Monthly Newsletter compliments of Michelle Makos

1. Toronto Real Estate Newsfrom Michelle Makos April 2014
Real Estate News
Michelle Makos
Full Time Realtor
Re/Max First Realty Inc.
1154 Kingston Road
Pickering, Ontario
416-300-3004
905-831-3300
www.Homes4Sale-Durham.com
When homeowners upsize, they sometimes consider turning their old home
into a rental property. This month's article offers some insight if you’re facing
this difficult decision.
There are also some body language tips that’ll help you tell if someone’s lying
as well as some ideas for upcycling old household items into something new
and beautiful!
Thanks so much for checking out this month's newsletter. Please get in touch
if you have any questions or comments regarding the articles, or real estate in
general -- it'd be great to hear from you!
Cheers,
Michelle
Do you want to be a nosy neighbour?
March Salesand Average Price Up in GTA
Selling vs. Renting � What MakesCents?
The Language of Lying
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle
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2. March Sales and Average Price Up in GTA
Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher
announced that Greater TorontoArea REALTORS®
reported strong year-over-year increases in
TorontoMLS home sales and the average selling
price in March 2014.
Home ownership affordability, backstopped by low
borrowing costs, continued to be a key factor
underlying this growth.
A total of 8,081 sales were reported in March 2014 –
up by 7.2 per cent in comparison to March 2013.
Sales growth was much stronger in March compared
to the first two months of the first quarter. Sales for Q1 as a whole were up by three per cent compared to the first
three months of 2013.
“Sales activity in the GTA accelerated last month. Compared to last year, a greater number of buyers found
affordable home ownership options, as evidenced by sales growth for all major home types. Against this
backdrop, however, overall inventory at the end of March remained lower than last year. This means competition
between buyers increased, which is why the average selling price continued to climb,” said Ms. Usher.
The average selling price for March 2014 sales was $557,684 – an increase of almost eight per cent compared to
the average reported for March 2013. The average price for the first quarter of 2014 was up by 8.5 per cent year-
over-year.
“With borrowing costs remaining low, and in fact declining, strong home ownership demand will continue to butt up
against a constrained supply of listings. Strong price growth will be the result for the remainder of 2014. If the
pace of price growth experienced in the first quarter is sustained, TREB may revise its outlook for the average
selling price,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.
Selling vs. Renting � What Makes Cents?
If you’re not ready to sell your
home, you may have considered
renting it out instead.
Sometimes a temporary work contract forces you across
country or perhaps market conditions and exceptionally low
mortgage rates mean it’s a great time to buy but you don’t
want to sell at a loss.
As with any major decision, you should carefully weigh up the
pros and cons based on your own unique situation. You'll
want to do an in-depth financial analysis as well as consider more personal factors. Here are a few things to keep
in mind:
1. Tax Talk - There may be tax implications so contact your tax advisor as laws vary depending on individual
circumstances.
2. Money Matters - Make sure to have extra money on hand if the rent doesn’t cover your mortgage, taxes,
utilities, insurance, etc.
3. Step Away - Being a landlord isn't always easy. You’ll need to detach yourself emotionally from your old
home.
4. Playing the Market - You may be able to increase your equity as the market gains strength but if it tanks,
you could come out on the losing end.
5. Be Prepared - The future's uncertain so be prepared for unexpected repairs or if your tenant suddenly falls
behind on their rent.
6. Raucous Renters - Tenants won't treat your home with the same level of care, so your home may be in poor
condition when you decide to sell.
Renting out your home is a huge decision so make sure you consider all of the scenarios. If renting's a viable
alternative, you'll need to treat it like a business so evaluate the rental market and research landlord/tenant laws
before starting the process.
If on the other hand, you decide to put your home on the market, make sure you have a professional real estate
agent on side to advise you on how to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. Please don’t hesitate to call if you
have any questions regarding this decision or any other real estate related matters.
The Language of Lying

3. Being able to tell if someone’s lying is an
invaluable skill!
One of the most effective ways to determine if someone’s lying is to examine
subtle gestures. Here are a few tips that'll help turn you into a human lie detector:
1. Liars Look Away -A deceptive person avoids making eye contact.
2. Um, Err - Liars mispronounce words and stutter due to tension.
3. Working Overtime - Deceptive answers usually take longer than truthful
ones.
4. Hands Up - Covering the mouth and rubbing the nose and eyes can indicate
lying.
5. Fade Away - Their body will take up less room and any movement will be
stiff and limited.
6. Switch It Up - Liars welcome a change in conversation resulting in their body language becoming more
relaxed.
7. Pick Pocket - Showing palms is a sign of honesty so people who are lying will often put their hands in their
pockets and fidget.
Detecting deceit isn't always easy as some people are better liars than others but body language almost always
tells the truth. People will occasionally exhibit some of the above behaviour when they're telling the truth so
individually they're only indicators but when combined together, it’s likely that they’re lying.
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle
The junk in your garage, basement and
attic may be a treasure chest!
Upcycling is a popular trend where existing items that would normally make their
way to the curb are transformed into something useful and stylish. Here are a few
creative ideas to inspire you:
1. Stylish Shelf - Turn an old ladder into a bookshelf or fix it to the ceiling and
hang photos or lanterns from the rungs.
2. Picture Perfect - Love a painting but don’t have anywhere to hang it? Just
add some handles to create a chic, unique serving tray.
3. Door Designs - Salvaged doors can be upcycled into tables, headboards, a
storage bench or fix a few together to create a folding screen divider.
The opportunities are endless! Give old items a new lease on life and put your own creative twist on them. You’ll
save money and the environment while you’re at it!
Are you sick of scouring the paper and MLS sites looking for homes? Tired of playing telephone tag with
agents only to hear the home's already sold? Sit back, relax and let me do the work for you! Just visit
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Not meant to solicit clients already under contract.