Monthly Archives: January 2011

Your credit rating and getting a mortgage

You can buy a house with no money down

January 07, 2011

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/917296–you-can-buy-a-house-with-no-money-down?bn=1

Mark Weisleder

{{GA_Asset.Images.Alttext$}}When funds are limited, try and get pre-approval of your mortgage. Use that figure as the ceiling price for houses you’ll consider when shopping around.

If you have a good job and want to buy a first home, but don’t have a down payment, can it be done? The answer is maybe and depends on how you answer these questions. Continue reading

2010 was good to homeowners with more to come

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After three decades in the business, Toronto real estate broker Paul Swartz is still trying to figure out the market.

“I really don’t know what to tell clients. It’s just been about impossible to predict. We all know the ride is going to end, but nobody knows when.”

Swartz figured, like many analysts did, that 2010 would be slower because of a recovering economy. But despite the predictions of economic gloom, the Toronto existing home market rang out 2010 with the third best year for sales on record. Continue reading

Ontario’s rent hike lowest in 35 years

By ANTONELLA ARTUSO, Queen’s Park Bureau Chief

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/01/02/16734661.html#/news/canada/2011/01/02/pf-16734661.html

Last Updated: January 2, 2011 5:20pm Ontario rents will be allowed to edge up by only 0.7% in 2011.

It is the lowest increase in the 35-year history of the province’s rent guideline — the maximum annual rent increase allowable without seeking special approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board for a heftier hike.

“The McGuinty government is providing real protection for tenants by linking the rent increase guideline to the Ontario Consumer Price Index which prevents routine rent increases above the rate of inflation while ensuring landlords can recover increases in their costs,” said Liberal cabinet minister Jim Bradley. Continue reading