Author Archive

More Tips on Buying U.S. Properties

Apr 7, in Featured, Home Turf, by Nelson Goulart

Share As I mentioned yesterday, buying a property in the U.S. can be exciting, but potentially very complex. Consider the tips I offered yesterday, as well as these: 1. Make sure you have everything settled financially so that there won’t be any unanswered bills when you are away. Set up all your bills to be [...]

CIBC World Markets: Consumer Confidence Increases

Apr 7, in Featured, Market Trends, News, by Nelson Goulart

Share Consumer confidence has increased in Canada vastly compared to last year, however CIBC World Markets Inc.’s new Consumer Capability Index finds that weak consumer fundamentals and an interest rate hike will have Canadians starting to apply a halt on spending. In late 2008, we saw consumer confidence reach a 15 year low, as measured [...]

With the Dollar Reaching Parity, Here’s Five Tips to Buying U.S. Property

Apr 6, in Buyers, Featured, by Nelson Goulart

Share It may sound like just a dream, but for many people it can be a very real possibility: buying a home in the U.S. For instance, nearly 18% of all property sold in Florida is sold to Canadians. 500,000 Canadians travel to the U.S. every year to escape the winter, and it is estimated [...]

Why You Should Avoid a Bidding War

Apr 6, in Home Turf, by Nelson Goulart

Share For awhile there, interest in real estate was so weak that sellers were desperate to get any bids on their property. Now that the market is heating up, there is talk of that phrase that sellers love and buyers hate: bidding wars. Bidding wars happen naturally in tight markets, and many markets, particularly in [...]

A Primer on Home Inspections

Apr 5, in Buyers, Home Inspectors, by Nelson Goulart

Share When you are first going to look at homes to buy, one of the most nerve-wracking parts of choosing the right house is figuring out if the home you are looking at has any hidden flaws. Some places may look like palaces, but is it just plaster and paint? This is why getting a [...]

How the HST Will Affect the Real Estate Market

Apr 2, in Featured, Market Trends, by Nelson Goulart

Share The launch of the HST in Ontario and BC is having an obvious impact on the real estate markets in these provinces: many purchasers are moving up their transactions to ensure they won’t be charged the tax. However, the tax is having other, more subtle effects that will likely affect the sales market in [...]

Gooplex: A New Online Tool for Investment Properties

Apr 1, in Buyers, Home Turf, by Nelson Goulart

Share When you are looking for investment properties, it can be difficult to sift through all of the listings to find exactly what you are looking for. This is particularly true when you are looking for an investment property. Investors don’t necessarily care if their new investment property is attractive and spacious; their primary concern [...]