November 2011 Newsletter

It is hard to believe it is already November! Where does the time fly?

This Fall has been a busy one for the Elli Davis Team, and Toronto Realtors ® in general. The latest Market Watch Report has been released and Richard Silver, President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, had this to say:

““The pace of October resale home transactions remained brisk in the GTA. This bodes well for a strong finish to 2011. Home buyers who found it difficult to make a deal in the spring and summer due to a shortage of listings have benefitted from increased supply in the fall.”

You can read the full report in this Newsletter.

Many Canadians like to head south for the winter to enjoy the warm weather and relaxing lifestyles. If you are thinking of joining them and would also like to buy a property in the US, please give me a call. I have a wide network of contacts south of the border who can help you find your dream property! With the strong Canadian market, and an abundance of real estate available in the US, now is an ideal time to make that move.

For those who are lucky enough to already be heading south for the winter, see the list of procedures to follow when vacating your condo or townhouse for an extended period of time that is included in this newsletter. It is a helpful guideline of tasks to take care of before you head out.

Finally, this Friday, November 11th is Remembrance Day. Take a minute from your day to remember those whose lives were lost in an effort to protect our country. Volunteers are selling poppies all over the city, so don’t forget to pick one up and show your support.

Elli Davis
Celebrating 28 Years in Central Toronto Real Estate

November 2011 Newsletter

• Hot New Listings!
• Getting Winter Ready: Preparing Your Yard for the Cold Months Ahead
• Condo Culture: Tips For Vacating Your Condo For 6 Months
• Market Watch Report: October 2011
• Toronto Events Calendar for November!
• eMbody Fitness: The Hardest Working Vegetables in the Market
• Recipe: Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad

Hot Listings!

Central Toronto | 54 Summerhill Gardens
Beautiful treed views overlooking a lush ravine! It is like living in the country, but situated in central Toronto! Renovated and re-created in 1999 with great attention to detail. Tucked away on a quiet street in a desirable Summerhill locale.

See more

Central Toronto - The Annex | 121 Madison Avenue
Spectacular Annex opportunity on prestigious Madison Avenue! This stately Victorian semi detached home is a fully licensed 11 unit rooming house. Start earning income immediately or renovate for your own use and live rent/mortgage free or convert to single family home.

Open house: Thursday, November 10 from 1 - 2pm

See more

Central Toronto - South Hill | 40 Clarendon Avenue
Sensational Georgian centre hall home in the heart of South Hill. Beautifully appointed principal rooms, walk outs to professionally landscaped garden. Fully finished lower level with direct access to double garage.

See more

Central Toronto - Yorkville | 1 Bedford Road #2101
Stunning south east views from the twenty first floor! Bright & spacious 2 bedroom suite featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and 9' ceilings. Approximately 2,091 square feet (Rossetti floor plan) plus 2 open

See more

Central Toronto - Downtown | 183 Wellington St. West #2204
This is the only suite other than the penthouse at the Ritz Carlton that has a balcony! With approximately 1280 square feet of living space plus the balcony, this 1 bedroom suite has stunning south/east views.

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’ll get right back to you.

Real Estate News

Getting Winter Ready: Preparing Your Yard For the Cold Months Ahead
 

Leaves by Rok Lipnik

Housework is nothing like gardening. If you vacuum in the morning, the deed is done for days. If you rake leaves on a fall morning, you’ll probably do it again really soon. Read more!

Condo Culture: Tips For Vacating Your Condo For 6 Months

Vacating Condo by Gary Minnaert

We recently retired and have decided to head south this year for the winter. What procedures should we follow regarding the vacancy of our townhouse condo for six months? Read more!

Market Watch Report: October 2011

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 7,642 home sales through the TorontoMLS® in October 2011. This represented an increase of 17.5 per cent compared to the 6,504 transactions reported in October 2010.

"The pace of October resale home transactions remained brisk in the GTA. This bodes well for a strong finish to 2011," said Toronto Real Estate Board President Richard Silver. "Home buyers who found it difficult to make a deal in the spring and summer due to a shortage of listings have benefitted from increased supply in the fall."

For Full Details Read the October 2011 Market Watch Report:

October 2011 Marketwatch Report

Toronto Events Calendar for November

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

Once a year, the country comes to the city. The largest combined indoor agricultural, horticultural, canine and equestrian event in the world has quickly become one the most anticipated events in Toronto. It attracts more than 340,000 visitors to the city every year and this November it is back for its biggest year ever. Enjoy a variety of exhibits from giant farm animals to giant vegetables, from horse shows to dog shows, from family fun to the rodeo, and much more. Friday, November 4 – Sunday, November 13 at Exhibition Place.

Grace Kelly: From Movie Star To Princess

Almost everyone knows the fairy tale story of Grace Kelly, the actress who became a princess and a true fashion icon. Now you have the opportunity to see rarely-displayed items and artifacts spanning from Kelly’s days as one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses to a princess of one of Europe’s oldest royal families. From November 4 – January 22 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Maya: Secrets of Their Ancient World is the ROM’s newest exhibit and it will explore the interesting and mysterious Mayan civilization. Learn about the Mesoamerican culture, which includes their complex calendar, end of the world predictions and their mysterious demise. You will also have the opportunity to admire artifacts, many of which have never been shown outside of Mexico…Until now! Opens Saturday, November 19 at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Larry King Live

If you like Larry King, mark November 29, 2011 in your calendar! One of the most famous and prominent television talk show hosts in the United States is coming to Toronto for one night only to share stories, anecdotes and insights from his 50 year broadcasting career. Tuesday, November 29 at Roy Thompson Hall.

eMbody Fitness News

Join eMbody Fitness by November 19th and you will not be charged your monthly membership fees until December! Just mention this newsletter promotion.

Contact Johanna for more details: or 416-481-3000.

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

The Hardest Working Vegetables in the Market!

With autumn here and winter approaching, the cool weather brings with it crops of cruciferous vegetables – bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, rapini, turnip, and broccoli - abundant, versatile and loaded with nutrients. We know that eating these hearty vegetables on a regular basis can help protect us against cancer cells, lower cholesterol and also lower the death rate from cardiovascular disease. But did you know that new evidence is showing that these healthy vegetables can possibly protect us from colds and flu? Abundant with antioxidants – vitamins A & C, vitamin K, B vitamins, minerals such as manganese, and omega-3 fats; the phytochemicals in these hard-working vegetables help enhance our immune systems by supporting the special immune cells in the gut and skin. For best health practices, aim to eat 3 to 5 servings of these crunchy vegetables weekly. Interesting note: Eat your cabbage raw. Toss in shredded cabbage into your salads or even whole leaves on your veggie or turkey burger. The less it is cooked, the more nutritious and digestible it is!

Another nutritional powerhouse is the beet. Packed with antioxidants and phyto-nutrients including lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, beets also help improve our immune system. Deep red and yellow beets are both loaded with B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and zinc. Toss fresh, raw beets into your next fresh juice or even cut into small pieces and blend into a smoothie. The smoothie gets the added benefit of all that beneficial fibre!

Last month, we held a seminar on Immunity. With the help of Registered Holistic Nutritionist Victoria DeSousa, we have condensed and recapped for your benefit, a quick reference on keeping you and your family’s health optimum while naturally enhancing your immunity:

1. Essential Fatty Acids - Your body uses Omega 3 fatty acids (linolenic acid) and Omega 6 fatty acids (linoleic acids) to produce hormone like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins seem to control the activity of the white blood cells of our immune system, which act like our body’s army in the battle against illness. EFA’s are important as most people are deficient. Cold weather increases the body’s need for EFA’S. Foods that contain EFA’s include flax seed, walnuts, salmon, avocado and olive oil.
2. Regular exercise can either make you feel better or potentially make things worse at the first sign of mild sickness. The benefits of exercise include elevating your body’s core temperature and enhancing lymphatic system function. Muscle contraction helps to improve circulation of the lymphatic fluid. Rule of thumb: if your symptoms are mostly from the neck up, exercise may improve your illness. If the sickness has spread to your lungs, you’re better off using your energy to heal and let your body rest.
3. Increase fruits and vegetables and reduce or eliminate processed and nutrient-void food.
4. Managing Stress at home and in the work environment – lower cortisol levels and get adequate, restorative sleep.
5. Practice excellent hygiene: Wash your hands, wipe down your exercise machine BEFORE you use it and sneeze, cough into your sleeve.
6. Start cooking with more antiviral and antibacterial herbs, spices and vegetables such as: onions, garlic, ginger, ginseng, cinnamon. Did you know that garlic has 5,000 natural chemicals?
7. Supplement your diet with vitamin D3.
8. Support good digestion and bowel regularity – start taking Probiotics.
9. Don’t smoke and reduce alcohol intake. Alcohol abuse destroys a lot of body functions and cell growth, suppresses immune function, weakens immune response, and damages the liver, kidneys and the rest of the endocrine system.

The Recipe: Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad

Combining many of the immune-system boosting foods into one great recipe makes this a SUPER MEAL! 4 to 6 large servings depending upon either as a side or main dish.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium-sized beets (2 red, 2 yellow)
225 g of Quinoa (approx. 1 cup)
2 c of vegetable or chicken stock
3 green onions
2 large handfuls of Arugula
1 c of finely shredded red cabbage
3 garlic cloves minced
¼ to 1/3 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place whole beets on a baking sheet with parchment paper – roast for 60 minutes. Remove and cool and peel – discarding skins. Cut into large chunks
2. While beets are roasting, bring the 2 cups of stock to a boil and pour in quinoa. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow all liquid to be absorbed.
3. When quinoa is fully cooked, fluff with fork and place into a large, shallow bowl
4. Add chunks of roasted beets
5. Add remaining ingredients and toss really well. Quinoa will take on a pink tinge. Tastes best at room temperature.

Garlic Broccoli Rabe: Yield 4 – 2/3 cup servings

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Broccoli rabe trimmed
1 TBSP Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Steam broccoli rape until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Heat oil in pan over medium high heat; add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and salt – sauté for 1 minute.

Lemony Broccolini: Steam 2 packages of broccolini until tender crisp – 4 minutes – and immediately toss with juice of ½ a lemon, 1 TBSP Olive oil, grated rind of ½ a lemon, ¼ tsp of kosher salt and black pepper.