PlumTree Realty Inc. Brokerage

Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, November 1 to November 7 Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue reminds you to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) in your home by getting all fuel...-burning appliances inspected annually. In Ontario, more than 65% of injuries and deaths from CO occur in the home, said Kawartha Lakes Fire Chief Mark Pankhurst We want to make sure everyone is safe from CO. Get all fuel-burning appliances inspected by a registered contractor. Visit COSafety.ca to find a registered contractor near you. Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service also reminds you to install CO alarms in your home if you have a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. Fuel-burning appliances can include furnaces, hot water heaters, gas or wood fireplaces, portable fuel-burning heaters and generators, barbeques, stoves and vehicles. You must have a working CO alarm adjacent to each sleeping area of the home if your home has a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage, said Chief Mark Pankhurst. For added protection, install a carbon monoxide alarm on every storey of the home according to manufacturer’s instructions. If you live in a condo or apartment building with a service room, CO alarms must be installed in the service room and adjacent to each sleeping area of all homes above, below and beside the service room. In condo or apartment buildings that have a garage, CO alarms must be installed adjacent to each sleeping area of all homes above, below and beside the garage. Fire Prevention Inspector Erwood will be at RONA in Lindsay on Saturday November 7 from 10am to 2pm to answer questions and provide information in regard to fire and carbon monoxide emergencies. What is CO? CO is known as the silent killer because it is an invisible, tasteless and odourless gas that can be deadly. CO is produced when fuels such as propane, gasoline, natural gas, heating oil or wood do not burn completely in fuel-burning appliances and devices such as furnaces, gas or wood fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves, barbeques, portable fuel-burning heaters and generators and vehicles. Prevent CO in your home: Ensure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents are cleaned and inspected annually. Visit COSafety.ca to find a registered contractor near you. Check that all outside appliance vents are not blocked. Gas and charcoal barbeques should only be used outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside garages, even if the garage doors are open. Portable fuel-burning generators should only be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, vents and other building openings. Ensure all portable fuel-burning heaters are vented properly, according to manufacturer’s instructions. Never use the stove or oven to heat your home. Open the flu before using a fireplace for adequate ventilation. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor inside a garage, even if the garage doors are open. Always remove a vehicle from the garage immediately after starting it. Know the symptoms of CO: Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, as well as confusion, drowsiness, loss of consciousness and death. If your CO alarm sounds, and you or other occupants suffer from symptoms of CO poisoning, get everyone out of the home immediately. Then call 9-1-1 or your local emergency services number from outside the building. If your CO alarm sounds, and no one is suffering from symptoms of CO poisoning, check to see if the battery needs replacing, or the alarm has reached its "end-of-life" before calling 9-1-1. Know the sound of your CO alarm: Your CO alarm sounds different than your smoke alarm. Test both alarms monthly and make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between the two alarm sounds. Don’t be confused by the sound of your CO alarm’s low-battery warning. Follow your CO alarm manufacturer’s instructions so you know the difference between the low-battery warning, the end-of-life warning, and the alarm alerting you to the presence of CO in your home. For more CO safety tips, visit the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management’s website or COsafety.ca.

DRAR President Vicki Sweeney Royal Lepage Frank Real Estate reported 1,492 residential transactions in September 2020. The number of transactions reported in Se...ptember represents a substantial 56 per cent increase from the same time last year. The number of new listings in #DurhamRegion reached 1,873, a slight increase from the 1,839 report in August. Durham Region continues to see record lows for days on market with an average of 12 days on market reported in September. As we enter the fall market, we are continuing to see an active housing market in Durham Region. The average price in Durham reached $734,038 in September a significant 20 per cent increase from September 2019, said DRAR President Sweeney. The September 2020 MLS Home Price Index Composite Benchmark was up 17.07 per cent year-over-year. The Composite Benchmark price was $666,500 in September 2020. Extremely low borrowing costs and pent-up demand from the early spring shutdown, has resulted in substantial year-over-year increases in Durham’s housing market. Further improvements in the economy will continue to support strong home sales moving forward. It is important to note, the demand for housing remains strong and increased housing supply is imperative, said Sweeney. The housing market recovery experienced over the past few months benefits the broader economy from the spin-off expenditures from home sales. The demand for housing and the economic impact from home sales will continue to drive us through to the post-COVID economic recovery. Although real estate continues to be an essential service, REALTORS are encouraged to continue to use virtual tools and practice safe business procedures. REALTORS need to be leaders in their communities and should only be using in-person open houses as a last resort when selling a home. We must continue to put the health and safety of our communities first by using virtual tools, said President Sweeney.

Kawartha Lakes Public Library Pickup service is available at the Omemee branch on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:00p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Place a hold for i...tems using the library’s online catalogue or call 705-324-9411 ext 1291 and staff will assist you in selecting items. We will call you when the items have arrived at the Omemee branch. Please return all library materials through the book drop at the rear of the building. Our staff must properly handle and quarantine all returned material according to provincial regulations before putting it back into circulation. Starting October 1st, the library will be going fine free! We will no longer be charging overdue fees for items returned late. We will also be clearing any outstanding late fees on patron’s accounts. Patrons will still be reminded to return books in a responsible and timely fashion to the Library so others may enjoy the shared resources of their Library. We hope this is a great incentive to welcome back some members we may have lost over the years and encourage others to start accessing our services. All 14 branches of Kawartha Lakes Public Library are now open for pick up service with limited hours, and our Lindsay and Fenelon Falls branches are open to the public for browsing and public computer use. Please continue to monitor the Library’s website at www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/covid19 for more information and updates. If you have any questions about library services in Omemee, please call Marieke Junkin Library South Area Co-ordinator at 705-324-9411 ext 1265. See more

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SURVEY SAYS... Canadians are almost equally split in their confidence in Canada’s real estate market, with 39 per cent as confident as they were prior to the pandemic, and 37 per cent slightly less confident. When it comes to the prospect of a second wave of COVID-19, 56 per cent of Canadians who are feeling confident in Canada’s real estate market are still likely to buy or sell. 48 per cent of Canadians would like to live closer to green spaces 48 per cent of Canadians say ...its more important than ever to live in a community close to hospitals and clinics 33 per cent of Canadians would like more square footage in their home and have realized they need more space 44 per cent of Canadians want a home with more outdoor space and personal amenities (such as a balcony or pool) See more