3rd
June
OPEN HOUSE SUN June 5th, 2-4 PM 1940 Bromley Rd
Archive for the ‘Latest News’ Category
1st
June
Canadian government in bid to avert postal strike
Canada’s government has stepped in to try to broker a deal between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Yesterday the union met with Canada Post’s negotiating team for just 10 minutes to hear a firm “no” from the Crown Corporation in response to the CUPW’s final offer for a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.
With prospects growing that a postal strike will take place from midnight on Thursday night, Canadian government minister Lisa Raitt is now attempting to force compromise between the two sides.
The Federal Minister of Labour has proposed a meeting today (June 1) for the union and Canada Post president Deepak Chopra to attend.
The union handed in its legally-required 72-hour notice of an intention to strike on Monday, a notice that stated the strike would be held from 11.59pm on Thursday (June 2).
After receiving the notice, the government minister said she was “concerned” a strike was being considered and was “taking this situation very seriously”.
“Any work stoppage would impact Canada’s economic well-being. We are currently going through an economic recovery, which remains fragile,” Raitt said.
“The Government of Canada is committed to supporting unions and employers, while advancing stable labour relations. I remind the parties that the best solution in any dispute is one that the parties reach themselves. I therefore urge and encourage the parties to reach a negotiated agreement as soon as possible.”
To read complete article please click here.
29th
April
Royal LePage Canada wins prestigious public relations award!
Royal LePage and its public relations partner Fleishman-Hillard were honoured last night with an award from the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Toronto Chapter. The award was in recognition of the HST Advisor Survey that Royal LePage issued on August 5, 2010, which was named ‘Campaign of the Year’ for Investor/Financial Relations.
The HST <http://x.jmxded135.net/y.z?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.royallepage.ca%2Fen%2Fmedia%2F100805-hst-confusion-royal-lepage-advisor-survey.aspx%3Fbottomcontent%3D874%26toolstips%3D1052%26relatedcontent%3D1074&e=7346&j=261039986&t=h> Advisor Survey was recognized for uncovering misconceptions around the Harmonized Sales Tax that took effect July 1, 2010 in Ontario and BC and its effect on real estate transactions.
“Buying a home is often the largest investment Canadians will make in their lifetime,” said Phil Soper, president and chief executive. “Royal LePage is committed to educating Canadians in order to help them make informed real estate decisions and the HST Advisor Survey was a great example of that commitment.”
19th
April
Gas price hikes push annual inflation rate to 3.3 per cent in March
OTTAWA – Canadian price inflation accelerated in March at the fastest pace in over two years, pushed especially by increases in gas and food prices.
Statistics Canada announced Tuesday that the country’s annual inflation rate surged by 1.1 points to 3.3 per cent last month, the first time the rate has topped three per cent since September 2008, on the eve of the recession.
The month-over-month increase was also 1.1 per cent, and even core inflation, which is closely watched by the Bank of Canada, almost doubled to 1.7 per cent.
With the price of oil skyrocketing past US$100 a barrel, and most of the rest of the world suffering through bouts of inflation, Canada’s consumer price index was widely expected to see a large gain in Tuesday’s report.
But few expected the leap would be so high. Only last week, the Bank of Canada predicted inflation would reach three per cent sometime this spring — that target has now been already surpassed, and may be once again in April if the price of oil does not moderate.
In its analysis, the central bank said it believed high inflation would be a short-term phenomenon and declined to raise interest rates in response. The bank has a mandate to keep inflation within a one-to-three per cent range, and as close to two per cent as possible.
The March report, if it is followed up by outsized gains in the next two months, could convince the bank that it needs to start tightening monetary policy soon, however.
Energy prices, particularly gasoline, were the main contributors to both the annual inflation gain and the sharp one-month increase in prices.
Gas prices were 18.9 per cent higher in March than a year ago, fuel oil and other fuels surged 31.3 per cent, electricity costs increased by 4.3 per cent, and transportation costs, which have a heavy gasoline component, were up 6.6 per cent.
If energy were taken out of the calculation, inflation would have risen to only 2.4 per cent on an annual basis.
But other items also contributed to the prices jump. In fact, there were few exceptions.
Food prices, which has been rising sharply in the emerging world, increased 3.3 per cent in March as the price for fresh vegetables rose by 18.6 per cent and meat rose by five per cent. The agency said cold weather in Mexico and the southern U.S. was mostly responsible for the price spike for vegetables.
Shelter costs, with the exception of mortgage interest, recreation, household operations, health and personal care, alcohol and tobacco, even clothing and footwear, normally downward contributors to inflation, were all higher in March than last year, although the gains were more modest.
The few outliers were computer equipment and supplies, which were 9.9 per cent lower, video equipment, down 10.4 per cent, along with fresh fruit and natural gas.
Regionally, Nova Scotia had the highest inflation rate of any province in Canada at 3.9 per cent, followed by Ontario at 3.6 per cent and Quebec at 3.3. Annual inflation was lowest in Alberta at two per cent.
Original source: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/gas-price-hikes-push-annual-inflation-rate-3-110521581.html
4th
April
SELLING A HOME? What you should know…
As a seller, your relationship with your real estate professional is vital – so meet with several before making your final decision. A good place to start is in your neighbourhood. Check the FOR SALE signs to see who’s doing business in your area. Ask them about their track record, their knowledge of neighbourhood selling prices, and why you should list with them. Choose someone you feel comfortable with; one who will handle the sale of your home as if it were their own.
What you need: One of the first things a real estate professional will ask is why you are selling your home. He or she will also explore any time constraints you might have, your financial situation, and any future plans.
What you want: Arriving at an accurate estimate of value for your home is one of a real estate professional’s primary tasks. It involves analyzing your home and comparing it to other, similar houses for sale or recently sold in the neighbourhood. It may also include a broader market survey, and members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board can access sales statistics available from the Ottawa MLS® system to provide a more accurate picture of what your home can sell for. In the end, you will be sure the price you set reflects the true value of your home under current market conditions.
Marketing your home: Depending on your circumstances, and on the prevailing market, your real estate professional will develop a marketing plan that may include:
- An Open House: There are two kinds of Open House: one is solely for other real estate professionals, so they can assess your home against the needs of their clients; the second is an advertised Open House for all potential buyers. In either case, your real estate professional takes care of all the details and acts on your behalf at your home while you spend the Open House hours elsewhere.
- Listing on Ottawa’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS®) system. If you are selling a property, listing with a member of the Ottawa Real Estate Board who provides MLS® services means your property gets maximum marketing exposure to all other members of the local Board. Ottawa’s MLS® system provides other members of the Board with detailed information about your property. Every OREB member has the opportunity to find the right buyer for your property. This kind of marketing can be very helpful, especially if you are trying to sell a property quickly.
- Advertising: Effective newspaper advertising, tailored to your home and local market, can be placed for you by your real estate professional. Advertising forms commonly used can include lawn signs, direct mail flyers featuring your home, and online advertising on property search websites. If you work with a member of the Ottawa Real Estate Board and your property is listed on Ottawa’s MLS® system, your home will appear on the Board’s public website, OttawaRealEstate.org, and on the Canadian Real Estate Association’s website REALTOR.ca.
Selling tips: Whether or not your home shows well to prospective buyers can determine how long it stays on the market and the price it sells for. Your real estate professional can give you tips – fresh paint, flowers, keeping the house clutter-free and rearranging furniture – to improve the marketability of your home and create a good first impression.
Get serious: Real estate professionals know how to separate “lookers” from “buyers.” He or she will “pre-qualify” potential buyers to save wear and tear on your home and lifestyle, and to ensure that only serious offers are tendered.
How to close the deal: real estate professionals are experienced in arranging financing and closing deals. On your behalf, he or she will assist in negotiating a better offer, acting as a mediator to head off potential conflicts between you and the buyer, and drawing up a legally binding contract.
Professional service: When you decide to work with a real estate professional to sell your home, you will sign a listing agreement. This is a legal contract that gives your real estate professional the right to act as your exclusive agent in the sale of your house for a specified period. The listing agreement spells out exactly what he or she will do on your behalf, and he or she will take all the time necessary to explain it to you. The agreement will also specify the amount of professional fees to be paid to your real estate professional from the sale of your home. Fees can be set as either a flat dollar amount or a percentage of the selling price of your home.
Most of the actual work done to accomplish the sale is carried out by real estate professionals operating in a broker’s name and for whose actions the broker is legally responsible. A real estate professional’s fees are normally shared with the broker who supplies such essentials as office support, training and consultation services.
Selling your home is a major undertaking. A member of the Ottawa Real Estate Board can ease this sometimes risky, difficult, and frustrating process. A real estate professional has the skills, experience and knowledge to effectively market your home at the best advantage to you.
