5 Outdoor Projects That Offer Payback In Resale Value

Although most home improvement projects will increase the value of your home, some projects offer more payback than others. More than 38 per cent of Canadian homeowners are planning a renovation, and of those, 75 per cent are sprucing up their home to sell. Here are some outdoor renovations that offer payback in resale value…

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What is an Easement?

By Lorne Shuman: The process of buying a home can be intimidating and overwhelming. Homebuyers must face a multitude of major decisions, many of which are made more difficult by the use of complex legal terms. The term “easement” is common and is found in many Agreements of Purchase and Sale.  This column will explain…

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Toronto Neighbourhoods Under The Scope: April 2013 vs. April 2014

Find your neighbourhood below and see how March’s sales stats stacked up to last year’s. C02 (Annex, Wychwood, Casa Loma, Yonge-St.Clair) April 2013 April 2014 % Change Active Listings 276 247 – 10.5% Sales 78 89 + 14.1% Average Price $1,111,866 $1,093,809 – 1.6% Days on Market 25 17 – 32.0% Avg % of List Price 98…

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GTA Realtors® Report April Housing Market Figures

TORONTO, May 6, 2014 – Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher announced that during April – the first full month of spring – Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported a 1.8 per cent year-over-year increase in sales through the TorontoMLS system. Total April 2014 sales amounted to 9,706, compared to 9,535 transactions in April 2013. “April…

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May Garden Checklist

Finally it seems like the warmer weather and sunshine are really here to stay. After a long winter indoors, gardening is a restorative therapy embraced by many Canadian homeowners. When you’ve finished planning your garden and are ready to get your hands dirty, here are a few tips to make those gardening chores easier: Before…

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Private Mortgage Insurers Opt Not To Match CMHC’s Cuts

Canada’s two private-sector mortgage insurers have decided not to match all of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.’s (CMHC) recent product cuts. Genworth MI Canada sent a letter to banks Friday saying that it will not be making any changes to its standards for self-employed borrowers. Genworth will, however, tighten its rules for second homes slightly.…

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How To Take Title To Your Home

By Lorne Shuman: Once you have decided to purchase a home, you will be faced with important decisions that will have an impact on your estate for a long time. Understanding the importance of how to take “title” (or ownership) to your property is one important aspect of estate planning.  In the event of your…

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Current Residential Mortgage Rates as of April 28, 2014

Term Rate 6 months 3.95% 1 Year 2.89% 2 Year 2.64% 3 Year 2.79% 4 Year 2.94% 5 Year 2.89% 7 Year 3.79% 10 Year 4.39% Prime = 3.00% Variable Closed (5 yr) = Prime minus 0.70% = 2.30% Variable Open = Prime plus 0.80% = 3.80% Courtesy of John Chrisanthidis, Mortgage Intelligence

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10 Best-Kept Secrets For Selling Your Home

These tricks of the trade from HGTV.com will help you get top dollar when selling your home… Selling Secret #10: Pricing it right A properly priced home will sell quickly. However, in the current market, Sellers are often tempted to underprice their property and then be stampeded by buyers with multiple bids. More often than…

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GTA Realtors® Report Mid-April Resale Housing Stats

TORONTO, April 17, 2014 – Toronto Real Estate Board President Dianne Usher announced that the spring market started off on a strong note in the Greater Toronto Area, with a 10.8 per cent year-over-year sales increase reported by Greater Toronto REALTORS® during the first two weeks of April. Sales through the TorontoMLS system over this…

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