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

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

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

National home sales shot up in June, with prices also climbing steadily, according to June data released by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Transactions were up about 15.2%, while the average property price was up 6.5% from June 2019 to $539,000. Excluding the country’s most expensive markets, Toronto and Vancouver, the average price falls to $432,000.

“While June’s housing numbers were mostly back at normal levels, we are obviously not back to normal at this point,” said Shaun Cathcart, CREA’s senior economist. “I guess the bigger picture is one of cautious optimism. The market has recovered much faster than many would have thought, but what happens later this year remains a big question mark. That said, daily tracking suggests that

Buying a New Home Subject to the Sale of your Old Home

Selling the home that you live in and purchasing a new property with the proceeds can be a tricky affair. You need to get your timing exactly correct. You should also try and get the best possible price for your existing property and pay the minimum possible for your new home.

There is an option that Home Buyers may have when buying their new home, called a subject to sale. This subject allows Home Buyers to purchase their new home, subject to their current home selling by a certain date. The simplest reason for doing this is to line up the sales of these properties for financing and moving day reasons – it gives the family a chance to move out of their old house and into their new house without

The latest homeowner's conundrum: buy first or sell first?

How to Decide Home Buying & Selling Order

New homeowners face many problems, but hot markets are tricky for those looking to move up. Buying a home can be difficult. House hunters must save for a down payment, may face bidding wars and even forgo conditions once considered staples of a home purchase offer, like financing or an inspection. 

But those who already own a home and want to move into a bigger place or downsize can face a complicated process. They must also decide whether it's best to buy or sell first. The choice depends on the people, the house and the city, realtors say, though there are some constants that hold true for most situations.  The decision to sell their home first

Vancouver, BC – June 15, 2020.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total of 4,518 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in May 2020, a decline of 45.2 per cent from May 2019.

With many markets across the country heading into 2020 with gusto, the COVID-19-pandemic has had an abrupt cooling effect upon real estate Canada-wide. Sales volume, listings, and demand are all showing obvious month-over-month dips; impacts of precautionary social distancing measures, and a national economy on pause.

Yet, not all hope is lost. There is a great deal of optimism that, should events unfold according to the predictions of the country’s public health officials, we may witness a slow crawl

Hiring the right person to sell your home is critical to ensure that you encounter as few roadblocks as possible during the sale process and earn a good price for your house.

So you’ve taken that job offer in another city, or perhaps you’ve simply outgrown your current home. You spent time personalizing and making the home yours and chances are, you remember the day you bought your property, signed all your documents and got your keys.

Depending on the circumstances, it can be an emotional time for someone to sell their home, but the time has come to put the property on the market. So the question is… how to choose a Realtor to sell my home? Not only is it the home itself that sells the property but choosing the right listing agent to get the job