Jo-Anne Smith- Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga Region Real Estate, Ont

For those who love the water and Lake Ontario Boating, Fifty Point Marina Near Oakville, Ontario ranks near the top of their 'ports to visit' list when travelling by water at the western end of Lake Ontario.

Fifty Point Marina, with it's natural beauty and rustic appeal, offers the travelling boater a chance to experience one of the very finest of marinas in the Golden Horseshoe area.











Setting sail from our home port of Bronte Outer Harbour Marina in Oakville, we recently enjoyed an overnight stay at this enchanting stop near the village of Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Saying Goodbye to Bronte Outer Harbour and the Village of Bronte for a Few Days.

















'Our Native Land'....and Water.

Flying the Canadian Flag on Ronin as we sail across the western end of Lake Ontario.

















Burlington Bridge looms in the distance as we cross the lake.

With binoculars in hand, we scanned the distant shoreline looking for the green marker that shows the entrance to the marina. The marker came into view and as we neared the entrance to the harbour, we lowered our sails and prepared to dock.










Our slip was on the eastern shore of the harbour not far from a wooded path that led to the two secluded beaches.









'Ronin', our home away from home docked at Fifty Point Marina.























The next morning we set out along the path and soon found ourselves on a quiet beach where two dogs swam while their owners talked nearby.


We found out that we had arrived at the 'dog beach' and that the 'human beach' was a short walk further along the trail.












As we crossed a grassy field and walked up a small rise, the 'people' beach came into view. The sandy, crescent shore revealed itself as we reached the summit of the gentle slope.





















Being used to the white sand beaches of the eastern end of Lake Ontario, I gazed down with interest at the slate coloured granules of sand beneath my feet and, raising my eyes to glance out at the water, marvelled at the brilliant blue of the calm surface as rays of sunlight danced upon it's surface.

After spending some time taking in the sun and gentle ambience of this enchanting place, we packed our beach gear and returned to our boat to prepare for the trip home.

Fifty Point Marina, part of Fifty Point Conservation Area, is a full service marina offering the following amenities to Lake Ontario Boaters:

• Seasonal and Transient Dockage
  
  
• Shore Power
  
• 10' Draft
  
• Full Service Fueling Station with Gas, Diesel, Propane and Pumpout
  
• Outside summer and winter storage for boats and cradles
  
• Launching Ramp
  
• 25-Ton Travellift
  
• Showers
  
• Laundromat
  
• Playgound
  
• Washrooms
  
• Barbecues
  
• Camping
  
• Licensed Restaurant
  
• Snack Bar
  
• Variety Store
  
• Ice
  
• Drinking Water
  
• WIFI Internet Access
  
• Two Clean Sandy Beaches - One for People and One for Pets
  
• Stocked Fishing Pond
  
• Scenic Trails and Picnic Areas

As a Clean Marine Certified Marina with an Eco Rating, Fifty Point is ideal for boaters who enjoy docking in a peaceful, natural environment.

If you plan to stop over at Fifty Point Marina as part of your boating travels, it's a good idea to reserve a slip ahead of time. You can call Nancy or Barb for seasonal and transient docking at 905-525-2187.
There is sesaonal dockage for 330 boats with a maximum boat length of 60'.

When planning a boating trip, Fifty Point Marina can't be surpassed for natural beauty, seclusion, amenities and cleanliness.
It's amongst the very finest of Lake Ontario boating destinations near Oakville, Ontario and a place where 'island time' seems to have found it's way.

©2009JoSmith

As the breeze ushered in a reprieve from the high humidity levels and warm Lake Ontario air, thousands of visitors walked up and down the grassy aisles of Oakville's 44th Annual Art in the Park show yesterday afternoon.

It was a beautiful day in Bronte village and the streets were vibrant with visitors from the far reaches of Ontario and the globe.

Oakville's 44th Art in the Park show featured artists of every venue imaginable from watercolours, oils, sculptures and pottery all the way to beautiful wooden bowls and one of a kind jewellry.

Admiring the soft coloured wooden bowls where light pink overtones eked their way across the grains in surprising places, I learned that the wood was naturally coloured that way and came from Manitoba Maples, a Maple we always considered to be a 'weed' tree when I was growing up.

I'll never look at a Manitoba Maple in the same way again, now that I've seen the objects of great beauty that are crafted from it's sinewy trunks and reaching branches.

We met a wonderful couple there, a very talented husband and wife team of artists.
Atanur and Asuman Dogan paint beautiful watercolours of streetscapes, far-away places and the people who live in them.
Atanur is able to capture the expression of his subjects with such vibrant realism that the feelings portrayed jump off the painting and strike to the viewer's very heart.

One of my favourite paintings at the entire Oakville Art in the Park show was painted by Atanur and depicts a small child smiling and bashful and brimming with a gentle happiness. The feeling of love and safety stays with you long after you've viewed the painting and restores your faith that there are still many places where childhood is a time of innocence enjoyed under the protective and loving eye of Grandparents.

Pencil in your calenday and be sure you don't miss Oakville's 45th Annual Art in the Park show next summer, a premier event of the Oakville Art Society.
Who knows, you just might come home with a treasure.

©2009JoSmith

When considering buying a waterfront condominium, Oakville, a beautiful city on the north-west shores of Lake Ontario, Canada, has a wide selection of attractive condominiums to suit every taste and price range.

Along the lakeshore in Oakville, elegant, highrise condominiums sit serenely overlooking the soft blues of majestic Lake Ontario. New condominium projects are currently being built in prime locations on Oakville's lakefront which offer a myriad of services such as on-site yoga studios, meditation suites, restaurants and more.

These highrise condominium developments in Oakville offer a healthy lifestyle for today's active professionals and retirees where everything can be found without venturing too far from home.

There are also townhouse condominiums overlooking Oakville's waterfront parks. Many of these have beautiful upper and lower balconies to take advantage of the lovely views along the shores of Lake Ontario.

Oakville waterfront condominiums offer a gracious lifestyle with expansive windows giving view to a myriad of boats as they make their way across the sparkling waters.
Not far from quaint shops, award winning restaurants and streetside cafes, lakefront condominiums provide a lifestyle of gentle leisure and stimulating culture.

Resting along Ontario's reknowned 'Waterfront Trail', residents of Oakville's waterfront condominiums have access to miles of scenic, health-giving walkways for casual evening strolls or early morning jogs along the lakeshore.

With an excellent transit system just steps away, condominium owners may travel throughout the city and choose not to own an automobile.

Healthcare facilities are prevalent and easily accessible.  Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital is an excellent hospital. With vision to the future, a  new Oakville Hospital, with a plan for completion by 2013, is being built to meet LEED, Canada's guideline for 'green' buildings. Construction will begin in 2011.



For a complete list of the waterfront condominiums currently available for sale in Oakville, contact Jo-Anne Smith. You will receive, by email, a list with links to all of Oakville's waterfront condominiums that are currently available through the local real estate board system. Many of the very best units are sold quite quickly and only through using the services of a real estate professional, will you be able to keep abreast of all new listings on the day they become available.

©2009JoSmith

Traveling north up Guelph Line in
Burlington , you eventually come
to the beautiful historic village
of 'Lowville '.
It is aptly named as it sits in an emerald-green, lush valley where  sparkling Bronte Creek  flows prettily through.

I was in Lowville last week and it was the most pleasant short excursion experience I've had in awhile.








                                                





The road that leads to the stream and past the old stone schoolhouse is lined with tall lilacs which are presently in bloom. The beautiful scent carried throughout the village and brought to mind what all of our pioneer villages must have been like 150 years ago.

Lowville is having it's 'Largest Street Sale ' this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 28, 29 and 30th) from 8am-3pm.



This treasure-hunter's dream sale is being held at the Lowville United Church , 5800 Guelph Line, North Burlington.
All residents in the region are invited to participate by hosting their own yard sales and for those who live in other areas. the church will be renting space in their parking lot.
An outdoor barbecue will be held on all three days with regular barbecue fare being offered for sale.

I hope you'll attend. You just might find an antique treasure or something you've been wanting for a long time.

You can reserve a spot or find out more information by calling 905-681-0864 or by  contacting  Owen Calhoun / Marilyn Fox

©2009JoSmith

As you begin the process of searching for a home in the Burlington, Oakville or Mississauga regions of Ontario , one of the most important steps to take is to find a real estate sales representative who you feel comfortable with and who has good past client references .

Many people searching for a home do not realize that they have the opportunity to save thousands of dollars, time and avoid potential problems by choosing to work with a REALTOR® early in the home buying process.

A REALTOR® will sit down with you and go over all of the things that should be taken into consideration when searching for a home.
They will provide you with valuable information and tools that will help you to find the right home at a price that fits your lifestyle and needs.
They will advise you on things to watch out for and will be there for you from the beginning until the day you move into your new home and will stay in touch with you once you've moved in should any problems arise.

As you begin to work with a REALTOR®, he/she will discuss with you the advantages of signing a 'Buyer's Representation Agreement '

A Buyer's Agency/Representation Agreement provides you with the top level of services a REALTOR® can provide and these services are most often provided to you free of charge.

Your Buyer's agent is paid for the work they have done for you through the Seller's agent whose property you have purchased. The Seller's agent is paid a commission by the Seller when their house is sold. From this commission, a certain percentage is paid to the Buyer's agent's office who then pays the Buyer's sales representative.

When acting on behalf of my buyer clients, I offer the highest levels of service, free of charge to my buyers.
In giving the best service possible to my buyers, I provide the following list of services to ensure that they have an enjoyable, smooth, care-free and happy home buying experience:

• To assist my buyers in understanding what will take place, I outline the entire homebuying process from beginning to end.
  To facilitate this, I provide my buyers with a Homebuying Book and pamphlets on various things to do with the homebuying process.
  
  
  
• In order that my Buyer clients feel comfortable with signing the Buyer's Representation Agreement, I explain it in detail and ensure them that if they are not happy with my services and are able to provide me with an explanation, they are able to cancel the agreement at any time.
  
  
  
• As part of the Homebuying process, I discuss with my clients financing alternatives and determine their needs with regards to financing the purchase of a home.
  If they will be requiring a mortgage, I provide them with a Sutton Member Program VIP card which enables them to apply for a mortgage with the lowest interest rates in Canada.
  Only those Buyers who buy through a Sutton sales representative who is a member of the Sutton Member Program are eligible to apply for a mortgage at this lowest rate.
  The 5 year term, fixed rate mortgage is currently at 3.24 %.
  
  
  
• I endeavour to find the best possible home for my clients and in order to do so, I meet with them and ask them to answer a fairly in-depth questionnaire that deals with their specific needs and desires in a home.
  
  
  
• My Buyers have the right to always be kept up to date with the new listings that have come on the market.
  Immediately after determining my Buyer's needs/desires in a home, I register my Buyers on a Listing Update Program through our local real estate board that provides them with all of the new listings that meet their criteria by email on a daily basis.
  They are then free to peruse the information at their leisure and, since the best listings sell very quickly, are certain not to miss out on any new listings that come on the market within their guidelines and price range.
  
  
  
• When my Buyers come across a property they would like to see, or if I recommend we go and see specific properties, I coordinate the showings and accompany my Buyers through all of the listings they wish to see.
  When looking through homes, I point out potential problems and concerns in relation to each particular property. This gives my Buyers the peace of mind in knowing that a trained eye who is working on their behalf is observing each property along with them.
  
  
  
• When my Buyers find a home they would like to put an offer in on, I provide them with a Comparative Market Analysis on the property so that they know the value of the property.
  This enables them to make an informed decision when deciding how high they would like to go when negotiating on the home price.
  
  
  
• I provide my Buyers with all of the information that is available on all properties that they wish to view.
  On any property that they have further questions about, if I don't know the answer I find out and let them know as quick as possible. This way they won't miss out on a home due to not knowing the answers to any pertinent questions they may be considering. 
  Time is always of the essence when searching for the right home.
  
  
  
• If my Buyers are short on time or are from out of the region, I preview properties for them in order to weed out those that are of poor quality, require a great amount of work or are not suitable.
  This way my Buyers only need  view those properties that are of good quality, priced right and fall within their search criteria.
  
  
  
• If one of my Buyers finds a For Sale By Owner, or if I find one for them that falls within their search criteria, I will set up an appointment to view with the Sellers and should my Buyers decide to put in an offer on the property, I will prepare the Agreement of Purchase and Sale and do all of the negotiating with the Sellers.
  I will also ensure that the Sellers pay my commission for the services I've provided to my Buyers and in payment for bringing them an offer on their property. This way my Buyers are still ensured of having my services provided free of charge, no matter if a property is listed on the MLS system or not.
  
  
  
• When my Buyers find a home that they would like to put an offer on, I discuss with them the terms and conditions of the offer, advising them as to what clauses and terms I feel should be included for their own protection and in their best interests.
  I then prepare the Agreement of Purchase of Sale and present it to the Sellers and their Agent on my clients behalf.
  
  
  
• I negotiate with the Sellers and their Agent to get the best possible price and terms for my Buyers.
  
  
  
• As part of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale conditions that I recommend to my Buyers, I ensure that all offers are conditional upon my Buyer receiving a satisfactory Home Inspection Report on the property prepared by a highly qualified professional Home Inspector.
  
  I give a list of recommended Home Inspectors to my Buyers and ask them to choose one for the inspection. I also ask that my Buyers be present during the Home Inspection process and I ensure them that I will also be in attendance at the Home Inspection.
  
  Once the Home Inspection is completed, I discuss any issues with the Home Inspector and make recommendations to my Buyers as to how to proceed from this point forward.
  Most often, if a house requires certain upgrades or repairs, these can be negotiated on with the Seller during the negotiation and offer process.
  I endeavour to do this to the satisfaction of all parties involved so that my Buyers feel comfortable moving forward with a purchase of the home of their choice.
  
  
  
• Any and all personal information that my Buyers disclose to me is kept in strictest confidence. I provide them with a privacy agreement that outlines this and my Buyers feel comfortable knowing that they can trust me to always keep their best interests in mind throughout the home buying process.
  
  
  
• On any property my Buyers decide to offer on, I do my best to find out the Seller's motivation and reasons for selling as this information will play a vital role during our offer preparation and negotiations.
  
  
  
• Once the offer to purchase has been accepted, I ensure that any and all conditions are satisfied in a smooth and timely manner. I provide my Buyers with a list of recommended lawyers and outline to my Buyer's their lawyer's role and what they can expect to pay.
  I also provide my Buyers with a list of Homebuying incentives and rebates that government bodies may be providing so that all of my Buyers receive the highest value possible in their home purchase.
  
  
  
• My Buyers receive a list of home services that will be provided to them at a discount rate for having bought through me. These services may include, although are not limited to, moving and cleaning services.
  
  
  
• On closing day, I ensure that the events of the day flow as smoothly as possible for my Buyers and am there to assist should keys need to be picked up or documents delivered.
  
  
  
• To ensure that my Buyers are happy with their home purchase and to make sure they know I am always only a phone call or email away, I contact or visit my Buyers on closing day and discuss with them their new home and any concerns they may have.
  
  
  This is the day of celebration and I'm justly proud of my Buyers and their new home and all they have come through to reach this point.
  I ensure that my Buyers know that I will be staying in touch with them and that they may call or email me anytime should any issues arise with their new home or just to say hello!

©2009JoSmith