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Additional Costs When Buying a Home

The purchase price of your home is only one of the costs you'll encounter. Here are other possible costs you need to consider: Mortgage loan insurance: If you are putting less than 20 per cent of the house value down, you're going to need mortgage loan insurance. Depending on the lender, ...

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The Buyer Representation Agreement

The search for your dream home is an exciting, albeit frenzied, endeavor. It is filled with endless possibilities; do you want to live in the city or suburbs? Will you live in a condominium, townhouse or a detached home? This is essentially the fun part of home buying before you ...

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How Capital Gain Works

Have you made capital gain? That’s great news, because this influx of cash from selling your assets will improve your financial health. However, these benefits may be taxed. Here, I answer seven common questions. 1. What is capital gain? Capital gain represents the profit you make when you sell, entrust, transfer or ...

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Should You Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection?

Unless you’re in a seller’s market where you can expect many offers, quickly, it might make sense to get a pre-sale home inspection. It can give your listing a competitive advantage. What is it? It’s simply a professional inspection you get done on your own home. Assuming only a few inconsequential issues ...

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Obligations of All Ontario Registrants (REALTORS®)

Real estate is a highly regulated business in Ontario. These regulations protect consumers, establish standards and provide for a method of delivering consistent, predictable and professional services. It also provides a means to discipline those that do not uphold those standards. Real estate professionals standards include regulatory (TRESA), fiduciary (legal) ...

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How to Choose One Business Over Another

What makes one business better than another when you are buying a business?  Some of the considerations are obvious. Others are not.  As you explore the business landscape, keep in view these 12 markers for choosing a business. 1. Location Is the location of the business convenient?  Is it close to your home?  Is ...

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Why Bargain Hunting is a Bad Idea

It seems like every month there is a new website offering deals on everything from electronics to travel. In fact, the “coupon industry” is booming. This trend has conditioned people, more than ever before, to look for bargains and become determined to pay well below the market price for merchandise. There’s ...

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Buying or Selling in Another Province

While certain industries are regulated federally, property laws are a provincial responsibility. Many of the provinces have similarities in their property laws, but even those are not exactly the same. What happens when a buyer or seller resides in one province and the home being bought or sold is in ...

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10 Common Costs of Owning a Home

1-Property tax. May of the services you will enjoy in your new neighbourhood, from parks and recreation facilities to road maintenance and schools, are funded by property taxes. Rates vary widely from region to region and home to home. Annual taxes can top several thousand dollars in urban centres, so many ...

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Free Home Buyers Guide Book

  I recently revised my Home Buyers Guide Book. It's a collection of how-to’s, checklists, and worksheets to help buyers understand what to expect during the real estate purchasing experience. Click here to get a free copy. ...

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