For some first-time home buyers, help from family or close friends can be the key to breaking down the barriers to homeownership.   One of the ways loved ones can help hopeful home buyers is by agreeing to be a co-signer on the mortgage. Co-signing can be applied to most types of loans, not just mortgages. Essentially, a co-signer takes on the responsibility of making the loan payments in t...Read More

  If you’re on the hunt for a first home, or even settling in, you’re likely bracing for the inevitability of paying property taxes. You probably saw the annual property taxes displayed on REALTOR.ca property listings and might be wondering who sets these rates, what purpose property taxes serve, and how tax rates are determined.   Fortunately, you’re in the right pl...Read More

Normally, Canada’s real estate market revolves around annual periods of high and low activity, from the lively spring and fall seasons to the quieter winter and summer months. Like so many things, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the housing market to veer away from its seasonal patterns, with record-breaking sales volume recorded during the winter and summer months.   Since the first...Read More

Feeling restless in your home? Maybe you don’t have enough bedrooms and living space for your growing family or adequate storage for your things. Or perhaps you’re yearning for a bigger backyard with an outdoor kitchen, an open-plan main floor, or an extra garage.    But in a red-hot real estate market, is it better to jump into a competitive market for a new home that fits...Read More

Home insurance is exactly what it sounds like—a type of insurance for your property and its contents that protects against damage, liability, and loss. While home insurance isn’t mandatory in Canada, buying a home is one of the largest purchases you’ll ever make, so it’s worth your time to invest in protection in the event of any sudden mishaps.   “Insuring ...Read More

For more than a year, the Bank of Canada has kept its target for the overnight lending rate at its effective lower bound of 0.25% to provide support for the country’s economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Now, while the country heads into its second year of the pandemic, it doesn’t look like the Bank will be changing its tune any time soon.   On March 10, duri...Read More

  Now that we’ve made it through the first couple of months of 2021, we can already see how the new year’s housing market is shaping up compared to 2020.   Despite plunging sales in the spring of 2020 and unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s housing market showed remarkable strength in 2020, making it the best-performing year on reco...Read More

  Having spent more than a year indoors as a result of lockdowns, the desire among Canadians to make changes to their living spaces has never been more palpable. Homeowners have been reworking their properties to accommodate more of their needs, creating home offices out of guest bedrooms, and finishing basements to make room for spin studios.   In its 2020 Special Edition COVID-19 Re...Read More

The road to selling a home can be a long one. Learn to improve the value of your home based on your budget with these 30 tips.   Home Improvements: Under $100   Tip 1: Spend an Hour With a Pro   Invite a realtor or interior designer over to check out your home. Many realtors will do this as a courtesy, but you will probably have to pay a consultation fee to a designer. Check w...Read More

It’s expected that the majority of Canadian housing markets will sit in seller’s market territory in 2021. This is great news if you already own a home and are considering selling it. On the other hand, those who have their sights set on buying their first home this year will face some challenges. How do you buy a home in a seller’s market? Here’s everything you need to kno...Read More