Real Estate Bits

March Re-Sale Housing Results Bring Positive News

Toronto - Monday, April 6, 2009 In March 2009, Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 6171 sales - down 7% from March 2008, representing the smallest year-over-year decline in the last five months.

The average price for March transactions was $362,052 - down less than 5% from the same month last year. “The Greater Toronto housing market has stood up very well given the challenging economic times the world has experienced in recent months,” commented TREB President Maureen O’Neill. “In fact, over the past two months, the situation in the housing market has improved.” The seasonally-adjusted annual rate of sales increased to 65,600 in March - up 36% from the ten-year low reached in January.

“Sales in March increased at a rate over and above what would be expected from the normal spring-time bump,” said Jason Mercer TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis. “A greater number of households have taken advantage of increased affordability in the housing marketplace.”

Seasonally adjusting TREB MLS® data removes recurring seasonal trends observed each year. For example, MLS® sales are highest in late spring each year and lowest in the winter months.

Removing the recurring seasonality, allows for the analysis of a meaningful trend reflecting actual changes in market conditions. By multiplying the monthly seasonally-adjusted figure by 12, creating an annual rate, we can compare how the current month relates to historical annual figures.

Average Days On Market in March was 40

What They Sold For:

This Graph Shows Monthly GTA Sales
By Volume and Price Category

February 2009

March 2009

Year-Over-Year Sales and Price Comparison

Year-2007	# of Sales	Average Price

Total	93,193	$376,236

Year-2008	# of Sales	Average Price

January	5075	$374,449
February	6015	$382,084
March	6631	$380,338
April	8762	$398,687
May	9411	$388,839
June	8600	$394,931
July	7806	$371,427
August	6318	$364,886
September	6424	$368,549
October	5155	$352,974
November	3640	$368,582
December	2577	$361,415

Year-2009	# of Sales	Average Price

January	2670	$343,632
February	4120	$361,305
March	6171	$362,050

Web-Site Of Interest

www.toronto.com/billsgarden

Bill’s Garden Centre 903 Pape Avenue - Toronto

“Down To Earth Gardening” and a wonderful, friendly
place to shop for your garden!

Mortgages

Rates As Of April 14, 2009

Nino will guarantee these rates for 120 days for any "confirmed" client of Rosemary Wright if you bring this newsletter with you!

These "Preferred Rates" are available for new mortgages for any of my clients who bank with Nino Pasquariello, Senior Bank Manager of Scotiabank & Trust. Nino's office is located at 2200 Yonge Street (at Eglinton) in Toronto.

(Bus): 416-932-3885 #7000 (Fax): 416-932-3167

E-Mail: nino.pasquariello@scotiabank.com

Scotiabank Web-Site: www.scotiabank.com

Find The Best Way To Use "Your" Money

6 Month Open	6.90%
6 Month Closed	4.75%
1 Year Open	7.25%
1 Year Closed	3.00% - Bank's Discretion
2 Year Closed	4.10%
3 Year Closed	4.10%
4 Year Closed	4.39% (4.44% for Pre-Approvals)
5 Year Closed	3.96%
5 Year Scotia Flex-Closed	3.30 % (Prime + 0.80)
5 Year Scotia Flex-Open	3.50 % (Prime + 1.00)
7 Year Closed	5.65%
10 Year Closed	5.25%

Please Note: We are unable to guarantee the rate on the Prime Based Variable Rate products. Rates will be based on Prime at the time of the mortgage closing. On a Pre-Approved Mortgage the rate is protected for 120 days from the date of application. Please be aware that rates can change at any time. Please call Scotiabank for more details on their 5 Year “Flex Value” products..

Business Of The Month

Urban Essential

AERO
Insurance Brokers Ltd.
David J. Slack - Senior Partner

1-800-971-1363 or Cell (416) 992-6695
david@aeroinsurancebrokers.com

“Friendly, Experienced & Personal Service”

Home Inspection Companies

1) National Home Inspection (416)467-7809 nationalhomeinspection@sympatico.ca

2) Carson & Dunlop (416)964-9415 inspection@carsondunlop.com

3) Baker Street Home Inspection (416)483-3535 info@bakerstreet-hi.ca

4) Aetna Pest Control (Termites) (416)469-4111 info@aetnapest.ca

Just for Fun...

Really, Really Bad Jokes

These Flowers Make Me Smile – But Don’t Worry
I Haven’t Forgotten The Joke!

Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord, please take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey!" Miraculously, a parking place appeared. Paddy looked up again and said, "Oh – never mind Lord - I just found one."

Flynn staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking buddy, Paddy. He took off his shoes to avoid waking his wife, Mary. He tiptoed as quietly as he could toward the stairs leading to their upstairs bedroom, but misjudged the bottom step. As he caught himself by grabbing the banister, his body swung around and he landed heavily on his rump. A whiskey bottle in each back pocket broke and made the landing especially painful. Managing not to yell, Flynn sprung up, pulled down his pants, and looked in the hall mirror to see that his behind was bleeding. He managed to quietly find a full box of Band-Aids and began putting a Band-Aid as best he could on each place he saw blood. He then hid the now almost empty Band-Aid box and shuffled and stumbled his way to bed. In the morning, Flynn woke up with searing pain in both his head and butt and Mary staring at him from across the room. She said, "You were drunk again last night weren't you?" Flynn said, "Why would you say such a mean thing?" "Well," Mary said, "it could be the open front door, it could be the broken glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but mostly - it's all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall mirror.

& finally …

Walking into the bar, Mike said to Charlie the bartender, "Please pour me a stiff one - I just had another fight with the little woman." "Oh yeah?" said Charlie, "And how did this one end?" "When it was over," Mike replied, "She came to me on her hands and knees. "Really," said Charles, "Now that's a switch! What did she say?" She said, "Come out from under the bed, you little chicken."

The median price in March was $317,500 down from the $326,000 recorded during March of 2008.

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