Archive for News
Dialing down heat can cut bills up to 15%
Just as you shut off lights and appliances when you’re not using them, you can save energy by reducing the amount of time your furnace or air conditioner are on while you’re away and during overnight hours. According to a study done at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology, turning the thermostat setting down a [...]
A Winning Ticket
People walk through an open house and fantasize about living in it – the well-thought out floor plan, the beautiful furnishings and upscale neighbourhood. In the case of London Health Sciences Foundation’s Win a Million Lottery homes, that dream is enhanced by a mortgage-free lifestyle. A ticket to support the foundation is also a ticket [...]
Spreading Good Cheer!
Approaching the front door was like stepping into a greeting card. The red brick white-trimmed Cape Cod house was decked out in Christmas finery: urns filled with sprays of evergreens and cones, red berries and white twigs; a matching wreath on the front door, trailing gracefully to the bottom. Even the Japanese maple was in [...]
Last month a total of 627 homes exchanged hands
Read the report. August sales reflect national trend
Older Vermiculite May Have Asbestos Fibres
Recently, I’ve done inspections in homes containing vermiculite insulation in the attics. Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral mined around the world and used in a variety of commercial and consumer products because it is fire-resistant and has good insulation qualities. But It’s Your Health, a joint publication of Health Canada and the Public Health Agency [...]
The new mortgage rules…and what they mean to your clients
With three new mortgage rules coming into force on April 19, as announced on February 16 by federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, it’s important to know how this will affect your clients in their bids to obtain mortgages moving forward. The good news is that most of your clients will not be significantly impacted by [...]
Stong market gains expected to continue through first half of 2010
Market Watch Strong market gains expected to continue through first half of 2010 Canada’s residential real estate market is forecast to remain unusually strong through the first half of 2010, according to the Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast and House Price Survey. The survey reports state, “As confidence in the recovery builds in early 2010, [...]
First-time buyers may want rental income but beware restrictions
Many homebuyers consider purchasing a property with an existing or potential for a second suite. First-time homebuyers in particular often hope to take advantage of the extra income a second suite, often a basement apartment, can generate. Financial advantages can be great, but the buyer needs to know the legal implications. Your client or customer [...]
Evidence the Market is Stabilizing
Evidence that market is stabilizing In January 2010, 472 homes exchanged hands in the jurisdiction of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS (LSTAR). “Given that the ten-year average for January home sales is 450, I’d have to say that last month’s sales were right in line with those of previous Januarys,” observes [...]