Simcoe County forest borders Bear Creek Meadows in South West Barrie.  It is a favorite place for residents to enjoy a breath of oxygen  and is frequented by families with little ones, teenagers who like to make ramps for their bikes or sleds in the winter. It is a reforestation area so the trees are planted neatly in rows and lend a great opportunity for fun photos. It is also an occasional hangout place for deer and coyotes; we are always alert if we go for a walk in the evenings after dark. We live on the edge of this forest and sometimes hear packs of coyotes at night We recently took a trip to South Africa to visit family and friends, (this was my first trip back in eight years) and the night we got back, after a gruelling 30 hour international trip Steve went to the corner shop fo... 11/03/2012

Barrie Ontario Information, Information on Barrie Ontario, Real Estate in Barrie, Ontario If you are a long-time resident or a visitor from afar, it is very clear that Barrie has a lot going on and a lot to offer residents and new businesses. From the transformation of empty lots to remarkable new buildings gracing the city skyline, award-winning festivals, to the many great parks and trails suited for both young families and the young at heart. The City of Barrie is home to one of the nation's most advanced computing facilities: The IBM Canada Leadership Data Centre officially opened on September 21st, 2012. The Barrie facility has been designed from the ground-up with the latest advancements in energy efficient data centre management, business continuity, resiliency, security and disa... 11/03/2012

Barrie's unemployment rate falls to 8.3% - down from 8.9% in September. Mayor Jeff Lehman says 800 new jobs created.(ctv news) Statistics are always tricky, so I do hope this isn't mainly based on part-time seasonal employment. This is encouraging news for our local economy! It is no doubt bolstered by the opening of IBM’s Research and Development Centre which is said to provide 145 jobs.  Many people move to Barrie, enticed by more affordable housing, a smaller city and close proximity to skiing, sailing and all the other fun outdoor activities, however there is a price to pay if they still work in the Big Smoke…..some commuters rise at 4.30am and return home at 6.30pm after a long day a Go train ride home. Many residents are happy to do this in order to have a bigger home for their bu... 11/02/2012

  Events in November in Barrie, Local Events Barrie, Community Events Barrie   Barrie, Ontario is a great spot with lots of activities for a young family, or the young at heart. Lots of great holiday events in Barrie, Ontario all through November.   Some interesting facts about Barrie, Ontario:   Barrie, Ontario Canada, named after Sir Robert Barrie, is the 34th largest city in Canada and one of the fastest growing cities.    In June 1987, a sculpture called Spirit Catcher by Ron Baird was moved to Barrie from Vancouver, BC, where it had been exhibited as part of Expo’ 86.  The sculpture was erected permanently at the foot of Maple Avenue on the shore of Kempenfelt Bay. However, with the re-development along the waterfront/Lakeshore Drive, the city is considering moving the Spirit Catch... 10/30/2012

  As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Canadians with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of Canadian labor. This year will be different. This year Canadians will give the gift of genuine concern for other Canadians. There is no excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by Canadians hands. Yes there is! It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local Canadian hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking        about some health improvem... 10/27/2012

OPEN HOUSE Saturday October 27th2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.14 Indian Arrow Road., Shanty Bay, BarrieLocated in an exclusive east end community of Barrie across the road from a park, and walking distance to a Public Beach and Barrie Yacht Club, you would not want for a cottage living here. Would you like a private viewing?  Call me, Chris Smith @ 1.866.936.3500 and I will arrange it. Barrie Bungalow by the Bay Overview Maps Photos Features Neighborhood $424,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Bathrooms1 Partial Bathroom Location 14 Indian Arrow RdBarrie, ONCanada To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Our recent listings Four Level Detached Sidesplit in Great Family NeighbourhoodRaised Country BungalowBarrie Bungalow by ... 10/26/2012

Home Sales in Barrie,  Barrie Real Estate Market Trends,  Barrie real estate statistics. Residential property sales recorded through the MLS System of the Barrie & District Association of REALTORS® Inc. numbered 342 units in September 2012, down from year ago. While demand has softened somewhat, much of that year over year decline reflects a very strong month of September last year. Within the City of Barrie, sales activity also recorded a decrease of 12 per cent from a year earlier.  The City of Barrie saw 213 residential sales in September.   Home sales in Barrie are still well on track to record the best annual sales figure in five years in 2012. A total of 3,721 homes have traded hands so far this year. This is up nine per cent from the same period in 2011, and marks the best first ... 10/16/2012

Real estate and the real estate market has been a hot topic in the media this year, especially in the last few months. The reports can be confusing; one day we’re facing “The burst of the real estate bubble!” and the next “Prices are rising and sales are up!”. Some have even compared Canada’s real estate market to that of the United States before the recession in 2008, so it’s hard not to panic and to know what to believe. Even the ‘experts’ differ on their view of Canada’s real estate market. With all the stories on the news and in the media, we wanted to make sure that you know a few key points about Canada’s real estate market and more importantly the market right here at home in Barrie and the surrounding area. First, we’d like to make sure you know that anyone talking about ‘Canada... 10/04/2012

Events in October in Barrie, Local Events Barrie, Community Events Barrie   Are you looking to move to Barrie?  It is a great spot with lots of activities. Great events in Barrie, Ontario all through October. Many local Barrie, Ontario events happening now. Some interesting facts about Barrie, Ontario: The Spirit Catcher in Barrie, Ontario looks over Kempenfelt Bay and its wings actually sway in the breeze. It was originally created for Expo '86 in Vancouver, but Barrie purchased it. It's one of those things you'll always see in a Barrie, Ontario postcard. Barrie, Ontario is located on Lake Simcoe.  It is Ontario's fourth largest lake. At the north end, Lake Simcoe connects to Lake Couchiching in the north end, and it contains Cook's Bay to the south as well as Kempenfelt Bay. The north... 10/03/2012

Home sales edge up in August/2012.  Residential property sales recorded through the MLS System of the Barrie & District Association of Realtors Inc. numbered 406 units in August 2012, edging up one per cent from year-ago levels. This was the eighth consecutive year-over-year gain. Within the City of Barrie, sales activity recorded a decrease of three per cent from a year earlier. The City of Barrie saw 261 residential sales in August. Home sales saw their best month of August in five years last month, driven by stronger activity in some of the surrounding communities outside of Barrie. That runs counter to the trend that’s being reported across much of the country, which has seen sales falling in the wake of stricter mortgage lending rules that came into effect in early July. A total of... 10/02/2012

Last week CBC's "The Bottom Line" tried to sum up the nuances of our national real estate market with a panel of experts gathered around a table in the downtown Toronto CBC studio. There is no shortage of advisors ready to impart their financial wisdom to the news media. They thrive on economic change along side our thirst to know what lies ahead and what we should be doing to prepare.  For as long as I have been reading newspapers and business/financial magazines,  from time to time we see an article that attempts to weigh the merits of renting your living space against owning your own home. Whenever we see a rising of property values beyond what had been typical in the previous few years we tend to see far more of these articles.What you dont see that would be more telling, are articl... 09/24/2012

Barrie's new home market is booming.  Pratt Homes is the only home builder in Barrie offering townhomes, condos and detached home options in four separate and highly desirable locations. Seven model homes from the East Side Village II community (in Barrie's North End close to Johnson’s Beach) and the Southwoods community (in the South End at 213 Harvie Road off Veterans road) will be available for viewing on Saturday, September 22, 2012. New homebuyers considering a move to Barrie, are likely looking a new vs. resale because for the first time in a very long time new home prices are relatively more reasonable than resale.  Today, a new 4-bedroom townhome with main floor hardwood, stainless steel appliances and registration for a Tarion New Home Warranty is available for $254,990.  Resa... 09/20/2012

      If you have friends or relatives who own homes in Toronto you are no doubt reminded by them again and again of the cash cow they are sitting on. GTA home values have skyrocketed in comparison to anywhere else in Ontario over the past ten years. It is one of the reasons a good percentage of people who left hog town for Barrie over the past decade did so. Here is an interesting fact I read this morning: Even with the now common place above list price sales and around the block lineups for new condo sales, Toronto real estate prices are 18 years behind New York City prices. Start spreading the news.   09/19/2012

09/18/2012

Home sales edge up in August Residential property sales recorded through the MLS® System of the Barrie & District Association of REALTORS® Inc. numbered 406 units in August 2012, edging up one per cent from year-ago levels. This was the eighth consecutive year-over-year gain.Within the city of Barrie, sales activity recorded a decrease of three per cent from a year earlier. The city of Barrie saw 261 residential sales in August.“Home sales saw their best month of August in five years last month, driven by stronger activity in some of the surrounding communities outside of Barrie,” said Walter Doret, President of the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS®. “That runs counter to the trend that’s being reported across much of the country, which has seen sales falling in the wake of s... 09/12/2012

Preparing for an Open House Matching buyer and property should be the primary goal of your Realtor. The most practical and time tested method of achieving that end is the open house. Whether the Realtor you hire is willing to do openhouses could be an indicator of the level of comitment they are willing to undertake on your behalf. The sale of a home can be a stressful and busy time for any homeowner which is why it is important to work closely with your Realtor if you are planning an open house. Your best approach is to ask as many questions as possible about what you need to do to prepare as well as making sure you understand  what occurs during an open house.     While not exhaustive, below are some examples of questions you might  want to ask your Realtor: • Will your salesperson be... 09/11/2012

I'm very excited to announce the launch of my new website, www.PeggyHill.com ! It's been in development for a while and I'm thrilled to share it with all of you! Please read our press release below for more information: Prominent Barrie real estate brokerage Peggy Hill & Associates Realty Inc. recently launched their new website, PeggyHill.com. Designed to serve as an informational hub on the real estate market in the region, the site provides prospective homebuyers and sellers with a wide array of helpful resources.   “We built our site so that buyers and sellers could have relevant information right at their fingertips,” says Barrie Realtor Peggy Hill, Peggy Hill & Associates’ Broker of Record. “While it’s certainly easy to go online, finding the right data can be a bit more challengi... 08/30/2012

Congratulations to last week's Barrie Real Estate Page on facebook winner. ** Tina Forget ** Tina will be receiving a fifty dollar gift certificate from Gio's Ristorante on Anne st. in Barrie. Click the facebook icon at the bottom right of this page, "like" the Barrie Real Estate Page for your chance at weekly prizes from local Barrie businesses. 08/19/2012

Dream Homes ** Click to view 08/10/2012

Friday August 17th one lucky page subscriber will be drawn for a 2 for 1 dinner from Corson's Sports Bar & Grill 08/09/2012