A home inspection isn’t a legal requirement when you buy a home in Canada. But it’s a wise decision for the largest purchase you will likely ever make. Here are five reasons why you should opt for a home inspection when buying a home, even if it is a brand-new build. Things unseen The home you want to buy may have a gorgeous skylight, cathedral ceilings and a huge master bedroom. But the home’s aesthetics...
Flying during COVID-19, even at the busiest airports, means no line ups, no crowds and a quick jaunt through security. Yet, as travel restrictions lift and people have had enough of staying at home, numbers will begin to surge. What does flying during COVID-19 look like now and what will it look like in the future? Here’s how air travel is changing in response to coronavirus. Moving through the airport At this time last year,...
The handshake. It’s been part of introductions and business deals for centuries. During COVID-19, handshakes have ceased. But should we break the custom permanently? Experts say yes. Read on to learn why handshakes may become extinct and what might replace them. History of the handshake Depictions of handshaking as a sign of trust is found in art and literature from thousands of years back. We see it in Classic Greek and Roman text and art...
Fraud related to COVID-19 pandemic on the rise. Canadians have seen everything from phoney fundraisers and products to sham testing kits and door-to-door solicitations. The aim of these scams is either to get money, steal your personal information or install malware on your device. Here’s how to avoid being scammed. Prominent scams to be aware of The most widely spread scam in Canada related to COVID-19 has to do with face masks. Fraudsters have been...
It’s time to break out the face masks (if you haven’t already). During the early days of Covid-19 health officials said there was no need for the general public to wear face masks to protect against the spread of coronavirus. But now, we know that wearing non-medical masks coupled with physical distancing can help stop the transmission of the virus. On May 20, Canada’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam, said that “use of non-medical...
With restrictions on social interactions and a global pandemic to contend with, the world is turning to artificial intelligence technologies such as machine learning, computer vision and natural-language processing to help track, stop and possibly even find a cure for COVID-19. Here’s how. Traditional drug strategies take too long It takes scientists years to develop a new drug. Then, there are six or seven years of clinical trials to get through. As far as COVID-19...
How Covid-19 Impacts Rates Rates for home loans are based on a variety of factors. One of the biggest being the price that lenders themselves have to pay to borrow money. For fixed-rate Canadian home loans, the rates are based on the five-year Government of Canada bond. The price of bonds usually increases when people are feeling fearful, such as in the current climate with this coronavirus. At the beginning of 2020, the yield on...
Spring in Canada typically means a flurry of real estate activity. But this year, with the declaration of a global pandemic, things are not business as usual. Here’s what you need to know about Covid-19 and its impact on real estate in Canada. A cooler than expected spring Before a pandemic was declared on March 11, Canada’s spring real estate market was gearing up for record-breaking sales for 2020. The Canadian Real Estate Association revealed...
Technology is such an integral part of our lives–from the bathroom to the bedroom and everywhere in between. A recent poll found that more than 50% of Canadians spend at least two hours on their phones each day. That number is considerably higher right now. Bust as with any aspect of life, bad habits can form if you aren’t vigilant. Here are a few of the bad tech habits we all need to break. Slouching...
Although we are coming to the end of winter, now might be a good time to think about your furnace and to get it ready for the fall. Furnaces typically have a lifespan of about 15 years. However, a furnace’s lifespan will greatly depend on how often the unit is serviced and if it is properly maintained. When you move into a home, you have no way of knowing if the previous owners regularly changed...