To Deport, or Not to Deport?

More than likely you've read in the papers that there has been an outcry within the general public to deport the young man who swiped the Poppy collection boxes from various Tim Horton's restaurants throughout the Hamilton area. The 26 year old in question turned himself in after it was discovered that his actions had been caught on a surveillance camera.
The man had come to our country as a boy of 14, but has never applied for citizenship. Some Veterans and lots of outraged Canadians are screaming for him to be sent back to his homeland. They reason that after 12 years in our Country, he should be aware of the importance of the monies collected with Poppy sales, that the theft of the money boxes is wrong on so many levels.
What do you think? Should he be sent home, or penalized in Canada and allowed to remain?

Warm Days, Crisp Nights

Looks like summer is over my friends! It was a gloriously hot, sunny summer, albeit, it went by much too quickly. Now, the kids have settled back into their routine of going to school, doing homework, getting to bed earlier.
Admittedly, it always makes me sad to acknowledge that yet another summer is over, but I gotta admit, I do love those fall days, apple picking with the family, carving pumpkins and whoa, those gorgeous fall colours! Get out there, load the family into the car and go for a drive! I remember collecting beautiful fall leaves when I was a kid, I was certain I'd never seen anything so spectacular. Living here in Caledon, there is no shortage of country roads to wander, or trees to admire.
It was a very busy and productive summer for us in the office. We had a blast assisting many families fulfill their dreams in regards to buying and selling properties. And, to make the summer even more exciting, Heather, our team administrator completed her real estate exams and is now a licensed Realtor! So, that voice on the phone when you call the office can now look after even more of your real estate needs! Congratulations Heather!
On a parting note....DON'T FORGET TO CAST YOUR VOTE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION!!!

Turn up the HEAT!!!

Yeah, that's right, I'm gonna say it....HOT ENOUGH FOR YA? Wow. I love summer and all that comes with it, but I'm ready at this point for a bit of a reprieve. Plus, my grass is so brown and crispy it's hard on the feet. One of my favorite things about summer is being able to walk around bare foot, without having pointy, burned grass poking the bottom of my feet.
Read an interesting article in the Toronto Star this week, regarding For Sale By Owners. As a realtor, I am very well aware of the general public perception of what a Realtor does to earn their commission. It's easy to attack Realtors and the commisson they make, but are the alternatives worth it?
Realtors are marketing guru's, excellent negotiators, on top of the housing market and therapists, all rolled into one. Yes, you can sell a property without using a Realtor, but do you really want to? A lawyer can certainly get the job done, but will they return your call at 11pm, or on a Sunday? I do, and will continue to do so.
Remember, if it were easy, everyone would do it!!

Rain, Rain, Go Away....

Alright, I get the whole April showers bring May flowers thing, but come on....it's almost June, enough with the rain!!! Admittedly, everything is lush and green, but I'd really like the opprotunity to get out there and enjoy the warmer weather.
Lots of people love to travel in the winter to escape the snow and cold temps, I'm kind of tempted to jump on a plane to escape to a dry climate!!

Not that I'm complaining....

LOVE IT!!

What a wonderful day!! Driving around Caledon today with my team was such a pleasure when the weather is this nice! Lots of activity both outside and in the office. Exciting new listings, exciting new season! Hurray for sunshine and success!!!

Power Hour!

The Stuart Sinclair Team LOVES Caledon! To show our appreciation for the wonderful community we work and live in we are hosting a POWER HOUR of cleaning on Saturday, April 30th, starting at 10am. Meet us at our office in the Shoppers Drug Mart Plaza on Hwy 50, pick up some gloves and a garbage bag, and start picking up neighbourhood trash!
You'll feel great for spending your time doing something so positive, and our streets will look springtime ready!
See you Saturday!

Please! Use a Realtor!

Something happened recently that has really upset me. Heather, our team administrator/Goddess, had a call from her son Zach , detailing a rental opprotunity that went terribly wrong. Zach and his roomates had decided to make a move from their basement apt to a whole house. They found what they thought was the perfect place for them, from an ad on Craigs list. They visited the house more than once, chatted with the friendly "landlord", and decided to proceed with renting the property. They gave the "landlord" their deposit, gave their current landlord their notice to vacate, and started packing. Zach was VERY excited about the move, couldn't wait to give his family the tour. They were poised to take possession on May 1st.
Alarms started sounding this past week. Darryl, one of Zach's roommates, had sent several emails to the "landlord" that went unanswered. As did his phone calls. Darryl decided to take a ride over to the new place to check things out, and found a crew of construction guys in the house, gutting the living room. Apparently, the "landlord" that the students had been meeting with, and subsequently gave a CASH deposit to, had absolutely no affiliation with the property. He somehow gained access to the house, showed it to several groups, and had taken more than one deposit on the property...and disappeared.
The last thing the students want to hear right now is "I told you so", but they should have used a REALTOR!!!! Even in the case of a rental, a Realtor is there to protect your rights and represent your interests. It's heartbreaking that four hard working students are each out $450, to a scam artist that the Toronto Police claim has been running this particular scam for 15 years.
Buyers AND renters, beware! Be cautious, be informed, hire a real estate professional!