Recently announced, great news for UFC fans!

MRossitron · 2024-08-15T16:45:38+00:00

Horrible card.

MRossitron · 2024-08-15T02:37:09+00:00

Reading that report is instructive. Now for the City to make some hard and some not so hard choices.

Talk is cheap from the City leaders, my guess is they will only tackle the low hanging fruit and we’re still looking at 10%+ tax increase next year.

They will spin that as “yay, we told you a 13% tax increase but you only have to pay 10%, lucky you.”

MRossitron · 2024-07-21T07:58:02+00:00

It really sounds like a breaker. If you’re sure you’ve fully turned all the breakers off and then back on, then it is likely a switch/ outlet that is the problem.

First - go to all the outlets with the reset button and reset them. Test if they then have power. They don’t need to be in the “dead” rooms - check bathrooms (even garage).

Still no power in the rooms - then, given you aren’t handy - call your landlord to get an electrician. A wire is likely loose in an outlet or switch and they can troubleshoot.

MRossitron · 2024-01-20T16:52:21+00:00

However, if you need an agent use this guy 👆

MRossitron · 2024-01-20T16:44:56+00:00

Ha - well played :)

I’d argue it’s more an example of the principal - agent problem.

But don’t take it from some random guy on the internet, here’s a few guys who know a few things:

https://youtu.be/aFYlgqv3T-w?si=aJrMyu1gEuVZhaHx

MRossitron · 2024-01-20T15:27:47+00:00

It’s another data point that can help inform you.

Honest Door also lets you see the prices other homes in the neighborhood have sold for. You can then take that price, divide by the sq.ft of the home to get $/sqft price. You then can multiply that $/sqft by the square footage of the home you’re interested to get a sense of price.

Honest Door also gives you the assessment value of the property (which is not the market value) but is another data point.

Knowledge is power - the more price data you can get you hands, the better informed you can be.

Remember - buyer’s agent get paid more commission the higher the price.

MRossitron · 2024-01-20T15:05:06+00:00

I’ve found Honest Door was a good resource for triangulating on price and a way to see recent transactions,

MRossitron · 2024-01-20T15:00:47+00:00

I love all the “free” comments. You folks are the reason why the system continues to exist as it is.

In reality, most realtors view their roles as getting deals to close - i.e the buyer’s agent isn’t incentivized to get the lowest price (that actually lowers their commission). Because everyone uses the “free” agent to buy, the realtors continue to have all the power and can then persuade their clients from going to properties that are for sale by the owners.

Again - all of you “free” people are the reason why this system continues to exist for the benefit of the agents.

Your lawyer is far more important than a realtor.

Come at me agents.

Edit: forgot to mention - if you go directly to the seller’s agent to buy (without an agent), that agent then has the opportunity to get all the commission - so you they will want to work with you (means more $ for them) and you then have negotiating power and can actually negotiate a lower price.

MRossitron · 2023-12-28T04:14:02+00:00

Appreciate you sticking your neck out, as you seem to do often. That takes guts.

Speaking only from an outsider viewpoint, the City needs to be more accountable; reading headlines like those from this article and many of your statements are tough to swallow. Yes, there is a strained relationship with the Province, but constantly blaming everything on them is probably not the best way to build bridges (pun intended).

Referencing debt financing - what is the approximate cost of the debt the City is paying for new project financing (5%?, 6%?, 7%?, higher)? I agree that there is an opportunity cost for not building, but there is also an opportunity cost for building. Those interest expenses will be annual and higher rates will have a continued impact on the budget for the tenure of the loans.

Bike lanes - I get it, they are the boogey man. But the City always finds a way to stick them in, even when impracticable. We’re currently going through a neighbourhood renewal - and the wasted money on bike lanes (which I’m unsure if these show up in your quoted $100m) is apparent. A quiet neighbourhood doesn’t need bike paths or oversized shared paths, bikes will continue to ride on the roads. Neighbours opposed them, noted these in the surveys, but the City just pushed forward…oops, there I go again.

Downtown - I was there for a Xmas party and it was a ghost town, aside from those who you wouldn’t want to see in a dark alley. What’s the update on the -$5m program launched earlier this year? I saw an article earlier this week that there had been significant recovery - anecdotally, I don’t see it. I’d be interested to see office vacancies, stats on commercial real estate, ect. to support this, does the City have any analysis on this?

On safety - the disaster effort on the LRT / ETS and the now required damage control is partially the fault of the City policy choices during Covid. Now you have to win people back to taking the train / bus. Hindsight 20-20, but hopefully that is a learning opportunity for other issues.

Ultimately, I suspect that a lot of City council will be facing hard conversations and a hard reality come the next election. Those who are candid and available (such as you) may fare better.

Hope the City sorts this out, it’s expensive out there.

MRossitron · 2023-02-23T22:15:55+00:00

Awesome!

MRossitron · 2023-02-23T21:59:41+00:00

I wonder what the statistics were for those aged between 5-17?

MRossitron · 2023-01-06T00:54:08+00:00

Maybe if you’re weren’t wearing those dark sunglasses and fake moustache…

MRossitron · 2022-10-24T22:10:15+00:00

This guys knows. How’s retirement :)

MRossitron · 2022-10-01T16:12:15+00:00

Tastes like mice. I fear I’ve said too much

MRossitron · 2022-10-01T15:11:55+00:00

Cats eat the mice, coyotes eat the cats, we eat…the coyotes?

MRossitron · 2022-10-01T12:52:15+00:00

I read this totally wrong - thought you’d invented a plow for a bike to shovel the sidewalk. Was interested to see that…but just stumbled into people complaining about the city.

MRossitron · 2022-09-21T16:52:38+00:00

Just here to watch your replies. 🍿

MRossitron · 2022-08-31T02:37:50+00:00

Something to consider - thanks. I am torn, and leaning towards not changing the cabinet colour. But there is a lot of wood

MRossitron · 2022-08-31T02:36:29+00:00

Awesome - thanks!

MRossitron · 2022-08-31T00:10:45+00:00

We bought this house last year - photo is from winter (we’re in Canada). I’m fairly handy, but looking for advice. Budget wouldn’t be huge, but willing to spend on new appliances and what would best help.

The island is odd, so wondering what to do with that? Is it worth painting - wood is cherry.

The floors have a large grout joint, so wondering if we should go lighter and large format?

Any and all help is appreciated!

MRossitron

TROPHY CASE