018 was half of what was reported in March 2017, further impacting the average selling price.

“Right now, when we are comparing home prices, we are comparing two starkly different periods of time: last year, when we had less than a month of inventory versus this year with inventory levels ranging between two and three months. It makes sense that we haven’t seen prices climb back to last year’s peak. However, in the second half of the year, expect to see the annual rate of price growth improve compared to Q1, as sales increase relative to the below-average level of listings,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

TREB continues to stress that housing and housing affordability need to be at the forefront of the policy debates leading into this year’s provincial and municipal elections.

“A well-functioning housing market is not only important to ensure that people have a place to live; it is also important because it supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in spin-off expenditures and billions of dollars in government revenues. Issues such as the below-average level of housing supply and often inadvisable policy ideas and negative measures such as land transfer taxes, vacancy taxes, speculation taxes and second home taxes should also be thoroughly debated by all candidates,” said Mr. Syrianos.

FOR FULL REPORT: http://www.trebhome.com/market_news/market_watch/2018/mw1802.pdf

01 - April 2018 TREB Market Watch

SPRING CLEANING

KITCHEN

WINDOWS

FLOORS

It’s that time of year (or close to it), when we open the windows air out the house by letting the great outdoors in!

Time to renew your home taking care of things that you haven’t since last spring.

Wiping down the fronts and insides of your cabinets. Over time grease and food stick to them, use a cabinet specific cleaner to refresh and brighten up your kitchen.

Clean out those major appliances! Wipe the inside of the fridge shelving and drawers, set the oven to self clean and make sure any leftover food is removed from the bottom and set your dishwasher to clean itself with a specialty cleanser.

Clean your windows inside and out. Take a bucket of soaping water and sponge or cloth to clean window sills and frames outside. Remove window screens to clean the inside of the windows with a window cleaner. Tip...Wash outside windows on a cloudy day so the sun doesn’t dry the window before your are done getting out those spots.

Even though you mop your floors weekly, bi weekly or monthly, its best to wet mop your floors once every 2 months! Now is a great time to polish the floor, check furniture and plants to make sure the bottoms are protected so you don’t run the risk of scratching your floors.

02 - Spring Cleaning

BEDDING

WASHING MACHINE

WALLS AND TILES

Been washing your sheets, comforters and pillow cases weekly? Time to throw those pillows into the wash as well! Your bedding accessories should be washed 3-4 times per year, check the labels for proper instructions.

Use your vacuums nozzle attachment to clean the surface and sides of your mattress and spot clean any stains using mild detergent and water, or a steam clean vacuum.

Just like our clothes, washing machines can get smelly as well! Time to give it some TLC, you can disinfect it with distilled white vinegar and baking soda, to keep it fresh and high functioning, run the machine on hot water, add cleaning agents and let sit for 30-60 mins, restart the machine and let it drain, then wiping it clean. Before performing any cleaning for your machines, check manufacturers instructions!

Spot clean walls with a cloth or sponge and water, if that doesn’t work, dip cloth into a mild soap and water solution. Make sure to wash the wall after with plain water.

For tiles, mix baking soda and water for a homemade cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into 2 gallons water and mix well. Apply the liquid with a string mop or sponge mop. For grout, use the same baking soda and water mixture, but for tough stains, call in the pros.

03 - Spring Cleaning

SPRING CLEANING

THINGS TO DO IN APRIL IN THE GTA

April 6-8 | Fri 12-8p| Sat 10-7p | Sun 10-5p

Tickets $16 at the door| $14 advance purchase | $10 Seniors | Kids

Under 17 free

The International Centre | 6900 Airport Rd, Mississauga, ON L4V 1E8

For More information: http://www.thebackyardlivingexpo.com

For homeowners looking to develop their backyard space, barbecue enthusiasts, and families looking for new and interesting backyard toys! If you are looking for some springtime inspiration whether for your house or balcony patio, this is an event you want to see!

Backyard Living Expo + Barbecue & Beverage

April 10 | 12 pm - 3 pm

All Ages | Free

Ryerson University | 40 Gould Street, Toronto

Free Cone Day is coming! Since 1979, it’s our way to celebrate and say thanks to our awesome fans for another year of support, and we’ve kept it up every year since, spreading the peace, love & FREE ice cream around the world!

Ben and Jerry Free Cone Day 2018 | GTA

04 - THINGS TO DO IN APRIL IN THE GTA

April 14-15 | 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Tickets $15

Evergreen Brick Works

550 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4W 3X8

For More information: www.torontocoffeeandtea.com

Adorned with quaint furniture, local art and talented baristas, Torontonians are reaping the benefits of the entrepreneurial energy that surrounds our city. The Toronto Coffee & Tea Expo celebrates the talents and passion of this buzzing community, all under one roof! Bringing together the top local talent and infused with international flavours, the expo offers guests the chance to experience a wide variety of tea, coffee, and complementary goods.

Toronto Coffee & Tea Expo | Toronto

digiPlaySpace is an art and technology exhibition for kids and families that brings together interactive games and projections, mind-bending augmented-reality installations, and innovative coding activities to showcase the creative potential of new technologies. With 21 installations from 12 countries, digiPlaySpace invites guests to become part of a classical artwork, control a flamingo through dance, watch a machine draw a picture based on how it feels, and much more!

DigiPlaySpace TIFF Kids | Toronto

High Park attracts many visitors in early spring to admire the beautiful cherry blossoms. Many people ask about the best time to see the cherry trees in full bloom: your best bet is to pay a visit in late April or early May.

It’s a little known fact that there are 30 Japanese Cherry trees at Toronto Islands. If you want to avoid the large crowd at High Park when the trees are blooming a great alternative is to go see the trees at the Islands. They are on Centre Island located at the south end of the bridge near the fountain. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the Centre Island ferry docks.

Cherry Blossoms | Toronto & Toronto Islands

February 17 - April 22 | Mon Closed| Tues-Fri 2-4p | Weekends&Holidays 10-6p

Tickets TIFF Members free | Weekdays $11 | Weekens&Holidays $13

For More Information: https://www.tiff.net/digiplayspace/?tab=about

Late April-Early May | 7 days, 24 hours

Toronto High Park | 873 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M6R 2Z3

For more information: http://www.highparktoronto.com/cherry-trees.php

05 - THINGS TO DO IN APRIL IN THE GTA

EASTER PARADES & FESTIVITIES

Easter Day Parade 2018 Beaches | Toronto

The Toronto Beaches Lions Club Easter Parade begins at 2:00 pm sharp and runs for approximately two hours. We will begin the parade on Queen Street at Munro Park and proceed west along Queen Street ending at Woodbine Ave.

06 - EASTER PARADES & FESTIVITIES

April 1| Starts at 2pmToronto, ONFor More Information: https://www.beacheseasterparade.ca

All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as indicated at royallepage.ca/disclaimer. Not intended to solicit currently listed properties or buyers under contract. The above information is from sources believed reliable, however, no responsibility is assumed for the accuracy of this information. © 2017 Emilio Espinosa Real Estate Services Limited. All rights reserved.

ESPINOSA & ASSOCIATES30 Eglinton Ave W #201 Mississauga, ON L5R 3E7

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