Home technology is a modern amenity. Time, energy and labour-saving devices are becoming mainstream, in the office, at home and in the automobile. It's impossible to escape it—and why would anyone want to?
Smart technology has changed, and will continue to alter the way Canadians look at the world, and the way we live in our homes.
There is a difference between home automation and smart home features, however. In a sense, it is one of degree: Home automation is one aspect of smart home technology. It is the modern smart home that has become the model for the future. Smart home technology allows integration of a host of features from a single, centrally located wireless hub. It keeps the homeowner in control, whether from the next room or
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Giving family members the ability to move throughout the home safely and enjoy every space to its fullest is important, and lighting is a key aspect of achieving these goals. Choosing the best lights and the strategic placement of each element helps set the comfort level and ambiance of your abode. Furthermore, energy-efficient lighting can dramatically reduce associated costs, especially when savvy owners follow this room-by-room lighting guide.
When you get your home ready for sale, you do not want to have a single carpet fibre out of place or any scuffs on the walls. If you have kids, trying to convince them to keep the place tidy is another matter entirely. Luckily, there are some ways to sell a home with kids without going crazy or scaring away potential home buyers.
Condominiums offer many benefits to buyers looking to move out of a rental and into property ownership. Condo living is ideal for anyone downsizing or looking for a property with minimal maintenance. For people asking themselves, “What is a condo?”, a condominium or "condo" actually refers to a specific type of legal ownership versus a style of construction, states the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Potential condo buyers can find condominiums in low-rise residential buildings as well as stacked townhouses, townhouse/rowhouse complexes, and both duplexes and triplexes.
An addition to a home is an exciting way to improve the resale value and potentially the quality of life for everyone inside. Whether it's a sunroom, a second bathroom, or a full second story, homeowners have so many options from which to choose. However, there are also a few important things to note before calling a remodeling crew. For a better idea of how to navigate a new home addition, keep the following in mind before moving forward.
Selling a home in a rural area can be a challenge. Rural areas typically attract fewer potential buyers than urban or suburban homes, so finding the right buyer for your rural property may take finesse. With some planning and a little creative thinking, you can bring more people interested in buying a rural home and potentially speed up selling a home in the country.
Uttering the words "housing bubble" is enough to make any real estate agent or interested real estate investor shudder. It conjures up images of the great real estate bubble burst of the new Millennium, which ushered in the Great Recession and brought along with it one of the worst housing markets in history.
When you walk into a person's home, you expect to see the young kids running through the house playing games. One spouse may be cooking the family dinner in the kitchen while the other is in the home office finishing up work before the weekend arrives. Yet family dynamics have changed over the past decade. It is no longer frowned upon to see the thirty-something young adult still living at home with their parents or find the aging parents living out their retirement years with their adult children, and when several generations live in one household like this, it is what is called multigenerational living.
Canadian homeowners need to be aware of the taxation rules and regulations that may apply upon when selling a second home. A Canadian resident may have to pay the IRS when owning a property in the US or be prepared for a capital gains tax for a vacation home in Canada. Get an idea of the tax obligations for Canadian residents and property owners looking to sell a vacation home.
Interest rates not only vary depending on the type of loan a home buyer chooses, but they also vary on the location and the lender. Before a buyer is even pre-qualified for a certain loan amount, it helps to understand how interest rates will affect the long-term financial repercussions of the mortgage. Home buyers have a few important factors to consider before settling on a mortgage and rate that works for them.
