Posts by curiousprojects

The Inside Scoop on the Best Season to Sell Your Home

September 15, 2015 | Comments Off

Think you need to wait until Spring to sell your home? You may want to think again if you’re ready to sell now. In this HGTV.com post, Gavin Chen challenges conventional wisdom that the best time to sell is spring and the best time to buy is fall. Statistically, spring has the most competing sellers in the market, so you might have to stage your home to get an advantage. Chen suggests it is important to highlight the sellable features of your home in any season. Although there are fewer buyers in the December – January period (holidays, travel),
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Your Annual Home Maintenance Schedule

September 9, 2015 | Comments Off

Following an annual maintenance schedule is an essential step in protecting the value of what will probably be the largest investment of your life – your home. First time home owners, or those lacking experience may struggle with this task and overlook important elements. Here are some guidelines to help you create a maintenance program that suits your needs. Benefits of Home Maintenance Regular preventive maintenance identifies minor repairs before they become expensive, major repairs. It also preserves your home’s market value. One study found that “greater than $5 return for every $1 spent on preventive maintenance is not unusual”.
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Strong summer performance for Ottawa’s resale market

September 3, 2015 | Comments Off

Check out the latest Ottawa Real Estate Statistics from the Ottawa Real Estate Board The summer real estate market has been strong in the Ottawa area, as we head into fall we’ll keep you updated on the latest Ottawa Real Estate market news! Are you interested in a specific neighbourhood? Please contact us! We have the latest Ottawa neighbourhood statistics available. _____________________________________________________ Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 1,279 residential properties in August through the Board’s Multiple Listing Service® System, compared with 1,200 in August 2014, an increase of 6.6 per cent. The five-year average for August sales
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CMHC announces new rules to make it easier for homeowners to rent out property

September 2, 2015 | Comments Off

In this Financial Post article, Garry Marr discusses the impact of upcoming changes from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) that will permit homeowners to count 100% of the income from their secondary units when qualifying for a loan. Currently, homeowners with legal units can only count 50% of the income from legal rentals. By making it easier to borrow money, Marr suggests CMHC will be bringing more people into the market, and that is expected to boost affordable housing, especially in hot markets like Vancouver where secondary units make up almost 20% of the city’s rental stock. To read
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Should you let children choose their bedroom paint colours?

August 25, 2015 | Comments Off

Should you let children choose their bedroom paint colours? In this Canadian Living post, Brett Walther suggests a way to let your child participate when deciding what colour(s) to paint their room while also avoiding a choice that is unacceptable to you, or one that they will want to change next week. The key is to guide their choice by presenting a few options that appeal to them while also meeting your own criteria. To read more click here. Source: Blog
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Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter

August 18, 2015 | Comments Off

Machu Picchu Challenge for Shelter August 2015 in Machu Picchu, Peru In support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation people from Royal LePage offices across Canada have started the trek to Machu Picchu to help restore hope for women and children escaping violence. “For eight days, 70 enthusiastic supporters are trekking at high altitude, camping in tents, and forgoing running water, electricity and cellphone service to raise funds and awareness for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Each participant was required to raise $5,000 and will be covering their own travel expenses.” …read more Royal LePage Team Realty is proud to have our sales
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Eric Ritterrath