OUTSIDE: Trim all shrubs. Pull all weeds. Flowers planted. Leaves raked. Water lawn to keep green. Pick up and discard or store all implements, materials and debris that are not part of the lawn decor. All windows washed. Garage should be swept, neat and tidy. During the winter, all walks and drives should be shoveled [...]
Those of you who know me, know that athletics and fitness has always been a big part of my life. I was at the gym this morning with my wife and we were both observing one of the personal trainers with their client. Watching him train his client with obvious poor technique, made me think [...]
As you may or may not know, you have one chance to appeal your BC Property Assessment. The deadline was midnight January 31, 2011 There are two opinions to the new higher assessments. One side doesn’t mind the higher prices, because they feel it means their home is worth more. Then there’s the side that [...]
Plug The Holes & Put Your Drill Away Your money picture is like a tub full of water – if it’s full of holes, you better plug’em before you increase the flow of water. From a financial perspective, the ‘holes’ are wasteful spending habits and expensive financial commitments. It’s not living on a shoestring – [...]
Today, the Government announced three changes to the standards governing government-backed insured mortgages. aka – High Ratio Mortgages (Less than 20% down) 1) MAXIMUM AMORTIZATION PERIOD TO 30 YEARS The Amortization is the time it takes to pay off your entire mortgage. Not to be confused with the term of your mortgage. Typical mortgages in [...]
Suggesting a higher listing price may be exactly what the seller wants to hear. In fact, it may even establish rapport with the seller. Is it wrong to establish rapport, knowing full well the price is too high? I read a book a couple of years ago on Psychology. Based on the story below, as [...]
You’ve been paying off your mortgage religiously for the past 5 years. Now it’s time for your mortgage to be renewed, good luck getting the best rate! When the time to renew your mortgage comes, you should keep in mind that there are better rates out there. Contact me and I will share the secret [...]
The amortization of a mortgage is divided up into smaller time periods called “terms”. Mortgage terms usually range from six months to five years, but some institutions will offer seven- or 10-year terms. The term is the period of time during which, with fixed-rate mortgages, the interest rate and payment amount are fixed. With variable-rate [...]
Bank of Canada says household debt and European crisis present the biggest risks to country’s financial stability. Risks to Canada’s financial stability have gone up over the past six months because of the possibility that the European debt crisis and “severe tensions” in global markets could threaten the worldwide recovery, the Bank of Canada said [...]
If you buy a condo, purchase in a good location in the building – such as a corner lot – and buy one with a balcony. Make sure you get a good mortgage broker and get your pre-approval in writing. VANCOUVER – by Ozzie Jurock – Here in Lotusland, more is rising out of the [...]
