6 Jan

Understanding Your Credit Report

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

In the new era of Canadian government trying harder than ever to control Canada’s debt load, I thought a short blurb on credit reports would be appropriate. As credit has become more and more abundant in our society, your credit report, and thus your credit rating, has become more important in your daily life. Your […]

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5 Jan

Buying vs Renting

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

Sorry to all my faithful readers for the late daily blog, but I was finalizing a clients mortgage…now we wait! At some point in their lives, most Canadians have probably asked themselves whether it is better to buy or rent a home. And purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions most people ever […]

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4 Jan

Deciding which type of home to purchase

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

There is an endless supply of different types of homes available for purchase – ranging from condos to townhouses to fully-detached homes. The key is to decide what you can afford and which amenities you prefer before heading out shopping for a new home. Your best first step is to get pre-approved on a mortgage. That […]

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28 Dec

First-time Homebuyers

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

Great opportunity for first-time homebuyers! If you’ve been thinking about purchasing your first home, but haven’t yet made up your mind, now is an ideal time to think about taking the plunge into homeownership. Since Canada’s currently in a buyers’ real estate market and interest rates have been dropping to historic lows as of late, […]

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23 Dec

Looking Beyond Mortgage Rates

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that comparing mortgage rates will guarantee you get the best bang for your mortgage buck. While this may be true for particular situations, there are many scenarios where this strategy is not effective. Following are three reasons why it doesn’t always pay to make a decision […]

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22 Dec

Tips for Paying Off Your Mortgage Faster

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

Mortgages in Canada are generally amortized between 25 and 35 year terms. While this seems a long time, it does not have to take anyone that long to pay off their mortgage if they choose to do so in a shorter period of time. With a little bit of thinking ahead, and a small bit […]

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21 Dec

10 Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

The purchase of a home is likely the largest financial expenditure you’ll ever make. And getting your home inspected is an essential step in the home-buying process. No one wants to buy a money pit – and once you have signed on the dotted line, there is no turning back. The best way to ensure […]

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17 Dec

Strong demand carries into late fall

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

Home values continued to edge upward in November as demand in the Greater Vancouver housing market remains well above seasonal norms. Over the last 12 months, the MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver increased 12.4 per cent to $557,384 from $495,704 in November 2008. This price, however, […]

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14 Dec

Green Tips

General

Posted by: Michael Hallett

1. Switch to online billing services from your utility service providers. The reduction in paper usage will protect natural woodland and save energy used. Create new habits to help the world we live in. 2. Clothes dryers operate most efficiently on full loads that are sorted and run on the appropriate settings. Separate all light […]

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