Factors to Consider When Buying a Condo

condominiums

It takes many years for some people to decide to buy a condo, while to others it boils down to lifestyle. Some people will argue that a condo comes with fewer responsibilities than an owned house. The owner of the condos, for example, takes care of the lawn, shovels out snow and takes care of the garden if there is one. If you find it difficult to run those activities, it is better if you buy a condo than a house. Doing the overall math, condos are more affordable than houses and especially in the urban areas. If you have finally said yes to the idea of buying a condo, below are things you should consider when purchasing one. Read on.

Location

neighborhood, location, roadBefore anything else, you should check if the location of the condo matches your requirements. If you are not planning to live in that condo forever, it is wise to think about the resale value. How is the neighborhood? Have you seen or heard of developments plans to make the area a better place economically? What about the view? Would you enjoy the neighborhoods at the moment for the next five years or so? And if constructions are going on, are they blocking your view?

Amenities

Amenities are the extras like a gym, visitors parking, party room, guest room, swimming pool, and concierge. Many times, the more the extras, the more expensive the condos are. Take a good look at the extras and determine if you are going to make use of them. You do not want to be paying for something you will not be using.

Condo Rules

There are rules to live by in a condo. You will not live with all the freedom as from your owned home. Condos have restrictions on their residents like, for instance, pet restrictions. You might be allowed to come in with your small dog or cat in that matter. In addition to that, you might not be allowed to renovate the house without permission. Before making payments, make sure to ask about the rules and restrictions of the condo.

Size

condo size, furnitureYou cannot buy a condo without looking at its size. Ensure that the furniture you have will fit well in the condo. You need to be keener on the size if you are buying a pre-construction where you are not allowed to step in the unit. You do not want to deal with the stress of none of your furniture fits in the condo.…

Tips of Choosing a Condo

top condos

Most individuals prefer life in a condo simply because of the prestige as well as the convenience that it provides. However, choosing the right one is undeniably challenging. Equally, it’s like an individual choosing lover-yes that is the point.

Reason being you have to take all the considerations and not just the price and the appearance. It is crucial to decide on the best condo that suits all your requirements. Basically, a condo is a shared property with owners of every unit. Therefore, before settling on a condo, be sure to look into various factors. The following tips will help you to choose the best condo that suits your needs.

What Do You Prefer?

choosing a condoA condominium is either low-rise or can be high-rise, so it’s upon you to determine your preference. If you prefer to be more private and maybe a quiet place, a floor on a high-rise condo will be your perfect bet. But in case you’re not a fan of heights then low-rise will be the one you need. Will as well be a good one if you like encountering with other people.

Has To Be a Perfect Location

Location is as well important when choosing your condominium. Before signing on the dotted lines consider first its location. Go an extra mile and do your research for an ideal place. Determine whether it should be close to your workplace, easy access to the means of transport, and for your kids, if you have, consider whether there are schools around or the distance between them. You will also have to check for supermarkets and stores nearby.

Consider Your Budget

It is always advisable not to invest in anything that is beyond an individual’s financial capacity. In this case, you should not invest in a condo that is above your financial capacity. The down payment should not be only the center of focus as there are some other fees like electricity fees, monthly dues, HOA fees, and others.

Remember investing in an extremely expensive condominium may, later on, lead to financial problems. What you have to do is being realistic and practical as well.

Have an Idea of the Developer

This is an investment you’re making, so take your time to know the developer. Consider their credentials and products. At the end of it all, you will have learned whether to trust them with your money.

Security

condo preferencesIdeally, condominiums have security ways for their dwellers but you should be sure how tight it is for your chosen condo. CCTV cameras should be installed and working as well as the security guards should be actively roaming the vicinity. Also, check whether the fire exists is accessible just in case of an emergency.

Rules and Regulations

Not all rules are the same for a condo. Some will prohibit some things while others may not. Make sure you request for a copy and go through all of them keenly so that you can know whether you’ll be comfortable with them. Avoid surprises once moving in.

Above all know about the payment scheme that you will use as well as get to know your neighbors. You should consider every detail and leave no room for regrets later of a wrong decision made.…

Choosing the Best Location to Rent a Condo

It takes less effort to conclude that you want to rent a condo. Difficulties start to show up when you start the actual search. There are many things to consider when choosing a condo to rent. Wrong decisions can lead to a house you never wanted meaning total frustration. Some people try to stay away from the daunting task of choosing a condo by leaving the work to experts. Real estate agents or brokers in this case. Among the most important things to look at is the location. Remember this is where you and your family will be spending most of the time. You will want that place to be the best. In Toronto, YSL residence is among the best locations to rent a condo.

Safety

patrol, policeYou should never compromise your security for anything else. This where your family and other possession are, and you will be coming home after a long day. It should never happen that you feel insecure in that place. Ask to see the security system of the condo. Ask about the security of the neighboring areas as well. Staying in an insecure place means trading your sleep with worries all night, I am sure you do not want such.

Amenities Available

What’s within your reach? Are there schools, hospitals, grocery stores and other amenities in the area? Shopping centers matter a lot as well. Most condos make it easy for you to access all these facilities. Other amenities readily available in the area should include activity areas, sports facilities, and gyms.

Your Neighbors

The people around you matter a lot. Do not stay in an area with people you cannot stand. Well, the best way to identify your neighbors and their characters is staying in the area for a while. If a meeting is called up and all members attend, it shows that they are willing to better the place they are in. Such could make great neighbors.

A Beautiful Surrounding

Select a condo in an area with beautiful scenery. A place with beautiful mornings and amazing sunsets. This could be a good plan to spend your free time. Your mornings will be energized and coming home from after a busy day is made fun. The place should smell good as well.

Hazard Free Area

floods, flooded living roomFloods, earthquakes and other calamities are being reported day after day. In your search for a condo, it is best if you choose an area with less risk. You do not want to wake up in the morning and remain stranded in the house because it is flooding outside. Avoid areas with high earthquake threats and risks as well.…

Six factors to consider when buying a condo in Toronto

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Do you wish to purchase a condo unit? Well, most buyers just focus on the price and forget all the other factors that they should put into consideration. Price is a significant issue, but that doesn’t mean that its the only issue. Below are some of the pointers that you should put into consideration when choosing a condo unit in Toronto.

Location

When purchasing a condo unit, the location is a significant factor that should top your list. The location of a condo will significantly influence its price if you wish to sell it after purchase. For instance, condos located along the beach have always proven to be worth investing in because of the enormous returns. In simple terms, the location will determine essential issues like accessibility, convenience just to mention a few.

The reputation of the builder

gdgd6d4If you are contemplating to buy a condo that is still under construction, then the reputation of the developer matters a lot. For instance, if you pick a terrible developer then the chances are that the condo might not be completed on time. In worst cases where the condos are not completed getting back, your cash would be a challenging task.

To ensure that you will get a good deal, pick the best builder. You can visit their official website and check out what they have to offer.

Parking

Check the parking space that is available before purchasing any condo. Gone are the days when you had to part with lots of cash buying a condo unit with less or no parking space at all. Parking is essential mainly if you own more than one vehicle. For that reason, dont mind parting with more cash for a property with ample parking.

Amenities

Some condos might be expensive because of the amenities that it provides. Standard amenities include a gym, swimming pool, children’s playground just to mention a few. You must make sure that the money that you are parting with is equal to the amenities that you get in return. If many people live in the condo that you have chosen, then the chances are that you won’t enjoy using the amenities as you wish. In short, if you pick an overpopulated condo then you will experience lots of inconveniences because you will be forced to share the facilities with many people.

Service fee

When you choose to buy a condo then its worth noting that you will incur additional expense each month. For instance, you will have to part with money for hared costs incurred by all other condo owners like water used in swimming pool, electricity in common areas, wages for guards and maintenance workers and the likes. So, before choosing to purchase a condo unit you need to find out more about the service fee that you will have to part with each month.

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Rules and regulations

All condos have rules and regulations that should be followed to the latter by the buyers or tenants. For instance, some condos don’t allow the residents to keep pets or animals. And that is not all. Some also prohibit tearing down your unit or changing its color, using amenities like the swimming pool during odd hours. Know the condo rules before buying to avoid nasty surprises in the end.

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Living a life of luxury with a Toronto condo

Tall condo building

Everyone likes to live a comfortable life, but find it challenging to locate and purchase a house in or near a city like Toronto that can give them what is needed. This is why in the last few decades condos have started popping up everywhere. If you look at the city’s skyline, there will be many highrises and also condo buildings. The reason for the growth in this area is that people want to live closer to their place of work and other facilities like schools, malls, hospitals, etc. But remember not all residential buildings are condominiums. Some are apartments, and they are not necessarily built for luxury. Let us look at what you can expect from a prestigious condo which will be a nice luxury home for you and your family.

Spacious units

Inside of a condo

High-end developments do not cut corners on space and design each unit with many rooms and enough space to move around with ease. Apartments are not built this way so you will not feel chocked up in a box if you live in a condominium. You will find the space in most units can easily accommodate four people which is why they are ideal for a family too.

 

Materials used

When a developer builds a luxury condo, they use materials that give the look and feel of elegance. Floors will be parquet or carpeted, walls will have high-quality paint or wallpaper, and the appliances that are inbuilt will be of superior quality. There is no doubt that this increases the price of a unit, but it is worth it when you can spend every day in the lap of luxury and not feel bored or underwhelmed.

Building services

Condo interiorUnlike a regular apartment, high-end condo developments will have many services in the building for which you will have to pay a monthly or yearly maintenance fee. These services can include cleaning of public areas, the use of swimming pools, gymnasiums, libraries and other facilities. There will also be security personnel who will ensure that no one uninvited can visit you or come to your unit unless you say they can. Condos often have restaurants and bog lobbies that are great to entertain your guests. All these areas will be maintained beautifully by landscapers, and you will always feel that you are living in an oasis of luxury even though it is located in the middle of a busy city.

 

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Management of Canadian real estate homes

There are several reasons why many people resolve to relocate from one real estate to another. One of it is that they find the management in the current real estate not good for them. In fact, one of the things that you should consider when looking for a rental home is the management. When the management of the real estate is perfect, then the chances are that everything in that home will be perfect. Here are some the characteristics that are associated with Canadian real estate management.

Professional property managers

Canadian real estate is normally characterized with professional property managers. These are people who know what is expected of them and they will, therefore, do anything at their disposal to ensure that every tenant is well taken care of. If there is a conflict amongst the tenants, there are proper mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the conflict is solved amicably. When everything in the estate is handled professionally, then there will be fewer issues within the estate.

Technology-oriented

Everybody will agree that we are living in a technological era. What this means is that for life to be smooth and comfortable, technology should be given the top priority. Nowadays, there are modern software that are used to manage the Canadian real estate homes. One of the advantages of this is that every process that is undertaken during the management of the estate is not only smooth but also effective. Communication is very important when it comes to the management of any property. Recording and proper storage of information is what is needed to solve problems that might arise shortly.

Handle tenants appropriately

If you set out to find out why most tenants are not satisfied with their management, you will find out that they are never handled in the right way. Professional property managers should be in a position to solve any issues however difficult they might be in an amicable manner. Discriminating against some of the tenants based on various issues including their races is something that you will never get in the Canadian.

Keeping the property in good shape

If you find a real estate where the condition of the property is not promising, then it simply means that the management of that real estate is not working properly. In fact, one of the ways you can tell on the effectiveness of the management is simply looking at the condition of the property.

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Finding the best rental apartment in Toronto

If you are thinking of relocating to Toronto, then you need to have a better understanding of the Canadian real estate in Toronto. Finding a perfect rental home is not always a simple task like some tend to presume. In fact, if you are locating to a new place where you do not know much about it, then you might find even more challenging to find a perfect place to call home. Under such situations, it is always recommendable that you seek the help of Canadian real estate agents. These are the people who can help be of great help to you.

Finding the best rentals

Consider your frequent destinations

Before you set out to find a rental home, the first important thing that you need to consider is the destinations that you will be frequenting during your stay in Canada. You want to find a home that is situated next to the places that you will be traveling to most of your time. Wasting time while driving to your destinations is something that you definitely do not want as it might waste a lot of your time and resources as well.

Your family

If you are looking for an apartment that will house both you and your family members, then you will need to ensure that the apartment can perfectly accommodate the family. Depending on the size of your pocket, you can always get a house with the number of rooms that you desire. However, if you realize that you have financial constraints, you can choose an economical room that can still house you and your family comfortably.

The cost

Another thing that you need to consider when looking for a rental home is the cost. You need to understand that there are several things that can influence the cost of a rental unit. Some of those things include the location, the number of rooms and even the estate that you choose. So before you rush to get yourself a rental apartment, it is good that you get to understand some of these things. Take time to do research and get to identify the ones that perfectly suits your needs.

Hygienic levels

You also need to ensure that the Canadian real estate homes in Toronto that you are considering to move to is clean. There should be proper and modern ways of disposing of wastes. There is nothing bad like staying in a house that does not take cleanliness seriously. The good thing is that you can know the hygienic levels of an estate by simply making observations.…

Advisory Group

Independent Advisory Group on Real Estate Regulation in BC

The independent Advisory Group, chaired by the Superintendent of Real Estate, brings together experts from across a range of public and private organizations to review the conduct requirements in place for real estate licensees in BC, and to examine whether those requirements are adequate and whether they are being effectively enforced.

About the Independent Advisory Group

On February 9, 2016, the Real Estate Council of BC initiated the creation of an independent advisory group to review the Council’s handling of licensee misconduct. BC’s Superintendent of Real Estate, Carolyn Rogers agreed to Chair the Advisory Group. On February 22, 2016, Ms. Rogers named her group members and outlined the Advisory Group’s key areas of focus.

The Advisory Group is examining the current real estate regulatory regime to determine whether it adequately protects the public interest from real estate licensee conduct that is inconsistent with the duties and standards required of licensees. The group has outlined its mandate and the scope and focus of its work in comprehensive Terms of Reference.

 

The Advisory Group will provide an interim report to the Real Estate Council by April 8, 2016, and a full report and recommendations by the end of May, 2016.

Learn more:

Terms of Reference
Independent Advisory Group named; work begins to examine real estate practices in BC
Independent Advisory Group Membership

The Superintendent of Real Estate, Carolyn Rogers, is the Chair of the independent Advisory Group.

The advisory group members are:

Howard Kushner, Barrister and Solicitor, Kushner Law Group
Don Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Central 1 Credit Union
Audrey T. Ho, Commissioner, British Columbia Securities Commission
Bruce D. Woolley Q.C., Stikeman Elliott
Carol Geurts, Associate Broker, Century 21 Veitch Realty, Creston BC
Tony Gioventu, Executive Director, Condominium Home Owners’ Association of B.C.
Ron Usher, General Counsel, Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia
Read more about the Independent Advisory Group members

Press Releases and Media Statements

March 15, 2016: Terms of Reference Released for Independent Advisory Group
Feb 22, 2016: Independent Advisory Group Named
Feb 9, 2016: Superintendent of Real Estate To Chair Independent Advisory Group
Feb 8, 2016: Media Statement
Links and Resources

Terms of Reference
Advisory Group Members
About the office of the Superintendent
About the Real Estate Council of BC
Your Input…