OTTAWA - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has announced new mortgage regulations aimed at reducing Canadians' soaring household debt.
Flaherty has unveiled three new rules:
— Mortgage amortization periods will be reduced to 30 years from 35 years.
— The maximum amount Canadians can borrow to refinance their mortgages will be lowered to 85 per cent from 90 per cent.
— ...
Posted by Stephen George
on January 24, 2011
Winter may have your lawn looking less than stellar. To keep your neighbors happy -- and potential buyers interested -- take a look at these lawn care tips.
Why is winter lawn care so important? By taking a few precautions during the Winter, you can ensure a healthy lawn come Springtime.
The first, and perhaps easiest, step is to pick up any leaves that cover your lawn. If left sitting over grass, ...
Posted by Ryan Philippe
on January 3, 2011
The cards and calanders are written and sent, the gifts are all bought, let's hope, or maybe just one more before the stores all close for just one day on December 25th. Just one day but is a very special day for most. Not just for the symbolic birthday, a day chosen many years ago, as a celebration of the birth of a very special child.
There really is nothing more special than the birth of a child ...
Posted by Carol Jefferies
on December 21, 2010
I would like to wish all our family, friends and clients a very merry christmas and all the best in 2011!!! You all helped make 2010 our best year to date and I can't thank you enough. I've had so many good people in my corner spreading my name and business it has been amazing and flattering. I'm so lucky to be able to meet such amazing ...
Posted by Stephen George
on December 14, 2010
Century 21 Canada offices celebrated in style yet again this year - as head office Executives travelled across the country to provide wonderful "Path To Profit" Awards events for the Century 21 members. On April 13th, 2010 the event rolled in to Ottawa to honor the C21 Brokerages of Eastern Ontario, and in the true fashion of the Century 21 brand - the event guests were treated to some fantastic speakers, ...
Posted by Melanie Budgell
on December 9, 2010
It can be easy for the selling experience to become clouded by emotion. A homeowner may have years of memories stored within the walls of a home. They look at a room, and instead of resale potential, they see a baby's first steps and early Christmas mornings. When the time comes to sell, however, the time has also come to sever emotional ties with a house.
Emotions can cloud your reasoning. And ...
Posted by Ryan Philippe
on November 22, 2010
This is according to the Ottawa Real Estate Board for the Ottawa Housing sales that was released:
Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,042 residential properties in October through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system compared with 1,197 in October 2009, a decrease of 12.9 per cent. Year to date, the number of properties sold has declined 2% compared to the same period ...
Posted by Julie Kager
on November 2, 2010
When the market shifts to a buyers market,the more appealing homes stand out, they get more offers, which results in a quicker sale and a higher return. Here are five tips to increase your homes appeal.
1. Change with the seasons. When you go to stores, one thing you notice is the decor changes to match the time of year. That's by no mistake. The goal is to create a mood, make consumers ...
Posted by Ryan Philippe
on October 25, 2010
Heated Floors, a Warm Welcome for Chilly Buyers
When you feel a chill in the air and the leaves start to turn, then you know it’s time to load up the fireplaces with wood, close up the windows, and turn on the floors.
Turn on the floors? Yes, radiant heating is as attractive to cold toes as peanut butter is to jelly--they just go together.
These days radiant floors are becoming ...
Posted by Ryan Philippe
on October 21, 2010
6 ways to save on fall maintenance
If you live in an area where the fall season means preparing for extreme winter weather, you know that the work can be expensive, back breaking and time consuming. Not to worry, though, we've collected some tips to making those fall chores fit more comfortably in to the budget. Fix Those Leaky Windows Here's a quick quiz: How much of their annual energy ...
Posted by Stephen George
on October 12, 2010