Summer Events: Caledon Day 2014

There’s so much happening in the summer months in Caledon, and this coming weekend it all kicks off with the highly anticipated, 6^th annual, Caledon Day at the Caledon Civic Campus on June 14^th from 2:00pm to 11:00pm.

Attendance at Caledon Day has been growing steadily since its inception in 2008, and this year’s event promises to be the biggest yet! Not only are there tons of activities, entertainment and excitement for the whole family to enjoy, but this year, the band Big Sugar is headlining, which is guaranteed to bring a crowd and keep them on their feet!

This year’s roster includes activities such as a petting zoo for the kids, a car and motorcycle show, a Kid’s Zone with fun run, a beer tent, live entertainment by some incredible bands, plus a grand finale fireworks show which is sure to impress.

In addition to this, dozens of food and service vendors will be set up offering sampling, prizes and other great giveaways. There will also be a 2015 Toronto Pan Am Zone, featuring information and activities focused on next year’s games. Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave is actually home for the equestrian portion of the upcoming pan am games.

If you’ve got any doubts about just how much fun you and your family can have at Caledon Day 2014, just check out the video below to see highlights from last year’s event. Also, check out the Town of Caledon’s website or Caledon Day’s official Facebook page for more information.

It’s a great way to kick off this year’s festival season, and an even better way to get active with your neighbours in support of the community we call home.

We look forward to seeing you out!

-The Stuart Sinclair Team
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com
info@TheStuartSinclairTeam.com

Eating local with Rock Garden farms in Caledon East

With summer quickly approaching you, like many other families, may be looking towards the warmer weather with hopes of getting active, discovering new local places and experiencing some adventure with the whole family.

One of our favourite things to do in the spring and summer is visiting farmers markets, experimenting with new recipes, and dining al fresca. Especially with the recent emphasis that the public has been putting on healthy eating, local eating, and the reduction of our carbon footprint as we head into the future; it's nice to know that there are businesses out there that are working diligently to spread awareness and give the public access to the tools and education they need to make that happen.

 

One of our all-time favourite spots? Rock Garden Farms in Caledon East. Family owned and operated since 1988, this local treasure offers fresh produce, baked goods and confections, a blossoming garden centre where you can purchase fresh flowers of all kind, and much more. In July, you can even pick your own deliciously sweet strawberries.  Rock Garden Farms also offers seasonal promotions, special events and more, providing fun for the whole family. 

For more information on Rock Garden Farms, visit their website.

This summer, why not try to make a point of introducing more fresh, local grown foods to your weekly meal plan. Not only can you taste the difference, you also get the peace of mind of knowing that you're contributing to a healthier, greener, and environmentally responsible community. Every little bit counts!

All the best,

The Stuart Sinclair Team

www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com

info@thestuartsinclairteam.com

(905) 857-7653

Top 5 Spring Cleaning Tips

It's spring cleaning time!


Time to expose every corner, tackle every speck of dust, wash surfaces you haven't touched in months, and declutter your home, life and mind.

Easier said than done? You aren't alone. The good news is there are a few steps you can stick to that will help the chore become less burdensome, enjoyable even, freeing up space in your heart, home and mind to tackle those goals you've been meaning to get a jump start on.

Here are some things to remember:

STEP 1: CREATE AN ACTION PLAN AND STICK TO IT!
Rome wasn't built in a day, and thinking you can completely overhaul your home in one afternoon may be a tad bit ambitious. However, making lists of what you hope to accomplish and spreading it out over a long weekend can help you keep things under control and take breaks in between. Get the whole family on board and assign tasks to each member of the household. Remember, many hands makes light work.

STEP 2: HAVE SUPPLIES ON HAND!
Take a quick inventory of the cleaning supplies you have on hand, and what you'll need to pick up. There are plenty of green options for cleaning solutions on the market (and do-it-yourself solutions) that are safe for children and pets, and clean just as well as the toxic stuff. In addition to your cleaning products, consider purchasing plastic bins, closet organizers and other storage solutions for easy decluttering.

STEP 3:  DECLUTTER FIRST
Analyze each room of your home and think about the items you really 'need' versus the ones that are just there for 'memories' or because you've always thought it would come in handy at some point in the future. Items others would get better use out of should be donated, while the remaining items could perhaps be better organized. This is where the organizational supplies from Step 2 comes in handy. Extend the decluttering to your pantry. Retailers and restaurants follow the 'First in First Out' rule, meaning new groceries should always be stored at the back of the cupboard so the ones that expire first are used first.  This makes sense for cleaning house, and also helps with meal planning for a busy family as you'll have a better knowledge of your inventory of ingredients.

STEP 4:  WORK YOUR WAY DOWN
Start on the upper level of your home and work your way to the lower levels, leaving the basement to last. As you clean, you'll likely stir up dust and debris that will eventually re-settle, so to cover better ground and avoid messing up areas that have already been cleaned, work your way downwards. Start with bedroom closets and bathroom cupboards, then move on to principle rooms. Expect to spend a large portion of your cleaning schedule in the kitchen and home office.

STEP 5: FOCUS ON HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS & USE SHORT CUTS
Don't want to clean the entire carpet? Use a spot cleaner to touch up high-traffic areas only. Use multipurpose cleaners to limit the number of different bottles you're carting around from room to room, or implement tools that work double duty, such as clothes steamers to clean curtains and remove wrinkles without having to take the curtains off the windows. Clean smarter, not necessarily harder to achieve efficient results.

And the very best advice of all would be to not put it off. Before you know it, summer will be in full swing and it will be much easier to lean towards cottage getaways over chores any day!

Looking for more information about getting in the swing of spring cleaning, need downloadable checklists or other advice about homeownership? Don't hesitate to contact us. We're always here to help in any way we can!

Happy Cleaning!

- The Stuart Sinclair Team
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com
info@thestuartsinclairteam.com 

Home selling FAQ: helping you get prepared to list your home!

Have you been thinking of putting your home on the market? With talk amongst experts that 2014 promises to be another amazing year for real estate, and with home prices still continuing to soar across the GTA, Peel Region and Southern Ontario as a whole, you are not alone.

So where do you begin? Many homeowners find the process overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Like with any decision, knowledge is power. To help you get a better understanding of what is involved in selling a home, we’ve taken the time to answer a few of our most frequently asked questions.


1. Do I need a Realtor to sell my home, and how do I choose one?

Realtors, or as many people refer to them, real estate agents, go through a rigorous schooling and training process. They can negotiate like pros, and are usually focused on a particular geographical region, meaning they understand the market, inventory levels and price points that exist in that particular neighbourhood. Not only that, but they can provide much needed support when it comes to preparing the home for sale before it hits the open market. Do you absolutely NEED a Realtor to sell your home? No. That being said, homes sold privately usually take much longer to sell, and on average don’t yield as much of a return.

When choosing a Realtor, there are many things to consider. Asking friends and family for referrals, interviewing them to determine their proposed course of action to sell your property, and ensuring there is a connection are all important things to consider. The good news is that you have found your way to our website to read this blog, so luckily, your search for the world’s best Realtor team can now stop. (we joke, but really, check out our testimonials!)


2. What steps do I need to take to prepare my home for sale?

The first thing you need to do is be mentally prepared. Detaching yourself emotionally from your home is a good idea… I know easier said than done, but starting with the simple things like boxing up family photos and other personal items can help you do this. From there, your Realtor will be able to analyze your home, others that are on the market in your neighbourhood, and then determine how yours shapes up next to the competition, providing recommendations for improvement. Some homes may just need a good de-cluttering, while others may require some minor repairs, redecorating and ‘staging’. This process could take anywhere from 1-3 weeks, but is well worth it. Once ready for the public eye, a good real estate team will arrange for professional photography, determine price, and start marketing your home!

3. How do I know what price to ask?

As homeowners, we usually have a general idea of what we expect to get for our home. That being said, that ‘idea’ is usually steeped in emotion and personal opinion. Your Realtor will complete a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), providing you with comparable homes that are on the market or recently sold to help you determine a listing price for your property that also includes consideration of your timing and needs. Try to be strategic and analyze market trends, for example, slightly underpricing is often known to attract multiple offers, adding potential for larger profit.

4. How long will my home take to sell?

There is no guaranteed answer to this. Depending on the time of year, market trends and the level to which your home is being advertised. Ideally, homes that are being consistently marketed to the general public through a variety of mediums will sell faster and for more money. If your home is on the market for longer than 30 days, your Realtor should be sitting down with you to re-evaluate the strategy and possibly reduce the price. At the Stuart Sinclair Team, we have a proven marketing system that we keep you updated on each step of the way, meaning there is never a question in your mind about how your home is doing.

5. What paperwork will be involved and what happens if I accept an offer?

Your real estate team will be there to help with the administrative component of your sale. Any offers that come in will be reviewed with you in detail. Your Realtor should help you weigh the pros and cons, and do the hard negotiating for you. If an offer is received that ends up becoming an actual sale, you’ll be coached through the process of dealing with any conditions, their fulfillment, as well as arranging a support team of lawyers, inspectors or other professional that may need to be involved in the closing of the transaction. The thing to remember is that your Realtor is there to help so that the process goes as smoothly for you, the seller, as possible.

While these questions cover some of the basics, they are by no means all encompassing. If you’ve got a question that you want answered or are looking for more information in order to get started, please feel free to ask. At the Stuart Sinclair Team, we don’t just want to be your Realtors for a particular transaction, we want to be your Realtors for life. If you’ve been thinking of selling, it’s never too early to get started, and we’re always happy to help. Even if you aren’t thinking of selling anytime soon, but you have other questions related to the market and homeownership, we’re here for you! Don't ever hesitate to contact us.

All the best!


-The Stuart Sinclair Team
info@thestuartsinclairteam.com
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com

Giving back to the community with the Caledon Exchange!

As we've mentioned on past blogs, here at The Stuart Sinclair Team we love getting involved in the spirit of our community. There's nothing like giving back to the people who work so hard at making Caledon a wonderful place to live, especially around the holidays!

The Exchange is one such example! Often referred to as the Caledon Food Bank, The Exchange is a new destination in Bolton with a focus on nutritious food and community programs designed to enrich our lives. Run by the Caledon Community Services, The new facility for The Exchange is located at 55 Healey Road in Bolton, and it's focus is to become a social destination for everyone, where residents of Caledon will be able to participate in general interest courses ranging from yoga to preserving basics to meal preparation.





This week our team had the pleasure of dropping off a substantial food donation of items we collected at our most recent client event. We were able to tour the new facility in the process and boy, were we impressed! If you live in the Caledon area it would do you good to check it out.

The Exchange will be host to a number of community events in the upcoming year, which can be viewed on their website and through facebook. In addition to becoming a community hub for all things food related in Bolton, best of all the Exchange provides food relief to people who need it.

This food support program is somewhat different than most. Since it's opening, the Exchange now provides fresh produce onsite. Families are encouraged to come in to the facility more often, not only to enjoy the fresh produce, but to socialize with others and enjoy all that the Exchange has to offer. The Food Support Program does not receive any government funding. It is partially supported by United Way of Peel Region and through generous community donations.
This innitiative is truly making a difference in the lives of Caledon residents, and we're glad to contribute whenever we can.

If you too are looking for ways to get involved this holiday season, check out the Caledon Exchange and give generously!

All the best!

The Stuart Sinclair Team
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com
info@TheStuartSinclairTeam.com

Illuminate the holiday spirit in your home: Tips for exterior decorating

At this time of year families all over Caledon and the GTA take the trip up the ladder to hang holiday lights on the exterior of their homes. While beautiful when complete, it takes work and planning to pull off an award-worthy display. To avoid a Griswald-esque disaster, there are a few tips to consider that can help make the process go more smoothly.



1. Proper preparation: Planning out your design on paper can save a lot of time. Lay out your focal point, measure the lengths of each stretch you want to cover, and make sure you have enough supplies on hand to get the job done.

2. Supplies, what supplies? If your lights are stored in a large tangled ball in the garage, you might want to consider upgrading to a newer product. Paying a visit to your local hardware or department store can and see just how many newer innovations exist when it comes to outdoor decorative lighting. Not only are there a variety of types and to choose from, but an assortment of clips, fasteners and other associated items to make the job less tedious.

3. Test the lights before hanging them. Obviously. Don't leave it to the unveiling to find out that one bulb is blown, in essence shorting out your entire final masterpiece. Plug strands in to outlets and connect them to each other to ensure they all work. If you are concerned about quantity needed for trees and bushes, the general rule of thumb is 100 lights for every 1-1.5 feet of coverage desired.

4. Limit your cost. Worried about your electricity bill? Setting an outdoor light timer is clutch! These wonderful advances in technology are actually not that new, and can be set so lights turn on and off at particular times, helping to save you money.

Most importantly, remember to put safety first. As the weather continues to shift to frosty temperatures, remember that roofs get slippery and wind gusts can be strong. If possible, have a helper on hand to spot you when you are not on solid ground . Enjoy the holiday spirit. The finished product will be worth the hard work and time spent.

Looking for more information on holiday home decorating, the local real estate market, or anything else relating to your home, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Happy and safe decorating!

The Stuart Sinclair Team
info@TheStuartSinclairTeam.com
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com

Halloween safety reminders for the whole family

Don't you just love Halloween? There's nothing like carving pumpkins, roasting seeds, dressing up in costumes and getting a little silly! It's so much fun to watch the kids delight in a sugar rush of ghoulish proportions... and of course, so nice to finally get out and say hello to the neighbours that we don't often get a chance to connect with throughout the year.

Halloween has become an event that lasts an entire week in most GTA, York and Peel Region communities; and while trick-or-treating might be limited to just one night, you can expect to see plenty of spooky things taking place throughout the next few days!

If you plan on being out with the kids on Thursday evening, remember to be safe. Some reminders:

- Review pedestrian safety. Stay on sidewalks and cross at appropriate crosswalks or intersections. Wear reflective clothing and choose face paint instead of  masks that interfere with vision. Bring a flashlight, and have a route planned ahead of time. Have a back-up plan incase anybody gets separated.

- Review door-knocking.  Only go to homes that have a light on, and remind your kids to graciously accept treats at the door, rather than stepping inside any home.

- Review candy safety. No eating anything until an adult has had the chance to inspect it. Never eat anything that is opened or has damaged packaging.

We know, some of these things seem a little obvious... but you can never be too safe. Speaking of which, now would be a good time to remind all the adult party-goers out there to also be responsible this week. If you plan on drinking, please don't drive... take a taxi, have a designated driver, or use public transportation instead.

Looking for information on what's going on in Caledon? Please be in touch. We're always on top of things happening in our community, and are happy to share or provide suggestions.

Whatever festivities you've got planned for the upcoming week, we hope you have a hauntingly good time!

Happy Halloween!

- The Stuart Sinclair Team
www.TheStuartSinclairTeam.com
info@TheStuartSinclairTeam.com