Thinking of renovating to take advantage of the federal government tax credits for home improvements? Ensure you're making the right renovations or upgrades that will help increase the value of your home. Here are some renovations that Remax has identified to maximize the resale value of your home.
A bathroom renovaton will net you a 56% better return.
New flooring will net you a 22% better return.
Painting will net you a 29% better return.
Kitchen renovations will net you a 44% better return.
Landscaping will net you a 7% better return.
One thing you should be aware of is to make sure the renovation you are considering will match the value of properties in your neighbourhood. For example, you don't need to be putting granite counters in your kitchen and bathrooms, if the value of the homes in your neighbourhood don't support those kinds of upgrades. Make sure the finishings you choose will match your surroundings. If you're unsure, obtain the opinion of a realtor, a friend, or even the sales representative at your supplier.
For lots of real estate information, visit my website at www.gtamoves.com or www.vitopirri.com .
Did you know some agents never sell anything? Remax recently did a study to compare their Sales Representatives with the competition and found the following results:
Nearly 1 in 4 TREB Sales Representatives did not sell anything in 2008.
Nearly 60% of TREB Sales Representatives didn't average 1 deal per quarter in 2008.
Thousands of Sales Representatives will most likely quit by the end of 2009.
Remax has the highest percentage of TREB top producers. (50% of the Top 10, 44% of the Top 100, 40% of the top 2,500 and 38% of the Top 5,000 Sales Representatives. TREB had 28,801 members as of February 2009).
Remax Sales Representatives have the highest average number of deals per TREB Sales Representative.
Remax Sales Representatives sell one third (that's 1 in 3) properties in Canada according to 2008 results from CREA.
Visit my website, www.gtamoves.com or www.vitopirri.com to research all your real estate needs.
Earlier in this Blog, I posted "What the Provincial Governement is doing that is going to cost you more money". In that post, one of the subjects discussed was the Provinicial Government's intention to legislate mandatory energy audits by all homeowners who wish to sell their property.
After efforts from the Toronto Real Estate Board and their members, the Provincial Government has now indicated a significant change to the legislation which will be amended to allow the buyers to opt out of the energy audit. This is a significant change to the bill (Bill 150), which has NOT yet passed.
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What is a Condominium? The definition from ABOUT.COM states: A condominium is one of a group of housing units where each homeowner owns their individual unit space, all the dwellings share ownership of areas of common use. What are common use areas? Well, the lobby, the gym, the pool, the media lounge, the hallways, any outdoor space (yes, including your private balcony or terrace!), and the party room are all prime examples. While numerous common areas have been noted here, the actual list will more than likely be much longer and will depend on the offerings of the condominium complex itself. Individual units may also share walls. The main difference between condos and freehold properties is that you do not own a plot of land. All the land a condominium sits on is part of the common area which is owned by everyone. When you receive a deed to your condominium, it is for the unit you purchased, not the land the building sits on. A condominium is a Corporation which is overseen by a property manager. The property manager collects monthly fees t As an owner of a condominium, you are responsible for the upkeep of the interior of your home. For example, plumbing issues (only those pipes which are accessible, including behind shower walls), heating and air conditioning, interior window washing and general cleaning and maintenance. Some condominium corporations will also cover the fees for water, electricity, heating, air conditioning, parking and cable television. More and more, you will find that condominiums are no longer covering the fees for electricity and water. The amount of the monthly fee is directly related to the size of your unit. The main "plus" of condominium ownership, according to many people, is the fact that when you leave your unit, you lock the door and forget about it. Security is generally top-notch. This is a great feature if you travel frequently. If you have any questions regarding the condominium lifestyle, please visit my website at www.gtamoves.com or www.vitopirri.com . Are you ready to take the leap? Click here to order your condo! |
The GLOBE AND MAIL had a great piece in this past Saturday's newspaper. I have to thank my friend Michael, for forwarding it to me. It is an interactive map of areas of Toronto showing comparisons to selling prices of houses so far in 2008 & 2009. It would have been even better if the entire GTA was included, but I'm sure that will happen sometime down the road. What the map shows is that some parts of the real estate market in the city are doing even better right now, while some are still down quite a bit from last year. The good news is, though, that the market seems to have started a recovery; first time buyers are out in droves right now. It's a great time to be buying real estate whether you are a first timer, or a seasoned home owner! I have great information on my website, www.gtamoves.com or www.vitopirri.com , feel free to come for a visit.
Click here for the GLOBE AND MAIL link to the interactive map.
A brokerage located in west Toronto serving the entire GTA with a group of professional agents on the largest Real Estate Network in the world, Re/Max!
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Thinking Condo or considering the purchase of a Condo? Are you a "condo person"? Most people who are, know they are. If you don't know, then you need to educate yourself a bit. It will help you decide what type of property you should purchase; Condominium or Freehold. There are different types of condos, but the most common are condominium apartments and condominium town houses.
hat covers building maintenance. Maintenance is an area where there are large differences between the two types of ownership. Each month, the condominium owner pays fees that go to the general running, upkeep and maintenance of the corporation. The monthly fees cover things such as lawn and garden care, snow removal, upkeep of facilities (i.e. gym, pool, sauna, party room, etc.), elevators, access roads, parking garages, exterior window washing, concierge services, gate house services, plumbing, roofing, windows, etc. Part of the monthly fee is also directed to a reserve fund (kind of a rainy day fund to cover things such as unexpected major repair work).
