Home Buying October 1, 2025 · 3 min read 6 Great Tips On How To Buy A Home In A Hot Real Estate Market Buying in a seller’s market can be frustrating, especially when you are competing with many buyers for a limited inventory. Your challenge is not just finding the right home but beating out other homebuyers who are just as keen as you. Expecting to find the right home by casually visiting Open Houses and viewing online […]
Home Buying July 18, 2025 · 2 min read How To Get Your Dream Home, Even If It Is Not Listed. Have you ever driven through a neighbourhood and suddenly seen a home that you have fallen in love with? But as luck would have it, the home is not for sale. While the majority of us drive away, feeling sad, there are others who are determined to make that home theirs, whether it is for […]
Home Buying June 15, 2025 · 3 min read How To Make An Offer Below Asking Price – And Win! In your search for the ideal home, you may come across a situation where you have finally found the ideal home, but the asking price is too high. It’s time for the skilled art of negotiation! With our current hot real estate market, sellers have more of an edge than buyers, as there are multiple […]
Home Buying April 5, 2025 · 3 min read First-Time Homebuyer Programs in British Columbia – Your Path to Home Ownership Buying your first home can be one of the most exciting milestones of your life, but it can also be one of the most financially difficult purchases you make. Fortunately, there are a number of programs in British Columbia to help first-time home buyers reduce costs and make home ownership more accessible. Whilst not all […]
Home Buying February 20, 2025 · 3 min read How First Time Home Buyers Can Benefit From Existing Programs And Tax Benefits For a first-time home buyer, the prospect of owning a home is daunting, especially with current sky-high real estate prices. However, there are several programs and tax benefits available, which if properly used, could make home ownership more affordable. First Home Savings Account (FHSA) An FHSA is a tax advantaged registered plan designed to help […]
Home Buying February 1, 2025 · 2 min read If You Are Buying A Home, Here’s How A Real Estate Agent Can Make Your Life Easier. There are some homebuyers and sellers who chose to ignore the services of a professional realtor, in order to save paying commission. What they don’t realize is that they are making what could be potentially the most important financial decision of their lives, and the amount they spend on commission is money that will ensure […]
Home Buying January 15, 2025 · 3 min read If You Are Buying A Home With An Attic, You Must Get The Attic Inspected. There are a lot of good reasons why buyers need to get into an attic or send their home inspector into the attic before completing a home inspection. An attic reflects the history of a home. It can provide clues to serious problems that might not be disclosed or even known by the current occupant […]
Home Buying December 25, 2024 · 3 min read Why The Holiday Season May Be A Good Time To Buy A Home The holiday season is often considered the worst time to put a home on the market, and theoretically, the spring and summer are the best seasons where demand is the highest. Below are 6 main reasons why the holiday season may be the perfect time to sell. Less buyer competition Many potential buyers put their […]
Home Buying August 15, 2024 · 2 min read Important and Unavoidable Costs To Consider When Buying Your Home. Planning to purchase a home is not just taking a realistic look at your budget to see how expensive a home you can afford, and how much the monthly mortgage and property tax payment will be. There are more expenses involved than these property costs and if you don’t factor them in your planning, you […]
Home Buying July 25, 2024 · 3 min read Strata Council – The Five Main Delegated Roles And Their Responsibilities A Strata council acts as the managing body of the strata corporation ensuring that it runs smoothly for the benefit of the owners. Its role is laid out in the Strata Property Act from which the legal roles and responsibilities of the strata are obtained. Strata Councils are comprised of 5 main positions: President, Vice […]
Home Buying June 30, 2024 · 3 min read Is Buying A Home In A Complex With Low Strata Fees A Good Idea? Home buyers are always looking for a variety of things when they are looking for a condo or a townhouse. A popular feature is a home with the lowest possible strata fees. This may not be a good idea because higher strata fees may not necessarily be a bad thing. Strata fees typically cover the […]
Home Buying June 24, 2024 · 3 min read How Does The Bank Of Canada Rate Cut Affect The Housing Market? It finally happened. The first interest rate cut of 25 basis points from the Bank of Canada took place on June 5th. Somewhat welcome news to those homeowners with variable rate mortgages, but not enough for prospective homebuyers who have been sidelined by higher borrowing costs. Theoretically, interest rate cuts over the long run usually […]
Home Buying April 16, 2024 · 3 min read Moving? Take These Important Steps When You Move Into Your New Home. We are now into the prime of the moving season – more houses are bought and sold at this time than at any other time of the year. There is a lot to do in a new home. Here are some important basic tasks that should be done as soon as you move into your […]
Home Buying April 16, 2024 · 3 min read Moving To A New Home? Here’s How To Get On With The Neighbors From The First Day. Moving in and out of a home can be stressful, and thankfully it doesn’t last for many days. Since a neighborhood will experience very few moves in a year or over a few years, neighbors are usually very tolerant.But if you are moving into a new neighborhood, it’s a good idea not to annoy your […]
Home Buying April 16, 2024 · 3 min read Will The “Home Flipping Tax” Impact Affordability? The recent proposed house flipping tax introduced by the BC government will come into effect on January 1, 2025, if passed. Under this legislation, any profits made from the sale of a residential home within 2 years of buying it will be subject to a tax, with some exceptions that ensure that the tax does […]
Home Buying March 26, 2024 · 3 min read Moving This Year? Here are Some Great Tips – Part 1 : The Planning Process Spring is just around the corner and traditionally this is the start of the moving season. If you are planning to move, now is the time to start planning, because the more prepared you are, the easier it will be to carry out the move.Here are some really useful tips on how you should plan […]
Home Buying March 26, 2024 · 3 min read Why Real Estate Investing Is A Worthwhile Option One of the best decisions you can make is to invest in real estate. If done correctly, real estate investment is stable, profitable and can return a very attractive profit return. Here are some of the reasons why:Very likely to appreciateIf you do your due diligence properly and invest in areas where property values typically […]
Home Buying March 11, 2024 · 3 min read 5 Important Tips To Know When Buying A Rental Property Buying a property for investment can be financially rewarding if done the right way, even in a challenging real estate market. How much property can you afford? You must know what kind of money you have to work with and ascertain how much of that you want to deploy on the purchase. If you are […]
Home Buying February 20, 2024 · 3 min read It’s a Great Idea To Inspect the Neighborhood Before Buying In One of the most neglected due-diligence duty done by homebuyers is a thorough screening of the prospective neighborhood. There is a Russian proverb that goes: ” Don’t buy the house, buy the neighborhood.” While prospective buyers spend a lot of resources on the home inspection, various surveys and appraisals, they often settle for a cursory […]
Home Buying January 23, 2024 · 3 min read Closing Costs – The Biggest Purchase Of Your Life Comes With Additional Fees Your down payment and mortgage costs are not the only costs you will face when buying your home. There are several administrative and legal costs associated with the buying a home, known as “closing costs”. Typical closing costs that are borne by the buyer and vary from 1% – 4% of the home’s purchase price. […]
Home Buying December 12, 2023 · 3 min read Banks Vs. Mortgage Brokers – Which Is The Better Option? With mortgage rates being at 20 year highs, homeowners are keen to find a competitive mortgage rate for their new home or mortgage renewal. There are 2 main options when looking to secure a mortgage: going to a bank or to a mortgage broker. What is the difference and which is better? A bank can […]
Home Buying December 6, 2023 · 3 min read Why Are Presales In Condos So Attractive? One of the topics in the Vancouver real estate market that has been very popular is that covers the presale market. Before outlining the reasons why a presale property is so attractive, it is important to distinguish the difference between a “presale” property and an already “built” property. A presale of pre-construction property is one […]
Home Buying November 21, 2023 · 3 min read The Importance Of A Move-Out Inspection A move-out inspection is performed before a tenant vacates the property and the landlord conducts a walk through the vacant property. The purpose of a move out inspection is to: Document and itemize any damages from the previous tenant ensuring that the latter has left the dwelling in a similar and acceptable condition as when […]
Home Buying November 15, 2023 · 2 min read Planning on Moving? Here’s How to Find the Best Moving Company Moving is stressful and expensive. Everyone has had at least one bad moving experience in his or her lives. The best way to prevent the stress that comes with moving, is to chose the right moving company that will make your move flawless. This comes with a fair amount of research and preparation. A lot […]
Home Buying November 7, 2023 · 2 min read Property Investing Requires a Cool Head, Cash and Good Advice. Watching TV shows that make buying investment properties glamorous and easy can be very misleading. Many first time investors who have been lured into this trap have ended up losing their whole investment and the whole experience has been painful and stressful to say the least. If you have money saved up and are determined […]
Home Buying October 26, 2023 · 2 min read Ready to Own A Home? These Signs Will Indicate That You Are. Buying a home will probably be the most important purchase of your life. If you are a first time home-buyer, it can be a daunting task, especially if you are not prepared. Below are signs that indicate whether you are ready or not. You are ready if : 1) You know how much you can […]
Home Buying October 3, 2023 · 4 min read Seize the Moment: Why the First Week of October Spells Homebuying Success Looking to make a home purchase this year? The ideal time is here, and our analysis points to the first week of October as the prime window for buyers. In a real estate landscape marked by fluctuating conditions across the nation, this week stands out as the optimal time for savvy buyers. Affordability challenges and […]
Home Buying September 21, 2023 · 3 min read Selling or Buying a Home? Make Sure You Get The Timing Right. Every seller wants the best possible price for his/her home and every buyer wants the best deal when buying a home. In the real estate market, there are certain months which are more favorable for buying, and months which are more favorable for selling. Selling your homeMost realtors will agree that the ideal time for […]
Home Buying September 21, 2023 · 4 min read What Are Closing Costs In A Real Estate Transaction? Buying a home requires careful financial planning. While the purchase price, mortgage payments and broker commissions are top of mind with most first time buyers, closing costs are not given as much consideration and are often underestimated. Closing costs are one-time fees that a real estate purchaser must pay and, in most cases, must be […]
Home Buying May 17, 2023 · 2 min read Should You Buy First or Sell? When deciding whether to buy a new home before selling your current one or vice versa, it's important to consider the following factors: If you buy first: Pressure to sell: Buying a new home before selling your current one can put pressure on you to sell quickly, potentially leading to compromises on price or other […]
Home Buying February 1, 2023 · 2 min read Market Update – New Federal Laws for the Purchase of Residential Property On January 1st, 2023, the Canadian government implemented a new legislation aimed at increasing affordability and making own ownership more attainable for residents. The act, known as the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians, prohibits non-Canadians and corporations controlled by non-Canadians from buying residential properties in the country for a period of 2 […]
Home Buying January 31, 2023 · 3 min read 6 Reasons Why Winter Is A Great Time To Buy A Home Traditionally, the months of May-August see the largest volume of home sales and typically higher prices. During the winter months, homebuyers are less inclined to brave the cold weather and a sometimes a painful trek through snow and bad weather to look at homes, but there are some great reasons that winter is a great […]
