Thinking of selling? Get educated about market conditions specific to YOUR home.
Our local Ottawa real estate board regularly publishes information about market conditions in and around the city. And while this information is useful, the data is based on statistics compiled from ALL home sales regardless of age, style, neighborhood or price point. As such, it may not necessarily reflect the conditions specific to YOUR home. […]
Now Sellers Can Choose Their Commission Rate
Today more than ever, consumers have choices when it comes to what commission rate they will pay when listing their home for sale. From flat fees to full service fees, and many options in between, it seems that consumers are spoiled for choice. But if you’re considering listing your home for sale, you simply must […]
Condominium Living
An Ideal Lifestyle for Some People Wanting Freedom and Forced Savings for Repairs and Replacement So you want to purchase a home but don’t want to spend your weekends mowing the lawn or shoveling snow. Then condominium living may be just what you’re looking for! With a condominium, you own your individual unit in a […]
Mortgages today offer a new form of hidden savings!
In years past, when Canadians faced an array of higher interest rates, the majority of the home owner’s monthly mortgage payment at the beginning of the mortgage went to paying down the interest, leaving the principal relatively untouched. The following chart shows just how much the interest rate can impact monthly mortgage payments, the […]
Why January is a GREAT time to list your home for sale
So it’s January, it’s cold outside and there’s snow everywhere. You’re anxious to sell your house, but you think January can’t possibly be the best time for that. Your family and friends all agree that April is a much better month to put your house on the market. So you wait……. and wait ……. […]
Buying Real Estate for Your Child
For parents faced with the prospect of their children attending a post secondary school in another community, city or province, and finding suitable living accommodations for their loved one can be somewhat daunting… and trying to find that perfect home away from home can sometimes be an impossibility. An alternative, when taking into consideration the […]
Making a Claim in Small Claims Court
The information provided below is not legal advice, and it may not apply in every situation. Before making a claim, there are a number of factors you may want to consider, and a number of pieces of information you will need to collect. 1. You Will Need the Legal Name of the Person or Business. […]
Septic Systems and What You Need to Know Before You Buy
It is imperative when considering buying a home that is serviced by a septic system that the system be inspected by a professional septic engineer. Initially this inspection may seem costly, however it can save you thousands of dollars in future repairs or replacement costs. The cost to replace or upgrade a system is far […]
What You Need to Know About Safe Drinking Water Testing
We all rely on safe drinking water in our homes, it is vital to our health and quality of life. If you are buying a home where the water supply comes from a well source there are precautions that need to taken. First and foremost and at the very least, you must have the water […]
Protect Yourself Against Real Estate Fraud and Identity Theft
What is real estate fraud? There are many different types of real estate fraud, but the two that consumers should be aware of are mortgage fraud and title fraud. Mortgage fraud occurs when an individual intentionally provides inaccurate, fraudulent or incomplete information to a lender in order to secure a mortgage that they might not […]