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Associations Push to Put Housing Back on Canadian Government's Radar
With the federal election behind us, housing industry groups are now pushing the government to address issues that didn't get any attention during the campaign. The Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) says it is pleased with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's election promise to provide a tax credit of up to $5,000 for first-time home buyers, but it wants the government to look at the
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long-overdue issue of indexing the GST rebate thresholds.
When the Goods and Services Tax was introduced in 1991, buyers of new homes priced at less than $450,000 got a break, as a way to improve housing affordability. Although the Statistics
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Interior Designers Add
Quality to Build Value
During the real estate boom, staging and cosmetic touch-ups were often all it took to launch buyers on a desperate race to make an offer before they ended up in a price-escalating, multiple-offer showdown. Now that calmer conditions exist for buyers, superficial or fashion-based make-overs may not be enough to trigger an offer. They may even turn buyers off a property.
Sellers, who may be anything but calm, must squeeze out every drop of buyer-oriented value in their house or condominium if they want to generate an offer.
When buyers have time to view a property more than once and to compare it with other listings in the area and in a price range that meets their "want & need" list, quality becomes one of the deciding factors.
Experienced real estate brokers and salespeople may understand what a listed a property needs to boost buyer
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Canadians Will Pay for Green Homes -- If Investment Pays
A recent report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. concludes that "comfort and esthetic benefits far outweigh energy concerns" for homeowners, and that "very few homeowners assess the economic benefits of their investments by monitoring energy bills or calculating payback time." However, two new surveys by major banks indicate that more Canadians may be coming around to the idea of paying for energy efficiency.
A survey by RBC says that 60 per cent of Canadians will include "green" options when renovating their homes, and of those, 30 per cent say that improved energy efficiency is among the main reasons for their renovations.
However, the motivation is more financial than altruistic. Only eight per cent of those surveyed would do environmentally friendly renovations if there wasn't a promise that the work would save money in energy bills.
Still, another survey commissioned by TD Canada Trust shows that two-thirds of Canadians are willing to pay more for a home that has "greener" features. That's down slightly from a similar survey conducted last year, but a good number considering the slowing economy.
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Improving Indoor
Air Quality At Home
Over the past few years energy efficiency within homes has been greatly improved upon. The modern approach to home design goes another step further by also greatly improving indoor air quality. By following a few simple tips and guidelines, you can work to better your family's repertory health. Here's a room-by-room checklist for homeowners looking to achieve optimal health at home.
Let's start on the lower level. Basements are prone to water leakage. Once the walls or floors have become moistened, mold can begin to grow in the drywall or carpet making you or your family sick. According to Dan Vandervort
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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