Monthly Archives November 2017

What Canadian home buyers need to know NOW about the upcoming changes to Mortgage rules

What home buyers need to know before 2018 As of January 1, 2018, Canadian homebuyers will have to meet stiffer requirements in order to qualify for a mortgage with a federally regulated mortgage lender. Why are the Mortgage Rules changing? As Canada’s financial “watchdog” OSFI believes these new rules will decrease the risks for Canadian households with significant debt if and when the interest rates rise. Are you a Confused by the upcoming changes to the mortgage rules? Don’t panic. Our very own Kent Browne, Owner and Broker at Royal LePage Team Realty, sat down with Mortgage Broker York Polk
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What Canadian home buyers need to know NOW about the upcoming changes to Mortgage rules

Why it doesn’t always PAY to sell your home yourself

With today’s hot real estate market, it may be tempting to consider listing your home yourself, without the assistance of a real estate professional; it is often seen as a way to increase profits since no commission will need to be paid out but in reality, this is not often the case. If you choose to sell your home “For Sale By Owner”(FSBO), there are many factors to consider including additional costs and stress, so it is always advisable to list with a Realtor who knows what they are doing; you may actually make more money by doing so! Here
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Purchasing a Home in Canada’s Best City to Live

We are very fortunate to live in a City that offers economically booming neighbourhoods and family-friendly communities. In Ottawa, there’s bound to be something for anyone and everyone. In fact, according to MoneySense, Ottawa has been ranked Canada’s Best Place to Live in 2017. Why? Well, aside from being home to one of the most respected tech hubs in Canada, having an extremely low-by-comparison unemployment rate of only 5%, and host to some of the greatest, most talented chefs in the country, Ottawa is a safe and affordable city that hasn’t been caught up in the real estate frenzy that’s
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Residential Landlord Rules: An Update

Over the past year, there have been many significant changes to the rules for Residential Landlords. These changes may seem overwhelming, but we are here to help; if you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact a Realtor. Outlined below are the major rule changes as well as an understanding of how they may affect you as either a landlord or a tenant. September 2016 – Terminations for Domestic Abuse New rules have been put in place involving the termination of a lease in the case of domestic abuse. The landlord no longer has the ability to challenge
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New Mortgage Rules for January 2018

Are you a Canadian homeowner? A first time home buyer? Do you see yourself purchasing a home for your family in foreseeable future? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, or have considered tapping into the real estate market in the New Year, keep reading! The time has come, once again, for the Canadian mortgage rules to change. Effective January 1st , 2018 the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) will be implementing new mortgage regulations that may ultimately reduce purchasing power on conventional purchases and refinancing of all homes. Of course, as word of these new
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Millennials-Turned-Homeowners

Home ownership is something that comes with great pride. And with it being one of, if not, the biggest, most sought-after purchase (and decision) that you will ever make in your years as an adult, it’s recommended that you thoroughly prepare yourself for the emotional and financial attributes that go along with doing so. This said, there are people of every age group and at each stage in their lives that look into the real estate market and agree to buy or sell their home. Most recently, however, it’s the millennials that are powering the housing market. Millennials – those
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Ottawa Real Estate Update: October Market Snapshot

posted November 2nd, 2017 by the Ottawa Real Estate Board “Leaves may be falling, but the real estate market is not” OTTAWA, Nov. 2, 2017 – Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,243 residential properties in October through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System,compared with 1,214 in October 2016, an increase of 2.3 per cent. The five-year average for October sales is 1,165. “As we enter the 3rd quarter of the year, we continue to see the resale market outpace last year’s performance, which was also a stellar year,” says Rick Eisert, President of the Ottawa Real Estate
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