Mark Savels Toronto Real Estate Blog » new listing

Barcodes, Real Estate, the Future!

Mark Savel — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:55:00 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

I felt as if Real Estate was starting to get really boring… again! More than text and photos, I believe the public wants to be engaged and given more than warped virtual tours and abbreviated descriptions i.e. “cndo 4 sle, ull luv it. gr8 $$$”

That’s why: From now on, all my listings will feature a video showing A LOT more than words can ever say! What’s even better is that you’ll be able to watch the video right from your mobile phone! Scan the barcode below from your phone for an example of my marketing in action!

Thinking of selling, i’d love to help…wow, i talk really fast!

Condo for Sale at the Murano in Toronto

Mark Savel — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:22:51 +0000

The wait is over for residents of the Murano Towers at Bay and College. By month end all units in both towers will have completed final closing meaning residents can now list their units for sale (or rent) on the MLS. The two glass towers standing at 45 and 37 stories respectively is located on the east side of Bay Street between Grenville and Grosvenor, immediately north of College Street. The North tower is just about finished with construction in the South tower not far behind.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ve listed a very unique one bedroom unit on the 38th floor! The condo has one of the largest dens on the market! It can easily be used as a second bedroom, study or nursery. 9 foot ceilings surround the space and help accentuate the open concept feel. After a busy day in the City, residents can unwind in the many amenities such as sauna, hot tub or pool with retractable roof. Stay in and enjoy the views (see above) or go out and take in the city… you’re only steps away from one of the longest streets in the world! The University of Toronto, Hospitals and TTC is all within steps of the condo. Grocery stores like Metro can be found to the South and a 24 hours Sobey’s to the North.

The seller is including the following: brand new dishwasher, stove, microwave, fridge, light fixtures, locker, closet organizer, stacked washer and dryer. Furniture may also be included. Views like this won’t last long!

The common area patio (with BBQ’s) is still undercontruction and the retail space on the podium is yet to be filled. Once completed finished, Murano will offer a ton of amenities and shops for it’s residents. They have 24 hour security on site and monitoring the building and a lot of visitor parking below! If you’re working with a Realtor tell them you’d love to see this listing…if you’re not working with one, tell me!…i’d love to help.

If any residents are interested in selling at this time…i’d also love to help!

It’s a ZOO out there!!

Mark Savel — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:07:16 +0000

I spend a lot of time downtown; eating, living and most importantly WORKING. One of the great advantages that I can offer my clients is knowledge, and specifically in the downtown core. Before even getting into the business I spent over 3 months building (what I thought at the time) “THE ULTIMATE GOOGLE MAP.” I had everything from condos to grocery stores and even side streets with free parking. The map (which I still use) is a great tool that helps better inform my clients of the features and amenities located around their future home. As I spread out to different parts of Toronto, I’m faced with the problem of creating similar maps for the rest of the city…that was until I stumbled across the ZOOCASA website.

In a nutshell, the website is a similar public version of the googlemaps I had created…except on steroids (actually unlike steroids, they’re perfectly legal). These guys cover it all, from schools and daycares to gyms and bowling alleys!! I was really impressed with the level of detail ZooCasa went into, especially with school info. Just type in the neighbourhood you’re interested in researching and in seconds a list of schools pops up. They even have the Provincial Testing results (provided by the Fraser Institute). BUT WAIT, it gets better. Aside from area features and schools it also provides something that really caught my eye…LISTINGSSSS! You can browse available homes/condos for sale in your search area and in a few clicks get tons of info on the property as well as options to contact the brokerage for more info.

I was introduced to the site at a recent Real Estate Tech Meet Up where Saul Colt aka “Head of Magic” gave us a presentation of all of it features. It sounded way too good to be true, so naturally a small voice spoke up in my head and said “sure this is great, but how much?” The answer: Not $99 per year, not $29 per year…not even $5 per year. It’s FREE! You don’t even have to log in to use its features (I did, simply to get the most out of the service). One thing Saul openly admitted was that the site is still in its Beta stage and has tons of room to grow. They’re a bunch of down to earth guys looking to improve the service. If you see something that you think needs to be changed, send them a quick email and let them know. Oh, and they also have a pretty cool blog so check that out as well. I give this site: 2 Real Estate Thumbs Up!!

For my “Across Canada” readers, check out their list of Cities… the service is Canada wide!! You can also find the link on my blogroll. After you’ve started your search online, and are ready to take the next step give me a call…i’d love to help!

What’s All the Buzz About??

Mark Savel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:12:01 +0000

Ever since I’ve taken the step on to Twitter (@SavelSells) for those who haven’t connected with me yet) I’ve met a ton of creative people with a lot of passion for the profession. One of my earliest followers was BuzzBuzzHome (@buzzbuzzhome). I followed them back mainly because they had some interesting real estate ‘tweets’ and a great blog to boot!

Fast forward a few months, and they’ve expanded from an informative blog, to solving a huge gap in the pre-construction condo market. For years, there’s been no centralized place for the public…or even Realtors to get a list of up and coming condos. In the past the only way to get this info was to; search the newspapers, read up on blogs or drive around the city. Problem solved with the new buzzbuzzhome webpage!

It’s very user friendly and extremely easy to find tons of info on new developments in the city. What I particularly like, is they’re not affiliated with any real estate brokerages and provide info from an unbiased 3rd party point of view. Some projects on the map are also sponsored by the developer of the condos and offer additional info such as price, description and photos. I had the chance to meet up Matthew Slutsky and Clifford Peskin, founder and co-founder of BuzzBuzzHome. They’ve started with tracking developments in Toronto but have big plans to expand and cover other Canadian cities as well.

It’s a great tool and one that I personally use! Find out what all the ’Buzz’ is about and check out their site. Once you’ve found that perfect project and are ready to take the next step give me a call…i’d love to help!

California Condo’s in Toronto starting @ $149,900

Mark Savel — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:28:59 +0000

Finally, a developer with ears…that actually uses them. David Feldman, President and CEO of Camrost-Felcorp is taking the savings from lower construction costs and historically low interest rates and passing the savings on to buyers. They’ve heard the demands of buyers and this is their response!

They’re marketing tag line is “Bringing Sexy Back” but I say they’re “Bringing Affordability Back”. $149,900 will get you started in a 455sqf 1 bedroom unit (one of the lowest prices per square foot available today!). The project was launched in June 08 but they’ve decided to relaunch and release new floor plans with a massive sales event this Saturday July 20th,09 to the general public… BUT I have VIP access This Friday June 19th 2009 with 5% deposit plans available. Contact me if you’d like to get in on this project and check out the features and finishes while you’re at it! *They’ve just posted floorplans online…check them out here*

Located 7 minutes west of down town Toronto in the Mystic Pointe community of South Etobicoke. Developers Camrost-Felcorp, designed a 32 story condo with the top 2 floors offering exclusive use to their “Venice Blue Sky Club”. According to their website : “The indoor lap pool features a whirlpool with an adjacent beach bar. There is a circuit training auditorium and Pilate’s/yoga studio. A stunning open air sundeck is the perfect place to enjoy the view and on warm summer evenings is transformed into an outdoor theatre. The Skygym offers volleyball, badminton, basketball and other court activities. One floor below, the Sky Lounge is the best place to relax and entertain in a sophisticated environment, complete with Martini Bar, catering kitchen and private dining room.”

You also get use of the “14,000 sq. ft. Bayside Sports and Entertainment Centre. Sharing this incredible space with residents of Tides and iLoft, you’ll enjoy professional greenscaped gardens on a 3-storey podium with courtyards and sundeck surrounding a swimming pool and whirlpool, patios with gas bbq’s and an outdoor running track. Inside you’ll find two squash courts, a Hollywood-style screening room, billiards room, cardio theatre, party room and more!”

For those who like the outdoors, there’s the 350-kilometre Martin Goodman trail at your door as well as a 24-hour Sobeys, Ikea, Sherway Gardens, Cineplex and a ton of restaurants near by! And for the mobile buyer, there’s access to the Gardiner Expressway, as well as the QEW, Hwy 427, Mimico GO station and TTC.

If you’d like to buy in at this incredibly affordable price give me a call…i’d love to help! Remember to protect your interests and have me represent you before visiting the sales center. All prices, figures and materials are preliminary and are subject to change without notice.

The Wheel Chair Accessible Home

Mark Savel — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:35:56 +0000

What an amazing listing!!!

A sales representative in my office, Lori Bennett has just listed a very special home. What makes it so unique is that it caters to a way of life, that in my opinion, doesn’t get enough attention. The spacious renovated bungalow has been designed to give special needs families the comfort they need and the privacy they deserve.

The sellers have upgraded their home with lifts and built-in’s to accommodate wheel chair or elderly access. It also has 2 full kitchens on the main floor with one designed for complete cooking at wheelchair height. The bathroom was made specifically for wheelchair use and to give the user independence! 3 spacious bedrooms can be found on the main floor and include a 3 piece bathroom in each. Check out the pictures below:

If you’d like a private showing of the house or more info, give me a call…i’d love to help!

The King East – Units Still Available

Mark Savel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:32:44 +0000

As anyone who watches HGTV knows, the #1 thing to consider before buying real estate is location, location, location and this particular project has all three. Located just pass the hustle and bustle of the busy strip known as King West, you’ll find a much more quite yet sophisticated King East. Venture past some of the best home decor stores and you’ll arrive at the future home of The King East (330 King St E).

This 15 story condo is currently in the pre construction stage and has been for about a year, but just this week I’ve recieved emails advertising tons of affordable units still available. Prices range from $420 per square foot and up. Unit sizes go from studios with 310 sqf (yes you read right) to 2 bedroom units with a more spacious 840 sqf layout.

Other notables of the area include: George Brown College a few blocks west (great for those considering the Condo as an investment with rental potential), The Distillery District a few blocks south (a hip place to meet up with friends) and a short commute to St. Lawrence Market (an amazing place to pick up fresh food!!)

Check out some of the show room photos below:

Think this could be the one? Would you like more info… give me a call…i’d love to help! Remeber to protect your interests and have me represent you before visiting the sales center. All prices, figures and materials are preliminary and are subject to change without notice.