History of Old Fort York

This neighbourhood is the namesake of Historic Fort York, which has stood at the foot of Toronto near the shoreline of Lake Ontario since 1793.During the Battle of York in 1811, Fort York was destroyed by the Americans but was rebuilt in 1814.In the 1850s the railway began operating just north of Fort York,bringing a plethora of industry to the area.Fort York would carry on in relative obscurity from the citizens of Toronto, however, it continued to be used as a military establishment right up until 1934 when it opened as a historic museum.

Fort York was under siege once again in 1943,this time by short-sighted city planners who unceremoniously proposed demolishing it to make way for the Gardiner Expressway.

Fortunately, community groups came to the defence of the fort,and the expressway was ultimately re-routed to the south. In a twist of fate,it is the Gardiner Expressway that now faces an uncertain future -many would like to see it demolished as part of the plan to revitalize Toronto’s waterfront while Historic Fort York is now a protected national historic site.

What is a Status Certificate ?

When you purchase a resale condominium unit, you should ensure that your offer is conditional on receiving and having it reviewed by your lawyer, of a Status Certificate and the accompanying documents, as required by the Act. The certificate is the resale equivalent of a disclosure statement. It tells you the exact accounting within the condo corporation. Your lawyer must review all the material that comes with the certificate to ensure that both you and your lawyer are satisfied that both the condominium unit and the condominium corporation are suitable for you.This certificate, for which there is a fee of $100 inclusive of GST, must be delivered to you or your lawyer provided you have instructed them to within 10 days of the request for it. It discloses whether the owner of the unit you are buying is current in the payment of common expenses (maintenance fee) as well as a picture of the condominium corporation’s financial affairs. It is to be delivered with the documents, which govern the condominium corporation but are not attached. Once the list of agreements is reviewed, you or your lawyer may also wish copies of some or all of them for review. There can be an extra charge for these documents.

The Pros vs: Cons to buying "NEW"

Lets face it there are advantages and disadvantages when it come to purchasing through a developer whether its a condo or a detached home. 

A number of people out there are buying from builder off plan, rather than pr-existing homes or condos that are ready to move in. Buying off plan is basically purchasing a property based on the drawings and proposals submitted by the developer, usually before  any work on the property has even started.  

Sales from off plan in recent years have flown off the shelves, selling within 72 hours of their release. In many cases, off-plan buyers have seen their properties appreciate significantly before they have been given their keys!

The Pros:

- Buyers get into the development before it even launches which mean lower prices per square foot. The overall price for the property is much lower then it would be then buying it as re-sale.

-Flexible payment structure. Most developers require a minimum of 15% until closing, some even can work a better payment plan. This is also good where you can budget yourself, you have some time to put together each deposit because its not all required at the same time.

-You get to take advantage of developer incentives, could be cash back on closing, 3 years free condo fees, upgraded finishes and much more.

- You are able to choose from a variety of floor plans. In some cases the developer will allow you to add some of your personal touch to the floor plan with some minor changes to the layout.

The Cons:

- Delays in construction- closing can be pushed several months. This could be due to good old mother nature.

-Can be risky, your buying something you don’t see physically.It can be tough at time to visualize. You have to base your purchase by word of mouth and reputation of the developer.

Some other things to keep in mind:

-Read all the documents before signing, especially the sales and purchase agreement, which contains important information about proof of ownership, resale restrictions, penalty clauses, and building delay penalties. Buyers should be clear about the details of all of these provisions.

-Research the developer, find out what other developments they have completed and what the overall satisfaction is.

Why Combined Home Insurance

If you are looking for home insurance, you should consider buying a combined home insurance policy? This is where you buy both your buildings insurance and contents insurance in one package, often getting a discount.
Combined home insurance is any essential for all homeowners as if the worst should happen and you have to totally rebuild your home or replace the contents it would be a total disaster if you were without adequate insurance cover.
So, what’s covered?
Home contents insurance will help to recoup the costs of replacing lost or damaged on belongings within the home as well as furnishings. Things like pictures, cooking utensils, clothing. The structure of your home, plus walls, and often sheds and greenhouses too, are covered by buildings insurance cover. This will include fixtures and fittings such as fitted wardrobes and bathrooms.
Dual home insurance cover gives you the peace of mind that you would at least not have to face financial distress when finding repair costs or replacing items. Losing your belongings or, even worse, the actual roof over your head, would mean you would have to start from scratch again and without cover you would be under severe financial pressure.So, what do you need to consider when taking out a combined home insurance policy?
Look at things such as any excesses you would need to pay on in the event of a claim. By offering to pay more on the excess, more you can make savings on the cost of taking out cover.
A security system can help you to shave a little off the amount you have to pay for your policy. For example, some insurance cover companies will supply a list of recommended locks for windows and doors, along with burglar alarms and by installing these you could make savings on the cost of your protection. Do make sure that you do not underinsure when taking out contents insurance cover as the part of the cost of the premium is based on this figure. Take an inventory when deciding how much insurance cover you need for your contents, including absolutely everything. You may well be surprised how much they all add up in value to.
However boring the small print is read it if you are to be sure of what the cover entails. As an example, valuable jewellery, home office equipment and items over so much are probably not included as standard, so you would need to pay an additional premium in order to protect these. Always check out the different options offered by providers for taking out combined home insurance. Buying the two policies separately can often cost you more, so do your homework and find out where and how you can get the best deal.

History of Liberty Village

In the late 1700s and early 1800s the area now known as Liberty Village was part of the Garrison Common -a military fortification for the Town of York (which would later become Toronto). Historic Fort York, located at 100 Garrison Road,served as the base for the Canadian militia in the Battle of York against the Americans in 1813.
The arrival of the railway to this area in the 1850s attracted industry, which in turn led to the building of warehouses and factories.Many of these are now enjoying a new purpose in Liberty Village as funky lofts, hip live/work spaces and studio offices. The name Liberty Village is said to be a reference to the Central Prison and the Mercer Reformatory for Women that were situated here in the late1800s and early 1900s.Story has it that Liberty Street -the neighbourhood’s main east-west thoroughfare -is so named because it was the first ground prisoners set foot on upon their release.