If relocating to the third best mid-sized city in Canada isn’t incentive enough, as a first time home owner there are many additional incentives that await you. Being a first time home buyer in Burlington, or anywhere in Ontario for that matter, has never looked better.

Thinking of buying a home for the first time?

Consider one of the top ten best cities in Canada and you will be the proud owner of not just a few incentives, but of all that Burlington has to offer. The city of Burlington is the place where people, nature and business thrive. With a few additional incentives, you too can own a piece of this great city.

First time home owners have it made these days with multiple incentives from all angles of the real estate market. Incentives come from the market itself, as well as the federal government and even the province of Ontario. If you’re planning to buy in Burlington, you will find these incentives icing on the cake.

Federal Incentives for first time home buyers

The federal government has recently started offering first time home buyers a tax credit along with the long standing home buyers plan.

Under the federal government’s action plan, first time home buyers will receive tax credits for land transfer taxes, disbursements and legal fees. This incentive was introduced in 2009 and allows first time home buyers a tax credit of up to $5,000 to help offset the numerous expenses associated in purchasing a home. This federal incentive can put up to $750 back in the pockets of the first time home owners.

Also, every so often the government of Canada increases the amount that new homeowner can withdraw from their registered retirement saving plan. Currently, under the HBP new home buyers can withdraw up to $25,000 from their RRSPs. Again, the HBP is only available to first time home owners.

Provincial Incentives

The province is now in the business of offering government incentives as well.

New home buyers in the province of Ontario may be eligible for up to a $2000 refund on land transfer fees. This refund is only available to first time buyers. For instance, when buying your dream home in Burlington, extra cash will be useful to say the least. A couple thousand dollars in your pocket on moving day is great for purchasing appliances or doing upgrades. The refund must be applied within 18 months of the purchase. This incentive can also be applied at the time of the purchase registration, reducing the initial amount of land transfer fees payable.

Real Estate incentives for new home buyers

Renting doesn’t have to be the only option for young adults that are trying to get out of their parents basement. Owning your own home builds equity in your pocket, not someone else’s. With 5% down mortgages and low interest rates, home ownership has never been more in reach. As a new home buyer, you may be coming from a rental situation. This can give you the upper hand over other bidders. You can be flexible as a first time home buyer on closing dates and don’t have to include a condition of sale in your bids. Often the first time home buyer has had the time and cash flow to build on a down payment.

There has never been a better time to buy in Burlington and in fact, the province. New home buyer incentives are designed to ease the burden on first time home owners and encourage property sales.

With Burlington’s new designation by MoneySense magazine, as the third best mid-sized city to live in across Canada, property sales, and indeed the real estate market, is bound to increase. Get in on the win as a first time home buyer.

If you’re looking at becoming a first time homeowner in Burlington, contact us and we can go over our listings and find the right home for you.

The Orchard is one of Burlington’s newest, most vibrant communities. This community is located in the northeast corner of Burlington, Ontario. It is just a very short distance away from Oakville, Ontario. The Bronte Creek Provincial Park borders the neighbourhood in its entirety.

The History of The Orchard

Construction began on the homes in The Orchard around the late 1990’s. Since then, this community has become a hub of cultural and natural amenities. Today, 3,800 homes are located in The Orchard. Due to its close proximity to the Bronte Creek Provincial Park, some folks still refer to this neighbourhood as Bronte Woods. Over the years though, it has come to be known as The Orchard.

Homes for Sale in The Orchard

There is a home for every budget in The Orchard. Choose from a wide variety of two storey detached homes, modern condominiums, and semi-detached homes such as duplexes and townhouses. The major home builders in The Orchard are Mattamy Homes, Branthaven Homes, and Sundial Homes. If building your home from scratch is a dream of yours, these experienced and professional home builders are ready to make it happen!

Home prices in The Orchard make it possible for both entry level purchasing and luxury living. Many residences are detached homes with double car garages and expansive front porches – perfect for spacious family living!  If you’re lucky, you may even find a prestigious home located right along the ravine! There are also entry-level condominiums and apartments in The Orchard, making it more affordable to put down roots in one of Burlington’s most sought-after neighbourhoods. Of course, you’ll also find options in between, including numerous townhouses and semi-detached homes for those searching within a mid-range budget.

When selling your home in Burlington, you need a plan for success. The posts below will get you off to a great start!

• 8 Important Things to Remember When Selling Your Home
• Why Home Sellers Need to Think More Like Buyers
• Why Did My Neighbour’s House Sell but Mine Didn’t?

Living in The Orchard

Choosing to buy a home in The Orchard opens up a world of possibilities. From this community, a whole host of cultural, commercial, and natural amenities are only a short walk or drive away! Furthermore, the Appleby Line makes public transportation a fantastic alternative to driving! However, if you are commuting by vehicle, The 407 ETR is just a few moments away.

Orchard Community Park is well loved by families in the area, offering a long list of amenities that include an outdoor basketball court, sports field, skateboard area, and beautiful trails perfect for hiking or cycling. The Art Gallery of Burlington is a short drive away, where you can take in fascinating exhibits and works of art all year long. Community theatres include the Burlington Performing Arts Centre and Theatre Burlington, which ensure a steady flow of intimate, live performances.

There are plenty of shopping opportunities near The Orchard. Directly to the west, at the corner of Dundas Street and Appleby Line is the Burlington North Smartcentre. Here you will find a Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Winners, Sport Chek, as well as a variety of banks, restaurants, and grocery stores. The closest branch of the Burlington Public Library is the Alton Branch.

There are several public schools in The Orchard: Alexander’s Public School, John William Boich Public School, and Orchard Park Public School. In addition, there are three Catholic schools: St. Christopher’s Elementary School, Corpus Christi Secondary School, and St. Elizabeth Seton Elementary School.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

Without a doubt, the Bronte Creek Provincial Park is one of The Orchard’s greatest assets! Spend the day walking the trails along the 50 metre deep Bronte Creek Ravine on one of the park’s five hiking trails. Families with young ones love to make a trip to the Children’s Farm where they can pet live animals, or to the Spruce Lane Farm House. During the winter the park is a winter wonderland complete with skating, tobogganing, and cross country skiing!

If you’re looking at conveniently located homes for sale in Burlington, The Orchard might be the place for you. Contact us for further information on The Orchid.

Welcome to Alton Village, Burlington’s newest residential community! You can find this new neighbourhood in the northeast corner of Burlington, just a short distance from the GTA, Hamilton, Brampton, Oshawa, and Oakville. In this growing community you can enjoy fitness activities, cultural attractions, and the natural beauty of the surrounding agricultural property. Read on to find out what makes Alton Village a beautiful place to live.

Real Estate in Alton Village

Development of Alton Village began in this enviable community in 2006. Today, the majority of the homes are two storey homes, with a balanced mix of detached, semi detached, and townhouse options. The most frequently consulted home builders are Mattamy Homes, Branthaven Homes, Sundial Homes, and Emery Homes. Home prices offer accessible price points for any budget. Apartments and Condos begin at $250,000, Freehold and Semi Detached homes begin at $375,000, and Fully Detached homes begin at $600,000. The upper price point for each home style is approximately double the entry price. Alton Village, Burlington offer homeowners gorgeous, custom family homes to suit the lifestyle of their dreams.

Commuting from Alton Village

Commuters love that the 407 ETR and the QEW Toronto make accessing the entire Greater Toronto Area quick and convenient. Take advantage of the efficient 407, and downtown Toronto is only a 50 minute drive away. Meanwhile, online essay writer Brampton is a mere 30 minutes away, while Hamilton is just a quick 20 minutes down the Queen Elizabeth Way. For those who prefer to use public transit, the GO Train, Appleby GO Station is the closest station to Alton Village making commuting both cost effective, and environmentally conscious.

Alton Village Amenities, Burlington

This is an increasingly popular residential neighbourhood. Those who live there frequently visit the Burlington North SmartCentre at the corner of Dundas Street and Appleby Line for both recreational shopping and daily necessities. Here you will find a Walmart, Winners, Longos, Walk-In Clinic, Starbucks, and perhaps most importantly: a Cora’s! Take the whole family out for dinner at Boston Pizza, Kelsey’s, or the Sunset Grill before grabbing a cone at the local Marble Slab Creamery. Golfers will love the proximity to the Millcroft Golf Club to the Southeast of Alton Village, one of Burlington’s most professional 18 hole golf clubs.

Infrastructure in Alton Village, Burlington

The Alton Village Public School is the neighbourhood’s primary educational institute, and children of all ages are welcome at The Alton Kids Child Care Center where children are encouraged to learn through play! Alton Village is home to The Haber Recreation Centre. This state of the art facility is home to a three storey public high school, the Alton Branch of the Public Library, and a full fitness centre with four gymnasiums! There’s a program or activity for the entire family at the Haber Recreation Center. Alton Village makes it possible for families to engage in a physically active, exciting lifestyle. With Toronto and the entire GTA so close by, there’s no shortage of activities, and festivals for the entire family!

If you are interested in Alton Village real estate, feel free to contact us for more information.

If you are planning on selling your home, you definitely want your home to look as clean and presentable as possible. When buyers walk into a home that has not been staged / prepared for showings or cleaned properly, they get distracted and this can impact the sale. Gutter cleaning professionals are high priority in the fall season as well, so, timely order their services. Just as you clean up all the clutter, dust the cobwebs and ensure that all the rooms are clean and neat, it is also very important to ensure that your windows are sparkling clean which you can easily get done by hiring experts who laver vitres à Laval and also replace/install custom screens with customscreens.com.au. If you notice a crack in one of your windows you can have someone come out for repairing residential window glass.

Impress the Buyers

When you opt for professional window cleaning in Woolcott, they do a thorough job and the windows become spotlessly clean. This also brings in more natural light into the rooms and brightens-up interior spaces and makes your home look cheery and bright.

All of this goes a long way in impressing buyers and it improves the possibility of a successful sale. Ideally, window cleaning should be done 2-3 times a year. Homeowners generally opt for a quarterly cleaning schedule while business owners prefer to have windows cleaned on a monthly basis.

Why Opt For Pre-Winter Window Cleaning?

For those who are wondering whether this is the best time to get windows cleaned by pros from a reputable place like Window Installation Louisville KY– there are a number of reasons why you should get your windows cleaned before winter:

• Though it is possible to clean windows in the winter if the days are clear, getting them cleaned just before it starts snowing is a much better option. It is possible to do an excellent job as the weather permits thorough cleaning and there is no snow to deal with
• The winter will last for a few months and since there is less dirt in the outdoor air during this season, your windows will stay clean for a longer period of time
• At times, the cold will compel you to stay indoors and you will have more time to look at the scenery outside. Having clear glass to gaze through is much better than looking through dirty panes, isn’t it?
• Winter is also about Thanksgiving and Christmas and inviting friends and family over to your home. You will surely want your windows to be as clean as you like the rest of your home to be
• No matter what the season, fingerprints and film from candles & fireplaces as well as dust accumulates on windows. Getting a pre-winter eco-friendly cleaning helps in easing the cleaning job and maintenance become easier
• When you have beautiful cityscape or landscape views outside, you want to be able to enjoy them through sheets of clear glass and getting professional window cleaning is the best way to ensure this.

Though pre-winter might seem like an unlikely time to get windows cleaned, as you can see- there are actually a number of reasons to do so and this is especially true if you are planning on selling your house. Whether you want the windows of your home or business in Woolcott cleaned, getting professionals to handle the job, is recommended and a smart thing to do.

You finally have your dream home and you are going to make an offer when you see the word “deposit” on on the paperwork. Is this just another word for “down payment” or is it something else altogether?

It get’s confusing, but deposits and down payments are two very different things to consider in any real estate transaction.  Although both require saving, they occur at different times during the transaction. Let’s look at what these terms mean and what you need to know and when.

Deposit

If you bid on a property, a deposit is expected to show how serious you are. Similar to a rental deposit, it shows that this is the place you want to live. Once a seller accepts your offer, you make a deposit quickly, usually within 24 hours.

Deposits are usually in the form of a bank transfer or certified check. The deposit amount is decided between you and your realtor and really depends on the local property market. Expect the deposit to be between one and five percent of the purchase price.

If the offer is accepted, the deposit is likely to be held in trust by the listing broker agent. This offers you buyer protection if the seller goes bankrupt. It is also protected by the insurance company, so even if the agency goes bankrupt, you can get your money back.

A question often arises, can the buyer can get the deposit back if there is a problem with the fulfillment of the conditions or if the buyer does not want to go ahead with the purchase? There is no simple answer to this, as every situation is different.

However, the deposit cannot be released until both parties agree. If a condition is not met, the seller may refuse to release the deposit if they believe the buyer is not acting in good faith.

Another thing to consider is that not paying the deposit doesn’t make the deal null and void. If the seller chooses to sell the house to someone else and not be able to get the same purchase price, you can be sued for the difference and the cost of legal fees. Placing an offer on a house is serious business, and you should only ever take this step if you intend to move forward.

Down Payment

Once you have paid the deposit and the offer is in, it’s time to look to the next phrase, the down payment. The down payment is the total amount of money you put towards the purchase price. This amount actually includes the deposit, which you have already made.

Generally speaking, the higher your down payment, the smaller loan you require and the less interest you’ll pay over time. This is where the savings really comes into play which can help you pay a lower mortgage rate!

In Canada, you have to put down a minimum of 5 percent of the purchase price. For example, if you bought a house for $400,000, you would have to put at least $20,000. However, if you want to avoid mortgage default insurance you want to pay at least 20% ($80,000 in this case). Suppose you pay 20 percent, your payment will be deducted from the purchase price, and what is left is the amount you need to finance with your bank. For example: $ 400,000 (purchase price) – $ 80,000 (down payment) = $ 320,000 (mortgage loan amount).

Do you have more questions about buying or selling a home? You’ll find more answers in the posts below:

• Fact Vs Fiction About Working With A Real Estate Agent
• FSBO vs Real Estate Agent Assisted Sales: What’s Better?
• What’s in Your Listing Agreement?

Summary

In short, the deposit is the money you give the seller right away to accept an offer and to show that you are motivated and serious about the deal. The down payment is the amount of cash you pay towards the house. Upon closing day, the deposit gets added to the rest of your down payment. The funds are released to the seller, along with the money from your   mortgage – and you then take possession of your brand new home!

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or give us a call at 905-332-9223 and one of our sales representatives would be more than happy to go through this with you!

Burlington was recently listed by Money Sense Magazine as one of the best cities to live in, in Canada. Not only that, Money Sense ranked Burlington as the third best city to raise a family in. It’s with good reason, as Burlington has a lot to offer, from fantastic schools, close proximity to Toronto, community spirit, and of course dozens of great neighbourhoods. Not every neighbourhood is built the same. Some neighbourhoods cater towards the single commuter, while others are more for senior, or retirement life. In this blog article we’ll examine what the best neighbourhoods in Burlington to raise a family are.

Headon Forest

Headon Forest is centrally located in Burlington. This community was started in the 1980’s when houses were built on lots with large backyards. Backyards and kids go hand in hand as it gives them lots of opportunities to be active in a safe location. Backyards are also perfect for birthday parties, and family events. What we love most about this neighbourhood is that it has mature and tall trees, as well as larger wide roads, making your new home a beautiful place to reside. Notre Dame Roman Catholic High School, as well as a few Elementary Schools are all within walking distance. Ireland Park is also located in Headon Forest, and it’s a great spot for children to play soccer, football, or ride their bikes about in a safe area.

Tansley Woods

Tansley Woods is located centrally in Burlington, so it’s close to everything Burlington has to offer.  If your job is in Toronto, the Go Station is near, or if your work is just down the road in Oakville, you don’t have far to drive on the 403.  This neighbourhood has great family amenities, such as the Tansley Woods Library and the Tansley Woods Park. We’re a little biased too, as our Woolcott office is located in the Tansley Woods neighbourhood.

Palmer

Palmer is an excellent place to raise a family, as again, it’s a mature neighbourhood with a strong foundation and lots to offer. Dr. Charles Best Public School, and Sir Earnest MacMillaian Public School are located here, and within walking distance. Furthermore, there are several parks, and many family oriented businesses, such as dental offices, animal hospitals and family doctors.

Mountainside

The Mountainside Neighbourhood in Burlington is a mix of old and new housing. Here you’ll find Mountainside Park, which offers a lot of activities for kids. Homes in this area reasonably priced, and you’re bound to find something to suit your family size. Schools and churches round out this neighbourhood, adding to a positive community life. Mountainside is also close to the Go Station, making this great if you or your spouse need to commute to Oakville, Mississauga or Toronto.

Brant Hills

Brant Hills is a family oriented area filled with parks, trails and schools. This is a great spot for kids, as it has the Brant Hills Park. Brant Hills is also a hop, skip and a jump away from the Bruce Trail. The Brant Hills Library and Park is also a great selling feature of this Burlington region, as it’s the perfect Saturday or after school destination. If you love golf, you’ll love Brant Hills. It is close to two golf courses, making it ideal for those of us who appreciate getting lost in a round of 18 holes.

Conclusions

With 29 Public elementary schools, 14 Catholic Schools, and 11 high schools, Burlington is a fantastic city to raise children. The city has 115 parks, 3 malls, as well as many local sports teams. For grownups, there are plenty of amazing restaurants, bars, and shopping opportunities. Furthermore, the 407, 403 and Go Transit provide quick access to Mississauga, Oakville and Toronto for employment opportunities.