Thursday, 13 December 2012

Preparing Your Home For Winter Showings!


There is no doubt about it! Even if the weather is relatively pleasant, your
home won’t show as well in the winter as it would in the summer, especially
from the outside. Fortunately, there are many ways to make your home look
more attractive and appealing to buyers during the winter season.
First, before showing your home to a potential buyer, clear your front
walkway. Make sure fence doors and gates open freely. Also, clear off the
backyard deck or patio area. You want buyers to be able to explore around
your property without any obstructions.
In short, do everything you can to make the experience of walking up to
your front door and around your property as pleasant as possible.
Second, clear away any boots, shoes and other outerwear from the front
foyer. You want buyers to focus on your beautiful home, not a cluttered
entranceway. Also, have mats on both the outside and inside of your main
entranceway. This will give buyers – as well as you and your family – a
chance to wipe their boots and shoes.
Next, adjust your thermostat. You want your home to feel warm, cozy and
comfortable for potential buyers.
Finally, remember that in the winter, homes show much better during the
day. In the evening, it may be too dark to fully appreciate your property. So
work with your REALTOR® to schedule viewings during the day whenever
possible. If you can, also have pictures of your property available that
showcase what it looks like in the summer. That takes planning. So if you're
even just casually thinking of the possibility of selling your home, take some
good "summer" pictures.
Want more advice on how to sell your home in the winter? Call today.

Monday, 3 December 2012

Thursday Night Jazz Party

Thursday Night Jazz Party

Date: December 6, 2012

Venue: The Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill, Toronto 7:30 to 10:30 pm

Jazz party featuring Don Naduriak and Don Laws as well as some very special surprise guests!!

A great evening of Jazz and Latin Jazz!

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Friday Night Jazz Party!!

Friday Night Jazz Party Date: December 6, 2012 Venue: The Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill, Toronto 7:30 to 10:30 pm Jazz party featuring Don Naduriak and Don Laws as well as some very special surprise guests!! A great evening of Jazz and Latin Jazz! Share | via laurafernandezmusic.com

Thursday, 22 November 2012

Friday Night Jazz Series- Latin and Jazz Lula Lounge 8 pm

Friday Night Jazz series Date: November 23, 2012 Venue: Lula Lounge- 1585 Dundas West Toronto, ON 8 pm 8pm- 9pm With Don Naduriak and Don Laws and Roberto Riveron Jazz dinner show Lulalounge.ca for reservations Share | via laurafernandezmusic.com

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Mississauga Arts Council annual Cranberry Breakfast

MISSISSAUGA ARTS COUNCIL ANNUAL CRANBERRY BREAKFAST! LATIN JAZZ SENSATION, LAURA FERNANDEZ EXPLORES “BALANCING YOUR ART, BALANCING YOUR LIFE”

Date: December 7, 2012

Venue: 7:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Living Arts Centre (4141 Living Arts Drive).

With the holidays approaching and family and friends toasting, the Mississauga Arts Council invites you to celebrate the season at its annual Cranberry Breakfast, Balancing your Art, Balancing your Life on Friday, December 7, 2012 from 7:45 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Living Arts Centre (4141 Living Arts Drive).
The Cranberry Breakfast is an invigorating morning of networking, inspiration, a delicious holiday breakfast, raffle prizes and entertainment. The morning will be hosted by Singer/Songwriter and Jazz FM Radio personality, Laura Fernandez, who will be sharing her secrets to balancing her busy career as a sought-after musician, media personality, realtor and mother. “My life has always been a balance of art and function. I dream, I work hard and I do my best to make things work and to fulfill my responsibilities without compromising my responsibility to myself and to my art. I also have great faith and a lot of help and encouragement!” expresses Laura Fernandez.
If you feel overwhelmed and fragmented as a busy artist, come to this interactive event and learn tips on balancing the modern day demands of being an artist. Come and enjoy a keynote discussion by Laura followed by a spicy performance of her original Latin Jazz compositions.
This is definitely one event you won’t want to miss! Some of the topics that will be covered by Laura include: How to balance a “day job” with your arts career; Finding time to work at your craft; Balancing family life with your career; Valuing “downtime”; The importance of identifying goals; How to become a ‘thriving artist’ instead of ‘starving artist’; How to avoid over-commitment and spreading yourself too thin. Following Laura’s discussion and performance, we will open the floor to you, giving everyone in attendance the opportunity to announce any upcoming events they would like to promote and share their triumphs from the past year.
The Cranberry Breakfast will be held at the Living Arts Centre, located at 4141 Living Arts Drive. Tickets are now available to purchase for $25 for MAC members and $30 for non-members. They can be purchased by calling the office at 905-615-4278 or emailing info@mississaugaartscouncil.com. For more information, please go online at www.mississaugaartscouncil.com. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MissArtsCouncil and Twitter @MissArtsCouncil.

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Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Opening for Eliades Ochoa and la Banda Patria _ Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

What a wonderful experience! Sold out shows in all three cities, beatuful venues also. I was surrounded by great talent and generosity. A special thank you to Noah Zacharin who played along side me on the tour, the organizers and Eliades Ochoa and la Banda Patria! Here are some highlights of the Toronto show at the Danforth Music Hall. Thanks to Robert M Saxe for the great photos!

Nov_3_2012_shoe_at_the_danforth_music_hall_10

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Real Estate in Toronto

Should your home’s selling price be made public?

Canada's competition commissioner says any member of the public should be able to find out a home's sale price.Canada's competition commissioner says any member of the public should be able to find out a home's sale price.

Should you care whether someone knows how much you paid for your home?

Some people think that information should be made public, while others believe that constitutes an invasion of privacy. Why should a stranger have access to that kind of information?

This issue is a big bone of contention and now the basis of a lawsuit launched by Ottawa’s Commissioner of Competition against the Toronto Real Estate Board. The commissioner holds that anyone should be able to go onto a real estate brokerage’s website and see any price of a recently sold home in their neighbourhood. In Ontario, real estate agents can view prices through their local MLS system, but members of the public cannot. In Canada, only Nova Scotia lets everyone see this information, while in the United States, access is for the most part universal.

Read more about the lawsuit here.

More of my clients are asking if there is a way to keep the price they paid for their home off the title records that are accessible by anyone. It can be done if you make arrangements to pay the land transfer tax before closing. This way you keep the price you paid off the title.

The competition commissioner believes that if sold prices were publicly available, buyers could figure out what to offer on a home themselves and would not need to employ a real estate agent. In my view, it wouldn’t change anything because there are many varied reasons why a home sells for a particular price. For example:

•Two houses on the same street, the same size, built by the same builder, may have different views and layouts, which can make a big difference in their curb appeal.

•The price is affected by seller motivations. One vendor may have to sell quickly because she has bought a house, or has had a change of life circumstance, whether through death, marriage breakup, or job relocation.

•A history of sewage backups could affect a selling price, or whether the house backs onto a park or ravine, or is close to a hydro tower.

•What about a wind farm that has just been announced as coming to your area, a crazy neighbour, or a halfway house located on the same block?

In the U.S., sold prices have been available for years. A study compiled by the National Association of Realtors found that 89 per cent of deals done in 2011 were handled by real estate agents. This figure was much higher than it had been before the Internet came into common use.

Before the lawyers make too much money fighting over privacy, my hope is that this issue can be settled amicably and that buyers and sellers continue to receive all the information they need, whichever way they might try to buy or sell a home.

thanks to Mark Weisleder for sharing his knowledge with us.

Mark is a real estate lawyer in Toronto , Canada

Sunday, 16 September 2012

The State of the Real estate market in Toronto- Update

Real Estate Market Update

Major media outlets are referring to August 2012 sales figures from several sources. TREB reported a decline in sales of 12% with a 22% decline in condominiums. Media are pointing to a dramatic decline in activity from August 2011.

Some media have asserted that prolonged, low interest rates have fueled recent sales gains and have artificially propped up the real estate market. They credit the recent mortgage rule changes with the coincidental decline in sales.

Last week Macleans Magazine reported that “Canadian Housing, there is an obvious over supply problem in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.” This story referenced monthly downtown Toronto condo sales of approximately 350 units for August 2012. Declaring it a four year low.

TREB reports over 660 units sold for August 2012. Lower than 2011 but on par with 2010, not a four year low. Macleans is conveniently picking a specific district in the core to justify their point.

Closer examination of the complete market data for central Toronto reveals a different story.  The aggregate statistics that the media are referring to are simply averages of many diverse market segments. Each differentiated by product segments, price categories and geography.  Generalizations of this nature result in inaccurate or misleading summations.

Following the GTA statistics at the top level is similar to quoting the TSX numbers. That doesn't reveal the whole picture.

Fundamentals that exist in the market include the following. Modest price appreciation of 6.5%, balanced listing inventory, with healthy absorption rates.

Supply is not out pacing demand. TREB reported that in August 2012 the new listings were 5% less than new listings in August 2011. The Sales to new listing ratio for August 2012 was 0.55, down slightly from 2011. This typically will take pressure off of price appreciation.

The decline in sales activity experienced in August compares with the same relative rate of change in sales the past two years.  This indicates a seasonal market adjustment, driven more by consumer behavior rather than mortgage rule changes in 2012 as a cause.

Affordability is a key driver for the housing market. Affordability remains at historic levels. Low interest rates have maintained affordability even as prices have risen.

Healthy immigration has contributed to maintaining demand. That along with domestic demand has contributed to maintaining a balance in the overall housing market.

It is never been more important for the consumer to have an expert interpret how their property is impacted by the market. That expert is not the media. By combining intelligent interpretation with acute awareness of market activity, we have never been in a better position than today to assist our clients.

This article was written By Gary Zalepa Jr. VP Royal LePage Johnston and Daniel Division Brokerage

Friday, 7 September 2012

A Sweet gig with the world renowned Luis Mario Ochoa!

Laura Fernandez with Luis Mario Ochoa at Bloom!! Date: September 20, 2012 Venue: Bloom Retaurant -2315 Bloor St W Toronto 7 pm 2 sets Luis Mario Ochoa is a world class entertainer , it is a treat to see him in this intimate setting and a treat to be invited to share the evening with him! This little gem on Bloor West has a  delicious Latin American menu as well as  excellent service! A perfect evening!! Share | via laurafernandezmusic.com

Friday, 13 July 2012

Monday, 2 July 2012

Summer Samba at Hugh's Room

Summer Samba at Hugh’s room

Date: July 14, 2012

Venue: Hugh's Room -2261 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON M6R 1X6 (416) 531-6604

Summer Samba – Come join us, for dinner, drinks and a great evening of music in a concert setting!

Featuring:
Laura Fernandez
Laura Marks
Julie McGregor
Jazz Poet Chris Hercules
with
Norman Amadio on piano
Duncan Hopkins on bass

The Singer’s Jazz Series – Summer Samba show is a summery, Latin influenced, fun-filled evening featuring singer/songwriter; Laura Fernandez, host of the popular show Cafe Latino on Jazzfm91, along with an exciting line up of captivating vocalists who will be accompanied by the great Norman Amadio on piano and the incredible Duncan Hopkins on bass.

Laura Fernandez is a wonderfully talented singer and composer from Toronto, Canada. Born in Madrid, Laura is also an acclaimed artist and painter. Always a captivating performer, Laura’s second CD “Un Solo Beso” contains all original compositions in Spanish and English. Also the host of the “Café Latino” radio show on Jazz.FM, Laura was recently honoured to be the subject of a CBC radio “live concert” special. While she loves Latin Jazz, Laura’s music is a soulful blend of many different musical styles. Laura is currently performing in support of “Un Solo Beso” and writing new songs for her next CD. Laura Fernandez is definitely one performer whose star is on the rise.

Hugh’s Room:
A crowd-pleasing dining experience is the perfect warm-up act to every performance at Hugh’s Room — and one of the best venues in Canada.  Sample a delectably diverse range of menu options in an inviting, intimate concert hall setting.

More info: and tickets:

http://hughsroom.com/2012/05/the-singers-jazz-series-summer-samba/

Saturday July 14, 2012
Tickets: $20 Advance/$25 Door/Groups of 8 or more $15 (when purchased at the same time) (tickets include HST)
Performance: 8:30pm
Request a reservation

http://hughsroom.com/2012/05/the-singers-jazz-series-summer-samba/

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Friday, 15 June 2012

Free Seminars for Florida properties!

Here is some information on investment properties in Orlando, Florida


the seminars are free and for anyone who would like to attend!

Seminar Registration Link - http://www.orlandoproperties.ca/free-seminars
 
Website Links -     http://www.orlandoproperties.ca/   /    http://www.floridacondoinvestments.com/

Friday, 1 June 2012

Canadian Housing Market Update

Some in teresting numbers in this update, this is a comprehensive review of all the markets

if you have any questions please feel free to contact me


Canadian Housing Update:
Prepared By Genworth Canada

Spring 2012 In-Depth Housing Analysis for Canada, the Provinces, and Nine Metropolitan Areas


You can scroll through to find the place in Canada that applies to you...

Click Here:

http://www.genworth.ca/content/etc/medialib/genworth_ca/pdfs.Par.90134.File.d...

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Tonight At the Delta Chelsea

7 pm show

Latin Jazz Nights!

A fabulous night of music with an all star band including:

Laura Fernandez vocals (and piano)

Don Naduriak on piano

Duncan Hopkins on bass

Luisito Orbegoso on drums

Hope to see you there!

Our sincerest thanks for your support

Tuesday, 8 May 2012

A Worthwhile Cause I Am Honoured To Be a Part Of!

Once in a while I am invited to be a part of something that can really do good for those in need, this is a project i am really happy to be a part of, they are holding a wonderful even, please read about this and support this worthwhile cause... 10th ANNUAL FUNNY GIRLS AND DYNAMIC DIVAS A COMEDY AND MUSIC CABARET THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012 • 6 p.m. BLUMA APPEL THEATRE www.sistering.org Celebrating 10 years of laughs and spirited entertainment, Funny Girls and Dynamic Divas presents a cabaret of Toronto’s top comedians and musicians on Thursday, June 14, 6 p.m., at the Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front Street East. Hosted by two-time Gemini nominee Elvira Kurt, the show boasts a talented line up of funny and brilliant women certain to bring the laughs, enjoyment and fun. One of Canada’s most celebrated comic artists, Gemini Award-winner Sandra Shamas captivates the audience with her cutting-edge wit and affectionate charm, sure to evoke consistent laughter and applause. Internationally acclaimed Canadian musician, Jane Bunnett, will transform the stage into a sensational latin-jazz showcase with friends – jazz & blues artiste Shakura S’Aida, Latin songstress Laura Fernandez and emerging Brazilian singer-songwriter Luanda Jones. Canada’s original diva, Grammy Award-winner Liberty Silver will light up the show with her soulful vocals. The soirée, presented by Sistering, promises to be a fabulous evening filled with laughter, music and delectable hors d'oeuvres and desserts! An exciting silent auction and raffle, featuring lifestyle packages and prizes will also add to the fun-filled evening. Tickets for 10th Annual Funny Girls and Dynamic Divas are priced at $75.00 and can be purchased online at www.stlc.com; by phone at 416.366.7723/1.800.708.6754; or in person at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts box office, located at 27 Front Street East, Monday to Saturday: Noon – 6 p.m.; all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.ca, by calling 1.800.265.5566 or can be purchased from the Sistering Office: 416.926.9762 ext. 243. Elvira Kurt is one of Canada's most accomplished comedians. She was voted Funniest Female Comic at the Canadian Comedy Awards and received a Gemini-nomination for her one-hour comedy special Elvira Kurt: I’m A Big Girl Now. The special also nabbed the Gold Award at the Worldfest International Film Festival. The Second City alumnus has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and her comedy specials have aired on Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, CTV, CBC and The Comedy Network. Kurt was a frequent guest on the CBC Radio show The Debaters, and is currently a weekly guest on Q’s "Cultural Hall of Shame" segment. www.elvirakurt.ca Canadian comedic actress Sandra Shamas has been performing around the country since 1987, most known for her smash hit My Boyfriend's Back and There's Gonna Be Laundry, which debuted in 1987. Shamas has toured the country and even played the legendary Old Vic Theatre in London, England (the first Canadian show to have that distinction in the theatre’s long history). This sprung two sequels and Shamas was nominated for the Governor General's Award and the Stephen Leacock Award for the Laundry trilogy. She won a Gemini Award in 1991 for Best Performance in Comedy, and won the Best Theatre Award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in March 2003. Sandra is currently working on WIT’S END III: LOVE LIFE, the third installment of her WIT’S END series, which had a hugely successful run at Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre last year. www.sandrashamas.com Multiple Juno Award-winner Jane Bunnett has showcased some of the finest talent from Canada, the U.S. and Cuba. She has been nominated for Grammy Awards, numerous Juno Awards, and most recently, was honoured with an appointment to the Order of Canada. An internationally acclaimed musician, Bunnett is known for her creative integrity, improvisational daring and courageous artistry. Her exploration of Afro-Cuban melodies expresses the universality of music and her ability to embrace and showcase the rhythms and culture of Cuba has been groundbreaking. She has toured the world bringing her own special sound to numerous jazz festivals, displaying her versatility as a flutist, saxophone player and pianist. www.janebunnett.com 2011 Maple Blues Female Vocalist of the Year and 2011 Indie Blues Artist of the Year, Shakura S’aida’s involvement in the Canadian music scene over the past 25 years has enriched the jazz, blues and classic R&B communities. She has performed on some of the most noted stages in the blues and jazz world including New York’s Apollo Theatre and has sung back-up for Patti LaBelle. She’s smart, articulate, funny and determined to take her music to audiences worldwide. www.shakurasaida.com Laura Fernandez, Toronto-based singer, songwriter, pianist and music producer launched her musical career in 2003. That year she won the Best Soft Rock Award at the 2003 New York International Independent Music Festival, which included performances at Madison Square Garden. She has performed at The Continental, The TD Toronto Jazz Festival and the World Music Festival in Varadero, Cuba. She has worked with numerous highly acclaimed musicians including the late Juno Award-winner Billy Bryans, co-founder of The Parachute Club and who is regarded as Canada’s leading Latin and world music promoter. www.laurafernandezmusic.com Emerging Brazilian singer/songwriter Luanda Jones has been captivating audiences for over a decade with her unique blend of suave, jazz inflected vocals and stylized guitar harmonies, passionately interpreting some of the South American nation’s most cherished popular musical traditions. Jones is quickly making a name for herself in the Toronto music scene as a staple at the city’s Lula Lounge, opening up for local and international artists including Badi Assad, Carmen Souza, Lady Son, and LAL. She was featured in Toronto’s Annual BrazilFest and has performed in each of the first two years of the city’s LuminaTO festival of music and culture. www.luandajones.com Liberty Silver was the first Black woman in Canada to receive a Juno Award in 1985, not to mention receiving an additional Juno the same night! Liberty Silver shaped the foundation of R&B/soul for an entire generation of black female singers in Canada! From the basement mini-concerts as a young girl to opening up for Bob Marley at Madison Square Garden, Liberty Silver has been singing around the world and touching lives with her musical stanza. Liberty has opened for many notable names including: U.S. President Barack Obama, B.B. King, Maya Angelou, Desmond Tutu, Celine Dion, Brian McKnight, The Temptations, Natalie Cole and Gladys Knight – to name a few. www.libertysilvermusic.com Ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances: Sistering has been supporting homeless, under-housed and low-income women in Toronto since 1981. The core services offered are basic needs for daily living, housing assistance, counseling, advocacy and self-employment programs. For more information, please visit www.sistering.org.

Thursday, 3 May 2012

Monarch’s Pub Delta Chelsea May 16th

7 pm show

Latin Jazz Nights!

A fabulous night of music with an all star band including:

Laura Fernandez vocals (and piano)

Don Naduriak on piano

Duncan Hopkins on bass

Luisito Orbegoso on drums

Hope to see you there!

Our sincerest thanks for your support

Sunday, 15 April 2012

Rumbon for Billy Bryans at Lula Lounge Toronto This Thursday Apr 19

This Thursday the musical community is putting on a fundraiser do Billy Bryan's at the Lula Lounge. billy produced my Cd Un Solo Beso and we became very close. My album was the last album he produced and I will be ther to show the love. he is suffering from a second bout of cancer and the proceeds will go to his palliative care. please join us in support of Billy Bryan's a musical tour de force and beautiful person who has given so much to so many musical communities. if you can't attend please donate at www.lula.ca
Thank you!

APRIL 19 > RUMBON PARA BILLY BRYANS!!!!

Sunday, 8 April 2012

Easter and Passover

What I love about these holidays is that people make time for each other. They take time to show each other they care and they share a meal.
Whether you spend the holidays with family or with friends these holidays bring us closer to each other and through these religious traditions we bond and enforce those bonds in our present lives and through the ages.
I remember as a little child how much fun the holidays were, I am Spanish and we made a feast of it. A long lingering meal hours long at the table with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, everyone together. These were and still are the happiest and most magical moments of my life.

These holidays, take the time to be together, really present. Keep these wonderful traditions alive. Whether you are religious or not they are the spiritual bonds that help us through the tough times in our lives and give us strength to keep going. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to our Jewish brothers and sisters.

PS. the photo is of family I love in Spain

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Laura Fernandez to open for legendary BuenaVista Social Club- Eliades Ochoa

It has just been confirmed!I'm so thrilled and excited to have been asked to open for Buena Vista Social Club productions. The youngest member and one of the last surviving artists from the Buena Vista Social Club, Eliades Ochoa is coming to Canada for an exclusive series of engagements in Montreal (L’Astral Music Hall) in Ottawa at the Museum of Civilization Grand Hall, and in Toronto
At the Opera House.
I couldn't me more honoured and excited! I'll be performing as a duo with the wonderful Don Naduriak.
The concerts will be taking place April 26 (Montreal) 27 (Ottawa) and April 28
(Toronto)
Thank you for all your support as I make my way on this little journey!

Friday, 24 February 2012

Liberty Village before the condo!

Very interesting history of Liberty Village enjoy! http://www.blogto.com/city/2012http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/02/what_liberty_village_looked_like_before_the_condos//02/what_liberty_village_looked_like_before_the_condos/

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Laura Fernandez Trio @ Lula Lounge Fri Feb3/12

I have been asked to do a last minute show so I will be performing at Lula Lounge
8 pm Show
$15 cover
or reserve $49 dinner and show package
Laura Fernandez vocals and piano
Don Naduriak Piano
Roberto Riveron Bass
Hope to see you there,
Thank you for your continued support!

Monday, 30 January 2012

Why This is the Best Time To Buy A Home

I believe there has never been a better time to buy a home. I’ve been in the industry for 28 years as a lawyer and I haven’t seen so many positive signs for housing, whether you are thinking or buying or locking in a mortgage.
Here’s why:
Mortgage rates at historic lows: They can’t get any lower. Four to five-year fixed mortgages at 3 per cent are unheard of. It is lower than the variable rate that most Canadians have been paying for years. Rates have nowhere to go but up, either later this year or next. If you are paying a variable interest rate, lock in now.
Canada’s appeal: This country has everything going for it — a stable banking and political environment, steady real estate market, the natural resources people want and few social tensions. That makes us a safe haven in a volatile world.
Our immigrant draw: Because of the above, we’re a draw for immigrants, often wealthy ones. When they get here, they need a home. So in my view while the real estate market may level off in some areas of Ontario, it should stay strong in most of the GTA and likely Canada’s other large urban centres as well.
Mortgage defaults: According to CMHC, over 99 per cent of Canadians pay their mortgages on time. It quite a different picture in the U.S. where 7 million homes are in foreclosure and perhaps another 7 million homeowners are under water. This represents almost 15 per cent of all homes. So while the American housing market will likely be weak for the next few years, this should not occur in Canada. Our banks are not dumping homes onto the market, so there is no downward pressure on prices.
First published in moneyville.ca
Article by Mark Weisleder
Www.markweisleder.com