Richard Silver

Archive for April, 2009

A Great Cause and A Great Event: The Children’s Breakfast Programs

Back in 2006, Carolyn Griffis of Re/Max Hallmark Realty identified a problem of nutrition in a Public Schools. Over the past three years she has worked tirelessly to enlist volunteers, donors and sponsors to this very important cause, feeding school children to maximize their engagement in class.  REALTORS from many different Companies have adopted Schools (our Company has adopted two), the Toronto Real Estate Board has become a sponsor, and recently the staff at TREB have adopted a School, as well. There is...Continue Reading...

Some Great Home ecoEnergy News from “Carson Dunlop and Associates”.

Here is some great news from Andra Wooley of Carson Dunlop and Associates. It showcases some of the existing energy options that are available through the both the Federal and Provincial Governments. Hopefully this will serve to clarify some of the confusion on what is available at present to Homeowners: "Richard, as mentioned, we are excited to share this IMPORTANT news for all home owners.   NRCan’s ecoENERGY Retrofit program now offers more ways to access valuable rebates.  NOW, 25% MORE GRANT...Continue Reading...

Earth Day: Garden Leaf Bags are Coming Back!

Last Spring, I had leaf bags made and distributed in Cabbagetown, east of Parliament Street. They seemed to go over well and even today, a year later, I saw these three on Wellesley Street East. I would love to be able to deliver them to all of Toronto but...the cost would be prohibitive. However, this year I have ordered them again and have ordered an extra 200 packages (there are 5 in each packet). They will be available should you wish to contact...Continue Reading...

Earth Day and The Green Energy Act: When the Best of Good Intentions Go Wrong.

"Be careful what you wish for..." Over the past years, organized Real Estate in Ontario has been lobbying the Government to support energy audits and grant programs that would encourage Canadians to voluntarily increase the energy efficiency of their homes. Now along comes Bill 150: the Green Energy Act, and instead of the REALTOR Community jumping up and down and supporting the ACT, The Ontario Real Estate Association is bringing up some serious concerns. The Bill, as written, requires MANDATORY Energy Audits at...Continue Reading...

The Reality Behind the Proposed Provincial Harmonized GST and PST Tax

A REALTOR friend of mine, Trish Santos, a Sales Representative with Realty Executives Plus Ltd., has done some serious due diligence on the proposed harmonization of the GST and PST. One of my concerns is that the Provincial Government has slipped this in under the new Budget without proper input from the Public. Here is some of the concerns that we both share. Please give this a read if you think this harmonization is "good for the Province". As hopefully most of...Continue Reading...

CREA’s Position on Mandatory Home Energy Audits

Here is the Canadian Real Estate Association's position on Mandatory Home Energy Audits that are proposed in Bill 150, The Province of Ontario's Green Energy Act; The Issue The Ontario government has introduced legislation that will require a mandatory energy audit as a requirement for selling a home. The federal Liberal Party is considering mandatory audits as part of its environment platform. Jurisdictions in Europe and the United States have taken steps toward the introduction of mandatory audits. Voluntary incentives to encourage...Continue Reading...

The New Provincial Harmonized PST/GST and the Building Industry.

There is an excellent comment in the National Post this morning and it really begs the question; Has the Province of Ontario really done its homework on the long time effects of the harmonization of the PST and GST? More studies should be done in terms of the Building Industry, especially in the GTA, where 54% of the units coming on the market will be taxed under the new system. This article asks some very interesting questions and is a must read for anyone...Continue Reading...

Technology: A Social Media Primer

As Social Media gets more and more popular, many REALTORS are jumping on the bandwagon, writing blogs, Twittering, and appearing on Linkedin and Facebook. While all of that is great, there are some basic questions that you should be asking yourself before you had down what you might think is a shortcut on the Information Highway. Have You Established Your BRAND? Do you have a personally branded web site and email address? Many REALTORS assume that being part of the Broker Brand...Continue Reading...

Canadian Real Estate: MLS® resale housing market stabilizes further in March

Below is the Recent Press Release from the Canadian Real Estate Association. It seems as if the news is getting better: Existing MLS® home sales activity increased for the second month in a row in March 2009, according to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The number of new listings also continued trending lower in March, which firmed up the balance of supply to demand. (more...)Continue Reading...

Susan’s Most Amazing Rib Recipe

There are times when this blog must deal with really important issues and this is one of them: FOOD!! My friend Susan, a great cook, but also a dynamite Business woman ( those are not divergent in one person, however, I digress)...is known far and wide for her Award Winning Rib Recipe. I have made it a couple of times at home, though it seems daunting at first, the most difficult part is getting all the spices together for the rub...Continue Reading...