FORMA – DINING ROOM

Neutral tones and different woods lend a serenity to this dining room design by Forma architect Andreas Charalambous. A lesson in colour perhaps?

SWEDISH CLOSET

The design credit is unknown for this image of a beautiful walk-in closet from Sweden. The closet is from a listing of a property currently for sale there. Amazing!

MYA ARCHITECTS – BATHROOM

New York-based MYA Architects show off inspiring and fresh ideas with this East Hampton home’s bathroom design. Not overly complicated, this shows what we can all do with a keen eye and bit of cash.

HULSTA – BEDROOM

German furniture design house Hulsta keeps it simple with this attractive bedroom design. With the lack of clutter and chaos, it certainly lends to a fresh start to each day. Something to consider.

ALTER STUDIO – KITCHEN

Alter Studio provide a clean, sleek look for a modern kitchen. Very doable in your Toronto home if the budget is right!

Amazing ideas! Are you looking to buy or sell Toronto real estate this spring? Call my office today and we’ll get you started out right.

Until next time,

Shaun Nilsson
1-888-712-7888

ROBERTO CAVALLI

Cavalli certainly loves his animal prints – exhibited here in his lounge chairs poolside.  And check out how his indoor pool area is beautifully set in stone and looking over his villa near Florence.  Sweet.

JOHN TRAVOLTA

Travolta’s Florida digs certainly look inviting.  The home was designed with a “mid-century” feel by the actor himself, who calls its creation one of his greatest ever challenges.  What an amazing getaway.

SYLVESTER STALLONE

The Rocky Balboa statue says it all.  This is the Grecian-styled grotto where Sly Stallone kicks back when at his Miami residence.  Looks like a rough life!

LANCE ARMSTRONG

After battling it out on the Tour de France, it must be nice to come home for a relaxing dip.  The super-cyclist’s Austin, Texas pool and outdoor landscaping certainly has the relaxation vibe down – in spades.

ROB LOWE

With his love for late-eighteenth century style coming to the fore in this design, Rob Lowe re-imagines the modern swimming pool almost as a serene pond-like setting.  Not a bad spot to chill when spending time in Southern California, I’d guess.

Ahhhh… relaxing!  Are you looking to buy or sell Toronto real estate this spring?  Call my office today and we’ll get you started out right.

Until next time,

Shaun Nilsson
1-888-712-7888

Sales: Sales volume in December was down from the swollen levels of 2009 with 4,395 properties changing hands, versus 5,541 the year previous. We are now into a steady, but slower-moving market, with those numbers continuing a 21% lower year-over-year level in activity.  Expect a warming trend in the spring, however, with volume increasing to higher levels.

New Listings: December also saw 4,284 new listings hit the market, down about 22% from the number listed in 2009. This is a reversal of the sell-side flood of properties we had been seeing for the past few months.  This will likely continue to have a stabilizing effect on prices through 2011.  Look forward to a slightly more balanced spring market and more stability allowing for buyers to take more time with purchase negotiations.

Active Listings: Active listings (total single family homes currently on the market) are still up 9% year-over-year, with 11,245 properties on the market last month, meaning that we are looking at a fairly balanced market, with considerable inventory versus the low point of 2009.  It’s a great time to begin surfing the listings and snatching up deals, as properties are lingering and some owners must sell to deadlines.

Days on the Market: Listing times are starting to shorten again as the market heats up a bit, with properties taking on average around 37 days to sell as of last month – significantly longer versus the 27 days it took last year.  You are encouraged to remember that this number represents the time until deals are firm and reported, and often includes a conditional sold period of up to 2 weeks.  Consequently, these properties are effectively off the market  sooner.

Price: Finally, the median price of homes in the GTA in December was $355,000, up from $349,000 in the same month of 2009, with detached homes trading at a premium, priced at $450,000 last month median value.  The median home price was down in December versus November, it should be noted.

Again – think fundamentals.  Rates are low.  The market is slower now and allows for deal shopping.  Income, location and development potential should be on the forefront of considerations for investors.  Home buyers also should be looking at this as a great opportunity to carefully leverage into an ideal property.  The market is starting to show some great options.

Tell your friends! They’ll thank you. As always, call me if you’re interested in learning more about buying or selling real estate or are looking to make a move this spring.

Until next time,

Shaun Nilsson

1-888-712-7888