Posts Tagged ‘Downtown’

Take a drive in downtown Toronto and you’re guaranteed to see two things: cranes and sandwich boards for condos!  Problem is, neither really tell you much about the projects they’re promoting.  Alas, a solution is here!

Homebuyers.com has just rolled out it’s user friendly iPhone and iPad app!  I downloaded the app today and took it for a test run to see how well it works.

The download from the app store was quick, seemless and took seconds to load!  The first step is to either sign-in under your Facebook or Email account.  I started by skipping, but I’d highly suggest doing so as more features are available once logged in.

After asking for your location, a “Google map” based screen loads up with your current location and near by pre construction projects! With a pinch or pull of the screen the user can zoom in or out from the given area. Pink and blue pins represent the different condos.  Each pin has a starting price of remaining units.

Clicking on a pin will take you to the individual listing of the building. It’s a very clean and simple layout that features a rendering of the building, starting price, mortgage caluculator, favorite button, priority registration, info, models (some contain floorplans and some renderings), current promotions, notes and contact button.

When the user clicks the star button the building get’s added to your “favourite list”.  The pin on the main screen is changed to yellow, this helps keep track of what you’ve seen and to narrow down the process.

The mortgage button is a handy addition to the app that gives the user 5 financing scenarios.  You can go into each option and customize the scenario.  Once done, you can email the results!  In future updates, a deposit calculator would also be helpful.

The descriptions of the buildings are short and concise, skipping all the normal broker babble and cutting straight to the goods!

The “models” and “promotions” tabs still require a lot of updating (at time of writting this). For some buildings, the “promotions” tab shows model suites and in others – floorplans.  A tab just for floorplans would be incredibly powerful.  Most promo tabs don’t have any specials listed, but as more builders take note of the app, I could see that changing.

The “My Notes” section does exactly what the name describes!  Users can take and store notes for each building.  You’ll need to have an email account activated in order to use this part of the app.

Lastly is the “contact” tab… users can email the developer directly from the app! The address and (sometimes) phone numbers are also listed under this section.

For an even quicker search you can narrow the criteria by a ton of variables such as location, price, type, bedrooms, square footage, status (coming soon, under construction, move-in now etc) and developer!

I was most impressed with how fast the app loaded.  Typically with map based apps there’s an annoying lag before the user can even start the search.  With the homebuyers.com app, you’re up and running right away! I love that the individual listing pages are so easily shareable through other social media sites like twitter and facebook.  In a time where developers are still creating incredibly hard to navigate websites, this app saves a ton of time getting you the info you want.  There’s even the option to sign up for priority registration… this will notify you when new projects open up to the public!

The only criticism I could offer about the app is that I didn’t really see the point of having a “regular” vs “featured listing” option but hopefully there’s a bigger plan for it down the road. Also, a few of the smaller builders were missing from the list and a couple of projects were not yet available. My small comments aside, For it’s first version I give the app 4 high-rises out of 5!

Download the app here: http://app.homebuyers.com/

It’s that time of year again…  The birds are chirping, the Leafs aren’t in the playoffs and HotDocs Film-Fest-Fever is taking over my life!

The Festival is in it’s 19th year and is looking like the biggest one yet… at least for me!  In 2009 I some how found my way into the festival while searching for a track by Thelonious Monk. My Google search took me to a link promoting the screening of doc about him and his Jazz Baroness - Pannonica Rothschild.  Being the self-proclaimed ”Doc freak” that I am, I naturally had to buy a ticket for the show.  It was love at first sight… the nostalgia of watching films in some of Toronto’s oldest theatres, to the energy of others partaking in the low key film fest had me hooked!

Since that faithful night, I’ve been coming back year after year and for 2012 it’s no different!  Except this time around I’m seeing even more films!  The festival runs from April 26 – May 6, 2012 and features both Canadian and International content.  Below is a summary of the 5 films I’m watching:

Theo Fleury: Playing With Fire

Theo Fleury achieved every boy’s fantasy of becoming a hockey superstar, raking in the millions, being cheered by countless fans and living the high life with a beautiful woman. Then he blew it all on booze, drugs, gambling and strippers, betraying his game, his colleagues and his family in a flame-out he couldn’t control. In 2009, he published a book that revealed his difficult childhood and years of sexual abuse by his coach, Graham James. Inspired by the book, the film takes the story further through hockey highlights and interviews with coaches, family, ex-friends, Olympic figure skater Jamie Salé and, most of all, with Theo as he hits the road to promote his book and faces the ghosts of his past. A compelling portrait of a great hockey player, a man who won it all, lost it all, faced his demons and is bringing his game up to a whole new level. Lynne Fernie

Fists Of Pride

“Thai children have more money. Burmese children have no money. They are rich. We are poor. That’s all.” This is how 13-year-old Pho Kyaw ‘Panda’ sees the world while training to challenge a Thai boxer at the annual Water Festival along the Burmese-Thai border. If he wins, his family receives prize money from bets placed by his coaches. Losing isn’t an option. For sons of migrant workers, the Thai boxing camp is their best hope to escape the dangerous and impoverished life that otherwise awaits them. The boys’ militaristic training regime and their daily routines reveal their courage and fear as they face the ring. The coaches provide another fascinating layer, as their gambling success determines the boys’ well-being. The film is a powerful allegory for a cultural and political battle that continues to be waged, through the eyes of children who inherited a bruised and battered history. Alex Rogalski

The Queen Of Versailles

Meet Jackie, former Mrs. Florida 1993 and current wife of David Siegel, the self-styled king of a vast timeshare empire. She loves her husband, eight children and shopping. A leggy blond teetering on high heels, Jackie is thrilled to show us her work in progress, the largest single-family home in America. Modeled on the palace of Versailles but arguably more lavish, it features 30 bathrooms and a skating rink. At the same time, David is building the largest timeshare property in Las Vegas, selling average citizens a small piece of the good life for just a little money down. Then the financial crisis of 2008 hits. As the threat of losing it all looms, David’s personality undergoes a marked shift from boastful billionaire to tired old man, but Jackie soldiers on with a bright smile. One wonders what it will take to wake this queen from her American dream.

We Are Legion: The Story Of The Hacktivists

We Are Legion is a guide into the world of Anonymous, the “hacktivist” collective with no defined leadership or structure that’s responsible for numerous acts of a new internet-based civil disobedience. Through interviews with current members and those awaiting trial, as well as with other major online figures, writers and academics, we gain an understanding of motives and what it means to be involved with a group redefining online activism. We hear from a group that began as a forum to share jokes, learning about the development of their ideology and their ability to mobilize thousands worldwide. A history of the internet’s evolution, the film traces the birth of a powerful democratic activism that’s making corporations and governments very nervous. Charlotte Cook

Charles Bradley: Soul Of America

For decades he’s been Black Velvet, a soul singer scraping by in Brooklyn’s projects with small club gigs in the evenings and odd jobs by day. But 62-year-old Charles Bradley has an impossible dream: he wants to make it in the music industry as…himself. As if that weren’t challenge enough, he’s also supporting the mother who abandoned him as a child, struggling to pay his own bills, and, in his spare time, learning to read. When Bradley’s noticed by the soul maestros at Daptone Records, it seems as though he just might have a chance. With lyrics that draw directly from the anguish and hardship of his life, his electrifying performances transform pain and sorrow into an experience of sublime transcendence. When he says to the audience, “I love you, each and every one of you,” he truly means it. It’s a visceral rush to your soul. Gisèle Gordon

For a full list of movies and to purchase tickets, check out http://www.hotdocs.ca/

Like the chicken and the egg, the Realtor and the Mortgage broker are fundamentally connected! Regardless of who you call first, the financing has to be in place before the shopping can begin.  Mortgages aren’t something I talk much about on the blog, because I believe there’s a lot of other people who cover it better… say for example – mortgage brokers!

Last week I came across a tweet from @MortgageJake which warned of CMHC nearing it’s limit.  For those unfamiliar with what CMHC is, here’s a quick lesson:

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is Canada’s national housing agency. Established as a government-owned corporation in 1946 to address Canada’s post-war housing shortage, the agency has grown into a major national institution. CMHC is Canada’s premier provider of mortgage loan insurance, mortgage-backed securities, housing policy and programs, and housing research.

Their most common use in a real estate transaction is insuring mortgages where less than 20% down-payment is given… and speaking from my own experiences, something many first-time buyers bank on using.  So hearing that they’re nearing their allotted peak is somewhat alarming!

Here’s what Jake had to say about it on his mortgage blog:

Good Morning!

I get the BNN market commentary email every day and it has a slew of great info both economically and with respect to the various markets at play. This morning I nearly spilled my tea when I read the following:

The Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation is bumping its head up against the ceiling and may need to apply for renovations to its $600-billion mortgage insurance cap. The Financial Post reports this morning that the CMHC is cutting back on the number of mortgages it insures as the value of its portfolio swells towards the limit of its government-backed mandate. And by government-backed, I mean tax-payer backed, by which I mean you and me. With debate still not settled over whether the Canadian housing market is a bubble, a balloon, or merely a little bloated, Canadians will be talking about this story today and asking about the risks of a $600-billion portfolio going suddenly bad and what it would mean for them. Granted, mortgage defaults in Canada sit at a puny 1 percent so the risk to the portfolio is next to nothing, but what happens when the CMHC hits the $600-billion limit? Would the government say “no” to a request to increase it, running the risk of killing a booming housing market? Can the CMHC change its business a bit to stay under the cap, say stop insuring loans with more than 20 percent equity? Calls for comment are in to the CMHC.

This is simply insane news. A number of things may happen in this case, one of which I am already seeing:

1. CMHC will cut back on the number of loans it insures. Although traditionally the lender ratios are maxed at 44/44, I have seen numerous files declined by CMHC at this max ratio.

2. The Government will not open the taps for a higher limit, thus killing many CMHC applications, and thus many turn-downs for your clients. This can have a drastic effect if you’re going “all-in” with no conditions.

3. GENWORTH and CANADA GUARANTY stand to profit big-time if #2 occurs. They are both direct competitors to CMHC and do not operate under the Federal Government, but rather are privately-run or publicly-owned companies. I have placed a call to my Genworth rep to see if they also operate under a ceiling, and how close they are.

What’s my take on this?

This is just another example of a housing market that is… dare I say… overheating. As long as rates remain this low, people will feel that affordability is within their grasp (even as prices continue to zoom upwards). What I’m more concerned about is what will happen when rates go up at renewal time? I wrote about it in my blog and you may be surprised to find out that many people will face higher payments.

It’s hard to say what will eventually come out of it, so at this time I’d like to ask your opinion on where you think the Canadian Real Estate market is:

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The east end of Toronto’s waterfront is rapidly changing!  Once finished, Pier 27 will be a predominate jewel on the condo crown that outlines the waterfront… but those days are still a while away, so until then let’s look at what Cityzen Developments has built thus far! Below is an update (with photos) from their official blog:

Though it may not look luxurious now, Pier 27 will be screaming prestige at Yonge and Lakeshore in the future.

We visited the Toronto Waterfront site late last week and the progress made since our last visit this past November has been substantial to say the least!

With many different crews on site at the moment, things are going well, especially with the weather.

Work has progressed up to the 7th floor on buidling B1, and up to floor 4 in building B2.

Phase 3 of Pier 27 is currently undergoing approvals, and we hope to bring the project to market in the near future. 

A view of the Pier 27 site from the 20th floor of L Tower.

A new model suite is coming to the sales centre, and we hope to have it ready for viewing this spring.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on Pier 27 and many more of our projects. Got a question? Tweet to us or catch us on Facebook. Read the rest of this entry »

Believe it or not… there’s a bit of Brooklyn in Toronto’s CityPlace neighbourhood.  In fact, there’s even a bit of Tokyo, London, and Hong Kong! Next time you’re in the area, pop into the lobby of 10 Capreol Court and look up over the concierges desk.  That’s where you’ll find Brooklyn artist Jose Parlas “Bridge” installation!

Now look a bit closer!  The white scribble is actually a story of Jose’s life in New York city (Brooklyn) and how it has become his bridge to other cities around the world.  Two pieces were commissioned by Concord Adex Developments for the Parade 1 lobby at CityPlace.

Watch Jose speak about the painting and describe the story behind the Bridge!

We’ve been pretty lucky thus far in Toronto!  Christmas Eve is less than 2 weeks away and we’ve still yet to have a serious snowfall in the City… yet tons of mysterious snow men have been popping up all over town!

I found one in my neck of the woods (in-front of the Maria Shchuka Library on Eglinton West) and was instantly intrigued by it’s unusual design. A few days later I saw a couple posing in front of a similar snowman on Church St… then another in Yorkville!

The snowmen are part of a fundraiser for the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada!  Residents and visitors of Toronto are encouraged to take a photo of themselves next to the snowmen and email or text it to me@TOsnowman.com or 647-TAG-SNOW.

For every photo received – either through text or email – TorontoLand will donate $2 to the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada, who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries. The campaign runs from from Nov. 1 – Dec. 20, 2011 or until the maximum donation of $50,000 is reached. As of writing this they’ve raised over $31,500!  Help reach there goals and have some fun posing next to your favorite snowman!

More details and photos can be seen at the TorontoLand Facebook page!

There was an old woman that lived in a Shoe,
She’s also made an appearance in the latest CREA commercial, or two.

Long live the ad agency that created the Canadian Real Estate Association latest commercial! The 30 second spot is a spoof of the popular Mother Goose rhyme - The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.

I’ve had a tooooooon of requests to post the video, so with no further delay I present to you the full, one minute and thirty second documentary of the The Old Woman That Lived in a Shoe…2011 style!

Read the rest of this entry »