Mark Your Calendars Ottawa! Don't Miss the Olympic Torch Relay!

2010 is the year that millions of people have been awaiting! Finally the Winter Olympics are making its way back to Canada! As the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver get underway there is of course the traditional torch relay through Canada. The relay reaches over 1,000 communities and places of interest where the 12,000 torchbearers will carry the Olympic Flame. How amazing that almost 90% of Canada’s population will be within a one-hour drive of experiencing the Olympic Flame as over 45,000 km will be travelled!

The relay began on October 30th in Victoria and will be coming through Ottawa on Day 44, December 12th at 7pm.

The arrival of the flame will coincide with the 25th edition of Christmas Lights Across Canada will be launched with an illumination ceremony on Parliament Hill. The festivities on Parliament Hill will begin at 5:45pm. Everyone is welcome at Parliament Hill to join the celebration for this special moment in the countdown to the 2010 Winter Games.

This is truly a once in a lifetime experience for many people! Come on out to Parliament Hill on December 12th to share the magic with our Nation’s Capital!

Looking for a Simple Way to Transform Your Bathroom? D-I-Y!

A Simple Way to Transform Your Bathroom

Often, all you need to do to update your bathroom is to install a new vanity and repaint. The choice in colour and style for your new vanity is wide – you can go traditional or thoroughly modern. It's a good idea to look for something that is similar in size to your existing unit. With the addition of a matching sink and beautiful new faucet, your space will be transformed.

Before you get started the tools and materials that are required for this do-it-yourself project are; a pencil, tape measure, adjustable wrench, screw gun, vanity, braided line, and a chrome p-trap.

Now YOU can get started!

Step 1: Remove Baseboard
Carefully remove existing baseboard and set aside for reuse once vanity is in place.

Step 2:Vanity Placement
Measure to determine where your vanity will be placed relative to the existing plumbing.

Step 3: Install Vanity
Install the vanity using screws through the cabinet into a wall stud. Then place the counter and sink

Step 4:Attach Braided Lines
Using an adjustable wrench, attach the braided lines on the tap leads under the sink. Then attach the opposite end of the braided lines onto the shut off valve coming from the wall. Gently tighten.

Step 5: Install the P-Trap
Measure the distance to the wall from the centre of the tailpiece and cut the wall extension portion of the P-trap so that it fits into the PVC wall adaptor. Put the other end over the tailpiece at the bottom of the sink and adjust to ensure that everything is in line, then tighten both nuts.

Step 6:Test Water
Slowly turn the water back on with the taps open and check for leaks in the supply lines and P-trap. Re-tighten if necessary.

All it takes is 6 easy steps and your bathroom looks brand new!

Courtesy of Home Depot

October Stats Are In.. Another Fabulous Month

WOW... It continues to be an amazing month for the Ottawa Resale Market. Sales have been booming in past months with record breaking numbers! This is terrific for the Ottawa market and it looks as if it's just going to keep going and going.

Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,202 residential properties in October through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 964 in October 2008, an increase of 24.7 per cent.

Of those sales, 270 were in the condominium property class, while 932 were in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.) which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

"Once again we saw record-setting sales numbers for the month of October. This brings our sales year-to-date to four percentage points higher than the same period last year. Ottawa's resale market has been buoyed by buyers taking advantage of low interest rates," said Board President Rick Snell. "Listing inventory remains at a low level, and combined with brisk sales, indicates that we are still in a strong sellers' market here in the capital," he added.

The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in October in the Ottawa area was $318,655, an increase of 13.6 per cent over October 2008. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $232,046, an increase of 14.6 per cent over October 2008. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $343,745, an increase of 13.3 per cent over October 2008. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

We cannot stress how happy we are to see such progress in our own market. These "tough" economical times are not affecting OUR market.. buyers are taking advantage of very low interest rates as seller's are getting top dollar for their properties.

NOW really is the time to BUY or SELL.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to call us.

Your Real Estate Professional,
Mary-Anne