5 keys to a healthy diet and healthy heart

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Canadians and 80 per cent of it is preventable. The Mayo Clinic’s new book Healthy Heart for Life! The Mayo Clinic Plan for Preventing and Conquering Heart Disease ($28.95) draws on research and its in house experts to lower your chance of heart disease. This is an excerpt.

Key points to build a healthier diet.

1. Boost your vegetables and fruits.

Your mother was right when she insisted that you eat your broccoli. Vegetables and fruits are the foundation of a healthy diet. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants that may reduce your health risks. Vegetables and fruits are also low in fat and cholesterol.

Most people don’t eat enough vegetables and fruits — in part because these foods seem less convenient, less affordable and not as easy to prepare as many fast foods and processed items. A common complaint is that vegetables taste bland. But you don’t have to enjoy every kind of vegetable and fruit — just find the ones you like and eat those.

Buy vegetables and fruits that require little preparation, such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, bananas and apples. Frozen varieties also come in handy as a quick addition to meals. Keep a bowl of fruit handy for easy snacking. Because of processing, fruit juice and dried fruits, such as raisins and pruned, can be a concentrated source of calories — eat them sparingly.

2. Eat breakfast…and eat it right.

Eating a healthy breakfast is one of the best ways to ensure that you have a varied, balanced and moderate diet. When you eat breakfast, you’re more likely to get the vitamins, minerals and fibre you need for good health. Breakfast helps you control weight, reduce fat intake and lower cholesterol. You also may find that eating breakfast improves your concentration and productivity during the day.

3. Go for the grains. Grains, especially whole grains, are an essential part of healthy grains, are an essential part of a healthy diet. All types of grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates and key vitamins and minerals. Grains are also naturally low in fat. Better yet, they’ve been linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

When choosing grain products, look for the word whole on the packaging. Whole grains still contain the bran and germ, which are sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The refining process for flour strips out the bran and germ. And just because the word wheat appears on the packaging doesn’t mean it’s a whole grain.

Whole grains include whole-wheat bread, pasta and crackers, brown rice, wild rice, oatmeal, barley, bulgur, buckwheat, kasha, and popcorn.

4. Focus on fats. Of all the changes that can make your diet heart healthy, reducing the amount of saturated fat and trans fat — think solid fats such as butter, margarine and shortening — in the food you eat may have the greatest impact. These fats raise your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke.

You shouldn’t try to eliminate all fat from your diet — you need for good health. But certain types of fat are better than others. Choose monounsaturated fats, such as olive, peanut and canola oils, or polyunsaturated fats, found in nuts and seeds. Just remember that all fats, good and bad, are high in calories.

Foods from animal sources — meat, poultry, eggs, butter, cheese and whole milk — are major sources of cholesterol. The cholesterol in eggs is found in the yolks, not the whites.

5. Be lean with protein. Good sources of protein include lean meat, poultry and low-fat products. But legumes — beans, peas and lentils — are good sources of protein and can be substituted for meat. They contain little fat and no cholesterol and are high in fibre.

If you really want to boost your heart health, eat more fish. The omega-3 fatty acids found in many types of fish, including salmon, mackerel, herring and trout, appear to reduce the risk of dying of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week.

Many varieties of nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and pecans, contain omega-s fatty acids and can help lower cholesterol. But nuts are also high in calories — so a small handful is plenty.

http://www.thestar.com/living/health/article/1180976--5-keys-to-a-healthy-diet-and-healthy-heart

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Census 2011: Canada’s age pyramid shows what our country may look like

The latest census data shows that Canada's population is showing its age, but how will that change what our country looks like in the future?

Using projections by demographers, this age pyramid shows what our country's age makeup may look like in fifty years. By using the slider, you can compare the age breakdown of today to past and future years, from 1971 to 2061:

Canada's age pyramid
Population projections by age and sex, 1971-2061

Future population estimates are based on Statistics Canada's medium-growth projections, which assume a national fertility rate of 1.7 children per woman, an immigration rate of 7.5 per thousand and an increasing life expectancy over the projection period.

Figures rounded to thousands.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/census-2011-canada-age-pyramid-shows-country-may-143404749.html

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Markham To Shed Town Designation And Become Canada's Newest City

Canada's largest town is about to become Canada's newest city.

Markham councillors have voted to change the name from Town of Markham to City of Markham.

With a population of 310,000 it is already Canada's 16th largest municipality, yet it has always clung to the old designation as a town.

Last month Coun. Alex Chiu brought forward a motion to change the name.

"They always address us as a city, so I say might as well," said Chiu.

The municipality, just north of Toronto, is in the midst of a condo construction boom.

City councillors even voted recently to approve the building of a new arena that many think could eventually become the home of an NHL franchise.

"Why would you call yourself a little boy when you're a man?" asked local businesswoman Daisy Wai. She says rebranding Markham as a city would clear up a lot of confusion.

"It does affect how people see you," she said. "It does affect businesses coming in. It does affect investors."

But not everyone is convinced of the need for change.

"We don't see the benefit. We're not being told the cost," said Gord Walter who represents local ratepayers who don't want to drop the word 'town' from Markham's name.

But in the end local councillors voted unanimously to make the change.

The Town of Markham becomes the City of Markham on July 1.

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Home Decor: Spruce up for Summer Safety!

Outdoor Safety for Kids

As the weather warms, more kids will be playing outside. It is important to take a look at anything in your yard or home that might cause harm to children. Beyond that, it’s key to actually teach kids about outdoor safety so that they can avoid harm themselves.

Garage/Workshop – Make sure all electrical items are unplugged and out of reach. These include saws, grinders, and drills. Tools should be hung high or locked in a toolbox to prevent kids from wanting to play with them. We all know how much kids like to use hammers, screwdrivers, and chisels like adults. Long-handled tools should be hung on the wall to prevent tripping. Bigger items such as chain saws, lawnmowers, and ladders should be placed so that children are discouraged from trying to use them.

All poisonous materials must be out of children’s reach. These may include solvents, strippers, fungicides, pest-control products, fertilizers, pool chemicals, oil, and antifreeze. Also make sure flammable items and rags are stored away from electrical tools. If it’s possible, keep any or all of these items in a lockable storage area or keep the garage or workshop locked to prohibit a child from entering.

Test your garage door to make sure it has reversible action that senses when a child is obstructing it from closing. Most automatic garage door systems made after 1993 are equipped with this feature, but it must be tested on a regular basis.

Play Equipment – Make sure swing sets and trampolines are firmly grounded. The area around play equipment should have at least 9-12 inches in depth of soft material, such as mulch or sand, in case of falls. Be sure play equipment is far enough away from fences, landscaping, and walkways to prevent hard falls. Inspect the play equipment on a regular basis to make sure it is in safe condition.

Grills – When using an outdoor grill, keep children away and teach them the danger of burns and fire. Kids should be supervised constantly until the grill is cooled down.

Trees – Trim trees up to at least five feet above the ground to discourage kids from climbing. Remove dead branches that may fall due to high winds or flying toys.

Pools – If you have a deep pool, fence it in and lock it up! This is one of the biggest dangers to kids during the warmer months. Empty shallow wading pools when not in use and turn them upside down. It only takes a minute for a child to fall into a pool and drown. Supervise children every second where pools of water, regardless of depth, are present.

Kites and Electricity – Teach children the danger of flying kites around electrical wires. If there is not an area in your yard without electrical wires, then prohibit your kids from flying kites. Designate another time and place for that activity.

Bikes, Skates, and Skateboards – Keep these items in working condition; inspect them regularly. Insist that your children wear safety helmets and pads at all times when playing with these toys! It only takes one good fall to severely injure a precious head.

Street Safety – Teach children safety about pedestrian accidents at a young age, and continue to do so as they grow. Small children should never cross the street unsupervised. No child should be allowed to play in the street unless an adult is carefully watching.

A good way to prevent outdoor accidents is to take three steps: spot the hazard, assess the risk, and make changes. Take a tour of your garage and front and back yards and make the changes necessary to prevent an injury or fatal accident to your children.

http://newsolio.com/home-decor-spruce-up-for-summer-safety,6059

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In hard-hit cities like Phoenix, the home market rises

The Phoenix real estate market is suddenly experiencing something it hasn’t seen in years: Bidding wars.

Phoenix used to represent just about the worst of the U.S housing market, with suburbs full of empty homes and foreclosures running so high that investors gathered like vultures at the county courthouse to snap up distressed properties.

But like its namesake, Phoenix’s housing market is rising. Foreclosures have dropped 20 per cent in the past year and the median house price has climbed about 25 per cent, making the city one of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S. But perhaps the most telling sign of a recovery is the return of heated bidding that has been a long time coming for agents like Maureen Porter.

“A good house in a good neighbourhood will go on the market for two days and they’ll already have five or 10 offers,” Ms. Porter said. “When I started my business [four years ago] there were around 56,000 homes for sale in Maricopa County [which includes Phoenix]. Now there’s about 12,000 homes for sale.”

Ms. Porter said she recently took two clients from Vancouver to look at a 70-lot housing development in Goodyear, a community outside Phoenix.

“It was all dirt, there were maybe two homes built,” Ms. Porter recalled. “We walked into the presentation centre and everything but two lots were sold out.”

The housing market is showing signs of life across the U.S., with existing home sales and the median price up about 10 per cent year-over-year, hitting levels not seen since the summer of 2010. Sales and prices have been rising steadily for months, proof that the long-suffering real estate sector may have finally turned the corner. Buyers are returning thanks to an improved employment picture, record-low mortgage rates and near-bottom prices.

Housing is a critical component to the U.S. economy and improvements in the sector usually lead to a boost in consumer confidence, employment and spending. All of which is good news for the Canadian economy, as well.

The real impact of the recovery can be seen in places like Phoenix, Miami and southern California, which were among the hardest hit during the recession. The supply of homes for sale has dropped in all three locations as banks move quickly to unload troubled properties, often through “short sales” where mortgage holders get permission from lenders to sell their property for less than the amount owed. Banks often prefer short sales to foreclosures because they are a faster way to deal with borrowers.

In Miami, the median price is up 15 per cent from a year ago and the occupancy rates in downtown condominiums is 94 per cent. Southern California has a four-month supply of homes for sale, roughly two months less than what is considered a healthy market, and foreclosure sales have reached a four-year low.

Phoenix offers some of the most dramatic evidence of the turnaround. This is a city where house prices fell by up to 50 per cent during the recession and people walked away from their homes in droves, leaving vast stretches of empty neighbourhoods. Today the number of homes listed for sale has dropped by 64 per cent in the last year and foreclosures have fallen by 20 per cent. The market has tightened up so much that prices are jumping 5 per cent each month and buyers are competing fiercely for just about anything that’s available.

“We’ve now got a fully fledged buying frenzy going on while people try to buy something before they miss the boat,” said Michael Orr, director of the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at Arizona State University.

Last week there were roughly 12,000 homes listed for sale across the city. That compared to more than 50,000 around the same time last year.

Despite the current boom, the market still has a long way to go. The median price is now about $135,000 (U.S.). That’s still well below the peak in 2006, when it reached $265,000, and it puts prices at about the same level as in 2000. And although the number of existing homes sold in April across the country rose to an annualized rate of 4.6 million, economists say a healthy U.S. housing market would see almost 6 million sales of existing homes a year.

Much of the activity is also being driven by outsiders, many from Canada, eager to snap up investments. In Phoenix, the number of “investor flips,” people who buy houses and then re-sell them quickly for a profit, has increased 31 per cent year-over-year, according to Mr. Orr.

But with prices rising quickly, good deals are harder to find. Three years ago, dozens of investors lined the steps of the courthouse in downtown Phoenix to bid on foreclosed properties, many going for well below $100,000. This week only a handful of bidders showed up for the auction and just four houses sold.

“The days of getting a property under $125,000 are slim to nil,” said Diane Olson, a real estate agent who caters largely to Canadians.

The question for many agents like Justin Lombard is whether this is a blip or a real recovery. He is cautiously optimistic.

“We’ve seen such steady progress in the way of inventory absorption that I’d be really surprised if we took a big backward step,” he said. “We hit bottom a long time ago. It’s just that a lot of people didn’t realize it because our bottom was so bad.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-news/us/phoenixs-housing-market-rises-from-the-ashes/article2444773/

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Tips to Manage Stress

Stress is a part of life, a normal response to demands either emotional, intellectual, or physical. It can be positive if it keeps us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. It can be negative if it becomes chronic, increasing the risk of diseases like depression, heart disease and a variety of other problems. 

Managing stress is key to your health. And it isn't so very difficult to do.

How Does Stress Affect Health?

The body's autonomic nervous system has a built-in stress response that causes physiological changes to allow the body to combat stressful situations. This stress response, also known as the "fight or flight response," is activated in case of an emergency. However, this response can become chronically activated during prolonged periods of stress, which can cause wear and tear on the body -- both physical and emotional.

Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress -- a negative stress reaction. Distress can disturb the body's internal balance or equilibrium, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches, an upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, sexual dysfunction, and problems sleeping. Emotional problems can also result from distress. These problems includedepression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases. Stress is linked to six of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.

Stress also becomes harmful when people engage in the compulsive use of substances or behaviors to try to relieve their stress. These substances or behaviors may include food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, sex, shopping, and the Internet. Rather than relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances and compulsive behaviors tend to keep the body in a stressed state causing more problems. The distressed person becomes trapped in a vicious circle.

What Are the Warning Signs of Stress?

Chronic stress can wear down the body's natural defenses, leading to a variety of physical symptoms, including:

• Dizziness or a general feeling of "being out of it"
• General aches and pains
• Grinding teeth, clenched jaw
• Headaches
• Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms
• Increase in or loss of appetite
• Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders
• Problems sleeping
• Racing heart
• Cold and sweaty palms
• Tiredness, exhaustion
• Trembling/shaking
• Weight gain or loss
• Upset stomach, diarrhea
• Sexual difficulties
• Irritability, impatience, forgetfulness

 

Tips for Reducing Stress

People can learn to manage stress and lead happier, healthier lives. Here are some tips to help you keep stress at bay:

• Keep a positive attitude.
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi.
• Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Learn to manage your time more effectively.
• Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
• Make time for hobbies and interests.
• Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
• Don't rely on alcohol, drugs, or food to reduce stress. Ease up on caffeine, too.
• Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
• Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your life
• http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tips-to-control-stress

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Healthy stomach, healthy mind

Recent findings about the gut-brain link are giving new meaning to the phrase you are what you eat.

Talking about our intestines isn’t something most people feel comfortable with. Unless, of course, you’re neurobiologist Michael Gershon from Columbia University in New York. Just over 10 years ago, Gershon surprised medical experts around the world by coining the term “second brain” for our gut.

From his research, he discovered this humble body part is responsible for a lot more than simply expelling waste. And as a result of his groundbreaking results, the field of neurogastroenterology has made great strides.

Prior to Gershon’s research, it was believed that the brain governed all human bodily functions. But we now know that the gut controls many things without the brain’s involvement, including digestion, nutrient absorption and bowel movements. Furthermore, this seemingly forgotten part of our anatomy works to defend our entire body, since it produces 70 to 85 percent of the immune cells of the body. “During infection, the intestine hunts down intruders in the body, increasing its processing speed and the amount of waste secreted from the body. It is also the gut that orders the cells of our immune system to tackle bacteria or viruses,” says Dr. Gershon.

The gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerve, which is the body’s main nerve centre. Scientists were surprised to discover that, contrary to what was believed, 90 percent of the information flowing through the vagus nerve goes from the gut to the brain, and not vice versa.

Our intestines have between 200 and 600 million neurons, as many as in the spinal cord. Even more surprising, it seems that 95 percent of the body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, emotions and sleep comes from the colon. This is why drugs, such as antidepressants, also have an effect on the intestine, in particular by causing constipation.

Researchers like Emeran Mayer, a gastroenterologist at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and other experts believe that certain emotions or feelings originate in the intestine. “Some sensations, such as nausea, appetite, satiety and fatigue, are cued from the gut,” he says.

Not convinced? Well don’t forget it has been long known that mental state can influence our digestive system. Turns out the reverse is also true, and our digestive health affects our mental health. When someone suffers from any form of digestive discomfort, they are much more likely to become anxious, stressed or depressed.

Prominent psychiatrists and physiologists even believe that soon, psychiatry may need to treat the other brain, in addition to the one between the ears. In the meantime, it’s just as important to take care of your digestive system as it is to take care of your mental health. 

http://www.chatelaine.com/en/article/37789--healthy-stomach-healthy-mind

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INMAN AGENT REBOOT 2012 TORONTO

Recently I was honoured by being appointed as an Ambassador for the upcoming Inman News Agent Reboot 2012 Toronto.  This is going to be an amazing event and one that Toronto area Realtors cannot afford to miss!  Mark down June 27, 2012 in your calendars and get ready for SIX solid hours of today's best marketing and technology innovations that could change the way you conduct your business and assist you in offering cutting edge products and services to your clients. 

If you've been to an Inman News Agent Reboot before, you know that these are not typical presentations.  These are live demonstrations that will help you navigate through leading applications step-by-step.  The star-studded lineup of speakers represents the who's who in Real Estate Technology, and you're right in thinking that the cost for this SHOULD be a few hundred dollars for this one day event.  However, the cost is $49!!  YES! FORTY NINE DOLLARS!  This is a no-brainer, whithout even taking a sneak peak at the agenda!

Let's take a peak at the agenda, just for fun!  Check this out:

The Way The World Communicates Just Changed – Have You?  Chris Smith, Chief Evangelist, & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @Chris_Smth and @InmanNext

Live Demo: I Suck at Twitter Please Help Me Katie Lance, Social Media Director & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @katielance and @InmanNext

How to Generate Business Using Facebook Jimmy Mackin

, Founder, MLSApp.com & Frugyl, @jimmymackin

Video Version 2.012 Darin Persinger, Founder, ProductivityJunkies.com, @darinpersinger

Live Demo: Transform Your Back End Business with Free Tools from Google Chris Smith, Chief Evangelist, & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @Chris_Smth and @InmanNext

How Conventional Media is Limiting YOUR Income and How to Break a 50-year Cycle  Jim Marks, President & Internet Anthropologist, Virtual Results, @jimmarks

Live Facebook Drill Down: Content Strategy Katie Lance, Social Media Director & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @katielance and @InmanNext

REmessenger/Wrap Up Chris Smith, Katie Lance,

There is an App for That Darin Persinger

, Founder, ProductivityJunkies.com, @darinpersinger

 

Untangling the Web  Jim Marks, President & Internet Anthropologist, Virtual Results, @jimmarks

Live Facebook Drill Down: Intermediate — Ads & Tagging  Chris Smith, Chief Evangelist, & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @Chris_Smth and @InmanNext

Live Facebook Drill Down: Avoiding a Social Media Disaster  Jimmy Mackin, Founder, MLSApp.com & Frugyl, @jimmymackin

How to Reach Consumers in a Technology Era: Be Conspicuous, Be Connected, Be Convenient

Anatomy of an Agent

Moderator:

• Katie Lance, Social Media Director & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @katielance and @InmanNext

Panelists:

• Glenn Sanford, eXp Realty LLC, @ceoglenn
• Chris McGeary, Century 21

ReMessenger/Wrap Up

• Chris Smith, Chief Evangelist, & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @Chris_Smth and @InmanNext
• Katie Lance, Social Media Director & Contributing Editor, InmanNext, Inman News, @katielance and @InmanNext

There you have it.  If you're busy on June 27th, don't worry.  The best Realtors will be at Agent Reboot learning and sharing ideas on how to offer our clients cutting edge services and products to make their home selling/buying experience exceed their expectations.  We are all happy and never to busy for your referrals. ;)

Click here to register and be a part of this amazing day of learning and sharing:

https://register.inman.com/shop/Agent-Reboot-2012---Toronto/

I also have a contest running through to June 15th for free tickets to Agent Reboot in Toronto!  Email/text/tweet me with the reason you HAVE to be at this event.  The best answers will each win a ticket to the event.

Asif Khan, ABR

@remaxallstar

Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc.

Re/Max Chairman's Club, Hall of Fame

Google me: Asif Khan ReMax

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

5 Tips for Summer Car Maintenance

By Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Winter driving can be tough on cars, with its icy roads and salt buildup. But summer has its hazards, too. The heat stresses the engine, wears down the tires and makes the car work harder to keep everything cool.

Here are five steps to help your car make it through the summer.

1. Be kind to your engine.

Your engine gets hot very quickly in the summer. You can save a lot of trouble — and expense — by doing some routine checks to make sure it stays lubricated and cooled. Check the oil level and make sure the oil looks clean. If it doesn't, get an oil change. Sears will change it for less than $20. Also look for cracks in the hoses, which pump coolant from the radiator to the engine block.

2. Replace your fluids.

Many drivers don't think about fluids beyond their motor oil. But your car also has coolant for the engine in the radiator, and fluids for the transmission and brakes.

They're critical for keeping parts lubricated and preventing your engine from overheating. Over time, all of them lose their effectiveness and get dirty, with little metal parts floating in the liquid.

"Coolant starts to eat everything. It becomes like an acid," says Hisham Ebrahim, a mechanic at Fawzi's Westgate Auto Repair in Ann Arbor, Mich. Both low fluid levels and old fluid can damage the parts in your car.

If you follow your car's maintenance schedule, you shouldn't have to worry about fluid levels, which are often checked and replaced around 60,000 miles.

Ebrahim says it costs about $200 to $300 to flush out and replace all the fluids. That can be far less expensive than the alternative: An overheated engine or blown transmission.

3. Replace your windshield wipers.

Don't wait until you're caught in a summer downpour to find out your wipers aren't working well. Winter can take a toll on wipers, and it's a $25 fix to replace them. You can also get wiper refills — which just replace the worn rubber — for half the cost of new blades.

4. Switch out your tires and check the tread.

If you have winter tires, change them. The compounds used in winter tires are softer, which helps them grip better in ice and snow. But they also wear down more quickly in summer heat. You need plenty of tread in the summer, when sudden showers create slippery roads.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association suggests several ways to check the tread. Tires have built-in "wear bars," or narrow strips of rubber across the tires that appear when the tread is worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch. If you can see wear bars, your tires need to be replaced.

You can also use the old penny trick: Stick a penny in the tread. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace the tire.

Consider a tire rotation in the summer to make sure all your tires are getting equal wear. Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 10,000 miles, according to vehicle information site Edmunds.com. That can cost around $50, but prices vary widely.

5. Check your tire pressure.

Overinflated tires have less traction on rainy streets, while underinflated tires can bulge out, putting pressure on the sidewalls and making the tires more vulnerable to blowouts on hot roads. Check your tire pressure before you start driving, and make sure you're meeting the manufacturer's recommended level. You can buy a tire gauge for $5 or less, or a digital tire pressure gauge for $25, and keep it in the glove compartment.

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Mortgage? RRSPs? RESPs? Get a grip on what comes first

Since they came to Canada a decade or so ago, Reg and Rhonda have done well for themselves. They have three children, ages 10, 8 and 7, a new home that they are moving into this month and an existing house that they plan to put up for rent.

They both work in the health care field and have partly indexed defined benefit pension plans with the Alberta government. Reg is 42, Rhonda 37.

While they have built up modest retirement savings, they have been focusing intently on paying down their mortgage first. Once their previous home is rented, the rental income will go toward paying off the mortgage on it. (The mortgage on the new home is 2.99 per cent for four years, while the rental property mortgage is prime minus 0.85 percentage points for five years.)

“Our plan is to pay off the mortgage as fast as possible, then continue to build savings and perhaps retire early if all goes well,” Reg writes in an email. “But is this the right approach?”

They also want to set aside $50,000 for each of their three children’s post-secondary education.

Reg can retire at age 60 with no reduction in pension. Rhonda, who is five years younger, could retire at age 55 with a reduced pension. They figure they will need $70,000 a year after tax, which would allow them to do a bit of extra travelling.

We asked Ron Graham, financial planner at Ron Graham and Associates Ltd. in Edmonton, to look at Reg and Rhonda’s situation.

What the expert says

As long as Reg and Rhonda are getting a higher return on their investments than the interest rate on their mortgages, they are better off contributing to their registered retirement savings plans and tax-free savings accounts, Mr. Graham says. Even so, they should aim to be debt free by the time they retire. Once the mortgage on the rental property is paid off, it should generate rental income of about $10,800 a year in 2012 dollars.

How much they will have to save to achieve their retirement target depends on the rate of return on their investments, the planner notes. If their current investments plus future savings earn a rate of three percentage points above inflation (6 per cent when inflation is 3 per cent), then they will have enough to meet their retirement goal of spending $70,000 a year and still leave an estate.

If they get only one percentage point above inflation, they will need to save another $500 a year in TFSAs or another $700 a year in RRSPs to accomplish their goal.

“This would allow them to spend $70,000 a year, but they would have no financial assets left at age 90.”

Mr. Graham assumes the couple will use their non-registered savings for goals other than retirement.

To make the $26,000 they have in registered education savings plans for their children grow to $150,000 in 10 years, they will have to save a little more than $9,000 a year based on a return of inflation plus one percentage point.

“They can save the $9,000 by contributing $2,500 per child to the RESP and getting the matching grants totalling $1,500 per year.”

So how should they arrange their priorities?

Build up the RESPs first to take advantage of the 20 per cent government grant. Second, continue to make RRSP contributions, with Reg contributing to a spousal RRSP for Rhonda. Third, contribute to their TFSAs.

“Saving for vehicles and other short-term goals is fourth, extra payments on their personal mortgage fifth, and finally extra payments on their rental mortgage,” interest on which is deductible against income for tax purposes.

Assuming they both work for another 18 years, they should have no trouble achieving their goals, Mr. Graham says. In the first year of retirement, Reg’s pension income will be $32,000 in 2012 dollars and Rhonda’s (if she retires at age 55) $11,412. If Reg begins collecting his CPP at age 60, he will get $505 a month. Rental income will add another $10,800 a year. Rhonda can supplement her pension by withdrawing about $12,000 a year from her RRSP. That leaves a shortfall of $9,000 a year that will come from the couple’s TFSAs.

Rhonda can begin collecting CPP when she turns 60, and they will both get Old Age Security benefits at age 67, reducing the amount of money they will have to draw from their savings.

CLIENT SITUATION

The people

Reg, 42, Rhona 37, and their children

The problem

How to set priorities when it comes to saving and paying down debt.

The plan

Contribute first to RESPs for the children since that is the shorter term goal. Then save for retirement in registered plans. Once those are caught up, focus on paying down mortgage on the principal residence.

The payoff

Achievement of their saving and retirement goals with enough income to allow them a comfortable retirement and possibly a little something left over for the children.

Client situation

Monthly net income

$9,450

Assets

New home $450,000; rental property $277,000; TFSAs $18,800, stocks $1,800; index funds $2,800; other savings $23,480; RRSPs $65,200; present value of defined benefit pension plans (combined) $250,000. Total: $1.09-million

Monthly disbursements

Home insurance $180; car insurance $165; life insurance $150; utilities $350; telephone, cable $210; transportation $300; entertainment $50; home improvements $400; food, clothing $800; auto expenses $400; furniture $200; gifts $100; kids camp, sports $100; vacations $400; help for family back home $500; mortgage on principal residence $1,455; CSBs (saving to pay down mortgage) $1,250; RRSPs $400; other savings $300; TFSAs $700; RESP $325. Total: $8,735 Surplus: $715

Liabilities

Mortgage on new home $243,000; rental property mortgage $219,000. Total: $462,000

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/financial-facelift/mortgage-rrsps-resps-get-a-grip-on-what-comes-first/article2437757/

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Are there inexpensive ways to make a bathroom show better, without renovating it?

A. Sprucing up a bathroom before a sale doesn’t necessarily require swinging a sledgehammer. There are many small fixes and improvements that real estate agents and home stagers frequently recommend to help a bathroom look its best.

When a potential buyer sees the bathroom, “You don’t want that feeling of ‘Ew, I wouldn’t want to take a shower in there,’ ” said Lucie Holt, a senior vice president with Citi Habitats in New York. “You want the opposite effect, of ‘Wow, I would just love to come home and take a nice hot bath or shower,’ because it’s clean and luxurious.”

That said, she added, “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to transform a basic bathroom into something a bit dreamier.”

You should aim to give the room the pristine, uncluttered look of a bathroom in a good hotel, Ms. Holt says. For a recent listing in the meatpacking district, she spent about $60 at Bed Bath & Beyond, for a white shower curtain and rings, a bathmat, fluffy towels and flower vases. Although they’re just accessories, they made the entire room more inviting, she said.

Beyond accessorizing, there are other things you can do to “remove the ick factor” of an old bathroom, said Donna Dazzo, president of the New York and Hamptons home-staging company Designed to Appeal.

“First of all, the bathroom should be sparkling clean,” Ms. Dazzo said. “That’s the most important thing.”

Also, take a close look at the grout and caulking.

“Often, the grout between tiles is mildewed or crumbling out,” she said. “A regrouting can do wonders to make it look like you’ve just had new tile installed.”

And, Ms. Dazzo said, “recaulking around the top of the tub where it meets the tile, as well as where it meets the floor, which tends to get moldy, definitely helps.”

For a more elaborate fix, but one that doesn’t have to cost a lot, she suggests installing new light fixtures, faucets and cabinet pulls. And if you have a tired wooden vanity unit, she recommends a coat of dark semigloss paint.

Before each showing, she advises sellers to go through a quick checklist to ensure the bathroom is ready. “All your toiletries and used bars of soap have to be stored away,” she said. “The wastebasket should be emptied. The toilet seat lid should be down. The fluffy new towels should be out, and your used towels should be in the laundry.”

Essentially, “buyers don’t want to feel like they’re in someone else’s bathroom,” Ms. Dazzo said. To that end, “If there’s a well-worn toilet seat, I would recommend updating that as well.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/garden/making-a-bathroom-show-better-without-renovations-market-ready.html?_r=2&ref=garden

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Toronto office market poised for new boom. Add up to 4.1m sq. ft

Toronto's downtown office market appears poised to explode again with construction, as the commercial real estate industry waits for that one spark to kick-start the office sector.

Rumours swirl that Brookfield Office Properties will begin a new round of aggressive building in the country's largest office market with an announcement it will go ahead with the second tower for its Bay-Adelaide Centre.

The initial tower provided significant impetus for a round of construction when it was announced in 2006.

Accounting and consulting firm Deloitte Canada is said to be the big fish Brookfield is courting for its second tower while the CPP Investment Board is said to be looking for as much as 180,000 square feet of space.

"I think we are definitely at the point where we can justify new construction," says Ross Moore, director of research for Canada for CB Richard Ellis, about the current vacancy rate of 4.7% in Toronto's downtown core.

Brookfield spokeswoman Melissa Coley says there is nothing to report on the Bay-Adelaide Centre other than it is in planning stages.

The company's website says its new building, Bay-Adelaide East, is a 43-storey, 900,000-square-foot office tower.

"You can feel the wave building by the day," says Mr. Moore, about new construction. "I think in the next 60 days we are going to have announcements that will probably surprise a lot of people."

If you add up everything that is about to be built in the downtown it equals 4.1 million square feet, just slightly below the 4.4 million square feet built in the last construction wave.

Among the buildings in addition to Bay-Adelaide expected to go, or already under construction, are RBC WaterPark Place, a 933,000-sq.-ft. development by Oxford Properties Corp.; One York, an 800,000-sq.-ft. project from Menkes Developments Inc. and Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan; and a 760,000-sq.-ft. building from GWL Realty Advisors, which has signed two major tenants.

"We are getting to that point that we were at in 2006," said Bill Argeropoulos, vice-president director of research with Avison Young. "There is a lot of rumbling in the marketplace. Obviously we are on cusp of the next development wave."

His company projects the overall downtown vacancy rate at 5.3% and notes the earliest any new office supply can be delivered in the downtown core would be 2014.

The risk for landlords as these buildings begin construction is they end up cannibalizing their own tenants unless they can do what a company like First Gulf did and attract a tenant like Coca-Cola Canada back to the downtown core.

"There has been a bit of reverse migration," said Mr. Argeropoulos. "There has not been a lot examples that this is a trend. Last go around there was Telus Corp."

All of this comes as Bank of Nova Scotia continues to be in the midst of selling its head office in the heart of the financial district. Even with an aging building, Scotiabank has attracted numerous offers for the building, which is expected to fetch well beyond $1-billion.

"[Commercial] development also continues to compete with residential development [for space]," says Mr. Argeropoulos. "You have all these people living downtown but they also want to work downtown."

Dean Newman, principal and broker of record for Cresa Toronto, which represents tenants, said it could be a opportunity.

"Landlords are propping themselves up to launch new buildings and there is an appetite in the market for new buildings," said Mr. Newman. "Part of this is driven by the desire of tenants to reinvent the way they are using space and their layouts."

He says rents in the heart of the financial district remain high and that has many looking just outside for a better deal in a newer product.

"If you can buy a new car at the same price as an old car, just because the old car theoretically has a more prestigious sticker, why bother," said Mr. Newman.

"It's like a brand-new Hyundai, you see it on the road and say 'What is it?' You look at it [and] decide the car looks pretty nice."

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/commercial-real-estate/Toronto+office+market+poised+boom/6623854/story.html 

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Luxury housing sales surge forward in most major Canadian centres in 2012, says RE/MAX

New records set in just over 60 per cent of markets in the first quarter.

Mississauga, ON (May 16, 2012) – The Canadian appetite for all things luxury continues to fuel demand for high-end housing, with first quarter 2012 sales well ahead of 2011 figures for the same period in most markets across the country, according to a report released today by RE/MAX.

The Upper-End Report found that 81 per cent (13) of the 16 major Canadian centres examined—including Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, London-St. Thomas, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton-Burlington, Greater Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Greater Montreal, and Halifax-Dartmouth—posted an increase in home buying activity, with the vast majority reporting double-digit appreciation. Records were set for upper-end sales in ten markets in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

“While the ranks of the rich expand in both population and wealth, their impact on the Canadian residential landscape is undeniable,” says Michael Polzler, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada. “Their confidence abounds from coast-to-coast, irrespective of price point. Starting prices range from a low of $500,000 in markets like St. John’s and Halifax-Dartmouth to a high of $2 million in Greater Vancouver, and affluent homebuyers are still prepared to up the ante—choosing to further renovate or altogether tear down and custom build to suit their needs.”

The greatest percentage increase was reported in Regina, where first quarter sales of luxury homes priced over $500,000 climbed 56 per cent year-over year (50 units vs. 32 units). Quebec City placed second, posting a 50 per cent (48 units vs. 32 units) upswing in activity, while Toronto followed closely with a 49 per cent gain (412 units vs. 277 units). The mid-sized markets of London-St. Thomas (43 per cent) and Kitchener-Waterloo (39 per cent) rounded out the Top Five—demonstrating that upper-end enthusiasm is not exclusive to Canada’s larger centres.

“Canadians recognize and appreciate the stability of real estate,” says Elton Ash, Regional Executive Vice President, RE/MAX of Western Canada. “Given volatility in other areas, housing has emerged as a blue-chip asset among the country’s most affluent individuals. The capital gains exempt status ups the appeal, particularly as we see ongoing fluctuations in stocks and uncertainty in Europe. All the variables have come together to support an upper-end market firing on all cylinders.”

The report also noted that although the top end of the market represents only a small proportion of overall residential sales, when measured in terms of dollar volume, luxury sales are a much larger part of the equation. As such, the strong momentum out of the gate speaks to the overall confidence in real estate. Several factors have worked in tandem to fuel the surge in demand for high-end properties in 2012, among them:

Equity Gains – Price appreciation has been a serious catalyst fuelling move-up activity in major Canadian markets in the past decade, providing current homeowners with the financial wherewithal to make more significant moves. In fact, from 2000 to 2010, average price gains in major Canadian markets ranged from a low of 68 per cent in London-St. Thomas to a high of 173 per cent in Regina. The same factor has pushed an increasing share of homes into upper-end price points.

Stock market volatility – Recent volatility in the stock markets, particularly the TSX, has once again shifted the focus to bricks and mortar. Investors continue to feel the pressure of serious headwinds (Economic signals from China appear worrisome and the fragile U.S. recovery continues to be dogged by weakness in the labour markets. Rising borrowing costs have threatened Spain, while austerity measures have fallen short in the U.K. Push back continues in France and the Netherlands). With equity markets quick to react to signs of stress, some are opting to shift money elsewhere.

Immigration – Immigration has played a key role in bolstering Canada’s population of High Net Worth (HNW) Individuals. A recent BMO Harris Private Banking study showed that Canadians of foreign decent account for almost one-third of all high net worth wealth throughout Canada and that almost all (96 per cent) keep the bulk of their wealth in Canada. In 2010, Canada admitted roughly 154,000 business and investor immigrants who reportedly inject $2 billion into the Canadian economy each year.

Changing Fortunes – Economic tides have turned in provinces like Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia—contributing to the upswing in upper-end home sales. For markets like Saskatoon, Regina and St. John’s, million-dollar home sales used to be a rare phenomenon. With changing fortunes, these markets are playing catch up, building high-end homes where there once were few.

Rebound in global wealth – The number of high net worth individuals (HNWI), along with their overall financial wealth, increased once again in 2010, surpassing the 2007 pre-crisis peak in nearly every region, according to the Capgemini/Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report 2011. While North America is still home to the greatest portion of HNWI, the population of HNWI in Asia-Pacific is now the second-largest in the world, unseating Europe’s long-held position. The segment of ultra-high net worth individuals is also on the upswing. The rising ranks of the world’s rich have driven up demand for luxury products.

“The strength of the upper-end is underpinned by solid fundamentals,” says Sylvain Dansereau, Executive Vice President, RE/MAX Quebec. “Most markets remain largely balanced across the board, with stable or modest price growth forecast in the luxury segment. Inventory levels have played a role in some multiple offer activity, with shortages notable in Montreal, throughout Ontario, and Winnipeg. While selection may be adequate in other markets, the demand and competition for quality stands out. Buyers at this price level are very discriminating. They are raising the bar nationwide, altering the Canadian housing landscape in the process.”

Highlights:
Infill and teardowns continue unabated across the country, changing the Canadian landscape.
Canadian upper-end homes are redefining luxury. When it comes to bells and whistles, toys and technology, the features homeowners are incorporating into their residences are becoming decidedly more progressive.
While financing is not a huge concern for those spending multi-millions, purchasers at entry-level price points are ensuring peace of mind by locking in on five-year money.
Canadian upper-end communities are an increasing reflection of Canada’s diverse multicultural and ethnic mosaic.
Luxury condominiums continue to account for growing percentage of upper-end sales, with most rivaling the grandeur of single-family product. Case in point—units located in Greater Vancouver’s Westside and in Toronto’s Yorkville area, listed at $28.8 and $28 million respectively.
Greater Vancouver’s Westside is also home to the most expensive properties listed and sold in Canada this year. The priciest sale, $19.8 million, occurred in Point Grey for a 10,700 sq. ft. home with ocean and mountain views. A $31.9 million palatial historic home in Shaughnessy sports the highest sticker price.

Posted via email from Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan