Have the kids all left home now and you are living in a house that is too big and requires too much work for you to maintain? Downsizing can be a tough thing to accept for people who have lived in their house for 40 years and now must sell because they are no longer able to look after it. You need help with the yardwork and It is too much to keep clean. Paying somebody to cut the lawn, rak...Read More

You and your real estate agent have finalized the agreement to purchase your new home and now comes the task of packing up and preparing for moving day. Here are a few short and to the point items to consider if you decide to go the route of hiring a professional moving company.   1. Ask what happens if something gets broken? Then wait and listen for their response. If you are given a wishy...Read More

  There are lots of lists out there about what to do when you are selling your home. Here is my list of what NOT to do when you have your home for sale.   Let dogs run loose.  Not everyone is a dog lover Keep a vacant house cold. People will exit a cold house quickly Be home during a showing. People will feel uncomfortable when the owners are home. Talk to the buyers if you h...Read More

1. Get pre-approved. You have heard this before and you will hear it again. Get to a bank before you start looking at houses. The bank is going to look at income, credit rating, down payment and work history.  Who knows you might even be pleasantly surprised if the bank approves you for more than you thought.   2. Do not base what you can afford for a mortgage payment on what you are c...Read More

When you are looking for a house you may be tempted to exclude condominiums from your search because you don’t like the thought of monthly condo fees. Buyers see it as just an extra expense that does not have a value.   Now I’m not going to tell you either way whether you should consider a condominium, that is totally up to you. But I want to give you some things to think about ...Read More

The other day I picked up a booklet from the Barrie Public Library titled Discovering the Waterfront by Heritage Barrie. It tells the history of Kempenfelt Bay and some of the past businesses such as Delany Boat Lines and Carley Boatworks, as well as newer additions to the waterfront such as Centennial Beach, the Spirit Catcher and Southshore Centre.  My video gives a brief outline ...Read More

It is true that a sparkling kitchen will help to sell a home faster and for more money.  A question that comes up occasionally with people thinking of selling their home is Should I renovate the kitchen before I sell my house? I cannot give you a definitive Yes or No answer but I can give you some things to think about regarding your own personal situation.   If you live in an older ho...Read More

  Everybody knows that when you buy a house and become a homeowner you have to pay property taxes. What most people do not realize is how seriously the mortgage lenders take your taxes. They want to be sure that your taxes are paid and kept up to date in case they have to take your house back in a power of sale situation. You don’t pay the mortgage- the bank takes your house. Pretty si...Read More

You have seen the ads on TV of a certain distinguished looking gentleman endorsing a product called a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage is a financial product which allows homeowners  over 55 access to equity in their homes in order for them to continue to live there. With a reverse mortgage you do not make monthly mortgage payments but rather the interest accumulates and must be repaid wh...Read More