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I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. (George Washington) |
This is a blank space. I don't know what to do with it. I suppose I could post my vacation pictures here or, even better, why don't I save this spot for your house or condo? Don't let this space go to waste. Contact Me Here | | What The Critics Are Saying 
"Gary was very open and honest with us, no pressure, very relaxed, friendly. We highly recommend him. He made our dream come true." (W.B. & S.B., Orangeville) About Me | Country Homes & Properties 
FREE List of what is currently available.
From $200,000 - $2,000,000 + Contact Me | Downsizing?
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Visit my Downsizing Page by clicking here. Customize your searches. Mississauga, Orangeville, Brampton, Richmond Hill, Markham, King West & other GTA hotspots | Time To Move Back? 
Mississauga's Square One downtown neighbourhood is exploding with condominium development. Contact me for the heads up on new, to be built, and resale condos. |
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Garage Sales Just a reminder; If you`re looking for a little extra promotion for your Garage or Yard Sale, let me know and I`ll be happy to give it a mention here on my web site. | | Unique Products New Feature Page - "Unique Products & Services". This is a free service provided by yours truly. The more the merrier so feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions ... Unique Local Products & Services |
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Thanks for taking the time to browse my site. I hope you feel your time here has been well spent.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you need answered and I'll do my best to help out. *** Serving the Hwy 10 corridor
Orangeville & Area
Shelburne & Area
Port Credit
Mississauga City Centre (Square One)
Brampton
Caledon
since 1990 *** Last Update: July 29, 2010
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Previous Blog Postings - May, 2010
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May 28/10 ... This week's posting was inspired by a recent learning session involving members of Six Nations surrounding items of interest pertaining to the Grand River Watershed. In addition to the history and archaeology of the watershed, the session also involved a revealing discussion of the Haldimand Tract and the various Land Claims currently underway. This led me to think about Property Rights in general, as according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), "there is no guaranteed right to own private property in Canada." Continue reading ... May 25/10 ... Scouting World Jamboree Garage Sale … June 26 at the Orangeville Curling Club. All proceeds are going toward subsidizing 8 Scouting youth and 1 adult Leader to go the World Jamboree in Sweden in the summer of 2011. More details on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. May 22/10 ... Welcome to Real Estate Mash-Up Vol.2 ... This week, sneak a peek at who's selling, why, and for how much - it's the top 10 cheap celebrity homes. We'll also take a look at some emerging market trends including a CMHC forecast on the near future in house prices. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca May 16/10 ... When it comes to condos, often times the view is paramount. We all have different ideas of what consitutes a million dollar view. It can be a spectacular sunset, a dazzling display of lights and colours as you overlook the city, a peaceful scenic landscape, or a slightly rough around the edges industrial neighbourhood. A great view may also be determined by religious or cultural preferences. They say a picture is worth a thousand words ... continue reading. May 12/10 ... I read a report the other day detailing how much we owe on our homes. The grand total - $770b-b-b-illion!! Also this week; Shopping for condos? Remember to make sure pets are permitted. And some upcoming events to get excited about; blues, jazz, live entertainment, and lots of it in Orangeville and Port Credit. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca May 08/10 ... Upcoming Events … Thursday, May 27th … The Alzheimer Society of Dufferin County invites you to join in when they present their 4th annual “Celebrating Sisterhood – A Ladies’ Night Out” in Orangeville at the Monora Park Pavillion. Read more on my Blog here.
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Previous Blog Postings - April, 2010
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April 30/10 ... Upcoming Events In Dufferin County. NDACT presents "The People Power Gathering" to raise awareness and funds for the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce. NDACT, comprised of concerned ratepayers, have been working diligently to stop the pending Highland Companies’ 2400 acre x 250 deep limestone quarry. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. April 24/10 ... Real Estate Mash-Up. Odds & ends from the in-box including Crack Shack or Mansion, and a survey on the difference between men and women when it comes to home buying. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca.
April 16/10 ... What's Up With Mortgages These Days. Is It Time To Panic Yet? As you probably are all too well aware, mortgage rates took another step in the wrong direction this week. Where do we go from here? Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. April 09/10 ... New Listing. Beautiful country home on 1.5 Acres in neighbourhood of large estate properties. Centrally located to Alliston, Orangeville, Creemore, and Shelburne. Asking $399,000. See "Feature Homes" for pics & info. April 03/10 ... Mortgage rate increases. A Look Behind The Scenes. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, or a grizzled veteran of the housing wars – a little knowledge isn’t always necessarily a bad thing. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Previous Blog Postings - March, 2010
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March 29/10 ... Buying or Selling a Home? Free OREA "Tips" Book. Just casually mention to friends, family, and colleagues that you plan to buy or sell a property and watch the advice pour in. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. March 21/10 ... This week, it’s all about floating homes and some of the communities that have sprung up to meet the needs of those who have forsaken the solid footing of terra firma and opted for a gently unsteady life on the high seas. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. March 08/10 ... If you’re finding you could use a little help with keeping the house in shape, make some ease of living modifications, or are faced with emergency repairs - here’s an update on some programs available through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Dec.29/09 ... A tremendous opportunity is at hand for the GTA and outlying urban centres to recreate themselves as models of creative, green architecture. To read on - visit my blog. Jan.31/10 ... Boomers & Zoomers. Emerging trends for the 50+ crowd. Visit my Blog for more info. Feb.06/10 ... Have you ever stopped to think where old shipping containers go when they are retired from service? The modern day shipping container is now evolving into a housing solution in dense urban environments where space and affordability are at a premium. Visit my Blog to read on. Feb.15/10 ... First-time homebuyers in particular often hope to take advantage of the extra income a second suite, often a basement apartment, can generate. Financial advantages can be great, but the buyer needs to know the legal implications. You can read the full article on My Blog @ www.GaryOBrien.ca. Feb17/10 ... Just Listed. Successful established pizza franchise. Click here for details.
Feb.28/10 ... Evolving Back To Our Roots? Adventures In Alternative Housing. Read more about cave dwellings @ my Blog. |
 
Member of Toronto Real Estate Board, Orangeville & District Real Estate Board, Canadian Real Estate Association, Ontario Real Estate Association. This is not intended to solicit properties presently listed for sale or buyers currently under contract ... Each office independently owned & operated. Providing Real Estate services in Orangeville, Shelburne, Mississauga, Port Credit, Square One area, Brampton, Caledon, Mono, Mulmur, Amaranth, Melancthon, Horning's Mills, River Road, Hockley Valley, Mansfield Gary O'Brien, Sales Representative, RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage |
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As 'Onyx' at Mississauga City Centre nears completion, time is running out to take advantage of cashback incentives ... Buying new? Expect overlooked closing costs ... Selling? Where to begin ... MLS Snapshot; taking a look at recent listing and sales at CityGate. Read more at www.HottestCondos.ca ... |
Communities and Condos for the 50+ Set ... Recent news out of Vancouver Island reports 40% of houses sold in the area were purchased as retirement homes. What are your local options? Here's a sample of Active Adult neighbourhoods & condos between Alliston and Mississauga. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Coming soon - Pinnacle Grand Park. I toured the new presentation centre the other day, and previewed an impressive display of model suites. In the world of celebrity abodes, Marilyn Monroe's home is on the market. The latest mls stats are available for Living Arts Dr so I'll have a brief summary. Read more at www.HottestCondos.ca. |
Houses come in many different shapes, sizes, moods, and personalities. Every house has it's own story to tell - a story that develops and evolves over time as one family moves out, and the next moves in. Also this week, Farmer's Markets, and a review of mls sales and listings in the town of Shelburne. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca.
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New condo at Yonge & The Esplanade invites you to come up with a catchy name. And win $$ in the process ... Working On Your 2nd million? Perhaps you've been considering taking advantage of U.S. opportunities ... Trends: Boomers? Gen X? OMG that's so last century. Get ready for GenY ... Cool Condo Values: mls listings and sales at 4080 Living Arts Dr ('The Capital'). Continue reading ... |
Plenty of real estate headlines and local news this week ... Canadians remain the largest group of foreign home buyers Stateside; taxes - one hand giveth and the other taketh away; celebrity homes for sale; local events around Dufferin County; future real estate trends; and a snapshot of activity in the Orangeville condo market. Read more ... |
Things you need to know when purchasing a new condo - be careful not to invalidate the HST/GST rebate. The electric car may soon become commonplace - will condo buildings be equipped to accomodate them? Breaking ground at Parkside Village, spotlighting 80 Absolute, and the month of June showed a return to normalcy in mls activity around the GTA. Read more ... |
Have home buyers begun to downsize their housing requirements? How small is too small? Taking a look at mini-houses, and a six month summary of mls activity in Orangeville's Montgomery Village. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
A popular topic of discussion often centres around the purchase of a second property - if not a cottage, then a winter home with Florida being one of the more popular destinations. Given the current conditions that exist to the south of us, are there any real estate bargains still to be had? Also, if downsizing to a condo has left you stymied and wondering how to make the most of your space, HGTV has some decor tips for you. And, appreciating the uniqueness of Habitat '67. Read more ...
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Yard Sale ... Thursday, July 1 at 8am. Items for sale include; roll-rop desk, bedroom side tables, coffee & end tables, vintage table & chairs, and various household items. Address: 310 Main St.E., Shelburne. Planning a yard sale? Let me know and I'll be happy to post it here. |
As the technologies of solar energy continue to rapidly advance, I wonder if now isn't the time for governments, being extensions of you and I, to start paying more attention to harvesting the benefits of these new technologies by making them more accessible to homeowners interested in sustainable housing. Also this week, upcoming community events around Orangeville and Dufferin. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
How much is your condo worth in today’s uncertain real estate market? Timing is everything. Measuring supply and demand and knowing when to jump in. Fluctuations in mortgage rates, changes in lending policies, municipal decisions, provincial and municipal taxes, condo management, upcoming developments, trends, etc., can all have an impact on the value of your home. Read more ... |
Real Estate Mash-Up Vol.3. This week, for those of you looking to relocate to greener pastures, we cast about to find Canada's best real estate deals . We'll also check out some cool kitchen gadgets you might expect to see in the not too distant future, learn how desperate home sellers turn to St.Joseph during tough times, and see what a 90,000sq.ft. $75 million fixer upper looks like. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Planning your events calendar for the next few weeks? Here are a few suggestions if you plan on sticking around Orangeville, Shelburne, and Caledon. Read more on by Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
It's summertime which means it's time to take care of a few odds & ends around the outside of your house. Two items in particular that you may have to address include your chimney and the deck. Speaking of the 'honey-do' list, remember mandatory energy audits? Well, they're still around, they're just not mandatory - yet. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Where the stars come to shine. Three special country homes in Dufferin County. Acreage, ponds, Sunday drives through the Mulmur Hills, scenery, the backroads of Melancthon, wildlife, sunsets, peace, lazy walks down River Road. Central to Orangeville, Alliston, Creemore, Mansfield, Shelburne. Kickin' it country style with three special mls listings under $400,000. Continue reading... |
A compilation of the day's headlines from the world of real estate, related items, and local events. Topics of interest include; WalMart moves into Canadian banking; analysis of the real estate market; which cities offer the most opportunity for real estate investments; Statistics Canada reports on Home Ownership; and Caledon's Farmers issue a challenge. Read more on my Blog at www.GaryOBrien.ca. |
Recent news headlines indicate real estate markets around the country have begun to slow and are trending towards a more balanced market. At the same time the Canadian Real Estate Association has revised it's forecast for 2010 & 2011 to reflect this new reality. To read the full report, and for a breakdown of year to date sales in Orangeville, Dufferin, and Caledon click here. |
New Listing. Lakeshore & Cawthra. Mississauga Detached Under $300,000. Convenient location near parks, schools, transportation, as well as the shops & boutiques of Port Credit. Click here to view photos & info. |
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