Oakville, ON

Oakville First Time Home Buyers Benefit from Lower Interest Rates

The big Canadian banks have provided some additional relief for first time buyers by lowering interest rates. This is great news for first time home buyers since it has become even more affordable thanks to the reduction in interest rates. Here is what the Banks have done:

At the Royal, a one-year closed mortgage falls to 3.7 per cent, down a fifth of a point, while a five-year closed term drops three tenths of a point to 5.49 per cent. At Bank of Montreal, a three-year fixed closed mortgage falls a fifth of a point to 4.35 per cent while a five-year loan also falls to 5.49 per cent, down .36 of a point. The changes reflect lower interest rates in the bond market, where banks raise money to finance their mortgage lending.

To put this in perspective, on a $ 250,000 mortgage, a reduction in the rate of 0.36 % equates to a saving of over $ 60 per month and $ 700 per year. At the end of the day, this leads to more money in your pocket which makes this a great time to buy for Oakville first time home buyers.

Talk to a mortgage broker to see how you can benefit from these lower interest rates. Visit www.RightRealtor.ca today to see our mortgage broker partners.

Brian Bell - MBA

Realty Executives Plus Ltd., Brokerge

905-693-9575

brian@RightRealtor.ca

If you are a first time buyer and were contemplating buying a home, now is one of the best times to do so. The Federal Government has a number of programs that benefit first time home buyers that you should be aware of.
Everyone likes free money, so why not take advantage of these government programs and incentives that benefit first time home buyers that include:

1. First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit that provides up to $750 in tax relief to help offset the costs associated with the purchase of a first home. Sounds to good to be true, well it's not. The First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit provides first time buyers with a $5,000 non-refundable income tax credit amount on a qualifying home acquired after January 27, 2009. For an eligible individual, the credit will provide up to $750 in federal tax relief starting in 2009.

2. Home Buyers' Plan RRSP withdrawal limit was increased to a maximum of $ 25,000. The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) now allows first-time homebuyers to withdraw up to $25,000 from a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to purchase or build a home. The increase applies to withdrawals made after January 27, 2009. The advantage of the HBP program is that RRSP withdrawals are not included in income when withdrawn. Amounts withdrawn under the HBP must be repaid over a 15-year period, starting the second year following the year of the withdrawal, or included in the individual's income if not repaid.

3. ecoENERGY Retrofit Program provides home and property owners with grants of up to $10,000 to offset the costs of making energy-efficiency improvements. The ecoENERGY Retrofit Program Grants apply to a variety of measures that reduce energy consumption, from increasing insulation to upgrading a furnace.

4. Home Renovation Tax Credit that provides up to $1,350 in tax relief to help offset the cost of home renovations. The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) provides a temporary incentive for Canadians to undertake new renovation projects or accelerate planned future projects. The HRTC program provides a temporary 15-per-cent income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired, after January 27, 2009 and before February 1, 2010, pursuant to agreements entered into after January 27, 2009. The credit may be claimed for the 2009 taxation year on the portion of eligible expenditures exceeding $1,000, but not more than $10,000, and will provide up to $1,350 in tax relief.

Tree Ornament or The Dark Knight?

Beak-A-Boo

No Bull About It

Forbidden Fruit ?

Keeping An Eye On Things

Octo - Pods

Toothbrush ?

Long Tall Sally

Photos taken at Bayshire Pond, Oakville, Ontario.

Jenny Kotulak photos

Windows of the World Photography

WoW 2009

Jenny Kotulak Broker, RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. Brokerage, Oakville, Ontario

Your Oakville Community REALTOR

Selling Oakville Real Estate Since 1989

We all know that a picture says a thousand words. Today I have added some sound accompaniment to my photos. Don't worry this isn't a personal sing a long. I've left that to some great singers and songs from the past. These photos were taken on a trail along the Sixteen Mile Creek near Lions Valley Park in Oakville, Ontario. My dog Lola was my walking partner.

Click on the words under each photo to hear what song came to mind when I was adding the photos. No rhyme, no reason. As the kids today would say, just RANDOM*

Bridge Over Troubled Water

A Foot In Cold Water

I Love You - Warts And All

You Give Me Goosebumps

Sunshine On My Shoulders

All Bark - No Bite

Jingle Balls

Pretty Maids All In A Row

I Can't Be-Leaf My Eyes

Peace Brother (and Sister)

An Open And Closed Case

Tree Hugging

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans said sang it best. Happy Trails To YOU - Til We Meet Again

* Well O.K. a couple were obvious.

Living in Oakville, Ontario definitely has its rewards. How about a coveted location on the shores of Lake Ontario, halfway between the metropolitan cities of Toronto and Hamilton?

What better way to spend a hot August day then to enjoy the beautiful Oakville waterfront. Residents and visitors alike have numerous parks to choose from to picnic, stroll, feed the ducks, or sit on a bench and watch the boats go by.

For a quiet spot visit Gairloch Gardens on Lakeshore Road in the East end of Oakville. Check out the Oakville Galleries while there. Two blocks south of Oakville's quaint downtown core is Lakeside Park and Oakvile Harbour and Pier. The Oakville Towarf and Erchless Museum are also located here.

My favourite out of the way park is Waterworks Park, tucked in at the bottom of Kerr Street. Further along Lakeshore Road to the West is Coronation Park. This extremely popular spot features a playground, picnic areas and a bandshell for weekend concerts. Further West is the Village of Bronte. Bronte Harbour and Outer Marina is the place to be for people, ducks and boat watching.

The Lighthouse Restaurant overlooks the harbour and is a great spot to enjoy a sunset drink on the deck. Bronte's quaint shops also beckon. Enjoy one or all of these parks all within a twenty minute drive.

Selling real estate in Oakville is a real joy. It's easy to promote a community when you are a proud resident yourself. Oakville has grown to a population of 170,000 but it still has a smaller town feel. It is so easy to get busy and forget about the beauty that the Oakville Waterfront offers.

Oakville is a great community for boat owners. Whether it be power boating, sailing, canoeing or kayaking, the opportunity exists and there are lessons available and clubs to join.

Come and visit Oakville's waterfront. You may like it so much that you will want to move here. If you already live here, don't forget to head down to the Lake with your family, your book, your dog or your coffee.

I just might see you there. Oh, and don't forget your camera.