1. TREB
Courtesy of the Toronto Real Estate Board.
GTA Springs Into Strong Real Estate Season
Sales & Average Price By Major Home Type
January 2012 Sales Average Price
416 905 Total 416 905 Total
Detached 559 1,577 2,136 $743,993 $530,129 $586,098
Yr./Yr. % Change 9% 15% 13% 15% 5% 8%
Semi-Detached 157 336 493 $526,599 $377,456 $424,952
Yr./Yr. % Change -5% 16% 8% 6% 11% 7%
Townhouse 194 531 725 $410,129 $340,957 $359,467
Yr./Yr. % Change 10% 19% 16% 7% 10% 9%
Condo Apartment 775 351 1,126 $343,835 $272,103 $321,475
Yr./Yr. % Change -2% 1% -1% 5% 7% 5%
Greater Toronto REALTORS®
enjoyed
an impressive start to 2012, reporting
an 8.8 percent increase in sales
activity for January 2012 over
January 2011. The spring season
promises even more positive action.
“A favourable affordability picture
bolstered by very low posted
fixed mortgage rates has kept
homebuyers confident in their ability
to achieve the Canadian goal of
homeownership,” said Toronto Real
Estate Board (TREB) President Richard
Silver. “The buyer pool remains
diverse in the GTA with strong
interest in home types across the
pricing spectrum.”
As year-over-year sales increased,
so did the average selling price in
the GTA, with an average January
selling price of $463,534, showing an
increase of almost nine percent over
last January’s average selling price.
“Low inventory levels have kept
competition between buyers strong,
resulting in robust annual rates
of price growth over the last year.
Strong price growth is expected
to attract more listings. A better
supplied market should result in a
slower rate of price growth, especially
in the second half of 2012,” said
Jason Mercer, TREB Senior Manager
of Market Analysis.
Wondering how much your property
might be worth in today’s market?
Interested in seeing what other
homes are selling for? Simply pick up
the phone and ask for a no-obligation
property evaluation and the most
recent market updates!
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 3

2. 2
Money is a powerful motivator. Ask yourself if there’s
profit in selling items you no longer need. Thanks to the
Internet (and sites like eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist)
there are more ways than ever to turn your trash into
someone else’s treasure. Also consider “trade in, trade up”
programs where you swap things you don’t need (e.g.
older electronics) for credit toward things you do. You
won’t get rich via consignment stores and yard sales, but
the goal is less stuff – any financial benefit is a bonus.
Remember, it’s the thought that counts. Sometimes, it’s
the memory associated with an item that makes it hard to
let go of: the gift given to you by a friend, or the knick-
knack bought on vacation. But you don’t need to keep the
item in order to honor the giver or treasure the memory
attached; keep the thought instead. If it helps you let go
of the item with a clear conscience, take a picture of it
and put that in a scrapbook, along with the story of the
item’s origins.
Think about the good your belongings could do for, or joy
they could bring to someone else. When you consider that
the clothes you no longer wear could help someone land
a job or that the house wares you no longer use could
mean a family’s fresh start, letting go of stuff makes a
whole lot more sense than hanging on to it. So in addition
to that “sell” pile, make a pile marked “donate to charity.”
Another stumbling block that makes it difficult to purge
is the question, “What if I need it someday?” Those who
frequently find themselves asking that question need to
ask themselves these questions: When did I last use it?
How likely am I to use it in the future? What might the
consequences be of getting rid of it? Put items you never/
rarely use, but think you might need, in a box and set a
deadline (e.g. six months) – any boxed items not used by
the deadline are ones to purge.
Focus on the positive. What do you stand to gain by
parting with some of your things? Clutter can be a source
of stress, so purging can actually be good for your mental
well-being, allowing you to feel lighter and free. Maybe
letting go of certain belongings will allow you to move
past painful memories and onto a new phase of life. At
the very least, fewer things mean less stuff to clean and,
when it comes time to move, less to pack up.
Do you know someone who’s a bit of a hoarder? Or do you yourself have trouble parting with belongings
doing little more than occupying space? Then keep reading – whether you’re downsizing to a smaller home or
purging as part of your spring cleaning ritual, here are some strategies to help make letting go a little easier.
Learn to Let Go

3. Volume 8, Issue 3 3
 Respect appointment times and open-house hours.
Sellers often have to shuffle their schedules around
to accommodate showings. Don’t cancel at the last
minute or show up late. Also, don’t surprise sellers by
showing up outside of established open-house hours.
 Exercise good etiquette when viewing homes. Don’t
show up with a crowd or with rambunctious kids;
don’t bring food or drink inside; respect requests to
remove shoes; don’t take pictures without permission;
don’t rummage through closets, cupboards or drawers.
 Get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Given two
buyers, one pre-qualified, one not, with which do you
think sellers prefer to deal? Answer: the pre-qualified
one, since the seller can be more confident such
buyers are capable of obtaining the financing they
need to seal the deal.
 Keep your comments to yourself. You might think the
sellers’ taste in décor is dreadful or that their property
isn’t worth nearly what they’re asking. You might even
think voicing such opinions to the seller will net you a
better deal. Chances are you’ll just offend the seller, to
nobody’s benefit.
 Think through an unreasonably low offer. Offering
something less than the asking price is par for the
course, and there may be justifiable reasons to do
so. But simply throwing out a number that’s based
more on what you’d like to get away with rather than
what’s reasonable may just insult the seller.
 It’s overpriced. This is the top reason why quality
properties don’t sell more quickly. Buyers tend to
assume, rightly or wrongly, that a seller whose home
is priced above fair market value isn’t serious about
selling or open to negotiating. As such, buyers may feel
they’d be wasting their time by even making an offer.
 It doesn’t show well. A home may have excellent “bone
structure”, be fairly priced, and boast a great location,
but if it doesn’t perform well at showings, it won’t sell
quickly. What makes for a poor performer? A home
that smells bad, is cluttered, dirty, dark, hasn’t been
well maintained, or whose décor is seriously outdated.
 It’s inaccessible. Even if buyers could see past the
mess, if they can’t get inside the home to see it at
all, they’re certainly not going to buy it. Sellers who
are too restrictive about showing hours, insist buyers
make appointments, require 24 hours’ notice, or cancel
appointments, for example, are sellers who should be
prepared to have their property linger on the market.
 The seller isn’t working with a real estate
representative. Owners taking the do-it-yourself
approach to home selling often don’t have enough
time or money to effectively market their properties.
If they do find interested buyers, these sellers may lack
the knowledge (e.g. document preparation) needed to
see the sale through to completion, meaning the home
remains on the market.
A property that doesn’t generate as much interest
and sell as quickly as expected isn’t necessarily
one that’s flawed. There are several reasons why
perfectly good homes linger on the market. Below
are some of the most common.
Spring’s here, which means the real estate market
is in high gear! Don’t run the risk of losing your
dream home to a competing buyer by inadvertently
disrespecting the seller. If you’re looking to buy,
please take a moment to consider these points.
A Guide for BuyersA Guide for Sellers
Talk to your real estate representative about
your home-buying and selling needs to ensure
the smoothest, most successful transaction.

4. When it’s time to sell your house, your street’s appeal
can be just as important as your home’s. Unfortunately,
living next to (or near) that house – you know, the
neighborhood eyesore – can be another obstacle on the
way to a sale. What can you do?
It’s worth checking local laws to see if there are any
ordinances that would enable officials to step in;
in some areas, for example, owners can be fined for
property neglect. Good places to start include your
municipality’s building department, public-health
division and fire department.
Of course, you could always try the direct route: talking
to the owner. However, avoid an adversarial approach:
you never know – they could simply be too ill to keep
up with maintenance. Consider offering your assistance,
whether by helping them find affordable services, to
pitching in yourself – consider it just one more thing
on your pre-sale “to-do” list. Your neighbors may also
pitch in to mow the lawn, remove weeds and trim the
shrubs, even if it’s only to improve their own views of
the property. A word of caution though: make sure you
have permission from the owner to step foot on their
property, as you don’t want to risk a trespassing charge.
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure anyone so much as
driving by can clearly distinguish your property from
the eyesore next door. Define property boundaries
by meticulously maintaining your landscaping, and
consider adding shrubs or fencing if you don’t have
such boundaries already.
The Eyesore Next Door
Terminology Tip
Contingency — A contingency is a written
provision in a real estate contract that
specifies any conditions that must be met
in order for the contract to become legally
binding. If those conditions are not met,
the contract is null and void. Contingencies
are very common in real estate contracts,
particularly in buyers’ offers. For example,
buyers often make their purchase of a
property contingent on obtaining financing,
having the property professionally
inspected, or selling their current property.
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