New Video + Photo of the Retro Red Raleigh Mixte Bicycle for Trade

If you've been following My Quest for a Condo (a quest wherein I attempt to trade items again and again for something bigger and better until I eventually get a condo in Toronto) and wanting to see more photos and a video of the Retro Red Raleigh Mixte Bicycle from my 2nd trade then here you go!

Also at some point I should mention the bicycle is a 10-speed, in case any of you were wondering. Its from 1980s and retro bikes from the 1980s are highly desirable now.

I am looking to trade it for something in the $200 to $300+ range. So if anyone out there has guitar, scuba equipment, a chainsaw or something else interesting that is bigger and better then I am entertaining all offers. I am also entertaining offers of services. ie. When Kyle MacDonald did this one trade was a recording contract and another trade was one year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona. So offers of trades for lawyer services, recording contracts and similar things will be of interest to me.

Also no trade is TOO WEIRD. As long as its something that is highly valuable and tradeable I am interested. Signed hockey cards of Wayne Gretzky would probably go down quite well but I also like the idea of a guitar or chainsaw.

WEIRD OFFERS OF TRADES FOR THE BIKE

I have been receiving some interesting offers so far. Including:

#1. A collection of Magic the Gathering Cards (a collectible card game with a magical theme). Difficult to estimate their exact value. I am waiting for the owner to get back with an estimate.

#2. An offer of $250 worth of beadwork from a Toronto artist.

#3. 2 Metal Contraptions that I don't even know what they're for or what they're worth.

#4. A 3rd generation 8GB iPod. Only worth about $110, so that is a no go.

#5. An Antique Bulova Pocket Watch that is Pre-1940s, believed to be circa 1925. Value estimate $250 to $350, but the owner needs to do more research because I would like to pin down the manufacturing year and get a 2nd opinion on the value before I agree to the trade. (Where is the Antiques Roadshow when I need it?)

There are also several other possible trade offers I am not at liberty to discuss yet. I am holding off trading right away because of all the recent media attention from the National Post and CBC Radio.

When Kyle MacDonald did this there was gaps of roughly 1 month in between trades so I don't expect to be trading any more often that once every 2 to 5 weeks.

Quest for a Condo to be on CBC Radio Metro Morning

Hey folks!

My Quest for a Condo will be on CBC Radio Metro Morning sometime between 5:30 AM and 6 AM tomorrow (Thursday May 10th 2012) where I will be discussing my exploits and also Toronto's real estate market / bubble.

You can also tune in to CBC Radio via their website cbc.ca/radio to listen to the broadcast live. (I think you will also be able to download the broadcast within the first 24 hours after its been aired too, but don't quote me on that.)

National Post hands me a battleaxe for My Quest for a Condo

QUEST FOR A CONDO

Once upon a time a Canadian blogger embarked on an epic quest...

He wanted to trade his Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger for a condo in Toronto. A fool's errand you might say.

But lo he traded the Hot Wheels car for a Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit (from Brampton real estate agent Ryan Anderson on April 17th) and his quest got a boost.

And then on May 6th he made his 2nd Trade: A Retro Red Raleigh Mixte Bicycle (from feminist writer Suzanne MacNevin)...

And then on May 8th the wizard journalist Armina Ligaya from the National Post (one of Canada's largest circulation newspapers) handed him a metaphorical battleaxe in the form of an interview with the National Post about his Quest for a Condo.

The details of which you can read on the National Post website. (My only complaint is the wind messed up my hair in the photo and there is a few grammatical mistakes on the National Post website which I hope they edit.)

In the past 8 hours I've been getting a slew of trade requests, everything from beadwork, an iPod Touch, a collection of Magic the Gathering cards, and some kind of metal contraption that I don't even know what it is for... I am going to wait 72 hours and see what other requests come in before making a decision.

Let the quest continue!

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

STAY TUNED, SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO SEE FUTURE TRADES

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My Quest for a Condo: Second Trade Made!

DISCLAIMER: If you haven't read the other posts already please read all the posts in the label QUEST FOR A CONDO first, from the bottom to top.

Well, well, well...

My first trade was made on April 17th when I traded my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger (a mere toy car) for a Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit... and now less than 3 weeks later I have my 2nd trade.

On Sunday May 6th 2012 I traded the Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit (which I got from Ryan Anderson, a real estate agent from Brampton) for a Retro Red Raleigh Mixte Bicycle. I got the bicycle from chemistry teacher / feminist writer Suzanne MacNevin (and a friend of mine).

So not bad! From a toy car to a bicycle in only 2 trades.

So far it is:

Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger
1st Trade - Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit (from Ryan Anderson on April 17th)
2nd Trade - Retro Red Raleigh Mixte Bicycle (from Suzanne MacNevin on May 6th)

The bicycle in question needed to be cleaned and a wee tune up, but otherwise it is in near perfect condition. Mixte bicycles are unisex bicycles (the term comes from France) with a frame that comes with two smaller top tubes instead of one larger top tube and lowered slightly so its easier to step over. Mixte bicycles are highly prized as road bikes and Raleigh is a well respected manufacturer. I am estimating this one is worth about $150.

I waited to make this post until today when I've had time to clean / tune up the bicycle and take it for a ride. It was REALLY DIRTY and rusty in spots when I first received it during the trade, but as you can see it cleans up really nicely.

(I will be posting a video of the bicycle in the near future.)

This is a pretty awesome trade and I feel my Quest for a Condo is picking up speed. Huzzah!

I wonder how many trades it will take me to get a condo?

Let the quest continue!

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

STAY TUNED, SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO SEE FUTURE TRADES

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Cheap Condos in Toronto

If you've been following MY QUEST FOR A CONDO then you know I am trying to trade up and eventually get a condo in Toronto... via trading for it!

Now some of you might think, hey, there can't be that many cheap condos in Toronto that people would actually trade for it.

Oh but you're wrong!

A simple trip to thetorontorealestate.com and you can browse the interactive map halfway down the page.

Lets see... Lets select condo / other, list price between $25,000 and $50,00, condo apartment and see what comes up...

5 results! I have organized them below by maintenance costs.

11 Brunel Crt, 3109, Toronto
$35,000
MLS#: C2310293
Rms: 1 Beds: 1 Washrm: 1
Maint: $40

208 Queens Quay St, P320, Toronto (Oh but wait that is a parking space, not a condo.)
$50,000
MLS#: C2306313
Maint: $50

340 Dixon Rd, 1508, Toronto
$50,000
MLS#: W2323286
Rms: 4 Beds: 1 Washrm: 1
Maint: $653 (WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE FOR A PLACE THAT CHEAP!)

4645 Jane St, 526, Toronto
$47,885
MLS#: W2296915
Rms: 5 Beds: 2 Washrm: 1
Maint: $610

320 Dixon Rd, 2313, Toronto
$49,500
MLS#: W2326631
Rms: 5 Beds: 2 Washrm: 1
Maint: $740

So yes, it is possibly to find really cheap condos in Toronto. 3 out of the 5 have some weird maintenance fees, which suggests to me there is something wrong with the buildings and that is why they keep dropping the price.

Okay, lets do this again and this time I will change the price range to $50,000 to $75,000.

21 results with maintenance fees varying between $50 and $750. Pretty nifty.

Lets say I traded my way up during My Quest for a Condo until I get a something reasonably valuable... like a luxury car or a yacht. I should be able to trade that for a condo.

Or I could hold out and aim for something nicer around $150,000 or $250,000, which was my original goal when I started this quest. And if condo prices drop in the next year then people may be looking to get rid of their bad investment.

The point is that its doable. And I am just the man to get it done.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG TO KEEP FOLLOWING THIS QUEST!

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Downtown Toronto condos hits $360,892 average price

Toronto condos are going up like crazy... but so are the prices.

Here's some interesting stats for you:

#1. Available listings in the GTA are up 14% in the first quarter of 2012, thanks to rapid condo construction.

#2. Sales for the same period are up 2% compared to the same period in 2011. (Some buyers are hoping increased supply will lower prices, but so far this isn't happening.)

#3. The average sale price in the GTA is up 3.7% in the first quarter of 2012 — $334,952 compared to $322,857 in 2011. (Stats from the Toronto Real Estate Board TREB.)

#4. Prices of downtown condos are up to $360,892 in the first three months of 2012, up from $348,779 a year ago. Up 3.4%.

#5. House prices are in the GTA are up 10% compared to 2011, so the housing market is going up faster than the condo market. (The Toronto housing market is going up due to bidding wars and shortage of supply.)

#6. Since March of 2011, the condo sales to listings ratio — a key real estate barometer for determining whether it’s a seller’s or buyer’s market – has gone from 49% cent to 40%. 30% is considered a buyer’s market.

The advantages of owning a condo downtown is you don't really need a car (or parking, which in downtown Toronto costs an average of $4000 per year).

Another thing that is fueling demand is investors. People who buy condos and then end up renting them out (and eventually selling the condo for a profit later). Investors make up approx. 9% of condo buyers in Toronto.

But what about maintenance fees?

Well according to research Toronto condo buyers are more willing than any other Canadian condo dwellers to pay the highest monthly maintenance fees — 17% said they’d pay more than $600 per month, compared to 10% nationally across Canada — for the convenience of living near transit and other amenities.

Myself? I would prefer something in the range of $150 to $250 per month for maintenance.

Which brings me to another topic... MY QUEST FOR A CONDO.

Sorry if I seem like I am beating a dead horse but this pet project of mine is still in its early stages.

I am trying to trade one thing for another thing and eventually get myself a condo. I started with a Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger car, I traded it to Ryan Anderson from Brampton for a Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit and now I am looking for a 2nd trade.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG TO KEEP FOLLOWING THIS QUEST!

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Why I want a condo in Toronto

I love Toronto.

But I guess I am not much of a traditionalist because I don't really want a house right away. Later, when I have multiple children to worry about, then I can start thinking house.

But right now I am a young male bachelor and I like a nice view. I like apartments. Love them. My first view wasn't even in an apartment, it was a dorm room at York University on the 11th floor and I got a nice view of the campus.

I also lived off campus and later I lived in South Korea. Somewhere on my computer is the view from my apartment in Seoul (Suyudong district) but I can't seem to find the photo.

My current apartment is on the 4th floor. No need for the elevator, but I can still see the trees below and the horizon skyline. Maybe its the artist in me that craves a view.

Not that the artist wouldn't enjoy gardening (ooo... I could make a Korean style rock garden...) but for a variety of other reasons I prefer condos.

Some new condos however have problems. Despite their ultra modern designs they're not that energy efficient. The architects designed them for a southern climate and Canadian winters can see the temperatures drop below -40. When that happens the seals around the glass break, the inert gases between the glass panels leak out and the building loses its insulation. Wham! Suddenly the maintenance fees skyrocket because the cost of keeping the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer skyrocket. They skyrocket even more when the building is repaired every couple years due to a faulty design.

For this reason I prefer OLD condos. Tried and tested. Brick. Concrete. They may not look fancy or energy efficient, but they are more energy efficient than a building that wasn't made to withstand Canadian winters.

Which brings me to the topic of MY QUEST FOR A CONDO.

My theory is that if I keep trading up for something more valuable from something relatively cheap (in this case a Hot Wheels car) that I will eventually get a condo. (Yes, some people do trade real estate if the price is right.)

Basically when it gets really going I will be trading furniture, motorcycles, trucks, boats, unique valuable items and so forth until I eventually get to some big ticket items.

And if I am lucky the Toronto condo market will collapse and some people will be looking to get rid of their property anyway. ie. Investors from overseas who lost their shirts and would be willing to trade for a houseboat.

I like houseboats. I would totally live in one of those too. My Quest for a Houseboat??? Whatever.

So far I have 1 trade under my belt.

On April 17th 2012 I traded my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger for a Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit with Ryan Anderson, a real estate agent from Brampton.

Included in the trade is a link to your website (or a charity website of your choice).

What will be my next trade? I wonder.

It could be anything... a samurai sword, a guitar, a bicycle, tools, espresso maker, archery equipment, a laptop... anything desirable that is easily trade-able due to its rarity, value or usefulness.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG TO KEEP FOLLOWING THIS QUEST!

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My Quest for a Condo: First Trade Made!

April 17th 2012 - Earlier today I made the first trade in My Quest for a Condo.

In case you're not familiar with this what I am doing is starting with something small and then trading up for something bigger... and bigger and bigger... Until I eventually own a condo!

That is the final goal. A condo here in Toronto.

I started with a Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger. Approx. value $2.

My very first trade has netted me a Mastercraft Digital Multimeter Kit, which according to my research would cost you $49.99 + 13% HST if you purchased it brand new from Canadian Tire.

This one is brand new. Never even been used. Multimeter kits are used for measuring electrical currents in buildings and electronics. Handy for anyone who is an electrician, engineer, a nerd or just likes having handy tools in their home. This particular digital multimeter also comes with a wirecutter/wirestripper, a needle nose plier, cables and a case for carrying them all in. Very handy.

I got it from Ryan Anderson, a real estate agent from Brampton who specializes in investment properties. Thank you Ryan for making my first trade a great success.

So now I have something much bigger for trade. So if anyone out there has something they don't need any more and they need a Digital Multimeter Kit let me know.

As trades go this is a pretty big one. I wasn't expecting to get into the $50 range so soon. If I continue to double my trade value it shouldn't take too many trades until I reach the $260,000 mark... which is enough to get a condo here in Toronto.

Let the quest continue!

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

STAY TUNED, SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO SEE FUTURE TRADES

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UPDATE

It took me forever to get this photo off my cellphone. My apologies for the grainy quality of it (bad lighting). The photo is of Ryan Anderson with his new Hot Wheels Dodge Challenger.

My Quest for a Condo continues...

Tomorrow I am meeting with Ryan Anderson (a real estate agent from Century 21) to discuss trading something for my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger as part of My Quest for a Condo.

Awhile back I thought it would be fun to make a small YouTube video for every trade I make and watch as the list of items grow.

To this end I've decided to make a video of my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger while I still have it in my possession. And here it is:



Just think of all the fun you could have with that! :)

While I was at it I also filmed my old 1980 Kidco car and working (sorta) key. To be fair those keys were always a pain, but so worth all the fun that came with them.



IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

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Trading up estimate = 17 Times for a Condo!

Maybe people will just laugh at this or maybe you will find it EXCEPTIONALLY interesting.

I am looking to trade my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger for something more valuable.

I have even done the math. If I keep trading up for something that is at least twice the value it only takes 17 times and I should be able to trade and get a condo.

The Hot Wheels Car - $2
1st Trade - $4
2nd Trade - $8
3rd Trade - $16
4th Trade - $32
5th Trade - $64
6th Trade - $128
7th Trade - $256
8th Trade - $512
9th Trade - $1,024
10th Trade - $2,048
11th Trade - $4,096
12th Trade - $8,192
13th Trade - $16,384
14th Trade - $32,768
15th Trade - $65,536
16th Trade - $131,072
17th Trade - $262,144

And $260,000 should be enough to trade and get a condo here in Toronto.

So it should be possible to do, but it is going to take effort to get the ball rolling.

Just think of all the hours of fun you could have with a Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger! Plus I am throwing in a link to your website (or charity of your choice if you don't have a website) to sweeten the deal.

:)

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
Toronto, Canada
February 27th 2012

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

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My QUEST for a Condo - Trading up, the Kyle MacDonald Way!

Kyle MacDonald is a Canadian Blogger who created a website called "One Red Paperclip".

What he did was barter and trade his 1 red paperclip for other items and by the end of the year had traded up to a two-story house (seen here on the right).

This is my new quest for this real estate blog. I am going to trade a number of small household items into larger items and eventually, hopefully, get myself a house here in Toronto.

If you've looked at the real estate prices here in Toronto (the average home is almost $500,000) then you can only conclude that people with little means have no chance of ever owning a home because they're stuck in the endless cycle of renting.

Plus my credit rating sucks, so I could never get a mortgage.

But if I can do what Kyle MacDonald did, then perhaps I could trade my way up to a condo. Sounds like a plan!

So how did Kyle MacDonald do it???

1. On July 14th 2005 Kyle traded the paperclip for a fish-shaped pen.
2. Kyle then traded the pen the same day for a hand-sculpted doorknob, which he nicknamed "Knob-T".
3. On July 25th 2005, Kyle traded the Knob-T for a Coleman camp stove (with fuel).
4. On September 24th 2005, Kyle traded the camp stove for a Honda generator.
5. On November 16th 2005, Kyle traded the generator for an "instant party": an empty keg, an IOU for filling the keg with the beer of the holder's choice, and a neon Budweiser sign.
6. On December 8th 2005, Kyle traded the "instant party" to Quebec comedian and radio personality Michel Barrette for one Ski-doo snowmobile.
7. Less than a week later Kyle traded the snowmobile for a two-person trip to Yahk, British Columbia.
8. On January 7th 2006, the second person on the trip to Yahk traded Kyle a cube van for the privilege.
9. On February 22nd 2006, Kyle traded the cube van for a recording contract with Metal Works in Toronto.
10. On April 11th 2006, Kyle traded the recording contract to Jody Gnant for a year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona.
11. On April 26th 2006, Kyle traded the one year's rent in Phoenix, Arizona, for one afternoon with Alice Cooper.
12. On May 26th 2006, Kyle traded the one afternoon with Alice Cooper for a KISS motorized snow globe.
13. On or about June 2nd 2006, he traded the KISS motorized snow globe to Corbin Bernsen for a role in the film Donna on Demand.
14. On or about July 5th 2006, he traded the movie role for a two-story farmhouse in Kipling, Saskatchewan.

So in 14 trades Kyle managed to trade up from a mere red paperclip to a house in Saskatchewan.

Certainly I have some household items that, given time, I could trade up and get a condo here in Toronto.

So I am looking around my apartment.

What could I trade away that would be pathetically small and yet worthy of trading?

And then I spotted it...

A Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger. Like the one shown here, except mine is out of the package. Approx. value is $2.

I am willing to trade my Hot Wheels 2008 Dodge Challenger for something of greater value that is "Easily Tradeable".

I will be tracking the dates of each trade I make, who I trade with and I will be throwing in a link to your website of choice (ie. a charity of your choice if you don't own a website).

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
Toronto, Canada
February 27th 2012

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO TRADE ME PLEASE CONTACT ME at charlesmoffat@charlesmoffat.com!

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