Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Rural Real Estate

I drive from Toronto to Tobermory and back many times in a summer, and I usually take the same route every time.  I enjoy seeing how familiar landmarks change over the season, and from year to year.

I did the drive up and back last Wednesday, and I was surprised to see more houses for sale than usual.  Here are a selection of the ones I saw.
On the road heading south out of Wiarton, there is a long row of beautiful Victorians on the hill, looking out over the sound.  This one is a former B&B with five bedrooms.  376 Berford Street, MLS listing X2405187, asking $299,900.


This beautiful brick Ontario farmhouse is on Highway 10, south of Owen Sound.  It's only $399,900 for 89 acres.  ComFree listing #194849, 777502 #10 Highway.
The house is a little topheavy for my taste, with all those dormers.  The garage is just about as cute as a garage can be, though, and the kitchen has really cool red kitchen cabinets that look as though they've been lacquered.  ComFree listing in the little town of Markdale, for $229,900; a good price for a house in town, walking distance to everything you need.
This 1905 beauty is near Flesherton.  The wraparound porches look out on 72 acres of gardens and outbuildings.  $579,900 on ComFree.

Because statistics make me feel better

469 children aged 1 to 14 died in Canada in 2009.

28 of them were homicides.

However, homicide is only the 5th leading cause of death in those aged 1 to 14.

Five times as many died of accidents; car crashes, falls, burns.

Four times as many died of cancer; mostly leukemia and cancer of the brain or central nervous system.

More than twice as many died of congenital abnormalities.

One more died of influenza or pneumonia.

Almost as many died of heart disease or suicide.


I guess my point is that if you want to protect your children, it's the annoying, every-day things you have to be aware of - like using a car seat correctly, and turning the handles of your pots to the back of the stove.  Because those happen singly, our limited human brains don't calculate the risks effectively.