"Buying a home"

Buying a home / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Real estate

Downsizing your home: buying tips for seniors

...astes, or has its appearance changed little over the decades? A little effort makes a big difference in how long your home sits on the market. Homes with lapsed maintenance and outdated features sell more slowly and for less than modern, updated homes. A quick sale is important when you're buying and selling at the sa...

Real estate

Evaluating a home before purchase: how to recognize value and potential problems

...at's a cost you should factor into an offer price. Bathroom water damage: Does it have wood around wet areas? Are there signs of water damage anywhere? Are the faucets leaking (and how easy are they to fix?) Are toilets and faucets modern low-flow models? If appliances come with it, take out your phone again and take a...

Real estate

Shopping for a home? Some tips for finding the right house and neighbourhood

...and water management Interior air quality Interior durability - water resistant surfaces in wet areas Interior design and functionality of space Soundproofing from the exterior and in division walls Good quality windows Quality mechanical systems Just because a home you like doesn't score an A+ on all the above criter...

Real estate

...are fairly self-explanatory, other topics will be explored at greater depth in other articles. And just because a home you like doesn't score an A+ on all the above criteria doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it. Just be sure you know what you are buying, and that you have the funds to pay for any improvements, certainly a...

Real estate

Are you selling a house? Here are the top 10 things homebuyers look for

A market study by AVID Ratings Canada for the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) surveyed 12,000 homebuyers across Canada to see what Canadians are looking for when they go house shopping. We were pleased but not at all surprised by the results - here they are: The top 10 assets that homebuyers value: 1. Walk-i...