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The history of pumpkin carving!

10/27/2016

Did you ever wonder why we carve pumpkins for Halloween? On door steps of homes around this city and all throughout the province and country, this time of year is a time to showcase our talents through the means of pumpkin carving! All kinds of jack-o'-lantern- spooky ones, funny ones, creative ones, pumpkins turned into different fictional characters, some that are painted, some that are stacked and some that are just left au naturel!
The history of Halloween as we know it is based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain. Celebrated at the end of summer, Samhain was a time to honor the deceased. Celts believed that from dusk on October 31 until the dusk of November 1, souls of those who had died that year would pass on, meaning it was also when ghosts would be most present. To ward away evil spirits, people placed jack-o'-lanterns on porches and in windows. Their creations were made from carved turnips, beets, or potatoes with burning lumps of coal inside them to add light.
The jack-o'-lantern is believed to have originated from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who played tricks on everyone. When he died, Jack was denied entry into both heaven and hell and was forced to roam the world as a ghost who carried a lantern made from a carved turnip.
Irish immigrants brought Halloween to America during the 1800s. When these settlers arrived in the United States, they discovered that pumpkins make perfect jack-o'-lanterns. Today, pumpkin carving remains synonymous with Halloween. In fact, the majority of the 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the United States each year are sold for Halloween. Pumpkin carving is also popular in Ireland, England, and other parts of Europe. Here is a place you can go to get free pumpkin patterns for yourself to help you with your pumpkin carving this year! www.pumpkinpile.com/all-patterns.html

RE/MAX 2016 Spring Market Trends Report

4/21/2016

I was eager to read this years market trends report and as expected, it is filled with a great deal of insightful information. Check out some of the notes made about the "greater St. John's market below. For a complete copy of this report, click on this link! RE/MAX 2016 Spring Market Trends Report

ST. JOHN’S area:
Down 4%
AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL SALE PRICE $282,054

Taking advantage of continued historically low interest rates, first-time buyers fueled sales in the Greater St. Johns region in the first quarter of 2016. This buyer group makes up approximately 60 per cent of the regional housing market activity. Despite the lower price of oil, the Greater St. John’s Area has seen seven consecutive months of decreased inventory and average days on market also fell to 69 days in the first quarter of 2016 compared to 74 in 2015. As a result of lower inventory, single detached housing starts in the province are slightly up.

2016 Spring Market Trends Report :

First-time buyers:

First-time buyers in the Greater St. John’s area are often young professionals with dual income and no children looking at properties priced between $250,000 and $300,000. The suburbs are currently a popular choice as these neighbourhoods offer new homes starting at $250,000 and often boast new schools and recreation facilities as well as shopping with only a 15 minute drive to the city.
Typically, first-time buyers outgrow their first homes within five to ten years as their families and incomes grow.

Condo market:

With only five per cent of sales in the region attributed to condo sales, the condo market is relatively small. Demand is largely from first-time buyers looking to live in the heart of the city at an attractive price point or empty-nesters downsizing to free up equity and simplify their lives. Condos priced correctly and in the heart of the city see the most demand.

Luxury Homes:

A typical luxury property in the Greater St. Johns region starts at approximately $500,000 and buyers are often employed in the oil industry. While inventory has increased compared to last year, unique properties with a lot of amenities are still attracting interest. Luxury sales in the region are flat compared to last year.

My top 5 reasons:

3/21/2016

There are so many choices for agents and agencies out there nowadays and for sure there are lots of great choices but I believe me and my outstanding team at RE/MAX Infinity, Team Burton are a cut above the rest. Why you may ask? I'll give you my "top 5 reasons why I would choose a Team Burton RE/MAX Infinity Agent":

1. We genuinely care. Its not just about the sales or the deals done. Its not about the paycheque that we take home when a property closes; its about doing all that we can to help the client; to make sure they are comfortable and happy with the entire process. I am happiest when my clients are happy.

2. We have the very best marketing around- from the Telegram's Home Buyers Guide, to our website and social media, to our networking engagements and our very own Burton Collection magazine and Radio Real Estate show- our clients properties get marketed effectively; its how we do business. We like to make a splash and boy are we good at it! Check out our latest Radio Real Estate show by double clicking here: http://www.infinitynl.ca/uploads/media/35-the_real_estate_show_march_21_seg_5_produced.mp3

3. Our TEAM. I always say: teamwork makes the dream work. Our group of agents are like a big family; we work together to match our clients and properties up; we also share helpful feedback on properties that we have seen- whether we liked it or disliked it and the reasons why. We help each other out; ALWAYS. I have fielded calls that have come in on the "on call" line and while being asked about a particular piece of property... a fellow agent was standing in my office doorway giving me the MLS ® number using hand signals!!! When you hire one of us, you get ALL of us! #allforoneandoneforall

4. We have over 100 years of combined experience! No, we do not have Methuselah working in the office with us!!! What we do have: experienced, talented, focused agents, who are motivated and who are doers! We have solid leadership in the form of an owner who has some 30+ years in the business and a broker who is committed and level headed. Our support staff employees are on point, they do not miss a beat; they are in-the-know, charismatic and courteous- they treat everyone as their top priority.

5. RESULTS. You want them, we get them. Full stop.

If you are in the market this spring for buying or selling, make Team Burton RE/MAX Infinity your choice and experience all of the above for yourself. You will be happy you did!

The Wednesday morning huddle!

3/9/2016

Every Wednesday morning at RE/MAX Infinity Realty, we have a morning huddle. Sometimes the gathering can last 30 minutes, sometimes it can last an hour and a half! Regardless, it is a part of my weekly schedule that has become so valuable to me; if I happen to miss it for some reason, I feel like I have truly missed out and my week just isn't the same.

In these weekly meetings we share, we ask questions and provide feedback. It is a vital part of our week where we discuss clients needs, where we brainstorm, encourage and motivate one another. I look forward to the Wednesday morning huddle and I am positive that my colleagues all feel the same way. We all show up- with coffees and notebooks in hand; we bring and takeaway something of value every week.

When people hire a RE/MAX Infinity agent, they are getting so much more than they know! They are getting a whole team, working together to sell or track down a property! Its something special that we offer... the secret sauce that ensures our teams success!

What are the numbers REALLY saying?

2/24/2016

'So with all the depressing news regarding our Canadian dollar and the price of oil, we thought it was high time that we take a good look at real estate and see whats happened with that over the past number of years.

As Mark Twain once said: "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior". So let's take a look shall we? As it turns out its pretty good news! Real estate was, is and always will be a solid investment.

We asked our friends at CMHC to pull some numbers for us, take a look for yourself! #keepingitpositive #successprinciples #realestate

A blog about tea-toxing!

2/1/2016

I am a tea drinker- always have been and so lately, with all these fad tea-tox detox diets, I had to find out more!

I went digging and I recently received the following information/ advice from a young professional after asking him about one of these diets. His response: "I don't like being a bummer, but nobody ever really "detoxes". Your body is full of harmful and non harmful substances all of the time, that's why your kidney's filter your blood, and you pee yellow lol!!! The liver also breaks down substances, as well as your stomach, that's why you poop! In fact, if you've ever taken a multivitamin and pee's neon green/yellow, like most of us have, it's because nearly the whole thing wasn't used by your body, and your liver/kidneys had to break it down and chuck it out because there's just too much to use.

The main point though, is that your body can only break down and absorb so many nutrients at one time, which is why these juice or tea cleanses do not work very well. It may very well be nutrient rich, but your body requires most nutrients to be in the form of food that it can break down slowly in your stomach and use for longer periods of time instead of most of it going to waste as byproducts (urine).

So whats the best thing you can do for your body? The best thing you can do for your body is avoid starchy foods, foods high in sugar or sodium, and food cooked at high temperatures (french fries, potato chips, etc). Most importantly is to not overeat. You must get enough sleep, and you must drink water, but not much over eight cups a day because you can actually die from water toxicity.

Fun fact #1: Water is really all you need to cleanse your body. The kidneys and bowels need it to transport waste out.

Fun fact #2: Green tea is just as good. Green tea- without anything added- after a meal helps digestion, this is because it's warm and grease doesn't break down in cold water (causes it to thicken, and it causes warm stomachs to get cramps from constricting from the cold). It also has antioxidants which help fight free radicals.

Fun fact #3: Fancy brand name tea's aren't overly good for you. No natural plant grows smelling like "chocolate chilli chai"!!! It's artificial flavouring. Green tea. GREEN TEA. Green tea after every meal!"

This is from a guru! I'm going with it; I'm on my 3rd cup of water today, as i had kind of fallen of the wagon over the holidays! I've had 1 cup of green tea (which I love)! No "tea-toxing" for me... just gonna double up on my water and keep on drinking my green tea... and maybe an occasional cup of Tetley Orange Pekoe for good measure! :o)

Momma's Black Bottom Muffins

1/29/2016

My momma is known for her black bottom muffins... no one can make them quite like her... but I do try! Mine are actually pretty good too, I have won over my colleagues at the office with them; they are always a favourite at my many open houses! I have been asked to share the recipe, so here it is! :o)

What you will need:

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup coco
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER

then add:

2 cups water
2/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons vanilla

MIX WITH MIXER

IN A SEPERATE BOWL, CREAM TOGETHER THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS:

1 package of cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
a sprinkle of salt

ONCE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE CREAMED TOGETHER BY HAND; USE THE MIXER TO MIX THEM AND TO GET THE LUMPS OUT!

then add:

1/2 package of chocolate chips

MIX CHOCOLATE CHIPS THROUGH THIS CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE BY HAND.

SPOON THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE INTO MUFFIN CUPS- 3/4 FULL IS GOOD. I SUGGEST THE FOIL CUPS, AS THEY BETTER PROTECT THE BOTTOMS FROM BAKING TOO MUCH. ONCE ALL YOUR CUPS ARE FILLED, ADD A GOOD SIZED DOLLOP OF THE CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE TO THE MIDDLE OF EACH. USE THE HANDLE OF THE SPOON TO POKE THE CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE DOWN IN THE CENTRE SO IT SINKS TO THE BOTTOM!

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 325 DEGREES, WHEN READY, POP THE MUFFINS IN AND BAKE FOR 20 MINS.

*** Depending on your oven, you may require more or less time. I suggest setting the oven to 18 mins and watch them closely from there. When the chocolate is firm to the touch, remove from the oven!

Allow to cool on baking racks or on a tea towel and serve once they have reached a good temperature- BEST MUFFINS EVER! They can be frozen as well... actually they are delicious right out of the freezer too!

HAPPY BAKING!

January 25th, 2016

1/25/2016

Supplies
1 set of mini blinds the width of your window
Fabric of your choice
Iron-on hem tape
Fabric glue
Paintbrush (optional)
Scissors
Sticky back Velcro
Steps
1. Open your mini blinds and lay them out on a flat surface, extended as long as they will go.

2. Cut away the thin ladder-like strings by running your scissors along the top of the mini blinds. These strings are typically used to turn the mini blind slats to let more or less light in – but you won’t be needing them. Don’t cut the strings that go through each slat (used to lift and lower the blinds).

3. Completely remove all the ladder-like strings so you are left with 2 lift strings and slats floating freely on those strings.

4. Decide how many folds you want in your Roman shade. My window was approximately 60″ tall, so I decided to have 6 folds, 10 inches apart. Pop off the plugs on the bottom of the weighted bar at the end of your mini blinds. Untie the lift strings and remove all the extra slats (leave one slat per fold, counting the bottom weighted bar as a slat).

(Note: In this photo above I have 6 slats plus the weighted bar. I should have only had 5 slats plus the weighted bar to make my 6 folds.)

5. Set aside the blinds and lay out your fabric. Cut a rectangular piece of fabric to these dimensions (width of your window + 2 inches x length of your window + 5 inches). My fabric ended up being 37″ x 65″ since my window was 35″ x 60″.

6. Using hem tape, fabric glue or your sewing machine, hem the long edges of your fabric. My hems were all 1″ wide. I chose not to hem the top and bottom edges of the fabric during this step, but if I did it again, I would also put a 1″ hem on the top and bottom at this point.

7. Lay your mini blinds on top of your hemmed fabric. Place a mark about 2 inches from the top edge of your fabric on each side. Then continue down both sides, measuring and marking the distance you want between each slat. I made 6 more marks on each side, 10 inches apart.

8. Brush fabric glue on the convex side of your slats, flip them over, line them up with your marks, and glue them in place. Make sure to smooth out your fabric and press hard to get good contact between your fabric and the glue. Don’t get any glue on your lift strings!

(I realized when I got to the end that I had left one extra slat on my strings. The solution was simple. I carefully snipped the slat where the lift string went through it and removed it from the strings on both sides.)

9. Before gluing the bottom weighted bar in place, tie big knots in the ends of the lift strings, pull them tight, and replace the white plugs.

Here’s a look at the shade once all the slats were glued in place.

10. On the top edge, line the top bar up with the marks you made on the fabric, fold the fabric up and over the bar, and glue it in place on the back of the bar. I left about 5 inches of fabric free on each end of the bar, since I still needed to be able to slip the bar into the brackets that suspend it from the window frame.

11. To keep the fabric from looking droopy on the sides, you can add a piece of sticky velcro to the back of your brackets and to the flap of fabric that didn’t get glued down.

12. Time for the installation! Take a trip to the lucky window. Install one bracket on each side, drilling the screws into the your window frame! Probably a good idea to test it out – go ahead and pull those strings to make sure you didn’t accidentally glue them to anything. Congratulations! Your Roman shade is done!

Here’s a close up of the Roman shade. You may have to train your fabric to fold nicely for the first few pulls, but after awhile it should fold up nicely on its own. One lesson I learned was to make my shade just a teensy bit narrower next time. This one fits almost perfectly, but still touches the sides of the window frame and doesn’t “fall” as nicely as a set of mini blinds would when I lower it.

Overall I’m really happy with how this Roman shade turned out. Start to finish, it probably took me 2 hours. I have one more to make, but it will probably only take half the time since I know what I’m doing this time around! One last look for good measure. What do you think? :)

Its A Brand New Year!

1/7/2016

Greetings and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely and enjoyable holiday! It's time to get back cracking at it!

The latest stats are in and things are looking pretty good!

Some key points I'd like to share are as follows:

1. The 2015 Sales to Active listing Ratio was 11.1% (this indicates a buyers market)

2. Average MLS sales price for 2015 was $296,812 which is down 3.1% compared to 2014.

3. There was 1845 Active Listings on the Market last month, down (four months in a row!) -10.2% compared to December 2014.

4. We had 3378 sales in 2015, a 3% increase when compared to the 2014 calendar year. 274 sales in December 2015, which is up 4.2% compared to December 2014. Awesome news!

5. In 2015, for the fourth year in a row, we had over $1 Billion in total dollar volume trade in Real Estate. FANTASTIC!

Important tidbits for 2015:

Inventory was up 3.1%, unit sales up 3% & our average MLS Sales price was down 3.1%.

No doubt the tides have been changing but so have we! We are going into 2016 with high expectations for another successful year!

Toblerone Shortbread

11/22/2015

This is one of my favourite holiday recipes!

2 cups of softened butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
200g of toblerone chocolate bar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Combine flour and cornstarch. Gradually add butter to the mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in Chocolate pieces. Drop by teaspoon (1 inch apart) onto greased cookie sheet or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 mins or until lightly tanned! :o) Let cool completely on wire baking racks.

ENJOY!