About Regional Municipality of Niagara, ON

905-937-6000 (Office)
1-866-999-9497 (Office)
dollar@royallepage.ca
www.SallyDollar.com

Royal LePage Niagara R.E. Centre, Brokerage
www.SallyDollar.com
101 LAKEPORT RD
ST. CATHARINES, ON L2N7L7

Southgate Condo Now $239,900

Stable National Real Estate Market Forecast to Endure

Canada's resale housing market recovered lost ground in the second quarter and is poised to stabilize for the remainder of 2009, after a very slow start to the year, according to the recently released Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast and House Price Survey. As the economy begins to stabilize and consumer confidence improves, house prices are expected to appreciate slightly in much of eastern and central Canada. Greater than national average price declines are predicted for the western cities that saw the greatest price inflation earlier in the decade, including Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

"Given the grim shape that Canada's real estate market was in this past winter, the turnaround we have witnessed in the second quarter is really quite remarkable. We believe this improvement represents a sustainable change across the country. While seasonally weaker conditions are to be expected in the fall, the plucky Canadian real estate market is stabilizing and a healthy level of activity is forecast for the second half of 2009," said Phil Soper, president and chief executive officer, Royal LePage Real Estate Services.

During the second quarter, average national prices remain slightly behind those posted during the same period in 2008. Of the housing types surveyed, the price of detached bungalows declined to $327,964 (-3.5 per cent), two storey property prices decreased to $392,378 (-3.7 per cent), and standard condominiums price points fell slightly to $236,612 (-4.0 per cent), year-over-year.

Soper observed, "With our industry's busiest quarter behind us, we feel comfortable revising our 2009 forecast to the positive. When the anticipated market decline struck last winter, it was with greater speed and intensity than predicted, but the strength of the rebound was equally surprising. If general economic conditions continue to improve, as we expect they will, 2009 will be characterized as a period of moderate housing market correction after several years of above-average price growth."

"Looking ahead to the second half of 2009, year-over-year price comparisons will likely appear increasingly more favourable. It is important to remember that the baseline for the latter half of 2008 was unusually low, particularly in the fourth quarter when the full impact of the global financial crisis was felt. Our expectation is that most Canadian regions will experience stable housing prices through into the spring of 2010," concluded Soper.

For more information, please see the Royal LePage Survey of Canadian House Prices at www.royallepage.ca.

If you are wondering what your home is worth in today's market, please contact me and let me put my expertise to work for you!

Average house prices are based on an average of all sub-markets examined in the area, except for the smaller markets of Charlottetown, Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John and Victoria.

Fall is a feast for the eyes with red, gold and bronze hues. While enjoying the trees in their tawny splendour, consider these simple tips to prepare your garden for the upcoming winter.

Grass
Although a carpet of leaves is part of autumn's glory, don't let them sit too long. Rake them frequently as grass needs oxygen and sunlight for proper growth. This is also the time to seed your grass for a thick lush lawn in the spring, and to keep pesky weeds out.

Leaves
Put leaves to work! Small leaves from birch, beech and silver maple trees (or shredded larger leaves) spread under shrubs and over soil will degrade into mineral nutrients and worms will turn them into fertilizer.

Pruning/Re-arranging Plants
Pruning in the fall is important. With leaves cleared you have a better view of your plants. Cut off dead and diseased branches. Remove diseased leaves from under roses (blackspot) and dispose of in the garbage (not your compost heap) or they'll re-infect plants the following spring. If you decide to re-arrange plants or shrubs, move them while the earth is still warm so that the roots can take hold. Protect delicate shrubs with burlap.

Bulbs
If you want to see crocus, tulips and daffodils peeping through the soil in spring, now is the time to start planting. Buy the very best quality bulbs and you will be rewarded with showy blooms in the spring. Check with a local horticulturalist for native bulb options and ideal planting conditions.

Container Gardening
Fill your balcony or patio containers with fall flowers. Picture a pot filled with Vanilla Butterfly (marguerite daisy), with a background of Orange Sedge - this olive green grass turns orange in cool weather, finally fading to bronze. Want an instant conversation piece? Plant ornamental Kale (winter cabbage) in your container: its quirky look is an attention-getter.

Every season has its beauty, but a Canadian fall is spectacular - enjoy!

Get Everything at Your Fingertips with Home Automation

In these busy and often stressful times, having a little help around the house can be handy. Home Automation (HA) tools are a great way to make things run more quickly and efficiently around the house. Here's a list of just some of the great HA tools you can use to make your life a little easier.

Plug and Use Home Automation
Just plug a wire-free HA module into an electrical outlet and you have instant control of lighting, heating, and curtains. A wire-free HA module is a great tool when you are away and want your home to look occupied.

Biometric Fingerprint Locks
Always losing your keys? If you've ever had to go to the expense and bother of changing all your locks, you may want to consider one of the new biometric locks. This is a fingerprint recognition door lock that makes house keys obsolete. Once you scan your fingerprint into memory it will be recognized on the sensor. Up to 99 fingerprints can be stored to ensure frequent visitors (such as family members and cleaners) can gain access to your home. No more having to leave keys under the doormat.

LCD Appliance Wattage Calculator
Ever wonder which of your appliances uses the most energy? Invest in one of these inexpensive plug-in devices and it will accurately measure energy consumption and calculate the cost. It even has an overload warning display - a great safety feature.

Automatic Plant Watering System
What happens to your carefully tended houseplants when you go on vacation - do they wither without you, or waste away due to over-zealous watering by a friend or relative? Consider buying a compact plug-in system that waters up to 14 different indoor plants grouped around the container for up to two weeks. Just set it and forget it until you return.

905-937-6000 (Office)
1-866-999-9497 (Office)
dollar@royallepage.ca
www.SallyDollar.com

Royal LePage Niagara R.E. Centre, Brokerage
www.SallyDollar.com
101 LAKEPORT RD
ST. CATHARINES, ON L2N7L7

Bring your offers! Four level backsplit. 4 bedrooms altogether (2 up + 2 down), large eat-in kitchen with island, 2 bathrooms, finished lower level. Mechanics dream garage 2 1/2 car extended with rear pull through door and sliding doors to large deck and beautiful fenced backyard. Enlarged double driveway with parking for up to 6 cars. View virtual tour at
http://www.sallydollar.com/Listing/VirtualTour.ashx?ListingID=2318735

Most Realtors spend the majority of their time and resources prospecting for new business - things like cold-calling, door knocking, advertising, direct mail etc.

I don't do any of that. I devote myself to serving the needs of my clients before, during and after each transaction. All I ask is that while I am working for them, I would like them to refer me to people of comparable quality to themselves who are thinking about buying or selling a home and who would appreciate the same level of service I provided.

Think of it this way. If you knew someone who was thinking of buying or selling a home or had a friend who was, do you have a realtor that you would refer them to? I would like to be that realtor. Mention my name. In fact, referrals go both ways. I have established a Network of Professionals that I work with that I do the same for. If someone asks me for a great Furnace guy, I know one - If someone asks me for an Electrician, I know one - If someone asks me for a Mortgage Broker or mover, or house cleaner, roofer......it all fits in together. If you are a professional who provides a quality filled service or job for people, I would like to add you to MY network. The more honest, knowledgeable and qualified people we can gather to work together, the better it is for all of us!

You see, as long as you and my other clients keep referring me, and I can refer them to qualified professionals, I dont have to go out prospecting like everyone else, and I can do an even better job for them and their network of friends and family. You too!

I dont receive any compensation for referrals I send to a business and I dont pay for personal referrals to be sent. I expect that my clients would receive the best information, service and rates from who I send them to and THAT is what makes me happy. If they dont, then I want to hear about it and we wont refer any more people. Its a wonderful system so far. My network is fabulous!

I would love to hear from everyone who has a referral and/or is looking for a referral!

Remember how many other realtors spend most of their time.......which would you prefer.....

Thanks for your business and making my network a success.

In total, there were 587 sales for May 2009 for Single Family Homes in Niagara. Houses are definately selling if they are priced correctly.

In May 2009 there were 961 residential properties for sale in Niagara.

The average regional sale price is up to $207,681 in May from $198,534 in April

St. Catharines May 2009 - Total MLS Sales 160 - Average Days on Market 52
Niagara Falls May 2009 - Total MLS Sales 87 - Average Days on Market 72
Welland May 2009 - Total MLS Sales 62 - Average Days on Market 47
Fonthill/Pelham May 2009 - Total MLS Sales 19 - Average Days on Market 38

This is the tail end of the Spring 2009 market. It is expected that things will start to slow and prices will adjust again in the second half of 2009.

I would be happy to give you a FREE no obligation market analysis of your home to let you know how it should be priced and approximately how long it would take to sell in this current market. Just give me a call.

It's that time of year when Canadians retreat to the great outdoors to enjoy everyday activities like cooking, eating, and entertaining. Nowadays many homeowners are demanding more comfort and convenience when connecting with nature, and that's why "outdoor rooms" are growing in popularity. An outdoor room makes use of an exterior space such as a yard, deck, patio or balcony to extend the living area outside the home. Its purpose is to mix the luxury of indoor living with the fresh air, ambiance, and natural setting of the outdoors.
Whether you're creating a new outdoor room or simply updating an existing space, you may want to try and mirror your home's interior design, extending its comfort and aesthetic appeal to the outside. Think of the project as being two sides of the same door. A consistent design theme allows for a harmonious transition between the interior and exterior of your home and can even make your living space appear bigger. Achieve this flow by using similar colour schemes, flooring types, area rugs, and mats.
Heat, cooking facilities, seating, and lighting are just some of the indoor comforts you might consider bringing to your outdoor room. Start with a hearth product such as a fireplace, firepit or chimney as your focal point, and position your seating and cooking areas accordingly. For those who love to cook there are a variety of options available ranging from all season stainless steel BBQs to complete outdoor kitchens with dual burner cook top grills, refrigerator, and expansive counter space for food preparation. Check with your local municipality to determine what products are safe and allowable for your specific set-up.
When it comes to furniture and accessories, think outside the box. Instead of the standard table, umbrella, and patio chairs, consider things like coffee tables, settees, and sofas with stylish, stain and mildew-resistant fabrics. Many manufacturers build furniture and recreational products specifically designed to be used both inside and out, such as outdoor speakers, game tables, and cocktail bars. For added privacy and sound absorption use large potted plants, such as pyramidal cedars, to act as natural walls.
At the end of the day, your outdoor room will be more than a deck or patio; it will be a cozy, comfortable place to retreat, relax, and have fun. You'll never want to go inside again!

©2009 Brookfield Real Estate Services Fund.