20 Apr

IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE HOME

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

This article appears in the April issue of Our House Magazine  Looking back at predictions from 50 years ago of what a home would look like and be able to do today, it’s almost laughable. Back then, the home of the future would include rooftop pools that act as air conditioners and a garage for […]

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19 Apr

CLOSING COSTS

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Closing costs are a necessity when it comes to purchasing a home. They are not included in down payments, they are not included in monthly mortgage payments, nor are they included in the purchase price of a home, but you are still responsible for paying them, in full. Knowing they exist is half the battle, […]

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14 Apr

VACANT POSSESSION

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

DISCLAIMER: This post is written for buyers, in other words people who do not currently own a tenanted property. This post is not suggesting in any way that the rights of an existing tenant be infringed upon Purchasing a residential property? Two words that matter this Spring; Vacant Possession Your contract had best contain a […]

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9 Apr

UNIQUE HOMES HAVE SPECIAL PROBLEMS

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Recently one of the former members of the boy band New Kids on the Block expressed an interest in buying this lighthouse off the coast of Virginia in the U.S. Unique homes can be a lot of fun to own and to live in. However, there are some things you should be aware of before […]

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5 Apr

4 SMART FEATURES THAT WILL BOOST THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

People have a lot of different ideas on how they want their home to look. Some want a modern look while others like traditional cottages. But one thing that more and more people want is smart technology in their homes. This adds value and desirability to your home making it easier to sell for the […]

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4 Apr

3 MORTGAGE TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Prepayment, Portability and Assumability Prepayments One of the most common questions we get is about mortgage prepayments. The conditions vary from lender to lender but the nice thing about prepayments is that you can pay a little more every year if you want to pay off your mortage faster. A great way to do this […]

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29 Mar

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION THIS SPRING

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Short Version: The most important question a home-seller must ask their Broker or their banker this Spring: ‘Do I QUALIFY to port my mortgage?’ You must re-qualify to port your mortgage to a new property, and you must re-qualify under stringent new rules. How stringent? Long Version: Let’s say you have impeccable credit, a $100,000 […]

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27 Mar

GETTING ON THE PROPERTY LADDER

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

As property prices continue to rise across Canada, the conversation around “how to climb the property ladder” has made a subtle shift to “how to get on the property ladder in the first place.” Especially if you’re single. Whereas before it was assumed anyone would qualify to buy a starter home (or condo), nowadays with […]

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18 Mar

KEEPING YOUR CREDIT SCORE HEALTYHY

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

If you haven’t seen your credit score, you’re not alone. Many of our clients don’t know about their credit score or even know what it is when we first meet with them. During our initial consultation, we go over your complete credit report with you. As an added bonus, we’ll even teach you how to […]

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17 Mar

TIPS FOR YOUR VARIABLE RATE MORTGAGE THAT COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

With changes to mortgage rules and interest rates on the rise here are some tips for your variable rate mortgage that could save you thousands. Since 2009 the prime lending rate has shifted from a high of 6% down to 2% range remaining fairly level for the past few years before rising to a present […]

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