Getting a home ready for sale or lease is a big job on its own. For some, the thought of staging your home may be overwhelming. Realtors may offer this service as part of their package, but if not, don’t worry, it’s easy to do it yourself with a little inspiration. Beyond the basic advice of the 3 D’s: depersonalize, declutter and decorate, there’s a lot more that can be done to get your desired...
With all the time spent indoors, recently, most people now have a greater appreciation of the outdoors. Inspired by the longing of lounging in a private backyard, renovations and master creations of outdoor spaces have taken off. The changing landscape of fall brings with it colour and cooler temperatures, perfect weather for building. With lumber prices slowly coming down, a new deck or pergola design could become a reality. Here are some things to consider...
There have been a lot of questions about the state of the commercial real estate industry in the last two years. With more people working from home offices and retail storefronts closed to the public, the industry is in a period of transition. Despite these obstacles, there’s good reason to remain optimistic about the future of commercial real estate. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges and opportunities in today’s industry. First, some...
The Bank of Canada (BoC) released its latest Monetary Policy Report (MPR) last week, and the outlook is optimistic. With the economy re-opening, vaccinations on the rise, and supply chains finding relief from the bottleneck they’ve experienced, the future looks promising. What impact does the MPR have on you? What are the implications for mortgages? Let’s take a look at some areas of particular interest. Some general points While the economy may be starting to...
The pandemic has changed the way we do business. Between home offices and Zoom meetings, our daily engagements have felt a seismic shift. While some of these changes are temporary fixes, others could prove to be the new normal. If you’ve bought or sold a property in the last year, you’ll recognize some of these changes right away. From virtual open houses and appointment-only viewings to online meetings with banks and lawyers, you might question...
Now that there appears to be a (somewhat distant) end to the COVID-19 pandemic on the horizon, you can’t help but wonder about all the things that may have changed too much to go back to the old status quo. Sure: with enough time, our comfort with human contact and general proximity to other people will most likely revert to pre-pandemic levels–that’s pretty much a given. But other societal shifts such as remote working and...
Buying a home is an exciting time in your life. It’s a monumental occasion, and you should celebrate and enjoy every moment of the experience. But at the same time, there are a lot of new stresses you’ll discover. From trying to find the right space, to bidding and financing, the whole experience is a roller-coaster ride. Once you gain possession of the property, you’re about to start on a whole new adventure as a...
As a new homeowner, I’m in the process of discovering all that it takes to maintain the up-keep on my house. Every step of the way is a learning experience, from re-mounting old light fixtures to finding out that the leaky tap requires more than just a new washer. Some problems you can anticipate–like knowing that the old air conditioner might not work when you fire it up in the summer. But some problems you...
Canadian cities are often part of discussions involving the most expensive property markets in the world, news that shouldn’t be remotely surprising to anyone in the Great White North. Over the past year, our list of least affordable cities has reshuffled in somewhat unexpected ways and may continue to do so in the future as people gain greater flexibility to work remotely. This has caused an overall shift in the Canadian real estate market. Once...
When Canada first went into lockdown last year, we braced for the worst. As much of the economy shut down, many Canadians suddenly found themselves jobless and in a precarious financial state. Experts warned of the dire effects this would have on households, and their ability to pay off their debt and mortgages. Without steady income to keep up payments, people were likely to face insolvency and foreclosures given what we knew at the time....
