Barrie, a city of just over 125000 people situated around a clean swim-able bay just under 60 minutes north of Toronto and within 20 minutes of dozens of golf courses, ski hills and parks has long been a popular lifestyle alternative for Toronto residents who wish to escape the smog, crime and congestion that is part and parcel with a metropolis of over 3 million people. It comes at a price though, an affordable price. Have a look at these pictures of listings in Barrie available for sale on this day and priced between $200k and $210k. When you're done, click on the link to a story in the Toronto Star a friend emailed to me from his 18th floor perch overlooking the concrete and flashing lights of Hog Town this morning.  http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/194213 03/21/2007

Last Statistics Canada Census Metropolitan Area shows Barrie, Ontario as the fastest growing city in Canada.Statistics show that more and more people are moving to Barrie. That is good new for Barrie Real Estate Home Owners and Investors...The total population for these three municipalities now stands at 177,061, up from 148,480 in 2001. "Barrie's growth has a phenomenal rate of increase," said Pamela White, demography director with Stats Canada, which conducted the census on May 16, 2006. "The CMA of Barrie grew 19.2 per cent since 2001. That's (almost) four times the national average," she said. Canada's population grew to 31.6 million people in 2006 from just more than 30 million in 2001, an increase of 5.4 per cent. It grew by only four per cent in the previous census period, the lo... 03/18/2007

More and more experts point to the Barrie area as being a region of Canada most likely to see a prosperous future ahead of it. Here are some stories I read this week in the news that support this prediction.:: Ontario is best place to investRakshande Italia, National PostPublished: Wednesday, March 14, 2007Even as Alberta leads Canada's growth, analysts predict that Ontario is the place for long-term investment, with its up-and-coming cities predicted to break real estate records."If I were to invest in the country, I'd say Barrie and the Kitchener- Waterloo region would be my two top choices," said Don R. Campbell, president of the Real Estate Investment Network and author of several books.Mr. Campbell, who has studied Canadian markets for 15 years, said, "There is a short term slowdow... 03/17/2007

Over the past decade, business has been slowly moving up the Highway 400 corridor. A first stop was the Cookstown Outlet Mall, seen as a stepping stone, followed by Vaughan Mills. In Barrie, other major developers began to invest, with Smart Centres, Cadillac Fairview, and most recently, Mady, which is developing a parcel at Duckworth and Cundles, a project that includes a second Home Depot.Barrie's close proximity to the Greater Toronto Area, affordable real estate properties prices and continuing development, make it an ideal location for your real estate investment, business and place of residence. The city of Barrie it is considered one of the most attractive cities to invest in Real Estate in Canada.For more information contact us at TheClarkes@BarrieProperties.com 03/03/2007

The City is also home to one of Ontario's finest community colleges and Canada's leading post-secondary institution for students in the Automotive Sector, Georgian College.  Georgian offers a wide variety of technical and engineering programs and over 2,000 graduates/year for employment.  The College has a strong coop program and many of their graduates have gone on to work in large, multinational companies.  Georgian College has established a private-sector business unit that is committed to offering a top-quality, customized, comprehensive training programs for business and industry. In addition, Georgian College has formed partnerships with several universities in Ontario to offer degree-granting status in selected fields of study. 03/03/2007

The City of Barrie is aggressively seeking out new business investment for industrial, commercial office and downtown/waterfront development projects.  Whether your company is seeking greenfield sites for a new building, looking for existing space or is interested in investing near the waterfront, we would be more than happy to meet with you.  Barrie means business and the Mayor and Members of Council are committed to working with you to ensure your company's success and contribution to Barrie's economic strength and vitality.  For more info visit http://www.city.barrie.on.ca   03/03/2007

Fifty minutes north of Toronto, Barrie, Ontario is the heart of Simcoe County.  Barrie's waterfront is at the heart of its tourism industry, with events like Kempenfest arts and crafts festival attracting more than 300,000 people and major attractions like the Serendipity Princess that take more than 40,000 people cruising on the bay each year. Sports and recreational activities, like skiing, baseball, hockey and boating attract people to Barrie in all four seasons of the year. Also, if you are looking for winter activities, Barrie is the place; skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing and tubing. Looking to get away from it all? Enjoy skiing or snowshoeing. Relax and experience winter at its best with some ice fishing, a horse-drawn sleigh ride.In Barrie you will find the perfect balance of s... 03/03/2007

The Inter-Governmental Action Plan (IGAP) is a think tank formed in 2004 and made up of municipal and regional representatives from within Simcoe County along with representatives from the Province.It was set up to study and develop a growth/action plan for the area that will best accomodate the inevitable urban growth the region will see over the coming years. ... click to continue 03/03/2007

The Go train will be operating in Barrie by the end of the fall of 2007*. Finally the residents of Barrie will have the choice of taking the train or driving to Toronto! It is certain that the Go Train will bring many excellent things to this city so we are surprised to see that some people still don't see the enormous advantages that this service will bring to Barrie.  Some facts about the Go Train for Barrie and their residents:  Many Barrie's residents jobs in Toronto and the GTA and have to drive for a long period of time to get to their places of work Commuters are also spending a lot of money in gas and their car's maintenance expenses The traffic jams between Barrie and Toronto are getting bigger and bigger When the weather conditions are bad, people prefer not to drive for safet... 03/02/2007

Entertainment in BarriePlay golf in one of our gorgeous coursesHike or bike on one of our many area trailsFish on Little Lake or Lake SimcoeRelax and swim at one of Barrie's beachesEat in one of Barrie's RestaurantsExplore Downtown BarrieTake a cruise around Kempenfelt BayVisit the MacLaren Art CentreGo to Simcoe County MuseumVisit Sunnidale Park and Elmvale Jungle Zoo Go shopping to one of our mallsEnjoy events and festivals click here.More info at www.BarrieGuide.com 03/02/2007

We just wanted to share with everybody this testimonial of one of our Clients.Dear Peter and Patricia, We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to you for the excellent job you have done in representing us as sellers.  You went the "extra mile" whenever we had questions or had concerns.  We can't believe how smooth the transaction went; from the moment the sign went up until the 'SOLD' sign appeared!  We are also very thankful for the great job you did at improving the look of some rooms in our home, with simplicity, impeccable taste and no extra cost at all. We would not hesitate to recommend you to any of our friends should they ever require a reliable team of realtors.Thanks Peter and Patricia,Mark Paquette & Isabel MoralesJanuary 2, 2007  03/02/2007

The city of Barrie is a Central Ontario leading city and most dynamic waterfront community of approximately 127.000 people. Barrie is a friendly, safe and vibrant city with a reputation for its high standard of living and social atmosphere. Barrie's close proximity to the Greater Toronto Area, beautiful properties and many amenities make it an ideal location for your business and place of residence. Located in the midst of Ontario recreational heartland, and less that one-hour's drive from Toronto, Barrie has the best of what Central Ontario has to offer. Convenient access to Highways 401 and 407 are provided by the 400 and, highways 90, 27 and 11 provide alternate access routes to the rest of Ontario. Our local airport, Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, offers customs and cargo handling ca... 03/02/2007

Some owners think that selling their own home will not only save them money, but believe they have an advantage over the sellers that have their home listed by a reputable Barrie realtor. Before you decide to take on this very important and legally complicated process...please read what you would get yourself into: Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing is quite another. Real estate transactions may have problems on closing. At times, expecting the Buyers and Sellers Lawyer's to fight it out or resolve the problems, can sometimes mean the deal is lost. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional, can be the most important. Your Realtor© can act as a great mediator. Lawyers MUST act only on their client's instructions and are not paid ... 03/02/2007

Buying a home in Canada is easier than ever before. The secret is to be informed...If you are thinking in buying your first home you need to reseach about: The RSP Home Buyers' PlanThe RSP Home Buyers' Plan lets a first-time buyer withdraw up to $20,000 from RSP's for a home purchase. The withdrawn amount must be repaid within 15 years, subject to a minimum annual repayment that is 1/15 of the amount withdrawn. If the full $20,000 is withdrawn, the minimum annual repayment is $1,333. If less than the minimum is repaid in any particular year, the balance is added to the taxpayer's income. Zero DownpaymentSome borrowers find it difficult to save for a down payment. However, nowadays, the financing shouldn't be an obstacle to buying your home. Because your mortgage payments may not be any ... 03/02/2007

Just as most home sellers have their own listing agents that legally represent only the seller's best interests, home buyers also need their own exclusive buyer's agent looking out for them. Your Buyer Sales Representatives will:   Create a profile of you dream property   Send you listings that match your criteria   Book appointments to see properties   Help you to get the financing for your new home  Prepare and present the offer to the Seller Agent or Seller (private sales)   Help you understand the complexities of buying, including titles, taxes, etc.   Negotiate to get you the best possible price and conditions for your home   Support you all the way until you take legal possession of your new homeThe Agent that is Listing the house you like is representing the interests of the SELL... 03/02/2007

Barrie and District Real Estate Board January Statistics:MLS® sales start strong in January MLS® sales in the region served by the Barrie and District Association of REALTORS® increased this January compared to both the previous month and the same month last year. A total of 277 property transactions were recorded through the Association's MLS® system in January. This represents an increase of 15 per cent compared to the 240 sales reported in December and is up six per cent compared to the 262 sales reported in January 2006. The total value of all properties sold through the Association's MLS® system in January 2007 was $69,212,380. This is an increase of 13 per cent from December 2006, and is up 12 per cent compared to the total MLS® dollar volume reported for January 2006. “January 20... 02/09/2007

This picture was taken as the ice was going out of the bay last April. The ice came in late this year (end of January) but winter is making up for it. We have received about two feet of snow in the past 48 hours. Barrie is central to Ontario's best skiing and snowmobile trails.  02/07/2007

My husband and partner Peter and I are extremely proud to announce that we are joining Mike Mifsud (Broker of Record) at his new office - Homelife Nu-Key Realty Ltd. located at 1179 Bayfield St. North - just north of the Georgian Mall! We will still be serving the Innisfil, Barrie, Angus and surrounding areas as well as Midhurst and Anton Mills! To celebrate the occasion, Patricia and I are having a "MOVING" sale for Home Buyers and Sellers.Founded in 1985, HomeLife is one of the world's leading Real Estate Franchisors with hundreds of affiliates and thousands of Sales Representatives. HomeLife has businesses in a variety of countries worldwide, including Canada, The U.S.A., Germany, Portugal and China. Our office, HomeLife Nu-Key Realty Ltd. is an independently owned and operated Broke... 02/03/2007

Hello,Just wanted to share the HUGE success of my webpage of the City of Barrie created just for Hispanics. This website focused in the life and living of people that speak Spanish and live in Barrie and the Simcoe Area.The goal of this page was to create a bridge of communication within the Hispanic community of the area and to promote the city with other Hispanics and it is working just fine. The classified's section is so good that people are offering jobs in Spanish (one of my goals). I want my community to be good and feel they are important. Even our member of the parlament put a message in Spanish for us!!! Obviously I am offering my Real Estate Services in every page also but the main objective of this project is social. This page is #1 in search engines!!Cheers! Salud!www.LaGui... 12/31/2006

I would define the current Barrie Real Estate Market as a very active market in terms of product to sell; the amount of homes listed for sale in the city of Barrie continued growing with 1,106 homes for sale in Barrie for November, 2006. In contrast, home sales for November were just 14% of the active listings (158 homes were sold of 1,106 active listings). It is my opinion that we are without a doubt in a Buyers Market and buyers should take advantage of it; currently buyers can find lots of homes to pick from with attractive pricing due to competition. Homes sales were influenced mainly by the large amount of active real estate properties for sale in the area. In addition, the beginning of the holidays had a negative effect on the sales of homes as well.The positive outcome is that hu... 12/10/2006