Blog

4
Jul

What happens when you don’t pay your bills?

What happens when you don’t pay your bills? Aaron Broverman,Yahoo Finance Canada Wed, May 24 7:00 AM EDT   If you ever forgot to pay your credit card bill, or couldn’t pay your hydro bill, do you know what would happen? Sure, your credit rating goes down and collections might be called, but there are many details and nuances that

Read more

29
Jun

markets ‘bashed over the head’ as bank of Canada hints at rate hike

Markets ‘bashed over the head’ as Bank of Canada hints at rate hike Debt-laden Canadians can’t say they haven’t been warned. Bank of Canada officials have been beating the hawkish drum in recent weeks, but not everyone was fully convinced about a rate hike until Governor Stephen Poloz doubled down Wednesday on the tough talk. Surely oil in the mid-40s

Read more

27
Jun

6 depression-era money lessons my grandparents taught me

6 Depression-Era Money Lessons My Grandparents Taught Me Tracie Fobes Wed, Jun 21 My grandparents were only children in the Great Depression, and they learned a lot from their own parents during that difficult time. When they first were married, they had no money at all. They were very, very poor. But they were happy. These two amazing people taught me many

Read more

26
Jun

5 small backyard ideas to make your cramped outdoor space feel like versialles

5 Small Backyard Ideas to Make Your Cramped Outdoor Space Feel Like Versailles These backyard ideas will make your small space look and feel BIGGER. Don’t think of your microscopic yard as a curse. So what if it’s technically a small concrete slab that baaarely accommodates a half-sized Weber grill? Or if your flagstone patio is just big enough for

Read more

19
Jun

why a national real estate crash isn’t in the cards

Why a national real estate crash isn’t in the cards The Bank of Canada says we won’t have a U.S.-style housing crash—but we resemble pre-crisis America in other dangerous ways Jun 12, 2017 Kevin Carmichael   0 Construction workers build homes on a lot in Vaughan, Ontario. (March Blinch/Reuters) Ottawa didn’t handle the near bankruptcy of Home Capital Group Inc.

Read more

30
May

face it, Canada- you’re a real estate addict, and no one wants a cure

Face it, Canada—you’re a real estate addict, and no one wants a cure Canada’s housing mania is a collective lunacy fuelled by debt and irrational hope Ian McGugan The Globe and Mail: Monday, May 29, 2017 Why, Canada! It’s great to see you, old friend. Here, take the comfortable seat by the window. You’re probably wondering why I’m here in your

Read more

26
May

Real estate practice of ‘double-ending’ under scrutiny in Ontario

Real estate practice of ‘double-ending’ under scrutiny in Ontario Marketplace report shone spotlight on practice considered conflict of interest for agents By Tiffany Foxcroft, CBC News: Apr 23, 2017 Trying to buy a home in a red-hot market can make it feel like the deck is already stacked against you. But if a real estate agent is behaving unethically, it could

Read more

16
May

retirees find financial freedom in renting after selling their homes

Retirees find financial freedom in renting after selling their homes A growing number of homeowners are unlocking the equity in their houses, by selling and moving into a rental. By Tess KalinowskiReal Estate Reporter Tues., Feb. 21, 2017 William Jack woke up in the middle of the night last month as he often does. This time, though, he rolled over

Read more

12
May

home inspection act finally passed: Property Law

Home Inspection Act finally passed: Property Law Until the new legislation was passed last month, anyone with a flashlight and a business card could call himself or herself a home inspector. By Bob AaronProperty law Sat., May 6, 2017 The Ontario government last month finally passed legislation to regulate the home inspection industry and establish qualifications for home inspectors. The

Read more

9
May

Leaving the family cottage to children will cost you – or them

Leaving the family cottage to children will cost you – or them The gesture couldn’t be more generous and loving. Imagine a fairly wealthy elderly couple with a beautiful vacation home on the south shore of Nova Scotia (or in Muskoka, or Whistler, if you prefer). The couple and their children remember decades of summers on the beach. The couple

Read more