Is Your Home Secure?

Knowing your home’s secure will provide you with peace of mind both when you’re at home or away on vacation. House alarms are of course a very effective deterrent but ensuring that your home’s security is top notch is often more a matter of employing common sense than high tech security systems. (more…)

Things to think about when you buy your Condo

Have you found the home of your dreams?  Before you sign on the dotted line, here are a few things to consider.

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Here is the January Market update for Burlington Hamilton:

December 478 units have been sold. A estimated decrease of 27% from last year. For 2008 we were down in sales approximately 12.7%. The average price of residential properties were $ 255,000. Condos have held up wll with a slightly lower decrease. The average price was approximately$ 179,000.The first quarter is expected to be tough, and many sellers are listing their propertys based on fall statistics, not recognizing these prices were set before the ” meltdown” . The U.S and Canada are poised for major spending  which hopefully will kick start the ecomony which especialy in the manufacturing sector has grinded to a halt.

The Postive is it is a good time to purchase with low interest rates and more realistic prices on the market . Real Estate is a long term investment, and should be treated as such.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside  your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button on the remote for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound with the lights flashing until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.

This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this:

It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around… After a few seconds all the neighbours will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that.

And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there ….. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Please pass this on even IF you’ve read it before. It’s a reminder.

Are You Ready For the Real Estate Roller Coaster?

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, you’re likely to experience a roller coaster of emotions. It’s important to keep your feelings in check during every situation, especially since many people fall victim to their emotions when negotiating the final offer.Make sure you don’t take things personally. Letting emotions rule judgment usually causes negotiations to fall apart. Now is the time to think of your home as a house, so don’t be offended if someone wants to strip off your wallpaper or paint over the wood trim. Often times, home owners who have invested many years of hard work and personal love into a home are put off by a low offer even though it’s just a starting point.Conditional offers can also try your emotions as they sometimes fall through (more…)