April is upon us and that brings thought of flowers, rain showers and warmer days ahead...unless you're in the real estate industry or need to buy a home...in that case, spring brings thoughts of For Sale signs, Open Houses, #relocation letters and, in the case of military families all over Canada who are receiving posting letters, #HHT's. Whether you plan to buy down the road from your current home, or across the country, where do you start? Ask any realtor in the country a

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the budget announcements from last week but let's delve a little deeper into the First Time Home Buyer (FTHB) programs that were announced/changed and their affect on #mortgages. (Link to the announced budget at end of this post) The First Time Home Buyers program for RRSP withdrawals has been increased from $25,000 to $35,000.  This means new home buyers can access $35,000 of their RRSP contributions with no tax implications and pay i

#HappyNewYear! As we begin 2019 many Canadians are wondering if they will achieve the dream of homeownership this year.  Will they meet qualifications?  Will they be able to save enough down payment?  Will they get good rates, or did they miss out on the rock bottom pricing of the last 18 months? There’s never a concrete answer when it comes to rate; the economy, both national and international, is such a volatile creature but there are some things to be aware of that help to

What's happening in the #Alberta real estate market? Prices are dropping and inventory is growing. This makes for a buyers market. Year over year statistics show that prices are sliding down in Edmonton and Calgary due to increased supply. New listings are down over last year but there are still a lot of homes for sale. The sluggish #energy sector is definitely a factor here, as are the new mortgage regulations that went in to place almost a year ago. Remember back in Jan

Https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/realtors-home-cultivation-cannabis-1.4642118 I’d lean towards believing that most people will just buy what they want to use but it’s still important to note that your property value and your ability to resell can/will suffer if you plan to grow your own. The article has an expert saying basically “lots of people already grow it and it hasn’t been a problem.” It may not get media coverage when Jane Potgrower’s sale falls through because the bu

You've done a #preapproval with your bank/mortgage agent. You're in good standing. You make an offer on home. Not just any home...YOUR #dreamhome. It's perfect. It's everything you dreamed of. You are already moved in and raising your family, or sending your oldest away to college from the end of the driveway...in your daydreams anyways. You start the process for a final approval on your #mortgage. Your bank/mortgage agent sends off for approval. Approval back! Celeb