Poll results: Is the market bouncing back?

There's been a lot of positive real estate news lately, with the return of multiple offers and cautious predictions that the worst may now be behind us. The spring weather, boosted by low interest rates and strong first-time buyer activity, seems to be restoring at least some strength to Toronto's home and condo market.

But the results of last week's poll aren't quite so optimistic. The majority of Yourhomers, 55 per cent, said they don't think we're on our way back to a seller's market.

About 22 per cent said they thought the market was starting to bounce back, while 18 per cent said the market may be getting stronger. The remaining four per cent said they didn't know.

In this week's poll, we're looking to our gardens. The long weekend is traditionally a time to plant, but with the recent spotty weather, do you think it's too soon to start puttering in the yard? Vote on the front page.

And, if you're looking for some DIY long weekend inspiration, we've got it in spades. Steve Maxwell shares his tricks for repairing your cottage plumbing, Colin and Justin create a living room that's a vision in grey, and Vicky Sanderson rounds up the latest and greatest grills for your next backyard BBQ.

As an extra treat, we've also got a stunning slideshow of McLean House, where 47 designers donated their skills, times and materials to create a gorgeous space.

Poll results: Bringing baby to the condo?

While more condo developments are offering larger units and other child-friendly perks to try to attract families, only about a third (29 per cent) of Yourhome voters in last week's poll say they'd raise their kids in a condo.

More than half, at 54 per cent, said they wouldn't move baby into a highrise unit, while 13 per cent were on the fence. The remaining four per cent said they didn't know.

There are many perks to a highrise lifestyle, including the ability to be closer to green space, parks and other kid-friendly amenities (sometimes even in the same building) than you may otherwise be able to afford and a low-maintenance lifestyle that means less time doing yardwork and more time playing with the kids. But, it's also quite different from the homes with fences and yards where many of us grew up!

For this week's poll, we're looking at the recent positive news in the market. Multiple offers, competition and sales over asking seem to be coming back (check out What they Got for some recent transactions) after a slow winter, begging the question: Are we returning to a seller's market? Weigh in on the front page, and check back next week for the results.

For some weekend inspiration, check out Colin and Justin's retro-inspired living room transformation, Debbie Travis' blue boy's bedroom and Vicky's tips for choosing drapes!

How walkable is your hood?

I recently came across the very cool website Walkscore.com (via the HGTV.ca blog), which calculates how 'walkable' your home and neighbourhood is (so long as you're in Canada, the U.S. or the U.K.), by considering factors like public space, shopping, local businesses and accessibility to roads, sidewalks and trails.

The website uses an algorithm that considers the nearby amenities, awarding points based on proximity up to one mile, and measure how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle, ranking it on a scale of 0-100. The 90-100 range is a "Walkers' Paradise" while 0-24 is "Car Dependent."

My new home has a middling rating on the walkable scale, a "Somewhat Walkable" 60 out of 100, which means some amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips may still require bikes, public transit or a car.

I was surprised by this, seeing as I'll be a mere 10 minute walk to the Danforth, but the service is still super handy, as it lets you see all the nearby services mapped out.

Before I even move in, I'm able to find the nearby cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, etc., along with the distance from my house, (except, apparently for LCBO and Beer Stores, which were a major factor in my friends' approval of our new neighbourhood!)

So, my walkscore is 60. What's yours?

Metro Home Show highlights

The Metro Home Show is done, but not forgotten! I got so wrapped up in my new home purchase that I haven't had a chance to write about my day at the show until now.

I hit up the show on opening day, accompanied by Mr. Speedy and two good friends who were home show newbies. After outlining my detailed plan of attack — a perimeter scout, followed by the must-hit Sony Spaces and then a more leisurely stroll — we got down to work.

There were lots of great booths, and a ton of ShamWows and hot tubs on offer, but two things really stood out for me — the first being, of course, the Sony Spaces.

I'm always looking for new ways to unobtrusively display our home theatre system, and Mr. Speedy's always on the lookout for new tech toys, so it was bound to be a hit with us. 

The fully automated rooms, with built in control panels at the entrance, were cozy, energy efficient and 'techno-chic.' I picked up some cool ideas for my soon-to-be-decorated games room, with though I'll be swapping blacks, reds and mirrored accents for the softer, more natural looks favoured in the spaces.

The living room was my favourite room, where a super thin, energy-efficient television was wall mounted along with the skinniest speakers I've ever seen — two narrow black bars perfectly framing the TV. Super stylish, and they sounded pretty good too! I asked the rep at the display about pricing, but he referred me to the website and I've had no luck finding them, yet. Keep an eye out though, as I think these are going to be a hot option for people looking for new systems!

I was also intrigued by a pushmower that was on display by Carbon Free Cutters. This mower was very light — a relatively liftable 17 pounds — and super easy to push on the astroturf. I'm looking for an eco-friendly lawn care option, and, while a little pricey at $265, this definitely seems viable. Though, I must admit, I was awfully tempted by the company's services too — they'll bike to your house and take care of your lawn in an earth-friendly way! All the good green cred with none of the labour!

POLL: Has the market hit bottom?

With recent signs of life in Toronto's housing market, including quick sales and studies citing greater affordability, it seemed like a great time to ask Yourhomers if they thought the market has hit bottom — and the majority say no!

More than half, at 55 per cent, of voters said the market will continue to slide. Just under a third, at 28 per cent, said we've hit bottom while 11 per cent say the worst might be over. The remaining six per cent said they didn't know.

Personally, I have no idea whether we've hit bottom and are recovering or if the market is merely having a bit of a spring thaw. Either way, it seemed like a good time for Mr. Speedy and I to buy!

This week's poll continues on the idea of buying a home, looking at a recent trend of people trading in large homes for teensy luxury condos — with astounding price tags. Would you rather put your dollars towards square footage or amenities? Vote on the front page and let me know!

And, for some more Saturday reading, check out the fabulous wallpaper in Colin and Justin's bedroom makeover, get some eco-friendly product inspiration and learn the basics of green gardening (after all, with this weekend's forecast, isn't it the perfect time to putter in your home plot?)

It's Metro Home Show day!

While I am planning on relaxing a little bit this weekend and spending some quality time with family and friends, my main objective for this stat holiday is hitting up the Metro Home Show this afternoon!

I've already blogged about how excited I am to check out the Sony Spaces, styled by Cheryl Tourreneuva (who you may have seen with Colin and Justin on Home Heist) and start storing up some techno-chic inspiration for when Mr. Speedy and I get our dream home (stay tuned for more on that post long weekend).

I'm also pretty stoked to check out the displays by local retailers in the show's CITY BLOX section. Especially in the winter, I tend to stick pretty close to home, which means that I'm missing out on all the trendy shops around the city! As a result, I like the idea of hitting a handful of them all in one place, including the fab source for pillows Kush Home and the eco-friendly Raku Living.

Hopefully I'll be reporting back to you next week with loads of trendy, stylish and/or quirky finds!

The show runs today (April 10) through Sunday.

A tea-off? Sounds like my kind of contest!

'One Teakettle' to rule them all? That's the idea behind the World Kitchen (which counts Corelle, CorningWare and Pyrex among its subsidiaries) Tea-Off. The competition asked designers to update the classic teakettle, and, I must say, I'm impressed. Who would have thought the humble teakettle could be recreated in so many ways?

The winner, the "One Teakettle" by Chicago-based Vessel Ideation, is designed to both boil and serve your tea, with blue-on-white heat-activated designs that appear only when the kettle's contents are hot. It also has an "intuitive magnetic trivet" that attaches to the base only when it's hot, which lets you place it directly on the table for serving.

I, of course, desperately want the Space Invaders one. It toes the line between stylish and nerdy, making it perfect for Mr. Speedy and I. They also designed more classic china patterns for those who aren't quite ready to deck their servingware out with retro video game images.

There were also two impressive runners-up. Martin M. Giroud's "Spin", which is a sphere shaped kettle that is supposed to have a safer, and more controlled way to pour. You pour by sliding a switch that activates a mechanism to tip the spout (not the kettle) forward.

And TEA-GO, by New York's ram industrial design inc, is a heat and go, single cup, design. TEA-GO includes an electric base that allows the user to set the water temperature, a no-spill container, travel cup and a lip to facilitate the steeping and removal of tea bags.

Metro Home Show sneak peek!

Spring is a great time to get inspired for all your renovation and gardening projects, even if the weather isn't quite nice enough to act on them! And the next show I'll be hitting up is the Metro Home Show, which starts next week (April 10 - 12).

Now, as those who read my blog regularly or follow me on twitter may know, I enjoy my fair share of video games and technology, and Mr. Speedy is really quite the gadget geek. As a result, I'm really excited to check out the "techno-chic" trends at the show's Sony Spaces, styled by Cheryl Tourrenueva (who many of you will know from Home Heist).

And, as an added bonus, she's done this video to share a sneak peek of her plans for the eco-friendly, techno-savvy and stylish spaces. But, we'll still have to wait until next Friday to find out what the finished rooms look like!

Poll: Housing and tax harmonization

The majority of Yourhomers say housing should be exempt from tax harmonization, an issue explored last week in Stephen Dupuis' column.

Dupuis wrote that harmonization would hit home buyers hard, estimating that the tax impact would be an additional $17,920 on a $350,000 home or condo.

And Yourhomers agreed. A whopping 82 per cent of the voters in last week's poll said that housing should be exempt if the province moves forward with the idea of harmonizing the sales tax. 

Just under a fifth, at 18 per cent, voted against an exemption for housing and, for the first time in Yourhome poll history, there were no votes cast in the "I don't know category."

This week, our poll takes a look at mandatory energy audits for home sales. Under the proposed new Green Energy Act, Ontarians won't be able to sell their homes or condos without first getting an energy audit, which costs roughly $300.

As I blogged last week, as a prospective buyer, I'd prefer to have a picture of my energy costs and know what work would need to be done to cut my bills before making an offer on a property. But critics argue the audits are just a thinly disguised new tax.

Read more on this topic in Home sellers face $300 'green' audit and Green audits have critics seeing red, then share your thoughts and cast your vote on the front page. I'll let you know the results next weekend!

And, for some lighter Saturday fare, check out Colin and Justin's transformation of a 1980s-themed bedroom into a peaceful retreat and the stunning Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation's prize home.

Spring is coming, really!

Visiting the National Home Show last weekend had me dreaming of redecorating both home and kitchen, but also of gardens, spring and sipping mimosas on the patio.

As previously mentioned, the Toronto Star's Dream Gardens were truly stunning, but there was also a plethora of BBQs, gardening wares and patio furniture on display.

Trend forecasters predict that, as part of the whole anchoring trend, people will be making more of their outdoor space this year and using the home renovation tax credit to add decks, patios or landscape their backyards.

So, with the hope that warmer temperatures are truly on the way, I want to share some of the unique outdoor furniture from Icon Home Design, which has an office on King Street West.

Their products are marketed as "the finest collections of luxury outdoor furnishings to help you create the perfect combinations of style and function", all in durable and weather-resistant materials.

Without a backyard, I can't speak to how they'll fare in a rainstorm, but I can say that they are stunning.

I love the canopy on the loveseat, shown above, which you can open and close to respond to the position of the sun or to help protect your pastier friends (like yours truly) from those harsh rays.

The table and chair set, shown right, also caught my eye. I love the modern lines and round shape!

It seems perfect for an evening of drinks with friends — just pop the sangria pitcher on the cute little table and relax!