Skate In A Park

Just a reminder from the City of Toronto: Jim Melvin, PMA Architects, that this skating park is now open for business.

It is Toronto's first skating trail at Colonel Sam Smith Park at the bottom of Kipling that is totally dedicated to leisure skating. A 250 - metre figure - eight loop runs through parkland that has been planted with native trees that will eventually grow to provide a natural environment.

The Trail features:

- the power hosue containing indoor change facility and washrooms.
- a small skating circle for beginners
- a 250-metre loop of artificial ice
- a small pond to filter water runoff from snow and rain and serve as a naturalized wet land to attract birds, turtles and frogs
- lighting system throughout trail with speakers for state of the art sound system located in the power house
- hundreds of native trees such as Norway spruce and white cedars as well as numerous types of berry trees to attract birds. The area is a glyway for migratory birds.

Now, how exciting is this!! Because our winters a little long, let us embrace it and go skating. Outdoor skating is such fun. All you need to do is bring your skates and away you go. There should be enough room for all,.

Maybe I'll see you there one day. I'll be the lady trying to keep skating because I don't know how to stop.

Compliments of Betty Bartusevicius
Fine Homes in 905

Happy Holidays

I would like to wish all of you the safest holiday season. Enjoy being with your families, loved ones, and friends. I would like to thank all who have enriched my life by just letting me inside their family circle, even for a short while, and allowed me to fulfill their dream of owning a new home. If I helped you sell your existing house, I certainly hope that you were satisfied with my services.

Happy Holidays to All

I look forward to being of further assistance to you and and I hope that you consider introducing me to those who are considering making a real estate move in the coming year. It will be a start to a new decade and I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring to us all.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

Betty


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Betty Bartusevicius, Sales Representative
Re/Max Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage
Fine Homes In Nine Oh Five
Office: 905-828-3434
Direct: 416-427-1875
Email: http://www.bettybart.com/AgentProfile/contactme.cfm
Web Site: http://www.bettybart.com

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PSST: IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A HOME AND NEEDS MY HELP...FEEL FREE TO PASS ALONG MY NAME AND NUMBER TO THEM! ALL INTRODUCTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

this is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers under brokerage contract

Re/Max Housing Outlook for 2011

The following article was provided to me by Michael Polzler, Regional Director, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. Enjoy the article.

Residential values expected to climb further in 2011 as housing sales stabilize in most major centres, says RE/MAX

Mississauga, ON (December 7, 2010) - Although improved economic fundamentals will have a positive impact on Canadian housing markets moving forward, the forecast for residential real estate sales remains static in most major centres in 2011, according to the RE/MAX Housing Market Outlook Report released today by RE/MAX.

"In terms of resale housing activity, what many are talking about as the new normal is actually a return to the traditional real estate cycle," says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, Regional Director, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. "The past decade was truly unprecedented - never before have we experienced a run up that was as strong or lasted as long. As we have digressed from the typical pattern, people have forgotten what the usual healthy cycle looks like, but all the hallmarks are there. Ample inventory levels, steady demand, and moderate growth, both in terms of sales and prices, will characterize the market in 2011. While the pace may appear lackluster in comparison to what we've grown accustomed to, it underscores the principles of real estate 101: The market is cyclical. All boats rise and fall with the tide."

Take a look at the Market Watch and you can do some comparing of the market in the past few years. All is available for you to read, or give me a call to discuss further. The market is cyclical. It goes up, prices get adjusted, interest rates go up and down. The Bank of Canada rate has been pretty steady, but that never guarantees that the individual banks will not raise their rates. The Bank of Canada has said that they will not be raising interest rates in the near future and it is possible that they may re-adjust slightly down if the US market still remains slow in recovery at the beginning of 2011.

Don't kid yourselves, homes are selling. They are selling quickly. It is more important than ever to price your property correctly in order to get it sold. If you're just testing the market, you're making a mistake. I don't believe that this is the time. Be serious and it will fall your way.

2011 is going to be an exciting year. Many changes in the real estate market. There are so many predictions. To discuss any concerns that you may have, feel free to give me, Betty, a call directly at 416 427 1875. Let's keep this line of communication open.

Betty Bartusevicius, Sales Representative
Re/Max Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage
Fine Homes In Nine Oh Five
Office: 905-828-3434
Direct: 416-427-1875
Email:betty@bettybart.com
Web Site: http://www.bettybart.com

Help Me Get to 150 Friends on this Facebook Page; Click and Like me Please

PSST: IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A HOME AND NEEDS MY HELP...FEEL FREE TO PASS ALONG MY NAME AND NUMBER TO THEM! ALL INTRODUCTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

this is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers under brokerage contract

Improve Your Credit Score, Mississauga Homes For Sale

Over the last few months, I have been gathering information about Credit Scores. The conversation comes up quite often now that I have children that have graduated, or are close to doing so, and are heading out into the working world. I have chatted with brokers on how to maintain a good credit score. I have suggested to my clients about how to repair their credit scores.

I have had clients that have had a poor credit score. With proper guidance from a financial expert, the credit scores have been improved and the final result was the purchase of a home.

Many clients are very concerned about what they don't understand...CREDIT SCORES! Here are some tips to help improve your clients credit scores:

1. Know your score. The score range in Canada is 300 to 900 – the higher the better – and reflects a person’s credit history over the past six years. Only 5 per cent of Canadians have a score of 850 or better. Checking your score periodically can alert you to mistakes as well as credit fraud.

2. Pay your bills on time. Making a credit card payment even one day late will hurt your score. If you’re paying online, send the payment at least three banking days before it’s due to allow enough time for the transaction to be processed. Setting up a small automatic payment to your card issuer each month will ensure you never forget to pay at least the minimum.

3. Never exceed your credit limit. If you’re close to being maxed out, make sure you pay more than the minimum or the interest due could push you over your limit. Going even $5 over your limit could lead to a costly fee from your credit card company and will hurt your score each month it happens.

4. Don’t apply for store credit cards. Even if you’re just after a one-time discount for signing up, these cards, with interest rates as high as 29 per cent, are viewed negatively by the credit bureau and drag down your score.

5. Spread out your spending. The percentage of available credit you’re using each month affects your score, so it’s better to have two charge cards at 50-per-cent capacity each than one that is maxed out.

6. Prioritize your payments. Important as they are, mortgage payments generally are not reported on Canadian credit reports, so it’s more important to make your credit card, loan and lease payments on time.

7. Beware of closing accounts. Even if you’re in a dispute with a lender, make your payments. A missed payment will show up on your credit report, can really hurt your score and is very hard to fix. When closing an account, get it in writing that it was closed with a zero balance.

8. Don’t close unused credit cards. If you have a low-interest card you don’t use, keep it open and use it periodically. Having a zero-balance credit card actually helps to improve a low score.

9. Don’t apply for too much credit at once. Don’t lease a car, sign up for a new cellphone and apply for a loan all in the same month or two. The credit bureau sees this as a sign of financial trouble. Beware, also, of being preapproved by several lenders before you’re ready to buy. Although you can check your own credit rating without penalty, preapprovals from lenders count against your score.

These are just a few points. If you have any further questions, let me get my team in motion to get you the right answers and on your way to your desired results. If you have any questions or would like to discuss how I can help, feel free to call me directly at 416 427 1875.

Betty Bartusevicius, Sales Representative
Re/Max Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage
Fine Homes In Nine Oh Five
Office: 905-828-3434
Direct: 416-427-1875
Email: betty@bettybart.com
Web Site: http://www.bettybart.com

EXPERIENCE IS NOT EXPENSIVE; IT'S PRICELESS!

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DON'T KEEP ME A SECRET!! ALL REFERRALS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

Mortgages

Mortgages, mortgage rates, and interest rates have been on our minds lately. In order to be comfortable in purchasing a home, these topics become extremely important. The following article may explain some information that may help in the decision process of mortgage choices and payment plans to pay it off faster. I have now gone beyond being 'approved' for a mortgage and am asking my buyers to get a 'Letter of Commitment' from your lender.

Posted by Jason Reis of Monster Mortgage

"Most people who go shopping for their own mortgage get sucked into the bank's "low rate game". They think, "as long as I can get the lowest interest rate from my bank, I will be able to pay off my mortgage sooner rather than later." As we have seen time and time again, people who play this game ALWAYS LOSE! Rarely do they walk away with the best mortgage rate, terms and conditions that will allow them to be mortgage free faster so they can contribute to their bottom line and not their bank's.

At MonsterMortgage.ca, I have worked with many individuals and their families to help them understand how a mortgage is much more than just a low fixed or variable mortgage rate. In most cases, the cheapest and lowest rate almost always comes short of the necessary features and flexibility you need to make sure your mortgage plan helps you pay down your mortgage faster. This is when the old adage “you get what you pay for” applies to your mortgage as well.

If you want to be mortgage-free faster, it is extremely important to understand what the pre-payment privileges attached to your mortgage are and the restrictions and flexibility that surround them. The pre-payment option in a mortgage is the only way you can pay down the principal of your closed mortgage without being charged a penalty. Terms such as “locked-in”, “closed” and “pre-payment penalty” are found throughout the mortgage documentation and we understand how this terminology makes it difficult for anyone to believe there is any flexibility when attaining a mortgage that is right for you. This is no accident as your bank DOES NOT want you to pay off your mortgage faster. Remember, the longer you take to pay down your mortgage, the more money your bank makes!

The fact and reality is that all mortgages will offer some sort of option to pay down your principal, but it is understanding the parameters offered that will make all the difference. The pre-payment option will encompass two methods of paying down your mortgage principal; 1. the ability of increasing your regular payment up to a specified maximum of your original payment amount and 2. applying a lump sum payment amount onto the mortgage up to a specified maximum of your original mortgage balance each year. Both options will vary depending on the lender as to what the parameters of frequency are and what the maximum percentage is set at. The percentages can range from as low as 5% to as high as 25% for each method and can really dictate the remaining life of the mortgage.

This is where an unbiased mortgage agent can be of most value as we can scan and understand all lenders products, not just one bank’s, so we can find you the most suitable mortgage product with the terms and conditions that works best for you, not the bank."

Thank you, Jason.

For further information or to connect with a Monster Mortgage Specialist, feel free to contact me directly at 416 427 1875. Let's get the process started to help you towards the purchase of a home.

Betty Bartusevicius, Sales Representative
Re/Max Realty Specialists Inc., Brokerage
Fine Homes In Nine Oh Five
Office: 905-828-3434
Direct: 416-427-1875
Email: betty@bettybart.com
Web Site: http://www.bettybart.com

Help Me Get to 150 Friends on this Facebook Page; Click and Like me Please

PSST: IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING A HOME AND NEEDS MY HELP...FEEL FREE TO PASS ALONG MY NAME AND NUMBER TO THEM! ALL INTRODUCTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

this is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers under brokerage contract