A lot of people are wondering why the real estate market is so active right now. I have a few of my own ideas about why that might be happening.
The biggest reason is the pent up demand that was created by the difficulties in the financial sector from late 2008 to early 2009. A lot of people put their plans on hold and now that things are looking better, they have come back looking to buy and sell ...
Posted by Charlie Veaudry
on March 17, 2010
On average, Canadians move 4.5 to 5.5 times in their lifetime - which can cost them a big chunk of their home equity: as much as $150,000 in extra costs related to moving.
Still there are lots of good reasons to move, such as:
1) Home is too small: First-time home buyers often outgrow their "starter" homes. Increased family size is the main reason home owners say they need a larger home.
2) Upgrade: ...
Posted by Md. Howlader
on March 8, 2010
Despite vigorous opposition by Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) and other groups, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada have both passed legislation that will implement the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).
The Government of Ontario held only one day of public hearings on Bill 218.
Speaking on behalf of Ontario REALTORS® and homeowners, OREA was among the select number of groups ...
Posted by Brad Stevenett
on January 12, 2010
We’ve all heard the saying: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
As reported in The Regina Leader Post, a Saskatchewan couple recently learned the lesson first hand when they almost became the victim of an online scam.
The couple had listed their home for sale on various websites and thought they had sold their home online to a British doctor. Unfortunately, after emails back ...
Posted by Dave Markus
on January 6, 2010
It's good to be Google, with deep pockets and a virtual lock on the online search market. The innovative G-techies are seemingly in constant build mode, releasing new tools, usually free, to facilitate consumers online in many areas. Real estate is no exception.
Here is a rundown of the latest ways that Google has made it easier to look online for homes to buy, in order of recent launches:
Google ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on December 21, 2009
While everyone else is hanging up the mistletoe, or lighting the menorah, why shouldn't you be scooping up all the great deals in real estate during the Holiday "break"?
Realtors don't really ever take breaks, and all the great conditions for buying a home remain the same despite the date on the calendar: Low interest rates, rising inventory of homes on the market, and relatively low house prices. ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on December 16, 2009
The following is a combination of the perspectives of a CENTURY 21 realtor in Ontario, and one in British Columbia, about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) coming to both their provinces in 2010.
Last month, the Government of Ontario formally launched its latest assault on homeowners, purchasers and sellers with the introduction of legislation to harmonize the provincial sales tax and goods and services ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on December 1, 2009
A colleague of mine just discovered homes in her city being auctioned by the municipality after repossession for large amounts of back taxes owed. She checked it out, and got excited when she saw a downtown single-family dwelling assessed at $170,000 that only requires a minimum bid of $27,000 (!) in the auction.Never mind that the auction is blind - truly blind, not just in terms of bids made by others ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on November 24, 2009
It's good to see the federal government providing financial relief to Canadians living with disabilities when it comes to buying a more accessible home.
If you need a dwelling better suited to your personal needs and care - and can indicate that this is why you're moving - you're entitled to the same help granted to first time home buyers by the Canadian government with the Home Buyers Tax Credit ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on November 17, 2009
I recently told The Financial Post for its article, "Housing Market Rebound Outstrips Expectations," that I believe any radical upward movement in home prices will be met with a pullback in demand because the economy is still not strong enough to support major increases.
That said, there are a few hot pockets of real estate in Canada - large, urban centres - that are seeing bidding wars re-emerge, ...
Posted by Don Lawby
on October 29, 2009