I wanted to share this great review we were featured in, for Snap Brampton this week.  It was a great turn out and we will be hosting another Buy Smart Seminar February 16th 2012, just in time for you to take advantage of the RRSP program.

“The Buy Smart Seminar at Professors Lake Recreation Centre in Brampton was a very educational event for those in attendance. Local Mortgage Broker Don Stoddart, as well as ReMax agent Ruth Ballantyne, provided their expert advice to people at a variety of stages of the home-buying process. While there was some planning to the seminar, the best part of the evening was the personalized touch of the seminar. Entrants were able to post their own questions and Don and Ruth were able to then open up the discussion to include those talking points. When it comes to home buying, we all need the expert advice given by trusted professionals. Visit www.buysmartseminar.com for more information on how you can be a part of the next seminar to take place right here in Brampton.”

Check out the full review here.

To register for Buy Smart February Seminar please go to www.buysmartseminar.com

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter & Join us on Facebook

In rolls the new year and with it, a new set of goals! Aside from the fitness and health goals, along with your careers goals, why not implement a resolution that will benefit the planet.  Making stronger, small green efficient choices can save you money and better the environment! Here are few tips on how you can (cost effectively) contribute to a greener home [plus check out the video]:

1. Reduce
It’s easy to overstep this and jump right to “recycle”. You’d be doing the planet and your wallet a great honour if your started your eco friendly journey by reducing what you consume. Think about if you really “need” this product, how was it made and how will the disposal of this product effect  your community’s greenland.

2. Shopping Bags
You probably have over 3 of the reusable grocery bags in your house.  Do you always forget them? After you’ve removed your groceries – put the bag back in your car.  You’ll save 5 cents & you’ll be doing your part.  This also helps you be conscious of limiting your shopping (no room for impulse buys!).

3. Mugs-to-go
Can’t survive the morning with out your cup of joe? Invest in a travel mug! Save 10 cents on your coffee and forget wasting the paper cup. Especially since not all coffee chains carry recyclable cups.

4. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
You can save $30 of energy over the life of one fluorescent light bulb and these lights are recyclable (which is encouraged!)

5. Start a compost
Not sure how, or what’s included? Check this out!

6. Conserve
Keep your refrigerated door sealed tight when it’s closed. Having a full refrigerated lowers the temperature, decreasing the energy level change when the doors is opened or off.

Do you have any good tips on how to live in a eco-friendly home for 2012? We’d love to hear them!

@ruthballantyne

Are you thinking about Buying a home in 2012? It might be more within reach than you think! Please join us for a complimentary Buy Smart 2012 seminar to learn how to:
Buy a Home Using your RSP
Use Government Programs to Increase Your Down Payment
Use Special Government Plans to Renovate your Home
Use the Cash Back System to buy with 0 or next to 0 Down
Help your Kids buy a home with Low Interest Rate
Use Low Interest Rates to Pay off your High Rate Credit Cards

TO REGISTER VISIT : www.buysmartseminar.com 

Even though I am lucky enough to work with Re/Max, this video is very good. Putting Real Estate into a Rap? Who would have thought!

Hope you’re enjoying your Monday!

This year you don’t need to pack up the car and wait at the border for your first peek into Target. Canada is hoping to keep more shoppers on this side of the pond for this weekends sales.  With the popularity of Black Friday in the US, many Canadian retailers and boutiques are keeping up to keep you here.

You’ll be able to find Canadian deals at Sears, Best Buy, Sport Check and Toys R Us to name a few!

With a surge of deals being offered online for Cyber Monday, this is sure a weekend to get your deals with out having to leave home.

Will you be facing the border wait times, or keeping your money for the Canadian deals?
Follow @RuthBallantyne

• - 75% of Canadians with a mortgage think they will be mortgage-free by the time they reach age 65
• - 33% of Canadians over the age of 55 still have 16 or more years left on their mortgage term
• - 96% of Canadians say that a low interest rate is the most important feature when choosing a mortgage; 85% say that accelerated payment options are important
• - 88% say that flexible payment options are important and desirable features
• - 41% of Canadian homeowners are mortgage free – the highest level since 2006
• - 18% of Canadians expect interest rates to rise less than 1% in the next year
• - 26% of Canadians think interest rates to rise more than 1% in the same time period

post from ComFree.com

What do you think?

I found an interesting article via www.fastcompany.com talking about what your home will look like in the year 2015. Due to the shift in economy, single family homes will be downsizing, “The average single-family home is likely to drop to 2,150 square feet from 2,400 square feet today”.  Trying to utilize the most out of a smaller space means traditional rooms being left out all together, ‘That drop in square footage will lead to the living room disappearing altogether, instead being swallowed up by the kitchen or family room to form a single “great room.”‘

To view the entire article visit here.

How do you think the change in square footage would effect your home?

ps. Happy Halloween! Visit www.facebook.com/RuthBallantyneTeam for your chance to win best decorated house in Brampton!

Yesterday at the Brampton Board of Trade AGM, I had the pleasure of meeting Toronto Blue Jay legend, Joe Carter. He gave an excellent key note address to members and non members of the Brampton Board of Trade, emphasizing that no one wins individually. The importance of team work and sharing, works in baseball as it does in business. Paying it forward goes a long way, “You’ll meet the same people on your way up, as you do on the way down” Joe reminds us. It’s always important to treat everyone the same and do your part in helping those around you.

It’s also important to give back to the community, Joe has been an active member in Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising and Children’s Aid. Most recently he helped raise over $120,000 for Children’s Aid at a Golf Tournament right here in Brampton. He continues to stress the importance of Youth and encourages everyone to do what they can to be a mentor.

I hope that this weekend, you take his spirit for caring and bring it with you to wherever you go. On this Hallows’eve weekend, ensure to take off your spooky mask for a while and help someone else. The impact that you can have on another person could be a change in their life.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved with Peel Children’s Aid visit them here.

For Halloween & Rose Theatre events this weekend in Brampton click here.

Make sure to add your favorite decorated Halloween House this weekend to the Ruth Ballantyne Team Facebook page for a chance to win a dinner out!

Happy Halloween!