Ontario poised to require carbon monoxide detectors in all homes

Ontario is poised to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in all homes, becoming only the second jurisdiction in Canada to compel people to have the devices.

A private member’s bill making the devices mandatory is set for a final vote in the legislature Wednesday afternoon, when it is expected to pass.

Progressive Conservative MPP Ernie Hardeman, who is sponsoring the legislation, said 250 Ontarians have been killed by the odourless, colourless gas in the last decade.

“Carbon monoxide is the silent killer – there’s no way you can tell if it’s in your home unless you have the alarm, the detector,” he said. “I can guarantee Ontario will be safer if this law gets passed.”

The law is named the Hawkins-Gignac Act after Ontario Provincial Police Constable Laurie Hawkins (née Gignac) and her family. Ms. Hawkins, her husband Richard, daughter Cassandra and son Jordan died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas fireplace in their Woodstock, Ont., home in 2008.

Mr. Hardeman said that, once the bill is passed, Ontarians will have to install detectors in their homes. But it could take some time for local fire departments to sort out protocols for making sure the detectors are installed, such as they now have for smoke alarms.

The bill has spent five years before the legislature. Earlier this year, the Yukon passed a similar law.

The Hawkins-Gignac Act was the second bill to come to a final vote Wednesday. Shortly before noon, the legislature unanimously passed the Stronger Protection for Ontario Consumers Act.

Among other things, the new consumer rules crack down on aggressive water-heater salespeople by giving customers a 20-day window to cancel the installation of a new heater and allowing the province to fine unscrupulous salespeople.

They also ban debt settlement services from charging fees up front, and require that real estate agents have written bids on properties to prevent them from lying about non-existent bids to drive up prices.

“We’ve heard that prices get jacked up because of these so-called other bids, and there really isn’t proof sometimes that those bids exist,” Consumer Services Minister Tracy MacCharles said. “We want to see good compliance, we want to see businesses following these rules, and I’m confident they will…I do think when people are confident about what they’re entering into, they’re going to be a smarter consumer and I think the industry will respond accordingly.”

The Town of Whitby provides useful information about carbon monoxide alarms on its website. Keep your family and home safe! 

Randy Miller 
Sales Representative 
Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage 
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 
randy@randymiller.ca 
www.randymiller.ca  

                                                                           

Why Canadian homes are more unaffordable than ever

Low interest rates in the form or loans or mortgage rates continue to fuel the economy

It’s been a major factor in the rise and popularity of the Canadian housing market. Low interest rates have increased affordability, despite the rise in prices.

Most of us have a basic understanding that house prices have risen at an impressive pace during the past ten years. But there’s generally a lack of curiosity or reporting about buyers and how are able to cope with rising prices. For some perspective, let’s look at incomes as taken from Statistics Canada data on weekly earnings going back to 1997, and real estate price data supplied by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Back in 1997, the average house price in Canada of $154,620 was about 4.9 times the average pretax annual income ($31,484) of an individual with a full-time job. For the year through July 31, the average price of $379,725 puts houses at about 7.8 times income. ($48,497, all figures in current dollars).

A reasonable long-term assumption is that houses will rise in price by the inflation rate every year on average, and that wages will more or less keep up with inflation. That would give us a kind of affordability equilibrium in the housing market.

But house prices have surged ahead of income. In the past 17 years, incomes have risen by an average annual rate of 2.6 per cent, while house prices have gone up 5.4 per cent. Put another way, house prices have more than doubled over that period, while incomes are up by just a bit more than half.

The surge in housing prices is the great gift of the global financial crisis five years ago. The crisis drove interest rates down to historic lows, thereby allowing buyers to shrug off a growing disparity between their incomes and the cost of buying a house. The availability of 30-, 35- and even 40-year mortgages a few years back also helped obscure the income-house price gap.

But interest rates have been the big stimulus for the housing market. The prime lending rate at banks and credit unions – it’s used to price variable-rate mortgages – fell as low as 2.25 per cent from 6.25 per cent in mid-2007 before edging back up to the current level of 3 per cent. The average posted rate for five-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to 5.14 per cent at mid-year from 7.24 per cent in 2007.

You can chop roughly 1.5 percentage points off those five-year fixed rates to get the discounted costs that borrowers typically pay. On a $400,000 mortgage, the decline in these discounted rates over the past five years would have saved a buyer about $470 per month.

That’s helped to keep the housing market affordable, while the rising average sale prices have left income growth lagging. Can we keep living this way? A lot depends on interest rates. The Organization For Economic Co-operation and Development said last week that Canada may need to start pushing up rates next year, and that our central bank’s benchmark rate may need to more than double by the end of 2015.

But that almost certainly won’t happen. BMO Nesbitt Burns has interpreted the Bank of Canada’s latest words on rates to suggest that the status quo will rule for at least another year. So we’re good on housing, right?

Low rates were needed to stabilize the economy back in the financial crisis, and they may still be required. But let’s recognize that they’re having an unhealthy effect on housing by getting people into homes that are going to be tough to manage financially. At some point in the next couple of years, the economy is going to surprise us on the positive side and interest rates wild increase. Anyone who buys a house now and overextends themselves is the most vulnerable to the forthcoming rate hikes.  A more enduring foundation for affordable housing is a match between incomes and house prices. It’s sometimes said that a house should ideally cost three times yourannual salary. That’s laughably out of date, so let’s say three times your household income.

With two average wage earners in a household, the ratio of price to income falls to 3.9 from 7.8. If that seems okay to you, consider that house prices in October rose 8 per cent over the same month a year earlier on a national basis. Anyone get an 8 per cent raise lately?

Going forward, buyers and sellers should realize that the housing market must pause or decline. It cannot sustain the growth in prices. Being more conservative financially and spending less than you are qualified for by your lender, is a sensible way to participate in the market and allow a cushion for mortgage renewals at higher interest rates.

This chart compares average housing price data supplied by the Canadian Real Estate Association with average annualized weekly wages for full-time workers over the past 17 years. The numbers are in current dollars, which means no adjustments for inflation have been made.

Housing market in Whitby, Brooklin and Durham Region

Locally, sales of houses, condos, townhouses and rural properties in Whitby, Brooklin and throughout Durham Region (Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, and Clarington) have remained strong. Prices are up about six percent this year and demand is very healthy. For more detailed insight into current market trends within your neighbourhood, including the active real estate markets in Brooklin and Whitby, contact me.

Randy Miller
Sales Representative
Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400
randy@randymiller.ca
www.randymiller.ca

CREA Report: Canadian home sales fall back in October

According to The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national home sales declined in October 2013.

The statistic highlights are:

· National home sales declined by 3.2% from September to October.
· Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity came in 8.3% above levels in October 2012.
· The number of newly listed homes declined by 0.8% from September to October.
· The Canadian housing market remains in balanced territory.
· The national average sale price rose 8.5% on a year-over-year basis in October.
· The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) rose 3.5% year-over-year in October.

The report says that the number of home sales processed through the MLS® Systems of Canadian real estate Boards and Associations and other co-operative listing systems fell 3.2 per cent on a month-over-month basis in October 2013. The decline returned activity back to near where it stood last June and July.

To read the whole article incl. statistics visit The Canadian Real Estate Association!

Randy Miller
Sales Representative

Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage
905-427-1400
randy@randymiller.ca

www.randymiller.ca

Keeping Your Family Safe from Carbon Monoxide - the "Silent Killer"

Thank you to the TSSA for their contribution to the content, and the graphic used in this article. It has been reprinted with the permission of the TSSA, the Safety Standard.

As cooler weather approaches, we want to remind everyone to have furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances in their homes inspected by authorized service personnel, to prevent the serious hazards of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

What Is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless and toxic gas, and is often referred to as the 'silent killer". When inhaled it inhibits the blood's capacity to transport oxygen throughout the body. It can poison the body quickly in high concentrations, or slowly over long periods of time.

What are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and even loss of consciousness, In severe cases, CO poisoning can cause brain damage and death. The elderly, children and people with heart or respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to CO.

How Is carbon monoxide generated In the home?

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood. This incomplete combustion can occur in any device that depends on burning for energy or heat, such as furnaces, room heaters, fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves or grills and any gas powered vehicle or engine. Automobiles left running in attached garages, gas barbecues operated inside the house, grills or kerosene heaters that are not properly vented, or chimneys or vents that are dirty or plugged may create unsafe levels of CO.

When properly installed, maintained and vented, any CO produced by these devices will not stay inside the home.

What are some danger signs?

• You or other members of your family have symptoms of CO exposure (see above)
• You notice a sharp, penetrating odour or smell of gas when your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment turns on.
• The air is stale or stuffy.
• The pilot light of your furnace or other fuel-burning equipment goes out.
• Chalky white powder forms on the chimney/exhaust vent pipe or soot build-up occurs around the exhaust vent.

How can unsafe levels of carbon monoxide he detected?

Carbon monoxide detectors monitor airborne concentration levels (parts per million) of carbon monoxide and sound an audible alarm when harmful CO levels are present.

Be sure that your detector has been certified to the Canadian Standards Association CAN/CGA 6.19 standard or the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard.

If you suspect carbon monoxide In your home...

• If you or anyone else in your home is experiencing the symptoms of CO poisoning, ensure that everyone leaves the home immediately, leaving the door open. Call your local fire department or 91 1 from a neighbours telephone.
• If your CO detector sounds do NOT assume it to be a false alarm. Open all doors and windows to ventilate the home. If you cannot find the problem and the alarm continues, contact the fire department. If there is a strong smell of natural gas in your home, evacuate immediately, leaving the door open, and contact your local gas utility.
• If no symptoms are experienced, reset the detector and check to see if the alarm activates. If the detector sounds a second time, call the local fire department for their assistance.
• If the detector does not sound a second time, check for common conditions that may have caused a CO build-up (see the accompanying illustration) or contact a qualified heating contractor to check your fuel-burning equipment.

Where should a carbon monoxide detector be located in the home?

Proper placement of a CO detector is important. In general, the human body is most vulnerable to the effects of CO during sleeping hours, so a detector should be located in or as near as possible to the sleeping area of the home.

If only one detector is being installed, it should be located near the sleeping area, where it can wake you if you are asleep.

Where sleeping areas are located in separate parts of the home, a detector should be provided for each area.

Additional CO detectors should be placed on each level of a residence and in other rooms where combustion devices are located (such as in a room that contains a solid fuel-fired appliance, gas clothes dryer or natural gas furnace), or adjacent to potential sources of CO (such as in a teenager's room or granny suite located adjacent to an attached garage).

Unlike smoke, which rises to the ceiling, CO mixes with air. Recognizing this, a CO detector should be located at knee-height (which is about the same as prone sleeping height). Due to the possibility of tampering or damage by pets, children, vacuum cleaners and the like, it may be located up to chest height. To work properly, a detector should not be blocked by furniture, draperies or other obstructions to normal air flow.

If a combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector is used, it should be located on the ceiling, to ensure that it will detect smoke effectively.

Please refer to the manufacturer's instructions for additional information regarding proper use and maintenance.
To keep safe, please remember:

• You have a responsibility to know about the dangers of carbon monoxide. Your knowledge and actions may save lives.
• CO detectors are a good second line of defence, but do not eliminate the need for regular inspection, maintenance and safe use of fuel-burning equipment.
• Take the time to learn about the use of CO detectors in your home to ensure your are using this equipment properly and effectively.
• The Office of the Fire Marshal is part of a Carbon Monoxide Awareness Committee (comprised of representatives from industry, government, fire services, public utilities, standards and certification agencies and appliance manufacturers) that is dedicated to an ongoing, coordinated approach to protecting the public against CO hazards through greater awareness and understanding.

Home heating safety information is available on the Technical Standards and Safety Authority website.

Randy Miller 
Sales Representative 
Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage 
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 
randy@randymiller.ca 
www.randymiller.ca 

What 2014 could bring for Canada's real estate sector

Demand for suburban offices likely to ease as more workers shift to the core, new report says

The live, work, shop shift to the core is playing out across most Canadian cities and its impact will continue to be felt through a number of real estate sectors in 2014, says a new report.

Retail real estate will remain a “buy” next year, especially in Toronto and Calgary, as retailers look to open more stores in the core and catch up with the growing number of people now living downtown, says the 35th annual study of emerging real estate trends by the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The intensification happening in most major downtowns, combined with reverse migration from the suburbs to the core, is “one of the most forceful and rapidly emerging secular trends in both corporate office and residential real estate,” says the state-of-the market report released Tuesday.

Canada still remains “under retailed” compared to the U.S. in terms of shopping space per capita and foreign retailers remain on the hunt for prime new or reformatted space in what’s seen as a stable, healthy economic environment, it notes.

That will further drive mixed-used redevelopment in downtown areas that allow people to work, play — and shop — close to home.

But the shock waves from the shift are likely to be felt most in sprawling suburban office parks, especially those that aren’t located close to mass transit, says the survey of some 1,000 players in Canadian real estate.

Suburban office face “dimmer prospects” for investment and development, with one person surveyed for the report describing them as “a declining commodity that has no staying power.”

The report notes that those office complexes are, in fact, facing a double demographic whammy: Not only are more employers opting to be closer to the core to cater to younger employees, but they are almost all looking for more open, collaborative space — and much less of it per worker — which could cause the suburban market to soften further.

While the pace of economic and job growth is expected to slow in 2014, it is “not expected to significantly disrupt a stable real estate market,” the survey notes. But “housing will again be a key topic during the year.

“Rising house prices will put more focus on how the nation can continue to provide enough affordable housing to a population base fuelled by strong immigration.”

Prices in Whitby, Brooklin, Ajax and Pickering may rise during 2014

Most markets within the greater Toronto area have achieved price appreciation of more than 4% this year, including Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville and the municipality of Clarington. Prices in Whitby, Brooklin, Ajax and Pickering may rise more than 1.9% during 2014, simply because of the upcoming extension of Highway 407 through to Oshawa. It is the increased accessibility that highway 407 will offer, plus the newly added GO Trains routes into Toronto, that are helping commuters make the decision to locate to municipalities like Whitby.

If you are looking for a house in Durham Region or are already a homeowner and wish to move to a new house in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa, Courtice or Bowmanville, please contact me. I can answer all of your questions, help you find the right neighbourhood and the perfect house at a great price. Having sold real estate full time in Whitby and the surrounding areas for over 20 years, you can assured of exceptional local market knowledge and  skilled representation. Nothing beats experience. As the top producing agent for 2013 at Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd.(amongst our five offices), you can be assured of a worry- free move and service that will exceed your expectations.

Randy Miller

Sales Representative

Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage  

905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 

e-mail: randy@randymiller.ca website: www.randymiller.ca

Are your Smoke Detectors Working or Should they be replaced?

How Important are working smoke detectors or alarms? 

The largest percentage of fire deaths in the home occurs at night while people are asleep. Therefore, a working smoke alarm can provide an early warning that can make the difference between life and death. According to studies published by the National Fire Protection Association, having a smoke alarm cuts your risk of dying in a fire by nearly half. However, a smoke alarm should be part of an overall home fire safety strategy that also includes preventing fires by adopting fire safe behaviour, and developing and practicing a home fire escape plan. In a fire, escape time may be very limited. Therefore, escape plans are a critical aspect of a home fire safety strategy. For additional information on the effectiveness of smoke alarms, refer to the Smoke Alarm Fact sheet. 

Working smoke detectors can save lives

What is the principal reason for smoke alarms not functioning?

Over a recent three year period, an analysis was undertaken of people that died in homes where smoke alarms were present but did not work. 85% of those victims did not have a functioning smoke alarm because of a dead or missing battery/power source.

What types of smoke alarms are available on the market?

There are two types of household smoke alarms in common use. These are known as ionization or photoelectric type smoke alarms. 

How does an ionization type smoke alarm work?

This type of alarm uses a small amount of radioactive material to ionize air in the sensing chamber. As a result, the air chamber becomes conductive permitting current to flow between two charged electrodes. When smoke particles enter the chamber, the conductivity of the chamber air decreases. When this reduction in conductivity is reduced to a predetermined level, the alarm is set off. Most smoke alarms in use are of this type.

How does a photoelectric type smoke alarm work?

A photoelectric type smoke alarm consists of a light emitting diode and a light sensitive sensor in the sensing chamber. The presence of suspended smoke particles in the chamber scatters the light beam. This scattered light is detected and sets off the alarm. 

Which type of alarm is more effective?

There is no simple answer to this question. The two types operate on different principles and therefore may respond differently to various conditions. Some advantages to each type are set out below:

Ionization

• Fastest type to respond to flaming fires 
• Lowest cost and most commonly sold 
• Some models have a hush or temporary silence feature that allows silencing without removing the battery 
• Some models are available with a long life battery 

Photoelectric

• Fastest type to respond to slow smoldering fires and white or gray smoke 
• Less prone to nuisance alarms from cooking 

Notwithstanding these differences, to achieve ULC listing, both alarms must be tested to the same standard and meet the same requirements. Photoelectric smoke alarms may respond slightly faster to smoldering fires, while ionization alarms respond slightly faster to flaming fires. Since you can't predict the type of fire that will occur, it is difficult to recommend which is best. Both alarms will detect all types of fires that commonly occur in the home. Installing both types of smoke alarms in your home can enhance fire safety.

Which type of smoke alarm should a homeowner purchase?

It is the consumer's responsibility to assess the circumstances of their household and to select the most appropriate alarm However, an important consideration in the purchase of a smoke alarm is conformance to a recognized standard. In Ontario, CAN/ULC-S531 is the recognized standard for both the ionization and photoelectric types of alarms. Both ionization and photoelectric type products conforming to this standard are available on the market. A homeowner will know that a smoke alarm meets the requirements of this standard by the ULC or cUL label on the device. 

What maintenance is required for smoke alarms?

The Ontario Fire Code requires that smoke alarms be maintained in operating condition at all times. Smoke alarms should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Occasional light vacuuming will keep the air vents clean. On battery powered units, check to see that the battery is in place, connected, not corroded and functioning. Although the test frequency is not prescribed in the Ontario Fire Code, smoke alarms should be tested on a regular basis. Some manufacturers and authorities recommend that smoke alarms be tested at least once a month. Additional information on smoke alarm maintenance, particularly in rental accommodation, is available in the OFM guideline "Maintenance of Smoke Alarms."

How many smoke alarms should I have in my home?

The Ontario Fire Code requires a smoke alarm that meets CAN/ULC-S531 between each sleeping area and the remainder of the building. The Office of the Fire Marshal recommends that homeowners install one smoke alarm on every level of their home and outside all sleeping areas. For maximum protection, we suggest installing a smoke alarm in every room.

How should they be installed?

Smoke alarms should be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. 

What are the features I can expect to find on a current smoke alarm model?

These are some features you can expect to find:

• a "missing battery" indicator, 
• an optional alarm hush or silence feature, 
• the use of a power "on" indicator light to show that ac power is being supplied to 120 volt wired in smoke alarms. 

Studies suggest that a significant percentage of smoke alarms in use do not work because of dead or missing batteries. What is being done about this problem?

The OFM and the Ontario fire service have been stressing the importance of smoke alarm maintenance through various public education initiatives. This effort is now backed by requirements in the Ontario Fire Code which mandate smoke alarm maintenance. The Standard for Smoke Alarms has also been amended and now requires smoke alarms to have a visual indicator to flag a missing battery, for example, the inability to close the smoke alarm cover when a battery is removed. Nuisance alarms are a frequent reason for removing batteries. As a result, the use of smoke alarms with a hush or silence feature is being promoted in public safety programs. In addition, smoke alarms with long life batteries are now available on the market.

What are long life smoke alarms?

Long life smoke alarms have been designed to use lithium batteries where the battery life is predicted to last 10 years with the normal low battery drain of ionization type smoke alarms. The smoke alarms are still designed to provide a low battery audible signal as the battery charge is reduced to a level that may make the smoke alarm inoperable. It should be noted that although these batteries are designed to last 10 years, ongoing testing and maintenance is required as per manufacturers' instructions.

Can long life lithium batteries be used in any smoke alarm?

No. Only battery types recommended by the manufacturer should be used in a smoke alarm. Incorrect batteries may not provide the operating characteristics expected of the smoke alarm.

How often should a smoke alarm be used before it should be replaced?

As a rule of thumb, the Office of the Fire Marshal recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years or when it has exceeded the manufacturer's recommended life cycle. Additional information for recommended smoke alarm replacement is available in the OFM guideline "Maintenance of Smoke Alarms."

How can I be sure that my smoke alarms will work?

We have every reason to believe that alarms listed by a certification agency accredited by the Standards Council of Canada will function as intended.

To ensure that an alarm has been manufactured and tested to an acceptable standard, there should be a marking by the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC), or Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated (cUL).

Keep your family and household safe from a fire or smoke damage. For more helpful information visit the website of the Town of Whitby.

Randy Miller 
Sales Representative 
Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage 
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 
randy@randymiller.ca 
www.randymiller.ca 

Whitby Home For Sale - 202 Hallett Avenue

Beautiful Home for Sale in Whitby! Ready to Move In!

For more information contact:

Randy Miller
Sales Representative
Re/Max Rouge River Realty
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 
randy@randymiller.ca
www.randymiller.ca

Home sales, prices to pick up marginally next year: CMHC

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) predicts that the number of existing homes changing hands will pick up a bit next year, but the average selling price will rise by only 1.9 per cent in 2014, compared to four per cent average for 2013, across Canada.
Average prices can be influenced by changes in the types or locations of homes that are selling, and CMHC says the four per cent gain this year stems in part from increased sales in higher-priced markets.

Price growth next year is expected to be in line with inflation, with the average price of houses sold over the Multiple Listing Service in 2014 coming in at $385,200, compared to $378,000 this year, the Crown corporation says in its latest housing market outlook.

CMHC expects that the number of homes sold over the MLS this year will come in around 456,700, which is about the same as 2012, when 454,005 homes changed hands. It forecasts a rise in sales to 468,200 units next year, with sales rising in the first half of 2014 then moderating during the latter part of the year.

Sales have defied expectations this year. At the start of the summer nearly all economists were predicting a decline in sales for 2013, but the market has since rebounded.

Likewise, new housing starts (construction), while generally slowing, have been higher than anticipated. CMHC said Thursday it is anticipating starts to be stable next year, around 184,700 units, compared to 185,000 this year and 214,827 in 2012.

While factors such as employment growth and migration are continuing to support the housing market, “in the new home market, builders are nevertheless expected to limit the number of housing starts while inventories of unabsorbed units, completed and under construction, are drawn down,” Mathieu Laberge, deputy chief economist of CMHC, said in a press release. “In the resale market, home buyers have been motivated to advance their purchases and lock-in pre-qualified mortgages given the recent moderate increase in mortgage rates. It is expected that existing home sales will increase modestly in 2014 with improving economic conditions.”

It has been difficult to make accurate predictions about the Canadian housing market in recent years. The government has been taking steps to cool it off, and economists have been surprised by its resiliency.

In June CMHC was forecasting a 1.6 per cent increase in average prices this year and roughly 443,400 sales.

The current forecast for new housing starts has been revised higher than the prediction made in June. CMHC now forecasts about 182,900 houses and condos will be constructed this year.

Most markets within the greater Toronto area have achieved price appreciation of more than 4% this year, including Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville and the municipality of Clarington. Prices in Whitby, Brooklin, Ajax and Pickering may rise more than 1.9% during 2014, simply because of the upcoming extension of Highway 407 through to Oshawa. It is the increased accessibility that highway 407 will offer, plus the newly added GO Trains routes into Toronto, that are helping commuters make the decision to locate to municipalities like Whitby.

If you are looking for a house in Durham Region or are already a homeowner and wish to move to a new house in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa, Courtice or Bowmanville, please contact me. I can answer all of your questions, help you find the right neighbourhood and the perfect house at a great price. Having sold real estate full time in Whitby and the surrounding areas for over 20 years, you can assured of exceptional local market knowledge and  skilled representation. Nothing beats experience. As the top producing at for 2013 at Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd.(amongst our five offices), you can be assured of a worry- free move and service that will exceed your expectations.

Randy Miller 
Sales Representative 
Re/Max Rouge River Realty Ltd., Brokerage 
905-668-1800 or 905-427-1400 
randy@randymiller.ca 
www.randymiller.ca