Blog

There are a number of energy-saving methods and behaviours that can easily be implemented within your home environment. The benefits of these are twofold: they will save you money on utilities and will help to protect the environment. Whatever drives your decision to start reducing...

Your relationship with your partner will experience many exciting milestones: your first kiss, moving in together, getting engaged, having children… But one of the most important steps in your relationship will be buying a home together and getting your first mortgage. A home will likely...

If this is your first time getting a loan or mortgage, the process can seem overwhelming. To make it simpler, we've broken the process down into five easy-and important-steps:   Determine a borrowing budget You'll want to be realistic about what amount you can borrow based on your...

Whether you have just moved into your first home and need to put together a kit of cleaning supplies, or your existing tools need an update, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the most important and essential cleaning tools to keep your home tip...

Are you downsizing to a smaller home this year? Perhaps your children have flown the nest, or maybe you’re finding it difficult to maintain such a large home -- either physically or financially. Whatever the reason, there are a few things you should take into...

Are you a newcomer to Ottawa? Welcome! We love this city, and are pretty certain you will love it too. Whether you enjoy adventuring outdoors or prefer to stay within city limits, Ottawa has something fun to offer everyone. If you haven’t visited our fair...

Is the interest rate a major factor in any mortgage-making decision?  Absolutely. Is the interest rate the only thing that matters when choosing a mortgage? I don’t believe so.   The (un)importance of rates Just as the ‘price’ of your next major purchase – say a car – is...

After a long cold winter, we are finally slowly emerging into the sunshine like butterflies from a chrysalis. The past few days of warm weather and sunshine may have you looking out into your backyard with a critical eye. How did your deck manage through...

This month we're continuing our exciting new online series in order to help you get to know our team of brokers! By hearing stories from our brokers in their own words, we hope to give you an insight into the real people behind our dedicated...

    You can easily find gorgeous home décor and useful storage solutions (i.e., storage bins), but it’s harder to find a combination of the two. Areas where home organization solutions are needed are often areas that will also be on full display to guests so, ideally,...

  Spring is upon us, and with the fresh spring air (and hint of warmer weather) typically comes the cleaning bug. Is your goal to clean smarter this year? Throw open those windows, turn on your fans and use these brilliant tips to tackle spring cleaning...

  Over years of owning a home and making mortgage payments, you’ve built a nicely-sized nest egg of home equity. However, that portion of your net worth is essentially untouchable until you choose to move or sell your home. A reverse mortgage allows you to borrow...

  Do you know the difference between fixed-rate mortgages or variable (sometimes called adjustable-rate) mortgages? Each mortgage type is affected by different market conditions and each offers its own advantages or disadvantages.  One of the most important steps in financing your home is choosing which type...

  Finding and purchasing your first home can be both thrilling and frightening all at once—thrilling because you’re taking a major step toward independence, and frightening because of the added responsibility that step means.   Buying a home is easily one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll...

Did you know you can easily finance purchases related to home ownership (i.e., renovations or home repairs) by using your home as a borrowing tool?   A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a loan secured against the equity of your home. Because you’re using...

Now that December is finally here, we’re eagerly looking forward to the holiday season and to celebrating with friends and family. However, before we know it, snow will blanket the ground and we’ll be undercover for the next few months. Whether you’re a fan of...

Canadian Mortgage Rules Will Impact Residents In Many Ways in 2018 Canadians will have to go through some tough rules to get a mortgage with a properly regulated lender starting in 2018. In particular, Canadian home buyers will have to show that they can pay off...

If you are buying your first home, congratulations! This is an exciting milestone in your life, but it can also be a stressful one. Buying a home will likely be the most expensive purchase you will ever make and securing financing to make the transaction...

Contrary to all those myths you come across online, saving money requires tremendous amounts of self-control and sacrifice. There might take a couple of easy fixes that can save you a couple of hundred dollars, but there’s no easy shortcut to save thousands of dollars....

Protecting your home today means that you need to have an efficient home insurance coverage in place and a dependable house maintenance routine. The insurance will cover the short-term unanticipated repairs like roof leaks, while the maintenance routine will prevent long-term surprises. If a roof is...

Six renovations that don’t add value to your home In today’s real estate market, homeowners of all sorts are trying different kinds of home improvement projects to raise the value of their property, or simply increase its curb appeal. Regardless of one’s reasons, it is important...

Decluttering, simplifying, clutter-cleaning, living simpler – whatever you want to call it – seems to be all the rage in our modern age. The reason for this is simple – decluttering comes with several huge benefits for you and your family. The whole problem with clutter...