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Charles Francis
Toronto, Canada
I am a 20 year veteran Toronto Realtor at Royal Lepage.
Interests: Real Estate, Investment Real Estate, Renovating, Economics, F1 Racing
Recent Activity
Gardening: 10 ways to make your yard healthier for you and the environment
With spring in the air, and record high temperatures being recorded across the GTA and throughout Ontario it seems that gardening has popped into mind, for many, much earlier this year. If you find yourself in the position of needing or wanting to make some changes to your landscaping ,... Continue reading
Posted Mar 22, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Moving With Children: 12 Tips
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Moving is stressful for most adults, so why should it be any different for children? In fact for a lot of kids moving is a very scary prospect. Think about it. It means leaving behind important things like their bedroom and home, potentially their school, teams and clubs, and importantly... Continue reading
Posted Mar 21, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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GTA Mid-Month March 2012 Resale Housing Market Figures
Yesterday the Toronto Real Estate Board released the mid-month resale housing report for March 2012. The reports shows that prices are up across the GTA, coming in at roughly 9% higher compared to the same period in 2011, and that the number of new listings is down by 2% year-over-year.... Continue reading
Posted Mar 20, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Just Sold! 215 Wynford Drive # 503 (2 Bedrooms & 2 Bathrooms)
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Congratulations to my clients on the sale of their condo! This rarely offered south facing suite, overlooks the ravine at Wynford through huge floor to ceiling windows. The unit was completed with lovely hardwood floors in the hallways, living and dining rooms, both bedrooms, and solarium. With approximately 1400 square... Continue reading
Posted Mar 19, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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CREA: Canadian home sales edge higher in February
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) released a report today stating that the average selling price of Canadian homes crept higher last month, rising to $372, 763 or roughly 2 per cent higher than the same period in 2011. The report also stated that the number of homes sold was... Continue reading
Posted Mar 15, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Choosing The Best Neighbourhood For You: 10 Tips
Shopping for a new home should be fun, not tedious and overwhelming. Most people have a wish list for what features their new home will have and having a realistic handle on that certainly goes a long way to making the process smoother and the results that much better. Having... Continue reading
Posted Mar 14, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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10 Early Spring Gardening Chores
With the beginning of spring-like weather many of us (in my household when I say 'us' I really mean my wife!) start to get antsy to begin in on another season of gardening. For those of you that are considering selling your home this spring, it is also a fantastic... Continue reading
Posted Mar 13, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Getting Ready To Sell: Bathroom Staging Tips
The bathroom isn't far off the kitchen in importance when getting your home ready for selling. Dirty, grimy bathrooms are an instant turnoff for most buyers, and really doesn't it make sense? If you are truly serious about selling your home, this is a room that you must get ready... Continue reading
Posted Mar 12, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Bank of Canada maintains overnight rate target at 1 per cent
The Bank of Canada, not surprisingly, announced today that they will maintain the overnight rate at one per cent. The bank improved their outlook on the Canadian economy and noted that the global financial crisis has been stabilizing in the past few months. The news, however unsurprising, was met with... Continue reading
Posted Mar 8, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Indoor Air Quality: 12 tips to improve the air quality in your home
As Canadians, we spend a lot of our time indoors; at home, at work and in recreational environments. Most, however, are unaware of the effects poor indoor air quality can have or that indoor air pollution can sometimes be worse than outdoor air pollution. Effects can range from headaches, nausea... Continue reading
Posted Mar 7, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Happy 178th Birthday Toronto! Images of the City
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The town of York, founded by Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe on August 27, 1793, with a population of around 10,000 became incorporated as the City Of Toronto on this day in 1834. So, you might ask, why use the name Toronto? Toronto was derived from "le passage... Continue reading
Posted Mar 6, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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GTA REALTORS® Release February 2012 Resale Market Figures
The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) released resale numbers for February. Taking into account the extra day this year, sales were up by 10 per cent and new listing up by 6 per cent over February 2011. Check out the news release below. TORONTO, March 5, 2012 -- Greater Toronto... Continue reading
Posted Mar 5, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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CREA: Updated Resale Housing Market Forecast
Today the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) released an updated forecast for the Canadian resale housing market. The updated forecast projects that activity will remain roughly on par with the 10 year average for annual activity. According to CREA's chief economist Gregory Klump, “Risks to the Canadian economic outlook remain... Continue reading
Posted Mar 5, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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6 Simple Tips For Home Insurance
Insurance may seem complex to you but it doesn't need to be. Last week I posted information on what insurance companies look at when calculating your policy, and a home insurance assessment checklist. This week I thought I would post just a few simple tips to remember when dealing with... Continue reading
Posted Mar 2, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Just Listed! 215 Wynford Drive # 503 (2 Bedrooms & 2 Bathrooms)
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Rarely offered and most desirable south facing suite! This beautiful unit overlooks a ravine through huge floor to ceiling windows. Lovely hardwood floors in the hallways, living and dining rooms, both bedrooms, and solarium. Upgraded cupboards and tile flooring in kitchen. Both bedrooms have customized built in cupboards and there... Continue reading
Posted Mar 1, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Toronto Neighbourhood Information: Interactive map from the City of Toronto
Location, location, location! When purchasing a new home this is one of the more obvious factors that comes into consideration with most buyers. Factors such as crime rate, quality/proximity of education, social housing, health care facilities, daycare facilities, public transportation and many more, all come into play. Plus, of course,... Continue reading
Posted Feb 29, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Home Maintenance: Tips to help prevent mold
Mold is a concern for many home owners. Not only can it damage materials making them stained, discoloured and eventually ruined, but mold can also lead to a variety of health issues. Depending on the type of mold, length and amount of exposure, effects can range from very minor to... Continue reading
Posted Feb 28, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Dog Parks In Toronto: A Complete List of Off-Leash Parks for Fido
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If you own a dog in the city you are most likely familiar with the location of your nearest off-leash dog park. For those of you that are thinking about moving to an unfamiliar part of the city with your pet, would like to visit another neighbourhood with your dog,... Continue reading
Posted Feb 27, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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This Weekend in Toronto: February 24-26
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Well if you are here are a few of my suggestions and have a great weekend! Bloor Yorkville Icefest: In its seventh year this is an event that will be enjoyable for the entire family! Complete with an Ice Log Cabin paying... Continue reading
Posted Feb 24, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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10 Tips For Staging Your Home
I'm asked frequently by sellers what they should do to get their home ready for the market and as part of my service I have a professional stager that I work with. Here are the top 10 things that we tell my clients. 1. Box up those personal items. You... Continue reading
Posted Feb 23, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Home Insurance: The Assessment Checklist
Yesterday I wrote about major factors that insurance companies look for when insuring your property. To make sure you have the proper coverage on your home your insurance professional will need to make sure that they have some additional information. The checklist below, provided by the Insurance Bureau of Canada,... Continue reading
Posted Feb 22, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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What Insurance Companies Look For When Insuring Your Home
Before an insurance company can arrive at an appropriate premium for your property, it must first assess the likelihood that you will submit a claim. For the most part, the lower the risk (for example a well-maintained home with updated wiring and plumbing) the lower the insurance premium. Policies do... Continue reading
Posted Feb 21, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Family Day Weekend: Events for the family
Looking for something to do this long weekend? If you're in the city there are lots of great events and special offers out there for you to take advantage of. The CN Tower is offering 25% off admission from the 18th to the 20th; the AGO which is normally closed... Continue reading
Posted Feb 17, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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GTA REALTORS® Report February 2012 Mid-Month Resale Housing Market Figures
The Toronto Real Estate Board released their numbers for the first two weeks of February today. MLS transactions were up over 9% and new listings were up by 13% compared to the same time period in 2011. Check out the report below. TORONTO, February 16, 2012 – Greater Toronto REALTORS®... Continue reading
Posted Feb 16, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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Owning Animals in Toronto: A list of Prohibited Animals
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Most people are happy with getting a dog or a cat, a bird or a fish, a rabbit or even a hamster. Not my wife. She recently came across a website selling Teacup piglets and she fell in love. After sitting through a barrage of on-line photos including these two:... Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2012 at CHARLES FRANCIS - THE BLOG
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