Size isn’t everything but when it comes to bedrooms buyers are influenced heavily by space and storage. Built-in wardrobes are a huge plus for today’s buyers. Except in older houses and apartments, most buyers expect to see built-ins and are disappointed when they haven’t been installed. While owners preparing for a sale rightly focus on…
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The goal to own property is deeply rooted in our national psyche, yet your first home-ownership journey can feel like walking into a labyrinth of jargon, daunting decisions and financial challenges. For first-time buyers, this is a perfectly natural response. Yet navigating this path will help secure your financial future and turn a dream into…
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The dark, cold months of winter are yet to arrive, giving homeowners sufficient time to put their homes on the market and capitalise on the autumn selling season. There’s a belief among many homeowners that spring and summer are the best times to sell your home, but that’s a myth. There’s no bad time to…
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Does your home make you happy? It’s a simple yet incisive question aimed at revealing whether you truly enjoy your sanctuary. If you quietly confess that, actually, you don’t love your house or apartment, then ask why not. What’s the problem? How can you change your mood towards your home? Ambivalence or disappointment are emotions…
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It’s not uncommon for investors to focus on desirable rental areas and then scour the market for high-value, low-priced properties. When they find their target, it often needs substantial work to bring it up to a standard that’s suitable for the rental market. Renovating is often necessary for bathrooms and kitchens, which are the most…
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When it comes to home maintenance, owners tend to overrate their DIY skills, producing work that either doesn’t add value to their property or damages it. Be aware that poorly executed and finished work will diminish the property’s value. If buyers recognise poor work they will often seek a discount to pay for remediation or…
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WIth two interest rate cuts under our belt, and more promised by the Bank of Canada, how is this affecting the spending power of those wanting to buy their first home, or upgrade to a bigger property? So far, Canada has seen rates cut for two successive months, moving the cost of cash from 5%…
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Parents are being called the “Sandwich Generation”, caught between helping their own children as well as their mothers and fathers, a consequence of living longer. The days when parents’ greatest concern was paying for the kids’ college education have now morphed into helping them onto the property ownership ladder. It’s amazing to think that almost…
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For months now, owners have been keeping a keen eye on the falling rate of inflation in the hope it would signal cheaper mortgage costs and boost the property market. Now Canada’s inflation is 2.5%. It doesn’t mean anything is any cheaper, but it signals the fast pace of price rises, which most global economies…
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It’s the calm before the storm – two interest rate cuts are now complete but the housing market remains stubbornly poised for growth as buyers and owners wait to see the impact. Home sales fell 0.7% in July, compared with the June numbers, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). June had recorded a…
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