An in-depth guide with checklists to help make the best choices when buying a home, by outlining the advantages or disadvantages of buying a Fixer-Upper vs. Move-In Ready or New Property for sustainability, health and investment potential. The classic dilemma when buying a property is whether to buy new, to buy…
A guide to the best home renovation shows for aspiring DIY enthusiasts and first-time home buyers and where to stream them. Are you considering buying a first home, a fan of home renovation shows on TV, and so perhaps pondering embarking on your own fixer-upper adventure? If so, you're somewhat in luck! North…
Things to look for when downsizing from a home to a smaller apartment or retirement home. Buying a house in retirement Are you planning to downsize, move closer to family, or relocate to your dream retirement destination? While changing homes is typically associated with younger adults, many seniors are making the…
Don't leave your house sitting on the market, learn the top things homebuyers look for to make a quick sale. 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…
A simple checklist for home buyers - visual clues that can help indicate the quality and durability of a home. The following are some things to think about while evaluating a home before making an offer. If you're a driver: Check the route from the house to your place of work on Google traffic maps to estimate how…
Whether you're buying or building, here are things to look for in a new home and location. For most of us, purchasing or building a home will be the biggest investment of our lives. This section is about knowing what to look for in new homes to get the best value for your dollar, or what to look for in a building…
What to look for in a new home and location. For most of us, purchasing or building a home will be the biggest investment of our lives. This section is about knowing what to look for in new homes to get the best value for your dollar, or what to look for in a building lot for the same reasons. What to look for in a…
While keeping the existing footprint, the Skygarden House renovation brought a leaky old home close to Passive House levels of performance & Comfort. The renewal of this beautiful century old, 225 m2 single family residence on a small urban lot in Toronto transformed a leaky old house into a highly efficient…
Old ideas and new technologies merge in eco-friendly Toronto infill. This article was originally published in ecoHouse Canada , Winter 2014/15 issue. Kyle England is an architect with William Dewson Architects, www.dewson.com. Farnham Avenue House is a single-family detached residential infill project. Some of the…
Canada announced it intends to build almost 4 million new homes by 2031. That’s welcome news as they are badly needed, but that's impossible at our current production rate and methods of construction. In April of 2024, the Trudeau government unveiled its housing strategy, which aims to build 3.87 million new homes…
This prefab housing project in Toronto features rapid modular construction to create 25 sustainable units. Smart Density and Assembly, with the CMHC's Rapid Housing Initiative, shows how prefab can provide quality and affordable housing for Toronto. We keep hearing how the way forward for construction is to adopt…
With our international perspective of construction and home pricing trends, it's time to stress the importance to the homeowners of North America and Canada of home performance. If buying or building a home - please read this first. A recent report in the UK by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has started ringing…
