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Choose Local (Even when deciding on a Realtor to work with)
This is a story about a home and 3 agents. Let me set the stage. Over the past week, I placed a “fixer-upper” bungalow on the market. It was something that would work for an investor to buy and create an apartment in the lower level. (Legal or not.) The home was in poor condition…
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What the Canadian Real Estate Association means with a ‘Spring Boom’ Prediction
When the Canadian Real Estate Association predicts a spring boom because of; What do they mean? Are they missing any key predictors that may cause a change in real estate over the next few months? Let’s take a look. Pent-up demand: I think we all know what this means. However, how does it apply to…
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Positive Thoughts on Durham Region Real Estate in 2025
I recently read an article about Canada being in for a “pretty rough ride.” We are being threatened with tariffs, our Federal Government is on pause, and our productivity is at an all-time low. With all this doom and gloom, where is the “good stuff” happening in Canada regarding Real Estate? Let’s begin by looking…
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Happy New Year! Here are my 10 favourite blog posts from 2024
The champagne has popped (or the non-alcoholic bubbly which there are so many delicious options to choose from these days,) the resolutions have been made and we are hopefully all looking forward to the new year with a positive outlook. I took a few minutes and looked back at my blogs over the past year…
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When Developers are NOT to Blame for High House Prices
Development charges are the hidden fees municipalities charge to developers to cover a variety of items. Infrastructure, including water management, road maintenance and sewer treatment and basically helping to fund the town’s growth. These fees are paid at the time of a building permit being received and ultimately get passed on to the Buyer of…
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Let’s Plan to Retire in Luxury
I have a great idea. I think you should buy a rental property in 2025. This blog post may help you retire much more comfortably than if you had not read it. I bought my first rental property when I was 24. It was a 3-bedroom condo at Mclaughlin Square, and it came with a…
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Oshawa vs. Pickering
Oshawa is slightly east of Pickering. Travelling along the 401 it takes about 10 minutes to get to Oshawa once you pass Pickering. Both have GO-Train stations, access to GO-Busses and similar amenities. Looking at them as competing football teams, which one is the winner? Let’s dig in and see what differences we can identify. …
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A 5-Year View of Real Estate in Durham Region
A few years ago I remember a conversation I had with an investor. The couple were considering purchasing a rental property and our chat centered around what type of property would offer the best return over a 5 year plan. We looked at detached and semi-detached homes, condo townhomes and freehold townhomes. I created a…
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Parents Helping Kids Buy Homes Today
With a career spanning almost 4 decades I have worked with clients as young as 18 and as old as 98. One thing I have experienced, is when a homeowner is in the 65+ range, they start to look at where they will direct their assets. These can be their personal residence, rental properties or…
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Should you Consider a Power of Sale Property?
Looking back at the history of Real Estate in Ontario, I remember a time when there were more homes being sold under power of sale than by happy homeowners. We had a boom in the late 1980’s that ended in 1989. From 1990 – 1991 the market values dropped about 30% which caused homes to…
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