From the monthly archives:

March 2009

mortgage-rates

If you’re still sitting on the fence regarding whether it’s a good time to buy or not, here are the latest rates that I can get for you.  Now is absolutely the time to pick up a pre-approval and lock in.  Remember, your pre-approval rate will be guaranteed for 90 days, so even if the rates go up in April as anticipated, you’ll still be able to use these rates when it comes time to buy a home.

Contact me if you’re interested in getting these rates.

1 year fixed: 3.25%

3 year fixed: 3.75%

4 year fixed: 3.69%

5 year fixed: 3.89%

** UPDATE **

The 5 year rate is now 3.80%

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  • lang
    Hi Tim It's currently at 3.80% for a 5 year fixed. Lang

  • Tim
    please give me a quote for 5 year fixed rate.thanks

I‘ve been getting a lot of emails and inquiries regarding power of sales in Brampton.  The current market conditions have created an influx of power of sales listings, and it seems like many people are interested in looking for a bargain.  If you are interested in being included on my email list for power of sale listings in Brampton, please leave me a comment here with your price range and whether you are looking for a condo or a house, and I will set you up on the email list.

If you’re looking for power of sales in other areas of Toronto, leave me a comment with your criteria and let me see what I can do for you.

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  • lang
    Hi Harpreet What is your price range? As of right now, there are very few power of sales in Bolton, and they are above $500,000. All the best, Lang

  • lang
    Hi Richard Unfortunately there are no power of sale listings in Bolton under $300,000 at this time. Cheers, Lang

0 down payment for mortgage

Lately, I’ve been getting some inquiries regarding the option of buying a house with no down payment.  In reality, there are no more ‘zero down’ mortgage programs available.  However, there is a program that exists that is very similar and that can help you purchase a property with no money as a down payment.

It’s called a free down payment mortgage, and essentially the bank offers to pay your 5% down payment on your behalf when you qualify for a 5 or 7 fixed year mortgage.  What will you need to qualify?

  1. An employment record of at least 1 year at your current job
  2. A credit score of at least 640

The current rate for a 5 year fixed zero down payment mortgage is 5.50%.

If you’d like more information on this program or would like to apply for a pre-approval, you’re welcome to contact me here.

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  • lang
    Hi Niinii Unfortunately, there really isn't much you can do unless you can find someone to co-sign on the deed that has good credit. Lending institutions are looking for either a large down payment, or an employment record with a good credit score. An individual who has no down payment and bad credit history is unlikely to find any lender that will take a chance on a mortgage. Lang

  • lang
    You're most welcome, Meg. Glad the article was helpful. :)

market.jpg

February 2009

The real estate market in Brampton saw a noticeable increase in activity last month.  What’s interesting is that average sale prices for homes in the W23 district (west of Highway 410) went up and the time it took to sell a home dropped from 49 days to 40.  In contrast, W24 (east of Highway 410) saw little change from the previous month.

In February of 2009, Brampton had 1,895 active listings on the market, 986 of which were new listings. There were 372 recorded sales in this month. Here is the break down according to areas in Brampton.

W23 (Any area in Brampton west of Highway 410)

Overall
Average sale price: $300,643
Median sale price: $287,250
Average number of days it took to sell a property: 40 days
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 97% of asking price

Detached Homes
Number of properties sold: 136
Average sale price: $330,694
Median sale price: $318,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 96% of asking price

Semi-Detached Homes
Number of properties sold: 49
Average sale price: $268,890
Median sale price: $268,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 97% of asking price

Condo Apartment
Number of properties sold: 5
Average sale price: $180,600
Median sale price: $180,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 95% of asking price

Condo Townhouse
Number of properties sold: 14
Average sale price: $232,139
Median sale price: $240,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 98% of asking price

Attached/Row/Townhouse
Number of properties sold: 19
Average sale price: $251,637
Median sale price: $245,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 98% of asking price

W24 (Any area in Brampton east of Highway 410)

Overall
Average sale price: $314,949
Median sale price: $311,000
Average number of days it took to sell a property: 43 days
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 96% of asking price

Detached Homes
Number of properties sold: 85
Average sale price: $370,333
Median sale price: $372,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 95% of asking price

Semi-Detached Homes
Number of properties sold: 30
Average sale price: $284,517
Median sale price: $277,500
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 96% of asking price

Condo Apartment
Number of properties sold: 12
Average sale price: $146,442
Median sale price: $147,950
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 98% of asking price

Condo Townhouse
Number of properties sold: 9
Average sale price: $190,333
Median sale price: $180,000
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 96% of asking price

Attached/Row/Townhouse
Number of properties sold: 12
Average sale price: $260,700
Median sale price: $277,500
Average % of listing price a property sold for: 96% of asking price

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I‘ve always placed a lot of importance on taking great photos of every listing I get.  With the advent of the internet and the popularity of MLS.ca, it’s crucial to have professional, wide angle pictures of your home to clearly illustrate the depth and features of each room.  And as MLS.ca currently only allows a maximum of 9 photos per listing, it’s critical to make a good first impression to get homebuyers interested in seeing your home in person.

If you’re hiring a realtor, make sure to insist on having them hire a professional photographer to have wide angle photos of your house taken.  Here is a great video I found on YouTube that shows you the striking difference between a regular point-and-shoot camera and a professional camera.

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