You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
Hive Moduler's S-Line ["S" for small homes] is a compact dwelling design under 1000 sq. ft. that maintain the same high quality and materials as all the other Hive homes. Open living spaces help to create the feeling of large living in these small homes and are just one of the many standard Hive design features found within the S-Line.
If you would like to explore the option of building a Hive home in Toronto, please get in touch! We'd love to help.
The Sales Office for Park Lake Residences is being returned to the City of Toronto; Parks and Recreation. Construction (demolition) will begin shortly to create a BMX bicycle park on the narrow strip of land that is adjacent to the Gardiner Expressway and parallel with Lake Shore Blvd West at Ellis Avenue.
BMX riders who have built ramps and jumps at High Park at the south duck pond have created concerns about environmental damage and has resulted in complaints at City Hall.
Until last year, there had been jumps and ramps inside High Park near the duck pond just steps from Queensway at Parkside Drive. The area is an ecologically significant area, according to the city. In May, the informal, freestyle cycling area was dismantled by the city with help from members of different First Nations communities. With shovels and rakes in hand, they restored what is known to them as Snake Mound, a sacred burial ground. The area has been replanted and fenced off and is currently being monitored for any further cycling activity.
Hosted by the City of Toronto, the meeting attracted riders of all ages from across Toronto and beyond to the Rousseau Room of the Swansea Town Hall. "We can design from the ground up," said Parkdale-High Park Councillor Sarah Doucette, who expressed her excitement for the project. "We can do something amazing here."
Well if it means your property is going to showcased in the real section as "Home Of The Week", then absolutely! Your property cannot get better exposure and better local marketing than that!
Remember had this property not been staged it is unlikely it would have been featured!
To check out the article simply click on on the pictures below
Hopefully in the first year of your living in a new condominium your budget will have an increase that is modest and not the reality that a 15 or 25% increase because the Reserve Fund has not been adequately proposed because the builders market them at the minimum 10% requirement.
You will need to have the Board of Directors to meet and present this to you, possibly in a town hall meeting, prior to the introduction of the first years maintenance fee increase.
Many buildings that do not increase the fees or are self managed chose not to increase the fees, and then find themselves many many years later with Special Assessments and having to catch up.
The estimated maintenence fees; GET READY for about 55 to 58 cents per square foot, realistically plus the property tax component that is not yet assessed. If you have a condo question chronicling your adventure buying a Toronto condo give me a call at 647 218 2414 or post a comment below. Thank you.
Lets Chronicle your First Year of Condo Ownership - Now you really have questions.
You made a selection a few years back that you thought would suit your lifestyle and moving into the future. You made a wise selection based on where you would be working near transit and community hubs.
The Builder /Developer has served notice that a Turn over Meeting will be held in a Hotel and or Meeting Room (unless your Rec Center is indeed able to hold all the residents) and hopefully the majority of residents will attend. An invitation was made by the Management Company / Builder / Developer for residents to put their names forward for positions on the Board. Usually 3 positions are posted.
Each person who is interested my make a verbal submission at this meeting. There is a vote held by the residents and VOILA you now have a Board of Directors.
The Board will now meet monthly to discuss the financial expenditures and operational issues of the building. You may need to have a double first maintenence fee becuase there probably isn't enough cash on hand to pay the hydro and gas bills. You condo bylaws do not permit you to pay interest on any overdue bills.
During the course of the first few meeting you will accept or adopt;
The Management Company
Security Concierge Services Alarm Systems
Elevator Contracts
Generator Contracts
Maintenance Agreements for all building Equipment
Cleaning and Service Personnel
Landscaping and Pest Control
Garbage Removal and Recycling (we pay a tipping fee)
Secure Legal Council for the Corporation
Obtain an appraisal for Insurance purposes
Select an Insurance Bid/ Broker
SEARCH Title to insure the removal of all liens
Contracts for Window washing
Bids and Tenders for Carpet Cleaning
Bids and Tenders for Parking Garage Sweeping
Review of Security Door and Camera Equipment.
Now, We need to immediately start on the Performance Audit. We have till the calendar year end from the turn over of the building to examine all the shop drawings, electrical systems, count floors and windows and verify that we received what was contracted to be built for us in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Bids are tendered for an Engineering Firm to review this on out behalf and produce a performance Audit. This PA entails meeting with residents in a Town Hall environment and producing a questionairre that is circulated to the building residence. This question form asks about draft leaks, windows and exterior wall finishes and insulation looking for commonality of construction shortfalls or errors. Individual test holes, drilling and samples of concrete are compiled.
The Performance Audit is used to file a claim against the builder and Tarion Home Warranty program for items that may / should be warranty claims with the builder. Having finished the Perfomance Audit the same firm of engineers selected by the Board will calculate a replacement cost table of average costs using 40 year averages. This Reserve Fund Study makes calculations of what is required for the long term repair and upkeep of the building. A complete table of annual contributions is over the replacement cost of individual components. Under the Condo Act (1998) adoption of the Reserve Fund study is mandatory unless the Board can produce another engineering report for refute the findings.
The Builders (proposed Annual Operating Budget) includes only the legislated minimum contribution of 10% to the Reserve Fund that is woefully inadequate given the size and complexity of most structures built today.
Your Board is Now required to increase the contribution to Reserve as required by The Reserve Fund Cash Flow Summaries and in accordance with the Condo Act this will take place starting the next full year.
Increases of 20 - 25% in the first year are not uncommon with many buildings coming in around 58 cents per square foot as the average maintenance cost. Taller and thinner slender towers are the most efficient construction method but we seem to prefer the multi- tower construction that shares a more enhanced Recreation Center and Running Track. Multiple Tower structures with shared Recreation Centers would prove costliest. Single towers with height ( ie 30 floors+ ) and large floor plans (30 units per floor) offer economy of scale
If you have questions or comments please add them. Need to talk Call me at 647 218 2414
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