Posts by teamrealty

Frugal Family Fun in Ottawa

May 4, 2018 | Comments Off

Frugal Family Fun in Ottawa Did you know that entertaining and enjoying time together as a family does not need to cost a lot of money? Its true-despite what parenting magazines and social media ads would like to have you believe. Yes, there are activities that cost more than others, but there are also a lot of inexpensive and even FREE activities you can do instead. In fact there are many free options available that you may have not even known about! One example of a free & fun outing is visiting one of the many museums around the Nation’s
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Understanding Property Taxes

April 30, 2018 | Comments Off

Property taxes are a necessary part of owning property in Ontario. Anyone in Ontario who owns land or a property has to pay a certain amount of tax to the municipal government. Although these taxes are unpopular, as all taxes are, property taxes are important because they are the main revenue source for Ontario’s municipalities. Property taxes are separate from other forms of taxes, and the amount that each person owes is based on a unique assessment for their particular property and the tax rate of the municipality the property is in. How property taxes are determined for each individual
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What Home Buyers Should be Looking for When Viewing a Property

April 23, 2018 | Comments Off

You’ve done your research, found the perfect Realtor, crunched the numbers, created your list of must-haves and now it’s time to start the exciting process of HOUSE HUNTING! When you’re looking at homes for sale it isn’t always easy to look beyond the cosmetics. Not to worry, we’ve created this handy graphic to help home buyers to stay focused. Empty attachment or post type not equal ‘attachment’
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Clean, Clean, Let it be Spring!

April 18, 2018 | Comments Off

Spring Clean-Up Time in the Capital As spring speckles and the snow begins to melt, it’s time to get busy cleaning up our capital after Jack Frost’s long hold over us. Littered across this beautiful city, left out in the winter’s cold we’ll find discarded coffee cups, old cigarette butts, stray plastic bags and papers – the list could continue ad infinitum. Something about winter’s frozen grip seems to allow this build up of trash, so it’s only natural that the sun’s welcomed melt brings along with it a much needed clean up. The Capital region has a month-long challenge
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All About Homeowner's Associations

April 13, 2018 | Comments Off

When looking to buy a home, there are many options. Last week, we took a look at condos as compared to freehold properties but what about a freehold home with a homeowner’s association? In many cases, a homeowner’s association can appear very similar to a condo but this is not actually the case. It is very important to understand these differences before buying into a home with a homeowner’s association. Differences Between a Condo and Homeowner’s Association If you purchase a condo, you are purchasing your unit along with a share of the common element(s). These could include green spaces,
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All About Condos

April 7, 2018 | Comments Off

Modern apartment buildings in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. When it comes time to buy a home, more and more people are making the decision to buy condos instead of a freehold home. Condos can be a great option if they match up with a buyer’s lifestyle, but it is important to do your research and know the differences between a freehold home and condo before you make the final decision of which to purchase. There are many different types of condos but they all have one thing in common: shared ownership of at least one common element. This element could
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March Market Snapshot

April 5, 2018 | Comments Off

Empty attachment or post type not equal ‘attachment’ Buyers Get a Jump on the Spring Market taken from the Ottawa Real Estate Board April 5, 2018 Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,660 residential properties in March through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,478 in March 2017, an increase of 12.3 per cent. The five-year average for March sales is 1,339. March’s sales included 358 in the condominium property class and 1,302 in the residential property class. “Inventory continues to fall below normal average, but we are still seeing more sales than last year because
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Buyers Toolkit – Springtime

March 26, 2018 | Comments Off

Buyers Toolkit – Springtime Spring is in the air, and the real-estate market is ramping up for the beginning of buyers’ season. Things tend to move faster in the spring and houses for sale are often sold shortly after they are listed. As a potential home buyer, it is important to be prepared as possible before you start looking at potential homes – that way, the chance of losing your “dream home” to another buyer is greatly decreased. You may be wondering … “What are some of the important things that can help you stay on-top of, and ahead of
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Landlords and Legalization: What budding weed laws may mean for Landlords

March 14, 2018 | Comments Off

Landlords and Legalization: What budding weed laws may mean for Landlords With the legalization of marijuana on the horizon, property owners of rental units are wondering what that will mean for them. As all the rules and regulations surrounding cannabis use have yet to be ironed out, it’s only natural that landlords are beginning express concern, or in some cases excitement surrounding the opportunities legalization will present. The legalization of medical cannabis passed in 2001, but as Canada moves forward to legalize the use of cannabis across the country, there are many different views surrounding the changes. With multiple angles to
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Spring Cleaning 101: Tips On Getting Your Home Ready For Sale

March 7, 2018 | Comments Off

Spring Cleaning 101: Tips On Getting Your Home Ready For Sale Contrary to years prior, 2018 has presented us with a rather mild, wet March. As such, we’ve barely approached the standard season for “April showers” and have already received enough rain and wet weather to rid most of the snow! The month, however is still young; and, as unpredictable as Mother Nature can be when it comes to delivering cold weather and long winters, we think it’s safe to assume that Jack frost might just bite a time or two more. This said, if you’re in the market to
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