Posts by teamrealty

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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Wanted: Ottawa Homes for Sale

March 5, 2018 | Comments Off

Wanted: Ottawa Homes For Sale When the calendar rolled over into 2018 many real estate experts across Canada were speculating the housing market to “cool off” with tighter mortgage rules and higher interest rates impacting home buyers. While that may be the case in other real estate markets, in the Ottawa Real Estate market the biggest factor in February’s 2.8% drop in the number of sales (year over year), is that listing inventory is scarce. “There is no doubt our sales number would have been much higher if we had more properties available for sale. Buyer demand is there, but our
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New Mortgage Rules – Renewing and Refinancing

March 1, 2018 | Comments Off

New Mortgage Rules – Renewing and Refinancing January 1st, 2018 Canada’s new mortgage rules came into effect and it was big news. These new rules appear to have the greatest impact on those looking to qualify for a new mortgage but if you are looking to renew or refinance your mortgage, you may be impacted as well. At the centre of the new rules is a stress test requiring applicants to qualify at a rate at least 2% higher than the rate they will be paying, regardless of the down payment they are making on the home. The new rules
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Millennials in the Market

February 13, 2018 | Comments Off

MILLENNIALS: CHANGING MARKET EXPECTATIONS & TREND REALITIES When it comes to the future in real estate, all eyes fall to the millennials, who are just beginning to be seen on today’s markets. With the millennial generation however, we are seeing a shift in the previous real estate trends from purchasing a primary residence, to investing in vacation property. What is it about the millennial generation today that has us seeing such a change in the markets? The millennial generation is the first generation to be in our technology-based society as adults, and to have grown up with both eras. Alongside
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Is it time to invest in a second “nest”?

February 8, 2018 | Comments Off

College students, and living options If you’re the parent of a college/university age student, and you haven’t considered it yet, perhaps now is the time you will. As spring is just around the corner, it’s time to think about what investments you can make, and an investment that shouldn’t be overlooked is buying a home. More specifically, buying a home for your college-aged student to live in during school. Should you purchase a home in your students’ university/college town for them to live in during their schooling? What are the benefits, and drawbacks of investing in a second home?
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Update : Low Inventory Continues Into 2018

February 7, 2018 | Comments Off

The Ottawa Real Estate board’s recently released statistics show that home buyers are still actively searching for properties. Sales were up over 7% (year over year) in spite of the low inventory, which is a trend that is continuing from 2017. January 2018 listings 994 (RES) and 406 (CONDO) compared with the 5 year 1,396 for residential and 500 for condominiums. If the decrease in supply in both the residential and condo markets continues into the Spring, it may put an upward pressure on prices. If you are thinking of selling this is a great time to get your home on the market.
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