Cathie Szmon

Kick-Off To Summer Open House
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
All Day

Downtown St. Marys ON will be a beehive of activity all day with the Kick-Off To Summer Open House. This special event will feature live models in the shop windows from noon until 2pm; buskers entertaining on the streets; and new merchandise and tremendous discounts in the stores. Merchants are thrilled to not only welcome in the summer season but new and returning shoppers to St. Marys. This will be a fantastic day! We hope you'll join us!

Location: Downtown St. Marys
Website: www.townofstmarys.com
Contact: For further information on this event, please contact the Community Development Department of the Town of St. Marys at 519.284.3500.

Cathie Szmon, Broker
Sutton Group, first choice realty ltd., Brokerage
163 Queen St E St. Marys ON
Office 519-284-4515 ext 308
Cell 519-272-6019
www.cathieszmon.com

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has revised its forecast for home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations for 2011 and 2012.

National sales activity is now expected to reach 441,100 units in 2011, a decline of 1.3 per cent from 2010. This is a slight improvement from the 1.6 per cent decline forecast by CREA in February, due to stronger than expected activity in British Columbia in the first quarter of 2011.

"Home buyers expect mortgage interest rates to rise and are mindful of their current and future debt levels. They're doing their homework to better understand how their mortgage payments and family budget might change down the road before they make an offer," said Gary Morse, CREA President. "That said, even though mortgage rates have increased recently, they remain very attractive and are keeping financing within reach for many homebuyers," added Morse. "Some housing markets are hotter than others, so buyers and sellers would do well to consult their local REALTOR® to understand how supply, demand and prices are evolving in their housing market."

In 2012, CREA forecasts that national sales activity will rebound by 2.6 per cent to 452,500 units. This is little changed from the previous forecast, and stands roughly on par with the ten year average for annual activity.

Although sales activity in the first quarter of 2011 came in largely as expected, multi-million dollar property sales in Greater Vancouver have surged unexpectedly. These sales have upwardly skewed average sale prices for the province and nationally, prompting the average price forecast to be revised higher.

The national average home price is forecast to rise four per cent in 2011 and nine-tenths of a per cent in 2012, to $352,500 and $355,800 respectively. This marks an increase from the previous forecast, and underscores the significant effect that investment in British Columbia is and will have on national results.

"As expected, recent changes to mortgage regulations brought forward some sales activity into the first quarter that would have otherwise occurred later in the year, particularly in some of Canada's more expensive housing markets," said Gregory Klump, CREA's Chief Economist. "This is likely to result in a milder version of the volatility in sales activity that we saw last year."

CREA expects home sales activity to regain traction after dipping in the second quarter as economic recovery and hiring continues. "While interest rates are expected to rise later this year, they will still be within short reach of current levels and remain supportive for housing market activity," said Klump. "Continuing job growth will underpin housing demand, keeping the housing market in balance and stabilizing home prices."

"The extent to which high priced sales activity in Vancouver will pitch up the average price locally, for British Columbia and nationally will likely diminish in the next couple of months in line with a seasonal increase in national activity," Klump added. "That said, foreign investment in Vancouver residential real estate is showing no signs of slowing, so it seems likely to remain a prominent market feature for some time."

Visit www.creanews.ca for more updates.

Cathie Szmon, Broker
Sutton Group-first choice realty ltd., Brokerage
163 Queen St E St. Marys ON
Office 519-284-4515 ext. 308
Cell 519-272-6019
www.cathieszmon.com

Thundering Hooves Hit Milt Dunnell Field This Summer

The Canadian Cowgirls drill team featured during the Stonetown Heritage Festival

St. Marys, ON - Organized by the Community Development Department, the 16th Annual Stonetown Heritage Festival will take place in beautiful St. Marys on July 8, 9 and 10. The majority of the programming (free of charge!) will occur on Saturday, July 9. This year's festival will feature street performers, live musical entertainment, fun hands-on activities for children, a model boat regatta, the Apple Land Train, local and invited food vendors, a street dance, fireworks and a variety of new programming.

"In order to keep an event viable, you have to continue to add fresh new elements to the programming. In fact, we'll be announcing a variety of new programming within the coming weeks. One new addition to the Festival is the Canadian Cowgirls who have accepted our invitation to perform. I've been keeping an eye on them for the past few years and truly think that they'll be an ideal fit for the Festival We're delighted to be welcoming them to St. Marys.." said Community Development & Communications Manager Kelly Lyn Baird.

The Canadian Cowgirls are an award-winning elite rodeo-style drill team that hails from the Chatham-Kent area and consists of 8 to 12 skilled riders and their talented horses. The team will perform in Milt Dunnell Field on Saturday, July 9 at 10:30am and 2pm. The horses on the team represent a variety of different breeds including Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, Arabian, and Paint. Last year, the Cowgirls performed 127 shows across Canada and the U.S. including the Calgary Stampede, Toronto's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Indianapolis 500 Parade. In addition to rodeos and other performances, the Canadian Cowgirls also run the Acceptional Riders therapeutic program, which helps those with special needs take part in horseback riding. Included in the performance is their signature ‘musical ride', trick riding or vaulting demonstration, audience participation stick horse race for the children and an closing drill. Bring your lawnchairs!

This is just a small sampling of the Stonetown Heritage Festival programming for this year. A complete schedule of events will be posted on the town website www.townofstmarys.com by May 15. Alternatively, contact the Community Development Department at 519-284-3500 or tourism@townofstmarys.com for further information.

Cathie Szmon, Broker
Sutton Group-first choice realty ltd., Brokerage
163 Queen St. St. Marys ON
Office 519-284-4515 ext 308
Cell 519-272-6019
www.cathieszmon.com

St. Marys ON Community Players present An Act of the Imagination.

AN ACT OF THE IMAGINATION

by Bernard Slade

Director - Anne Mooney

April 29 - May 8, 2011
Tickets available April 1st

This masterful suspense tale involves a successful mystery writer, Arthur, whose latest work has strangely turned into a vivid and adulterous romance. His son, his second wife and his editor marvel at the truthfulness of the work. Enter a woman, who is intent on blackmail and whose story is foolproof and airtight: it appears that Arthur has been trysting away from home. Then the other woman disappears and a conspiracy that entails cunning, deceit and ingenious plotting is launched.

Tickets for the production are available now at:
The Flower Shop And More - NEW Box Office
147 Queen St. E, St. Marys, ON, Canada
519-284-2013
Mon.-Fri. 9:00am to 5:30pm; Sat. 8am to 3pm
VISA, MC, and debit accepted for in-person purchase.
Telephone orders for reservations, credit cards only.

Or at the door of the Town Hall Theatre one half hour prior to performance.
For map to theatre, 175 Queen St. E., click HERE

Cathie Szmon, Broker
Sutton Group-first choice realty ltd, Brokerage
163 Queen St E St.Marys ON
Office 519-284-4515 ext 308
Cell 519-272-6019
Email szmon@quadro.net
www.cathieszmon.com

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) has revised its 2011 forecast for home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations, and extended it to 2012.

Sales in the second half of 2010 rebounded faster than CREA had previously expected. "The hand-off going into 2011, together with the highs and lows for sales activity posted in 2010, provided guidance for CREA's revised forecast," said Gregory Klump, CREA Chief Economist.

"Home buyers recognize that low mortgage interest rates represent a once in a lifetime opportunity. At the same time, they expect that rates will rise, so they're doing their homework in order to understand what it could mean in terms of higher mortgage payments down the road before they make an offer," said Georges Pahud, CREA President. "The housing market and buyer psychology is different now than it was at the beginning of last year, so buyers and sellers would do well to consult their REALTOR® to understand local market trends."

The upward revision to CREA's forecast for 2011 reflects recent improvements in the consensus economic outlook and a further expected improvement in consumer confidence. National sales activity is now expected to reach 439,900 units in 2011, representing an annual decline of 1.6 per cent. In 2012, CREA forecasts that national sales activity will rebound by three per cent to 453,300 units, which is roughly on par with the ten year average.

"Recent additional changes to mortgage regulations will further ensure that buyers don't buy more home than they can afford when interest rates inevitably rise," said Klump. "The announcement of the new changes to mortgage regulations will likely bring forward some sales into the first quarter that would have otherwise occurred later in the year, particularly in some of Canada's more expensive housing markets. This is expected to produce a milder version of the volatility in sales activity that we saw last year which resulted from additional transitory factors."

Three transitory factors contributed to volatility in sales activity last year: changes in mortgage regulations announced last February, the early withdrawal by the Bank of Canada of its conditional commitment to keep interest rates on hold until the second half of 2010, and the introduction of the HST in BC and Ontario during the summer of 2010.

CREA expects that home sales activity will gain traction after dipping in the second quarter as the economic recovery and job growth continue, incomes grow, and consumer confidence further improves. "Even though mortgage interest rates are expected to rise later this year, they will still be within short reach of current levels and remain supportive for housing market activity. Strengthening economic fundamentals will keep the housing market in balance, which will keep home prices stable," said Klump.

The national average home price is forecast to rise 1.3 per cent in 2011 and 2012, to $343,300 and $347,900 respectively. Average price is expected to rise modestly in most provinces, reflecting the continuation of a healthy balance between supply of, and demand for, homes listed for sale. Although the supply of new listings is expected to trend higher, the expected continuation of sellers' market conditions in Manitoba is forecast to result in a bigger percentage increase in average price in 2011 and 2012 compared to other provinces.

* Provincial weighted average price for Quebec; does not affect unweighted national average price calculations. Information on Quebec's weighted average price calculation can be found at:
http://www.fciq.ca/immobilier-economiste.php

About The Canadian Real Estate Association

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada's largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 real estate Brokers/agents and salespeople working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Above information directly from www.creanews.ca

Cathie Szmon, Broker
Sutton Group - first choice realty ltd., Brokerage
St. Marys ON
Office 519-284-4515 ext. 308
Cell 519-272-6019
www.cathieszmon.com