Home Trends from Ed Wang & Chris Wannamaker

Connect Realty, Brokerage

Edward Wang

Christopher Wannamaker

Direct: 416.807.1977 edward@wgrouprealestate.ca

Direct: 647.285.6964 christopher@wgrouprealestate.ca

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca

THE W GROUP REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage Connect Realty

TOUCHLESS FAUCETS

Have you ever washed your hands at a restaurant using a touchless faucet and wished that kind of technology existed for the average homeowner? Well, you’ll be happy to know it does and you can incorporate motion activated faucets into your home with minimal disruption and for a reasonable price. Not only are they a neat conversation piece and look great, touchless faucets are eco-friendly and conserve water which in turn can save you money in the long run. Studies also show that using a touchless faucet keeps bacteria and germs from spreading because you aren’t touching the tap after another person or turning on the tap with dirty hands. Another benefit is that you can set the temperature (via a handle or switch

installed under the sink) so when the sensor is activated, you can be assured the water temperature is not going to scald your hands. There are many options available on the market for both bathrooms and kitchens so you’ll likely be able to find one that suits your décor needs as well as functionality requirements. Check your local hardware store, search online or even take a look at a home goods store. Because they use sensors, these faucets do need to be connected to a power source, or utilize a battery pack, so before heading to purchase one, ensure you’ll be able to accommodate the correct power source.

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca

THE W GROUP REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage Connect Realty

WINDOW WASHING 101

Along with new growth and sunshine, spring also brings with it numerous household chores that couldn’t be completed during the winter months. One such task is washing the windows in your home. Both interior and exterior. If you live in a condominium or other property where exterior window washing is included in your maintenance, consider yourself lucky. But you may still have a balcony door that you may want to clean now that spring is here. Either way, these tips can help make your windows shine. First, gather the right tools for the job. A bucket, dish soap or glass cleaning solution, lint free cloths or newspaper and a squeegee. If you have to wash exterior windows, ensure you have a ladder and a safe place to hold your bucket, cloths and squeegee. Next, you’ll have to create your cleaning solution by mixing

about 8 liters of water with a teaspoon of dish soap. Some homeowners also use a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water to make their windows shine. You may want to try both and see which one works best for your home. Using a lint free cloth (or newspaper) use the cleaning solution to scrub away dirt, dust and grime that has accumulated. Then, use your squeegee to wipe the solution off using horizontal strokes starting at the top of the window. Be sure the entire squeegee is in contact with the window to avoid streaks and missed spots. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the squeegee off between passes. When you’ve squeegeed the entire window, use a dry cloth to wipe up any missed spots and along the edges of the window.

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca

THE W GROUP REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage Connect Realty

UNIQUE STORAGE IDEAS FOR SMALL SPACES

Those living in small spaces are genius in coming up with ways to create storage space. Even if you don’t live in a small space, some of these storage ideas are pretty neat and can be incorporated into any room. Head online for building plans or check your local home décor store for pre-built options. First up is a broom closet built between studs in a bathroom, laundry room or hallway. This tall and skinny space will need to be built from scratch and can be customized to fit your brooms, cleaning supplies and spare toiletries. Bookcase doors are a new trend that provide added book storage and a unique décor element to a room. Plus, who hasn’t wanted a secret room in their home. With a bookcase

door, any regular bedroom could appear to be a magical getaway. Rolling spice racks that fit in the empty space between the refrigerator and the counter can hold not only frequently used spices, but cooking oils, utensils and anything else that tends to clutter counters, cupboards and drawers. Finally, many small space dwellers are bringing their belongings onto the walls. For example, a towel rod in the kitchen can bring pots and pans up from a cupboard onto the wall. Adhesive hooks on the inside of cupboards or backs of doors can hold everything from towels to a shoe organizer full of water bottles.

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca

THE W GROUP REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage Connect Realty

PACKING THE ESSENTIALS

One of the most common complaints from people who have recently moved is that they wish they would have taken the time to go through their belongings to donate, sell or trash some items that they didn’t actually need anymore. Then they would have had less things to move and less to unpack. Moving is stressful, especially on a tight timeline and even tighter budget. Many people don’t take the time to go through what they’re packing and instead adopt a “get it done” mentality. This is fine as getting everything packed and moved is quite the accomplishment. However, if this is the case with your move, you may want

to take the time as you’re unpacking items into your new home to weed out any items that are no longer needed. You’ll already have a lot of empty boxes and slightly used packing supplies to house any items that need to be donated or saved for a yard sale. When you’re unpacking is also a great time to repurpose items that may have sat unused in your old home, but may find a new purpose in your new home. Going through your boxes with purpose and determining the value each item brings to your life is a rewarding experience that can help you feel less overwhelmed.

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca

THE W GROUP REAL ESTATE

Royal LePage Connect Realty

Toronto March Market Report

AVG. SALE PRICE Single Family Dwelling $1,708,373

AVG. SALE PRICE Condo/Apartment $732,944

ACTIVE LISTINGS 4,292

DAYS ON MARKET 20

GTA REALTORS® Release, April 5, 2023 - Greater Toronto Area (GTA) housing market conditions tightened in March 2023. Sales accounted for an increased share of listings in comparison to March 2022, suggesting that competition between buyers is on the rise. The average sale price was above the average list price for the first time since May 2022. “As we moved through the first quarter, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) Members were increasingly reporting that competition between buyers was heating up in many GTA neighbourhoods. The most recent statistics bear this out,” said TRREB President Paul Baron. “Recent consumer polling also suggests that demand for ownership housing will continue to recover this year. Look for first-time buyers to lead this recovery, as high average rents move more closely in line with the cost of ownership.” GTA REALTORS® reported 6,896 sales through TRREB’s MLS® System in March 2023 – down 36.5 percent compared to March 2022. On a month-over-month basis, actual and seasonally adjusted sales were up. New listings were also down on a year-over-year basis, but by a much greater annual rate. The MLS® Home Price Index composite benchmark was down by 16.2 percent on a year-over-year basis, but up month-over-month on both an actual and seasonally adjusted basis. Similarly, the average selling price was down by 14.6 percent year-over-year to $1,108,606. The average selling price was up month-over-month on an actual and seasonally adjusted basis. Source: Toronto Regional Real Estate Board | Market values stated are of the average of Toronto and surrounding region. Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to-date evaluation of your home.

CLICK FOR FULL REPORT

Or Call With Your Real Estate Market Questions

Office: 416.588.8248 | www.wgrouprealestate.ca