THE RAPP REPORT Anita "RAPPS" It Up
Vogue names Toronto’s Queen Street West world’s second-hippest district
Guests gather at Come Up To My Room, an annual event at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel where artists redesign the hotel's various rooms. It's events and venues like this that helped make Queen West earn a No. 2 spot on Vogue's list of the world's hippest neighbourhoods.
The magazine posted its list of the world's hippest neighbourhoods, and Queen Street West between Bathurst Street and Gladstone Avenue was second only to Tokyo’s Shimokitazawa.
http://www.vogue.com/slideshow/1080625/fifteen-coolest-street-style-neighborhoods/
Latest Market Watch
Annual Growth in Home Sales Continued in August
September , 2014 -- Toronto Real Estate Board President Paul Etherington reported 7,600 sales through the TorontoMLS system in August 2014. This result was up by 2.8 per cent compared to 7,391 transactions reported in August 2013. Year-to-date sales through the end of August amounted to 65,454, which represented an increase of 6.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2013.
“The last full month of summer ended on a high note. As we look toward the fall market, I expect that demand for ownership housing will remain strong. Home buyers will continue to benefit from a diversity of affordable home ownership opportunities throughout the GTA. The fact that sales were up for all major home types in August suggests that first-time buyers and existing home owners remain very active in today’s marketplace,” said Mr. Etherington.
http://www.torontorealestateboard.com/market_news/market_watch
Low mortgage rates have driven Canadian home sales close to an all-time high, catching many economists by surprise. Sales of existing homes have risen for seven months in a row, according to data released Sept 15 by the Canadian Real Estate Association(CREA), which represents Realtors and tracks the market by way of the Multiple Listing Service. August’s sales level was the highest since January, 2010, and just six per cent below the record peak in February, 2007. http://bit.ly/1uRZUIJ
Renewing your mortgage? You can save thousands by picking up the phone.
Calculating the value of your property...
Michael Dominguez, investor and realtor, outlines the key calculating methods that buyers should undertake when assessing the value of a property.
The first is the comparison method. If I own a three-bedroom home with two baths in a subdivision, the first thing I should know is what other similar properties are selling or sold for in that area. From there, add or subtract based on key features in the home.If the last three homes all sold for in the $240,000 to $255,000 mark, there is a good chance your property is also valued the same.
Fall is here....time for Apple Cinnamon Cake
I don't usually bake, I did make this, it was easy and delicious. Ready to do my second. Great for everyday or for a Thanksgiving treat, this is a very simple and satisfying recipe.
The Best Places To Live
A data-driven ranking of the most liveable cities
NOT New York nor Paris nor Tokyo. Urbanites in Britain’s former dominions should count themselves lucky, according to data from the Economist Intelligence Unit, our corporate cousin. Its annual “liveability index” puts eight of the ten most comfortable places in Australia, Canada or New Zealand. The index crunches 30 factors related to things like safety, healthcare, educational resources, infrastructure and environment in 140 cities. Over the past five years urban life has deteriorated somewhat: liveability has declined in 51 places and improved in 31 places. During that time, the index average has dropped 0.7 percentage points (skewed by cities in conflict areas where survival, rather than living well, is the priority). Interestingly, the top cities have not changed much over time. The EIU notes that they “tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density.” Hence those of us in London, San Francisco and Shanghai must endure the rat-race, and dream of dwelling amid Viennese coffee houses or Vancouver’s sailing and skiing.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2014/08/daily-chart-13
Highly Recommended by the Rapp Report
PRAVDA Happy Hour
Vodka, Caviar and all that fun...
Happy Hour Martinis
Monday to Friday - 4:00pm to 7:00pm
All drinks $6.15
Russo-Canada Martini
Vodka, Rye, Maple Syrup
The bilateral relationship between Dominion of Canada and the Russian federation the world’s two largest countries
The 100 Foot Journey
The Hundred-Foot Journey” is a film that demands that you take it seriously. With its feel-good themes of multicultural understanding, it is about Something Important. It even comes with the stamp of approval from titanic tastemakers Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, who both serve as producers. What more convincing could you possibly need?
HOUSE of CHAN for Steak and Lobster !
For over 50 years, the House of Chan has been the "in" place for Toronto diners. Known for the finest USDA Steaks and superb East Coast lobster and gourmet Cantonese and Szschuan cuisine, it has been consistently rated as a top dining destination. I went there recently for my birthday and it is still the best steak in Toronto! I was there at the beginning, over 50 years ago, and have loved it ever since. http://www.houseofchan.ca/
Wild and Crazy Toronto Housing Market Stats
Lately, Toronto has been making headlines for some of the wild statistics its real estate market has been posting. From the number of buildings going up, to the amount of dollars being dropped in the market, there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of surprises.
Here are our top five picks for some of the craziest stats we’ve seen.
CRAZY… 7,000 condo projects approved by Toronto City Council
These 7,000 condos are in addition to the almost 70,000 projects that are slated to be built. Toronto is among the leaders of the world in the highest rate of development. This has recently been dubbed the ‘Manhattanization of downtown Toronto.’
WILD …34% increase in luxury home sales
Toronto’s luxury home market was only second to Vancouver as of this spring in sales, but is expected to outpace them by 2015, according to a report from Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. The shortage of detached, single-family homes in Toronto, and the influx of international buyers, combined with low interest rates, has led to a 34% increase in the luxury home sale market.
WILD and CRAZY… 39,000 active realtors
With all the action the housing market is seeing, it only makes sense that there would be enough realtors to keep up with the demand. According to the Toronto Real Estate board, there are currently 39,000 active realtors on the market—this is up from 20,000 realtors ten years ago.
CRAZY…$33 million—one of Canada’s most expensive condo
One of the country’s most expensive units is in Toronto and is selling for $33 million. Dubbed the “Super Penthouse,” it is located in the Trump Towers and has just under 12,000 square feet of space. This, oddly enough, is considered a bargain price, where units in places like Hong Kong, London and New York can reach beyond hundreds of millions of dollars.
WILD… $965,000—average price of single-family home
This previous spring, detached homes in Toronto hit an average of just under 1 million dollars. This is a 13% increase from the previous season. Ten years ago, detached homes were selling for just $486,489. A shortage of available homes, and a high demand has helped drive up prices. . This spring, after a major bidding war between 72 people, a North Toronto home sold for double its list price of $699,000.
Word Festival at Queen's Park and Other City Events
The Word On The Street is a free festival that celebrates the written word and champions literacy through an annual outdoor book and magazine fair.
When: September 21/2014 to September 21/2014
Where: Queen's Park Circle
PLUS: OCTOBERFEST, NUIT BLANCHE and more.....
http://wx.toronto.ca/festevents.nsf/_featuredEvents?ReadForm
September Listings
Spacious at Yonge and Shepperd
909 - 100 Harrison Garden Blvd.
Toronto, ON
2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom
parking and locker
Great Downtown Rental
Gorgeous 2 Bdrm, 2 Bathroom Split Plan At The Icon - Hardwood Floor, Granite Counters, Immaculate Condition.
270 Wellington St W Apt 619
List:$2,300
Location, Location
Medical Clinic
Main Floor Medical Clinic-Large Reception And Waiting Room, 3 Private Dr Offices, 6 Exam Rooms. 2 Treatment Rooms.
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