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selling real estate: Average Family Debt Rises To $96,000 in 2009 - 02/18/10 05:47 PM
A Canadian study on family finances says the average household debt has climbed to $96,000 in 2009.
The number of mortgage payments that were at least 90 days late was up 50 per cent compared with 2008. There was also a 40 per cent increase in the number of credit card holders who were at least three months behind in their payments.
The finance minister has announced changes to the home buying process in an attempt to bring this personal debt down. With low interest rates, people have been over extending themselves to get into the housing market. This has left … (4 comments)
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selling real estate: 2009: A Record Year for Real Estate - 01/22/10 02:05 PM
Last year ended stronger than expected for Canadian real estate and shed some hope for the industry and the Canadian economy as a whole. Many in the real estate industry predicted that 2009 would continue to post a decline in both units sold and average prices. MLS sales for 2009, however, were reported at approximately 465,000 which represents a 7% increase over 2008 and the average housing price was listed at $315,000 representing a 4% increase. This may seem small, but it is not insignificant. Coming out of this global economic downturn, Canada has posted the highest average housing prices of … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Canadian Real Estate Continues to Recover - 01/22/10 02:01 PM
Exceptionally low interest rates, government incentives (rebates, tax breaks and RRSP contributions), the looming HST and a renewed consumer confidence puts Canada as the world leader when it comes to the recovery of the global real estate market.
In a recent report on Global Real Estate Trends written by Adrienne Warren of Scotiabank, Canada is leading the way in the global real estate recovery with positive growth in housing starts, housing sales and average prices. Prices in Canada remain strong due to the increased demand for housing, coupled with low levels of housing inventory. First time buyers are out in full … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: 10 best home upgrades for resale - 10/15/09 05:34 PM
When people decide to sell their home, often they are uncertain if they should update their home. If so, what upgrades would bring the greatest return and most importantly, how much money should be spent on those upgrades. Upgrading before you sell can get out of hand, so set a budget and stick to it or you won’t be able to get that money back on the sale of the home. Consider giving your home any of these 10 upgrades when looking to sell.
If you're preparing your home for sale, there are certain improvements that are definitely worth their cost … (7 comments)
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selling real estate: October Real Estate Sales Stats - 10/15/09 02:40 PM
Real estate statistics for October remain strong and show we are blasting out of the recession. Toronto, Oakville, Milton, Burlington and Hamilton markets are all showing significant increases in both units sold and average prices. Also, houses are staying on the market for shorter periods of time and sellers are getting close to their asking prices. Looking at the rate of which houses are selling, it is clear the market has now balanced and whether you are a seller or a buyer, now is a great time to get into real estate.
Toronto Real Estate Board - Units sold are … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Home Inspection Series - Part 8: Questions to ask prospective inspectors - 10/08/09 03:42 PM
Now that you have bought a home and are in need of an inspection, how do you decide on who you are going to hire? Here is a list of questions that should be asked before you decide on your home inspector. You want to do everything you can to ensure you hire the best person for the job. A person that you are confident will be able to identify all of the deficiencies in the home so you have a clear picture of the condition of your home.
How long have you been conducting home inspections?
Someone may tell … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: Home Inspection Series - Part 7: Home inspections gone wrong - 10/07/09 10:25 AM
Home buyers hire home inspectors to help discover deficiencies in the home they are hoping to purchase. This inspection should reveal all major issues in the home so the buyer understands the condition of the home before they purchase it. Problems arise when buyers choose to go with the cheapest inspector they can find, don’t interview inspectors before they are hired or don’t investigate the experience of the inspector they are planning to use. As home inspectors come from various backgrounds and there isn’t any standardization in the industry, without a proper background check, you never can be sure that … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Home Inspection Series - Part 6: Problems to ask your inspector about - 10/05/09 08:42 AM
When you see the following problems listed as a concern in your inspection report, be sure to ask more questions to find out how serious the problem is and how much it will cost you to remedy. If the inspector writes “N/A”, “can’t be determined” or worse, left blank beside any of the following problems, be sure to bring a specialist in so you have a clear understanding of the extent of the issue.
Electrical problems: Almost every home has an electrical problem, some a missing ground or reverse polarity to under sized breakers and panels. Homes built before 1955 may … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: September Real Estate Sales Stats - 09/30/09 10:29 PM
Real estate statistics for September prove we continue heading in a positive direction. All numbers from Toronto to Hamilton are up in both units sold and average sale prices.
Toronto Real Estate Board - Units sold are up 27% and average prices are up 6%.
Hamilton/Burlington Board - Units sold are up 16% and average prices up 2.7%
Oakville/Milton Board - Units sold are up 21% and average prices are up 3%
Burlington Market - Units sold are up 13% and average prices are up 5%
Oakville Market - Units sold are up 35% and average prices are up 14%
… (2 comments)
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selling real estate: Let's Murder Your Mortgage - 09/29/09 08:40 AM
Have you ever thought about paying off your mortgage quicker? Have you ever had some money you wanted to invest, but just didn’t know where to put your money? Bumping up your mortgage payment can save you a fortune over the years ahead. Consider our happy newlyweds Dick and Jane. They live in Burlington, Ontario in a three-bedroom, two-storey home. They owe $200,000 on their mortgage at 6.5 per cent. Right now, they are making monthly payments of $1,340 and are on track to pay off their house in 25 years. Based on their current schedule, they will wind up paying … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Real estate recession over in Canada as prices recover - 09/29/09 07:59 AM
House hunters still waiting for prices to drop further before buying may have sat on the sidelines too long, according to a new report. A study released Thursday shows home values in some major markets across Canada have recovered to levels where they were before the recent market drop. Economists agree and say the power has shifted to a seller's market in recent months, after the buyer's were in control for more than a year.
Low interest rates, pent-up demand, and improved affordability as a result of record low interest rates are behind the recovery. This has resulted … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: www.century21.ca now Canada's leading real estate website - 09/28/09 10:21 PM
With over 95% of people beginning their real estate search online, shouldn’t the brokerage you choose to sell your home give you maximum internet exposure?
Numbers were recently released at the CENTURY 21 Canada conference in Vancouver that revealed www.century21.ca is now the leading real estate brand web site in Canada, oustripping both the REMAX and Royal Lepage brand web sites, based on number of unique visitors. The CENTURY 21 Canada web site is now second only to the Canadian Real Estate Association's www.realtor.ca site. CENTURY 21 Canada CEO Don Lawby praised the members of the CENTURY 21 Canada system for … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: SOLD! - 06/19/09 01:48 PM
Just put up the SOLD stickers on this great property in Burlington, Ontario. If you are thinking about getting some SOLD stickers put up on your property, all you have to do is give me a call!
LIST WITH ME AND GET HOME STAGING FOR FREE!!!
As part of my full service listing package to my clients, I offer free home staging as a bonus for anyone who decides to use my real estate services to list their house.
Other benefits include:
* Maximum front page exposure on www.seankavanagh.ca and www.seansells.ca websites
* Regular blog posts promoting the property
… (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Home Buyers Now Going Online First - 06/18/09 12:13 PM
Home buyers are now twice as likely to use online sources than print sources to find information about open houses they are interested in.
A study found that 62% of home buyers use or plan to use online sites to find open houses, compared with 53% who use/plan to use information from real estate agents, 36% who use/plan to use neighborhood signs and less than one-third (31%), who use/plan to use print sources, including newspapers and local flyers.
The study also found that though many home buyers rely upon a range of different sources to gather information about open houses, 41% … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: Interest Rate Watch – May 15, 2009 - 05/15/09 08:34 AM
Term Rate
6 Months 4.25%
1 Year 2.90%
2 Years 2.85%
3 Years 3.05%
4 Years 3.59%
5 Years 3.59%
7 Years 4.95%
10 Years 5.05%
Prime 2.25%
Variable 2.85%
Let me help save you money! Send me your email address or give me a call and I’ll send you periodical interest rate updates, along with any other market information you may be interested in.
Buyers and sellers can find everything they need to make the most informed choices … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Oakville Real Estate Market Report - April 2009 - 05/14/09 01:49 PM
Oakville, Ontario: If you were ever looking for the right time to buy in Oakville, don’t wait any longer as now is the time. With record low interest rates, large inventory of houses on the market and stabalizing prices, you might not want to miss out on the great opportunities to buy your Oakville dream property.
Average housing prices in Oakville are gradually catching up to the prices of last year at this time. April 2008 showed an average price of $509,291 where as houses in April 2009 have sold for an average of $506,672 representing only a 1% decrease … (0 comments)
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selling real estate: Tips for maintaining a beautiful lawn - 05/14/09 09:57 AM
Have you been fighting the battle of the weeds, brown patches, or sprawling clover? Well, we will look at some lawn care strategies that will help revive your grass into a full, lush, green, weed-free lawn! When real estate professionals talk about curb appeal, it starts with the lawn. Now that spring is upon us and more people are heading out into the yard to tackle the issues left over from a long winter, I have decided to help you out with some tips to regain the health of your lawn.
1) Never cut the grass too short! Leaving the … (5 comments)
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selling real estate: How to stage your home like a pro - 05/07/09 11:11 AM
1. Clean house Make sure your house is clean! Get rid of odours - a huge turnoff for prospective buyers - by opening windows, washing floors and walls and cleaning your rugs and upholstery. Next, de-clutter your space. A jam-packed house not only makes the house look cluttered, it makes the house look smaller. When you are selling, the objective is to make your home look bigger! A lot of sellers these days are actually taking out a third of their furniture to show off more of the space. Place your items in storage, call a local consignment shop or charity … (4 comments)
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selling real estate: Get the Government to pay you...for a change! - 03/27/09 09:29 AM
It is almost Spring time and everyone is itching to get a kick start on their home renovations, but given the current economic situation some of us are hesitant to open up our wallets to dish out those big chunks of change!
The Government is now offering a 15% rebate on all home renovations between January 27, 2009 and February 1st, 2010. While the Government foots the bill for a portion of the renovations, homeowners are certainly more inclined to begin renovations right away.
Always keep in mind that renovations are not just about aesthetics, it is also important to remember … (1 comments)
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selling real estate: BEEN WAITING FOR OAKVILLE TO BECOME AFFORDABLE? YOUR OPPORTUNITY IS NOW!!! - 11/28/08 01:50 PM
A high demand ground floor 2 level suite in desirable Oakville locale. A perfect home for first time buyers. Freshly updated in contemporary design and décor. Walkout to patio and gorgeous treed area from open concept dining/living room. Oversized master bedroom with walkout porch and 2 walk in closets. Neighbourhood stocked full of amenities! Close to QEW, schools, Sheridan College, Go transportation, parks, shopping and restaurants. UTILITIES INCLUDED in one small payment!!!!!!!!! Heat + Water + Hydro + Building Insurance + Parking + Common Elements + Cable T.V. ALL OF YOUR MONTHLY BILLS PAID IN ONE CHEQUE!
… (0 comments)
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Sean Kavanagh
Burlington,
ON
More about me…
Century 21 Miller
Office Phone: (905) 845-9180
Cell Phone: (905) 220-9198
Email Me
Building lasting relationships and exceeding expectations
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