November 2015 Issue 116

WHAT’S INSIDE: Waterproofing your Home

HOMES FOR SALE | PAGE 8 Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln & Niagara

HOMES FOR SALE | PAGE 4 Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas & Glanbrook

PAGE 2

November 2015 - Vol 81

Rob Golfi Sales Representative

HOME EVALUATION NO COST • NO OBLIGATION 905-575-7700

905-945-0188

November 2015

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

Page 2

Waterproofing your Home Interior Wet Basement Repair An interior basement waterproofing method is ideal for homeowners who are concerned about disturbing the outside appearance of their home, as it ensures that landscaping is not harmed in the process. With this method, wall vapor barriers/retarders and drip moldings are installed in order to collect water coming from wall cracks and other foundation wall defects. A drain then directs the water to a sump pump and finally the sump pump directs the water out of the basement.

A

wet basement is caused by excess water pressure (caused by heavy rain or melting snow) that is pushed through cracks in your home’s foundation. This pressure can cause major structural damage to the foundation of your home and will also contribute to other moisture-related problems, such as mold and decay. Whether you use your basement for additional living space, storage, or don’t use it at all, if you have a chronic wet basement, leakage or some degree of flooding, you need to address the problem because it will not go away on its own.

Wet basement or water leak problems can reduce the value of your home and many realtors advise their customers to fix their basement before putting their home on the market. The value of your property will therefore increase immediately once it has been waterproofed.

There are a number of different basement waterproofing and wet basement repair solutions depending on your specific issue. A specialist needs to determine the source of the moisture and then recommend an Exterior or Interior method depending on the severity of the leak.

Below is a quick overview of two methods: Exterior Basement Waterproofing The exterior basement waterproofing method involves excavating and exposing the foundation wall. Next, they should inspect the exterior wall for any cracks. Once excavated, the walls are sealed with waterproofing membrane and new drainage (weeping tiles) are placed at the side of the footing. Last but not least, they should check the weeping tile to the drain or sump to make sure it is working correctly.

Window Well Repairs Keep your basement dry with window well drains. All window wells are below ground level; this makes them vulnerable to flooding. Once the wells flood, the water has nowhere to go – except into your basement. The only way to prevent excess water from seeping into your basement is by installing a drain to divert water away from your basement window.

Window wells are the most commonly overlooked part of your home. Simple maintenance and upkeep is one of the easiest ways to prevent leakage into your basement. Clearing out mud, leaves, and other debris every season can significantly decrease the chance a water overflow may occur. In some cases it may be too late to salvage a leaking window well.

When this happens it is necessary to call in a professional.

Sump Pumps Keep water where it belongs, out of your basement.

A sump pump is used to remove water that has accumulated inside the sump pit.

They are used to direct excess water away from your house to prevent water from entering your basement.

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November 2015

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

Page 3

What’s happening in Real Estate Markets outside of Toronto and Vancouver?

W

hile most of the attention paid to house prices focuses on the big markets of Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, there are other cities in Canada. Real estate reporter Tamsin McMahon looks at six smaller markets across the country that are being affected by changing economic conditions St. John’s It may come as a surprise to many Canadians that for several years the hottest resource economy in the country wasn’t Calgary, but St. John’s. Propelled by a boom in offshore oil development and billions in mining and infrastructure the economy of investments, Newfoundland and Labrador has grown roughly 50 per cent since 2000. Jobs and wage hikes quickly followed. Investors from other provinces and as far away as Ireland poured into the market, buying up dozens of homes at a time for rentals.

Home prices boomed, more than doubling since 2000 and rising 25 per cent in one year through 2007 and 2008.

“It’s like Newfoundland had to catch up to the rest of Canada, but they did it in just 10 years,” says St. John’s real-estate broker Teri-Lynn Jones.

Such furious growth was bound to come to an end eventually. Softening prices for oil and other commodities has slowed the province’s economic growth.

Rural areas outside St. John’s have seen the return of workers from Alberta.

Economists are calling for the province to into recession this year. slip Unemployment hit 13.8 per cent in May, the highest level since 2010. Mines have closed, while the bulk of construction has finished on several major infrastructure projects, meaning less demand for construction workers. Several restaurants have shut down and the closure of Target and Future Shop have left an abundance of retail space.

The slowdown has effectively cooled the city’s overheated housing market. The volume of resale home sales across Newfoundland fell 5 per cent in May compared to a year earlier, while average prices dropped 4.6 per cent.

“The heat went out of the market,” says realtor Glenn Larkin. “Multiple offers have slowed down. We were down to where homes were selling in a week.

Now we’ve gone back to a normal market, where you put a house for sale and 60-90 days later it sells.”

The resale market is being supported by first-time buyers, who make up about half of the St. John’s market, Ms. Jones said. Many have been able to find good jobs after graduating from university, helping to slow the outflow of young workers to other parts of Canada.

But the market is also grappling with a surplus of expensive, newly built homes aimed at move-up buyers, many started when property values were soaring.

Builders have begun offering incentives to move a glut of new supply. “If you need to sell your current home first, don’t worry about it – the builder will buy it,” reads an ad for Southlands, a new development of executive homes.

Windsor, Ont. If Calgary’s housing market serves as a proxy for the health of the country’s resource industry, then Windsor’s realestate market is perhaps the best gauge of the strength of Canadian manufacturing.

The Southwestern Ontario city’s workforce was hard-hit by the global financial crisis, which sent North American automakers scrambling for government bailouts. The economic downturn came on top of a steadily appreciating Canadian dollar that helped to bleed jobs to cheaper

markets to the south. Windsor’s home prices took a similar beating, falling more than 6 per cent from 2006 to 2009, in what was already among the country’s cheapest housing markets.

These days Windsor appears to be in the midst of a remarkable turnaround.

Home sales were up nearly 30 per cent in the first quarter of the year. Average resale prices are up 5 per cent from last June, making the city one of Canada’s hottest markets.

“Any decent home is selling fairly quickly and is getting multiple offers,” says Windsor real-estate broker Gary Barbesin. “A lot of them are going over the asking price.”

Windsor’s housing market is being helped by a trifecta of favourable economic developments: lower interest rates, cheaper oil prices and a falling loonie.

The resurgent North American automotive market has also helped. Tool-and-die shops are staffing up and the local Chrysler assembly plant recently reopened after a major retooling.

Many of the workers in the skilled trades who had been sitting on the fence over fears their jobs could be cut or hours scaled back are starting to return to the market. “My clients that are working in the factories, it seems like they can get all the overtime they want,” says Windsor mortgage broker Brad Carr. “If you’ve got a skill or you’re an engineer, you can kind of write your own ticket right now.”

Mr. Carr has also seen an increase in out-of-town investors looking to buy property in what remains one of Canada’s most affordable urban markets.

Yet there are plenty of reasons to be cautious about whether the jump in home sales in Windsor is really a sign that the city’s economy is in the midst of a resurgence. The housing market has seen its share of false starts in the past.

Commercial and industrial real-estate sales have picked up, Mr. Barbesin says, but not nearly at the same pace as the housing market, and the city still faces a glut of vacant office space. “It’s certainly not that more jobs have come into town,” he says.

Bank of Montreal senior economist Robert Kavcic points out that home listings have fallen to among the lowest in a decade. The shortage of homes for sale is helping to drive up resale prices.

Still, Mr. Carr thinks this time the housing market may have finally started to turn a corner. “Windsor went through its real-estate correction years ago and now I think we’re one of the safer markets in Canada,” he says.

Squamish, B.C. When Matthew Spitzer bought his two-bedroom condo in Squamish, B.C., three years ago, the home had been in foreclosure for months and Mr. Spitzer snapped it up for a bargain. But as he found out when he sold his condo last month just days after putting it on the market, Squamish is quickly losing its reputation as the small, sleepy pit stop on the road between Vancouver and Whistler.

As detached homes in Vancouver skyrocket out of reach of most buyers, young families are venturing further afield in search of affordable housing. Many are making the drive north along the Sea to Sky Highway to Squamish.

Home sales in the community of nearly 18,000 were up 58 per cent in May compared to last year, the local real-estate board reported. Average resale prices in the community have jumped 10 per cent to nearly $450,000, while detached homes have soared more than 20 per cent. Much of that growth is being fuelled by buyers

trading their condos in Vancouver for detached homes in Squamish.

In Valleycliffe, a family-friendly neighbourhood that’s at the first highway exit toward Vancouver, prices have soared by $100,000 in the last two months alone, says Squamish realtor Brian Loverin.

For an extra $40,000, Aaron Hall and his young family traded a townhouse in Burnaby for a 2,200-square-foot, fourbedroom house in Squamish with a view of the mountains and a swimming hole in the backyard. “It’s still affordable for a young family who doesn’t own anything to try to get into the market,” said Mr. Hall, whose children are 1 and 3.

His commute to Vancouver, where Mr. Hall works in the film industry and his wife Beki is a pharmacy technician, takes 40 minutes and is traffic-free. “It’s probably one of the nicest commutes in the world,” he says. “I literally get goosebumps driving home, with the sun setting over the islands and ocean.”

Upgrades to the Sea to Sky Highway for the 2010 Olympics and a new gondola that opened last year are attracting both commuters and tourists. Proposals for a new liquefied natural gas terminal and a four-season resort, while controversial, bring the promise of new jobs and more visitors.

Already the community is experiencing a building boom, including homes with Vancouver-style prices. In Crumpit Woods, a new subdivision marketed toward high-end buyers, builders are marketing homes with $1-million price tags.

All that change, coupled with a hot real-estate market, convinced Mr. Spitzer, 28, that it was time to move on. He recently bought a house in Agassiz, B.C., nearly three hours away. “I was able to get a three-bedroom with a yard for $300,000, and you really can’t find that here any more.”

Edmonton Unlike its sister city, Calgary, Edmonton’s housing market hasn’t felt quite the same pinch from falling oil prices. Sales rose 2.4 per cent in June and prices were up 2 per cent from a year earlier.

Yet while home prices have so far avoided a crash, Edmonton has witnessed a different type of housing-market phenomenon this year: a boom in rentalapartment construction.

Developers began construction on nearly 4,300 multifamily homes in the first three months of the year, almost three times more than during the same period last year. By April, there were more than 2,600 rental apartments under construction in Edmonton. In total, the city is expected to see 10,000 new rental apartments and condos built this year and last.

Many were conceived years ago, when oil prices were high and Edmonton had one of the lowest vacancy rates in the country.

Between 2009 and 2014 the vacancy rate plunged from 4.9 per cent to just 1.7 per cent. That pushed up rents in Edmonton faster than any other city in Canada last year, real-estate brokerage Colliers International said, with average rents rising $89 each month. By late last year, the city was tied with Toronto as the country’s second-most expensive housing market, behind only Calgary and Vancouver.

“Last year I’d personally get phone calls from high-school [friends] I haven’t seen for over 30 some years, panicking to find apartments for their children in Calgary and Edmonton going into university,” Sam Kolias, CEO of Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust, a major

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Alberta landlord, told analysts in May. Soaring rents caught the attention of institutional investors, particularly pension funds, many of whom were looking to bulk-up their rental portfolios. Land was cheaper in Edmonton than in Calgary and new developers rushed into the market, while others shelved plans to build condos and partnered with investors to build rentals instead.

There were nearly more than 2,200 new rentals built in the city last year, higher than in previous years but a small drop in the bucket of the city’s 67,000-unit rental-apartment universe, said Boardwalk president Rob Geremia.

Rental construction can take decades before it turns a profit, so most landlords are in the market for the long-term, he says.

Still, the surge of new supply, coupled with the province’s economic slowdown, have taken the steam out of Edmonton’s rental market. The vacancy rate rose from 1.7 per cent last fall to 2.4 per cent today.

Rental growth has slowed down and apartments are taking longer to fill.

Boardwalk has begun offering incentives such as smaller security deposits and discounts off rent to attract new tenants, which has helped keep its occupancy rate in the city at 98 per cent.

“It’s real tough right now, but that’s life,” Mr. Geremia says. “You have to develop and you can’t always have a good time. The real question that we need to answer – and no one can – is how long oil prices will stay where they are.”

Ottawa When Finance Minister Joe Oliver announced that the Harper Conservatives had balanced the federal budget for the first time in eight years, many economists and voters cheered. But budget cuts have been bad news for those looking to sell their homes in the national capital’s moribund housing market.

“It’s actually a bit of a conundrum,” Brian Johnston, chief operating officer of Mattamy Homes, one of the city’s biggest home builders, said in a May interview. “I think Ottawa is very much a one-horse town, the federal government, and the federal government is basically taking the view that we’re not going to allow government to grow.”

The federal public sector shed nearly 25,000 jobs between 2011 and April of last year, Treasury Board records show.

The office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated Ottawa is poised to shed another 9,000 public-service jobs by 2017.

Many of those job cuts have been centred in Ottawa, helping to put a chill over the city’s housing market. New home sales plunged 25 per cent in May compared to a year earlier, according to building-industry analyst PMA Brethour Realty Group. Resale home prices have fallen more than 6 per cent since last August, although the market rebounded in May and June.

Public-sector relocations, which account for roughly 10 per cent of the city’s home-sales transactions, dried up last year, driven by fewer transfers in and out of the city for National Defence and RCMP employees, says realtor Gord McCormick. “Last year was a very tough year for the government relocation market and that definitely had an impact on us,” he says.

The city is also grappling with a surge in newly built condos that have been flooding the market, which has kept condo prices flat over the past year. Mr. Continued on page 11

Page 4

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

November 2015

Hamilton, Stoney Creek Ancaster, Dundas & Glanbrook

Rob Golfi*

4+1 Bedroom with In-law Suite

Location Rocks!

Great Location, 2.5 Storey Brick

Over 2000 square feet of living space 4 bedrooms, in-law suite with separate kitchen plus fireplace. Separate living & dining room and main floor rec room. Large private backyard backing onto Ravine. Close to QEW & all amenities including rec centre with indoor pool. Great family location!

15 Gerald Crescent, Stoney Creek | $399,900

Family friendly East Hamilton one floor plan w/huge fenced yard and plenty of parking. Recently renovated to SELL. New furnace 2015, vinyl windows, mudroom/laundry room w/lots of windows and natural sunlight, and good sized rooms.

Fabulous location close to parks, schools, shopping and highway access.

259 Glennie Avenue, Hamilton | $199,900

HAMILTONS HOT MARKET, Some renovations done, others need to be done. Fabulous rear yard with large deck and patio area with interlock. Rear parking. 5 bedrooms if needed or office and den space. Bathroom off the kitchen. Near Gage Park and Wentworth stairs.

109 Gladstone Avenue, Hamilton | $269,900

Handy Man Special!

Going, Going! Opportunity awaits!

Fantastic 3 Bedroom Bungalow

Great Opportunity to own a detached home in Hamilton for under 100K.This is a 2 bedroom home that needs some work.

Great layout and nice size back yard.

Property being sold “as is”.

105 Hillyard Street, Hamilton | $99,900

Lovely 2.5 storey brick home with a big front porch and mature landscaping.

Many renovations done: pot lights, kitchen/cupboards/island/ backsplash/Quartz countertops, hardwood/ceramic flooring. Bathrooms (one on every level).

Sought after St. Claire/Blakely Neighbourhood.

21 Roseland Avenue, Hamilton | $329,900

Nestled on a private 130 x 300 foot lot. Well layed out, open concept floor plan. The sunken family room features vaulted ceilings and woodstove. Walk-out to the large cove red 2 tiered deck. 3 large bedrooms incl. master with ensuite and walk in closet. Finished rec room, workshop and huge area awaiting your finishing touches. 5 min. from city and all of its amenities.

9575 White Church Road West, Glanbrook | $549,900

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Perfect 3+1 family semi in desirable East Hamilton location near Glendale Golf and Country Club, Red Hill, schools and trails. This 4 level back split has lots of room and is ready for you to move in, with 2 full baths, large yard a nd carport.

218 St. Andrews Drive, Hamilton | $284,900

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Pride of Ownership 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, updated main bath, refinished HW in bedrooms, updated front door, spacious eat-in kitchen with gas hookup, new backsplash, new Berber on stairs to basement & upstairs, freshly painted, new HE furnace, roof 2015, re-shingled & eaves 2014, covered back porch, back shed re-shingled 2014, parking for 4 cars. Close to catholic and public schools, bus, and easy access to Redhill.

25 MacLaren Avenue, Hamilton | $219,900

Great Neighbourhood!

Great Opportunity on Large Lot

Amazing East Hamilton Neighbourhood!

Great family home on an up and coming street in a great neighbourhood. Close to Gage Park and shopping. Some newer windows, freshly painted with new flooring on main floor and 4 bedrooms. Private fenced in backyard. Rental furnace/air conditioning - 2014.

229 Grosvenor Avenue North, Hamilton | $207,900

Move in ready or renovate existing home on this 100 x 237 ft. lot. Ideal location! Great opportunity! Half an acre with fabulous views overlooking the city. Call today to view!

170 Concession Street, Hamilton | $829,000

2 bedroom with updated kitchen and bathroom. Mature fenced yard with a detached dream workshop fully insulated with hydro and heat. Concrete front drive. Renos include: new kitchen & breakfast nook, hydro panel, main floor laundry, 2nd floor master BR, fencing, workshop, most wiring and plumbing updated. Close to highway access, parks and schools.

95 Hope Avenue, Hamilton | $159,900

Call Today 905-575-7700

November 2015

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

Hamilton, Stoney Creek Ancaster, Dundas & Glanbrook

Page 5

Rob Golfi*

Desirable Area

Family Oriented Neighbourhood!

Close to all Amenities

3 bedroom home in desirable East Hamilton neighbourhood, near Red Hill, public transit etc. Needs your decorating touches.

142 Beland Avenue South, Hamilton | $259,900

Convenient access to highly rated schools, with park nearby.

Great for a large family, fully finished basement with 2 bedrooms and 3 piece bath. Second floor family room with fireplace, large master with his and her closets and ensuite.

New roof Oct 2015, maintenance free backyard.

54 Amore Boulevard, Hamilton | $524,900

Legally zoned as Duplex (has been converted to single family) 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, updated kitchen and baths, refinished hardwood on main level, separate dining room off kitchen, large loft on third floor could be converted to 2 extra bedrooms or large living room, side entrance, fenced yard, front drive, dry basement. Close to all amenities.

188 Stinson Street, Hamilton | $199,900

In-Law Suite!

Building Lots - Rare Find

Convenient Central Hamilton Location!

Immaculate 4+1 bedroom, 2 storey, open concept, 3.5 baths, cathedral ceilings, hardwood, finished basement with in-law, large principal rooms, loft area on second floor perfect for home office, fenced yard, and double car garage.

84 Windwood Drive, Binbrook | $499,900

Fantastic opportunity to build your dream home on this 50.00 X 235ft (each) lot overlooking the city! Sewer and water available at the street. Buyer pays city & regional charges if applicable plus building permit, Subject to severance in progress.

Lot #1 & Lot #2 Concession Street, Hamilton | $439,900 ea.

This 3 Bedroom 1.5 Storey home has neutral décor, vinyl windows, recently updated shingles, fenced yard with side drive. Move in condition! Close to all shopping, schools, entertainment and great HWY access.

55 Rosemont Avenue, Hamilton | $189,900

Prime lot with scenic views

Dream hobby farm for horse lovers!

Gorgeous Court Location!

Scenic 37+ acre property with large home, barn (4 ‘soft mat’ stables), and run-in. Close to highway access and city (Hamilton and Ancaster) conveniences. Live in the country, work in the city. Home has beautiful eat-in kitchen, living room with cozy wood stove, large foyer, 3 bedrooms and many extras.

2832 Glancaster Road, Ancaster | $819,900

Big family! No problem! Sunroom addition was built by the builder. Large principle rooms, updated bathrooms and maple kitchen. Main floor family room with gas fireplace. Most windows updated. Furnace and central air updated. Gas line for natural gas BBQ at the deck and on ground pool sold “AS IS”. Quick close available.

47 Rama Court, Hamilton | $429,900

Fabulous Location!

Beautiful Century Home

Trendy Beach Boulevard!

Walk to parks, recreation centre, schools, and Centre mall.

Family friendly with easy highway access! This home features huge garage/workshop, dining room, walkout to yard from kitchen, rec room, big front porch, hardwood floors, nice backyard, updated bath in `08, shingles in `15, and Central air in `11.

31 Ellis Avenue, Hamilton | $259,900

Beautiful 4463 sq.ft. home on oversized lot, circa 1893. New roof ‘15, laundry 2014, 2nd flr bathroom ‘14, glazed tubs ‘14, attic bathroom 2014. Features HW floors and 10ft ceilings.

Updated plumbing. 57 new windows ‘07, updated kitchen ‘07, new solid oak Scarlet Ohara staircase ‘07, in-law suite, dry ubnspoiled basement, parking for 6. $12,000 imported boiler.

168 Holton Avenue South, Hamilton | $669,900

Spectacular & luxurious best describes this awesome beauty!

Executive free hold townhome on waterfront trail with top quality finishes through-out, quartz, marble, porcelain, crown moulding, and oversized terraces, steps away to downtown Burlington & quick access to QEW. 1089 Beach Boulevard, Hamilton | $849,900

STATELY CHARACTER HOME Circa 1918, set on ½ acre lot w/mature trees & views overlooking city & bay. 4500 sq.ft. of luxury living, 4 BRs, hardwd & plank flrs, family rm addition w/FP, priv. hot-tub rm, & in-law suite. Close to Juravinski Hospital & downtown, detached double garage.

180 Concession Street, Hamilton | $1,098,000

www. GolfiTeam .com

Page 6

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

November 2015

“We sell more ... because we DO more!”

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November 2015

SHARON StAFFORD

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wENDY MURRAYNICHOLSON

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

MIKE MCNEIL

DAN GOLFI

JEFF GOLFI

LAURA BIELAK

JENNIFER DRAHO

HANK BALFOORt

ASHLEY SIDLER

ALLISON PARK

CAtHERINE wELLMAN

Page 7

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Page 8

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

Grimsby, Lincoln West Lincoln & Niagara

November 2015

Rob Golfi*

Attention Hunters & Hobbiests!

Freehold 3 Bedroom

Many Upgrades

Everything has been done to this 3 bedroom raised ranch with 48x32 car garage or workshop, sitting on 10 acres with 7 acres of bush. Updates include windows and furnace 2011, updated kitchen cabinets with granite counters and backsplash, professionally finished basement and much more.

8326 3rd Concession Road, West Lincoln | $539,900

Lovely and Inviting Freehold Townhome in Great Location.

3 bedroom townhouse with eat-in kitchen, separate dining and finished basement. Parking for two cars in the driveway.

Located close to shopping, hospital and schools.

12 Pleasant Grove Terrace, Grimsby | $286,900

1 year old, 2 storey, 4 bedroom with many upgrades including kitchen granite, trim, under mount lighting, transom windows, front door system, hardwood, ceramics, California Shutters, sprinkler system and the list goes on.

30 Donland Avenue, Grimsby | $624,900

FREE Home Evaluation Incredible Value in Smithville!

4 bedroom home situated on a large pie-shaped lot. Large open concept, eat-in kitchen and family room with cozy fireplace. Features separate dining room and laundry room. 4 large bedrooms, master with ensuite and walk-in closet.

Basement has full walk-out to extra-large fenced-in backyard with above ground pool. Walk-out from kitchen to sunroom.

Large 2 car garage with triple driveway.

14 Lindan Street, Smithville | $409,900

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Modern Living Fabulous 3 storey townhome in sought after location.

Features hardwood on the main level, stairway and hallway, main level laundry, walkout to balcony from dining room, walkout from den to patio, inside entry to garage. Luxurious space in master bedroom. Great views from all levels.

515 Winston Road, Unit 11, Grimsby | $314,900

3.91 ACRES

1 Bedroom Apartment

Close to Lake

A Real Winner!

This ready to go, sunny & quiet 1200 sq.ft. top floor studio is in a fantastic area, waiting just for you! Boasting closets, sep. kitch w/appliances, plenty of space for a queen size bed, furniture, dining set & more. Rent+utilities. Min. 1yr. lease, no smoking.

3-166 Main Street East, Grimsby | $1200/mo + Utilities

Beautiful 2 bedroom Condo close to the lake includes new laminate flooring throughout. Also, newly painted rooms and well cared for building. All appliances included. This one will go fast!

6 Westlake Lane, Unit 308, St. Catharines | $140,000

This Century Home begs for family get together in the large principal rooms. Large dining and living rooms and cozy family room with spectacular views. Century old barn relocated to the property (52x30 main barn, 55x30 addition), providing a multitude of opportunities for home-based business or the hobbyist who needs space. On-ground pool.

1383 Effingham Street, Pelham | $589,900

Welcome to Victoria Shores

Great investment opportunity!

Bulding Lot Rare Find

This beautifully finished 2+1 bedroom raised ranch. Features a large living room and dining room, main floor master with ensuite. Spacious eat-in kitchen w/deck walout. Backyard has 18 x 33’ heated pool. Prof. finished hardscape. Fin. basement with large rec room, games room, bedroom and a full bath. Dbl garage. Easy access to hiway, waterfront, walking trails.

3364 South Shore Boulevard, Vineland | $624,900

Fantastic 3 + 4 bedroom home with many updates including fresh neutral decor, shingles and furnace 2 years new. Siding, eaves and facia 2 years new. Close to schools, parks and all amenities.

11 Tara Crescent, Thorold | $224,900

Fantastic opportunity to build your dream home on this 65.62 x 111.32 ft. lot! fully serviced with sewer and water to lot line.

Buyer pays town, regional charges plus building permit. Quick access to QEW beautiful views of Niagara Escarpment.

5 Muscat Drive, Grimsby | $249,900

Call Today 905-945-0188

November 2015

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

Grimsby, Lincoln West Lincoln & Niagara 2.2 ACRES

Page 9

Rob Golfi*

5.5 ACRES

Country Living

602 ft Frontage

Great Opportunity for Country Living

5 minutes to everything! Fantastic home on 2.2 acres of picturesque land minutes from new hospital & shopping. 2+3 bedroom home with 4 full bathrooms, large all-season sunroom, 2 kitchens, 2 living rooms and 2 dining rooms. Inground pool and multi-level deck. Circular drive with double garage with separate workshop. Lots of opportunities!

3985 15th Street, Jordon Station | $599,900

Zoned light industrial and commercial with 5.5 acres and 602 feet of frontage on Durham Rd. 23 Durham Road, Beamsville | $989,900

Country home on an acre lot w/a waterfall pond & gazebo in backyard. 2 sheds, double garage with 9 car parking & stamped concrete. Main flr master BR w/his & her closets & ensuite w/new shower. Custom kitch, ceramic flrs & hrdwd.

2nd flr w/loft & 3 bedrooms. Fin. bsmnt w/theater/games rm/gym & bath.

2281 Silverdale Road, West Lincoln | $499,900

21.3 ACRES

99.39 ACRES

Circa 1864 Manor!

Beautifully restored country manor with addition on 21.3 acres bordering Beamer Falls and the Bruce Trail. This classic red brick home is located 5 minutes from Grimsby’s town centre.

Call for details.

140 Ridge Road, Grimsby | $1,289,900

Brick Victorian on 99.39 acres of very productive farm land 70 acres workable & 30 acres of bush, large 2.5 storey 4 bedrm brick Victorian farm house with large barn & workshop. New cistern 3yrs, new septic 1 yr, shingles & furnace 4 yrs. Possible 4 acre severance available call for details.

489 Kemp Road West, Grimsby | $725,000

29 ACRES

BUILDING LOT

Business Opportunity - RM2 Zoning

ž acre site centrally located in the downtown area, permitted uses; apartment dwelling, boarding or lodging dwelling, home for the aged, nursing home, group home, private home daycare. Call for details on permitted uses.

Lot #201 Academy Street, Beamsville | $369,900

WATERFRONT

Own your own vineyard!

Approximately 28 Acres Parcel with 24 acres of vineyard planted. 6 Acres-Sauv Blanc, 6 Acres-Gamay, 5 Acres-Cab Sauv, 5 Acres-Merlot, 1 Acre-Chardonnay, 1 Acre-Sauv Coronation. Home has had some interior updates & new 3500 gallon cistern.

4266 Greenlane, Beamsville | $1,199,900

8 acres of Merlot currently planted with Water Views!

Water Views! Approx 19 acre parcel with fantastic views of the water. Farmhouse currently rented. Great opportunities! Can be purchased with adjoining Sann Road property. Great Opportunity! 4558 Lakeside Drive, Beamsville | $1,199,900

In-Law Suite!

Immaculate 4+1 bedroom, 2 storey, open concept, 3.5 baths, cathedral ceilings, hardwood, finished basement with in-law, large principal rooms, loft area on second floor perfect for home office, fenced yard, and double car garage.

84 Windwood Drive, Binbrook | $499,900

www. GolfiTeam .com

21 Acres - 16 acres vines planted!

Approx 21 acres property with 16 acres of vines planted. Build your dream on lakefront parcel or create your own winery. Can be purchased with adjoining Lakeside Dr property. Great Opportunity!

4921 Sann Road, Beamsville | $1,499,900

Page 10

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

November 2015

Marketplace Real Estate Lawyer

Paul Lewis Settimi

Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public

Jacqueline Paradisi

20 Main Street West Grimsby, Ontario L3M 1R4 Bus: 289-235-7500 Fax: 905-527-0774

8 Main Street East, Suite 303 Hamilton, Ontario L8N 1E8 Bus: 905-527-0808 Fax: 905-527-0774

HOME STAGING

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OUR SERVICES: • • • • •

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CALL Us AT 905-945-9999 530 north service Rd., Unit 2, Grimsby, On  L3M 4e8

“Changing The Way The World Does Business™â€?

if you’d like to learn how Bni (www.bnigh.com) works and what it can do for your business, call or email me at laura@golfiteam.com. i can arrange for you to visit a chapter meeting close to you so you can see how Bni helps members develop referral business relationships. two Bni chapters in the Gta recently reported referral business totaling $1m for the past year!

Laura Bielak

905-575-7700

Sales Representative, The Golfi Team

Buying a home through us? provides “Peace of Mind�

Crossword Solution

Call www.

Today GolfiTeam 905-575-7700 .com

November 2015

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

What’s Happening...

McCormick estimates it would take more than a year to sell off all the condos now listed on the market.

Ottawa has witnessed the same condo boom being felt in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, but without the high levels of immigration to support it. Developers have since shifted plans to build smaller in order to appeal to a more price-conscious buyer.

Regina When federal housing watchdog Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. warned that several Canadian housing markets were at risk of a correction, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary weren’t on the list. But Regina was.

The city’s housing market has benefited enormously from soaring prices for oil, potash and other commodities, sailing through the global financial crisis comparatively unscathed. Prices leapt more than 50 per cent between October, 2006, and June, 2008, alone. Real-estate speculators moved in, snapping up derelict buildings in the city’s impoverished North Central neighbourhood by the dozen, often leaving them vacant while waiting for prices to keep on soaring. “I remember thinking at the time that these aren’t going to come back on the market at the same price,� says Regina real-estate broker Mike Duggleby.

That fuelled a spike in new construction, particularly among condos aimed at first-time buyers, many of which were originally planned during the boom years but came onto the market just as prices began slowing over the past few years.

Page 11

continued from page 3

The number of homes listed for sale has hit a 20-year high, says Gord Archibald, chief executive officer of the Association of Regina Realtors. Average home prices are around 10-per-cent lower than peak levels and have fallen 3 per cent since last June.

Regina’s economy has been hit by slumping prices for oil and potash. The city is home to a large refinery and international oilfield-services giant Halliburton Co. announced in February it was closing its Regina office.

That has hit the rental market particularly hard. Vacancy rates have jumped across Saskatchewan from 3.3 per cent last year to 5.6 per cent this year. For rental landlord Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust, first-quarter results in Regina “weren’t pretty,� said president Rob Geremia. “We’re now seeing pretty major corrections in Regina.�

Some think the market reaction is overwrought. Regina still boasts an enviable 4.6-per-cent unemployment rate, higher than in previous years but still stronger than many other Canadian markets.

Realtor James Wruth figures buyers have been scared off by the swift change in the market from bidding wars to a surplus of unsold listings. “The fact that buyers have plenty of homes to choose from, lower interest rates and lower prices, but still aren’t making an offer, makes me scratch my head sometimes,� he says.

Tamsin McMahon Real Estate Reporter, The Globe and Mail

Crossword puzzle (Solution on Page 10)

CONSUMER FEATURE

New program provides emergency mortgage loans to homeowners On November 1, 2012, Expert Mortgage launched the “85-Alive� program in Ontario.

The concept was simple: as long as you had a pulse, Expert Mortgage would provide you with a home equity loan, up to 85 per cent of the value of your property. No job required. Bad credit, OK. The reason why Expert Mortgage could offer a “no questions asked� lending program, while the major banks could not, is that they represent over 200 private lenders who lend strictly on property value. These subprime lenders specialize in mortgage clients who have had some bad luck, and need a helping hand until they get back on their feet.

The program has been so successful that Expert Mortgage can barely keep up with the volume of calls. To help fund this unexpectedly large number of borrowers, it has partnered up with dozens more private lenders.

Licensed Mortgage Agent 3BTIJEB 3JFM Expert Mortgage’s “85-Alive� representative for the (PMEFO )PSTIPF 3FHJPO, says, “We’re seeing mostly homeowners behind on mortgage and property taxes. The banks are refus-ing to restructure their loans.

Many of these people have lost jobs due to the bad economy... or they’re selfemployed. Unless you are a perfect applicant, the bank doesn’t want to talk to you.�

But not everyone condones Expert Mortgage’s easy lending criteria. A local real estate agent with 25 years of experience, who has asked to remain anonymous, says, “When this market turns down, it’s going to get ugly! It’s utter financial suicide for Expert Mortgage to be giving money away so easily to clients without the ability to make payments. I’d be surprised if they’re still in business five years from now.�

Nonetheless, homeowners

like Anita P. don’t see a problem with the program. When questioned on how she plans on making payments on her mortgage when she has no income, Anita responds, “We were four months behind on our mortgage and they saved our house. My husband has been unemployed for nine months. He won’t be unemployed forever. We used the 85-Alive loan to pay off all our debits. We also had $25,000 left over that we put in the bank for emergencies. And to make life easy, they worked it out so we have no mortgage payments for 12 months.�

For more details on the �85Alive� program, contact 3BTIJEB 3JFM XXX 3BTIJEB3JFM DB PS #30,&3 -*$

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5

1 7 5

2

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3 2 5 9 4 6 1 7 8

1 8 9 2 5 7 4 6 3

4 7 6 8 1 3 5 2 9

18 20 23

5 1 4 3 6 2 8 9 7

24

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the Solution 9 3 7 5 8 1 6 4 2

21 22

9 1

4

6

2

2

www. GolfiTeam .com

6 9 3 1 7 5 2 8 4

8 9 10 11 13 14 17 19

Mathematical problem (3) Mythical Greek king of Thebes (7) Ring (4) Little kid (6) Tale intended to arouse pity (3,5) Important topic (5) Get something going (4-5) At the scene of the action (2,3,4) Tell the truth (2,6) Painter of Irises and The Potato Eaters (3,4) Seize control of a vehicle by force (6) Song — hymn — prayer (5) Nasty little kid (4) Light touch (hot or cold?) (3)

5

7 5 2 4 3 8 9 1 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 12 15

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3 9

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3

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Walking kit with handle that can make a small seat (8,5) Splash guard (3,4) Unembellished (5) Oh dear, that's a mistake! (4) Ceaselessly in motion (8) Decorative ending to a cord (6) Inconsequential facts (6) Intense feeling of happiness (8) Hard round cross-grained piece in wood (4) Harmony (5) Liverpool's John Lennon, for example (7) Red sauce (6,7)

8

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4

Fill in the grid above, so that each row of 9 squares, each column of nine and each section of nine (three squares by three) contains the numbers 1 through 9 in any order. there is only one solution for the puzzle and the numbers shown can not be changed.

Page 12

The Golfi Team Real Estate Market Watch

November 2015

Golfi Team Feature Home Rob Golfi* $539,900

8326 3rd Concession, West Lincoln

HUNTERS, HOBBYISTS & NATURE LOVERS Everything has been done to this 3 bedroom raised ranch with 48 x 32 ft. car garage/workshop with loft, sitting on 10 acres with 7 acres of bush. Updates include windows, and furnace 2011, updated kitchen cabinets with granite counters and backsplash, professionally finished basement with showcase gas fireplace, reverse osmosis and water softener system, wired panel for generator, beautiful gazebo on pond with fountain & paddle boat. A must see to appreciate.

Call www.

Today GolfiTeam 905-575-7700 .com