Posts by curiousprojects

Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot May 2016

June 7, 2016 | Comments Off

What neighbourhood are you interested in? This is a snapshot of the Ottawa Real Estate market based on statistics provided by the Ottawa Real Estate Board. If you are interested in finding out about neighbourhood trends please contact us . We’d love to help. What happened in Ottawa Real Estate in May 2016? Here’s the Market Snapshot! From the Ottawa Real Estate Board released Monday June 6th, 2016 Sales stay consistently hot through May heat wave. Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,921 residential properties in May through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with similar sales of 1,926
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Regulating Home Inspectors in Ontario

May 30, 2016 | Comments Off

The Ontario government has announced plans to begin regulating home inspectors, requiring potential inspectors to pass a written exam and field test in order to qualify for a license. In doing this Ontario will be following in the footsteps of British Columbia and Alberta, the only provinces in Canada that have home inspector regulations in place. The hope is that these measures will prevent stories like Alyssa Hanson’s, whose inspector missed water leaking into the basement that led to a $12,000 repair bill according to a recent article in the Globe and Mail The big question about these changes, however,
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Home for Sale: A Guide for Your Next Housing Journey

May 16, 2016 | Comments Off

Once a For Sale sign goes up, it’s official! You’re ready to begin your new journey! Or are you? It’s normal to experience some raw emotions as you embark on selling your beloved home. Follow these simple steps to help you take memories from one home to another. Create a Memory Box There’s no need to wait until your house is sold to start packing, especially when it comes to the sentimental items. Locate a sturdy box or storage container, mark the box as “Memories” and start gathering! Event/Occasion Items: These items may be related to a favorite vacation, a
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Second-best April on record for Ottawa Real Estate!

May 6, 2016 | Comments Off

April was a busy month in Ottawa Real Estate…see the most recent market highlights below -information provided by the Ottawa Real Estate Board Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,714 residential properties in April through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,567 in April 2015, an increase of 9.4 per cent. The five-year average for April sales is 1,568. “The Ottawa resale market continued its steady pace upwards in April, making it the best April for unit sales on record since 2010,” says Shane Silva, President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board. “Units sold are up
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Sustainable Building Materials

May 1, 2016 | Comments Off

As the world’s population increases and resources dwindle, sustainability, development that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, has become a priority for homeowners, developers and governments. This shift in focus has driven improvements in building design and construction, including sustainable building materials. Green building materials impact energy and water consumption, waste reduction and occupant well-being by minimizing the negative effects that our built environment can have on the planet. Here are some new materials that are leading the way: Solar Tiles Producing standard roof tiles involves energy intensive techniques and their only function
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What Home Owners Can Do With a Tax Refund

April 24, 2016 | Comments Off

If you are a homeowner, a tax refund presents opportunities to invest for a profit that aren’t available to renters. Whether you plan to sell, stay or are undecided, there are ways to optimize the financial impact of your refund. The first step is to treat your refund check the same as you treat your paycheck. Avoid the temptation to splurge and give that refund money a purpose. Here are three home owner-only options to grow that refund: But, Are You Withholding Too Much? Most of us enjoy getting a large tax refund every spring. But, a refund
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot March 2016

April 22, 2016 | Comments Off

Ottawa Real Estate: March market springs into action! The following information provided by the Ottawa Real Estate Board. Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,166 residential properties in March through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® system, compared with 1,200 in March 2015, a decrease of 2.8 per cent. The five-year average for March sales is 1,220. “We are definitely seeing a resale market increase from the previous month, with 256 more properties sold in March over February,” says President of the Ottawa Real Estate Board, Shane Silva. “Properties are starting to sell faster, indicating that we are heading
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What Mortgage Strategy Is Best For Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers?

April 17, 2016 | Comments Off

When it comes time to purchase a new home, your mortgage strategy will likely depend on the stage of life you are in. Early-career home buyers (Millennials) have just entered the workforce so they usually have little cash and may be in debt. Gen X home buyers are busy trying to advance their careers, raise families and save for retirement. Baby boomers have often left the workforce, so they have less income and may already be spending their retirement savings. Each of these life stages present unique challenges that call for a different mortgage strategy. Here are some tips to
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How Important Is Home Staging?

April 10, 2016 | Comments Off

Because the Internet has changed the way we buy and sell homes, most real estate professionals believe home staging is critical to selling success. Almost all home buyers begin their search online meaning sellers need to make a good first impression so potential buyers want to see their home in person. Hence, staging has taken the residential real estate industry by storm and many sellers are hiring professionals to help them make that first impression. National Association of Realtors (NAR) President Chris Polychron says “staging is an excellent tool that can be used to give a home a little extra
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Buying Old Versus New Properties – Pros and Cons

April 3, 2016 | Comments Off

When buying any commodity, new is often better than used. In the housing market, though, your best opportunity can come from an old home or, as in Ottawa, where the inventory of new homes is overstocked, you may be able to purchase a new home for the same price buyers paid years ago. Here are some advantages and risks of both options. Advantages of Buying Old Properties you can physically walk through and inspect the home similar listings have sold or are currently available to use for comparative market analysis when establishing price antique homes appeal to a
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