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No matter how large your house or condo, people tend to gravitate to the kitchen as the home’s social hub.  If your home is like most, however, your kitchen never seems big enough...

FIRST VS. SECOND MORTGAGES – A first mortgage is the primary mortgage on a property.  As the primary lien against a property, this mortgage is the first to be paid from the proceeds of the property’s sale...

We’re in the midst of the busiest real estate season – is your team ready?

Buying or selling a home is a major financial and emotional undertaking, one that requires a specialized team of people to execute smoothly.  A qualified real estate salesperson is a key member of this...

We’ve all heard moving horror stories – you might even have one yourself!  But take these steps to avoid common problems and your next move will surely have a storybook ending...

Buying and selling this spring?  While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the “buy first or sell first” predicament, there are pros and cons to each approach that everyone facing this decision should understand...

Even if you keep a clean household, there are probably a few areas of your home that get overlooked.  Here’s a list of items you likely don’t clean enough, and tips on how to tackle them this spring-cleaning season!

There’s a new down payment rule now in effect, valid as of February 15, 2016, that increases the amount of the down payment necessary to buy a home selling for more than $500,000. The minimum down payment on a home was previously a straight five percent of the purchase price, however the new rule stipulates that homebuyers must now apply a minimum of ten percent down payment on the portion of their purchase that’s over $500,000. The increase in down payment was most likely...

There's been a lot of media attention on the Canadian economy and the high volume of consumer debt. With all the hype, it seems like a good time to remind you of some strategies for minimizing debt and making sure the interest that you pay seems appropriate. Track Your Spending As the famous quote states, "Knowing is half the battle." Tracking your spending for a 30 day period, including every dime ...

On February 15, the Government of Canada effected a change to the rules for down payments. The change, which was officially announced on December 11, 2015, increases the minimum down payment for new insured mortgages from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, for the portion of the house  price above $500,000. The change does not affect home owners who hold mortgages obtained prior to February ...

For most people, the purchase of a home is the single largest financial investment they will make. This means that the process can be very stressful without the right support. As a consumer, you have a lot of options when it comes to selecting the right team of real estate and mortgage professionals.  Surrounding yourself with experts who understand the market and industry ...