Tips and Trick for Toronto first time Home Buyers With interesting stories and helpful tips from the trenches.
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Entries from January 2009

Live for free?

January 30th, 2009 · No Comments

Does it make sense to buy your landlords house or a similar house with your friends instead of paying rent? Well it might if you do the math. For example, compare $1,200 monthly rent for a 2 bedroom all inclusive to a listing we have on our Hot 5 at 53 Delaney. Here are the [...]

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Tags: General

BUDGET OVERVIEW

January 27th, 2009 · No Comments

First-time homebuyers will be allowed to withdraw up to $25,000 from their Registered Retirement Savings Plans to put towards a downpayment. That’s an increase of $5,000. The withdrawal will be tax free if repaid within 15 years.
First-time homebuyers will be eligible for $750 in tax relief after closing a deal. Creation of [...]

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Tags: General

Hedge against mortgage rate increases

January 26th, 2009 · 1 Comment

With rates being so low, you don’t want to lose out. Buyingblock.com can hold you a mortgage rate for 4 months without any obligation on your part. You don’t have to take the rate should rates go up in the 120 days. Think of it as hedging against rate increases. A savvy way to protect [...]

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Tags: General

Prime Rate Cut

January 20th, 2009 · No Comments

From Michael of Buyingblock Mortgages, “Bank of Canada lowered the overnight rate by ½ point and two of the major banks have followed suit lowering prime rate by .50% so imagine all will. This means your payments or interest costs per payment will shift either next month or next quarter depending on [...]

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Tags: General

Knob and Tube advice

January 17th, 2009 · No Comments

You’ve probably have heard the words knob and tube if you have been looking to buy a home that is older that 50 years. Knob and tube wiring gets its name from the insulator knobs used to keep the wires isolated from objects and the ceramic tubes used to line holes through wooden floor joists. [...]

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Mortgage rate update by Michael

January 14th, 2009 · No Comments

Bit of a shift in interest rates a week before Bank of Canada is set to make anticipated rate deductions to the overnight lending rate. One year has dipped to 3.89% with one of the lenders in brokerage channel. 5 year fixed as low as 4.79%! Lowest variables on market still at prime ( currently [...]

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Tags: General

Prepare wisely for selling your home - Part 2 -

January 14th, 2009 · No Comments

A few more ideas on making your place look good for selling from our friend and client TerrI.
Curb appeal: even in winter curb appeal is very important, planters by the front door with dogwood twig and cedar. An absolute must is making sure that all walkways, sidewalks, paths to garage and a/c units etc. are [...]

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Preparing wisely to sell - part 1 -

January 10th, 2009 · No Comments

This week we visited a family about to sell their home in Toronto - they are moving West. With the market being tight, it is even more important to wisely prepare your home for sale. Considering it is post Xmas, here are a few inexpensive ways to dress up your home.
1. You never have a [...]

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A DEAL they couldn’t pass up

January 9th, 2009 · No Comments

By Rodney Litigio - Real Estate Lead, Buyingblock.com
I showed a young couple, first time homebuyers, a few homes over the holidays. We viewed homes in their price range and desired area. The first two properties looked promising on paper but were disasters in reality. However, the third home was a hit. It had good bones, [...]

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Tags: General

Mortgage rate update

January 8th, 2009 · No Comments

As a new year is upon us mortgage rates have held steady ( 4.94% for 5 year fixed & prime rate of 3.5% ) but with anticipation of declines on horizon. Bank of Canada meeting on Jan. 20th for rate announcement. As central banks continue to fight the current recession and in hopes of further [...]

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Tags: General