Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Real Estate Insider: December 2017 News Report





Looking to buy, sell, rent, upgrade, or even change cities? Here's 13 topics you need to read to stay in the loop!


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Are you renting out a room or level of your Primary Residence? Read this article to find out if you are still entitled to the Capital Gains Tax Exemption. >>

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“Think Canadians couldn’t abandon their mortgages like Americans did in 2008? Think again” >>

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Ready to go Net-Zero? Read the simple steps to take to make your current home produce enough energy to run itself! >>

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BC to ban Duel-Agency in order to increase consumer protection, and could possibly be the first of many provinces to do so. >>

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Looking to buy a house for a bargain? Look in January! Looking to sell your house? Don’t list it in January! The statistics don’t lie; find out why January is the best time for bargain hunters to buy a house. >>

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There are new rules when Buying or Selling a house with a Tenant. Be sure to keep up to date so you stay protected! Reading this article is a good start! >>

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The rapid increase in housing prices has pushed CREA to try and change RRSP rules, to allow parents to take out money for their children’s down payment. Ultimately decreasing debt and increasing buying power for first-time buyers. But whom are they really trying to help? Read more here. >>

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New Federal Court ruling may force Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) to make more information available to the public. This in turn could increase competition and possibly lower prices, so why is TREB fighting so hard to appeal it? Read here. >>

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With interest rate hikes looming in the near future, learn what it could possibly do with respect to mortgages, housing prices, demand, and more. >>

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Breakups can be tough, especially when you two have a house or condo together. Read this article for advice on how to property split your assets after a big split. >>

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The Bank of Canada announces that it left its rate locked at 1%, however points to many recent positives that could support higher rates in the near future. >>

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A By-Law requiring rental housing to be licensed has been blocked by Mayor Drew Dilkens, however many people are calling for change as the sub-standard housing rental market is become dangerous and in some cases, fatal. Read more about the pros and cons of the proposed by-law here. >>

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Even after the recent housing price surge in Windsor, we are still the cheapest place to own a home in Canada! Read the staggering difference in prices around Canada here. >>


Thursday, December 7, 2017

Ex-Windsorites: Make 2018 The Year To Move Back Home



Part of the boom we’ve seen in our local Windsor-Essex area in the past few years has been attributed to the large segment of Windsorites moving back home.  Whether they left for jobs, school or other factors, people are migrating back in droves.  For those of you still weighing a potential move back home to Windsor-Essex, today we are going to try and push your decision over the edge and discuss what you are missing out on!

Traffic
You can drive pretty much anywhere you’d like to go in 20 minutes or less!  Traffic is one of the biggest issues of living in a big city and having a long commute is a big contributor to issues with stress and quality of life.  Give up that two hour commute and spend more time with family or at the gym everyday

Detroit
I don’t know if you’ve been living under a rock, but Detroit is experiencing a renaissance these last few years.  Lots of exciting developments are underway and tens of thousands of new people are living and working again in the city.  As it grows, our area is becoming a suburb of Detroit and offers us access to many big city amenities including a major airport, all four major sports teams (Major League Soccer is also in the works), shopping, bars and restaurants, and also a large job market as many cross border workers can attest to.

Cheap Real Estate
You probably already knew this one, but Windsor-Essex still offers some of the cheapest real estate in Canada.  As you get priced out of the large Canadian markets, you’ll still more than likely be able to afford the type of home you desire in our area.  At an average price of around $260,000, you wont have to grind it out paying a mortgage your whole life!

Weather
The YQG has one of the warmest climates in Canada. Summers are longer and during winters we often "skate" by with little snow (fingers crossed for this year).  If cold winters and snow aren’t your thing, consider a move to the southernmost county in Canada.

Economy
Part of the reason lots of people left our area over the last decade was the automotive downturn and the accompanying high unemployment rate.  Well, that has more than reversed course and we now hold one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada (below 6% this fall).  One of the main issues we face going forward is a shortage of workers in different sectors.  Apply within!


Those are just a few of the dozens of reasons you should consider moving back home to Windsor-Essex.  It really is the “Biggest Small Town” around.  What are you waiting for?  Make 2018 your year.