All Blog Entries by Steve Harmer

The stress test rate is about to fall for the second time in three months following cuts by Canada’s Big Six banks to their 5-year fixed posted rates.

Ever since 2016, all insured mortgages must qualify at a minimum rate or, in other words, pass a 'stress test'. The key difference between an insured mortgage and an uninsured mortgage is the initial amount you're able to put down on the purchase of a If you find yourself able to put down more than 20% of the purchase price immediately, you can carry on without seeking mortgage insurance . If, however, your down payment comes in at under 20% of the total purchase price, the government mandates that the balance of the mortgage must be backed by government-supported insurance.

Mortgage experts say the

Are you considering buying an acreage?

I will be the first to tell you that the rural lifestyle has its rewards—including big, beautiful skies and the tranquility that comes with being surrounded by nature. Unfortunately, buying a property that doesn't suit your needs could make day-to-day life less than idyllic. That’s why it pays to know what to look for when buying an acreage. Here are a few of the things you should consider during your search.

1) Finance

HOW MANY ACRES ARE YOU PURCHASING?
For conventional mortgages,  mortgage lenders will finance a certain number of acres, a house & a garage. The number of acres that they will consider can vary based on the property location and the norm for that area. The minimum down payment can also vary

The dollar figure on your provincial property assessment notice should not be taken as your home’s market value

In early January, homeowners across British Columbia received their 2020 assessed property values, released by BC Assessment. For the most part, the province remains relatively stable. However, there are significant changes to note, including a dramatic decrease in values in the lower mainland by as much as 15 per cent and increases of 41 per cent in smaller areas such as Kitimat. Regardless of the situation, it can be a confusing landscape to navigate as a homeowner, seller, or buyer. Here is a look at some of the need-to-know points that demystify the real versus the perceived impact of the newly released property assessments.

But hold

When it comes to investing your money, land has always been a valuable commodity to consider.

Some investors purchase a vacant lot for immediate development. However, others buy lots with the intention of letting the value grow over time. It’s also possible to purchase land close to your own home to increase its overall value too.

Did you know that Canada makes up more than 6 per cent of the Earth’s surface? That’s a whole lot of space! Great news for anyone moving to Canada with dreams of building their own home. But where do you start? With a plot of land. Like with any investment, there are some key strategies to help you make the best purchase decision. While no investment can be 100% guaranteed, land remains a safe one so long as you take into

At some point in your journey as a real estate investor, you may develop the desire to quit your current job to pursue real estate investing full-time. 

It sounds exciting, right?  It is, but you’ll need to have a solid plan to replace your income before jumping ship!  Before you quit your full time job there are many questions to ask your self. You will have seen the countless TV programs on property "flipping" and how easy it all looks when the tradesmen are lining up on the Home and Garden Channel to work on the projects and you never really see the stress behind the job.

It may be that you have recently bought a property, done some renovations and "flipped it" and perhaps made your whole years salary in one flip! This would give you a great

What is a Market Evaluation?

A market evaluation is an analysis of the real estate market that a piece of property belongs to. Market evaluations are done to determine the value of a particular property (known as the subject property) – usually for the reasons of buying or selling real estate. Market evaluations are done with a specific area in mind, over a certain period of time and often other factors used to narrow down properties to compare to the subject property.

Let me explain a Market Evaluation

Real estate agents often do market evaluations for clients or potential clients to determine the value of their clients’ home or a home that their clients are looking to buy. Market evaluations help home buyers compare potential properties so that

Here are six home inspection points costly to fix later on new build homes.

The vast majority of builders are honest and conscientious, but errors are likely in any construction project.

Not having built a home before what should you be looking for once the contract is signed, and construction begins?

Some eager customers show up almost daily toward the end of each day to watch their new home come to life. Others may rarely visit the construction site and others never set foot in their new home until they take occupancy. The two most important points to keep in mind is there are also municipal inspectors that visit periodically to ensure code compliance. Also, caution should be taken when moving around a construction site as accidents can happen.

So you’re moving to a new home, what do you need to get done?

The planning and coordination involved with moving can certainly overwhelm but as long as you take the process one step at a time, you will be settling into your new home and relaxing quickly. This list is comprehensive but will cover everything you’ll need to consider for your moving day. Soon enough, you’ll be able to cruise through your moving day without having to panic.

Before you start to pack, take the time to plan your moving day to make it as stress-free as possible. Let’s face it, moving is stressful. We’re here to help you figure out exactly what you should be doing before, during, and even after your move. Moving all your belongings from one place to another is hard, and so is

The roof protects you and your home from all kinds of weather, bugs, animals and falling debris. Yet we rarely think about the roof until it’s too late—and then it can be a big investment.

Unfortunately, when prepping your house for the icy grips of winter, it isn’t all fun, games and decorations. You’re going to want to ensure that your home is adequately prepared to endure the harsh reality of an unpredictable winter by weatherproofing its infrastructure and employing general fall roof maintenance and upkeep tasks.

Before that very first snowflake hits the ground, there is plenty to be done when it comes to home maintenance, and no – the first thing to check off the box isn’t hanging up your Christmas lights. So, what’s first on the list? Well, as

The single family home has, unfortunately, become unaffordable for many people.

With roller coaster housing prices and more people finding that renting is better idea than buying, there will be more people turning to renting.

So you’ve made the fortuitous decision to invest in real estate and now you want the revenue stream to begin raining down on you. But are you ready? Below we provide a list of items to help prepare you to be an effective and fair first-time landlord!

NB- We are assuming your building allows rentals so you are not breaking any strata laws in listing your place.

Know your Tenants Rights and the Law

Learn about landlord and tenant laws in your province to ensure you’re prepared in case things go wrong—and they will. The