Mark Savels Toronto Real Estate Blog » Toronto Real Estate

Taking a Break at Sugar Beach

Mark Savel — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:19:03 +0000

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I took a short break in between appointments to enjoy Toronto’s newest beach, appropriately named “Sugar Beach”. Located at the foot of Lower Jarvis Street adjacent to the Redpath Sugar Factory, this beautiful public space was once a parking lot in a former industrial area!

Escape the hustle and bustle of downtown and relax at the beach for a bit…you’ll be glad you did!

*minor correction* I say “Cherry Beach” in the last 10 seconds, but meant “Sugar Beach”… blame it on the sun!

Live in Gotham Lofts? There’s An App for that!

Mark Savel — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:40:44 +0000

The Gotham Vintage lofts, located at 781 King Street West, has something quite different that your average Downtown condo…forget about virtual golf simulators or bowling allies, this loft has it’s own app! Created by Christopher King of MOBILE HOME™, the app is the first of it’s kind in Toronto (at least to my knowledge).

According to it’s press release: The app allows residents to view the current building notice, contact property management and building services, manage a list of neighbor contacts from their address book, and view the building’s location and track their own location with a fully functional Google map.

I was really attracted to the “Building and User” tab feature! With few taps on the screen users can see exactly where they are, where the building is, how to get themselves home, and how to explore the neighbourhood!

The app also helps bridge the communication gap between suite owner and property manager. I often get calls from clients looking for the “front desk number” and other building contacts. There’s a tab that has all that info posted at your finger tips! Even investors who don’t physically live in the building can benefit from the app as notices from the building can be read right from your phone.

I visited Christopher’s site to learn more about the app because I think it’s a brillllllliant idea! For $1000 (plus tax), MOBILE HOME™ can build your condo it’s very own app too! It also mentions that versions of the app for the Android, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile platforms are in the works.

My only concern with the app is that everyone and anyone can download it. Meaning any notices or communications meant for residents can be read by any user who has the app on their phone. In the interest of full disclosure…I’m currently using a BlackBerry (though that might be changing soon) and haven’t physically tried the MOBILE HOME™ app. If any readers have, please let me know your thoughts and experience by leaving a comment below!

In the mean time, check out some screenshots or download it for FREE from the AppStore!…hopefully more condo’s follow!

Freed Storage Room Sale

Mark Savel — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:20:51 +0000

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the fancy furniture in condo sales centres?

Sometimes it’s re-used, sometimes it’s tossed…and on some rare occasions it sold at a bargain price! On Saturday July 10th, 2010 from 10-2 all the left over furniture from the Freed showrooms will be put on sale. One of Brad Lamb’s projects in King East had a similar sale a few months back. I stopped by for that one and saw a ton of great furniture for crazy low prices!

I’m guessing this should be the same…or possibly even better! The Freed sales centres are some of the best out there, so if you’re thinking of attending, SHOW UP EARLY!!!

…and if you need the condo before the furniture give me a call or send me an email. I’d love to help!

Toronto Outdoor Pools Now Open

Mark Savel — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:37:18 +0000

Pool season has officially begun! With the hot June summer weather rolling into town, 12 outdoor pools opened their doors early this year. On Saturday June 26, the City’s remaining 47 outdoor pools opened up along with more than 100 wading pools. Outdoor pools and wading pools will remain open for the season, until September 5. It’s expected to be a hot one this year, so check out the City of Toronto’s website for a full list of pools, locations and hours of operation!

…or better yet, why not buy a condo with pool already in it! Give me a call or send me an email…I’d love to help!

Special Summer Offer at Trinity Lofts

Mark Savel — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:44:15 +0000

Trinity Lofts is running a summer special, offering buyers either $10,000 in cash back or $15,000 in upgrades on units priced over $350,000! The location of the lofts offers downtown living next door to the Distillery District and West Don Lands Redevelopment.

The 8 story building will have just 81 lofts plus 2 townhouses. The building will also have a dog room on the main level, resident “bike share” program and a on-site autoshare parking space. Below is an example of a 2 bedroom plus den. The unit is approx. 813 sq.ft plus a 101 sq.ft balcony. This floor plan starts at $446,900 and includes parking, storage locker and HST!

(prices and specifications subject to change without notice.)

Give me a call or send me an email to set up an appointment to preview full floor plans and price lists!

Big Condo Furniture for Small Spaces

Mark Savel — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:09:45 +0000

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Do you have an extra 80 inches in length and 40 inches in width in that den of yours? If yes, then that’s just enough room for 2 beds! The clip above is from New-York-based Resource Furniture. Watch in awe (as I did) as they demonstrate how a little ingenuity can give a small space a lot of room!

I’ve never been a fan of the 300 sqf studio, be it for living or an investment but as the price of land in Toronto goes up; the spaces we call home are becoming smaller! It’s inevitable as developers try to facilitate as many units possible into their towers to maximize the profit on the project. Even traditional 2 bedroom units are being built with less square footage than their older counter parts.

If you look at a building like The Esplanade, it’s very common to see 1 bedroom units pushing 700 sqf. Compare that with many of the newer buildings going up and the same square footage is now housing 2 bedrooms! Space saving decor like the ones available from Resource Furniture are the key to using every square inch in your condo and making the most out of the limited space available!

…I wonder if there’s a foldable garden available?

Ready to find your own space in one of Toronto’s many condo towers? Give me a call or send me an email… I’d love to help!

Doors Open In Toronto

Mark Savel — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:34:16 +0000

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Toronto is a City full things to see and do…and like most cities, one would have to pay in order to do them! This weekend, (May 29th and 30th 2010) 150 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and/or social significance open their doors to the public.

A few of my ‘must-see’s’ are:

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Historic Walls – The southern section of the present CAMH historical wall was built by unpaid patient labourers at the then Provincial Lunatic Asylum.

City Hall- Podium Green Roof – From concrete to living garden, the Toronto City Hall podium roof, where visiting dignitaries were once welcomed at the “front door” of the Council Chamber, will be reopened as the city’s largest, publicly accessible green roof garden.

Stephan Caras Design Inc. - The building is currently owned and operated as the world headquarters and couture fashion house of Stephan Caras Design. The interior is stylistically modern and designed by Stephan Caras himself.

This is an excellent opportunity to get into some of Torontos hidden gems…and admission is FREEEEEE!

Check out the Cities website for a full list of participants.