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Top 10 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers Introduction Are you a first-time homebuyer, filled with excitement and anticipation about owning your own property? Buying a home is a significant milestone in anyone's life, but it can also be a complex and overwhelming process. To help you  navigate the real estate market successfully, we have compiled a list of the top 10 tips specifically tailored for first-time homebuyers like you. From financial considerations to negotiating tactics,...

It's definitely going to be a while. Currently the general public can’t access Toronto's past home sale prices without the help of a Realtor. For privacy, it's controlled by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB). But that might very well be changing. A 2016 Federal Court ruling which ordered TREB to end its strict controls on some housing data has recently been upheld, despite an appeal. Canada’s competition commissioner had argued that TREB’s...

Toronto Real Estate Board President Tim Syrianos announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,374 transactions through TREB's MLS® System in November 2017. This result was up compared to October 2017, bucking the regular seasonal trend. On a year-over-year basis, sales were down by 13.3 per cent compared to November 2016. New listings entered into TREB's MLS® System in November 2017 amounted to 14,349 – up by 37.2 per cent compared to November 2016, when...

Toronto's 2017 May/June market is very interesting: "Inventory" for sale is up (as is every spring); "sales" are down (more for buyers to choose from) yet prices have still increased year over year. There's no real reason for the slowdown in the number of properties sold. It's a 'healthy adjustment that isn't triggered by anything'. The interest rate hasn't changed/increased, and we're not in a recession. So the question is...

Not having your own Real Estate Agent to perform due diligence could land you in a horrible situation and losing thousands of dollars. You may have heard about two recent condo projects in downtown Toronto having been converted into ‘rentals’ with 181 innocent buyers of a  complex on King St. West, near Liberty Village, out as much as $40,000 each.  Another condo project,  “The Selby”, at Sherbourne and Bloor, abandoned their plans, as well. As...

Legally known as the Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST), this new tax is 15% on the purchase or acquisition of an interest in a Residential (only) property in the Greater Golden Horseshoe by individauls who aren't Canadian citizens or permanent Canadian residents. It is also applies to foreign corporations and taxable trustees. This NRST tax is in addition to the Ontario Land Transfer Tax. and, in Toronto, the Toronto Land Transfer Tax.  The legislation,is retroactive to April...

Today’s interest rates are still at an all-time low, which gives you several great opportunities. For current homeowners, paying down mortgage debt is more beneficial than ever with the low interest rates we are continuing to enjoy.  My advice to homeowners is to take advantage of paying down 'the principal' of your mortgage, which can be up to 20% twice a year depending on how the mortgage is structured.   Another option to consider is to...

So often, once we bought our home or have lived in it for a long time, we neglect to continuously take stock of what's inside.  Our  property/building insurance is in place but the value has increased, and we accumulate small and large valuable items that require protection too. When was the last time you thought about the increased value of your property and what’s inside your home? First, I advise ensuring that your real estate property (the building) insurance...