What are the first steps to be taken when you want to sell your home? I recommend doing the following. Go outside and view the home as if it’s the first time you are visiting this house and ask yourself the following questions:

• How does the house present itself at first glance. Would you notice the house when driving by?
• Is there an abundance of plantings in the front?
• Is the front appealing to passersby?
• Is there anything blocking the main entrance door?
• Is the main entry way welcoming?
• Does the main door open easily?
• Once inside, is the entryway cluttered?
• How does the energy flow through the rooms?
• Is there a lot of clutter everywhere?
• Are there any unfinished projects or unrepaired holes etc. that need to be attended to?
• Are the wall colors easily adapted to any furniture type or style
• Are the rooms dark and stuffy or are they bright and airy?
• Do the rooms feel overloaded with furniture?
• Is there a smell in the home such as from a beloved pet?
• Are your kitchen and bathrooms in need of a facelift?
• Do your carpets need cleaning?
• Do your walls need painting?

Do you get a sense of a well maintained home when touring your own home?
If you don’t then you know that you have much work to do.

Hi I’m Jennifer Walker, the author and Real Estate Broker. For more info call me (514) 402-8444 or EMAIL ME!

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What does it actually cost you to keep your stuff? Let’s do the math shall we.

List all the rooms that you have in your home on a piece of paper. Then go in each room and estimate the percentage of space that is be

ing taken up by things that you rarely or never use. Be honest with yourself as you do this process. If you want the blatant truth, include everything you don’t absolutely love or haven’t used in the last year.

In an average home the list should look something like this:

1. Entrance foyer 5%
2. Living room 10%
3. Dining room 15%
4. Kitchen 30%
5. Bedroom #1 40%
6. Bedroom #2 25%
7. Bedroom #3 20%
8. Junkroom 100%
9. Bathroom 10%
10. Basement 70%
11. Garage 90%

Total Clutter 415%

Now divide the total by the number of rooms.

415% ÷ 11 rooms = 37.72%

This means that 37.72% of your mortgage is being paid to house things that you don’t need or use.

The example given above is an average one. Some people’s percentage will be higher and some will be lower. The point is that clutter costs you $$ no matter which way you look at it.

Hi I’m Jennifer Walker, the author and Real Estate Broker. For more info call me (514) 402-8444 or EMAIL ME!

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I recently was at an inspection a couple of weeks ago and the inspector had this funky handheld tool that looked like a large Black and Decker stud finder. Looking closer it was showing a camera screen and had many cool buttons. Peter the inspector explained that it was an infrared camera and said that it is going to revolutionize the inspection industry.

This $6000 FLIR B50 (Forward Looking Infra-Red) comes with a 4 full day course on how to use it. Its main feature is to look for air leaks and heat loss. Great for energy audits.

It can also check the electrical box for hot breaker and wires, insulation deficiency in walls and ceiling (shows a numeric %), percent of heat lose, active water leaks and old water damage, and it will find good conditions for possible mould problems and more.

What it doesn’t do is find mould and see though glass (but will pick up reflective heat). It also won’t work if it’s the same temperature outside and inside. It does take pictures of the scene and the infra-red.

The implications of this device will certainly change what seems as a two dimensional inspection into a 3 dimensional one. The idea of heat loss and detection of water damage is a great advantage to a lot of buyers.

A regular inspection right now will run you about $425-$475, with this new tool involved it will probably raise it up to about $150 extra an inspection. This is what Peter is thinking anyway. H did tell me that his instructor’s camera is worth $60,000. Hmmm, I wonder how much he charges for inspections.

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I added this article because I love real estate and educating people on the matter. If you would you like me to work for you, call me 514-402-8444 or EMAIL ME!

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Focuses on Design and Eco-friendliness of life now. Tracey’s blog is all about Designing spaces. They are Eco-Friendly, Zen, Outdoorsy, and Feng Shui. The common denominator is the simplicity with natural elements. She will be putting up a lot of examples as well

as sights that use eco friendly decor.

BEFORE PICTURE OF FRONT ENTRANCE……………

“It will evolve, however right now I’m creating decors using the five elements and trying to make them as energetically pure as possible”. She’s also teaming up with a landscaper to do outdoor rooms as well as creating curb appeal.

AFTER PICTURE OF FRONT ENTRANCE……………

“Its all about improving energy on both the inside and outside of your home by creating simple designs that put emphasis on the natural elements or natures elements”.

Tracey MacKenzie has been a practicing consultant and lecturer since 1999. Her work has been showcased in many television shows such as HGTV’s Buy Me, as well as being portrayed in many different publications.

“My eyes have been opened to the natural beauty of the outdoor world. Where I once yearned for indoor harmony, I now revel in the challenge of creating outdoor spaces that will change people’s lives, one step at a time”.

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Jennifer Walker
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How does property become an undivided condominium?
No specific formality is required. A condominium is undivided once a building becomes commonly owned. It can also result from a judgment, a succession (section 1012 C.C.Q.) or a contract (hereafter “Agreement”). In this case, the document must be

published if it is to be set up against third persons (section 1014 C.C.Q.), although it is valid between undivided co-owners in spite of the absence of this formality. The shares of undivided co-owners are presumed equal, unless the Agreement states otherwise (section 1015 C.C.Q.).

Can an undivided co-owner request the partition of a property?
Undivided co-owners may state, in the Agreement their right to request partition of a property. Such postponement may not exceed 30 years, but it is renewable at the end of the term (section 1013 C.C.Q.). If such terms are not in place, each co-owner may request a partition of the property at any given time (section 1030 C.C.Q.).

Who manages the building?
Unless otherwise indicated in the Agreement, all undivided co-owners of property manage it jointly (section 1025 C.C.Q.). Administrative decisions are made by a majority in number and shares of the undivided co-owners (section 1026 C.C.Q.). For example, if three co-owners respectively own 10%, 30% and 60% of the building, any decision must be accepted by at least two undivided co-owners, including the one holding 60% of the building.

However, certain decisions require unanimous approval, such as those relating to alienation, partition of the undivided property, the act of charging it with a real right, changes in destination or substantial alterations to it.

Finally, undivided co-owners are liable proportionately to their shares for the costs of administration and the other common charges related to the undivided property (section 1019 C.C.Q.).

What are the rights and obligations of undivided co-owners?All undivided co-owners have the same rights and obligations as an exclusive owner, in proportion to the share of building they own, unless otherwise indicated in the Agreement. Undivided co-owners can therefore sell, give or even mortgage their share. This share can also be repossessed. However, a mortgage granted to only one undivided co-owner on his or her share cannot apply to the whole building. Therefore, when one
undivided co-owner mortgages his or her share, the other undivided co-owners do not become mortgage debtors.

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How much is the HRTC worth?
You can claim the HRTC for eligible costs over $1,000 but not more than $10,000, for
a maximum credit of $1,350. The HRTC can be claimed on your 2009 tax return for
all eligible costs incurred to February 1, 2010.

Example
The 2009 budget documents provide the following example: Sally and Ed recently
purchased a house. To take advantage of the HRTC, they decide to replace their old
windows and improve the insulation in their home in 2009, incurring $10,000 in
expenditures. After taking into account the $1,000 minimum threshold, a 15 percent
credit will be available on $9,000 in eligible expenditures, providing tax relief of
$1,350.

What kinds of renovations qualify for the HRTC?
You can claim renovation costs for projects such as finishing a basement or remodelling a kitchen, along with associated expenses such as building permits, professional services, equipment rentals and incidental expenses. Most renovations or alterations to an eligible dwelling qualify, provided the renovation is of an enduring nature and is integral to the dwelling.

Examples of eligible expenses you can claim include:

Expenses you cannot claim for the credit include:

If you live in a condominium or a co-operative housing corporation, renovations on
your unit will also be eligible for the credit, as are your share of eligible costs used to
improve common areas.

If you rent out part of your home or have a home office for earning business income,
you can claim the credit for personal-use areas of the home only. You can also claim
the credit for part of the cost of common area improvements and renovations that
benefit the housing unit as a whole (such as re-shingling a roof). In this case, you
must divide the cost between personal and income-earning use. The qualifying
amount of your costs is calculated based on the personal-use fraction of your home
(i.e., calculated in the same way as your deductible home office expenses).

Note that you cannot claim the credit if the renovations are done by a related person
(e.g., a parent, a brother, sister, or brother- or sister-in-law) or a non-arm’s-length
person unless they are registered for Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales
Tax.

What qualifies as an eligible dwelling?
Generally, a housing unit is considered eligible to be your principal residence where it
is owned and ordinarily inhabited by you, your spouse or common-law partner or your
children.

Who can claim the credit?
Because eligibility for the HRTC is family-based, your spouse or common-law partner
can share the credit with you. If you share ownership of a house, cottage or condominium unit with another family, both families are eligible for their own HRTC credit.

Example
In a second example provided in the budget documents, Karen and Heather are
sisters who share ownership of a condominium unit.

They each incur $7,500 in
expenditures renovating the kitchen in the condo. Karen and Heather each claim a
$975 credit on eligible expenditures of $6,500 ($7,500 – $1,000 × 15%).
You can apply for the full amount of the HRTC even if you receive other government
tax credits or grants. For instance, if you make an eligible expenditure that also
qualifies for the Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC), you can claim both the HRTC
and the METC.

Keep your receipts
In order to take full advantage of the HRTC, you must document all eligible
expenditures. Agreements, invoices and receipts must clearly identify the type and
quantity of goods purchased or services provided, including the following information:

You do not have to file your receipts with your 2009 tax return, but you must keep
them on hand in case the CRA asks to see them.

New credit for first time home buyers
If you plan on acquiring your first home this year, the 2009 federal budget also
introduced a new non-refundable tax credit for first-time home buyers. This credit is
available for qualifying home purchases that close after January 27, 2009 and is
calculated based on the amount of $5,000 times the lowest personal income tax rate
for that year (currently, 15%). Thus, the current maximum value of the credit is $750.
The credit can be claimed by you or your spouse or common-law partner. In general,
to qualify, neither of you can have owned nor lived in another home in the last five
years, up to the year the new home was purchased. A qualifying home is one that is
currently eligible for the Home Buyers’ Plan (see below) that you or your spouse or
common-law partner intend to occupy as the principal place of residence not later
than one year after is acquisition.

The credit is also available for certain home purchases by or for the benefit of
a disabled family member who is eligible for the disability tax credit.

Home Buyers’ Plan threshold increased
In addition, the budget increases the amount that first-time home buyers can
withdraw tax-free from a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to
purchase or build a new home to $25,000 (up from $20,000). The new limit
applies to withdrawals made after January 27, 2009.

This information was gladly passed by
Marc-André Rocher a Mortgage Specialist at RBC Royal Bank Montreal South-West
Tel: 514.591.3815
marc-andre.rocher@rbc.com

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I added this article because I love real estate and educating people on the matter. If you would you like me to work for you, call me 514-402-8444 or EMAIL ME!

To search properties go here www.Montreal-Properties.com