4 amazing listings you must check out!

39 Sugarbush Rd Building Lot $89900

Location! Location! Location! Wonderful 1.382 acre level building lot in picturesque Sugarbush, Trent Lakes. Outstanding value for a spacious, private and treed lot. Year round municipal road access. Check this lot out!

2163 Chemong Rd Selwyn $549900

A true family home in every aspect. A Beautifully decorated 4 bedroom, 3 bath sidesplit home, with plenty of room for family gatherings in the spacious main floor family room with a wall of large windows allowing both natural light and a view of the backyard and the children at play. Embrace your passion for cooking or baking in this dream kitchen. With plenty of prep space, ample storage and high quality appliances meal prep will be a breeze. Just a short flight of stairs up you enter the 2nd level with 3 large, bright bedrooms and a sizable bathroom. On the lower level you will find a luxurious master bedroom complete with master bath and walk-in closet. Located at the basement level there are 2 utility rooms for storage, a 2 pc bath and a spacious rec room and gym. Wait until you go outside! The oversized rear yard has plenty of room for the kids to run off steam. For those hot summer days there is a fully fenced in ground pool with pool house for the whole family to enjoy.

288 Greenwood Rd $474900

The wow factor home or cottage on Otonabee River. This waterfront property checks off all the boxes and more. Looking for waterfront property less than 1.5 hour drive from GTA? Check! Looking for waterfront on the Trent Severn Waterway for 386 KM of boating and amazing fishing? Check! Are you looking for a property that is turnkey? Check! This home has been rebuilt from top to bottom including insulation, flooring, roofing, heating and air conditioning. Wait until you see the kitchen! A dream come true. An added bonus is all new stainless steal appliances. New decking, siding, windows and doors. New bathroom and PEX Plumbing. Check it out! Minutes outside of Peterborough.

1221 Holden Rd-$949900

Black Stallion Ranch is being offered for sale in an ideal location, between Bridgenorth and Lakefield. This property has it all; 71.16 acres, large open concept home featuring 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. In-law suite potential! The farm house also has 2 single garages, sunroom, impressive fireplace and mantle. The property offers a large barn, drive shed, indoor riding arena, industrial working shop and paddocks. You will also find workable land, stream , pond and walking trails. One-of-a kind and a true treasure to acquire. Call in confidence for viewing. Price includes: 1. 151602000757500 PIN 284240025 Residential and 2. 151602000757500 PIN 284240024

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell in Selwyn or Peterborough contact me immediately at 705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Making Real Estate "Real" since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca

www.royallepagerealestate.comwww.gowaterfront.ca

Brad Sinclair's Daily Pulse: Wild Rice issue on Pigeon Lake

There is a war going on at Pigeon Lake. A rice war. The question is, Pigeon Lake there for all Canadians to enjoy, including the Pigeon Lake waterfront owners or is it one man's commercial opportunity.

This is what Pigeon Lake looked like in 2008 when I sold Paradise Island located in the middle of Pigeon Lake. (Across from Windward Acres)

This is what the lake looks like 10 years later.

There always been patches of wild rice in Pigeon Lake. It was never a concern. That was until James Whetung of Curve Lake started to seed the lake causing wild rice to take over the waterway. Mr. Whetung has said to have expanded the wild rice fields from less then 200 acres to 1200-1500 acres. Mr.Whetung harvests and sells at the Peterborough Farmers Market under the name Black Duck Wild Rice. 

Local waterfront owners have been trying to deal with the rice ever since. Clean up is back breaking work. Rice are pulled from the lake bed from boats, rough waters and manual cutting. It floats to shorelines and starts to rot.

This fight comes down to rights. Questions need to be answered. These are the questions that I have:

1. Is the harvest of wild rice actually being used to feed the community of Curve Lake?
2. Who has the rights to Pigeon Lake, Canada or First Nations?
3. What does the William Treaty Harvesting Guild say about commercial seeding and harvesting?

Is this really a battle of a sovereign nation claiming feeding rights for their community? Or is it one man commercially seeding and harvesting rice for his own profits? Does he share the profits with the community of Curve Lake?

It has been said that Indigenous People have lived here for over 10,000 years and Pilgrim White People have only been here for 200 years. This argument gives Mr. Whetung the right to seed a Lake that is owned by the Crown? That argument also gives Mr. Whetung the right to use an airboat to harvest? Really? This same argument says residence has zero rights? Because they been here longer? That argument make no sense to me.

Selwyn's new Mayor has made some promises to Selwyn residence.

"As Mayor of Selwyn I will champion your efforts to be provided answers. As you know I have extensive experience dealing with senior levels of government in general and indigenous issues more specifically. I have a long track record of getting things done."

In moving forward I would propose the following:

1. Engage the Federal and Provincial government at both a political and bureaucratic level. As Municipal representatives our perspective needs to be heard and considered. I am prepared to go to Ottawa and Toronto to make our case
2. As a Township we should engage FCM, AMO and ROMA to garner municipal allies in approaching the Federal and Provincial governments to outline approaches to assist municipalities in accommodating the exercise of Treaty rights
3. Reach out to other municipalities to identify best practices in addressing similar situations
4. Engage with the First Nations covered by the Williams Treaty to identify concerns and to develop an appropriate and respectful dialogue
5. In the context of the Williams Treaty and subsequent affirmations, use the joint council meetings with Curve Lake to discuss perspectives and seek common understandings
6. Advocate that the Township have a meaningful role on any working group developed to address the issue of wild rice
7. In order to ensure property owners are kept up to date and have a venue to express their concerns, as Mayor I would strike a working group of property owners and the ward councillor to keep residents informed on progress and to receive input. This process could begin with a town hall meeting to allow a fulsome exchange of perspectives

There is a group formed called Save Pigeon Lake. www.savepigeonlake.com who is trying to solve this issue. (Some information and pictures on this blog came from their site) They are holding a Community Meeting November 3/2018 at the Ennismore Arena at 2PM. Agenda includes concerns, history and guest speakers.

I am hopeful that the Andy Mitchel and the Federal Government will step up and lend a hand. I am sure there is a solution to satisfy both residence and First Nations. This issue can not be ignored any longer. There is no reason that our two nations can not co-operate with each other for the greater good. For that to happen there must be a meeting take place.

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell in Selwyn or Peterborough contact me immediately at 705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Making Real Estate "Real" since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca
www.gowaterfront.ca

Social Media, Can or Should Politicians Block Citizens? Reminder of a couple of Local Events

Social Media, Can or Should Politicians Block Citizens?

People can be vicious to each other online. They can be even more vicious to those who have decided to run for or have been elected to office. Having a heated debate I have no issue with. Personal attacks are wrong. I have had personal experience in this example. To solve the problem of someone who is attacking you personally is easy. "Block" 

Until now.

In Ottawa, Mayor Jim Watson is being taken to court by three residence for blocking them on his Twitter account. They are arguing that by blocking them from his Twitter account he is violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is not a frivolous case. Presidence will be decided here.

Watson states that this is his personal Twitter account and he has the right to block whoever he likes. Problem being, Watson's Twitter account may have become a public information channel because he tweets out city information using this account. If it is deemed to be the case by the courts, he has no more right to block citizens from that sphere than he does in any other realm.

This creates all kinds of other problems. When I worked to get the causeway cleaned up, I used social media to spread my message. Some others also chimed in with racial comments. I deleted those comments. I did not want to go down that route.  If I was an elected official was I violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms of others?

Blocking is not the only option in Twitter to silence some. You can "mute". If you mute someone they can still follow you, see what you are posting but you can't see their Tweets. Will that also be a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

In real estate I know that our regulating body, RECO is working to update rules and regulations for Realtors®. Problem being by the time they update all these rules, social media will have changed and the Act will be outdated by the time it is released. This could be the same in this case.

I found this case interesting. I will be watching to see the outcome.

Reminder of a couple of Local Events

Halloween Dance in support of Ennismore Heritage Artspace. All profits go towards keeping the Hall Running. This is happening 8 P.M. at the Hall (507 Ennis Rd)

Great Ham Feast: Bridgenorth United Church will have a dinner from 4:30 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. at the church located at 832 Charles St in Bridgenorth. It will be a home style ham dinner. $15 per adult, $7 for children (under 4 eat for free)

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell in Selwyn or Peterborough contact me immediately at 705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Making Real Estate "Real" since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca
www.gowaterfront.ca

Ontario Government news release about natural gas

Ford Government has announced in September that they are working to expand natural gas to families and businesses throughout rural Ontario. This idea will be possible through an innovative partnership with local communities and the private sector.

Premier Ford says "by cancelling the cap and trade carbon tax, we have already acted to bring natural gas prices down for Ontario families and businesses"

Under the proposed legislation this new program would deliver low cost natural gas to Ontario communities. This will be done using more private gas distributors that would help develop projects to expand access to natural gas.

The proposed changes could potentially connect over 70 Ontario communities with natural gas working out to be approximately 33,000 homes.

Ontario families switching to natural gas from other sources can save between $800 to $2500 per year. 

Holding Offers is Dead

What is holding offers? Holding offers are a marketing tool where Sellers offer a property to be viewed for a set number of days before looking at any offers from interested Buyers. This is a marketing tool but only effective in a seller's market. The hope is by the Sellers that Buyers will "compete" and pay higher prices for their properties.

In Peterborough we are still currently dealing with low inventory numbers BUT the market is becoming more balanced. The number of multiple offer situations are becoming far less common. When you do see multiple offers you are seeing close to asking price AND conditions. This was not the case in 2017.

In today's current market your home must be listed at least 5% under its market value in the hopes of getting 10% to 15% over asking. Most sellers are not interested in taking this risk. Sellers currently holding offers usually list at full value or over value. They are not getting multiple offers. However, their home or property do sell, just after the holding date.

Buyers seem to be reluctant to compete anymore, even if their interest in a property is great. Buyers have a fear of over paying for a property and as the market slips in value they don't want to be left being upside down for years to come.

OREA (Ontario Real Estate Association) is lobbying the government to put rules in place that change how multiple offer situations are presented. Currently the Seller and their Agent can not disclose what current offers are. As a Buyer in a multiple offer situation you have no idea what you are competing against so you may bid thousands, maybe tens of thousands of dollars more then you needed to win the property. OREA would like to have a transparent offer process to have more of an auction process. Keep in mind the Seller would have to still direct this process and may choice not to. Under current legislation, agents are prohibited form disclosing any of the financial or conditions of an offer. The current way of multiple offers is likened to a "silent auction"

So is "Holding Offers" right for your situation? Let's talk...

For more local content subscribe to this blog at the top of this article!

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Making Real Estate “Real” since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca 

The Ennismore Journal: Week in Review October 1/2018 to October5/2018

Walk and Talk:

Well this has been a quiet week on the local municipal front. Discussions were on some Federal issues, my upcoming candidates meeting, many thanks and a wrap up. Have a watch!

October 1st/2018 Walk and Talk
-I usually like talking local issues but this story rattles me to the core

October 2/2018 Walk and Talk (raining edition #2)
-The opening question to be asked at the All Candidates Meeting and the issues I am having with this question. I am not sure if I am politician enough to answer this question

October 3/2018 Walk and Talk

-Fundraiser for the Ennismore Heritage and Arts Centre!
Halloween Dance! Only $5 admission. Please share. 
(October 26 at 7:00PM)

October 4/2018 Walk and Talk
-Thankful.........
-Voting begins Oct 9

October 5/2018 Walk And Talk
-We have covered a lot since August
-Speechless, Brad Sinclair?

Community Activities:

The Ennismore Scarecrow contest is well on its way! Here is where you will find the enteries!

This is the message posted on the Ennismore Scarecrow Facebook page to everyone:

Thank you to all those who have registered for our Scarecrow Contest as we love watching them pop up around town. They have already created lots of conversation and buzz in the community, especially among the kids at school. Great community spirit! We hope you had fun putting them together.

Starting tomorrow after work we are going to start going around to snap some photos of some of the displays. We do have limited time after work, and the weather has not been the most cooperative, but we hope to visit each registered Scarecrow by Friday evening.

After Thanksgiving weekend the St. Martin's Youth Group will be voting on the winner and our goal is to announce the Grand Prize Winner by Friday Oct 12th. We ask that you leave your Scarecrows up until Oct 22nd if possible, so that members of our community can drive around and check them out.

We will be posting our Scarecrow Tour Map tomorrow on our Facebook page, and there will be hard copies available at Sullivan's Store tomorrow after lunch, indicating where all the family scarecrows are around town. We hope you get the chance to check out some of the amazing hard work that so many of you have put into your displays!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Brad Sinclair Royal Lepage 

I see some funny stuff out of my window everyday at the office. It just depends if I can get a shot quick enough to share. Here is this weeks picture:

New Listing in Selwyn

A true family home in every aspect. A Beautifully decorated 4 bedroom, 3 bath sidesplit home, with plenty of room for family gatherings in the spacious main floor family room with a wall of large windows allowing both natural light and a view of the backyard and the children at play. Embrace your passion for cooking or baking in this dream kitchen. With plenty of prep space, ample storage and high quality appliances meal prep will be a breeze. Just a short flight of stairs up you enter the 2nd level with 3 large, bright bedrooms and a sizable bathroom. On the lower level you will find a luxurious master bedroom complete with master bath and walk-in closet. Located at the basement level there are 2 utility rooms for storage, a 2 pc bath and a spacious rec room and gym. Wait until you go outside! The oversized rear yard has plenty of room for the kids to run off steam. For those hot summer days there is a fully fenced in ground pool with pool house for the whole family to enjoy. More info go to www.bradsinclair.ca

Real Estate videos:

For more local content subscribe to this blog at the top of this article!

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell in Ennismore or Bridgenorth contact me immediately at 705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal LePage Frank Real Estate Brokerage

Making Real Estate “Real” since 2007

www.bradsinclair.ca