The Bower Blog

WHY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS SO IMPORTANT

In our world of social media, (Blackberrys, I-Phones, Tweets, Facebook to name a few) we loose something very precious; our "human" face to face interaction with friends and family.  It brought me great sadness to realize that I have not seen one of my sisters in over 6 months and some very dear, close friends in about a year.  Granted, our lives are extremely busy however we have lost that feeling of community by substituting interactions with people via networks.  Even the telephone, in my estimation, is not a good replacement for face time over a coffee or a glass of wine. 

This past year has brought me back to my creative roots; mosaic artwork and music.  We had our Rock and Roll choir (www.Newchoir.ca) concert this past Saturday.  Even though it is only my second season, I have seen past productions done by Newchoir and in my estimation, it was the best ever. I had two parts last season and consequently had 40 family/friend members in the audience rooting for me.  It was magical.  Not the same this year as I wasn't front and centre, but the production was awesome regardless. Kudos for the tireless efforts of the choir board of directors, music directors and the production team.  When you join an organization like a choir, it becomes a microcosm of a larger society.  There are politics, nepotism, petty grievances, disappointments and wild joy but by joining in, a community is created.  I still don't feel totally included, but by getting more involved year by year, that will come.

Speaking of community involvement, for the past 30 years, my son's public school (William Burgess Public School) has hosted a Spring Carnival, supporting educational activities that enrich the students' learning experience.  In our world of cut-backs, schools often experience ciriculum changes whereby some things just can't be done.  Strong parent council involvement helps the kids enjoy things they might not be able to because of funding.  When my son was little, we went to apple orchards, The Royal Ontario Museum, etc. all on Spring Carnival proceeds. 

William Burgess' SPRING CARNIVAL is being held on May 26, 2012 (100 Torrens Avenue, East York).  I am sponsoring the TEACHER SMASH and GONE FISHING.  I can only surmise what Teacher Smash means but I thought it sounded fun.  This little Carnival is a lot of fun plus if I recall correctly, there are great baked goods.  Join in the festivities!

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

NEWCHOIR-ROAD TRIP

On May 12 at 8 p.m. we have our Rock and Roll Choir Show.  This year promises to be the best ever; great songs.....Runnin' Back to Saskatoon, Long Way Home, Life is a Highway, Magic Carpet Ride, Big Yellow Taxi...you get the theme.

Tickets are still $20.00; if you'd like one, let me know...they are selling out fast!

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

DO YOUR HOMEWORK when choosing a MOVER

For some consumers, the most daunting aspect of the whole buying/selling process is the move itself.  Moving is not only labour-intensive, but it can also unleash a list of emotions at a difficult time.  If the catalyst for the move is a family death, divorce or other major lifestyle change, a bad moving experience can rub salt in the wound, aggravating an already challenging situation. 

As realtors we are constantly placed in the position of recommending contractors, painters, movers, cleaners, window cleaners, photographers, etc. I'm fortunate that I have worked with professionals for over 15 years; they are part of my "team" and to date, no complaints.  I must say however, I shy away from recommending movers even though I am in the business of moving people.  The reason for this is moving companies are only as good as their last move.  It seems unfair in a way that a company can have a stellar reputation and then make one boo-boo and that reputation goes from a "10" to a "0" on someone's recommended list.  Before we hand out a list of any contractors, we have to remember that every name we provide is an extension of our own reputation.  If a client is dissatisfied with my recommendation, it reflects on me.  Unfortunately this has led me to pass over recommending movers.  So what do you do?

Many resources are available to determine whether a mover is reputable.  The Canadian Association of Movers (CAM-www.mover.net, 1-866-860-0065), the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org/canada/ and any of the major national van lines are all good sources.  Also check out the Consumer Beware page through the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Servies (www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca) for movers to avoid.

Many people don't realize that their main concern should be having a good moving experience, not getting the cheapest price.  Be sure you understand that the lowest quoted price not not actually guarantee the lowest cost, or a good-quality job or insurance on your move.  Consider the value of your possession as well as the potential cost of loss, damage, tardiness or claims.  All those factors should be weighed to determine the moves' total price tag and doing some homework before selecting a mover is well worth the time.

I have found some good luck with contractors through www.Homestars.com/Toronto as well.  There are testimonials written about contractors of all kinds by consumers such as you and me.  There is a rating system so look for movers that show clients have had high regard for their company. 

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

B-I-N-G-O!

On April 19, I invite you to join me at the above event.  According to my mom, $30.00 is a bargoon for a BINGO ticket with lots of great prizes!  I have tickets; please join me on this fun-filled evening!  Includes desert and fabulous silent auction items. 

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

Trendy Dog names and how dogs make you friends

I've noticed as of late that the latest trend for dog names are "Bella" and "Indy".  It used to be "Max" or "Buddy" or years ago, "Fido" or "Spot".  I guess dog names are like kids names; they go in cycles of popularity. 

I have met dear friends while walking our dogs or chatting on the front lawn.  I hold these friends dearly in my heart for a variety of reasons; we live in the same neighbourhood, we share a lot of the same values plus, and it seems corny, but we celebrate our pets birthdays simply because it was what brought us together in the first place. There are doggy bags, doggy treats and martini coctails for the dog parents. 

I have met clients as a result of my 3 times a day ritual of dog walking.  This was never intended but since we are so consistant in our walks, we meet people along the way.  Some of the friends/clients remained "name unknown" for months simply because we were more familiar with the dog name over the people name!

Anyway, as spring approaches, we shall be out walking even more and meeting new friends along the way....ahhhh, SPRING!

Galen Weston Jr.-He Shoots, He Scores!

Anyone that is close to me knows that my partner has had some pretty major health problems since the fall of 2011; consequently, we have been to numerous doctors appointments.  One of his doctors happens to be next door to the new Loblaws at the old Maple Leaf Gardens.  I'm in love! 

The displays are beautiful, the food fantastic and even the staff still needs a hand-held map to find out where everything is; there is sooo much selection!  Galen Weston (yes, I have a crush) has done it again!  He is my uber-hero when it comes to marketing-I take lessons from him when promoting client's properties.  Presentation and Promotion = Profit....my mantra when it comes to helping clients sell their homes.  Weston is no different; from the vignettes of eateries in the place (I counted 4, but there could be more) to the retention of centre ice in the middle of the store, everything has been carefully executed to provide the best presentation possible.  So today, he was even there!  I went up to him and asked if he was "the Loblaws Guy?"  He said yes and I gushed that I just loved the store.  We were buying a few things at a particular counter and he even sugggested that our choice was excellent.  He also noticed our cart was full and thanked us for shopping there.  SIGH.  Galen?  I've heard you are shy; if you ever want me to stand in and promote your stores, I'm your gal!

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

Happy New Year and all that stuff!

Why does a date signify change?  Not sure, but every year, people make resolutions whether they be weight, drinking, schooling, housing....you name it and it is likely our economy will benefit from it in January!

My sister Michele laughs at me every year because for 28 years, she has heard..."will I ever sell another home?"  I literally go through this and start planning in December how I can continue my job. Realtors have to constantly re-invent themselves, sometimes a couple times of year.  Our society, and in particular, technology, moves so quickly that we have to keep on top of things.  As realtors, we are madated to renew our licensing every two years by credit courses.  I used to be so on top of this but as I got busier with my job and with outside interests, I have often left these courses to the last minute.  Consequently, the next month has me taking numerous credit courses.  Actually, for the most part, the courses are really informative and interesting...not sure why I procrastinate, but so be it.

The other thing that I do is have a yearly "discussion" with various essential (in my world) services.  By essential I mean cell phones and internet providers.  The discussion is about....money and why they cannot sharpen their pencil when it comes to my billing.  I was up for contract renewal with both FIDO and Rogers in December.  When I got home from family holidays, I had animated discussions with both providers about my billing.  These companies will refer you to something called "retention".  In other words, if they perceive you are going to Bell or Wind (Bell is their big nemesis) they will pull out all the stops to retain you.  My FIDO bill is now 40$ less per month than last year and Rogers is about the same as well.  Why they can't do this for long term customers in the first place is beyond me, but it gives me something to whine about in December. 

Anyway, I hope your New Year brings you much health, prosperity and joy.  Keep on truckin'.

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

 

NEWCHOIR-A Premiere Rock Choir

I was never happier than to have been accepted to be part of the Newchoir Rock Choir!  We started our rehearsals in early September and the concert is December 10, 2011.  I'm lucky enough to have been chosen for two ensemble solo parts, "Son of a Preacher Man", a sexy, gospel type rendition with, gulp, choreography (which I freely admit, I am horrible with) and a duel between men and women of "Stuck in the Middle With you" (girls) and "500 Miles (guys).  It's a romping good time!  When I first saw Newchoir, it was this past May.  I cried at some of the songs, simply because I knew from my friend Brenda that rehearsals were weekly and all 140 or so people are amateurs who just love to sing.  I had to join! 

Anyone wishing tickets can either call me or go to the website:  www.Newchoir.ca and order directly.  Tickets are $20.00 and they sell out quickly.

My entire family is going!  Can't wait!

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

Royal Rental Rip-Offs Exposed

In August and only coincidentally, both my son and my girlfriend's daughter were looking for apartments in the city (not together, sigh....still waiting for a grandbaby, but I digress)

Anyway, our city has been experiencing a severe shortage of good rentable spaces, of various prices.  On homes, there are rental bidding wars simply because they appeal to so many uses.  Homes can be shared or used as a single family.  The possibilities are endless. Lately I have been seeing rentals going for way over the asking price.  When my son Skyler and Emily were looking at respective apartments, being young adults, they looked in other places rather than the Toronto Star or on line at www.viewit.ca and www.torontorentals.com They submitted what they wanted on Facebook; scoped Craigslist, etc.  Both of these young people had their parents also pounding the pavement helping them out.

So, what happened?  In sharing our plight about our kids search for a rental, we discovered that both of them had encountered "dream" sounding apartments.  In my son's case, imagine, 1,200 square feet of open concept living, 2 car parking, gleaming hardwood floors, 5 appliances and 2 good sized bedrooms, all for $1,200.00.  They even gave a location that was ideal, close to the subway for him to go to work.

In Emily's case, the apartment owner just wanted a lovely person to rent their space as they lived in the U.K.  It was roughly around 800 square feet, close to downtown where she was going to school and the rent was really attractive.  A deposit was required prior to seeing the property (????)

My son and I drove by the address that was given for his "dream" apartment; it was supposedly above a store on Donlands Avenue.  When we arrived, we discovered that there wasn't even a 2nd storey on this place and the dream place was a sham.

The travesty of this story is that in both Emily's and Skyler's case, they had relatively savvy parents who know a scam when they hear one; but what of the young people or seniors who don't have someone looking out for them and they provide a deposit that is never seen again and don't have a place to live in?  These scams have been around forever; in my younger days, a guy or gal would actually have a rental apartment that was priced too good to be true.  There would be a line up of people providing deposits (mostly cash) and then you'd find out a day later they had taken off with all the deposits and the apartment was never theirs to rent in the first place.

I know I can't save the world from horrible people, but it's important that things like this are exposed so it won't happen to other people, especially those we love.

Cheryl Bower

www.CherylBower.com

 

We Are All Connected

I watched with great interest an Oprah show on April 20. The headline said, "From multi-millionaire to mobile home". The show was way more than that. It outlined the journey of Tom Shadyac, a millionaire director of movies such as Bruce Almighty, Ace Ventura and more. He described purchasing a 17,000 square foot home when he had "made it" and the absolute feeling of emptiness he had after the purchase. Some of us may say, "poor guy" being able to afford such a thing in the first place but essentially his quest for "authentic happiness" has taken him in an interesting direction. He has written and directed a documentary called "I AM" which describes the inter-connectedness and co-operation we all have with one another. After a serious bicycle accident, he began to explore what really makes people happy and content with their life. He traded in his 17,000 sf home for a 1,000 sf mobile home. He contributes (greatly) to charities that are near and dear to him. Personally, I cannot wait until it comes to Canada. I've always ascertained that people who have a cause outside of themselves, create their own happiness. Sometimes it is art; sometimes charity work, sometimes it is the quest for money and possessions. There really is no judgement on this; it's just a journey we create for ourselves. I can remember my own quest for my passions began with a conscious thought at aged 4. My great-grandmother had a home in a town called Hornings Mills, just north-east of Shelbourne, Ontario. It was a grand old Victorian with a huge backyard filled with wild flowers. It was filled with quilts that I have and still hold dear to this day. The property was heated with a woodstove and in the winter, there would be hot stones or pans with hot stones placed at the bottom of the bed for warmth. Perhaps you can see where I'm going here. I've always loved older homes. To date, I've never owned a Victorian, but the minute I go into one, I'm transported back in time. I love gardening; so this yard filled with wild flowers enchanted me. I love art and these quilts I have, although used for utility and economy, hold a special place in my heart. Some are getting threadbare from useage and washing, but I will never throw them out. My conscious thought at the time was, "one day I'm going to have a place like this!" Who would have known I would be a Real Estate agent that looks and sells great homes all the time? My job combines passion, art (staging, afterall is an art!) and a love of helping people. I really was born for this. No matter how bad personal things can get in ones' life, I believe if you have a core passion, you will never be deeply unhappy. That's my belief, anyway. How about you?Cheryl Bower www.CherylBower.com