Have you ever wondered what type of neighbourhood best resonates with you? Buying a home is an exciting time for new, and there are so many choices when it comes to housing styles, are you a bungalow, a stacked condo, a single-family dwelling? Each of these styles of homes can be found in neighbourhoods with different characteristics, making it essential to determine which one is most representative of your wants, needs and abilities. Understanding the importance of lifestyle and personality traits and how they work best with different types of neighbourhoods can save you from the dreaded “Buyer’s Remorse.” So
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Archives for Buyers
Is the right time for us to purchase Real Estate?
Is the right time for us to purchase Real Estate? The question of when it is the right time to purchase real estate is always a very important family decision. For millennials, homeownership in Canada is approximately 50 percent. In contrast, 55 percent of their parents currently own their own homes. While millennials have lower ownership rates, it is expected that the numbers will increase this year. The average millennials are married at the age of 29, and most are in their early thirties. Many have been married for two to three years when they start a family, and then
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What You Need to Know About Cannabis Legalization in the Housing Market
Legal Recreational Cannabis and the Impact on the Ottawa Real Estate Market Recreational cannabis has been legal in Canada for just over one year. The Federal Cannabis Act has been rolled out in a very Canadian manner. Saskatchewan is considered to have been the most effective in the implementation of the new law. Ontario has been the slowest and is still lagging all the other provinces and territories. What has been the impact of the law on the real estate industry now and what will it be in the future? The Federal and Provincial regulations and the City bylaws are
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Buying your first home in Canada – What you Need to Know
One of the reasons Canada is the greatest country in the world is that we embrace new Canadians. The indigenous people were the first people in Canada. All other Canadian families have come from another country, we all have come from somewhere. Canada proudly is one of the most diverse and safe countries in the world. One reason for this is that as new Canadians we work hard and embrace our new communities. A recent Royal LePage survey found that “newcomers to Canada represent one in every five home buyers. If the current international migration level is maintained, Canadian newcomers
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All I want for Christmas is a HOME
Buying a house is an exciting time, and whether you are just entering the market or you are a seasoned buyer ready for your next move, investing in real estate is a smart decision. To some, the Realtor App could be considered the Tinder of the Real Estate world, swiping past sub-par matches looking for the one who really might be worth the work. While looking at homes seems to be a logical first step, it may not. Some steps should be taken to ensure that you are prepared to be as competitive as possible when in a multiple offers
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Picking a Condo that Matches your Lifestyle
While many people once shied away from condominiums, today, this home-owners option is heavily sought out by people of all ages and lifestyles. Condominiums are popping up in all neighbourhoods, with amenities that cater to the needs of people with all types of wants, needs, and abilities. Whether you are a working professional, young family, retiree, live an active lifestyle or require accessibility accommodations, appealing features offered by many of these condominiums are making this home-buyers option an appealing and competitive one. As with the growing market of condominium homeowners, the variety of notable features offered under the fees are
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Condo Living – Is it right for you?
After a few flat years, the Ottawa condo market started picking up steam in 2016 and continues to be a popular choice for Ottawa buyers today. Lower inventory levels and higher prices in the residential market have helped to increase activity in the condo property class. According to the Ottawa Real Estate Board “September [2019] sales included 436 in the condominium-property category, an increase of 26.4 % from September 2018”. There are many advantages to owning a condo, maintenance is a big one. Typically, condo dwellers have little or no external maintenance. Not only is there no grass to cut
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First Time Home Buyer Incentive – Need a Little Help?
With the recent federal election there has been a great deal of discussion around the Liberal Government’s incentive for First-time Home Buyers which was effective September 2, 2019. The Government of Canada has allocated $1.25 billion over the next three years for this program. The incentive is designed to help first-time home buyers find an affordable home. Finding an affordable home has proven to be a challenge for first-time home buyers and especially younger Canadians. The lack of inventory has affected the availability of affordable housing options. This has made the cost of housing as a percentage of gross income
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What can we expect from the Fall Real Estate Market in Ottawa?
In Ottawa, we talk about the Spring market and the Fall market as being the two busiest seasons to buy and sell real estate in Ottawa. Our Spring market started earlier this year and instead of slowing down over the Summer it continued to be strong throughout the Summer months. Throughout the year we have seen consistent growth in both listing prices and sale prices. In June, the Ottawa residential average sale price climbed over $500K for the first time ever! There is also great news for condominiums. Now that condo prices have bounced back, more condo sellers are deciding
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Is that House Haunted?
Stigma and Real Estate Would the fact that property is believed to be haunted affect your decision to purchase it? If a property had been the location of an unspeakable act, would that change your opinion on it? Picture this, you’ve just found the home of your dreams and have put in an offer. Of course you’ll want to make sure that there’s nothing wrong with the home before you firm up so who are you going to call? Ok, so it’s probably your home inspector and not the ghost-busters, however it may surprise you that according to a recent
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