Posts by curiousprojects

Landlords and Legalization: What budding weed laws may mean for Landlord

March 22, 2018 | Comments Off

Landlords and Legalization: What budding weed laws may mean for Landlords With the legalization of marijuana on the horizon, property owners of rental units are wondering what that will mean for them. As all the rules and regulations surrounding cannabis use have yet to be ironed out, it’s only natural that landlords are beginning express concern, or in some cases excitement surrounding the opportunities legalization will present. The legalization of medical cannabis passed in 2001, but as Canada moves forward to legalize the use of cannabis across the country, there are many different views surrounding the changes. With multiple angles to
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Wanted: Ottawa Homes for Sale

March 6, 2018 | Comments Off

Wanted: Ottawa Homes For Sale When the calendar rolled over into 2018 many real estate experts across Canada were speculating the housing market to “cool off” with tighter mortgage rules and higher interest rates impacting home buyers. While that may be the case in other real estate markets, in the Ottawa Real Estate market the biggest factor in February’s 2.8% drop in the number of sales (year over year), is that listing inventory is scarce. “There is no doubt our sales number would have been much higher if we had more properties available for sale. Buyer demand is there, but our
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New Mortgage Rules – Renewing and Refinancing

March 2, 2018 | Comments Off

New Mortgage Rules – Renewing and Refinancing January 1st, 2018 Canada’s new mortgage rules came into effect and it was big news. These new rules appear to have the greatest impact on those looking to qualify for a new mortgage but if you are looking to renew or refinance your mortgage, you may be impacted as well. At the centre of the new rules is a stress test requiring applicants to qualify at a rate at least 2% higher than the rate they will be paying, regardless of the down payment they are making on the home. The new rules
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Ottawa Real Estate Market Update : Low Inventory Continues Into 2018

February 14, 2018 | Comments Off

The Ottawa Real Estate board’s recently released statistics show that home buyers are still actively searching for properties. Sales were up over 7% (year over year) in spite of the low inventory, which is a trend that is continuing from 2017. January 2018 listings 994 (RES) and 406 (CONDO) compared with the 5 year 1,396 for residential and 500 for condominiums. If the decrease in supply in both the residential and condo markets continues into the Spring, it may put an upward pressure on prices. If you are thinking of selling this is a great time to get your home on the market.
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Is it time to invest in a second “nest”?

February 8, 2018 | Comments Off

College students, and living options If you’re the parent of a college/university age student, and you haven’t considered it yet, perhaps now is the time you will. As spring is just around the corner, it’s time to think about what investments you can make, and an investment that shouldn’t be overlooked is buying a home. More specifically, buying a home for your college-aged student to live in during school. Should you purchase a home in your students’ university/college town for them to live in during their schooling? What are the benefits, and drawbacks of investing in a second home?
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Winterlude 2018

February 2, 2018 | Comments Off

The Winter months in the Capital are arguably some of the most enjoyable for its residents and their families. Christmas has passed, yuletide memories have been made, and we’ve welcomed the New Year with wide opened arms. And with the anticipation of new beginnings in 2018, we take in a deep breath of fresh, brisk air and bundle up to embrace what this year has to offer; including the great outdoors. In fact, with the many winter-filled activities that our City and surrounding areas have to offer this Winterlude season, it’s nearly impossible to sit idle as the cold passes
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SPRING into ACTION: Sellers

January 31, 2018 | Comments Off

SELLERS Now’s the time to spring into action if you’re a prospective home seller. Getting your home prepared for the spring market now, will help you move quickly and efficiently when the time comes to list. Spring is the optimum time to sell a home, as the largest numbers of buyers are actively searching for a new home during the months of April, May, and June. If you’re looking for tips, tricks, and ideas to get your home market ready, then you’ve come to the right place! Purge & Pack: What better way to clear out the winter blues, than
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SPRING into ACTION: Buyers

January 25, 2018 | Comments Off

BUYERS Spring hasn’t begun to crack through the winter thaw, but that doesn’t mean there’s time to wait if you’re planning on purchasing a home this spring. Be prepared for the Spring Market, and ensure your home buying experience is a great one by organizing your paper work, mortgages, ideal houses, and pricing ahead of time. Spring into this home-buying season ready to buy, so that house you’ve been dreaming of, doesn’t land in the hands of another buyer. Credit Check A credit score is a numerical representation of your credit report, and having good credit is like gold when
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An Era of Change: 2018

January 15, 2018 | Comments Off

An Era of Change: 2018 Canadian real estate is in an era of change. 2017 closed with a bang, as we saw some of the largest increases in real estate prices in nearly a decade. The curiosity now turns to 2018, and what can we expect to see in Ottawa, and across Canada. Ottawa is climbing the list as a hot spot for home buyers this year, joining popular cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Ottawa may hold an even higher interest for buyers, where real estate prices are significantly lower than areas such as Toronto and Vancouver. The pool of potential home
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A Strong Finish for Ottawa’s Real Estate Market in 2017

January 5, 2018 | Comments Off

2017 was quite a year in the Ottawa Real Estate market; record breaking numbers in units sold (condominium sales up over 22%) and double digit (percentage) increases in average sale price in several neighbourhoods, Canada 150 (or should we say Ottawa 150?!) was anything but average! Below we’ve included the latest news release from the Ottawa Real Estate Board. Please note: average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of
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Eric Ritterrath