Home (Less)

I've spent the better part of 2010 preoccupied with the GTA housing market (perhaps justifiably so being a realtor). I've tried through my website TheSmithsBuyAHouse.com and this blog forum to educate propsective homeowners about the ins and outs of making offers; calculating market value for yourself; how to best your chances for getting a mortgage (often by pitting competitors against each other); keeping you informed about new developments that impact the purchase of a house from HST to more stringent mortgage requirements to land transfer tax and any rebates that were once available.

I've tried to use my economic background to look into trends and educate you on how mortgages work and how banks do their business so you get a glimpse of what's going on behind the scenes.

It's been a year of many developments and I've enjoyed making this blog into a sort of resource for those of you who visit.

I am struck though with how fortunate we (as a collective) are. Perhaps it was an article I read in the Star this morning about a Harvard graduate who followed a homeless man around the streets of Toronto and has been blogging using the words of the homeless man to tell his stories and life. "Homeless Man Blogs" by Phillip Stern.

Perhaps it was the outing with my family on the downtown streets of Toronto checking out the festive lights while explaining to my 4 yr old son that the people sleeping in doorways with skimpy blankets are not likely to become potential homebuyers or client's. These people are without a home...I explained to my son. It's a very confusing lesson and dialogue for a kid whose spent each winter wrapped in his cozy bed with the heat blasting.

Today, I'm not interested in reviewing the housing market. I'm interested in the number of homeless people on our streets ranging in age; skin color and histories. I'm inspired to do something.

I remember a post by an old friend on facebook where he was collecting sleeping bags for some homeless people. At the time I read it, I smiled and then had an offer presentation for a client. I commend DG for his efforts and to all of you who have done their part.

We're fortunate to concern ourselves with interest rates and downpayments and taxes as we plot our paths towards home ownership! Multiple offers suck. But homelesssness sucks way more (would be my guess).

So after being so consumed with working in the housing industry and blogging about it religiously, I wanted my last post of 2010 in the spirit of the holiday season to put some responsibility on my plate to assist those who won't likely read these blogs but can use our collective help.

The best of the New Year