In Canada, various programs are available for first-time homebuyers, with the aim to help make buying your first home easier.  RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan If you haven’t purchased a home within the last four years (or lived in a spouse’s home in the same timeframe), you may qualify for the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan. With this plan, you may borrow up to $35,000 tax-free from your RRSP to fund your down payment. Just keep in mind that the money must be in your RRSP... [read more]

Are you considering listing your house or condo for sale? Obviously, the seasons tend to play a crucial role in the business of the real estate market. When the weather is nice, the real estate market usually booms, as buyers spend a lot of time touring open houses and finalizing shortlists. A lot of markets become slow in the winter. However, buyers do not disappear completely.     This article discusses why selling your home in the winter is better than waiting for the... [read more]

Dear reader, We always have two options to choose from… Either we opt to live on rent or we take a leap forward and buy a house. It’s a personal decision based on one’s current circumstances. However, a Few questions will help you determine which decision best matches your circumstances… The biggest question is, where do you stand? What is your financial status? Do you have enough money to pay the down payment and the mortgages for the years to... [read more]

Rent-to-own doesn’t come without its potential risks. If you enter into a lease-to-own agreement and choose not to purchase the home, you will likely lose all the money accrued toward a down payment.  While rent-to-own agreements in Canada are possible, they’re rare. If you’re worried that home prices will continue to go up in the future, one advantage of entering a rent-to-own situation is you get to pre-determine the purchase price of a home a few years before you... [read more]

Buying a home is a huge milestone in one's life. It is a decision you make by considering your circumstance based on where you are financially and emotionally. However, with what is happening in the rental market, now is an excellent time to buy.   So, What's going on in the rental market? The cost of rentals has grown at its fastest pace ever in the last three decades. The national median monthly rental price is now over $2,000 for the first time ever. The monthly rent... [read more]