Deciding whether it's better to invest in the Stock Market, GICs or investment properties has always been a no-brainer for me.
The stock market goes up and down, sometimes you can look back over your initial investment 10 years ago, and there were two crashes, and you are right back where you started. Hardly a good return. If you sold your stocks during a low period, then you even lost money. ...
Posted by Kevin Stacey
on May 31, 2010
A home is one of life’s most important purchases. Before committing to a purchase it makes sense to learn as much as possible about any property you wish to acquire. Understanding the important differences between an appraisal and a home inspection will help you to obtain detailed information about the home’s value and condition.
An Appraisal
An appraisal allows ...
Posted by Stacey Harron
on May 27, 2010
There are potential dangers when it comes to pricing your home in any kind of real estate market. Sellers can be reluctant to price their home in line with the marketplace as they feel they may be giving away too much of their home equity. The reality is pricing your home right from the start will get the net result you are looking for as a seller. Here are some of the reasons ...
Posted by Jason Neumann
on May 24, 2010
Many things will help put a band-aid on your debt situation. However, you will never recover from the endless debt syndrome if you don't increase your awareness about the behaviour that got you in debt in the first place!
Are you acting as if you believe one or more of these "Debt Myths" are true?
Myth # 1 - Higher income will get you out of debt
Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, ...
Posted by Mushtaq Sayed
on May 20, 2010
Who doesn't like a refund? Apparently, lots of Canadians do - to the tune of $3 million through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) Green Home Mortgage Program over the last year. That's great news for those homeowners, who received a 10% premium refund on their mortgage insurance for:
Buying an energy-efficient home
Building an energy-efficient home
Doing energy-saving renovations ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on May 17, 2010
There is a lot of controversy about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) - approaching in just a few weeks now - at the moment. It looks like it here to stay despite the best efforts of its opponents.
How much of this controversy has been created because of the lack of clarity?
I spent some time researching the effects of the HST on the housing market and truth be told I've come up with this:
It's just ...
Posted by Lorna McGlashan
on May 13, 2010
MoneySense Magazine - a Canadian personal finance publication - has revealed its Top 10 Best Places to Live in Canada in 2010:
Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
Kingston, ON
Burlington, ON
Fredericton, NB
Moncton, NB
Repentigny, QC
Brandon, MN
Victoria, BC
Winnipeg, MN
Levis, QC
The magazine used data compiled from 179 Canadian cities and towns with populations over 10,000 people. They rated cities ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on May 10, 2010
“We Work Hard for the Money, So Hard for the Money…”
You know the tune, and we know it applies to professional REALTORS who earn every penny of their commissions... putting in those extra hours at the showing, advertising, promoting your home on the Internet, meeting face-to-face with the home buyers and sellers, and much more.
CENTURY 21 Canada is going to take back the image ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on May 7, 2010
You just had the subjects removed from your offer to purchase; what's next?
Choose a Lawyer or Notary to handle the conveyancing of your home purchase. If unsure as to who you should hire then ask your Realtor® for a list of recommended names.
Ask your lawyer or notary what you should expect to pay for Closing Costs. Also, be sure to ask them any general questions ...
Posted by Jason Neumann
on May 6, 2010
Buying a home may be the biggest investment you will likely make in your lifetime - and hiring a certified and qualified home inspector will increase the odds that you’ll make a good investment, especially if you are buying an older home.
However, most homeowners spend only about 15 minutes looking at a home before they put in an offer! So say experts in this HGTV video:
In the ...
Posted by Helen Padar
on May 5, 2010