The school boards in the Kitchener Waterloo area have an excellant website for families moving to Waterloo Region. It includes information about the individual schools, the areas served by each school and the transportation services that are available.

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The Canada Mortgage and Hosing Corporation (CMHC) has released their "Rental Market Report" for Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo and Guelph CMAs. The complete 2011 report can be downloaded (PDF) here.

Some highlights of this rental market documents include:

• The average vacancy rate in Waterloo Region and area (Kitchener CMA) moved lower to 1.7 per cent.

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When I bought my house in Laurelwood about 10 years ago, it was among the first built on the block in a new section of the neigbourhood. I confess I was, at the time, largely attracted by the affordability of the home compared to some other new construction I was considering at the time (I needed a new home out of consideration for my children's allergies and asthma) and by the proximity to the Laurel Creek Conservation area.

For the first few years we lived with construction dust and building traffic but also enjoyed frequent wild animal sightings on the construction site(foxes, raccoons, deer, snapping turtles, frogs, to name a few.)!

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You can use Google to plan a trip using public transportation in Kitchener-Waterloo area. Here is an explanation of the service: Ride smarter. Plan your public transportation online.

This service includes both the Grand River Transit Service and the Go Transit Service.

Here is a link to use on your web browser: Google Transit

You can use the service on your mobile device here: Google Transit Mobile

Did you know that the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Board has a special mobile website for local MLS® listings? Actually there are two versions of this website!

The first one can be viewed here: KWhomes.mobi This site will allow to search for properties that for sale on the local MLS® system. You can get the basic details of those listings along with photographs and a map link.

The other version is available to buyers that have obtained a personal "User Code" from a REALTOR®. This version gives you all the features that you obtain by using the above version, plus additional detailed information about each listing.

Contact Tracey today at Tracey-Appleton@ColdwellBanker.ca to obtain your User Code for the second mobile website. After you obtain your code visit KWhomes.mobi, enter your code in the box and press the "Login" button. You now have the details of any MLS® listing in Kitchener-Waterloo and area at your fingertips on your mobile phone, PDA or smartphone!

If you are familiar with QR Codes, here is one that will take you directly to KWhomes.mobi. Try it now!

This video provided by LOWES will provide you with useful information on how to choose and use a fire extinguisher.

A fire extinguisher can save lives and property, but you have to use it properly. When used properly, a fire extinguisher can keep small fires from becoming big ones.

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If you are attending Conestoga College and are looking for a place to live, here is the first website to check out.

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How much can a landlord increase my rent in 2010?

The Ontario government has announced the maximum percentage by which a landlord will be able to raise the rent for most residential tenants (without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board).

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If you are considering getting into the Landlord business, you will want to do some research and "due diligence" before you begin. Here are some links to websites for Landlords in Ontario.

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Some of the most sought after rental apartments in the Kitchener-Waterloo are the lofts in buildings such as the Kaufman Lofts in Kitchener and the Bauer Lofts in Waterloo. One of the best places to look for a loft condo rental is on the  Kijiji Kitchener/Waterloo website.

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