What are condo fees?
A condo fee is a sum collected from the unit owners to pay for the management of the common property and facilities outside the units such as elevators, heating and electrical systems, recreation rooms, landscaped areas, insurance and so on.

Each owner will pay a different amount of condo fee based on their “unit factor” which represents their share of the common property as found on the condominium plan. This unit factor can be based on the unit’s square footage or the initial market price of the unit in comparison to the rest of the complex.

What happens if a unit owner does not pay his or her common expenses?
If a unit owner fails to pay his or her common expenses, the condominium corporation is entitled to place a lien on title to the unit in the amount of the arrears, together with all interest owing and all reasonable legal costs and reasonable expenses incurred by the corporation in connection with the collection or attempted collection of the unpaid amount.

Importantly, a lien for common expense arrears can be enforced in the same manner as a mortgage/charge of real property. This means that if a unit owner does not pay all amounts owing under the lien, the condominium corporation is entitled to sell the unit under power of sale.

Who manages condominium complexes?
The owners of the condominium either hire a management company, or the owners set up their own management group and manage the complex themselves.

What about property taxes?
A condominium is a piece of property, and condominium owners pay property taxes, they are calculated by using the unit factor.

What is a reserve fund?
It is a fund where money is set aside to use for repairs, maintenance, or improvements of the common areas. Usually the contributions made to this fund are taken from a unit owner’s portion of their condo fees. Condominium corporations usually plan for their future expenditures accordingly for their reserve fund.

What about having pets in condominiums?
Some condominiums allow pets with the permission of the Condominium corporation. The Condominium Bylaws for the complex will specify if pets are allowed or if they meet certain criteria, eg., dogs under 25 lbs are permitted, or cats only.

Does a condominium owner need insurance, or is it covered in the condo fees?
The condominium corporation must carry a master insurance policy on the buildings and common areas. This policy provides liability coverage and for structural loss such as due to fire, winds, water damage and other coverage. The corporation’s insurance excludes the contents of each separate unit and any improvements owners make to the units. Therefore, the owner of each unit should carry their own insurance to cover the contents of their unit.

Can you rent out your condominium?
A unit owner’s right to rent out a unit is granted under the Condominium Act and neither the board nor the corporation can prevent this in their bylaws. There are requirements of a owner and rights of the corporation for rented units. An owner must inform the corporation of the Intent to rent the unit, Name of the tenant, and Address for service of the owner when the tenant vacates.

A corporation may require an owner to place a deposit against damage to the common property. Also the corporation may give one month’s notice to vacate the property if the tenant is contravening the bylaws.

Most thieves do not usually try to get into any home, they select their target carefully. So the trick is to make your home less attractive (or harder to get into) than someone else’s.

You can make your home unappealing to a potential thief in a number of ways without the need to break your bank account. Here a few effective deterrents that you can do by yourself.

1- Start with doors and window
In many homes, the most serious home security weakness is doors. A thief’s job is made simpler by poor locks, breakable doors or both. Doors containing a small window or windows are the most exposed. Thieves only need to break the glass, reach inside and unlock the door. Upgrade your locks by installing dead bolt locks. Even better, double dead bolts locks (that need a key to be unlocked from the inside) provide the best security.

Patio doors and sliding windows are relatively easy to get out of their frames. A thief could do it by just lifting it up out of the frame (works just as well from the outside as it does when you lift them out for cleaning from the inside). The way to fix this problem is to drive a few screws into the top track above where the door or window sits when it’s closed.

Make sure all your doors and windows are in good working condition and have strong modern locks. If you notice a broken window or lock, fix it right away. Don’t think that just because a window is on the second or third story that a burglar can’t figure out a way to get to it.

2-Make the best use of lighting
Burglars don’t like to be seen, so install lights that will light up the outside of your home. Motion detecting fixtures are a great idea, just be sure to install them where a burglar can’t reach up to remove or break the bulb.

Don’t give burglars the opportunity to hide behind your untamed bushes and shrubbery. Keep the leafage trimmed, especially around the house, and make sure all the outdoor lights are working and are turned on during night.

3. Install a good home security system Many experts maintain that alarm systems are the best deterrent if they are properly maintained and used in conjunction with all the basics. Before deciding on one, interview at least three companies, then request an onsite survey from your local police department’s crime-prevention unit.

Make sure to encase all outside electrical wiring for your security system and phone lines in a pipe at least three meters high on the wall.
Make sure all home members know how to use your alarm system properly. And don’t forget to turn it on when you leave the house even if it’s just for a 15 minute walk. It only takes a few minutes for a thief to plunder your property.

4-Start a neighbourhood watch group
One thing that is common in every neighbourhood is empty streets most of the day. But there’s usually someone home in the neighbourhood. Keep an eye on your neighbours’ property, ask them to do the same for you, and call the police if you hear breaking glass, see someone lurking about or notice anything suspicious. You might also consider joining a community crime-watch group. Criminals know which neighbourhoods have watch groups and they avoid them like the plague. The local police department can help you set up a program.

5- Use common sense
Don’t advertise that there are things worth stealing in your home. If you get a new TV or computer, don’t just put the box out by the curb on trash pickup day and let the bad guys know what’s inside. Break down the box into small pieces, so no one passing by will be able to make a shopping list.

Finally, make sure your home has a lived in appearance. Plug interior lights and a radio into timers that turn on and off at different times so your house looks occupied. If you’re going to be away for a while, make arrangements to have your grass cut (or snow cleared), stop mail and newspaper deliveries and have someone pick up those flyers that seemingly show up every day. Getting a neighbour to park a vehicle in your driveway also helps make it look like someone is there.

Keep your garage and storage sheds locked at all times. Also, make sure you don’t leave a ladder laying out in your yard anywhere. Someone could use this to gain access to the second-story windows.

Use an answering machine so your phone doesn’t ring unanswered, but never leaves a message saying you’re not in. Say, “I’m not available right now.” Put up a security system sign visible from the road. It’s a proven deterrent.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that if you do everything suggested here that your home won’t ever get broken into. However, these suggestions will definitely make it more difficult for a burglar to get into your home, and often that’s enough to get him to try somewhere else.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

Click here for the listing.

This video was sent to us by the folks at Walk  Score, who provide neighbourhood “walk maps” over the internet. We feature them on our listings to show the surrounding area in detail. Made by the Congress for New Urbanism, it provides insight into the need for urban density.

Downtown Toronto and close surrounding communities are such a great places to live. 99% of the time, you can walk out your front door and are within walking distance to every amenity possible. With their years of experience in the downtown core, Semone Duerr and Jojo Plachta can help you find a great Toronto neighborhood just right for you.

The Distillery District is a great choice with stores, art galleries, restaurants and coffee shops. The Distillery District is a place full of culture and histor; a place that contains many things to keep you occupied and all within walking distance.

You are probably asking yourself why you should move from the suburbs to the city? To live in a place where everything is walkable means that you are doing your part to reduce our carbon imprint and help you and your world become healthier.

New Urbanism is the name for this new movement and is one that is reshaping, retrofitting and renovating human habitat to help preserve our habitat and the species that live in it, including ourselves. If we put lots of thought and organization into it, we can turn 400 square miles into 40 square miles, thereby protecting the natural environment by improving the built environment.

What we build is the greatest threat or the greatest hope- it is up to us. That is why choosing Semone Duerr and Jojo Plachta to help you with your real estate needs is such a smart choice. Their knowledge of the City of Toronto and the surrounding areas means they can make you feel as if you are living in the suburbs, while still letting you be within walking distance of all your favourite places.

Instead of commuting, imagine being able to walk to work or even ride your bike. Instead of driving to the coffee shop or your favourite restaurant, imagine simply stepping out your front door and walking there within five minutes. Moving to the city is not only a step towards helping our planet, but it is a step towards making you and your whole family healthier and happier.

The Sprawl= Built for Extinction. New Urbanism= Built to Last.