OK Spring is here, when should I get my house on the market?
The answer to that question really depends on your motivation. If you absolutely have to move by a certain date, then you need to give yourself enough time to properly market the home and not be forced into making early price reductions. You also want to make sure that you’ve given enough time so that you can deal with some unforeseen ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on April 7, 2013
Did you know… there is more to a getting a good mortgage then just the low rate? Money is cheaper now than ever before, 2.79% fixed over 5 years, but this comes at a cost. First of all, it’s not a rate that’s truly attainable by everyone, and you give up certain pre payment privileges which could have an effect on you, should you decide to pay off the balance quicker, or need to ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on April 7, 2013
Steady as she goes for the Ottawa resale market in 2012
Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 618 residential properties in December through the Board's Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 695 in December 2011, a decrease of 11.1 per cent. The five-year average for December sales is 617.
The total number of homes sold through the Board's MLS® system in 2012 was 14,308, ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on January 7, 2013
Should you be concerned about the lack of activity in the market?
That really depends if you are in the market to purchase a home or to sell. While the numbers of overall units sold are down a little bit from the year before, keep in mind that we’ve had a number of crucial changes to not only the mortgage lending rules, but also the size of our public servant work force.
On the one hand, ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on January 2, 2013
Not only does the Spring represent the busiest months of activity on the board; it also tends to be when you can expect to get the most money for your home. In 2012, the Spring months averaged almost $5,000 more when compared to the overall Ottawa average for 2012. Something to consider if you are making a move this year!
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on January 2, 2013
Why hiring the right agent will directly affect the amount of money you pocket?
It simply comes down to motivation. Is the person you are thinking of hiring driven by their desire to help you reach
your goals, or are they trying to reach theirs? Choosing the right REALTOR®, matters! It matters in their philosophy,
their work ethic, their support system and network of peers, and especially ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on May 2, 2012
Did you know… Banks can only finance the Appraised Value or the Offer Value, whichever is lesser of the two? The appraisal method of determining value for residential real estate is the Comparison Approach, and appraisers use the same database of information as REALTORS to determine property values. Appraisers determine value based on what Buyers are willing to pay for a property ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on February 7, 2012
Location, location, location is simply no longer enough.
You need to start thinking about Timing when trying to get the most out of your investment.
Of course location and size of the home will always be at the top of anyone’s list when assigning value to a property, that’s likely never going to change. But another important factor these days is price. ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on February 6, 2012
Mortgage pre-qualification vs. pre-approval
by RateHub.ca What's the difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and mortgage pre-approval? Often used interchangeably, these do not mean the same thing.
Mortgage jargon is tricky territory to navigate and the terms "pre-qualification" and "pre-approval" are no exception. Don't make ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on January 5, 2012
CMHC warns on household debt
Christine Dobby Dec 29, 2011 – 1:24 PM ET | Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 4:52 PM ET
REUTERS/Mike Cassese
Residential mortgages remain the largest component of Canadian household debt, but personal lines of credit are growing at double-digit rates and stood at more than 25% of household debt held by chartered banks in 2010, according to a report ...
Posted by Szabolcs Pall
on January 5, 2012