At long last- SPRING has sprung! And while the sun is shining and the birds are chirping; you might be taking in the aftermath of great Canadian hibernation. There’s no doubt that throughout the cold winter months we tend to accumulate stuff; whether you’re ‘duvet shopping’, strolling a toasty mall or still grappling with your holiday loot. It’s been a long winter of stuffing things into the dark corners of closets, but now it’s time to start digging for your beloved pair of sandals, making room for your floppy beach hat and finding a resting place for that tired parka!

Whether you’re on team ‘Spring Clean Serenity’ or team ‘Do We Have To?’ there is SO much to be gained by a good old fashioned SPRING CLEAN, it’s Science!

According to researchers, clutter causes more than just a mess, it actually contributes to a significant amount of STRESS. A whopping 47% of North Americans report they are preoccupied by their house not being in order. Studies have shown that clutter causes your cortisol levels to spike, and it even results in decreased productivity at the office; the stress and anxiety of having a messy house is even said to stick with you throughout your time away from home. But the good news is it takes just a little bit of elbow grease and determination to get your nest back in order, and once you reach some level of organization, research suggests you're much less likely to fall back into bad habits. Once it exists, your brain is actually programmed to maintain the cleanliness. Game Changer!

If this isn’t quite enough to sway your motivation- how about considering the IMPACT your parted possessions could have on the lives of Women and Children in your community!

Thanks to the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, you can watch your new found home organization translate into real dollars and make a real difference in supporting shelters that house over 50,000 individuals in need of refuge.

So while you’re taking inventory of your crammed-full cupboards, and piled-up places please consider putting aside your gently used items to donate to the Garage Sale for Shelter. Donations are typically accepted the first week of May and are appreciated more than you know!

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs. Since 1998, the Shelter Foundation has raised more than $38 million and currently supports 200 local women’s shelters and national partners. In addition to this annual nation-wide fundraising event, Royal LePage agents proudly donate a portion of their commissions, volunteer their time and provide in-kind goods towards making a difference through the Shelter Foundation.

After a start like no other in 2022, the second half of the year was a little less appetizing - or was it? It all depends on how you look at it, which side of the fence you’re on or if you’re just sitting on that fence waiting to see what everyone else is going to do (you’re not alone!) 

​For many, many years there have been escalating complaints about Toronto’s Real Estate market. It’s fast pace and often seemingly unfair antics required just to get your foot in the door - and that foot generally cost you an arm and a leg! 

​We’ve started to see a decline in prices while interest rates and the cost of living rise across the board. Let’s not negate the fact that this has put many in a difficult position but the reality is, and always has been, for the most part Real Estate is a long game. 

There was a very short period of time where the short game was profitable, but that, along with early 2022 prices and uncharacteristically low interest rates were not sustainable.  Yes, prices have come down and interest rates have gone up. 

So where does that leave us for 2023? 

The LTHome Collective has taken out their crystal ball and here’s what we see; Currently, this is a great time to look at your options for a move if that’s one of your 2023 goals. When you are buying and selling in the same market it actually makes better financial sense to do that in a declining market rather than an inclining one. Reach out, we’re happy to explain how!

That said, based on looking at the data, dissecting the media reports and our feet on the ground, our guess is that this declining market is going to be short-lived in Toronto. It’s possible the forecasted recession becomes a looming reality and this opinion shifts but in the first couple weeks of January we are already starting to see multiple offers (bidding wars) and “Sold over asking” becoming common again.

It comes down to simple supply and demand (still!) Many would-be sellers are holding tight because they feel they’ve “lost value” with declining prices.

This might be true in the short term but in most cases if those sellers bought in 2021 or earlier, they haven’t lost anything. This lack of inventory for the buyers means the buyers have to fight for what is on the market. Many buyers took to the sidelines when prices began to decline waiting for “the bottom” (we’d love for them to let us know when that bottom happens because we fear it's here!)

However, all the buyers that were pushing prices up in early 2022 did not all buy and settle into a new home. As they slowly re-enter the market along with the return of immigration that was somewhat on hold through the pandemic, the fact that Toronto is a world-class city and appealing to many, chances are, the market will be relatively stable going forward if it doesn’t just take off again.

For us here at LTHome, we optimistically welcome a stable market but with the experience, knowledge and expertise along with a great group of professionals we can rely on, our Collective is confident in helping our clients navigate any market, even one in the throes of constant change! It’s such a better way to do business when everyone gets to walk away from the table feeling good about their Real Estate experience and that’s always what we strive for.

If you’d like to discuss the market and dig into the stats for your specific property or area, we’re always excited for an opportunity to connect with you!