■Tool of the Trade

Financial Calculator

This week I am taking The Commercial Real Estate Transaction Course at OREA and one more day to go!

This is my HP Financial Calculator. With this I can calculate Rentable Space, Monthly Rent including TMI (Taxes, Maintenance and Insurance) and more! Are you looking for an office space to rent? Give me a call!

■Homeowner MUST HAVES

Alaskan ICE MELTER

Yesterday it was sunny shiny Saturday:

A pair of police officers on horseback was patrolling in our neighbourhood:

This morning it was cloudy and I knew I had to be careful not to fall on the ice. But I slipped and fell on the ice and hit my butt on the way to my Prius. I am hoping my neighbours didn’t see me….poor me. Prius couldn’t get out from this icy side driveway.

Here is Homeowner’s MUST HAVES. “Alaskan Premium Ice Melter prevents slips and falls and starts melting in seconds! It tears into ice and snow, with best in class speed and long lasting results.” (Reference: www.homedepot.ca/product/ice-melter-150-10kg/960669)

My husband always says this is the BEST Ice Melter. He wasn’t home this morning, so I had to save my Prius by myself. Yes, it worked! Thanks to this Alaskan Premium Ice Melter I could catch 10:30 studio class at the gym and had a good workout lol Look these shades of blue. I scooped lots of them!

■Spring Festival 2014 at Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC)

See you there!

On March 2, 2014 (Sunday) I will be volunteering at a booth at this Spring Festival 2014 at JCCC. Come and see me!

■AURA at College Park by CANDEREL

Attention Rental Clients!

Aura at College Park (www.collegeparkcondos.com), Canada’s Tallest Condominium sent me a list of exclusive, non-MLS rental suites which are ready for immediate occupancy:

1 Bedroom Unit (532 ft2): $1,700
2 Bedroom Unit (859 ft2): $2,400

and more!

One of the building features and amenities includes Hard Candy Fitness, 42,000 ft2 upscale facility by Madonna (www.hardcandyfitnesstoronto.com). Yes, “Madonna hosted the official grand opening of Hard Candy Fitness Toronto on Tuesday, February 11, 2014.” She said “No Sweat, No Candy!”


You don’t need to rent the condo to join Hard Candy Fitness. Monthly fee is $99. Not bad, right? If you are a resident of Toronto, you can get a Free One Day Pass with a photo ID according to a receptionist that I just spoke with today! I would try “Ripped Yoga” on Thursday night. Anyone interested?

If you would like to know more details on this Exclusive Rentals, please contact me!

Nat Smilis
nat@natsmilis.ca

■Yonge and Queen

“This is a trophy property”

Toronto Eaton Centre is expanding south, acquiring the Hudson’s Bay store on Queen St. W. and becoming home to the first Saks Fifth Avenue in Canada.


“This is the biggest expansion of the Eaton Centre since it was built,” said John Sullivan, president and chief executive officer of Cadillac Fairview, which owns and operates the mall. Cadillac Fairview will pay Hudson’s Bay Co. $650 million for the property, which includes the store and the Simpson’s Tower at the corner of Queen St. W. and Bay St.

The opportunity to buy a prime piece of downtown real estate doesn’t come around that often, said Ian MacCulloch, director of market intelligence, Canada, for Colliers. “I think it’s a very good long-term asset for them,” he said of the purchase by Cadillac Fairview. “This is a trophy property.”
“Toronto Eaton Centre has really helped define Toronto as a shopping and entertainment centre,” said Andrew Weir, vice-president of Tourism Toronto.

Reference:
-Francine K., Business Reporter of Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/01/27/hudsons_bay_co_to_sell_lease_back_downtown_toronto_properties.html

トロント・イートンセンターを所有・運営し、商業用不動産会社のキャディラック・フェアビューが6億5000万ドルをHBC (Hudson’s Bay Company., www3.hbc.com) に支払って、ハドソンズ・ベイデパート（ヤングとクイーン）とシンプソンタワー（ベイとクイーン）が所在する一角を買収し、そこにカナダ初のアメリカ・NY発の高級デパート、サックス・フィフス・アベニュー（www.saksfifthavenue.com）がOPENすることになった。

当初は、改装が必要なのにほったらかしにされているヤングとブロア（ヤンブロ）のベイデパートにサックス・フィフス・アベニューがくるらしいと騒がれてたところ、イートンセンター北（ヤングとダンダス）にもうひとつのアメリカ・シアトル発の高級デパート、ノードストローム（www.nordstrom.ca）がシアーズの跡地にオープン（2016年秋にヨークデールモール内にもOPENの予定）することになり、イートンセンター運営会社のキャディラック・フェアビューがHBCの傘下であるサックス・フィフス・アベニューも是非この機会にイートンセンター南にオープンしてほしいと積極的にHBCとの交渉に入り今回の商談が成立したらしい。



アメリカの２大デパートがトロントにやってくるとホルトレンフリュー（www.holtrenfrew.com）はどうなるのかな。ヨークビルエリアではまだ暫くホルトレンフリューは一人勝ちできそうだけど・・・

Reference:
-Lisa W. Business Reporter of Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/01/15/nordstrom_to_replace_sears_at_eaton_centre.html

■I shouldn't drive in this snow tonight....

■Casting Call-Property Brothers (W Network)

W Network's hit show PROPERTY BROTHERS is casting in Toronto.

Are you interested in purchasing a fixer-upper and you need an expert design team? Let me know because you can apply to the show for the opportunity to have your renovation supervised by this design duo.

The show contributes a minimum of $10,000 in value towards the reno.

Email nat@natsmilis.ca if you are interested.

■Tool of the Trade

Push Button Lock Box

Realtor’s most popular lock box features easy to use push-button technology. Rubber vault cover protects doors from scratches.

How about my beautifully done gel nails?

■2月のトロントマーケットウォッチ

1月は大幅に平均販売価格がアップ

トロント広域圏（GTA）における住宅購入価格は手頃なままで、多くの人々が物件探しをしています。 1月は、昨年に比べ売りに出されている物件数は大幅に減り、これは物件を探しをしている人たちにとって家を見つけることが困難であったことを意味しています。

GTA REALTORS®（GTAの不動産仲介業者）は、2014年1月にTorontoMLSシステムを通じて4,135件の販売を報告しました。この結果は、昨年1月と比較して2.2％減。MLSシステムに入力された新着物件は同時期と比べて16.6％減少し、8,822件でした。

「今後大幅な価格向上になる可能性があり、そのためにホーム·エクイティの増加がよりたくさんの所帯主が家を売りに出す引き金として機能するでしょう。これは子供が増えたから大きな家に住みたい、子供が独立したから家を小さくしたいというようなライフスタイルが変化している世帯に当てはまります。」とトロント不動産委員会会長のダイアン・アッシャー氏は述べています。

 2014年1月の平均販売価格は526,528ドル。この数字は、昨年1月の482,080ドルに比べ9％増。

"価格成長のペースは2014年に入った今も強いままです。昨年と同様に、トロント市内とその周辺地域の一戸建住宅、二戸建住宅やタウンハウスを購入したいバイヤー間の競争は、販売価格の上昇圧力を及ぼしていきます。同時に、住宅ローンの金利は過去最低水準付近にとどまり、それゆえに大幅な価格成長にもかかわらずGTAの平均的な世帯にとって手頃な価格は続くでしょう」と同委員会市場分析シニアマネージャーのジェイソン・マーサーは述べています。

（トロント不動産委員会発行マーケットウォッチ２０１４年２月５日付訳文）

以上、何かご不明な点・ご質問などございましたらお気軽にご連絡ください。

スミリス　夏子

■Market Watch-February, 2014

Average Selling Price Up Strongly in January

TORONTO, February 5, 2014 – Home ownership in the Greater Toronto Area remains affordable and there are many people looking to purchase a home. In January, the number of homes listed for sale was down quite strongly compared to last year, which means that it was difficult for some buyers to find a home.

Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 4,135 sales through the TorontoMLS system in January 2014. This result was down by 2.2 per cent in comparison to January 2013. New listings entered into the system were down over the same period by 16.6 per cent to 8,822.

“Looking forward, it is possible that strong price growth, and therefore an increase in home equity, will act as a trigger for more households to list their homes for sale. This is especially the case for households whose life styles are changing, including those with an expanding family looking for a larger home or empty nesters looking to downsize,” said Dianne Usher, President, Toronto Real Estate Board.

The average selling price for January 2014 sales was $526,528 – up by more than nine per cent compared to $482,080 in January 2013.

“The pace of price growth will remain strong in 2014. Similar to last year, competition between buyers for singles, semis and town homes in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions will continue to exert upward pressure on selling prices. At the same time, mortgage rates will remain near historic lows, so despite strong price growth, home ownership will remain affordable for the average household in the GTA,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Source: www.torontorealestateboard.com

■Market Watch-January, 2014

Sales and Average Price Up in Calendar Year 2013

TORONTO, January 6, 2014 – Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 4,078 residential transactions through the TorontoMLS system in December 2013 – up by almost 14 per cent compared to 3,582 sales reported in December 2012. New listings entered into the TorontoMLS system were down by almost four per cent over the same period.

Total sales for calendar year 2013, at 87,111, were up by approximately two per cent compared to 85,496 transactions in calendar year 2012.

“After a slow start to the year, sales growth accelerated to a brisk pace in the second half of 2013. Despite the inclement weather in December, we finished the year with a respectable gain in transactions compared to 2012. Looking forward, I believe that home ownership in the GTA will remain affordable as borrowing costs stay low. The result could be a further increase in sales in 2014,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher.

“The average selling price will be up again in 2014 and by more than the rate of inflation. The seller’s market conditions that drove price growth in the second half of 2013 will remain in place in many parts of the GTA. Some neighbourhoods, especially those characterized by low-rise home types like singles, semis and townhomes, will continue to have less than two months of inventory,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

The average selling price for December 2013 sales was $520,398 – up by 8.9 per cent compared to the average of $477,756 in December 2012.

The average selling price for 2013 as a whole was $523,036, which represented an increase of 5.2 per cent compared to the calendar year 2012 average of $497,130.

Source: www.torontorealestateboard.com

■Condo Market Report-Fourth Quarter 2013

Strong Q4 Condo Apartment Sales and Price Growth

Toronto, January 22, 2014 — Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported the sale of 4,586 condominium apartments through the TorontoMLS system in the fourth quarter of 2013. This result was up by 21 per cent in comparison to Q4 2012 when 3,789 condominium apartments changed hands. Both new listings of this home type during the quarter and active listings at the end of the quarter were down on a year-over-year basis.

“This time last year many were predicting that the condo apartment market would experience a downturn, both in terms of sales and selling prices. While there was a temporary lull in sales and price growth in the first half of 2013, we saw an about face in the second half of the year, as buyers realized home ownership remained affordable. As the demand for condos rebounded, competition between buyers increased and the pace of price growth accelerated," said Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher.

The average selling price for condominium apartments in the fourth quarter was $353,665 – up 6.5 per cent compared to Q4 2012. In the City of Toronto, where condo apartments account for approximately half of sales, the average selling price was up by 8.3 per cent to $381,008.

"If market conditions in 2014 remain similar to what we experienced in the last six months of 2013, we will continue to experience year-over-year average price growth for condominium apartments above the rate of inflation. However, there was an increase in condo completions last year. The degree to which investors list their newly completed units for sale and the degree to which these units are absorbed will play a large role in dictating the pace of price growth," said Jason Mercer, TREB's Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Source: www.torontorealestateboard.com

■Rental Market Report-Fourth Quarter 2013

Rental Transactions and Listed Units Up in Q4 2013

Toronto, January 22, 2014 – Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported an 18 per cent year-over-year increase in condominium apartment rental transactions in the fourth quarter of 2013, with a total of 4,305 condo apartments leased compared to 3,644 during the last three months of 2012. Over the same period, the number of condominium apartments listed for rent was up by 31 per cent.

“The construction of purpose-built rental properties has been a tough sell over the past decade. This means that investor-owned condominium apartments have increasingly filled the void in terms of meeting the needs of renters. People looking to rent modern apartments in popular neighbourhoods close to work and leisure opportunities have been focused on rental condos. Investor-owners have moved to meet this demand by listing their units for rent in greater numbers,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher.

The majority of condominium apartment rental transactions – approximately 95 per cent – involved one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Rent growth for these unit types was mixed. The average one-bedroom rent was down by 1.6 per cent year-over-year to $1,600, whereas the average two-bedroom rent was up by 3.7 per cent to $2,165.

“Condominium apartment completions were up in the GTA in 2013. Some of these newly completed units are owned by investors with a longer term outlook. Many of these individuals will have listed their apartments for rent. In all likelihood we will continue to see an increase in the number of apartments listed for rent in 2014. The degree to which the increase in listings is balanced out by an increase in demand will dictate the pace of average rent growth over the next 12 months," said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board's Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Source: www.torontorealestateboard.com