Articles

Giving power of attorney to friend : A cautionary real estate tale

by jamesbright May 24, 2013 Latest News 0 comments

Giving power of attorney to friend : A cautionary real estate tale

If you suspect someone who is elderly, or otherwise unable to take care of themselves, is being taken advantage of in their financial affairs, you should encourage them to get legal advice.

Here’s an example of what can happen.

In 2006, Gary Shular inherited …

Read the full article →

Property Values : How smoking at home reduces property values

by jamesbright May 21, 2013 Buyer News 0 comments

How smoking at home reduces property values

A recent survey of Ontario real estate agents in Ontario found that smoking in a home could lower the value of your property by up to 30 per cent.

The survey was sponsored by Pfizer Canada and besides the obvious damage by staining walls and carpets, it can …

Read the full article →

Backyard : Lighting Tips

by jamesbright May 18, 2013 Latest News 0 comments

Lighting Tips

At the heart of professional landscaping is the enjoyment of a natural setting in proximity to where we live and work. Much of this benefit is lost with today’s two-income lifestyle. The only time to enjoy being home or out on the town falls at night.

The hours we have to view outdoor amenities …

Read the full article →

Mortgage News : What is Mortgage Default Insurance?

by jamesbright May 9, 2013 Buyer News 0 comments

What is Mortgage Default Insurance?

The amount of money you save for the down payment will determine whether you will require mortgage default insurance.

If you have a down payment which equals 20% or more of the price of your home, you will qualify for a conventional mortgage and mortgage insurance will not be necessary. …

Read the full article →

Home Renos : What Renovation will increase value?

by jamesbright April 30, 2013 Latest News 0 comments

What Renovation Will Increase Home Value

Resale value is now always considered when a potential buyer is deciding upon a home to purchase. The ongoing debate is always – where is one’s money best spent to increase the value of the home?

Budgets play a big part in a renovation and I see too many …

Read the full article →

Canada Housing Market : Drawing the Big Money Crowd

by jamesbright April 27, 2013 Latest News 0 comments

Canada Housing Market : Drawing the Big Money Crowd

By: Susan Pigg Business Reporter

Sotheby’s International Realty is seeing a surge in demand from wealthy Syrians, Egyptians and Europeans looking for a safe and relatively stable place to park their millions — Canada’s softening real estate market.

There has been an uptick in “very significant transactions” …

Read the full article →

Toronto Star : As cottage lakes recede who owns the extra beach?

by jamesbright April 24, 2013 Latest News 0 comments

Dale Brazao / When a lake recedes it can sometimes be tough to figure out who owns the extra shoreline. This file photo was taken near Honey Harbour on Georgian Bay.

As lake water levels recede giving cottagers new beachfront, they may wonder who really owns the new land property?

One of the great benefits of …

Read the full article →

Canadian Housing Market : Highly Unusual Place

by jamesbright April 8, 2013 Buyer News 0 comments

Housing Prices

Toronto Star : Susan Pigg

An unusual combination of factors is fueling house price increases despite a downturn in sales, a new housing survey finds.

Toronto house prices are likely to continue to soften into next year, but will avoid a hotly anticipated major downturn, as “2013 finds the Canadian housing industry in a highly …

Read the full article →

Toronto Home Prices : Home Prices Higher Despite 15% Sales Drop

by jamesbright April 2, 2013 Buyer News 0 comments

Toronto home prices gained two per cent on average

CBC News

The average price of a home in Canada’s largest real estate market increased two per cent to $510,580 in February.

In a release, the Toronto Real Estate Board attributed the numbers to a weak showing in the luxury detached homes, where there were fewer homes …

Read the full article →

Royal Lepage : Despite Challenges, Canada’s Generation Y Still Plan to Own Homes

by jamesbright March 24, 2013 Buyer News 0 comments

New mortgage regulations and current home prices seen as obstacles by Generation Y

TORONTO, ON, March 20, 2013 – Although there are genuine hurdles to owning a home for Canadians, a new Royal LePage Real Estate survey shows that Generation Y (born between 1980 and 1994) and Baby Boomers (born between 1947 and …

Read the full article →