Posts Tagged ‘re/max realtron’

The second condo in my look at 2010 pre construction launches is Canderel Stoneridges DNA 3. This developer is no stranger to the King West/Liberty Village community having restored the red brick Massey Harris lofts in 2003 and completing DNA1, DNA2 (The predecessors to DNA3).

I wrote about this one back in October, during the LG Fashion Week. It was quite the partnership, merging fashion and real estate for the weeklong event! Judging by the photos, it looked like a “fabulous” success!

Liberty Village is a much sought after address for many young professionals looking to start their life in a hip and happening area. With bars, banks, grocery stores and more all accessible by walk, it’s no surprise why so many are drawn to the neighbourhood. DNA is located on the North side of King St at Shaw. Details are still sparse on DNA 3 but with a rough launch date of Spring 2010 there’s still plenty of time before sales start. Expect an illuminating building design, chic suite finishes from Cecconi Simone, a modern amenity space and a beautiful landscaped rooftop! If you’d like to be kept up-to-date on this one send me an email…I’d love to help!

Art Condos, in the trendy Studio District is the first pre construction project I’m spotlighting in my look at 2010 condo releases! The Queen West strip has had a busy run the past few years, attracting the artistic and creative to such projects as Westside Gallery Lofts, The Bohemian Embassy and, 2 Gladstone. The area is a hotbed for artists and with this, it’s attracted quite the night life at places like The Gladstone, The Drake Hotel and The Social to name a few.

The newest addition to the area is Art Condos by Triangle West Developments. Tucked away from the lively Queen St., this project can be found midway down Dovercourt just before Sudbury St. In keeping with the heights of other buildings in the area, Art will be an 11 story boutique style building with under 150 units. What draws me to this one is having 3rd Uncle Design on board for the interior designs. You may not know recognize the name, but if you’ve ever been to The Drake Hotel, you’ve seen their work!

I was intrigued by the registration forms on their website. They have a section asking the public “which of the following amenities would you prefer in your condominium?” The choices range from standard, Party/Meeting rooms… to the less seen: Art Studio Space, Outdoor Movie Screen and even a Pet Spa! I really like this approach as it gives the consumer an opinion to what they’d like to see in a future place of residence. It’s definitely going to be interesting to see what comes of it! Read the rest of this entry »

What a year 2009 has been for the Toronto Condo Market! Back in the early part ’08 I remember getting invited to a new condo launch several times a month. Every time I checked the BlackBerry it was a different developer announcing a different launch… that was until the ‘World Wide Recession’ kicked in!

The broker lunch invites ceased, the glossy packages of beautiful condo renderings stopped and my cell phone usage also started to slow down. With the weak sales numbers in the resale market, no developer wanted to risk launching during the uncertain times. So for the last half of 2008 and the first half of 2009 hardly any new projects where released. It almost became the year of the “Relaunch” as most developers worked to clear old inventory and get ground broken on their projects.

530 St. Clair was about to be the first developer to launch a new product, but held off citing a redesign of units to better suit the market. Fly Condos also had their sales event, with many small sized units being released at low prices that matched. Camrost-Felcorp made a bold move in June. They erected a huge sign on the highway advertising prices for their California Condo starting at $149,900! This wasn’t their first launch, but like many others, the re-launch was necessary to move more units.

September of 2009 is when activity in the pre construction market really started to pick up. 530 St. Clair , 2 Gladstone, Reve, x2,Ice 2, U Condos 2, and finally River City (to name a few) all made their launch towards the last quarter of the year!

So what’s in store for 2010? If you’re in the market for a preconstruction condo, you’ll want to check back throughout the week, as I take a look at what’s in store for the New Year!

Get updated with this week’s mortgage rates, provided by everybody’s favourite S.O.B….Chris Molder!

It’s no secret to those who know me…I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the City. From supporting the Leafs (even during the loses) to complaining about all of the new ”Miller Taxes“! Naturally, I was quite excited to hear about the Kiss 92.5 remix of the Jay-z/Alicia Keys hit “Empire State of Mind”. Especially since I am a pretty big Jay-Z fan (for real!) For the most part, I found it a bit over autotuned and more of a plug for the station than a representation of the City…BUT, it did inspire others to make it their own. In the process of youtube-ing the video I came across another “Toronto State of Mind” remix!

This one was made by Ron D Featuring Kim Davis (who by the way has one-heck-of-a-voice!!) It may not be for everyone, but it at least shows his (Ron D’s) experience in the City. Some thought actually went into making this version and for that I give it 2 big Real Estate Thumbs Up!

It also got me thinking… and no not of emceeing, but rather “What makes Toronto so special” …The diverse restaurants? The sports teams? The condos? The night life? Toronto City Council (another post altogether)? I can go on for days, but I’m more curious about what the readers think! Leave a comment below and let me know what makes Toronto so special to you!

AND if any other versions of the track come out (Drizzy Drake, I’m looking at you!) send it my way …if I like it, I’ll post it!!

Chris Molder from SonOfABroker.com is back with another installment of his Mortgage Minute.  For a full list of rates, check out his blog.

Great news for all the Murano Condo Owners out there!

I was handling some business in the North Tower the other day and saw the bright pink notices announcing the registration of the Condo with the City!!! For one, this means no more “phantom mortgage” fees; it also means you’ll able to sell your unit on the open market (MLS) instead of only through assignment! According to the memo, closings won’t happen until the New Year (2010), so now would be a great time to contact your lawyer and sort out final closing arrangements…especially if you where thinking of splurging on holiday gifts ;)

Suite owners who bought in when the project originally launched can expect substantial increases. The big question on everyone’s mind is: How Much! I’m quite familiar with floor plans, amenities and the overall building as I’m usually in the building a few times a week. If you would like to know how much your unit is worth,give me a call or send me an email…I’d love to help!

With the Bank of Canada keeping rates low until mid 2010, it makes it a great time for the buyers who’ve had their eyes set on Murano to make the move…pun intended!