Have you heard about the new Incentive Program for First-Time Home Buyers? Effective Sept 2, 2019, first-time home buyers can apply for a 5-10% shared equity mortgage with the government on their purchase of a new construction home, resale home or new or resale mobile home.  Here's how it works: First-Time Home Buyers, who have the minimum down payment for an insured mortgage, apply to finance a portion of their home purchase through a form of shared equity mortgage with the... [read more]

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I wrote this post last year during 2018's early February thaw. Here we are, once again, set to experience a big melt as temperatures finally begin to rise throughout the rest of this week. There are some precautions you can take now to prevent any water damage to your home - specifically your basement.    Storm Drains Keep them clear of snow, ice, and debris to prevent flooding from happening if there is a rise in the temperature. This is particularly important... [read more]

Hi again and welcome back! Here’s your chart on Durham’s Detached Home market for the day: Days On Market. “Huh? What does that mean?” you might ask. Well, Days on Market indicates how long a home has been listed on the Toronto Real Estate Board’s MLS service. It’s a funny data-point because it doesn’t take into consideration how many times a listing has been terminated previously and how long it was previously listed for (something a good... [read more]

What’s happening in the real estate market can be confusing. You may hear snippets of what’s going on in the news but it’s mostly about Toronto specifically and compiles so many broad and general numbers and data points it doesn’t necessarily make sense to you and your situation as a resident of the Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Oshawa, Bowmanville, etc). Over the next few days I’m going to share a few simple charts on the Durham detached home market... [read more]

With 2018 now behind us, here's year-end Real Estate Insight Report for the Durham Region. Data for Durham is different than Toronto or the GTA as a whole - so read below to get a handle on what's happening in the East. And if you want to know about a specific area, or thinking about a move, reach out to me for the facts and numbers! [read more]

Here's September's Real Estate Insight Report for the Durham Region. Data for Durham is different than Toronto or the GTA as a whole - so read below to get a handle on what's happening in the East. And if you want to know about a specific area, or thinking about a move, reach out to me for the facts and numbers! [read more]

On June 15th, I participated in the Women In Power Build 2018 in Oshawa, Ontario with Habitat for Humanity. Thank you so much to everyone who donated and supported this great cause. Together we raised $350! Here are a few photos from the day: Me, Courtney and Susana excited to start the day Mixing concrete for the fence posts. Bracing the fence posts with Andrea, Courtney and Susana. Bracing a fence post. Our crew lead by Jason. [read more]

With the long weekend upon us, are you planning a garage sale? If so, you need to read these Garage Sale Tips before you start planning. And, if you missed it, check out Part 1 on the blog.  Here is Part 2 - Garage Sale Tips.  Get Ready. Give yourself at least an hour before the garage sale starts to set everything out and put up signs. Make sure you have your change in a safe place, and find a comfortable, shaded area to sit. Pro Tip: If your garage sale is hard to... [read more]

If you’re planning on putting your home on the market, you probably know the basics of what buyers want to see. Clean and uncluttered rooms. Comfortable living room. Functional and spacious kitchen. Bright, modern bathrooms. However, there are some things that today’s buyers are looking for that you might not have considered. Here’s the... [read more]

If you’re planning on finding your next dream home, then you’re probably going to view several homes on the market that meet your criteria.  You will want to make the right purchasing decision for you and your family. So, it’s wise to be savvy when viewing properties for sale. Here are some ideas on how to do that: Bring a... [read more]

Have you ever driven by a For Sale sign and wondered, “That house has been on the market for a long time, I wonder why it isn’t selling”? You might have asked that question because you were worried the same thing would happen when you put your own house on the market!   Often a home doesn’t sell for one of three reasons:   1. The price is too high. Sometimes a homeowner will set the listing price exceptionally high in the hopes of getting lucky.... [read more]

It’s time to purge, declutter, and lighten your surroundings as we welcome spring and summer - or prepare for a move. A garage sale is a great way to part with items you are no longer using, earn a bit of cash and reduce the amount of stuff you need to pack before a move. There’s a lot to cover here, so, I’m breaking the blog up in parts.   Here’s Part 1 - Garage Sale Tips to get you started:   Planning Your Sale: Pick a date and start early... [read more]

Raise your hand if you lost some shingles in last week’s wild wind storm?   In my little town, on a quick drive to school and back, I counted at least 10 homes with torn-off shingles and bare-patches of plywood where a roof should be the day after the wind storm. Even our neighbour’s new roof (replaced last year) was affected. And, it was the hottest topic on the local mom Facebook group too.   So let’s talk roofs… I know, it’s not the most... [read more]

Get ready to “spring” your clocks forward and lose an hour of sleep this weekend. Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 11 at 2 a.m. Thankfully, most phones and smart devices automatically adjust to time changes. But if you have a manual alarm clock, don’t forget to move the time ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday, or you could oversleep and be late the next day. While we lose an hour of sleep, there’s still good news: The start of daylight... [read more]

I was going to save this post for April but seeing that we are in the midst of an early thaw and experiencing plenty of rain in the GTA these tips should come in handy right now.   Storm Drains Keep them clear of snow, ice, and debris to prevent flooding from happening if there is a rise in the temperature. This is particularly important during a thaw or come spring when one of the main causes of localized flooding is a blocked storm drain.   Melting Snow and... [read more]

I struggled writing this blog; the final in my series on setting and achieving goals. I wrote it a couple of weeks ago, had full intentions to post it, but something wasn’t right; it wasn’t coming together as it should. Since the new year, a few obstacles popped up, blocking my course, causing me to reevaluate my direction on a few of my goals. I felt like I hit a wall. Ironically, that’s what this blog is about - overcoming obstacles and “the wall” that prevents... [read more]

  Last week, I wrote about “Starting Now.” And, that’s my motto for this year “Start Now.”  So, I’m curious, what resolutions did you set and start for 2018? Is there one big goal you want to accomplish? Have you broken down how are you going to get there? Who’s keeping you accountable to your goals? For me, I’ve started on learning and development this January. I’ll give you a behind the scenes update of what I’ve... [read more]

It’s January 8th and I want to wish you a Happy New Year!   While the world was enjoying New Year’s Eve, nursing hangovers, and hibernating through the extreme cold in Ontario last week, we were recovering from the worst virus/flu/bronchitis that’s touched our family yet. Having been out of commission for two weeks, I’m hitting the refresh button on 2018 starting now. And that’s essentially my motto for 2018. START NOW - a new beginning can, and will,... [read more]