February 2012 Newsletter

Wiarton Willie has made his prediction: we are going to have an early spring! It would be hard to imagine anything different, as we have only had the smallest taste of winter so far. Maybe the warm weather has helped to keep the real estate market so hot!

In this newsletter, I am including a video clip from CTV news relating how the momentum of real estate sales from 2011 is continuing into this year. I had the pleasure of speaking with Zuraidah Alman, and one of my happy buyers was interviewed about her experience. Also included is the Market Watch Report for January 2012, which will show exactly what sales have taken place last month.

Don’t forget to tell someone you love them in February! There are plenty of opportunities to reach out to the people in your life that you care about. Next week is Valentine’s Day, and the following week is Family Day. These are excellent excuses to spend some time together, or at least give someone a call and say “Hello!”

Elli Davis
Celebrating 29 Years in Central Toronto Real Estate

February 2012 Newsletter

• Hot Listings!
• CTV News Speaks With Elli Davis
• Toronto Home Sellers are in a January State of Mind
• Market Watch Report: January 2011
• Toronto Events Calendar for February!
• eMbody Fitness: Getting Clean in 2012 & Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe

Hot Listings!

Central Toronto - Rosedale
30 Avondale Road
This charming 3 storey Rosedale home creates the atmosphere of "the country in a city setting". 5 Bedroom family home combining the elegance of the past with the comfort and convenience of today.

See more

Central Toronto
20 Burkebrook Place #206
Exclusive Kilgour Estates! Desirable ravine community! Two bedroom suite, approximately 1,116 square feet + balcony.

See more

Central Toronto - Yorkville
55 Prince Arthur Avenue #1001
Spacious 2 bedroom suite just steps to Yorkville! Over 2,220 square foot split bedroom plan. Living room with fireplace, large separate dining room, eat-in kitchen.

See more

Central Toronto - Forest Hill
128 Kilbarry Road
Gorgeous "10 years new" family home custom built by Queensgate! Sophisticated design with impeccable detail, fabulous finishes and millwork.

See more

Thinking of Buying? Thinking of Selling?

Visit our website for the Buyer’s Guide and Seller’s Guide or feel free to
contact me at and I will get right back to you.

Real Estate News

CTV News Speaks With Elli Davis:
Housing Market Momentum Carries on Into 2012
CTV News asked Elli to join them in their studios to discuss a recent bidding war on one of her listings that resulted in 15 offers. In this clip Zuraidah Alman speaks with Elli and takes a look at how the momentum of last year's housing market is continuing in early 2012.

Toronto Home Sellers are in a January State of Mind
Carolyn Ireland of the Globe & Mail discovers: “Why do people list their houses and condos for sale in the depths of January?” Take a look at why it can be a good idea to list your property for sale in the middle of winter. Read More

Market Watch Report: January 2012

The average selling price for January 2012 real estate transactions was $463,534 – up by almost nine per cent compared to January 2011.

“Low inventory levels have kept competition between buyers strong, resulting in robust annual rates of price growth over the last year. Strong price growth is expected to attract more listings. A better supplied market should result in a slower rate of price growth, especially in the second half of 2012,” said Jason Mercer, the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.

Read the Full Report.

Toronto Events Calendar for February

War Horse

This touching story of courage, loyalty and friendship has recently been released in cinemas, and will soon be on stage in Toronto. Presented by the National Theatre of Great Britain, this production has already won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Play. Recommended for ages 10+ at The Princess of Wales Theatre; starting Friday, February 10.

Harlem Globetrotters 2012 World Tour

The Harlem Globetrotters' 2012 World Tour is coming to Toronto! Take this opportunity to catch the action, excitement and talent of the Harlem Globetrotters as they showcase their alley-oops, slam dunks, behind-the-back passes and other basketball artistry. Two dates only: February 11 & 12 at the Rogers Centre.

Bloor-Yorkville IceFest 2012

Enjoy spectacular ice sculpture displays, events and demonstrations throughout the Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood and see the magic of 30,000 lbs of ice come to life as artists put the finishing touches on this amazing winter scene. Warm up with hot beverages and comfort food being sold by local restaurants. This is an all ages family-friendly, free event. February 24 – February 26.

Leonardo da Vinci's Workshop

An artist, mathematician, scientist, engineer and a great lover of geometry, Leonardo Da Vinci has been described as a man of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination". It took centuries for some of his inventions to become a reality. This special exhibition allows you to explore 20 exclusive scale models of his inventions including his Mechanical Lion and Robot Soldier, as well as the famous Great Kite flying machine and the Self-Propelling Cart. Until March 18 at the Ontario Science Centre.

eMbody February Bites

By Debra Basch, RHN
Director of Nutrition &
Certified Personal Trainer

Getting Clean in 2012

Nutrition is something we don’t always think of when we eat food. We all need to eat and when we are hungry, assessing the QUALITY of our food may not always be the first thing we think of. At the end of 2010, a Presidential report on Pesticides, BPA, Mercury, and other harmful chemicals was printed in The New York Times. This report was based on the President’s Cancer Panel as “the mission control of mainstream scientific and medical thinking”. It reported “The incidence of some cancers, including some most common among children, is increasing for unexplained reasons.” This is scary. You don’t have to be an American to benefit from the research, nor are we immune from harm north of the border. These chemicals: pesticides, insecticides, BPA, and Mercury are also linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and infertility. A body that is full of toxins usually has high levels of inflammation. Inflammation is the precursor to disease and at that the very least, makes losing weight very difficult, if not impossible. What should we be doing? Here are some steps that can help clean up our diets. This is NOT a diet – these are steps moving us toward an even cleaner, purer approach to a healthy lifestyle. And, yes – this could mean giving up the diet drinks in plastic bottles!

“The contamination of food by chemical hazards is a worldwide public health concern and is a leading cause of trade problems internationally. Contamination may occur through environmental pollution of the air, water and soil, such as the case with toxic metals, PCBs and dioxins, or through the intentional use of various chemicals, such as pesticides, animal drugs and other agrochemicals.

Since 1976, WHO has implemented the Global Environment Monitoring System - Food Contamination Monitoring and Assessment Programme (GEMS/Food), which has informed governments, the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other relevant institutions, as well as the public, on levels and trends of contaminants in food, their contribution to total human exposure, and significance with regard to public health and trade.

Food additives and contaminants resulting from food manufacturing and processing can also adversely affect health. Sound scientific risk assessment to define exposure levels of no health concern for such chemicals form the basis for national and international food safety standards.”

If going Organic is unreasonable or not in line with your philosophy, here are some tips on how to reduce your exposure to these unwanted poisons. Sometimes exposure is unavoidable and Health Canada does regulate what is safe and allowable with respect to our food found in grocery stores. However, I like to think of the human body as a bucket. It keeps filling up with good and with bad. Let’s not let our buckets overflow into bad. Start getting clean by making these changes today:

1. No Pesticides – Bug and rodent poisons and sprays that keep our lawns greens-worthy include hundreds of chemicals. Our bodies do not need any of them. Going organic greatly reduces and even eliminates these pollutants from our food sources. If you are against buying organic, read the regularly updated lists: “The Dirty Dozen” for fruits and vegetables. Apples are among the worst for being heavily sprayed. As for your lawn – learn to live without your home looking like a golf course.
2. PCBs and Dioxins – NO Thanks! These are chemicals with well-known cancer causing problems. They accumulate in fat, so they are appearing multiple times in our food chains. You can start to protect yourself by choosing lower-fat dairy products and animal proteins. Choose meat from grass-fed animals which tend to be leaner than factory-farmed, grain fed animals. Eating a diet rich in fruits, nuts and vegetables delivers numerous health benefits without the worry of unwanted fat. Please note: the fat in avocados, olives, nuts – all plant sources – are healthy fats and therefore are not in the same category as saturated and trans fat from animal sources.
3. Processed Foods = Nutrient void but Phthalates high. This family of chemicals, Phthalates, are what make plastics soft and pliable. Scientific research is showing that phthalates can act as endocrine disruptors. This means they can interfere with your body’s hormone system. Packaged foods are often high in sugar, trans fat and sodium. Individually wrapped foods are exposing you to these plastics. By only using processed foods minimally, you lower your exposure.
4. Mercury should remain a planet! Mercury in large doses harms our body systems: cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, and immune. We get it naturally and man-made. Dental fillings (silver), fluorescent light bulbs and batteries all contain mercury. Use guides from reputable sea food organizations to assess what fish have the lowest levels. Suggestions from seafoodwatch.org is to limit albacore tuna to 6 oz per week and all sea food to 12 oz per week.
5. Give up the Bottle. Ban plastic bottles from your life and only drink water from a reusable water bottle. Store and reheat all foods in glass containers. BPA (bisphenol A) is found in water and some baby bottles. It is also used to line certain canned foods. Switch to frozen or fresh! BPAs are also thought to be endocrine disruptors – playing havoc with our hormones and increasing our risk for cancers, infertility, and heart disease.

I have included an anti-inflammatory recipe that can do double duty this time a year. It provides warmth and comfort for those sub-zero days and is full of healthy ingredients, specifically turmeric – a spice known for centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Spicy Lentil Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Full of fibre and plant-based protein (lentils), this soup also contains curry – which is actually a combination of spices. The health benefit of this spice is reduction of inflammation in the body. Turmeric (large part of curry) is a powerful spice and may also help protect against cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. These health benefits are no surprise to those trained in Ayurvedic medicine where curries and turmeric have been used for treating inflammatory disease for centuries.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Stalks of celery, chopped with leaves
1 Large carrot, peeled, chopped
1 Large sweet onion
1 Jalapeno or habanero chilli pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 Sweet potato or ½ butternut squash, peeled, chopped
4 Cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock
¼ Cup of large green lentils
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon curry powder
2 Large handfuls of fresh cilantro
½ Cup of trans-fat free coconut milk

METHOD:

1. Sautee the celery, carrots, onion, and chilli pepper in the olive oil, low heat, until the onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper
2. Stir in the curry powder to blend and cook for another minute or two
3. Pour in stock, bring to a boil and add sweet potato and lentils.
4. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes
5. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes
6. Add the cilantro
7. Take a hand-blender and puree until a smooth consistency. Soup will be a rich green colour with flecks of cilantro.
8. Add coconut milk if using.
9. Reheat and serve with a salad and crusty, high-fibre, wholegrain bread for a delicious meal!