Q: What should I do to prepare an existing deck for a new finish? The current finish is Cabot decking stain that was applied after the wood was sanded. It has lasted well, but needs to be redone.
A: There are two ways to make an old wooden deck look new again. You can strip the surface back to bare wood chemically, followed by power washing and sanding. This is a ton of work, but remains the best ...
Posted by Sandi Lee
on May 14, 2013
ROI Statistics on Home Renovations
Did you know you can get up to 100% return on a Kitchen Reno?
According to The Appraisal Institute of Canada, kitchens and bathrooms continue to number one followed closely by a coat of paint. Here are the stats for ROI on various home reno projects:
Kitchen upgrade: 75% to 100%
Bathroom upgrade: 75% to 100%
Interior painting: 50% to 100%
Roof ...
Posted by Annette Vaters
on May 13, 2013
How mortgage rates are set
AdviceMay 7, 2013
By Idriss Bouhmouch
It’s easy to say that mortgage rates are “affected by economic factors,” or more specifically “bond yields” or “the Bank of Canada”, but are you really getting an understanding with those answers? If so, you may understand economics better than most Canadians. But if the responses above ...
Posted by Annette Vaters
on May 13, 2013
Positive Canadian economic growth in second half of 2013
Canadian home sales likely to stabilize Existing home sales are likely to stabilize in the coming months. Most of the weakness seen over the last eight months can be seen as a result of the change in mortgage insurance rules that were implemented in July 2012 (which had the same impact on housing prices as a 1% increase in interest rates). ...
Posted by Annette Vaters
on May 13, 2013
Part 3: Mortgage types and regulations
Sponsored by First Calgary Financial
Calgary Herald May 1, 2013
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Posted by Elizabeth Martin
on May 3, 2013
In 2013, Canadian homeowners and buyers faced unfamiliar territory. Just take a look at the recently released statistics for Canada’s two largest markets, Toronto and Vancouver. It certainly appears that we are at the beginning of a fundamental shift in the housing market.
What these numbers show is that we are moving away from what was a very long seller’s market (one where the number ...
Posted by Harvey Slade
on April 29, 2013
Bank of Canada signals rates to remain on hold even longer Published April 18, 2013 UncategorizedLeave a Comment
The Bank of Canada kept its key policy rate at 1 per cent on April 17th 2013. It has been unchanged at this level for more than two and a half years.
In its April policy rate announcement, the Bank lowered its forecast for Canadian economic growth to 1.5 per cent this year. Its previous ...
Posted by Annette Vaters
on April 23, 2013
Did you know that one area of Bedford has a micro-climate that is usually a little warmer than the surrounding area, and that it holds that temperature difference throughout the year?
A similar thing happens in the Real Estate market. One of the main questions I'm consistently asked is "How's the market doing?" That question has as many answers as we have communities. And the only way to know ...
Posted by Mike Durling
on April 22, 2013
January 2013 Housing Starts in Canada
OTTAWA, February 8, 2013 — Housing starts in Canada were trending at 203,208 units in January, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR)1 of housing starts.
“The trend in total housing starts has been moderating since September 2012 and ...
Posted by Sandi Lee
on April 19, 2013
I'm sensing optimism in the spring market with lots of activity ... if homes are priced right. I was speaking with an appraiser today who expressed it right ... take the selling price of comparables from the last 6 months and list the home at that price. With values adjusting down across the country and so much product on the market, it is only the homes that are in show condition and priced ...
Posted by Wanda MacInnes
on April 19, 2013