All Blog Entries by Nutan Brown

With the warmer months in our rear view, it's time to close up the cottage until next year. If you haven't done so already, here are 5 things to remember when closing your cottage for the season.

Shut Off The Water

Turn off your water supply and drain your pipes to prevent them from freezing and possibly bursting over winter. You can also pour non-toxic antifreeze down drains and toilets to be extra safe.

Unplug Appliances

Instead of turning off your electricity completely, unplug major appliances such as the fridge, freezer, microwave, and washing machine. This way, the sump pump, security alarms and lights can still receive power when needed.

Cover Up Openings

Check for any spots that animals may possibly be able to…

If you are new to home buying or selling, you may not know all the terminology that goes along with it. Here are 4 real estate terms to know before entering the market. 

Mortgage pre-approval

This is where the bank determines how much money they are willing to give you for the purchase of a home. You will fill out an application detailing various aspects of your finances, including income, assets, and credit history. The lender will then review it to determine the debt-to-income ratio and the amount you are pre-approved for.

Offer

When you find a home that you’re interested in buying, the first step is to make an offer. An offer is a legally binding contract that sets out the terms with which you agree to buy the home. The seller can…

The Toronto real estate market appears to be stabilizing as the average price of a home was virtually unchanged from the previous month in October.

According to the latest TRREB report, the average price for a Toronto home was $1,089,428 in October, compared to $1,086,762 in September. This represents a 5.7% decrease compared to the same time last year, but only a 1% dip month-over-month.

The amount of new listings also decreased, with the number of properties coming on the market down 11.6% compared to the same time last year.

The number of home resales last month was similar to that of September, but compared with October of last year, the volume was down 49%.

Home prices have been steadily declining since the Bank of Canada began…

Going on vacation can be a lot of fun. But homeowners are often worried about their home while they’re away. Putting in place a few extra security measures while your house is empty will give you extra peace of mind and allow you to fully enjoy your long-awaited break. Here are a few tips to keep your home safe.

Lock Up

It seems obvious to lock your doors before going on vacation. But don't forget to secure additional openings such as windows, pet doors or mail slots to prevent burglars from reaching in with a tool to unlock the door. If you have an automatic garage door, consider disconnecting the electronic opener and placing a padlock on the garage-door track instead.

Set Timers For Lights

Make it look like someone is at home by…

Having a finished basement is not only good for entertaining friends and family, but it also adds
value to your home. If you're thinking of completing your unfinished basement, here are 4
renovation ideas to help you get started.

Home Gym

If you’re looking to add a workout room, the basement is a perfect spot. It’s not always easy to
stay motivated, but having easy access to your treadmill at home could be one less excuse to
skip your run, especially on cold winter days. You can even make exercise time a part of your
family’s routine.

Home office

Working from home has become a regular routine for many people. And if the kitchen table
isn't cutting it for you anymore, the basement could a great spot for a workplace. Having a
dedicated work…

Spring is typically known as the busiest season for home buying and selling. But that doesn't mean that other seasons are a write-off. In fact, there are even some advantages to selling in fall that the spring market doesn't have. And with the Toronto real estate market showing signs of picking back up, this could be your best chance.

Here are some reasons why fall might be the best time to sell your home. 

Less Competition

Even though fall isn't the busiest season for Toronto real estate, that can actually work in your favour. Less activity results in less competition, which means buyers are less likely to look for a 'better' option. If your home is the only one for sale in your neighbourhood then a buyer can't compare your house to the one…

Applying for a mortgage is one of the first steps in buying a new home. To make the mortgage application process flow as smoothly as possible, there are a few things you should avoid before, during, and after applying for your mortgage. Here are 3 things to avoid when applying for a mortgage. 

Making Large Purchases

You may be excited to buy some furniture for your future home, or maybe a car to go in your new driveway, but doing this can cause problems during the mortgage process. Financing these large purchases increases your debt and thus your debt-to-income ratio, which is a main factor that mortgage lenders consider during the application process. Changes in your debt-to-income ratio, even after you have been pre-approved for a mortgage can…

Toronto home prices were down in September as the market experienced the lowest number of new listings in 20 years.

The average selling price of a Toronto home came in at $1,086,762, which is a 0.67% increase compared to the previous month of $1,079,500. It was the second consecutive monthly price increase, but on a year-over-year basis the average house price dipped 4.3%.

“Hovering just below $1.1 million, the average selling price may have found some support during the last couple months of summer,” Jason Mercer, chief market analyst for TRREB, said in a news release. “October generally represents the peak of the fall market, so it will be important to see where price trends head over the next month.”

In total, there were 11,237 homes…

If it’s your first time entering the real estate market, or if you haven’t been in the market for a while, you might be wondering what the steps are in order to buy a home. Since the process can be complicated, we’ve outlined the main things you need to know when making an offer.

Mortgage

Unless you are paying for your home in cash, the first thing you will want to do is get a mortgage preapproval. Although you won't need the mortgage until you purchase a home, getting preapproved will allow you to know exactly how much you can afford and offers the seller reassurance that you will not back out of the deal based on financing.

Negotiation

Be prepared to negotiate when you’re ready to make an offer. Your negotiating power will depend on a…

The Toronto housing market has seen massive changes over the last 2 years. Many people are wondering where the market is heading and what they can expect moving forward. Here are the answers to some of the top questions about the current housing market.

What Is Affecting Housing Prices?

There are many factors that affect housing prices. But one of the main factors is the lending rate, which can make mortgages more expensive for buyers and impact homebuyers’ purchasing power. Higher mortgage rates are dragging prices lower. The pandemic has also caused unpredictable shifts in the affordability of homes over the last 2 years. Now that the market is starting to stabilize, sales and prices are trending downward causing some sellers to accept lower…