Every homeowner must pay for routine home maintenance, such as replacing old wiring or plumbing, or staining the deck, but some choose to make improvements with the intention of increasing the home's value. Certain projects such as adding a well thought-out family room - or other functional space - can be a wise investment, as they do add to the value of the home. Other projects, however, allow little opportunity to recover the costs when it's time to sell. Even though... [read more]

Start with an Open Mind Take a tour with a Realtor and get some outside opinions on what areas you should focus your dollars on and what’s needed to get the maximum offers. Too often investors/home owners become either too emotionally attached or not attached at all. I have worked with investors who were renovating a property and blew their budget on some obscenely expensive tile they “had to have” and had nothing left for furnishing the place. On the other hand... [read more]

Buying a new construction home, whether a condo, townhouse or detached is a bit different then buying a resale. 10 Mistakes to watch when buying a new build in Toronto:  Mistake #1: They fall in love with the model home Most people fall in love with the model, but you have to realize that everything you see in that model home is often an upgrade.  Upgrades are a major portion of a builder’s 10% to 20% profit margin. Mistake #2: They trust the floor plan Condo... [read more]

We decided that this year before time got away from us we would put together a Summer To Do List that includes great activities & well-earned downtime! What's on your list??   1. Get out from behind the TV,  it’s a long winter and we can catch up on everything when it’s cold and miserable outside!  2. Remind ourselves that weekends are for playing, not for doing chores. Our summer resolution: Do laundry in the... [read more]

  Are you thinking of retirement lifestyle abroad? Dwindling pension benefits are forcing many Canadians to rethink how they’ll spend their golden years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean giving up their dreams of a sun-soaked retirement. Some experts say that with proper planning, uprooting to an exotic locale can actually help cash-strapped seniors stretch their retirement dollars. Here are a few of the advantages & disadvantages to consider.  Most people... [read more]