Archives for Buyers

Ottawa Real Estate Update: November 2015

December 3, 2015 | Comments Off

Mild weather and post-election enthusiasm spurs on home buyers! Statistics are useful in establishing trends but should not be used as an indicator of an increase or decrease in value of specific properties. If you are curious about the value of your home and/or specific neighbourhood statistics we would love to help. Contact us. Information below provided by the Ottawa Real Estate Board December 3rd, 2015 Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 990 residential properties in November through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 891 in November 2014, an increase of
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Not Only Millennials Want Walkable Communities

December 3, 2015 | Comments Off

A walkable community is well-planned, compact and designed for people to walk to work, school, parks restaurants and activities as a form of everyday transportation. According to a National Association of Realtors survey, more and more buyers want to live in walkable communities. The study found that fully 12% more Millennials, the generation born between the mid 1980′s and early 2000′s, would rather walk to their destination than drive. But, fitness enthusiasts and eco-friendly individuals also desire walkable neighbourhoods. Aging In Place Older Canadians want neighbourhoods that better fit their changing requirements. As baby boomers enter their retirement years,
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Ottawa Named 3rd Best City in the World for Quality of Life; Here’s Why

November 30, 2015 | Comments Off

In this Point2Homes post, Nadia Balint attributes Ottawa’s stellar, but unsurprising (to locals), ranking in the recent Numbeo Quality of Life Index to three characteristics: Ottawa is young and fun with almost half the population under 35, it promotes and supports family life and the housing is relatively affordable. The Index rates factors like purchasing power, safety, property price to income ratio, and pollution. To read more click here. Source: Blog
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How Will Real Estate Markets React To The Liberals' Election Victory?

November 24, 2015 | Comments Off

The Liberal Party’s successful election campaign included a promise to stimulate the economy by increasing infrastructure spending with deficit budgets. How will these changes effect the country’s real estate market? Until details are released, the exact consequences are difficult to determine, but some possibilities have emerged. Foreign Investment We don’t know what will follow the Liberals’ change in fiscal direction (deficit spending versus balanced budgets), but, if the promised infrastructure spending materializes, it could boost annual growth in 2016 and 2017 “by up to 0.1 and 0.3 percentage points respectively,” according to a TD Bank report.
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Home Improvements – Do It Yourself Or Hire A Professional?

November 17, 2015 | Comments Off

Completing a DIY project can be tremendously fulfilling and financially rewarding. But, bite off more than you can chew, and you might be looking at some major expenses to fix the damage or, even worse, a catastrophic incident. Before grabbing your toolbox, accomplish a quick risk-reward analysis. Then, determine if you have the skills and tools for the project. Finally, decide if you have the available time and are inclined to invest it in the task. These guidelines will help you decide whether to swing a hammer or write a cheque. Reno Risks And Rewards First weight the expected benefits
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4 reasons to buy a home before the end of the year

November 12, 2015 | Comments Off

Does cooler weather mean that you should cool down your house hunt? Absolutely not! Sellers who have homes listed during the colder months are usually motivated to sell and list prices are typically lower in December…but wait…there’s more! Traditionally, housing markets cool down at year end, but this Business Insider post suggests taking advantage of four factors that could work in your favour. First, borrowing rates are exceedingly low and that means you save a bundle. In addition, the seasonal slowdown means fewer buyers submitting competing bids for choice properties which could put you in a strong negotiating position. There
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How Will Legalized Pot Affect Canadian Real Estate Markets

November 10, 2015 | Comments Off

No matter what you think about the ethics or morality of legalizing marijuana, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government has promised to do just that during their first term. The fact is, we started down that path when medical marijuana was legalized. So, how will this impact real estate markets in Canada? The Colorado Housing Market Exploded We see clues to the impact of mainstreaming the recreational marijuana business in Colorado, the first state to replace prohibition with regulation. On 01 January 2015, they celebrated their first year with operational adult use marijuana stores and, perhaps coincidentally, there
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Market Update | Ottawa Real Estate Stats October 2015

November 5, 2015 | Comments Off

Here are the latest statistics from the Ottawa Real Estate board. Statistics are useful in establishing trends but should not be used as an indicator of an increase or decrease in value of specific properties. If you are curious about the value of your home and/or specific neighbourhood statistics please contact us anytime, we would love to help. Information below has been provided by the Ottawa Real Estate Board “October Home Buyers weren’t spooked by election results.” Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,161 residential properties in October through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,119
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Home Buyers: To Inspect, or Not To Inspect

November 3, 2015 | Comments Off

To Inspect, or Not To Inspect You’ve just purchased your dream home and your salesperson is recommending an home inspection before signing the final conditions. Is it worth $400-500? Now is the time to ignore your emotional attachment to the property, and make this a business decision. The answer is, “Absolutely!” The inspection is a critical step that ensures the structure, environment and operating systems of your dream home are safe and sound. We are sometimes seduced by facade or the presentation of a property , but the things we cannot see can lead to expensive repairs or health concerns.
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Income Properties: What You need to Know about Buying an Investment Property

October 13, 2015 | Comments Off

“Don’t wait to buy land, buy land and wait” – Will Rogers Income Properties: Are you Ready? Owning a rental property may seem like a licence to print money. Interest rates are low, the Ottawa Real Estate Market is stable …what could be easier? Buy a property, lease it, collect cheques and plan your retirement. But…before purchasing an income property, you should be aware of the benefits and drawbacks. Advantages of Income Properties: You pay less tax. Because your secondary property is a business, you can deduct certain expenses from your income (mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance,
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LAUREE JOHNSON