by Stuart Hough

A lot has been made of the Ontario government's decision to combine the province's PST/RST regime with the federal GST, the dreaded HST. As of July 1, 2010 most goods and services will now be HST taxable at 13%. Arguably, no sector will be harder hit by the new HST than the real estate sector. Unfortunately, there appears to be a lot of misinformation with respect to how the HST will affect the purchase and sale of real estate in Ontario and the purpose of this article is to try to dispel any such misinformation.

Read more »

When you decide to renovate or upgrade we always suggest that you get at least three estimates from trusted professionals before you hire someone to complete work on your behalf. However, if you would like a "ball park" estimate of the cost to complete a project, this may be the tool you are looking for...

This tool, provided  by Pillar to Post Home Inspection, provides a list of the estimated costs to upgrade or replace the major systems and components in a typical home. It also provides a general guideline for the life-expectancies of those systems.

Read more »

Did you know that you can find the Real Estate in Kitchener Waterloo blog on Facebook?

Join our Facebook page and receive up to date local real estate information on your Facebook News Feed: Facebook.com/Real.Estate.in.KW

You can view the most recent crime maps here (June 1 to 16, 2010)

Although no community remains completely without crime, the cities and townships of Waterloo Region remain among the safest in Ontario. Waterloo Regional Police Service is committed to working toward a safer community through enforcement and education.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service are providing interactive maps with information on Reported Police Activity in your Neighbourhood.

It looks like we are going to have another great year for the real estate market in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. As you can see from this press release from the Kitchener Waterloo Real Estate Board (KWREB) our local market is doing very well...

Read more »

Although no community remains completely without crime, the cities and townships of Waterloo Region remain among the safest in Ontario. Waterloo Regional Police Service is committed to working toward a safer community through enforcement and education.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service are providing interactive maps with information on Reported Police Activity in your Neighbourhood.

You can view the most recent maps here.

The school boards in the Kitchener Waterloo area have an excellant website for families moving to Waterloo Region. It includes information about the individual schools, the areas served by each school and the transportation services that are available.

Read more »

The Toronto Real Estate Board has a resource on their website for Buyers and Sellers of real estate in Ontario.

In the "Consumer Info" section they have the commonly-used real estate forms available for download with clause-by-clause plain language explanations of the legal terminology used throughout them.

Understanding what you are signing is a very important part of all real estate transactions. You need to note that everyone is encouraged and it is recommended that everyone seek and obtain professional advice to ensure that you have a complete and accurate understanding of any Form and not rely on the explanations contained on this website. However, this webpage may be a good place to start if you are considering the purchase or sale of real estate in Ontario.

View the Consumer Info section on the Toronto Real Estate Board website.

Image via Wikipedia

Recently Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty held our annual Economic Update in the Coldwell Banker theatre at 508 Riverbend Drive. During the two sessions held on February 4  Paul Ferley, the assistant chief economist of RBC Royal Bank, gave the audience his overview of the economic outlook for 2010.

Read more »

If you are considering getting into the Landlord business, you will want to do some research and "due diligence" before you begin. Here are some links to websites for Landlords in Ontario.

Read more »

For most people, buying a home is the most significant investment of their lives. Moreover, in spite of the doubt and confusion clouding both the financial markets and news headlines, there are many genuine real estate opportunities - especially for first-time buyers.

In general, prices are stable and historical data demonstrates that purchasing a home has proven a sound long-term financial investment. However, first-time homebuyers are often understandably anxious when it comes time to making the purchase. We have come up with a simple "do and don't" list to make the process easier for everyone dreaming of homeownership.

Read more »

If you are a first time home buyer (or know someone who wants to be one), let us help you take the process in hand!

Read more »