Categories for Professional Representation & Consumer Guidance

Mortgage Rates, Property Prices and the Real Cost of Waiting to Buy

When mortgage rates begin to decline, it is understandable that prospective homebuyers may consider waiting. The reasoning seems straightforward: if borrowing becomes less expensive in the future, waiting for another rate reduction should make the eventual purchase more affordable. But real estate affordability is determined by more than the mortgage ...

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Commission Rebates May Have Tax Implications

Commission rebates have become one of the ways some real estate brokerages differentiate their services. A buyer or seller may be offered a portion of the remuneration associated with their transaction back as a rebate, sometimes described in advertising as a percentage of commission, a fixed dollar amount or simply ...

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Buying an Estate Sale Property in Ontario: What Buyers Should Understand Before Making an Offer

Buying a property from an estate can look very similar to any other resale transaction. The property is listed, buyers arrange showings, an offer is prepared and, if accepted, everyone works toward closing. The difference is that the person selling the property may not be the person who lived there, ...

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Knowing When to Walk Away: When a REALTOR® Should Consider Declining a Listing

Real estate professionals naturally want to help people who approach them about selling a property. A new listing represents an opportunity to provide professional services, develop a client relationship and, if the property sells successfully, earn remuneration for the work performed. That can make declining a listing feel counterintuitive, particularly ...

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Clear Signs of a Bad Real Estate Agent

Don’t brush off these telltale signs of a bad real estate agent Did you choose your real estate agent based on a friend-of-a-friend’s referral, a quick Google search, or even a flyer in a mailbox? Is your gut telling you it isn’t the right fit, but you’re not sure if ...

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