One of my favourite places to eat in Durham Region is Azian Cuisine located in both Ajax (Salem & Taunton) and Oshawa (Wilson & Taunton).

This is a perfect place for a girls night out, dinner with your spouse or a business lunch.

The chefs bring the best recipes from China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam and offer them all on one menu.  Their extensive menu includes great dishes such as Pad Thai, Teriyaki Lobster, Sushi Combos, a variety of fried rice and curry dishes and so much more!

The food is always served hot and in generous portions (I always have left overs).  The prices are very affordable without compromising the quality or presentation of the food.

Azian believes in bringing a downtown dining experience out to the suburbs and with their contemporary decor, impeccable service and and always busy dining rooms, they seem to accomplish just that!

So if you're looking for a place to enjoy your favourite Asian dishes, in a comfortable environment and at an affordable price you should definitely give Azian Cuisine a try!

Lindsay Recommends:

• Enoki Beef Rolls (for the garlic lovers)
• Mango Salad
• Teriyaki Chicken with rice and vegetables
• Sweet and Sour Chicken with rice and vegetables
• Spicy Salmon and Spicy Tuna Maki Rolls
• Dragon Roll

Ajax
1995 Salem Road North (Taunton & Salem)
905-619-3322

Oshawa
1365 Wilson Road North (Taunton & Wilson)
905-723-3322

http://www.azian.ca to see a full menu or order take out

So, you've decided to put your house up for sale.  Aren't you a brave soul!  Right now you're probably filled with nervous and excited energy, something akin to what it felt like going on a first date - excited about the possibilities but nervouse because you're not quite sure what to expect.

You know you're going to have to open your doors and let people in, allow them to see the lifestyle your home offers.  Every potential buyer that walks through your door is just like the person you were set up with on that blind date - they could be a perfect match or they could be your worst nightmare.

First things first, just like in dating, first impressions are everything!  Your don't want buyers to just be impressed with your house; you want them to fall head over heels in love with it!

So, what do you do?  You spend hours upon hours prepping and primping so that your house shows in the best light possible - not just on the outside but on the inside too.  You manicure the lawns, trim back the weeds, freshen up the colour of the walls, buy new curtains and light fixtures, all in the hopes that a buyer will experience love at first sight.

Then the ad goes in the paper and the online profiles are set up and you sit and wait for the phone to ring.

The waiting can be excruciating - you've put in all this effort, you thought your house looked amazing but if the buyers aren't knocking down your door you may start to feel like something is wrong with your house.  Maybe you shouldn't have bought those new curtains or maybe the colour you chose for the living room is too bold.

On the other hand, you could start getting calls right away.  You could have buyers lined up to see your house.  At first this may appear to be exactly what you want but after thinking about it you start to feel anxious.  Have you ever dated two people at the same time who offered the same qualities you were hoping for and that you seemed to like equally?  How do you choose?  Multiple offers can feel exactly the same....but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

So the phone is ringing and appointments are made to see your home.  You frantically clean the kitchen, change out of your PJ's and wait patiently across the street like the good seller spy that you are.  20 minutes goes by, then 30, then 45 and before you know it you've been waiting in your car for over an hour and the end result is that your house has been stood up!  The buyer never showed, the other Realtor never called.  You feel angry, frustrated and most of all hurt.  This could've been the night that you've been planning for - these buyers could've been the ones - yet they didn't even bother to call to cancel their appointment.

Finally, you have a successful showing and your Realtor calls you with an update.  They love it!  The buyers love it!  They want to bring their parents with them for a second showing.  Now things are really getting serious.

You vacate again and watch as the buyers and their parents enter your home.  An hour later they're leaving, laughing and smiling and you're sure an offer is imminent.  The parents love it too!

You hurry inside and wait for your Realtor to call with the good news.  Finally the call comes: but it's not the news you were hoping for.  While the buyers found your house charming, they were more interested in the upgraded home up the street.  Again you're angry, frustrated, hurt.  You're house is beautiful and has so much to offer - those buyers seemed so happy!  What could possibly have gone wrong?  You'll likely never know.

Luckily, you don't stay discouraged for long.  You know the right buyer is out there and it will only be a matter of time before they are introduced to your lovely house.

Your patience and perserverance has paid off!  Finally an offer!  Now it's time to negotiate for what you want.  You have to have "the talk".  How serious are these buyers, are they ready, willing and able to commit to buying your house?  Can they afford it?  And most importantly will they take care good of your house?

With great communication and the help of your Realtors as mediators you and the buyers finally come to an agreement. 

You're ecstatic!  You're finally getting exactly what you wanted and you're able to move into the next stage in your life.  But you're a little sad too.  Leaving your house you walk away grateful for all the wonderful memories it gave you knowing full well that without the experience of living there you would not be able to move on to the next house of your dreams! 

Selling a home, just like dating is not for the faint of heart.  You need a great support system to offer you advice, listen to your problems, guide you in the right direction and help you along when things may not go the way you hoped.  

If you're thinking of selling your home, give Lindsay a call!  She'll be your home selling support system - there for you whenever you need her!  

Is it just me or does it seem like every time you turn around your cable or internet company is adding more costs to your bill.  Just last month I received a letter from Rogers stating that my monthly fees will be going up by $3.00 - no reason given - just "please pay more money for the exact same service".  I know $3.00/month isn't a lot but it's the principle of them being able to charge what they want regardless of the service they provide. 

After I received this letter I started really examining my bills and exploring ways to not have to pay more then is necessary. 

Here are some tips on how to save money on your cable, internet and phone bills.

1. Bundle Your Services

Most major providers will give discounts if you have more than one service with them.  Usually the more services you have the better the discount.  Be sure to do your homework and compare the costs of the bundled service with the individual service to see if you really will be saving yourself money.

2. Watch For Promotions

Rogers, Bell and all other major service providers frequently advertise current promotions on TV, on the web and on billboards.  Many times they specify that these offers are only available to new customers, however, in my experience if you are an existing "loyal" customer and you ask for the promotion to be extended to you as well, most of the time they will say yes. 

3. "Rightsize" Your Plan

If you've been with the same service provider for many years you may not even remember what you initially signed up for.  Review what your plan gives you and decide whether you really need all the services you signed up for.  For example, when you first got your home phone line you may have decided to get a voicemail package.  Now 2 years later you realize you haven't actually received a voicemail in the past 6 months because if someone can't reach you at home, they just call your cell phone.  That's probably a service you could remove from your plan.  Same with your cable, originally you may have signed up for the movie network and now realize that you don't have time to watch those movies anymore - get rid of that part of your package!

4. Compare To Other Company Promotions

If you're with Rogers and you see that Bell has a great promotion on that would really bring your costs down, call Rogers and tell them they need to match/beat that promotion or your walking.  You'll be surprised at how much your current service provider will do to keep your business.

5. Just Ask!

On a semi-annual basis I typically call our service provider to ask what they can do for me as a loyal customer.  It's amazing how much you can get by just asking!  Just the other day I called Rogers and asked how they can help me reduce my monthly bill.  I didn't threaten to leave, I didn't compare other company promotions, I just asked for their help.  At the end of the conversation I ended up with a free HD PVR and 20% of my entire bill for a year. 

6. Pay Your Bill On Time

The late fees these companies charge can really add up.  Set yourself up on autmated payments or just give yourself a reminder.  Paying interest on these types of bills is like literally throwing money in the garbage.

What are your tips for saving money on your bills?  Please share your stories on how you got your service provider to lower your bills!

This is the first post in a series of posts on Money Saving Tips.  Every week I will be bringing you new ideas on how to save money in your every day life.  From saving money at the grocery store to finding great prices on vacations.  Feel free to leave your comments on how you save money in your every day life.  Enjoy!   

Many people now spend more money every month on food than they do on their car!  That makes buying groceries the second-highest monthly expense after paying your mortgage or rent.  Many people don't think to include food in their financial planning because it's a necessity and we need it to survive; however, this is one area where people lose control every week and overspend.

Saving just $20 a week on your grocery bill can save you more than $1,000 a year.  Saving $60 a week could help you save more than $3,000 a year.

Use Coupons

I recently watched a new show on TV all about coupon clipping.  One woman's grocery bill was over $1,000 but with the coupons she clipped she only paid $53.

Imagine saving that much money on your grocery bill!  Now, most of us don't have the time or the desire to hunt for and clip enough coupons to amount to those savings but we can learn to start paying more attention to the flyers in our papers and the advertisements in our grocery stores. 

If you don't get the paper, not to worry, sites like www.flyerland.ca showcase the flyers and available coupons for all of our local grocery stores. 

To stay organized keep your coupons in a small folder that you can easily bring with you everytime you visit the grocery store.  You may not use all of the coupons in one visit but you'll sure be glad you have the ones you can use.

For food like pasta, rice and other non-perishables, consider buying in bulk when the sale is on.  Your initial cost may be high but it will save you money in the long run.

Discount Grocers

Most grocery store chains have an associated discount grocer that sells the same products for 30% cheaper.  The discount stores carry the best selling prepackaged goods, in season produce and fresh meat.  The lighting may not be as bright and the displays may not be as pretty but the food all comes from the same warehouse as the pricier counterparts and it's significantly cheaper!

Check out No Frills (Loblaws), Price Chopper/FreshCo (Soberys/IGA) or Food Basics (Metro, A&P).

Reward Programs

Take advantage of the many reward programs out there.  For example, Presidents Choice Rewards can be used at Loblaws, Now Frills and The Superstore for free groceries!  It doesn't take long to rack up your points and cashing them in once a month can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Buy Generic

When you get to certain items on your list you probably notice that there are many options of the same thing available for different prices.  The generic brands are always cheaper then the national brands and they usually always come from the same place.  With the national brands you're not paying for a better product, you're paying for prettier packaging and ad campaigns.  Try the cheaper brand, if it tastes the same then stick with it!

Plan Ahead

This is hard to do for many people.  We have busy lives and the thought of planning Friday's meal on Monday seems ridiculous.  You don't have to plan your meals for specific days but as long as you have an idea of what you are going to need for the week you will avoid filling your cart with food that may go to waste.

Make a list!  Venturing into the grocery store without a list is the fastest way to spend too much.  If you know exactly what you're there for you will be less likely to make those impulse purchases.

Don't Shop Hungry

You know you've done it - we all have.  We show up to the grocery store 30 minutes before lunch time and wonder why our cart is filled with pizza pockets, kraft dinner and bags of chips.  Avoid overloading on novelty food and shop on a full stomach.

Freezer Pack Your Meat

Invest in a food saving vacuum packaging system.  Your intital cost of a few hundred dollars will be well worth it when you notice how much money you're saving.

Once you have your vacuum packaging system only buy your meat in bulk when it is on sale.  Vacuum packed meat will stay good in your freezer for months, even years!

Think of how much you can save if you load up on packages of chicken breasts when they're on sale for $8 instead of buying them only when you need them at the regular price of  $18.

Try out a few of these things the next time you hit the grocery store.  You'll be amazed at how much you can save!

Like www.facebook.com/DurhamRegionRealEstate for weekly tips on how to save money in all areas of your life!

There are many projects currently under way in the Durham Region that will impact the communities we live in.  Below are the details on three of the biggest changes that are coming to the Durham Region.

*If you live in a community that is directly affected by any of the below, or if you're thinking of buying a home in one of these areas, please feel free to give me a call to talk about how these projects may impact home values.

GO Train Expansion

• 5 new train stations are set to be built between Oshawa and Bowmanville.

1. Thorton Rd. S. and Gibb St.
2. Between Ritson and Simcoe, north of the 401, south of Olive
3. Bloor St. E. and Grandview St. S.
4. Courtice Rd., south of Bloor St.
5. Martin Rd. and Aspen Springs Dr.

• The current Oshawa station will become a VIA station only.
• All day service will run to the new Ritson Rd. station.
• 4 trains during the morning and evening peak times will run all the way to Bowmanville.
• Construction is slated to begin in 2012 with a 2015 projected completion date.

407 Expansion

• The 407 extension to HWY 35/115 will now be completed in phases instead of all at once.
• Phase 1 will see the 407 end at Simcoe St. in Oshawa for the foreseeable future.
• This will create major congestion and will see Oshawa and Clarington residents paying even higher taxes to support infrastructure road projects.
• Government officials for the affected areas are all working together to stop the province from continuing with this plan.
• To date the province has refused to change their position and are currently fast tracking things to get started on construction of phase 1.
• Currently the government is reviewing proposals to determine who will be in charge of the construction and maintenance of the highway.

Courtice Incinerator

• Recently the Region of Durham signed an agreement that will see a new incinerator built in Clarington.
• Pleased with the strict inspection and monitoring standards, the province and region saw no reason to prevent the incinerator from being built.
• The new facility will be located on Osbourne Rd. in Courtice (south of the 401, east of Courtice Rd.)
• Construction is expected to begin in 2011 with a 2014 projected completion date.

Will these projects impact your day-to-day life?  Share your comments below.

We are experiencing a very balanced and healthy market in the Durham Region.  Average sale prices are up 4.7% over the same time last year.  Sales are down from record breaking numbers last year creating a more balanced and fair market place.  Homes remain very affordable and interest rates are still low creating a great outlook for the coming months.

Looking for information on market trends in a specific area?  Give me a call or send me an e-mail!  (905) 619-9500 or LindsayH@sutton.com

Why Pay Rent When You Can Own for Less Than $1,000 per Month!

• Only top floor unit available under $200,000!!!
• Bright and clean and in move-in condition.
• 2 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms for only $176,900!
• Great living room space with plenty of room for your sofa, tables and big screen TV.
• Cozy fireplace keeps you warm during the cool Fall evenings.
• Dining area is big enough for a table and chairs or use your breakfast bar for dining.
• Master bedroom will hold a king size bed with plenty of space to spare.
• Convenient 4 piece ensuite complete with shower & tub.
• Huge walk-in closet offers lots of space for your clothes!
• The kitchen offers plenty of counter and cupboard space and comes complete with a fridge, stove and built-in dishwasher.   
• Don't forget about the convenient ensuite laundry that also offers extra storage! 
• Comes complete with a parking space and a storage unit!
• Don't miss your opportunity to own this amazing condo by the Lake!

Contact Lindsay today to arrange a viewing!

(905) 619-9500

LindsayH@sutton.com 

*Less than $1,000/month P&I and maintenance fee when buying with 20% down.

A palatial penthouse in Monaco has just set the world record for the world's most expensive private residence.

The "La Belle Epoque", a lavish 17,500 square foot penthouse, was reportedly sold to a Middle Easter investor for a staggering $308 million dollars (US).

The property comes with a sordid history after a mysterious fire in 1999 gutted the apartment, killing the then owner, billionaire banker, Edmund Safra.

British property developers purchased the apartment after the fire as a "fixer upper", investing $40 million dollars in renovations.

The apartment's extravagant features include a panic room, cinema screens, leisure room with billiard tables, video game arcade, a spa and a media room with executive chairs that convert into beds.

Now that is luxury!

Check out the pictures!