Thursday, December 30, 2010 Mortgage Insurance: Understanding your options for mortgage protectionCategories:Blog,Financial & Investment,General Real Estate Info,Home Buying Tips,Mortgage Financing Mortgage Insurance: What are your options?.[caption id="attachment_2043" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Credit to Feathered Tar photostream on flickr"] [/caption]Buying a new home is an exciting experience because it represents your hopes and plans for the future. For most Canadians, it also means having a mortgage and making regular mortgage payments. Often the financial institution you have your mortgage with will offer you mortgage insurance. Is it the right thing to do? Does it offer the protection you need?
What is mortgage insurance?Mortgage insurance pays off the amount left owing on your mortgage if you pass away. Here are some facts you should know before deciding on how best to ensure that your mortgage is paid off in the event of your death:- The amount covered by mortgage insurance decreases as the amount owing on your mortgage decreases. However, premiums DO NOT decrease, they remain the same.- The insurance proceeds are paid directly to the financial institution.- You may not be able to take your insurance with you if you move your mortgage to a new mortgage company. This means having to provide current medical and health evidence to become insured.- You may not be able to insure both you and your spouse if the mortgage is registered in only one person’s name.What is the alternative?Having your own individual life insurance policy offers you the protection of covering your family’s financial needs including your mortgage in the event of your death. You also have the flexibility of naming a beneficiary of your choice. Your family may decide to use the benefit to pay down a low interest mortgage and invest the rest. Or they may need the finds to cover other expenses. The choice is theirs.Also, it’s important to remember that since you have an independent life insurance policy from your mortgage, you can transfer your mortgage from one lender to another without affecting your coverage. You can also choose between temporary insurance and permanent insurance which can be a part of your long term financial plan. You are able to insure both spouse for whatever amount you’d like so that you can cover other debt or financial needs as well.The choice is yours but having a discussion with someone that is well versed in both options is important.To discuss your best options for Mortgage Insurance, please call me anytime.Sunday, December 12, 2010 Land Titles Transfer Tax: Home Buyers need to dig deep!Land Titles Transfer Tax: A financial 'kick in the 'nads'. [caption id="attachment_1890" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Credit to Robert Galloway photostream on Flickr"] [/caption]
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Winnipeg Land Titles office, and the reason why there is usually a 3 to 4 week delay between the date-of-possession for a home, and the date-of-receiving money for the sale. A couple of days ago, I sat down with a nice couple who were writing an offer on a house, and the conversation turned to the 'Closing Costs' of the purchase. The conversation went something like this:
Mr. Buyer: So aside from the lawyers fees (which we had already discussed), what other costs will I need to budget for? Bo: Well, there will be home insurance. Good news is that you won't have to pay any property taxes, because we're doing this in January. But of course you have to budget for the Land Titles Transfer Tax. Mr Buyer: A tax? Just for changing the title of the house? How much is THAT going to cost?I did a quick mental calculation, and gave him the cost, and then watched as his face went thru the classical 5 stages of grief, from Denial ("This Can't Be Right), to Anger ((F*#@ing Govm't), Bargaining (Isn't there a way around this), Depression (Oh, Man.....that's alot of dough) to finally Acceptance (Well, It IS a nice house and there is NO WAY around it, short of leaving our province). So just how much is the government raking in with this tax? Land Titles Transfer Tax calculation:While Manitoba is not the only province to impose this tax, it is by far the most aggressive and onerous. Thru a set of formulas, we arrive at a figure of $1720 for a $200,000-house or condo. With Winnipeg's average house price hovering around the $230,000 mark, we can see that our Provincial Government is collecting approx. $2000 in taxes, EVERY TIME the title of a house is transferred. But wait, you say.... didn't Bo just tell us that it costs $1720 for a $200K home? Yes, but I haven't told you the worst part: ABOVE the $200K price, this tax adds an additional 2% on EVERY DOLLAR. So, a $300,000 home will cost you $3720 (calculated by adding the $1720 base, plus 2% on the additional $100,000 price = $3720) While the Land Titles Transfer Tax is especially difficult for young, first-time home buyers, even people 'with money' find an added tax of 4 grand or more to be a financial 'hit'. For that reason, Winnipeg REALTORS® have been lobbying to change this regressive tax. Let's bring it more in line with other western provinces. Ideally, inline with Alberta, where a $200K home costs $75 in Land Titles Transfer Tax and a $300K home costs $95. But heck, let's not even look at those numbers, lets instead compare to my wife's home province of Saska-Bush .... where it costs just $1200 to transfer the title of a $400,000 home. Manitoba's fee for transferring the Title of a $400,000 home: $5,720 For a look at more comparisons and for a more in-depth article on the Land Titles Transfer Tax, go to the Winnipeg REALTORS® website at http://2muchltt.com There is even a link to contact your local MLA...remember, next year's election is only about 10 months away.Let's do something about this Land Titles Transfer Tax.Related articlesSaturday, September 11, 2010 Winnipeg REALTORS® issue real estate market update for September 2010Categories:Blog,First time buyers,General Real Estate Info,Home Buying Tips,Home Selling Tips,Market Updates Hi everyone: As we do every month, Winnipeg REALTORS® have issued their monthly real estate market update on MLS® statistics regarding the sales and listings of houses and condominiums in Winnipeg for September 2010. [caption id="attachment_1191" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Photo by ryemang's photostream on Flickr"] As always, these statistics cover the sales and listings for the entire south-east area of Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Steinbach, and all towns and rural areas in this vircinity. For a look at my own real estate market update of Winnipeg-only, see this Real Estate Market Update Video. For the month of August, 2010, Winnipeg REALTORS® report that sales were down 12% when compared to August 2009, and dollar-volume was off 5%. Overall, however, dollar volume for the year was up 11% to this point, when compared to 2009. As well, the numbers of listings entered onto MLS®, at 14,843 so far, was up 15% when compared to the same time in 2009. As usual, the most active segments of the market were homes in the $150,000 to $199,999 range, and the $200,000 to $249,999 range, which had 22% and 21% of the market, respectively. This is to be expected, as these usually represent the price ranges for 'first time buyers', who are after all the driving force behind the Winnipeg Real Estate Market. Days on Market, which measured the time it take to sell a home, for residential detached homes was at 30 days, which is equal to August 2009, and 2 days slower than July this year. Of note is the fact that homes in the $150,000 to $200,000 range sold in only 20 days. Condominiums are still an excellent alternative for the first time buyer. As for condominiums, the most active price ranges were in the $150,000 to $199,999 range, followed by the $100,000 to $149,999 range at 33% and 27% respectively. Average days on market for condos was 34 days, which is 3 days slower than July, but 6 days faster than August 2009. For a complete look at the press release, click on Press Release 09-09-10 August 2010 MLS Statistics If you're thinking of buying or selling a house or a condo in Winnipeg, call Bo Kauffmann of Remax Performance Realty for a realistic market evaluation. Call 204-333-2202 today. Saturday, September 4, 2010 Mortgage Interest Rate Outlook for CanadaCategories:Blog,First time buyers,General Real Estate Info,Home Buying Tips,Market Updates,Mortgage Financing,Real Estate Financing Hi everyone: I just came across an excellent resource for mortgage rate, interest rate, insurance rate and credit card rate information. Check out the blog at ratesupermarket.ca This site features input by some very impressive contributors. While NO ONE can predict interest rates with 100% accuracy, being able to draw on the experience of some of the countries top mortgage experts gives ratesupermarket a nice advantage in this effort. The site blog includes categories such as Mortgage Tips, Housing Market, Real Estate and dozens of others. This month's Mortgage Rate Outlook predicts that fixed rates are expected to remain the same, 'with downward bias', and variable rates are also expected to remain the same. This continues to be an excellent time to purchase a house or condo in Winnipeg. Inventory levels are up slightly, and due to summer vacations, buyer activity is down a little, meaning that your chances of finding and actually getting a house are increased. If you're looking to purchase a home (house or condo) in Winnipeg, please call me anytime. Bo 204-333-2202Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Market Report for Condominiums in St. VitalHi Everyone: I wanted to send out a quick report on the condominium situation in the south end of St Vital. I had recently noticed that there is a shortage of good quality condo listings in the south end, a factor which helped on of my recent listings sell for significantly over the asking-price. Currently, in the south St Vital area, there are only 14 condos listed for sale, ranging in price from the low end of 575 sq-ft condo on Arden at $119,900 to a high-end, 1515 sq ft luxury condo at The Waterfront for $450,000. During the month of June 2010, this same area saw a total of 19 condos sold, ranging in price from $117,000 to a high of $356,000. Of these, 8 condos sold ABOVE list price, 7 sold BELOW list, and 4 sold AT LIST. During July 2010, a total of only 10 condos were sold in south St. Vital, ranging in price from $145,000 to $400,000. Of those, 4 condos sold ABOVE list, and 6 sold BELOW list. While 'ultiple offers' are more rare in condominiums, our current shortage of listings is helping to create a situation where sellers can expect good activity on their condos, listed on the MLS® by REALTORS® If you're looking to sell your condo, in St. Vital or other areas of Winnipeg, please call me anytime for a realistic market evaluation, and a look at my Customized Marketing Plan for your Condo. Bo 333-2202 Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Market Update for house sales and listings in Lindenwoods, WinnipegHello Everyone:I just wanted to give you a quick look at the real estate market in one of Winnipeg's upscale neighbourhoods: Lindenwoods and Linden Ridge. Tuesday, August 3, 2010 Selling your Winnipeg home during slower timesHello everyone: Let's start with a "Note to Home-Sellers: STOP listing your homes for LESS than you are willing to ACCEPT!!!!"So here is the scenario: I've got a buyer, pre-qualified and approved for up to $200,000. This week, we find a nice home, listed at $196,000. The home-owner has tried the "Showings Start Friday, Offers on Tuesday" deal, in an effort to bring in multiple offers and drive the price up. Alas, its July and they only had a handful of showings, and no offers.
So my buyer decides to write a very nice and clean offer, and we present it to the Listing Agent and the owner. My buyer is 'pumped'.... could this be the one? I'm excited too. ... Until we get the call that the owner has turned down the offer! And NOT JUST turned it down, but refusing to even counter-offer it. As the Listing Agent explained, the owner had her sights set on $20,000 more, and would not sell for the asking-price. And so my initial caution from up top: DON'T list your home for less than you're willing to accept!" I understand that there are times in the year when a low-pricing strategy will work. It's a pretty safe bet that, given our current market, if you list your home with a REALTOR® in the spring time, and the home shows well and is priced well, you're going to get multiple offers. Unfortunately, some agents rely on this strategy ALL YEAR LONG, but guess what: Marketing Strategies are not like Spandex pants: One Size DOES NOT fit all! Even Winnipeg's hot real estate market will have slow times, such as July and August, and again in December-January. a strategy which works in April or May, could backfire on you in July, when Winnipeg Home Buyers traditionally 'take a break', and instead of 35 showings, the home receives only 6 (or even fewer).
Now for the good news: Just because the market is a little slower, does NOT mean you wont get as much money as your neighbour did in the spring!! It just requires a different approach, a plan that does not simply count on "Low-Price = Bidding War" type of thinking. So if you are a home-owner thinking of selling their home, call me for your special and customized marketing plan. One of the first questions I will be asking is "When are you thinking of selling?"..... because the timing is an important factor in creating the proper marketing plan for your home. Tuesday, July 20, 2010 I sold a condo at 193 Victor Lewis Dr Lindenwoods WinnipegHi everyone: I'm happy to report that my buyer just purchased a condo at 193 Victor Lewis Dr in Lindenwoods. If you're looking for a condo in Winnipeg, let's set up a meeting and find you a great condo in Winnipeg. Call me anytime. Sunday, July 11, 2010 Finding a house or condo in Winnipeg is easy!Hi everyone: This has happened to me a couple of times this spring: a 'new' client (new to ME) calls me and we meet in my office and discuss the house (or condo) buying process. I will usually ask; "Have you looked at homes recently?" On a couple of occasions, the reply has been; "Yes, but our last agent didn't explain anything to us. He just sent us the listings and when we wanted to write an offer, we lost the house by $30,000"
And so the reason for the headline of this post: "FINDING a house or condo is EASY". It really is. Here is what you do: Pick up the phone or send an e-mail to any one of the 1400+ REALTORS® in Winnipeg. Most will be only to happy to set you up on an automated search thru the new Keystone MATRIX® search system (an excellent system, by the way... check out this video) After setting up the search, you'll be receiving listings by the dozens, maybe even by the hundreds. Then, when you find a house you like, you can call or e-mail that REALTOR® and go see the house and then even write an offer on it. This is where the problem occurs. Are you truly prepared for the bidding process? Have you been pre-approved by the RIGHT lender? Are your funds still tied up in RRSP's and will it take a couple of weeks to free them up? What's the house of your choice really worth? Can you trust the agent (whom you've never met until the day of the offer)? How much are your "Closing Costs"...... These questions just scratch the surface of what is required to actually GET the house or condo of your choice. So, FINDING it is easy....... GETTING it requires a little prep-work. That's why I start out with a meeting in our office, where we can make certain that you are prepared and ready. If you're serious about buying a house or condo, call me anytime. Let's get started... Bo 333-2202 Sunday, July 11, 2010 Winnipeg Home Buyers: Free Guide to Home-Buying in WinnipegHi everyone:This has happened to me on a couple of occasions: I meet with a new buyer for the first time, and we start to go over the buying process. In this meeting, I explain what the market is doing, how best to write an offer, and generally discuss and describe the entire buying process.On more than one occasion, the buyer exclaimed:"We never knew THAT!"..... or, better yet: "Our LAST agent never explained THAT."In speaking to them further, I learn that they had been receiving listings from another agent, gone out to look at a few houses, tried to put in an offer and were promptly 'blown out of the water' by other, better prepared buyers. So here is my point : FINDING a house or condo is the easy part. The listings are out there, on MLS®, in magazines and newspapers and on the internet. But FINDING is only a small part of what I do.... the key is in the PREPARATION. To be blunt: We're not buying a pair of pants, a book or a loaf of bread. We ARE about to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into the real estate market, and we're doing it at a time when there is heavy competition for the same house we want to buy. Being PREPARED is key to winning these multiple-bid situation.I have created a "Home-Buying Brochure" which helps my house and condo buyers understand the process. A PDF version of this brochure is attached here for your information. I do hope you find it helpful. If you have any real estate related questions or comments, please call me anytime. And of course, if you're looking to buy a house or condo, I'd love to help you FIND and GET the home of your choice.Click here to download your Free Guide: Bo's Home-Buying Guide
Sunday, July 11, 2010 Preparing your Winnipeg Home for Showings by Real Estate AgentsHi Everyone: There is an old saying that goes: "Your home is never more exciting than the first couple of weeks on the market". So when you put your home on the market (and I mean the REAL MARKET, by LISTING IT with a REALTOR®), make sure that your home shows it's best. 1) CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN 2) DECLUTTER 3) PAINT
Bo 333-2202 Sunday, July 11, 2010 How to Sell Your Rental Property for Top DollarHello Everyone: Do you own rental property, and feel that now is the right time to sell? You may be right, as property values have far outstripped our Province's controlled rent increases. As your rental income has increased by 2% to 3% each year, the value of the property may have incresed by around 10-15% a year. Case and point: I recently listed a nice little house on Winnipeg Ave. When I first saw this property, which had a tenant in it, the value would have been somewhere around $50,000, sold "AS-IS". The owners heeded my advice, gave the tenants their notice, cleaned and fixed the home up, and listed it for $89,900. In the end, it received multiple offers and sold for even more than that. 2nd case and point: I have a buyer for a condo in Lindenwoods. We were trying to get a look at this condo, which is tenant-occupied by a 'non-co-operative' (read: JERK) tenant, who keeps the place messy, and disrupts showings. This is not uncommon, as tenants quite often don't like the idea of 'their place' being sold, forcing them to find alternative accomodations. And so a condo, which should have sold quickly, has been on the market for 2-1/2 months, causing he owner grief and possible loss of money. If you own property, and wish to sell it, call me first. Here is a short video on WHY it is in your best interest to sell the home WITHOUT the tenant in it. Friday, July 2, 2010 I sold a condo at 193 Victor Lewis Dr Lindenwoods WinnipegHi everyone: I'm happy to report that my buyer just purchased a condo at 193 Victor Lewis Dr in Lindenwoods. If you're looking for a condo in Winnipeg, let's set up a meeting and find you a great condo in Winnipeg. Call me anytime. Tuesday, June 22, 2010 How to Sell Your Rental Property for Top DollarHello Everyone: Do you own rental property, and feel that now is the right time to sell? You may be right, as property values have far outstripped our Province's controlled rent increases. As your rental income has increased by 2% to 3% each year, the value of the property may have incresed by around 10-15% a year. Case and point: I recently listed a nice little house on Winnipeg Ave. When I first saw this property, which had a tenant in it, the value would have been somewhere around $50,000, sold "AS-IS". The owners heeded my advice, gave the tenants their notice, cleaned and fixed the home up, and listed it for $89,900. In the end, it received multiple offers and sold for even more than that. 2nd case and point: I have a buyer for a condo in Lindenwoods. We were trying to get a look at this condo, which is tenant-occupied by a 'non-co-operative' (read: JERK) tenant, who keeps the place messy, and disrupts showings. This is not uncommon, as tenants quite often don't like the idea of 'their place' being sold, forcing them to find alternative accomodations. And so a condo, which should have sold quickly, has been on the market for 2-1/2 months, causing he owner grief and possible loss of money. If you own property, and wish to sell it, call me first. Here is a short video on WHY it is in your best interest to sell the home WITHOUT the tenant in it. Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Winnipeg Home Buyers: Free Guide to Home-Buying in WinnipegHi everyone:
This has happened to me on a couple of occasions: I meet with a new buyer for the first time, and we start to go over the buying process. In this meeting, I explain what the market is doing, how best to write an offer, and generally discuss and describe the entire buying process.
On more than one occasion, the buyer exclaimed:"We never knew THAT!"..... or, better yet: "Our LAST agent never explained THAT."
In speaking to them further, I learn that they had been receiving listings from another agent, gone out to look at a few houses, tried to put in an offer and were promptly 'blown out of the water' by other, better prepared buyers. So here is my point : FINDING a house or condo is the easy part. The listings are out there, on MLS®, in magazines and newspapers and on the internet. But FINDING is only a small part of what I do.... the key is in the PREPARATION. To be blunt: We're not buying a pair of pants, a book or a loaf of bread. We ARE about to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into the real estate market, and we're doing it at a time when there is heavy competition for the same house we want to buy. Being PREPARED is key to winning these multiple-bid situation.
I have created a "Home-Buying Brochure" which helps my house and condo buyers understand the process. A PDF version of this brochure is attached here for your information. I do hope you find it helpful. If you have any real estate related questions or comments, please call me anytime. And of course, if you're looking to buy a house or condo, I'd love to help you FIND and GET the home of your choice.
Click here to download your Free Guide: Bo's Home-Buying Guide
Sunday, May 23, 2010 Advance Notice: 700 sq ft bungalow in Weston areaHi Everyone: In the first couple of days of June, I will be listing a 700 sq ft bungalow in the Weston area. This will make an excellent first-time home for a young couple or even a single person. The home has received many upgrades, including a brand-spanking new bathroom, newer electrical, brand new shingles, paint and some flooring. It has a good furnace, central air and maintenance free exterior. Sitting on a 40' wide lot, there is plenty of room to add a garage. It will be priced at $89,900. As it does not have a basement, this is actually a fair price (NOT underpriced by $40K) and the mortgage payments would work out to approx. $460, based on a 4.5% interest rate.
Call me to find out more..will come to MLS in early June. Bo 333-2202 Sunday, May 23, 2010 Bo Kauffmann sold 1140 McMillan Ave in River HeightsHi everyone: My client was very happy to be able to purchase this excellent home at 1140 McMillan Ave last night.
Monday, April 19, 2010 Market Update: Whyte Ridge WinnipegHi everyone: After issuing a market update for Lindenwoods I wanted to take a look at Whyte Ridge, another very popular Winnipeg neighborhood. Currently, there are 9 homes for sale in Whyte Ridge, 8 of which are priced between 259,900 and $400K. The 9th home is over a million dollars. If you're thinking of selling a home in Whyte Ridge (or anyplace else in WInnipeg, for that matter), please call me for your market evaluation. ...and if you're thinking of buying a home or condo, in Whyte Ridge or other areas, please call me for a free consultation. Bo 333-2202 Monday, April 19, 2010 Preparing your Winnipeg Home for Showings by Real Estate AgentsHi Everyone: There is an old saying that goes: "Your home is never more exciting than the first couple of weeks on the market". So when you put your home on the market (and I mean the REAL MARKET, by LISTING IT with a REALTOR®), make sure that your home shows it's best. 1) CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN 2) DECLUTTER 3) PAINT
Bo 333-2202 Tuesday, April 6, 2010 A Winnipeg House and Condo Buyer should have their own AgentHi everyone: As a real estate agent, I receive many requests to "Send Me Some Listings". Many of my competitors are putting out ads that say "Call me for the latest listings", and it seems that the average house and condo buyer believes that this is all an agent does. In my humble opinion, FINDING the listings is just a small part: I think that PREPARING an EDUCATING the buyer to compete in today's market is far more important. This is also a reason why several buyers have recently come to me after working with other agents and seemingly getting nowhere.
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