Found 586 blog entries published by Steve Harmer.
So what are the features that attract men and women in a house. A survey in 2012 in the US suggested that master bathroom was the biggest single amenity to a house from both of the sexes. See the graphic below for a full breakdown. Does it match your ideas?
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With a credit score under 600, it is likely that you will be turned down by a bad credit or prime lender and you may have to turn to a private lender. Private lenders provide an option to clients with bruised credit. Since it is a fast financing option with a higher risk to the lender, interest rates are almost always higher.
Most borrowers – real estate investors included – think of private lenders as a last-resort option if they can’t secure financing anywhere else. But private funds are gaining traction as a financing option due to the new mortgage rules set by the federal government and the continued post-crisis caution being exercised by institutional lenders. Private lenders have realized that conservative lending guidelines used by banks and
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“There are costs that just don’t exist anywhere else,” says Phil Soper president and CEO of Royal LePage Real Estate Services, Toronto. There are often costs involved in buying a home that many first time home buyers have never heard of, particularly if they didn’t do their homework or seek good advice during the transaction.
That’s where a realtor can come in handy, says Elton Ash, regional vice-president of Re/Max Western Canada, Vancouver.
“You’re paying a realtor for a service,” says Soper. “That service goes well beyond simply sales service. The realtor should be willing to take the novice purchaser through the entire process, including a summary of all the costs and steps necessary to…
For renters planning to buy a home, preliminary steps like creating a budget and saving for a down payment are obvious. Here are five more advanced steps toward moving out of your rental and into a dream home of your own.
As a renter, a single rental fee covers your monthly housing payment. But as a homeowner, four main factors go into your monthly housing payment: principal, interest, taxes and insurance (P.I.T.I.). Understanding these costs will help you determine how much house you can afford.
Together, principal and interest comprise your monthly mortgage payment, with the principal paying down your loan balance
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The gap between variable rate mortgage and fixed rate mortgage products has narrowed in recent years. And while fixed rate mortgages are starting to rise they offer certainty in a monthly payment. On the flip-side, variable rate mortgages remain low, but are the riskier of the two choices – so how do you choose?
Your income, lifestyle and risk tolerance will weigh heavily on your decision and will inevitably determine which product suits your circumstance.
Risk versus reward
The appeal of variable rate mortgages (also called adjustable rate mortgages) is that the interest rate is typically lower than that of fixed rate mortgage products. However, the main drawback is the risk involved. Without warning, interest rates could increase…
Sometimes concepts in the finance world can be tricky. We get so caught up in trying to understand what all the offerings are that we forget to understand the simple things. When is the last time that someone said what a mortgage really is? Or explained why I can only buy a home for $350,000.00. We all have questions in the back of our minds that we don't articulate because we are just too embarrassed. Here are the top five things you are afraid to ask.
1. What is a mortgage?
A simple enough question but not one that people seem ready to admit to . A mortgage is a loan secured by real property, commonly referred to as real estate. In essence it is a contract that includes rights and obligations of both parties. The term actually comes from a
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I’ve seldom been on a Listing Appointment, where the seller is thrilled to hear the truth about where their home should be priced. There’s a reason for that, and that’s because sellers have an EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT in their homes and it pains them to hear the FACTS about today’s market!
What many sellers don’t realize is that neither Sellers or Realtor's set prices. The MARKETPLACE determines the price of homes, and that is true for just about any commodity that’s for sale. And who determines the market are the BUYERS! Perhaps the most challenging aspect of selling a home is listing it at the correct price. It’s one of several areas where the assistance of a skilled real estate agent can more than pay for itself.
Too high can be as bad as too low. If
Everyone wants to get as much money as possible when selling their home, maximizing the cash pocketed or equity gained from the deal and better preparing them for their next purchase.
Market supply and demand fundamentals can provide a starting point to establishing a price, but other variables such as specific characteristics of individual properties, location and a seller’s financial needs and timetable must also be factored in.
It may not be a simple exercise, but it’s a critical one. List a property at too high a price, it might languish on the market and turn away potential buyers. List it too low, you might sell it quick, but you’ll be leaving valuable dollars on the table – or in someone else’s pocket.
“Price it right, and it will sell.
…A key concern of many home owners looking to sell a home is the exposure that their home will receive, reports the Digital Journal.
In the world of real estate, the more people that see the listings of homes for sale, the better the deal will be in the end for the home sellers. However, it is vital to ensure that those who are viewing the property are actually qualified and motivated homebuyers.
MLS® listings are one of the best ways to ensure that a property get the maximum and best possible exposure. The MLS® system spans most of North American, and the majority of home sales are done through the MLS®.
It's important to note, however, that simply listing a home on the MLS® can only go so far. With that in mind, here are two ways to get the most
Radon gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It is invisible, odourless and tasteless. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can sometimes accumulate to high levels, which can be a risk to the health of you and your family.
Most homes in contact with the ground will contain some amount of radon gas. Radon becomes more of a concern when it reaches high levels, with levels varying across the country. According to Health Canada, about seven per cent of Canadian homes have radon levels that may be putting
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