We’ve compiled a few tips to bring you up to speed on buying.
Be sure to ask your realtor what fixes and furniture are being sold with the house. Questionable items should be itemized in the purchase contract.
Try flushing the toilets when house shopping. Chugging drains and running water could be plumbing problems.
Of major appliances, gas [...]

[Read more →]

Once you have purchased a home the next step is adding your personality - through decorating. You could search through mags and watch tele shows for the latest trends, however, our advice is to decorate it the way you’d like to. Forget about judgement. This is your place. You want to feel comfortable and at [...]

[Read more →]

In keeping with Boxing Day sales, we thought we’d add our own sales section. Check out foreclosures in the HOT Properties section. Good luck shopping!

[Read more →]

Buyingblock.com has moved its offices to 571 King Street West, between Bathurst and Spadina. We wanted to be closer to our customers. Drop in anytime and say hi.
We have added a calendar on our homepage - bottom right corner. We will be adding events such as home buying seminars, property tax reminders, etc. As always, [...]

[Read more →]

I moved into South Parkdale three years ago and love it but it is not for everyone. There is a growing mix of residents from new immigrants to hip artists to the homeless. Many refer to the area as colorful. From our friends at Toronto Life: “Once a suburb to rival Rosedale, the area south [...]

[Read more →]

Rising university costs are causing some parents to consider an alternate housing plan for their students. They are bypassing the dorm and off-campus apartments in favor of purchasing a condominium or single-family home. 
Purchasing a single-family home instead of a condo lets parents have a place where their child can live and other rooms can be [...]

[Read more →]

Power of sale in Canada is similar to foreclosures in the US. When a mortgage holder isn’t able to continue payments, the lender can seize the property. Power of sale properties can be good deals but you have to know what to look for and here is why: 1. Lenders are obligated [...]

[Read more →]

Here’s where your property taxes went in 2007 (City of Toronto based on property taxes of $2,174.60). Police ($531), City Debt charges ($266), Fire ($227), Social Service ($183), Housing admin ($173), TTC ($161), Parks and rec. ($153), Transportation services ($124), Waste Management ($124), Library ($101), Children’s services ($43), Emergency Medical ($42), Public Health ($34), Community [...]

[Read more →]

Good blog article from our friends at Spacing Magazine:
Property taxes are weird. They don’t work like other taxes. I’ve been trying to get my head around them for a few years now.
In the run-up to this year’s operating budget, which is going to council next week, I thought I’d try to figure them out. I [...]

[Read more →]

If you are like me, you just pay your property taxes without really understanding them. I promised myself this year that I would take the time to understand them. So with the year-end fast approaching, I got busy. Here’s what I found. Every so many years, MPAC assesses the value of your home based on [...]

[Read more →]