When I first entered the real estate business in 1993 it was common to find improvements in homes that were completed without a required permit. At the time, it just wasn’t a big deal to move ahead with your basement development without one. Almost everyone did it.
In recent years, the failure to obtain proper permits [...]
The opportunity to take advantage of Canada’s Home Renovation Tax Credit expires at midnight on January 31. Obviously, the clock has run out when it comes to hiring a contractor but a quick trip to your favorite home renovation store might be in order if home improvements are part of your plan over the next [...]
Installing a high-efficiency furnace in your home is certainly good for the environment, and it’s also good for the household budget, in some cases reducing energy costs by more than thirty percent. In fact, according to SaskEnergy, “upgrading your heating equipment is the best improvement you can make to save energy and money.”
The chart below [...]
Part of “Canada’s Economic Action Plan” includes a Home Renovation Tax Credit that could help you save up to $1,350 on eligible home improvements when goods are purchased or professional services are performed after January 27, 2009 and before February 1, 2010.
The Home Renovation Tax Credit is a federal non-refundable tax credit based on eligible [...]
People are often curious about how certain home improvements will affect the value of their homes. The chart of percentages displayed here presents some findings compiled by the Appraisal Institute of Canada from their 2008 membership survey. It is intended to give the homeowner a very general idea of the potential that certain improvements have [...]
Citizens of Canada’s are no strangers to asbestos problems. Used throughout the 20th century as a prominent building material and insulator, health hazards related to asbestos has affected millions worldwide. Highly regarded for its qualities as heat and fire resistant, homes, buildings, and other products built before 1980 could still contain asbestos materials.
If you are [...]
This is not exactly important real estate news but I couldn’t resist writing a small snip about this story.
It seems that the popular A&E reality program, “Flip This House” has run a number of episodes which amount to nothing more than a sham. Featuring self proclaimed “real estate developer” Sam Leccima, the episodes represent [...]
The “2007 Royal LePage Female Buyers Report” was released this morning. The report which marries findings from a national consumer poll with anecdotal research examines buying habits of Canadian women. Among some of the findings, the report found that women are playing an increasingly significant role in the real estate market. In fact, of single [...]
I came across an article on CNN Money titled, “5 home trends we never saw coming” which highlights some unusual items which more buyers are apparently looking for.
We’ve known for a number of years that many buyers are going for larger homes, so perhaps these top trends shouldn’t come as any real surprise. [...]
I’m hearing that more people are considering renovating their Saskatoon homes as a result of the limited selection of properties available in our new and resale real estate market so this seemed like a timely post.
An interesting video clip appears on New York broker Barbara Corcoran’s blog. “Dump to Dream House” features Barbara on [...]
An agent I know listed a charming little home, in a beautiful location. The house had seen numerous upgrades in recent years including new windows, heating system and a host of cosmetic upgrades. The kitchen and bathrooms were renovated, hardwood floors refinished, it had been painted not long ago and the house is generally [...]
