Jennifer Zammit, A.C.C.I.

August stabilizing

Last month, 747 homes exchanged hands in the jurisdiction of the London and St.

Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR), a 2 per-cent decrease over August

2008. This includes 600 detached homes (down 1.2 per cent from August 2008) and 147

condos (down 5.2 per cent from August 2008). Year-to-date 4,619 detached homes and

1,069 condos have been sold - down 8.4 per cent and 18.2 per cent respectively

compared to the same period in 2008.

Sales in St. Thomas doing well - 75 homes exchanged hands in August 2009, a 50 per

cent increase over August 2008. The average residential price year-to-date in St. Thomas

is $183,571 a 1.2 per-cent decrease over last year.

Poulopoulos says that both the number of sales and average price are stabilizing with

sales only down 2% over last year and average price up .3% year-to-date from 2008.

This is good news.

"Homebuyers recognize that interest rates and prices have bottomed out, and are taking

advantage of excellent affordability before prices and interest rates move higher," says

Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) President, Dale Ripplinger.

"Home sales through the MLS® systems in July provide clear evidence that sentiment

about making major purchases continues to improve," says CREA's Chief Economist

Gregory Klump. "Activity may level out over the rest of the year as home prices and

mortgage lending interest rates creep higher."

The number of sales and average prices year-to-date for August 2009 were:

Type Units Sold Average Price $$ Change from YTD 2008

Total Detached 4619 $225,751 .7% decrease

Total Condo 1069 $156,815 2.3% increase

Total Residential 5688 $212,795 .3% increase

The average residential price year-to-date for August 2009 is $212,795. The following

table compares year-end average home prices in LSTAR's jurisdiction over the past 10

years:

Year Prices

2008 $210,888

2007 $202,256

2006 $188,942

2005 $178,058

2004 $166,138

2003 $152,586

2002 $142,106

2001 $136,636

2000 $134,593

1999 $131,899

August residential sales year-to-date over the last 10 years:

Year Sales

2009 5688

2008 6350

2007 7009

2006 6494

2005 6401

2004 6567

2003 5913

2002 5968

2001 5209

2000 4804

The best-selling house style in LSTAR's jurisdiction for the month of August was the

two-storey, followed by the bungalow, the ranch, and the townhouse condo:

House Style Units Sold Average Price

2 storey 172 $292,569

Bungalow 143 $171,548

Ranch 83 $248,957

Townhouse Condo 76 $152,183

Homes in LSTAR's jurisdiction continue to maintain their affordability compared to

other major Ontario and Canadian centres. According to the Canadian Real Estate

Association's Residential MLS Report for July 2009 (the most current available), the

average price year-to-date for:

􀂃 London and St. Thomas was $213,932;

􀂃 Calgary was $379,192;

􀂃 Durham Region was $274,585;

􀂃 Edmonton was $320,164;

􀂃 Hamilton-Burlington and District was $285,858;

􀂃 Kitchener-Waterloo was $273,895;

􀂃 Ottawa was $299,961;

􀂃 St. Catharines & District was $218,287;

􀂃 Toronto was $386,329; and

􀂃 Greater Vancouver was $568,021.

The London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® is a professional organization

committed to serving the real estate needs of the community and to providing its

Members with the services and education required to promote excellence, knowledge and

a high standard of ethics and business practices. The Association's jurisdiction includes

Middlesex and Elgin Counties, home to nearly 500,000 residents. The Multiple Listing

Service® is a cooperative marketing system used only by Canada's real estate boards and

associations to ensure maximum exposure of properties for sale. All of LSTAR's listings

may be found on the public website at www.REALTOR

Space sells. In home staging one of the goals is to make small spaces seem more... well... spacious. Here are some tips to make a small room seem bigger.

1. Clear out the clutter! Can't reinforce this enough. Less is more. If a shelf is completely full then nothing on it stands out and it gives the impression that there is not an inch of spare space. A buyer will think that there is no room for their belongings in the home. Pack up the collections. Create small groupings of two or three items and have tons of free space to show off shiny surfaces. Which leads me to the next tip...
2. Make it shine, all of it. Surfaces should sparkle and reflect light. Pearly or light paints on walls are another bonus. We've all heard that light paint makes rooms look larger. It's tried and true.
3. How about making walls look taller? Make the room look bigger still by hanging window treatments as close to the ceiling as possible all the way down to the floor. It is very dramatic!
4. Clean your windows (everything shines and sparkles remember). Be sure to let in the light and expand the view by opening blinds and curtains during showings. Views and space help sell a home.
5. This is one people have trouble with, make sure the furniture is to scale with the room. Too big of furniture can dominate a room. Too small can look cheap or out of place. Make sure there is space to walk with a good traffic pattern. Professional interior designers and home stagers will choose the right furniture for the room and arrange it in the best way possible

Whether your child is moving to a new neighborhood or making the leap to middle or high school, the first few weeks may be filled with anxiety as well as excitement. These 10 tips will help your child make a smooth transition to your new school.

1. Make it a team effort.

If you're choosing among a few schools, talk with your child about what each school has to offer. When it comes time to select specific classes, make sure your child is part of the process.

2. Keep a positive focus.

As the first day draws near, begin talking to your child about her expectations, hopes and fears for the upcoming school year. Reassure her that other children are having the same feelings and that she's sure to have a great year. Present school as a place where she'll learn new things and make friends.

3. Encourage school involvement.

Though you don't want your teenager to become over-committed, it's important to encourage participation in one or two activities that particularly interest him. He's more likely to engaged academically if he feels connected through a school activity, club or sport. Talk to him about his goals for the school year and how he might like to be involved in school outside of the classroom.

4. Get enough z's.

If your child has enjoyed a vacation of late nights and lazy mornings, getting him up for school on the first day can be difficult. Help make this transition easier by starting his school-year sleep routine a week or two in advance.

5. Take a trial run.

Take some time before the start of school to make sure you and your child know where to go and what to do on that first morning. Show your child where the bus stop is, or, if she walks, map out the safest route to school, avoiding vacant lots and places where there aren't a lot of people. Warn your child to always walk with a friend and scout out safe houses to go to in case of emergency. If you can find out what classroom your child will be in, visit the classroom ahead of time so she knows exactly where to go in the morning. You may even want to call the school in advance to find out about any special first-day procedures.

6. Stock up on supplies.

On or before the first day of school, make sure you or your child finds out what school supplies and materials are required. Most schools should provide a handy list for the lower grades, but if not, take it upon yourself to ask and then purchase the items as soon as possible. Middle and high school students should bring a notebook and pen or pencil on the first day.

7. Prepare the night before.

To avoid the morning rush, organize what you can the night before. Lay out clothes, make a lunch and assemble any supplies your child may need. Be sure to get everyone up extra early so you'll have plenty of time to calmly get ready and get out the door on time.

8. Get a healthy start.

Encourage your child to eat a good breakfast and pack a healthy snack to help her get through the day.

9. Accompany your little one.

Even if your elementary school child will be riding the bus regularly or walking to school, you may want to take him yourself on the first day, particularly if he seems nervous.

10. Introduce yourselves.

Young children are often shy with a new teacher. If you take your child to school on the first day, you might want to go into the classroom and introduce your child to the teacher. Let the teacher know about any special interests or challenges that your child has.

Reading books together about school is a good way to establish the reading habit and to start conversations about school excitement and fears.

Gook luck!

The Law of Polarity states that nothing can exist without its opposite. If hate exists in someone, then love must exist as well. If you see low potential in someone, then high potential must also exist in that person. "Failure" in life must be accompanied by the seeds of success. If something is really awful, then the possibility must exist for it to be awesome! Further, the Law of Polarity states that, in fact, these opposites are simply different manifestations of the same thing!

When you hear successful people talk about how they got where they are, what do you hear? Do they say that they just opened their eyes one morning and success was all around them? No, their stories are full of how their failures taught them and directed them toward success.

You may have heard the story about the young man who asked the wise man, "How did you get to be so wise?"

"By making wise choices," the wise man answered.

"How did you know they were wise choices?" the young man countered.

"Why, by experience, of course," the old man replied.

"How did you get experience?" the young man asked.

"By making poor choices!" the wise old man exclaimed.

Knowing that every challenging experience contains the seeds of its opposite (success) makes life a constant learning experience and a great adventure.

Challenge yourself this week to find the learning or the opportunity in every single event in your life.

Puppy Pawlooza... the name says it all! It's a festival for dogs!

We have a star-studded lineup of fun activities for you and your canine friend. Pawlooza has rows of vendors selling unique items for your dog and cat... many of Ontario's rescue organizations will be showcasing their furry friends that are up for adoption... there are free puppy trick classes, free dog obedience classes, free trick demos, free pet psychic demos, doggie dock diving, free agility demos, free pet nutrition demos, free first aid demos, and free dog safety demos for children. There are also food vendors, live music, a children's play and craft area... and lots of prizes, contests, free samples, a silent auction area, and more! Check out our events and contests page for more info.

Pawlooza is a fundraising initiative by two not-for-profit organizations : the Animal Rescue Foundation and Leads. All of the time put into planning and running the festival is donated and all of the proceeds of the event are split between ARF and Leads.

Go To www.pawlooza.com for more details.