- While home sales in Toronto were down in August, average home prices rose 6.5% year-over-year to $479,095, driven by a 15% increase in prices of low-rise homes like detached houses in the city. - Market conditions remained tight with high demand and few listings, suggesting price growth will continue. - Stricter mortgage rules, higher prices, and the Toronto land transfer tax were factors in the sales decrease.

1. Low-Rise Homes Drive Higher-Rising Prices
Information courtesy of the Toronto Real Estate Board.
TREB
While Toronto’s residential home
sales were down in the month of
August, the average selling price
rose to $479,095 – an almost 6.5
percent increase compared to the
same time last year.
The annual rate of price growth
was driven by the low-rise home
segment in the City of Toronto,
including single-detached homes
with an average annual price
increase of 15 percent.
“While sales were down year-
over-year in the GTA, so too were
new listings. As a result, market
conditions remained quite tight
with substantial competition
between buyers in the low-rise
market segment,” said Jason
Mercer, Toronto Real Estate Board
(TREB) Senior Manager of Market
Analysis. “The trends for sales and
new listings are moving somewhat
in sync, suggesting that the
relationship between sales and
listings will continue to promote
price growth moving forward.”
TREB President Ann Hannah,
addressing the fact that residential
transactions were down in August
2012 compared to August 2011,
suggested the stricter mortgage
lending guidelines that came
into effect in July, coupled with
relatively higher home prices,
together with the upfront cost
associated with the City of Toronto’s
Land Transfer Tax, all played roles
in the decrease.
Wondering about the value of your
current home? Curious about other
house and condo prices in your
area? Even if you’re not planning
to move at the moment, but are
interested in local market activity,
please remember that you’re always
welcome to call for a no-obligation
real estate update.
Sales & Average Price By Major Home Type
August 2012 Sales Average Price
416 905 Total 416 905 Total
Detached 706 2,323 3,029 $746,300 $564,571 $606,929
Yr./Yr. % Change -19% -7% -10% 15% 7% 8%
Semi-Detached 219 471 690 $540,204 $390,421 $437,961
Yr./Yr. % Change -22% -9% -13% 11% 4% 6%
Townhouse 258 804 1,062 $418,548 $351,201 $367,562
Yr./Yr. % Change -13% 6% 1% 11 % 4% 5%
Condo Apartment 1,072 440 1,512 $349,489 $275,150 $327,856
Yr./Yr. % Change -22% -24% -22% -4% 2% -2%
Recine Team Report
Compliments of Melanie & Fabio RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage
Each office is independently owned and operated.
Melanie Maranda Recine &
Fabio Recine
Sales Representatives
"It's your call
Call Melanie and Fabio"
RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage
9100 Jane Street, Bldg. L, Suite #77
Vaughan, ON L4K 0A4
Office: 416-987-8000
Fax: 416-987-8001
Direct Melanie: 647-836-4062
Direct Fabio: 416-828-5441
mmaranda96@hotmail.com
frecine@trebnet.com
www.RecineTeam.ca
Greetings! You’re receiving this
newsletter with hopes that you find it
informative and entertaining.
If you’re thinking of making a move, or
are just curious as to real estate trends
in your area, please feel free to call at
any time. It’s always good to hear
from you!
Best wishes,
Melanie and Fabio
Volume 8, Issue 10

2. 2
Did you know indoor air quality is often worse than
outdoor air? It’s actually not surprising when you consider
that just about everything in our homes – from the carpet
under our feet to the paint on our walls, and the products
we clean with to the adhesives in our furniture – contains
toxic chemicals that emit volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) like benzene and formaldehyde into the air
we breathe.
Many people buy expensive air purifiers to combat poor
air quality and help mitigate the health risks thereof, but
why not use plants, Mother Nature’s own air purifiers?
Not only do plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen,
they filter toxins like those mentioned above from the
air, turning them into plant food. They also emit mold
inhibitors from their leaves and add humidity to the air,
helping combat respiratory problems and allergies. Plus,
houseplants are actually more effective than commercial
purifiers at filtering pollutants from the air, they don’t
require electricity to do their job, and they add to, rather
than detract from, the aesthetics of your décor.
Here are some tips to help your houseplants be the most
effective natural air purifiers they can be: choose organic
houseplants grown without pesticides; pot them in
containers not made of plastic; allot one plant for every
100 square feet, avoid placing them in areas where they’ll
be susceptible to drafts and temperature fluctuations;
use a damp cloth to keep their leaves, which absorb the
toxins, free of dust; and remember, the healthier the
houseplant, the more potent a purifier it is.
While all houseplants are helpful in removing toxins from
the air, some are especially effective. Below are a handful
of top performers whose names you’re probably already
familiar with.
Areca Palm: An excellent natural humidifier, these are a
striking addition to interiors due to their height.
Bamboo Palm: Fast growing, these air-moisturizing plants
are great for combating dryness.
Boston Fern: Considered the most efficient filtering plant
overall, these thrive in humidity.
Dracaena: Particularly effective at removing
trichloroethylene, dracaena come in all shapes, sizes
and colors.
English Ivy: Great for those who suffer from asthma
or allergies.
Peace Lily: Easy to grow and unique due to their beautiful
white blooms.
Philodendron: Effective in filtering high concentrations of
formaldehyde, these require little attention.
Rubber Plant: Tough and requiring little light, these excel
at filtering formaldehyde.
Spider Plant: Fast growing and resilient, these are ideal
where carbon monoxide accumulates (e.g. kitchens,
near fireplaces).
Snake Plant: Nearly indestructible, these are great in
bedrooms as they produce oxygen at night.
(Note: Many plant species, including some listed here, can
be toxic to pets or people if ingested, so choose carefully.)
The Purifying Power of Plants
With an especially hot summer behind us – during which the need for air conditioning no doubt had many
people keeping their windows and doors closed – and with winter just around the corner, now seems like a
good time to talk about how to improve your home’s air quality with household plants.

3. Seeking Approval
Volume 8, Issue 10 3
What’s one of the smartest things you can do to
ensure your next home purchase goes smoothly
and quickly? Get pre-approved for a loan before you
start shopping. Here are five ways a pre-approval
may benefit you.
Settling for Less
Statistics have shown that the average selling price
of a FSBO home is significantly lower than the
average selling price of a home sold with the help of
a professional real estate representative. Why do so
many FSBO sellers make less money on their home
sale than they would have if they’d worked with a real
estate licensee?
As do-it-yourself sellers tend to factor in sentimental
value when establishing their asking price, and because
they don’t have access to the information needed to
assess their home’s market value (like comparable sales
statistics), many FSBO sellers overprice their properties,
which is the top reason why many FSBOs fail to sell.
In addition, FSBO sellers often don’t have enough time
or money to devote to marketing their property, nor
do they necessarily have access to the Multiple Listing
Service®
(MLS®
). This means a lack of exposure to buyers,
as well as to real estate professionals who use the MLS®
to find homes for the clients they represent.
A home that’s overpriced and underexposed isn’t going
to generate much interest and, as such, won’t attract
as many offers. As a result, the property lingers on the
market, and as the FSBO seller becomes increasingly
desperate to sell, their asking price gets slashed
ever lower.
If you want to sell your home more quickly, for more
money and with far less work, call your real estate
sales representative!
Homeowners are often tempted to sell “by owner,”
thinking they’ll make more money on the sale by not
having to pay anyone a commission. But going the
FSBO (For Sale By Owner) route could actually end
up costing you – literally.
 Pre-approval means knowing how much your lender is
likely to let you borrow, allowing you to narrow your
search to those properties that are within your budget
rather than wasting your time looking at homes you
can’t afford. This means a more efficient home-hunting
process for you.
 Being pre-approved allows you to shop around with
the peace of mind that comes from knowing that
you won’t have to worry about your purchase falling
through at the last minute and losing out on your
next dream home, due to your inability to secure a
mortgage loan.
 The loan approval process takes time. Wait until you’ve
made an offer to get approved and you might lose the
home to a pre-approved buyer who can close faster
than you, especially in a fast-moving market. Pre-
approval means being able to act more quickly when
you find the right home.
 As a pre-approved buyer, you’re in a stronger position
at the negotiating table because you can assure the
seller you’re serious about buying, as well as assuring
them of a faster closing and that their sale won’t fall
through because you couldn’t secure financing.
 You’ll have a good idea of interest rates before
you’re ready to buy. If you find you don’t qualify
for a low interest rate, you’ll know that before
you start shopping, so you can adjust your price
range accordingly.

4. Tackling a fixer-upper can be a very rewarding experience,
but it’s not for everyone. Is it for you? To help you decide,
below are some pros and cons of buying a house that
needs work.
Pros
 Most buyers want move-in ready homes, so you’ll likely face
less competition from other house hunters for a fixer-upper.
 Houses needing work are often significantly cheaper; there’s
usually more room for negotiation when it comes to price.
 Purchasing a house in need of significant improvement
can be a great way to buy into a neighborhood that would
otherwise be too expensive to move into.
 A fixer-upper allows you greater flexibility to customize
your new house to your liking – every renovation is a
chance to do things your way, instead of living with the
seller’s choices.
Cons
 Turning around a fixer-upper requires a great deal of time
and know-how. If your life is already busy and/or you have
little to no renovation experience, you may not be suited for
the task.
 Renovating can be very stressful, disrupting your life for
months at a time, depending on the work being done
– especially because renos tend to drag on longer than
anticipated. It may be more inconvenience than you’re
willing to put up with.
 Depending on the nature of the repairs that need to be
made, renovating might not increase the house’s value
enough to be worthwhile. “Invisible” improvements such as
structural, plumbing, or electrical repairs, for example, may
not pay off in terms of resale value.
Rooms for Improvement
Terminology Tip
Good Faith Estimate — A document that
lenders typically provide to prospective
borrowers. It lists all closing expenditures,
fees and estimated costs of the mortgage
loan, including but not limited to the
lender’s origination fee, attorney closing
fees and appraisal fees, plus estimated
prepaid expenses (i.e. property taxes)
and costs for inspections, preparation
of documents and title insurance.
4
The information and opinions contained in this newsletter are obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The publishers assume no responsibility for errors and omissions or for any damages resulting from the use of the published
information. This newsletter is provided with the understanding that it does not render legal, accounting, or other professional advice. Not intended to solicit properties or businesses listed for sale and agency agreements in place with other real estate brokers. Whole or
partial reproduction of this newsletter is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. © Market Connections Inc.® 2012, Phone: (800) 387-6058.
www.RecineTeam.caMelanie Direct
647-836-4062
Fabio Direct
416-828-5441
Fabio and Melanie Recine
Sales Representatives
Compliments of Fabio Melanie Recine RE/MAX Premier Inc., Brokerage