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A lick of paint, if it's the right paint, can do wonders
November 25, 2024
November is here. The days are shorter, the chill has set in, and so has the damp, grey haze.
The experts say we are susceptible to SAD (seasonal affective disorder) because of a lack of sunshine and its vitamin D benefits, but I think it may be caused by spending too much time indoors surrounded by bland interiors and uninspiring walls.
Of ...
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Mortgage fraud and recessions go hand in hand, police and experts say
November 24, 2024
It’s tough to tackle the problem of mortgage fraud because no one knows exactly how widespread the problem is, police and industry officials say.
There are no solid Canadian statistics on the impact of mortgage fraud since losses are shared among banks, credit unions, other mortgage lenders, and lawyers’ indemnity funds, according to industry ...
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Property Appraisal and Market Value
November 18, 2024
One of the most important things in association with real estate is determining the ‘true worth’ or ‘value’ of your property. The two main ways that one can determine this is through property appraisals and comparable market value analysis. Typically, these two methods are used in conjunction with one another in order to establish a sale price ...
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Why refinance: how to know when
November 15, 2024
Refinancing is most often motivated by lower interest rates, which can bring the dual benefit of lower mortgage payments and lower interest costs over time. But there are many other legitimate motivations. Some are a product of "creative" financing products such as Adjustable Rate Mortgages that were rare a generation ago. Your personal priorities ...
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Top reasons to sell home in winter
November 14, 2024
We're getting close to the end of the year, which begs the question of whether it's worthwhile trying to sell your home now. Is it a waste of time? Will it sit on the market and become shopworn? Should I take my house off the market for the holidays? Will the home-sale market be better for sellers in 2012?
The first question you need to ask ...
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Sellers list right to avoid price reductions
November 11, 2024
In most areas of the country, 2007 marked a change in the residential home-sale market. Buyers gained clout for the first time in over a decade. Inventories of homes for sale grew to record levels in some places. Price reductions, which carried a negative stigma when listings were easy to sell, came to be seen as a necessary part of the home-sale ...
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Back to the basics
November 3, 2024
Reducing the size of houses, simplifying construction, will go a long way to reducing energy dependency
Predictions about rising energy costs send shivers up the spines of motorists and homeowners.
And while Canadians are still enjoying some of the lowest heating and cooling rates in the world, it seems that situation won't last for long. ...
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THE RIGHT STUFF
November 2, 2024
You can double your impact with the right home improvements. Upgrades and remodeling can be expensive so it pays to choose wisely. You want every dime you put into your home to be something that matters to you as a homeowner and to your potential buyer. So what projects do you tackle first?
Start with your home's curb appeal. It's hands down ...
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Real estate: Dealing in a buyers' market
November 1, 2024
The single biggest investment for most Canadians is the purchase of a home. So, home owners were understandably worried when the Canadian Real Estate Association recently reported that average Canadian resale house prices fell by 10 per cent year-over-year in October.
On the other hand, the end of the boom would appear to be good news for ...
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Automatic and Programmable Thermostats
October 27, 2024
In our modern, high tech society, we don't think much about some of the electronic gadgets in our homes. Take, for example, the ever present thermostat--a staple of North American households for decades. It usually takes the shape of an unassuming box on the wall, but that modest device controls the comfort of your family on the coldest day in ...
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