With Interest rates at an all time low, it is a great time to buy real estate in Toronto. Home owners are upgrading and first time home buyers are taking the plunge. As a Realtor, a common question asked by many of my buyer clients is what route to take; purchase a condo apartment or a freehold home. My answer…well it depends.
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Condo ownership offers buyers a few advantages over a owning a free hold property with affordability being a key factor. First time buyers especially usually cannot afford to purchase a freehold home, so a condo is a great and affordable stepping stone for those looking to enter the real estate market.
Last 5 posts in Buying
- What to Look For When Buying a Home in Bethesda - June 13th, 2009
- Buying a New Construction Condo - Warranty Protection - June 8th, 2009
- Why Getting Pre-Approved Before Looking at Homes is Important - June 8th, 2009
- Buying a House With Monopoly Money - June 8th, 2009
- Did You Know the Government Will Give You Up to $15,000 For a Down Payment on a Home? - June 8th, 2009
As one of the wealthiest and best educated cities in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area, Bethesda is a prime location to buy a home. Indeed, many people who hold jobs in the nation’s capital consider living in this spectacular community to be the absolute epitome of success in the area. Whether you already live in Bethesda and are looking to move somewhere else within the city, or if you are from another area and would like to relocate to this exclusive community, buying a home in Bethesda can be one of the best real estate choices that you will… Continue reading
When buying a new construction condo in Ontario, the Tarion Warranty Corporation provides protection to buyers under the New Home Warranty Program. Membership of this program is mandatory for new construction builders by offering protection to buyers of new construction projects. Such protection includes: deposits, defects in the workmanship and materials and protection issues involving delayed closings and occupancies.
The program covers buyers for a number of items however the most important especially in this market is a deposit guarantee. With news about new construction condo projects not moving forward, it is a reassuring to know that the buyer is covered… Continue reading
Many homebuyers say they are waiting to find the right home before getting pre-approved with a lender, and I let them know that is a bad idea. Everyone should get pre-approved before starting to look for a home, because it helps narrow down their search into homes they can afford, helps their negotiating ability, and helps them find the most home for their money.
A good faith estimate from a lender can make a big difference in negotiating an offer because it helps in writing that offer. If you know how much the closing costs and prepaid items will be, then… Continue reading
The Weekly Homebuyer’s List in the Denver Post catalogs residential real estate sales in Colorado. The Homebuyer’s List for the week of May 24th totaled only 62 sales for all of Douglas County, CO. The low number of sales may not surprise many in the current market, but a closer examination of the problem reveals a strange disparity in housing prices. It may be easier and a little more fun to think of today’s market as a Monopoly game.
** The most expensive property conveyed last week in Douglas County, CO was for $1,050,000. That would be Boardwalk in Monopoly terms… Continue reading