Archives for Uncategorized

What You Need to Know Before Listing your Home in the Fall

Listing your home in the Fall; tips for selling your home in the Autumn months With this summer’s (extreme) heat behind us, and with nothing but clear skies and crisp fall months ahead!  We often hear sellers say “We’ll wait until Spring to list”, but as HGTV’s expert Scott  MacGillivray outlines in this recent blog, there are some great benefits of selling your house in the fall.  Summer holidays are over, the kids are back in school and you may find yourself with more time to plan your next move.   So, why not swap those hot summer months for a
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We appear to have a problem:The need to disclose known defects when selling your home

Every home has its’ own unique quirks and character, however, when it comes to purchasing said home, it is important that buyers are aware of any “quirks” that may actually be deficiencies. A deficiency in a home known to the seller is required to be disclosed to the buyer by law, ensuring that any future damage/repair costs cannot be something that the seller becomes liable for. When it comes to disclosing deficiencies in a home, there are two types of defects to consider – patent defects, and latent defects. A patent defect is an easily observed (obvious) defect. An example
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot: May 2018 

Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot: May 2018:  While inventory is still lower than normal, the number of listings coming onto the market this month is typical spring activity! Have questions? Looking for specific neighbourhood stats? Message us!! The following are hightlights from the Ottawa Real Estate Board’s latest News Release read the full story Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 2,279 residential properties in May through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 2,294 in May 2017, a decrease of 0.7 per cent. The five-year average for May sales is 2,041. May’s sales included 485 in the
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot July 2017

The latest reports from OREB on the Ottawa Real Estate market show that in many areas the market is showing no signs of a significant summer slowdown.   The condo market continues to gain momentum as is the”lifestyle” market which includes homes over the $750,000 price range.   Average prices are up in most neighbourhoods across the city, with central and central-west neighbourhoods seeing a bigger jump in average sale price as compared to Ottawa east.   Savvy buyers are noticing that even though Ottawa is trending towards a seller’s market in many neighbourhoods it’s still a good time to
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Reflections on Canada 150

Canada Day is usually a big event in Ottawa; it is the nation’s capital after all, but this year was an even bigger celebration owing to 2017 being the 150th anniversary of Canada’s founding. In order to celebrate this momentous event, Ottawa pulled out all the stops to throw a Canada Day celebration that people won’t soon forget. The public turned out in record numbers to celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa this year, and the celebrations were also awash in celebrities. Justin Trudeau was in attendance, as were Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and Governor General David Johnston
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Beating the Winter Blues

It’s winter time in our Nation’s Capital! The New Year is well underway, and as we’ve carefully selected our resolutions (and have spent the majority of these last few weeks trying to abide by them) we reminisce on the post-joys of Christmas and the excitement of a New Year. However, regardless the amount of joy in our hearts and happiness in our homes, the cold weather tends to overstay its welcome far too often. Admit it, we’ll soon catch ourselves wishing for less snow, warmer weather, and oodles upon oodles of sunshine. Wishful thinking, I’ll say. Truth is, we live
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Snapshot May 2016

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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What Home Owners Can Do With a Tax Refund

  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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First Time Homebuyers Government Incentive Programs

    Thinking of buying your first home? If so, it may be time to get on with it, especially considering the possibility that interest rates will rise. Using government incentive programs that encourage first time homebuyers to enter the real estate market, you can realize additional savings. And, mortgage financing has been almost free for some time, but economic signals point to those costs rising.   Mortgage rates may increase   Several factors are threatening to push Canadian mortgage rates higher even as the Bank of Canada tries to hold its overnight lending rate down. Fixed mortgage rates are
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5 Steps to a Safer Bathroom

  If you are planning to remodel your bathroom this Consumer Reports article give sound advice on how to do it with safety in mind.  Install pressure-balancing and anti-scald valves to provide a steady flow of water that remains at a safe temperature.  Add a sturdy, properly secured grab bar that will support 250 pounds.   Since mold and mildew thrive in a moist environment, ensure your vent fan exhausts to the outside and run it after every shower to dehumidify the room.  Remove any items (hamper, scale) that might cause a tripping hazard and ensure mats have non-skid backing. 
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