According to a recent yourhome.ca article, a hot real estate market is driving sales of luxury homes in prestige neighbourhoods like the Toronto Beaches.  Why?  Because as the economy recovers, move up buyers are regaining confidence in purchasing expensive properties.

A recently released report by Coldwell Banker Terrequity Realty states that the top-performing Toronto areas to buy luxury homes in 2009 were Forest Hill and the Bridle Path – no surprise to savvy Torontonians.  But even in the Beach, multiple offers and bidding wars are driving prices up.  Even fairly modest homes, some with no parking, are commanding top dollar.

Analysts say the spring market looks like it will remain hot, as buyers enter the market before interest rates rise in the second half of the year and the HST becomes a factor.

Existing home sales in the Toronto area were up by 77 per cent in February 2010 compared with the same time last year, according to figures released by the Toronto Real Estate Board.  The average price of a home was also up by 19 per cent to $431,509 (though analysts caution omparisons with the first half of last year because that was the bottom of the market).

The good news isn’t only for sellers.  Buyers take heart that there are far more listings to choose from this year than there were in February 2009 – another trend that is expected to continue.  Even so, desirable homes in hot neighbourhoods like the Beach are still being snapped up because of a lack of supply. The average home is on the market for only 22 days before being sold, compared with 45 days last year.

Do you consider your Beaches home to be a ‘luxury’ home?  Let us know!

This week, 330 Glen Manor Drive made it into the Globe.  Why?  The renovated detached home in the popular Beaches neighbourhood has a quarter million dollars worth of landscaping alone – and it overlooks the Glen Stewart ravine for even more gorgeous green space nearby. The two-storey house has three bedrooms, three baths and approximately 2,200 square feet of above-grade living space, on a pool-sized lot.  The asking price for this beauty?  A cool $1.689-million.

Offered for sale by Mark Richards of Re/Max Hallmark Realty, the house was purchased just three years ago by the sellers who moved into it shortly after their wedding.  The 1920’s-era home was already completely renovated and ready to move right in.  But although the electrical, plumbing and heating systems were upgraded and new baths added, the renovation was done with the intention of preserving much of the home’s vintage character.

In addition to the standard modernizing upgrades, a 1,100 square foot finished basement was created by lowering the floor a foot.
The new basement contains a large family room with a media centre and built-in bar, a new laundry room, bedroom and bathroom with a new walk-in shower and white granite-top vanity.

Of particular note is the backyard where extensive stone work includes a fenced in patio with a built-in gas barbecue, which essentially creates additional living space in fine weather.  Best of all, the attractive perennial yard is virtually maintenance free.

Are you interested in viewing this home or putting your own Beach Beauty on the market?  Contact Mark Richards!

This week we came across a posting for a one bedroom apartment in the Toronto Beaches – a bit steep at $950 per month without parking, but then, that’s what the market will bear.  But what if we add HST to that?  That raises the rent by 8%, which works out to an additional $912 per year – nearly as much as an extra month’s rent!

With the HST set to take effect this July, there are several crucial questions all tenants in Ontario should be asking:  Do tenants know what impact the HST will have on their rent? How are landlords going to be reimbursed for a list of extra costs including utilities such as gas heat, electricity, hydro, and other costs related to property management and the like? When HST is added to these costs, will it be passed on to tenants?

Nobody seems to know for sure, but The Federation of Rental Housing in Ontario (FRPO) estimated that the harmonized sales tax will increase residential rents in Ontario by 2.5 to 3.0 percent only.  But concrete answers are nowhere to be found.

One thing is for certain:  landlords are going to incur extra costs because of the HST.  Even though residential rents are supposedly exempt from HST, landlords may try to recover their costs and an uninformed renting public may not realize this isn’t supposed to happen, or may feel they are not able to do anything about it.

Do you rent in the Beach and have concerns about your rent come July?  Or are you a Beach homeowner or landlord planning to raise rents once your costs rise?  Let us know your opinion!

Lucina, a birth services organization providing comfort and emotional support before and after childbirth, is now offering childbirth preparation classes in small group settings of three to five women and their partners.  Located at 206 Willow in the heart of the Toronto Beaches, the classes run for six weeks, with each class session averaging 2 1/2 hours long.  It’s a great opportunity for expectant parents to ask questions  and to hear a variety of experiences from others who are going through the same process.

Whether you plan to give birth with a midwife or doctors, at home or in a hospital, you may benefit from the topics the course covers, such as:

• stages of labour
• relaxation techniques
• labour rehearsal
• imagining your ideal birth
• fears and apprehensions
• breastfeeding
• welcoming your newborn

Upcoming classes begin this week, March 4 from 7-9:30 pm, or you can start May 6.  The cost is $200 per family and includes an extensive manual of handouts and articles, as well as access to a lending library of books and DVDs.  Just another great local service being offered in the Beach!

Would you consider taking a childbirth class in your own neighbourhood, or do you get most of your answers from your own friends, the internet, or other sources?  Have you had a positive experience at Lucina or another childbirth class?  Let us know!

In case you missed yesterday’s Third Annual Family Day in the Beach, here’s the lowdown – you might want to take the tots out for it next year!

People line up for free hot chocolate at BMO's booth

Despite the cold, parents took their children out for a day of fun – like the opportunity to meet animals from the Bowmanville Zoo.

Jen tries to attract the llamas with tasty hay

The lineup for camel rides was a long one…

Kids enjoy riding a camel

A lot of stores along Queen St. East, like Ends, had specials, scavenger hunts for the kids, free coupons, and sidewalk sales.  If you fought the foot traffic along Queen you could get to the indoor entertainment at Beach United Church on Wineva.

Dance Sister Dance performs 'Cinderbelly'

The kids really loved running around and bopping to the live music!

Grilled Cheese Band rocks the gym

For kids brave enough to see icky snakes and other animals, Dean the Reptile Guy did a great show while kids lined up for gorgeous balloon animals.

Dean shows off his collection of exotic reptiles

All in all…another super day at the beach!

The Toronto Real Estate Board recently released figures of interest to all Torontonians, and particularly those who own homes in prestigious neighbourhoods like the Beach (where a recent five-city study conducted by Hill Strategies Research interestingly stated that roughly 11-13% of residents had arts and culture as their occupation).  If you would like to own a home in the culturally stimulating, high-demand Beaches, you might want to get in before prices increase even further.  Below is an excerpt of the TREB report:

“Greater Toronto REALTORS reported 3,555 sales through the Multiple Listing Service during the first two weeks of February.

This represented a 74 per cent increase compared to the 2,044 sales recorded during the same period in 2009 when resale transactions had dipped due to the recession. The February mid-month sales total was also 7.7 per cent above the previous high set in 2006.

The average price for February mid-month transactions was $429,997 – an 18 per cent increase over 2009. New Listings within the Toronto Real Estate Board boundaries were up 15 per cent to 6,212.

Double-digit price increases will persist through the first quarter of the year, said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. However, as new listings continue to increase creating a better supplied market, we will see the annual rate of price growth moderate into the single digits.”

Have you directly benefitted from the thriving real estate market in Toronto?  If you’re a Beach homeowner who has recently sold their home, please let us know about your experience!

Several properties for sale and for rent have recently become available in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood – here’s what a brief sweep of the listings brought in this week!

Church for sale, $1,899,995 – 5 baths, 5 offices, 6 meeting rooms, could be used as investment property.

Renovated Beach home for sale, $729,000 – detached, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 car parking.

Fully furnished Upper Beach home for rent, $2900/month – 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, finished basement.

Furnished Beaches bachelor apartment, $697/month – all inclusive, street parking, available March 1.

Obviously, there’s something for every budget, and this is really only the tip of the iceberg!

Will you make your next move into the Beach – or do you have a property there for sale or for rent?

On Saturday, February 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a Toronto Upper Beaches dental clinic will be offering a very special Valentine’s present to expectant moms:  oral assessments, education, and oral hygiene instruction free of charge!

Already have a dentist?  Well, Impressions is not a dentistry clinic – it’s a dental hygiene spa staffed by Registered Dental Hygienists.  Their goal is to offer an alternative, soothing environment, free of the usual sounds, smells and sights of a dental office – and to educate you on the importance of continuing care in order to prevent oral disease and maintain a healthy mouth and body. Regular treatment and examinations at Impressions can reduce your need to see a dentist and can potentially reduce your risk of serious systemic diseases.  Best of all, the cost for these services can be less than what you’d pay at the dentist.

With cosmetic and preventive services, a Products Boutique, and incredibly pampering services you’d expect to find in a spa – like Aromatherapy, fruit and beverages (who would have thought you’d be encouraged to eat before getting your teeth examined!) massage, towel service, paraffin wax hand treatments and more, it looks like a trip to the dental hygienist can actually be fun.  The dental services are covered by your regular insurance plan, and Impressions has a host of special offers in addition to the freebies offered Saturday to expectant mothers.

It’s a whole new way to take care of your mouth and body!

Tiffany Pratt, owner of the Glitter Pie Art Studio at 1789 Queen St. East, has been nominated for a Green Toronto Award.  What makes her business different?  It’s a model of energy and waste conservation, which is why she’s been nominated in the Energy Conservation category, which honours individuals and businesses leading the way to a sustainable future.

If you’re not familiar with Pratt’s studio, it’s a creative haven where children and adults gather for weekly art enrichment programs, throw parties and special events, display their artwork, and much more.  They actively solicit donations of reused and recycled materials (read:  the junk in your house, from jars to knitting wool to cereal boxes) to transform this trash into treasure – they’ll even pick it up!

That’s not all.  About a year ago Pratt decided to spend a little bit extra each month to use Bullfrog Power. For an additional $30 a month, the same amount of electricity her studio uses is added back to the grid by Bullfrog Power, a green electricity company that gets its power from clean sources such as wind farms.  Glitter Pie also uses the heat and A/C conservatively and uses only high-efficiency lighting.

Nominations for this year’s Green Toronto Awards close Feb. 12. Would you like to nominate somoene you know?  Visit www.toronto.ca/greentorontoawards to do so. Winners will be announced April 23.

Hundreds of patients recovering from hip and knee replacements, broken bones and other physical rehabilitation ailments will be forced to find new therapists when Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) closes its out-patient physiotherapy clinic on April 1.  East enders aren’t the only ones affected, but the closure is of particular note to residents of Danforth, East York, the Beach, Leslieville and Riverdale who are in close proximity to the clinic.
The hospital made the decision to close the $300,000-a-year program in anticipation of the provincial government giving hospitals only a small boost – a projected 1% -  to their budgets this year.

Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue is outraged that the provincial government is leaving hospitals so financially strapped.

More than a third of Ontario’s 61 hospitals ran illegal deficits last year, to the tune of a $154 million shortfall province-wide. Although TEGH has balanced its books for the last nine years, hospital officials conducted an annual review of expenses with an eye to what services the hospital needs to provide and what programs can be delivered by others in the community.

Hospitals aren’t legally required to provide out-patient physiotherapy; TEGH has chosen to focus on life-saving and emergency services. Meanwhile, there are nine OHIP-funded and 15 private physio clinics in the nearby vicinity. The hospital has already been scaling back its out-patient physio services and tightening admission criteria for a year now and feels the nearby clinics will fill the gaps.

TEGH will continue to provide physiotherapy to patients admitted to the hospital (as opposed to the outpatient clinic, which is shutting its doors) and is helping patients transition to those community clinics. But not everyone can afford to pay for private physiotherapy, and those who cannot could be severely affected by pain and lost mobility if they can’t get physiotherapy.

Will the closing of the clinic affect you or anyone you know living in the Beach?  Please let us know!