November Sales Stats Lake of Bays & the week that was

November Statistics for Waterfront Sales on Lake of Bays  

(data provided in whole by Muskoka Haliburton Association of Realtors)

Year	Number of Sales	Average List Price	Average Sale Price	Avg. # Days on Market
2010	4	$1,023,000	$897,250	184
2009	4	$770,750	$718,125	159
2008	4	$826,975	$728,625	121

Four waterfront sales were reported on Lake of Bays in November. Interesting to note, that number of sales on the lake in the month of November is identical to the past 3 years. Clearly this year the high end was where the market showed strength although listings, on average, remained on the market almost one full month longer than prior year listing time period.  

Some Happenings this Week 

On Monday, Family Place Restaurant owners Dino and Bessie Georgas held a wonderful charity buffet lunch with all proceeds raised going to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Huntsville. Dino and Bessie donate the food and staff the restaurant. I was to get to the restaurant about 12:30 and grab a table for us. Luckily as I came in, a booth was just being vacated and I quickly claimed it.  There were lineups from time to time waiting for tables and the restaurant was packed I am happy to report. Dino manned the tasty buffet table laden with his famous Family Place pizzas and chicken, roast beef, pasta, salads, and fabulous homemade cream pies, while Bessie and staff happily ensured all the customers had beverages and were being well looked after. 

There was no charge for lunch - you pick up an envelope on your way out and put what you want to donate. Everyone is generous for this wonderful charity event benefiting the food bank in Huntsville.  When all was done, $11,000 was raised for the Food Bank. A merrier Christmas for those so in need.

G-8 

On Wednesday, the speaker at the Rotary Club of Huntsville's meeting was Joseph Klein, the general manager for Deerhurst Resort. Deerhurst was home to the G-8 summit in Huntsville this summer.  A very entertaining talk with lots of candid photos and anecdotes of the world leaders at the G-8 including the process from the day the G-8 in Huntsville was announced  to the take down and ready for business again afterward. Hats off to Joseph and his great team at Deerhurst. We are so proud of this beautiful resort.

Restaurant Rant

Thursday evening we took a friend to see the Nylons concert at the Algonquin Theatre in Huntsville. We stopped at Mill on Main for a drink and appetizer before the concert because it was convenient to the theatre. I thought maybe it was just me but none of the group wanted to head back there after the show - we decided to go elsewhere. I know I am considered particular when it comes to food and restaurants - I like my hot food to be hot and have some semblance of flavour and then to be served by a friendly wait person. As a friend once asked - "Are you the new food critic for the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Times?" I laughingly replied no, not yet, I'm still a full time real estate agent.  I do eat out a lot with friends and clients and I am perhaps spoiled by many very good restaurants in Huntsville, Lake of Bays and Bracebridge such as Tall Trees (consistently good every time - thank you Randy), Eclipse at Deerhurst (Rory Golden is a wonderful chef), Wabora ( I LOVE WABORA), 155 (at 155 Manitoba Street) and Thai Bo in Bracebridge. Pub on the Docks is always good pub fare and Muskoka on the Rocks and Moose Delaney's have great wings. 

If you have comments either agreeing or not necessarily so....with my restaurant rants, please feel free to comment.

New Mayor Township of Lake of Bays

Bob Young, Mayor Township of Lake of Bays
on election night (before he knew the
township was half a million in the red)

Welcome to mayor Bob Young and the council. Bob is a great guy - approachable, honest and thoughtful. (and Gill, his partner is wonderful). I  know Bob will be an excellent mediator and public trust manager. His business experience with large corporations will prove invaluable in managing the Township.  Sworn in on Dec. 7th, just after the last council announced they "missed" a $422,000 shortfall. This is in addition to the already known $157,740 cumulative 2009 deficit. In a municipality that has an overall 6 million dollar budget, a shortfall of half a million dollars should have been very conspicuous.  Mayor Young now has to figure out what happened, put in place a procedure to ensure it doesn't happen again and how the shortfall will be made up - and of course we, the taxpayers have a pretty good idea how that will be done.