London Ontario local events - Pet Show! Will be taking place on Nov. 6 & 7. It will take place at the Western Fair - Progress building Featuring everything you need to know about pet nutrition, health, services, breed information and ways to enhance the pleasure and companionship of your family pet. The interactive nature of the show will allow you to actively participate by getting close to the animals, speak with breeders and product experts, and watch live competitions and demonstrations. Please feel free to bring your well behaved pets. 10/20/2010

Is the well-being of Londoners considered where the environment is considered and is it sustainable? While London and its community may not be perfect, below are a few projects and groups that are making an impact. London Community Foundation's Clean Air Challenge Reforest London's Greening Our Schoolyards Planning Project Pollution Solutions in the Coves Subwatershed Daily Bread Goes Green Urban League of London Endowment Fund For more information go to the following: www.clearnet.london.ca www.rethinkenergylondon.com www.postcarbonlondon.ca www.londonvitalsigns.ca 10/20/2010

I thought that I would bring recycling. waste management and fall leaf collection programs that are available and what the City of London is doing. For example, in London, old TV's & other electronics, computers, fax machines, monitors, speakers. turntables and video projectors, etc are no longer acceptable for curbside collection. In London, there are 3 drop-off locations. Go here for locations or to www.recycleyourelectronics.ca for many other London locations. A question though?  Should Waste Reduction Week have been held one week later to coincide with the municipal elections in Ontario, we then could really get rid of some waste! 10/20/2010

London Ontario Municipal Elections - Monday October 25th! Are you on the list? You can find out if you are on the London, Ontario Municipal list of electors by Online inquiry - complete and submit our Voters' Inquiry form or by Phoning the Election Office at 519-661-4535. Once you are on the list all you need to do is show up to vote with your ID. Once you're on the Voters' List, you should receive a Voter Notification Card by mail in early October which will tell you where to vote on Election Day - your assigned polling location. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m To find out where you need to vote. http://www.london.ca/wheredoivote/Default.aspx chick the link and enter your London, Ontario address and your polling station will be revealed to you  If you have just moved to the are... 10/19/2010

Bank of Canada - No increase in the overnight rate it will stay at 1%. The Bank of Canada has stated "the economic outlook for Canada has changed. The Bank expects the economic recovery to be more gradual than it had projected in its July Monetary Policy Report" With interest rate still low, now is the time for purchasing that home you have always wanted. Call me today to find out how you can make your dream of home ownership a reality! 10/19/2010

We all have heard about people making a killing (a lot of money) in buying and selling real estate and just lately (last 3 years) we hear of those who have lost everything! Is it greed? Luck? Uninformed?Unprepared? Misinformed, or all of these? I have seen some of these traits in some or all in people who should not even buy a lottery ticket with a 50/50 chance of losing! On the other hand, and which brings me to the point of this blog, over the last 5 months I have worked with over 60 clients who have purchased or sold real estate. Some were on the top of their profession but when it came to money, they were out of their comfort zone. And then, from the least expecting source, average income earners who were cautious yet wise in their spending habits, could buy twice the house they eve... 10/19/2010

Did you know that London Ontario has over 280 parks and green spaces. Springbank Park with its myriads of trails, bike paths and mini parks within the park is the most popular in London. What about Victoria Park with its bandshell, Harris Park for concerts, Fanshawe Park for boating and camping and Pond Mills for its ponds and trails? There are 4.4 million trees or about 12 for every Londoner and 120 tree species. Do you think that is why we are known as the Forest City? Among all these trees and parks are great neighbourhoods with a variety of cultures, home styles and ambiance. How can I help find you the right neighbourhood for your family? 10/19/2010

Oakridge still remains a very sought after area in west London to live in. From Oakridge Park, Oakridge Meadows and Oakridge Acres, there is something for everyone. You can go from wide streets with large tree lined lots to modern new construction homes, condo apartments, townhouses and more. Great schools, great shopping, easy access for public transportation, great parks, a 27 hole hole golf course, professional offices and other inherent values you would expect in a neighbourhood. Check it out yourself, go for a drive, a walk, a bike ride or call me, I'll show you! 10/18/2010

London is the 10th largest city in Canada and the total population in London and Middlesex County is 489,274! By the time of the 2011 population census, it is estimated that people age 55-plus will increase to about 28%, or nearly 1-in-3 Londoners! 62% of Londoners own their own home and the number of those renting accommodations declined for the first time in 15 years! Londoners speak 48 different languages! For more about London visit www.londonvitalsigns.ca 10/18/2010

Today was a beautiful fall day and I went for a walk in and around Pond Mills. The leaves were turning, birds still doing what birds do, squirrels chasing each other and a few persistent boys fishing? The trails are well marked, the air is so clean and the topography is variable so for exercise it is a great workout. The amazing thing was that at 11:00 AM I only came upon 3 people on the trails. Pond Mills is in South East London, offers great parking and has quiet a few entrances and exits. Why not discover the beauty of Pond Mills, and while in the area, the price of condos and homes are attractive as well. Go to: http://www.thamesriver.on.ca/wetlands_and_natural_areas/westminster.htm and learn more Ty 10/16/2010

I have already covered apartment condos and one floor condo bungalows and ranches for sale in London Ontario this month and today is some helpful (or disparaging news) about single floor bungalows and ranches. (On a side note, I received an email the other day from a gentleman wanting to know how many sheep he could legally raise on a ranch in London!) A ranch home is larger than a bungalow with more interior space. At present there are 46 houses between $100,000 to $150,000 available for sale. Of those 16 are real dogs!There are 98 houses between $150,000 to $200,000 for sale and of those, 14 are really a good deal! Houses from $200,000 to $275,000 lead the way with 102 available and some of those really need some work! There were 35 houses between $275,000 to $400,000 and 43 over $400... 10/14/2010

Are you looking to purchase a one floor condo in London Ontario and not in in an apartment building? Do you want an attached or detached condo with a single or double garage? It can be daunting with the following: 3 condos for sale between $150,000 - $250,000 25   "         "     "       "       200,000 -  275,000 17   "         "     "       "       275,000 -  375,000 14    "        "      "       "      375,000 plus So where do you begin? Is location important? Parking? Public transportation? Condo fees? Amenities? Safety? Size? Protection of investment? Finished basement? Pets? Gardens? Or, all of the above? I and my staff have extensive experience with condos in London Ontario, we know the buildings and all the little quirks and ins and outs of the area. So I ask you, if you were go... 10/12/2010

Are you looking to purchase a condo in London Ontario in a high rise building ? It can be daunting with the following: 61 condos for sale between $100,000 - $150,000 26   "         "     "       "         150,000 -  200,000 16   "         "     "       "         200,000 -  275,000  5    "        "      "       "         275,000 plus So where do you begin? Is location important? Parking? Public transportation? Condo fees? Amenities? Safety? Size? Protection of investment? Or, all of the above? I and my staff have extensive experience with condos in London Ontario, we know the buildings and all the little quirks and ins and outs of the area. So I ask you, if you were going to entrust your money, your future and your comfort. would it not be wise to work with a real estate brokerage that k... 10/12/2010

Our local newspaper reported today in the business section of the London Free Press that the 'Housing Market Cools Further' in the London - St.Thomas market. They reported that September 2010 was the lowest month for sales in the last 10 years! There were 628 homes sold, 45 were sold conditionally, 473 expired (did not sell within the listing agreement ) and 216 listings were withdrawn. Now, if you are going to list your home you might be concerned! If you are a buyer, you might be salivating at the mouth, ready to pounce and save a fortune! Well, cover your ears, put one hand over one eye and read this. The homes that did sell sold for 98.7% of their asking price! Why? The seller priced the home correctly, was in salable and show-able condition and 628 buyers thought so as well. With 1... 10/12/2010

Over the last week I have had the good fortune to show 3 separate couples houses for sale in Uplands in North London. Two were looking for a 2 story home, 4 bedrooms and one wanted everything to be on one floor with a very open concept. Our price range was from $390,000 to $550,000 and I was able to find all 3 couples a home that fit most of their criteria. Over the last 7 months I have shown homes in this great neighbourhood, the closeness to Jack Chambers school, Masonville Mall and UWO really helps as well. Before listing your home in Uplands maybe we should have a talk! 10/11/2010

Getting started in a new community, with its new culture, languages and customs can be tough. Finding employment, learning a new language and gaining recognition for foreign education and credentials are major challenges that many newcomers face. London cannot afford to lose out on skills and talent of our newcomers. If you are new to London Ontario, are planning on moving to London Ontario or knows of someone who is, if they visit http://www.londonvitalsigns.ca/getting-started-our-community they will find a wild array of agencies and contacts that can help in adapting to London Ontario. 10/11/2010

Sometimes in this busy world we lose track of the day to day inner workings of the city or town we live in and at times are only concerned about what the city does or does not do when effects us. if you would like to know how London Ontario handles the following: Air Quality Greenhouse Gas emissions from private vehicles Waste Management Water Quality Water Conservation Average Daily Flow of Water Residential Garbage Disposed in Landfill Sites Waste Diverted Away from Landfill Sites Go to Londonvitalsigns.ca at http://www.londonvitalsigns.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/environment.pdf and now you know. 10/11/2010

I just helped acouple from Europe that had requested me to locate a 4 bedroom home in an upscale neighbourhood of London that had good schools and fairly easy access to his place of employment. They were to be here for 16-18 months before moving back to their homeland. We were quite successful and the point of this blog is that this week I saw 9 very upscale condos and houses starting at $2200 per month plus. If you are relocating to London Ontario and looking for a quality home to lease, I know where they are and how to get you into that home without a lot of hassles. 10/08/2010

In a recent study 65% of real estate buyers were definitely satisfied with their sales representative. Think about that - that means fully 35% were not! The same study indicated buyers expect their sales representative to perform very few functions. For repeat buyers: 1.     62% wanted their sales representative to find the right house or condo,   2.    19% wanted their sales representative to negotiate the price after checking against comparable prices, and    3.    14% wanted their sales representative to complete the paperwork properly. I thought about the above numbers and thought: "If someone is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, should they not be 100% satisfied through out the process"? And yes, I have heard you can't please everyone but you sure can try! To ensure that I... 10/07/2010

Yesterday I was helping a young family trying to find a townhome condo in London that had at least 3 bedrooms, a finished basement, in a good neighbourhood and in good shape. What surprised me the most was this couples' perception of the buying process and here are a few thngs I would think about if I was buying a townhouse condo in London. What are the condo fees and what do they include? Are there any planned increase in fees? What restrictions are there? Can I have pets, etc? How many units are rentals in the complex? What can and can't do to my unit if I buy it? How safe is the neighbourhood and complex? Do not go by here-say, have numbers to back it up The above 5 points are above and beyond the 88 point checklist I use when working with buyers of condos in London. I know these fac... 10/07/2010