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Today?s photo: Frosted Staircases
2008-03-26 18:00:00
by Martin Ujlaki Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: ESunday afternoon link love: Canadian blogsThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Today ’s photo: Frosted Staircases", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/todays -photo-frosted-staircases/" });
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Real Estate Glossary: H
2008-03-26 16:00:00
High-Ratio Mortgage A mortgage loan higher than 80% of the lending value of the property. Such types of mortgages may need to be insured. Historic Preservation A movement to protect buildings with historic value from destruction or extensive renovation. Holdback The amount of money withheld by the lender during construction of a property to ensure that construction at every state is satisfactory. Home Equity The part of a home's value that the mortgage borrower owns outright; the difference between the fair market value of the home and the principal balances of all mortgage loans. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Real Estate Glossary : H", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/real-e state-glossary-h/" });
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Home Renovation Courses from Heritage Montreal
2008-03-24 14:00:00
Did you know that Heritage Montreal offers Home renovation courses? If you are a home owner- the handy type, or if you always wanted to get basic information on home maintenance, these courses are right up your alley. You can learn about home maintenance, renovation and restoration from professionals in the field. * How to plan your own renovation projects, find the proper resources. * Home Inspection: How to look at a house and understand its problems. * Understand foundation problems, their causes and solutions. * Discover how heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical systems work. * How to look after the maintenance and renovation of exterior walls and roofs. * Insulation, main dynamics and the solutions to common problems. And we are not talking about contractors involved; the courses are actually taught by architects and engineers. What's great about it You are eligible to take the course regardless of your property's age and architectural styl...
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Sunday afternoon link love: Canadian blogs
2008-03-23 20:00:00
In the last 48 hours I came across some really interesting blogs, all 100% Canadian , filled with great tips and original content. Before going on and on about how long I stayed reading and enjoying their articles, I will leave you with this list, so you can check them out for yourself. Also, you can find ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Sunday afternoon link love: Canadian blogs", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/canadi an-blogs/" });
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Quebec Homeowners Intend to Pay off Mortgage Quickly
2008-03-22 16:54:00
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) 2007 Mortgage Consumer Survey shows that 76 per cent of Quebec ers who recently purchased a home intend to pay off their mortgage as quickly as possible, and 65 per cent of purchasers agreed that they would use extra money to pay down principal whenever they are able - over the national average of 57 per cent. "This study confirms that Quebecers, like most Canadians, remain fundamentally cautious when it comes to managing their mortgage debt," said Pierre Serré, Vice-President, Insurance Product & Business Development, CMHC. "The fact that new homeowners in Quebec intend to pay off their mortgages as quickly as possible, and are taking steps to do so, is a good sign." The 2007 national survey focused primarily on recent purchasers and also for the first time included questions on homeowner behaviour regarding mortgage debt re-payment since arranging their mortgage.SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Quebec Homeowners Intend to Pay off...

Today’s Picture: Bonsecours Market
2008-03-19 13:00:00
Photographer : Denis Tremblay | Source : www.old.montreal.qc.ca ShareThisPopular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DWhat’s included in your Condo fees?
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Old Montreal: Pedestrian only in the summertime.
2008-03-17 17:56:00
Photo: Payton Chung The administration of Mayor Gérald Tremblay announced last friday, their plans to make sections of St. Paul and Notre Dame Sts. pedestrian-only each day in the summertime. Starting from June 15 to September 15th, Rue St. Paul, between Bonsecours Market and St. Laurent Blvd., would be closed to vehicles between 11 a.m. and 6 a.m. every summer. Also Notre Dame, in front of Notre Dame Basilica, at Place d’Armes, would be closed to vehicles during the same hours and months. Read the full article at the Montreal Gazette. ShareThisRelated Articles RBC Housing affordability forecast for 2008Montreal Real Estate Board Report: February 2008Quebec housing starts up significantly in FebruaryInterest rate cut will help Canadian home owners and buyersFrom hotel to apartment building to…condos?Interest rates news headlines
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RBC Housing affordability forecast for 2008
2008-03-17 16:44:00
A new report released by the Royal Bank of Canada informs us: in 2007 home ownership became less affordable nation wide, but prices stayed fairly stable in the Quebec market. Quebec - affordability still manageable “The nationwide deterioration in affordability conditions hit every province last year. The hit to Quebec, however, was much more muted. A generally balanced market has helped keep affordability conditions generally in check. House prices continue to modestly outpace income gains but the gap between the two measures is expected to narrow this year as price growth moderates to the 5% range in 2008 . Housing starts have been running at elevated levels (close to 49,000 units) in each of the last three years. New home construction is expected to slow modestly in 2008 (46,000 units) and more significantly by 2009 (40,000 units) as housing markets shift into slower gear.” Download the full Pdf report here More on this report at the Montreal gazette website For mor...
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SLEB: The criminal scandal behind the luxury project.
2008-03-12 15:00:00
The luxury condo development called Sleb on the corner of St. Laurent and Ontario was originally started by Minco Construction (9170-6929 Quebec Inc.) in 2003 by Luciano Minicucci. Dozens of home buyers invested at the pre-construction level of this project. The project started in 2003 to be completed in 2005 and that same year Minco Construction ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "SLEB: The criminal scandal behind the luxury project.", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/sleb-t he-criminal-scandal-behind-the-luxury-pro ject/" });
More About: Luxury , Home Buyers , Development , Scandal , Project

Montreal Real Estate Board Report: February 2008
2008-03-11 23:35:00
Residential Resales Pick Up in February Thanks to the Condominium The Greater Montreal Real Estate Board (GMREB) indicated that property sales for all categories recorded a 3% increase in February 2008, according to MLS® system data, compared to the same period in 2007. Condominiums set the tone with an 18% increase in transactions. MLS® Residential Statistics Montréal Metropolitan Area - February 2008   Variation Active listings New listings Total sales Single-family Condominiums Plex (2 to 5 dwellings) Volume of sales Median price Single-family Condominiums Plex (2 to 5 dwellings) 25,177 7,913 4,500 2,783 1,269 409 $1,102,172,663 $220,000 $177,000 $330,000 -3 % +6 % +3 % -2 % +18 % -6 % +8 % +8 % +4 % +6 % “After being put to the test in January, the confidence of consumers in Quebec in February reached a level almost equivalent to the one recorded in 2007. The short term decrease of interest rates definitely encouraged this renewal of confidence and...
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Quebec housing starts up significantly in February
2008-03-11 14:54:00
According to the latest monthly starts survey conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), residential construction registered a strong increase this past month in centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants across Quebec . In fact, 2,810 housing units were started in February , or 50 per cent more than during the same period a year earlier. The dynamics were different, however, depending on the centres. Starts rose by 51 per cent in the census metropolitan areas (CMAs) but fell by 6 per cent in the smaller agglomerations (50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants). The Montréal area stood out by being the engine of this growth. In fact, foundations were laid for 2,167 new dwellings there in February 2008, compared to 1,262 in February 2007, for an increase of 72 per cent. Housing starts went up less significantly in Saguenay (+56 per cent) and Trois-Rivières (+ 21 per cent), while they declined in Québec (-32 per cent), Sherbrooke (-10 per cent) and Gatineau (-3 per cent). (more&he...

What?s included in your Condo fees?
2008-03-11 00:35:00
Condo owners pay a monthly fee to cover their portion of the operating expenses of the common property elements. A portion of this fee is assigned to the reserve fund. The calculation of condo fees varies by province but is usually specified in the governing documents of the condo corporation. These fees are usually calculated from ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "What’s included in your Condo fees?", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/condo- fees/" });
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Interest rates significantly affects home-buying decisions.
2008-03-07 17:14:00
[ Source: CTV News . Read complete article ] Tuesday’s announcement comes as fewer Canadians are contemplating buying a home in the next two years, finds a study conducted for the Royal Bank. “Overall intentions to purchase a home have dropped by five percentage points to 23 per cent,” said a news release issued Tuesday. “The intensity to buy ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Interest rates significantly affects home-buying decisions.", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/intere st-rates-significantly-affects-home-buyin g-decisions/" });
More About: Buying , Articles , Interest Rates , Home

Photo of the moment: Palais des Congrès
2008-03-06 20:00:00
Photography:Benoit Remillard Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DReal Estate Glossary: BSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Photo of the moment: Palais des Congrès", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/photo- of-the-moment-palais-des-congres/" });
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Real Estate Glossary: G
2008-03-06 13:25:00
Gable A triangular wall enclosed by the sloping ends of a ridged roof or a triangular decorative feature Gable roof A ridged roof that forms a triangle at each end General contractor The person who hires all of the subcontractors and suppliers for a project. GDS Ratio Gross Debt Service Ratio. Lender’s allowable ratio of gross monthly payment to gross monthly income ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Real Estate Glossary : G", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/real-e state-glossary-g/" });
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Interest rate cut will help Canadian home owners and buyers
2008-03-05 23:58:00
The interest rate cut announced today by the Bank of Canada will help Canadian home owners and buyers, according to The Canadian Real Estate Association. The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark overnight lending rate by one-half of one percentage point to 3 1/2 per cent on March 4th, and signaled further cuts in the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Interest rate cut will help Canadian home owners and buyers", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/bank-o f-canada-cuts-rates/" });
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From hotel to apartment building to?condos?
2008-03-04 13:14:00
First it was the Château Royal Hotel , then became (after a much needed renovation) the Château Crescent Apartments, located at 1420 Crescent, right in front of Winston Churchill’s . The word out (via tipster) is that they are planning to do a condo conversion. We haven’t yet checked if the rumors are actually true, since ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "From hotel to apartment building to…condos?", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/1420cr escent/" });
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From hotel to apartment building to?condos?
2008-03-04 13:14:00
First it was the Château Royal Hotel , then became (after a much needed renovation) the Château Crescent Apartments, located at 1420 Crescent, right in front of Winston Churchill’s . The word out (via tipster) is that they are planning to do a condo conversion. We haven’t yet checked if the rumors are actually true, since ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "From hotel to apartment building to…condos?", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/montre al-for-rent/1420crescent/" });
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Interest rates news headlines
2008-03-03 16:16:00
Scotiabank Forum Predicts Another Healthy Year Ahead For Canadian Real Estate Markets (Exchange Morning Post) TORONTO - Canadian real estate markets remain remarkably buoyant, especially in light of the deepening housing downturn in the United States and the generally softening conditions in most other advanced economies globally, according to experts who presented today at Scotiabank’s Canadian ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Interest rates news headlines", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/articl es/interest-rates-news-headlines/" });
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Interest rates news headlines
2008-03-03 16:16:00
Scotiabank Forum Predicts Another Healthy Year Ahead For Canadian Real Estate Markets (Exchange Morning Post) TORONTO - Canadian real estate markets remain remarkably buoyant, especially in light of the deepening housing downturn in the United States and the generally softening conditions in most other advanced economies globally, according to experts who presented today at Scotiabank’s Canadian ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Interest rates news headlines", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/intere st-rates-news-headlines/" });
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Picture of the moment: Place Jacques-Cartier
2008-03-03 13:00:00
Photographer : Denis Tremblay | Source : old.montreal.qc.ca Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Picture of the moment: Place Jacques -Cartier ", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/montre al-images/picture-of-the-moment-place-jac ques-cartier/" });
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Picture of the moment: Place Jacques-Cartier
2008-03-03 13:00:00
Photographer : Denis Tremblay | Source : old.montreal.qc.ca Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DReal Estate Glossary: BSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Picture of the moment: Place Jacques -Cartier ", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/pictur e-of-the-moment-place-jacques-cartier/" });
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Staging a vacant house
2008-02-28 13:01:00
Home staging is an important marketing technique for selling homes, whether they are furnished or vacant. Important points to remember about vacant properties are: * People buy «Homes» and not «House s»: it?s therefore essential to give them the feeling of a «Home» and you certainly won?t be able to achieve that with an empty space! * A vast majority of people (over 90%) can?t imagine what a house could look like with furniture in it and they have nothing to compare their own furnishings to in an empty space. Did you know that a room actually looks smaller empty than properly furnished? * With nothing to focus on except the bare space, the negatives will become more apparent to prospective buyers. * A vacant house gives an impression of a desperate situation and you can expect to get lower offers than otherwise. So, to sell your property fast and for most money, what do you need to do?SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Staging a vacant house", url: "http://montrealreales...
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Staging a vacant house
2008-02-28 13:01:00
by Sveta Melchuk Home staging is an important marketing technique for selling homes, whether they are furnished or vacant. Important points to remember about vacant properties are: People buy «Homes» and not «House s»: it?s therefore essential to give them the feeling of a «Home» and you certainly won?t be able to achieve that with an empty space! ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Staging a vacant house", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/decora tion/staging-a-vacant-house/" });
More About: Selling , Decoration , Tips , Vacant

Image of the moment: Montreal Roofs
2008-02-26 22:08:00
Plateau Mont Royal. Photo: Deyanira Bautista Technorati Profile Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerReasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Image of the moment: Montreal Roofs", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/montre al-images/image-of-the-moment-montreal-ro ofs/" });
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Image of the moment: Montreal Roofs
2008-02-26 22:08:00
.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Plateau Mont Royal.   Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerReasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: D
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Image of the moment: Montreal Roofs
2008-02-26 22:08:00
Plateau Mont Royal. Photo: Deyanira Bautista Popular ArticlesReal Estate Glossary: EThe right of undivided co-owners to exclude a potential buyerStaging a vacant house Reasons why you shouldn’t overprice your home.Real Estate Glossary: DReal Estate Glossary: BSHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Image of the moment: Montreal Roofs", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/image- of-the-moment-montreal-roofs/" });
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Subprime mortgage news update
2008-02-26 16:30:00
Canada economy to slow, risks to downside - IMF (Reuters) Canadian economic growth will slow to 1.8 percent this year and there is a risk of an even sharper downturn as weakness in the U.S. economy spreads beyond the housing sector, the International Monetary Fund said in a report on Monday. After growing ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Subprime mortgage news update", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/subpri me-mortgage-news-updates/" });
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Subprime mortgage news update
2008-02-26 16:30:00
Canada economy to slow, risks to downside - IMF (Reuters) Canadian economic growth will slow to 1.8 percent this year and there is a risk of an even sharper downturn as weakness in the U.S. economy spreads beyond the housing sector, the International Monetary Fund said in a report on Monday. After growing ...
More About: News , Articles , Mortgage , Update , Subprime

Subprime mortgage news update
2008-02-26 16:30:00
Canada economy to slow, risks to downside - IMF (Reuters) Canadian economic growth will slow to 1.8 percent this year and there is a risk of an even sharper downturn as weakness in the U.S. economy spreads beyond the housing sector, the International Monetary Fund said in a report on Monday. After growing ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Subprime mortgage news update", url: "http://montrealrealestateblog.com/articl es/subprime-mortgage-news-updates/" });
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