7 Curb Appeal Tips for Fall

Spruce Up Your Lawn While brilliant fall foliage can automatically make your home look more attractive, that doesn’t mean you can slack off on lawn maintenance during this season. Keep falling leaves at bay with frequent raking and patch up any brown spots in the grass. Plant Fall Flowers Once your lawn is looking its…

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Selling Your Home? Should You Perform a Pre-Listing Inspection?

Should a Seller hire their own home inspector to perform an inspection on their property before it is listed for sale? The prevailing wisdom is that there are more good reasons for having an inspection than not. Sellers understand that buyers are going to need to have a home inspection conducted before they agree to…

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Fall Furnace Facts

A furnace is a lifesaver during our harsh winters. But it can also be a danger under the wrong conditions. Installing a furnace is actually more important than the furnace itself. You could have a state-of-the-art, top of the line furnace, but if it isn’t installed properly there can be deadly consequences. With a gas…

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Home Safety Risks

If you’re a new homeowner or living in an outdated home, you could be putting you and your family at significant risk if you haven’t reviewed your home’s safety. Regular safety checks can help keep your home safe, but sometimes you need to do a little more. Smoke Detectors Smoke detectors may be one of…

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Buying Brand New? HST 101 For New Builds

Written by Martin Rumack Are you buying a new home or condominium unit with another person? If so, there is an interesting and probably little-known rule about the HST New Housing Rebate that may surprise you – and more importantly may disqualify you from obtaining the rebate entirely. The HST New Housing Rebate provides eligible…

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GTA Realtors® Release August Resale Housing Figures

Toronto Real Estate Board President Garry Bhaura announced sales and price increases on a year-over-year basis in August. Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 6,839 sales through TREB’s MLS® System in August 2018 – an 8.5 per cent increase compared to August 2017. Both the average selling price, at $765,270, and the MLS® Home Price Index…

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Before You Finish Your Basement…

Few things can destroy a newly finished basement like groundwater flooding or a plumbing failure. Taking a few precautions before a flood occurs can prevent this issue and protect your home. This includes eliminating all existing and potential sources of flooding and addressing any issues with humidity in the space. Homeowners who have a wet…

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Kitchen and Bathroom Renos ROI

It’s been said before: We are the generation of renovation, and with an expected ROI of 75% to 100% on a major kitchen remodel or extension (Appraisal Institute of Canada) – who can blame us? There are two main reasons for renovating. The first is to improve your current home based on your own personal…

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New CMHC Mortgage Rules for Self-Employed

Self-employed Canadians will be happy to hear that CMHC is willing to make some changes that will make it easier to qualify for a mortgage. In an announcement on July 19, 2018, the CMHC has said “Self-employed Canadians represent a significant part of the Canadian workforce. These policy changes respond to that reality by making…

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Mortgage Broker vs. Bank

According to a recent report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, nearly two-in-five homeowners in Canada used a broker for their mortgage in 2017. The 39 per cent figure was an increase from 33 per cent the previous year. The percentage is even higher among first-time home buyers. Why are more and more people…

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