joe samson's Blog: Real Estate Tips

It seems there could be an exchange of property buying going on across the Canadian border. On the one hand Canadians are buying over the border in USA, and on the other hand Americans are opting to buy in the stronger Canadian realty market.

Although contradictory, both scenarios can make sound financial sense, depending on which logical trail you are following. According to American Dollar Index figures, the American dollar has dropped to its lowest rating since the Index started in the seventies. In the Index, the dollar is rated against six international currencies. There is speculation that this falling dollar may still continue downwards, causing some Americans to choose to hedge their bets and change some of their green back dollars into Canadian…

Selling your house is a bit like raising a child - everyone gives you advice that may or may not be true. Here are 10 myths uncovered:

1. Myth: Always price your home high and gradually lower it if it doesn’t sell.
Truth: Pricing too high can be as bad as pricing too low.

You may think by listing high you can always accept a lower offer, but if you do, you’ll miss the buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. Offers may not even come in, because interested buyers are scared off by the price and won’t bother to look. By the time the listing price is corrected, you will have lost a large group of potential buyers. Your real estate agent will offer you a CMA (comparable market analysis) that compares your home to other similar… Read Full Post

CBC News - Sales in Canada's red-hot real estate market cooled in September, but average prices picked up, according to new figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association. Seasonally adjusted sales last month in 24 major markets fell 3.1 per cent from August to 28,591, CREA said. Sales in the four biggest markets of Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary all declined. But the average price of a resale home rose by almost $3,000 to $328,660 — up 11.1 per cent from September last year. Prices were up year over year in every major market except Thunder Bay, Ont., where they were 0.9 per cent lower. The big price increases in Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary showed some signs of easing. Saskatoon's average resale home sold for $242,091 in… Read Full Post