It's springtime and a great time to sell. Get your home market ready with these eight tips:
Price it right No one wants their home to linger on the market. Selling a home can be stressful and keeping it perfect for showings is difficult; Pricing it right helps the house sell quicker, relieving the stress sooner!
Clear out closets Every buyer is looking for storage. Keeping closets clean and ...
Posted by Lori Doner Jones
on April 24, 2013
When you’re looking for a new home, you want to find one in a great area – or, invest in an up-and-coming neighbourhood. After accounting for your needs, you'll also want to get an idea of the lay of the land.
Here are some common indicators to help you tell if a particular area is desirable:
Pride of ownership. Take a walk around the neighbourhood. Do you get a sense that ...
Posted by Deborah Scruggs
on April 3, 2013
Knowing what to expect when your house goes on the market can be half the battle of going through the process. Here's a sneak peak at what you can expect when you decide to put your house up for sale:
First things first.
You want your home to show the absolute best that it can - and have it evaluated for the very best price. So clean up! Take a weekend to do a thorough audit of your home, deciding ...
Posted by Barry Chilliak
on March 6, 2013
Have you ever heard of the Home Buyer’s Tax Credit? Well, with tax season almost upon us, it’s a great time to find out what it is and whether you qualify for it if you bought a house in 2012. As per the Canada Revenue Agency, “you can claim an amount of $5000 for the purchase of a qualifying home made in 2012, if BOTH of the following apply:
You or your spouse or common-law ...
Posted by Cheryl Trask
on February 22, 2013
Deciding whether to purchase a house or a condo has been a dilemma among first time homebuyers.
Here is a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of both choices:
Condominiums
Pros:
Opportunity to live in a high-profile neighborhood; areas where houses are usually unaffordable, such as the downtown core or entertainment district.
Great selection of amenities offered with condominiums; ...
Posted by Home Sweet Home
on December 10, 2012
Finding the lowest mortgage rate is definitely an important part of mortgage shopping, but it’s not the only mortgage feature worthy of your attention. The sale of your home could evoke three crucial mortgage features: mortgage penalty fees, assumability, and portability. Today, we will focus on mortgage portability. What is mortgage portability? To port your mortgage is to transfer ...
Posted by Reggie Duque
on November 15, 2012
In today's market, this is a common question many home owner's ask themselves. There are many different reasons why a home may not sell. Ask yourself these questions:
How well did my home "show"? This could be anything from carpeting showing traffic-pattern wear, to laundry being hung out to dry. When you walk in the door, does it smell fresh and clean or does it smell like a dorm ...
Posted by Scarlett Klee
on August 2, 2012
There are six key components to the elements of an offer.
They are:
Price
Depending on the local market conditions and information provided by your Real Estate Professional, the price you offer may be different from the seller's listed price. It can often take some negotiation to come up with a price that you and the seller are happy with.
Deposit
Your deposit shows good faith and will ...
Posted by Sukhwinder Bhaura
on July 20, 2012
Why pay more? Q: What are the benefits of paying more than a 5% down payment? There are many benefits to putting more than 5% down. The larger the down payment, the lower the cost of your overall mortgage in the long run and you will save money by paying less interest. If you can put as much as 20% down, you will avoid paying mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is mandatory if you put less than ...
Posted by Roger Townsend
on June 11, 2012
As I browse realtor.ca, the sale of smaller living spaces is pretty apparent. This has been the trend for quite a few years and is expected to continue as urban areas grow denser. According to the National Association of Home Builders in the U.S., the average completed home in 2010 was 2,377 sq ft, down 3% from 2009. This is coupled with the decrease in household sizes. A study done by the Canadian ...
Posted by Aliza Fung
on April 17, 2012