Top 5 must-have garden tools for next season
When I visit someone’s garden I love to get a peek into their tool shed. The selection of tools that they use in the garden tells me a lot about their gardening process. I have my very favourite tools and I have a couple of tips to help you get the
2018’s top trends in the home renovation industry
National trends suggest that nearly half of Canadian homeowners will choose to renovate their properties this year (with 48% of homeowners polled by CIBC last May planning to renovate in 2017). If, like much of the country, a home renovation
Would Ireland’s first-time buyer program work in Ontario?
We just caught wind of an unprecedented first-time homebuyer program – unfortunately, it’s not offered in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) or even Canada for that matter. You’ll have to become a citizen of Ireland to take advantage of
Eco-friendly home upgrades to make in 2018
Keeping up with the latest home upgrades and design trends can be difficult because homeowners’ preferences seem to change at lightning speeds. However, eco-friendly living is one trend that has only gotten stronger over the last few
The B-20 impact: How will new mortgage rules affect 2018 real estate?
A new year usually means bringing out the bubbly – but homebuyers are less inclined to cheers the beginning of 2018, as January 1st ushered in regulations that make it tougher to get a mortgage. Guideline B-20 is the latest crop of
Quick ways to protect your home from extreme cold
There is a special weather alert for the City of Toronto. The cold snap is expected to last from today through Saturday. Even after the weekend, the temperatures will remain in the negatives over the next couple weeks. It will be
7 resolutions that will make buying a home easier
Unless you’ve been living under the proverbial rock, you know prospective homebuyers are facing some new challenges if they’re on a quest to buy in 2018. Mortgage stress testing means the government is trying to keep you from getting
How to keep your home safe while away on holiday
You’re almost through your advent calendar, unless you skipped ahead and ate all the chocolate. Instead of counting down to Christmas, some of you may be counting down to the day you go away on holiday! During the days leading up to your
Green Ontario Fund helps you save money and fight climate change at home
The province of Ontario just announced the Green Ontario Fund, a new program to help you save money and fight climate change at home with rebates for energy-efficient renovations and upgrades. Buildings in Ontario generate nearly 25% of
Things you need to secure a mortgage
Starting January 1, 2018, all uninsured mortgages will have to undergo a stress test, meaning you need to be approved at 2% higher than your agreed upon rate. This news has many people scrambling to secure a mortgage before the end of the year,
