Welcome to our blog!

We are the Burlington Team - Rob, Greg, Glenn, Brandon, Norene and Caleigh - of Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage and this is a blog for people living in the Barrie area, about real estate, community events, local shops and services, and just about anything else that catches our fancy.

We hope you'll find this blog useful and interesting, and if there is ever a real estate question that you want to ask, please visit our website at www.barriehome.com, or drop us a line to glenn@barriehome.com.

Weblink Weekends! Need business card inspiration?

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Particularly if you're in a creative field, a unique and memorable business card can be like a tiny portfolio, not just telling them who you are, but giving a glimpse of what you can do.

Follow this link to see Webdesigner Depot's list of 100 of the coolest business cards you'll ever find! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

How to stage your own home

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I personally think that staging is becoming more important when selling a home - particularly a higher-end home - if you want to compete against other properties in your price category and show your space to its best advantage.

Hiring a stager can be the right choice, especially if you have lived in your home for a long time and have accumulated a lot of stuff, if you have a history of hanging on to objects for emotional reasons, or if you are contemplating changes or repairs that may be beyond your skills. However, many people are perfectly capable of doing their own staging. Sometimes the trouble is just knowing where to start.

Here are a few websites that give you tips on how to stage your home. Most of them are fairly basic and really just a matter of common sense, but when faced with the intimidating task of preparing your home for public viewing, a guideline can really help.

WikiHow: How to Stage Your Home for a Sale

Your Home & Color Coach: Stage Your Own Home

HowToDoThings.com: How to Stage Your Own Home to Sell

Inviting Interiors: Stage Your Own Home

Just remember that staging your home isn't worth your marriage or your sanity. Many home stagers will give you a free consultation to let you know what they can do and at what price, so if your home is in need of staging but you aren't up to the task, it may be worth getting a professional opinion. - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

TATW: Festival season is underway!

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It wouldn't be difficult to find a different festival to attend every weekend in Simcoe County, and if the Weather Network is to be believed, this is going to be a lovely weekend for it.

The 5th Annual Barrie Waterfront Festival takes place this weekend, with tons of music, food and fun to be had. The main stage is headlined by Canadian singing star Suzie McNeil (her song 'Supergirl' is currently all over the radio). Other must-sees include folk singer Murray McLachlin, bluesy Treassa Levasseur, and serious rockers Low Level Flight. Click here to view the entire lineup of incredible musical performances planned.

For the kids there's also a midway, face painting, buskers and a Family Stage with music to get the little ones dancing.

Enjoy the weekend! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Best online conversion tool ever!

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I was going to save this for my weekend weblink, but it's such a handy site that I couldn't wait. I don't think I've ever seen an easier-to-use conversion tool than this one, courtesy a computer programmer in Germany who goes by "Rasmus".

Just pick the type of conversion you want to do (such as Distance & Length), enter the amount you want to convert (such as 10 km) and click Calculate at the bottom of the section, and voila! ... you see all of the conversions for 10 km you could possibly want, whether it's 6.2137119 miles or 5307.8556263 fathoms.

Don't forget to bookmark this site! - Caleigh

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Bueller? Bueller?

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Got a spare $2.3 million? Then you could be the owner of the home featured in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off!

Sure, you'd have to move to Illinois, but wouldn't it be worth it? Click here to see the full listing. - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Guide to Barrie and area pick-your-own farms

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'Tis the season for fresh produce! Simcoe County is chock full of farm markets, fresh produce stands and, if you are inclined to make the acquisition an adventure, pick-your-own produce farms.

Here is a list of as many PYOs as I can find in Simcoe County. If you're thinking to yourself "Hasn't this been done before?", the answer is NO! (Or not well enough for my liking.) I compiled this from dozens of sources that either didn't include them all, or was enormous and not sorted to easily identify Simcoe County PYOs. Of the existing resources, the best ones are Simcoe County Farm Fresh and Harvest Canada, so if you're looking for other types of farms I suggest you use their directories.

Barrie

- Barrie Hill Farms - Barrie (beans, blueberries, peas, raspberries, strawberries)

- Beuck's Farm - Barrie (Saskatoon berries)

- Brown's Farm - Dalston (pumpkins)

- Chappell Farms - Barrie (pumpkins)

- Northwinds Farm - Barrie (strawberries and more)

Clearview

- Fernwood Farms - Stayner (strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins)

- Gallacher's Orchard - Nottawa (apples, plums)

- Giffen's Country Market (aka Harvest Glen Market) - Glen Huron (apples, raspberries)

- Wind Song Orchards - Duntroon (apples)

Collingwood

- Bishop's Berry Patch - Collingwood (Saskatoon berries)

- Farmer's Pantry - Clarksburg (apples, raspberries)

Innisfil

- Avalon Orchards (apples)

- Visser Farms - Gilford (strawberries)

Midland

- Lutick Blueberries - Midland (blueberries)

- Chapmans' Berry Farm - Midland (currants, raspberries)

Orillia
- Highland Farm - Orillia (raspberries, strawberries)

Oro-Medonte

- Cardinal Berry Farm - Oro Station (blueberries, currants, raspberries)

Penetanguishene

- Thunder Beach Berry Farm - Lafontaine (blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Ramara

- Duet Farm & Studio - Brechin (unspecified)

Severn

- Ego's Nursery & Farm Market - Coldwater (strawberries, peas, beans, tomatoes, currants, gooseberries, raspberries)

Springwater

- Clarke's Vegetables - Minesing (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

- Valley Farm Market - Elmvale (strawberries and more)

No doubt I've still missed a few so, as always, feel free to email me at caleigh@barriehome.com if you know of any others. - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Weblink Weekends! Celebrity gossip, Canadian style

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It doesn't get much more frivolous than this, but since I'm going to be at my girls' cottage weekend, it just feels apropos.

If you like to get the occasional dose of celebrity photos and gossip but without the caustic commentary of Perez Hilton and his ilk, I must recommend Lainey Gossip. Elaine Lui is a gossip blogger from Ontario currently residing in Vancouver, and she's always up on the latest celebrity activity from around the world. I confess that my guilty pleasure is reading her daily musings, posted in her own cutting but fun style. You may have seen Lainey before, since when she's not typing gossip she's sharing it via such programs as CTV's eTalk daily, or covering red carpet events for Canadian media.

I highly recommend you check it out, but browsers beware -- if you see the acronym "NSFW" it means Not Safe For Work and can generally be assumed to mean not safe in front of children either. Wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble. :) - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Ever wonder where your commission goes?

Although most people use the services of a Real Estate Agent at some point in their lives, there are still a lot of things people don't know about our business. This is sort of a “looks obvious but isn’t really” profession, especially when it comes to the matter of money.

For instance, not everyone is aware that we are only paid when someone buys or sells a home, and that commission is only ever paid by the seller. So if your Realtor tells you that you'll be paying 5% commission upon the sale of your home, that actually means 2.5% goes to the seller's agent (but not really, read on for more of the breakdown) and 2.5% to the buyer's agent.

Realtors are never compensated by their Brokerage – this is a purely commission business, with no salaries paid. All Realtors are self-employed entrepreneurs, and although we are described as employees of the Brokerage (like, in our case, RE/MAX), they do not pay us - in fact, we pay them! The most common financial relationship between the Brokerage and the Salesperson is what's called "split fee". That means that of the 2.5% commission, the Brokerage keeps a portion and the Salesperson keeps the rest. This, along with monthly fees, compensates the Brokerage for looking after things like booking home showings, offering training, maintaining offices, and advertising the "brand". Meanwhile, the Realtor looks after finding clients and performing the multitude of tasks involved in helping them through the buying and/or selling process, and advertising their own listings and services.

Knowing this might also help to explain why people report different experiences with Realtors working for the same brand. Salespeople working at the same Brokerage may employ the same basic business practices (in terms of how money is handled and so forth); however, at the end of the day it's that Salesperson who you will be dealing with on a regular basis, and it’s their personality, skills, experience and marketing techniques that will come to bear when it comes to the purchase or sale of your home. And that’s a subject for another day. - Glenn

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

TATW: Knights and Notes

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Glenn is going on his boys' fishing weekend, and I'm going on my girls' cottage weekend (I take wine and gossip over fish any day!), but for anyone spending the upcoming glorious weekend in Barrie, there are lots of fun activities taking place.

I know that my son would love to see this one -- the Barrie Swordplay Association (did you know there was a Barrie Swordplay Association?) is having Medieval Days this Saturday from 11:00-4:00 at the Bayfield Mall! Kids can be "knighted" and adults can have their tarot cards read. Sounds like fun! Click here to see a video of last year's demonstration.

For grown-up entertainment, this Friday and Saturday night Yuk Yuk's is featuring Gerry Dee, who recently won "Best Comic in Canada" at the 2008 Canadian Comedy Awards (another thing I'm ashamed to admit I've never heard of).

And for a higher-brow sort of fun, enjoy the Lyrica Chamber Choir's presentation of "Between Friends", Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Burton Avenue United Church. Enjoy the weekend! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

A Spring Cleaning funny, courtesy the National Post

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Despite my love for the Internet, I'm also a magazine and newspaper junkie, always pulling out articles that I might use later. I just came across an article on Spring Cleaning that I saved from the April 4th issue of the National Post, in which Steve Murray provides hilarious and relatively useful tips for tacking spring cleaning. (Which is especially relevant if you, like me, may have procrastinated a wee bit of your spring cleaning this year.)

Click the link to view the full flowchart, and don't forget to blow it up to full size to read the whole thing. - Caleigh

More beautiful homes on the market!

May has been a hot month for the real estate market here in Barrie, and buyers have to be quick to get the best deals. We've been working like mad helping clients to buy and sell, and have just listed three more lovely homes of varying prices and sizes.

For anyone looking to downsize or upgrade, there's a 2-bedroom condo overlooking Kempenfelt Bay, with beautiful upgrades like granite, ceramics and hardwoods. This is a really nice building with lush grounds, exercise room, pool ... the works. And you can't beat the location -- just steps to the beach and boardwalk! (ID#1024)

If you like the family-friendly Allandale area, there's a lovely 4-level sidesplit on a low-traffic street. The mature landscaping in this neighbourhood is spectacular, and the patio is just perfect for summer fun. The owners of this home have done a lovely job of maintaining it inside and out, and added things like a modern kitchen and updated windows and roof. (ID#1034)

Finally, if you're looking for a spacious home with all the bells and whistles, we've just listed a 2600'+, 4-bedroom home (pictured at the top). Situated at the end of a kid-friendly court on almost 1/4 acres with fenced deck, this is a great move-up proposition with all the space you could possibly want. (ID#1029)

To find out more about these or any of our other listings, just visit our website at www.barriehome.com and enter the ID numbers listed above. Happy house-surfing! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Weblink Weekends! Stay informed and avoid e-mail hoaxes

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I hate spam. I mean really, who doesn't hate e-mail spam?

BUT, at least with regular spam you can see it coming. When a Jemshphira Blespaldy tells me they have"The Farmasootikals I Neeeed", I don't think twice before hitting Delete.

It's the junk that kind-hearted friends pass along, believing they are being "helpful", that drives me bananas.

At least once a week I find myself sending an e-mail reply to a friend, gently requesting that she check her facts before telling all 200 people in her address book that chopsticks are poisonous, or ball pits contain snakes.

My advice is always the same: check Snopes.com first.

There are several sites dedicated to myth-busting, but Snopes always seems to be the most up-to-date and easiest to search.

So before you hit Forward on that e-mail about a missing child (that, oddly enough, you haven't heard about on the news yet), please make sure it's true.

Want to know more about Snopes and the people behind it? Click here for an interesting article from Reader's Digest.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Home improvement stores want your business - should you buy in?

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If you're thinking about making some home improvements, the major DIY retailers are certainly making it appealing to do so this Spring. Add in the home renovation tax credit (click here for details on the credit), and the various rebates for making eco-friendly changes, and it's hard to say no!

All of the big players are advertising sales for the Victoria Day long weekend and there are some great deals to be had, especially in the outdoor departments. If you haven't seen the flyers, visit the website links below to view them online.

Lowe's website provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the tax credit, with examples of eligible and ineligible purchases.

Home Depot's website has a useful list of all of the Eco Rebates available in each province.

Rona has a promotion to encourage you to take advantage of the tax credit at their store: if you carry out a project that qualifies for the tax credit, you can get 10% of what you spend on the project back in gift cards, up to a max of $1,000 back. (see website for full details)

If you are renovating with resale in mind, be sure to have a realistic expectation of what the actual payback will be. In most cases, you won't recoup what you spend, so be sure you are renovating for the right reasons. The Appraisal Institute of Canada has developed a very useful tool called Renova to help you estimate the effect a home improvement project may have on the value or resale of your home. Click here to try Renova.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

TATW: Zoo openings and more!

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It's Thursday, and that means I'm Thinking About the Weekend! There are lots of seasonal attractions reopening for the season over the Victoria Day long weekend, the only problem will be choosing where to go.

The Elmvale Jungle Zoo reopens on Sunday, May 17th. My family visits at least once very year, and it's always lots of fun to see such a variety of animals without having to trek for miles. The food offerings are minimal, though, so I suggest you bring a picnic.

We are also looking forward to visiting the Muskoka Wildlife Centre this year for the first time to see some of Canada's native animals, like raccoons, wolves and snakes.

The South Simcoe Railway starts again this Sunday, and will operate through the Thanksgiving weekend. The steam trains are currently under restoration, but there are trips available on a '40s-era electric train, and the scenery is beautiful.

Looking for something a bit more adventurous? Check out the various activities in the woodlands and wetlands of the Wye Marsh in Midland. Canoe ecotours are available beginning May 16th, with Saturday evening twilight tours and Sunday early morning tours throughout the summer.

Before you visit any of Ontario's attractions, don't forget to check out the Attractions Ontario website to see if there are discounts available! You can print off a coupon right now for use at the Elmvale Jungle Zoo, good through September 30th.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Feeling the itch to shop?

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If Spring has you wanting to inject some colour and freshness into your home, don't touch your credit card until you've checked out these 2009 trend reports!

And, if you need to partake of a little "out with the old" before you start bringing in the new, Yahoo Lifestyle has great tips for Spring cleaning. Click the link to read the article.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Rent or buy in 2009

The low interest rates have many renters considering taking the first step up the property ladder. Wondering if this may be the right move for you? Watch this video -- part of The Burlington Team's series of Kitchen Table Real Estate talks -- discussing renting vs. buying in 2009.

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Energy Conservation Week: May 17-23, 2009

Next week, Ontarians will be asked to pledge to do something - anything - to help conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gases.If you wish, you can even fill out an official pledge, promising to take actions to help.

If you're looking for ideas, the official website offers 100 ways - large and small - that you can make a change. Some of them are obvious, like using a clothesline to dry clothes or installing energy-efficient lightbulbs. Others may be less so, such as strategically planting coniferous trees to protect your house from winter winds, or staying at "green-rated" hotels when travelling. (I'd never heard of that before -- for more information click the link to visit the Green TravelGuide.)

The week is being organized by a number of groups, including the Province of Ontario, the Ontario Power Authority and Hydro One. Click the link for more information. - Caleigh

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Need a last-minute Mother's Day gift?

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Here's a bulletin for anyone who *gasp* forgot to buy mom a gift! Thanks to the wonder of the internet, there are a variety of electronic gift certificates that can be purchased and sent today, right from your computer!

One of my favourite ideas is a WaySpa gift certificate. WaySpa certificates can be used at any of several hundred spas across Canada and the US, including six in the Barrie area. Order online and have it e-mailed to the recipient immediately, or print it out to hand-deliver. Click for more details!

Perfect for almost anyone and any occasion are gift certificates from Chapters/Indigo. They too can be sent immediately via e-mail if desired. Click the link for info.

I know some members of my family who'd love this -- the electronic Costco certificate! Mom can use it to shop online or in-store. Click here for more.

I can't be the only mom who would love a GC from Lee Valley Tools! Not just tools, Lee Valley has a wide selection of gifts for people who love to garden, craft, cook and much more. Click the link for details!

So there you go -- no more excuses for forgetting mom. Happy Mother's Day! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Weblink Weekends! Kids-in-Mind movie ratings

If you have children who like movies, then you've probably found that a "G", "PG or "PG-13" rating doesn't tell you much. We've seen G movies that were more suggestive than I'd like, and PG movies that I was perfectly comfortable with.

But no more mistakes here, thanks to the website Kids in Mind: Movie Ratings That Actually Work. Every movie is given a 1 to 10 rating in three categories: Sex & Nudity, Violence & Gore, and Profanity. You can search on any movie to see a synopsis and the movie's score -- for instance, Hannah Montana received a 2.2.1, while the original Star Wars got 0.4.2.

If you become a member, you can also see detailed descriptions of the scenes that influenced the movie's ratings. I'm a little disappointed that the once-free site now sells memberships; however, it's a service I'm willing to pay for, and a one-year membership can cost as little as one child's movie ticket, plus you get to view the site ad-free. It's a "pay what you can" service, so you choose to pay $12, $24 or $36 a year, with no difference in what you receive. I figure if the site can save me just once from walking out of an unexpectedly inappropriate movie, it's worth it. Click the link to check out the site! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

If you're into home improvement, then there are blogs for you!

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My name is Caleigh, and I am a blog addict. I love reading blogs. I love writing blogs (I confess, I have three others). I love surfing blogs in search of new and interesting photos, ideas and people.

The crazy thing about the blogosphere (an annoying but apt term) is that bloggers tend to form little virtual communities that link back and forth to one another. So when you find a blog you like, it will send you to other like-minded blogs, which send you to more ... and so on until you've forgotten to eat dinner, missed all your favourite TV shows, and your family can't recall what you look like without a computer in front of you. Well, maybe that doesn't happen to everyone. :)

This past weekend I came across a blog about DIY home decorating (don't ask me how I got there, I'd need a forensic team to recreate that path), and for the next I-won't-admit-how-many hours, I blog-hopped through a variety of beautiful and inspirational home ideas. I'll share a few of my favourite finds here:

Crafty Nest
Thrifty Decor Chick
Centsational Girl (source of photo at right)
The Magic Brush
The Inspired Room
Funky Junk Interiors
Remodeling Guy
Remodeling This Life
Your Home Only Better

I could go on (and I did), but I'm sure that's all you need to get linked off in a hundred directions. Enjoy! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

TATW: Some ideas for your weekend

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If Wednesday is "hump" day and Friday is "TGIF", then I think Thursday must be "Thinking About the Weekend" day. I shall dub it "TATW" (pronounced tattoo). Who knows, maybe it'll catch on.

Thursday is the day I start scouring my various sources for things my family can do on the weekend, preferably without breaking the bank.

If you're into art, this is the last weekend for the

MacLaren Art Centre's exhibit of Portraits from the Soviet Archive, and the beginning of a new exhibit called Chysto, Chysto, Chysto (chysto is Ukrainian for clean) on the Ukranian experience during WWII.

If you're a garage sale fan, then you may want to check out the "Gigantic Garage Sale" on Saturday at the Allandale Rec Centre from 9:00 a.m. to noon, in support of the Allandale 55+ Centre.

My family lives in Innisfil, so we're hoping to participate in our town clean-up on Saturday. Anyone wishing to take part in Innisfil Pitch-In Day can meet at their fire station by 9:00 a.m. to sign in. Last year it was a cold day, so we went out on our own the following weekend and were sad to see how much litter was still around. We've made it a habit to keep gloves and bags in the car and pick up trash whenever we visit playgrounds and beaches, so if it's a nice day we may go playground-hopping instead and bring our own gear.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great weekend! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Referrals - what a great way to do business

Glenn again - just got a call today from an agent we've referred clients to in the past. This time it was her turn to send a client of hers to us. And this triggered a couple of thoughts about the real estate business.

Because we know each other, this agent knows how well the client will be served. And we are honoured to be chosen so we'll knock ourselves out to please the client and the person referring to us. After all, the single most important source of our business is referrals.

Every week we get calls or e-mails from someone we've dealt with in the past, looking for advice or market information, getting ready to buy or sell their home, or referring someone to us. Hearing that people who've worked with us want others to do the same is the most satisfying part of our business. Not that we don't want to meet new people - of course we do - and you need new business to help your business grow!

So I guess that's the point of this message: we love to hear from our past clients, and we're really tickled to have you send someone to us. - Glenn

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

A home for everyone

Homes are starting to sell more quickly, and we're even starting to see a bit more action on those in the higher price ranges. We had about 20 properties on the market going into May, and six have sold firm since then. Congratulations to all our sellers!

Of course the good thing is that as homes are sold, new ones come on the market. In the last week we've listed four more homes in a variety of areas and price ranges. The one pictured above is my dream home, located on Sunnidale Road. If I was in the market to move, it would be MINE! *sigh* Since I'm not, you can have it, but you have to promise to invite me over for tea.

If you'd like to take a look at the properties that we have listed or recently sold, you can check out our weekly ad in the Barrie Examiner, or visit our website at barriehome.com. On the right-hand side you'll see a little slideshow of our properties, and you can click on any image to see more info, including a photographic virtual tour. Or if you know the property's ID, you can enter it where indicated. The Sunnidale property I mentioned above is #1022. Our other new listings are #1006, 1033 and 1023. Click the link to check them out! - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Downsizing? Divesting? Then you need to know about IRDs

Wondered if I could get a few words in while Caleigh's not here …

There’s been a lot of cheering about today’s low-interest mortgages and the resulting stimulus to the real estate market. This is great for almost everyone involved – but there are a few exceptions. I just wanted to give a heads up to anyone considering selling and not rebuying, or downsizing to reduce the size of your mortgage.

In essence, your lender will now have to 're-lend' the money you returned to them, but likely at a much lower rate than before. Therefore, they are charging what they call an Interest Rate Differential (IRD). In simplest terms this is the difference between the original rate and the current rate, calculated on the balance of the loan over the remaining term.

This could turn out to mean you have to pay a large chunk of money, so you might want to check it out yourself before you talk to your lender. Our favourite mortgage guy, Nick Lecuyer, sent me this link: http://www.calculatorz.com/united/earlyrenew.cgi. Keep in mind that this is just about informing yourself and doesn’t replace talking to a mortgage professional, so your next call should be to your lender or to Nick (705-252-6425).

If you are just 'porting' (or expanding) your existing mortgage from one house to another – RELAX – there should be no IRD fee charged. - Glenn

What to wear for the weather

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It finally seems like spring, but the weather is crazy! Some mornings the kids need a parka to go to school, and are stripped down to t-shirts by the time they come home.

I like to use the Weather Network website to get my weather reports, and I recently discovered a very cool feature called the SchoolDay Forecast. You select your province, then choose your school. (I suggest that once you find your child's school, you bookmark the page for future reference.) Each day, it will give you not only the forecast, but a suggestion of what to wear both to and from school! I find this a fantastic feature, because at 7:30 in the morning I can't quite wrap my brain around whether 5º means winter coat or spring jacket. Click the link to check it out. - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

Weblink Weekends! Find a Florist

Teleflora's Find a Florist is a super-handy tool if you ever need to send flowers outside your own area and want to deal with a florist there, rather than having the order relayed from your local shop. This helps ensure that the shop that will be creating your arrangement has the flowers you want, and that they will be delivered promptly and accurately.

Just enter any Canadian or US city and the site will give you a list of area florists, and map their locations. Then just click the link to the website for that florist, make your selection, and you can pay and order online or by phone. Click the link to visit the site. - Caleigh

Read More 0 comments | Posted by CC |

It's Farmer's Market season!

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The Barrie Farmer's Market reopens its outdoor venue this weekend in front of City Hall at Collier and Mulcaster. The market will be open, rain or shine, until the last weekend of October.

This is a wonderful spot to get quality, locally grown and made produce, preserves, baking, meats, crafts and more. There are always several vendors offering organic products too. If you bring the kids, you may also find buskers, face painting and other fun tidbits there. Click the link to read more.

If you're from outside Barrie, or are planning a road trip, you can check out the Farmer's Markets of Ontario website to see a long list of markets throughout the province. Click the link for more information. Wondering what's in season and when? Click the link for a guide. - Caleigh

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Welcome to our blog!

Weblink Weekends! Need business card inspiration?

How to stage your own home

TATW: Festival season is underway!

Best online conversion tool ever!

Bueller? Bueller?

Guide to Barrie and area pick-your-own farms

Weblink Weekends! Celebrity gossip, Canadian style

Ever wonder where your commission goes?

TATW: Knights and Notes

A Spring Cleaning funny, courtesy the National Post

More beautiful homes on the market!

Weblink Weekends! Stay informed and avoid e-mail hoaxes

Home improvement stores want your business - should you buy in?

TATW: Zoo openings and more!

Feeling the itch to shop?

Rent or buy in 2009

Energy Conservation Week: May 17-23, 2009

Need a last-minute Mother's Day gift?

Weblink Weekends! Kids-in-Mind movie ratings

If you're into home improvement, then there are blogs for you!

TATW: Some ideas for your weekend

Referrals - what a great way to do business

A home for everyone

Downsizing? Divesting? Then you need to know about IRDs

What to wear for the weather

Weblink Weekends! Find a Florist

It's Farmer's Market season!

Barrie Home & Life

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