Private Property Sale In Canada

Is It Possible To Make A Private Property Sale In Canada?

First Published Date: Apr 10, 2010

Canadian Real estate 101 Selling is a serious process just like buying is. A person needs to understand how to go about it. The most recommended process is finding a selling agency to offer guidance. A seller has to be prepared to pay a certain commission in exchange to the help a selling agency provides. In this case he or she does not have to worry about being swindled or anything of the sort. This is a good option if a seller has no time or expertise to find a good property buyer.

On the other hand, a seller can decide to oversee the entire process personally to avoid paying realtor commissions. This is certainly complex but not when a seller has taken time to research the Canadian market currently. He or she must be ready to find all the information that an experienced agent is aware of. The good news is that one can easily find sites that guide homeowners through the process of making private property sales. Choosing to use an agent is a decision one can make freely in Canada or some other countries in the world.

After going through these sites one realizes that this procedure is not as complicated. There are some advantages that a private property sale can bring. For instance, a homeowner is always in a position to disclose everything about his or her property to a buyer. Therefore a private home seller can oversee home viewing and price negotiation personally. If a seller decides to make private home sale, he or she has many advertising options. Internet is the trendiest advertising platform right now and there are famous gateways in Canada.

There are several other sites that do private property listing in Canada but it is prudent to find out how it happens. Of course every private home seller wants to be sure of the site’s authenticity trademarks. He or she may want to consider a site’s traffic hits and if the site is actually moving properties fast. A real estate advertising site that a client can flexibly use and obtain support when necessary is good. Before posting a home poster online, one has to make sure that the house is properly maintained.

Avoiding using any realtor does not mean a seller won’t deal with one. Any buyer will often prefer to hire an agent to help him or her in the process of buying. A seller will therefore deal with a person who has ample knowledge of the Canadian real estate 101 selling procedure. The process can get complicated and a seller may end up hiring a lawyer or an agent. In fact it is possible to receive calls from agents willing to do business with a seller after viewing his or her property ad.

If a seller is still willing to sell the privately, he or she may need a lawyer’s note to shun the persistent realtors. Selling a private property via auction is possible but a seller’s home must be cozy, attractive and modern looking. A home situated in the hottest locations in Canada and it is also upscale will receive good bids fast.

Understanding Ocean-View Condos

Ocean View Waterfront Condos Around The World

First Published Date: Sep 6, 2010

One of the most popular types of purchases, in real estate, is ocean-view condos. These condos are so popular because they provide stunning views that will make you feel like you are on vacation even though you live on the shores of an ocean. However, there are many things to know with buying condos. First, we will look at the most expensive places to buy an ocean view condo in probably the most popular area to buy an ocean view condo, Central America.

1.    The most expensive area to own property in Central America is the coastline of Coco, Hermosa and Papagayo in Costa Rica. The average price of a condo in this area is roughly $340 per square foot, but you get plenty for that price including tennis clubs, golf courses, spas and more. It is a stunning place and you may just see some celebrities if you are owning an ocean view condo in this area.

2.    In Flamingo, Costa Rica, you will find condos that are $305 per square foot, but the beaches and amazing sport fishing make it the perfect place to buy an ocean view condo.

3.    Ambergris Cave, located in Belize, has nice beaches, wonderful scuba opportunities and the price comes in at $290 per square foot. One benefit of buying an ocean view condo here is that the country is English speaking so you do not have to learn a new language if you move there.

4.    Tamarindo in Costa Rica is a hotspot for people who love to surf thanks to the amazing waves. It is also a good place to hike, and to check out wildlife like turtles that nest in the area. The cost for an ocean view condo is $285 per square foot, and for that price you get diving, golfing, night clubs and more.

5.    Jaco, also located in Costa Rica, has many great hotels that you can stay in, but it also has very nice ocean view condos that you can buy if you want to stay longer. Plenty of nice restaurants, night clubs, bars and beautiful beaches make the $280 per square foot that you pay completely worth it.

6.    In Panama, you will find Bocas Del Toro, which gives ocean view condos for the price of $275 per square foot. There are many islands in this tourist destination and plenty of good surfing opportunities and diving hot spots for someone who just loves the ocean.

7.    Also located in Panama is Panama City, which is a financial center for the country and a place that has plenty of infrastructure, beaches and places to go if you live there. It also has a retirement program that will help you live there without paying too much. You can have a condo here for the low price of $265 per square foot.

Now, there are some things to consider when you are buying an ocean view condo, and by this we mean that you should keep in mind both the advantages and disadvantages associated with ocean view condos.

First of all, the disadvantages to ocean view condos.

1.    Ocean view condos are expensive, sometimes very expensive depending where you are buying the property. You can end up paying thousands of dollars per month to buy one of these condos, and there are often other taxes you have to pay, including high property taxes. As a result, you may not be able to afford to buy such a condo, but you could probably rent one. Many people choose to retire and then buy an ocean view condo because they can use their savings to pay for the mortgage on the condo, rather than trying to work and pay for their condo while they are living in it.

2.    Ocean view condos are in danger from storms. The ocean can create some very powerful storms and that can put you at risk if you have an ocean view condo. Large thunderstorms are common and hurricanes\typhoons\cyclones are also something that you have to worry about because they can do just so much damage to an ocean view condo. In addition, there is the danger of a tidal wave, which are rare but when they do come they do immense damage. All you have to do is look at the damage done by the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004.

3.    In developing countries, there is the danger of crime at your ocean view condo. Many people in these countries are very poor and they know there is money at these condos. However, this is a very small concern because often the areas with ocean view condos have their own security forces to protect those who live there.

Now, let’s go to the advantages of living in an ocean view condo.

1.    First of all, there are amazing views in an ocean view condo and you will wake up in the morning to the sound of the ocean waves hitting the beach. This is an amazing thing to wake up to and something that makes living and paying for an ocean view condo completely worth it. You will be happy you moved into one when you also get to watch the sun go down, or rise, over the ocean.

2.    In many countries, there are plenty of tourist attractions and activities that can be found in the area around your ocean view condo, which means you, will have plenty to do when you live in a condo that looks at the ocean.

3.    Ocean view condos can be very affordable depending where you buy. These condos can be cheap in places like Southeast Asia and in parts of Central America, where you get constant warm weather, friendly people and beautiful beaches.

4.    Speaking of beaches, with an ocean view condo you are always only a few feet away from the ocean and the beach. Any morning you want, you can leave your home, walk 20 feet and check out the various beaches in your area.

When you are buying an ocean view condo, there are some things to consider before you go before hand to buy the condo.

1.    First, you need to look at how much you can afford exactly. You do not want to be paying more than you can afford because you will quickly lose your condo. On that same note, you should look at what kind of incentives there are to buying an ocean view condo in the country you are looking at.

2.    If you are moving to another country, you must determine what you need to do in order to buy property within a country. You often cannot just buy property, you must meet certain criteria. This can include being married to a citizen of the country, or having to start a Limited Liability Company within the country.

3.    Read about the country you are thinking of moving to. Some questions to consider are:

1.    Is it a politically stable country?

2.    What is the crime rate like in the country?

3.    What incentives does the country have for foreign buyers?

4.    What is the economy of the country like?

5.    How far away is the country?

6.    What things do you need to be aware of including diseases in the country?

4.    If you cannot go to the country to buy the condo, have someone who can go in your place, or someone in the country you know, look at the place. This is important because you do not want to be scammed into a place that is far too much for the state it is in.

5.    On that same note, you should do your research on the real estate agency you are going through to make sure you do not buy a home that does not exist and end up losing tens of thousands of dollars.

Ocean view condos can be a great investment and a great place to live when you are in your twilight years. When you can wake up and see the sun rising on the ocean, you know you have made the right choice and you will be happy you paid the money to live where you are. Just make sure you are aware of the costs you will be paying, where you will be living, things you need to consider and what you need to do in order to buy property within the country of your choice.

Ocean view condos are great places to live and good places to buy, so begin your search today for the home of your dreams that sits upon the ocean.

What Is MLS?

Multiple Listing Services or MLS

First Published Date: Apr 18, 2010

If you are planning on buying a home in Canada, then you will most likely be finding that home through MLS, unless you go through a private sale. MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, is a one-stop shop for all the homes that are listed through the major real estate agencies within Canada.

MLS has actually been around for quite a long time, finding its origins in the late 1800s when real estate brokers would gather in offices of their local associations to share the information about the properties that they were attempting to sell. They would do this under the agreement of compensating other brokers who helped them sell properties, and this created the basic principle of MLS.

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver claims to be the pioneer of MLS in Canada, and currently the MLS service in Canada has 98,000 members of the Canadian Real Estate Association, who work through the 101 real estate boards and 11 provincial/territorial associations.

MLS is extremely beneficial to you as a homebuyer for the following reasons:

1.    It allows you to search through properties based on location, price, services and more.

2.    It allows you to see pictures of a home anywhere in the country without ever having to travel to that area of the country.

3.    You can comparison shop homes in a wide area to find the home that is right for you.

Some people criticize MLS because it allows the realtors who use it to have a monopoly on listings. Roughly 80 percent of homeowners in Canada use MLS to find their home, so for realtors who are not listed on it, they lose out on a lot of potential business. Lawsuits have been launched to allow other realtors to list homes outside of MLS, but these have mostly been thrown down.

If you are doing a home search, you can either look on MLS yourself (www.mls.ca) or you can have an agent do it for you. When you do a search, you can search in a number of ways for the right home for you and your family.

·      Postal Code

·      Radius Search

·      Street/Subdivision

·      Price Range

·      Number of Bedrooms/Baths

·      Garages

·      Pools/Spas

·      Square Footage

Once you find your home, you can look through the pictures, find out where it is on a map and even e-mail the realtor questions about the place. This puts a lot of the control in your hands and in fact all you need the realtor for is to buy the house and inspect it when you are in the area.

MLS is a great service that really makes the entire process of finding a home much easier. You are able to find a great number of homes anywhere within the country through the easy map function. You can see exactly where the home is, what it looks like, the things it has and anything else you may need. Without MLS, it would actually be more complicated to find a home for average homeowners.

One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower)

1 World Trade Center

First Published Date: Sep 11, 2010

Everyone knows about the destruction of the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001, but quietly on that piece of land, a new tower is being built that will be taller and much more modern than the destroyed towers. It is One World Trade Center, formerly known as the Freedom Tower and upon its completion in 2013, it will be one of the most famous skyscrapers in the United States.

Construction of the tower began on April 27, 2006 under the name of Freedom Tower, however, on March 30, 2009, the name was officially changed to One World Trade Center since it covers the northwest corner of the World Trade Center Site. The building will feature several high rise buildings around it, a National September 11 Memorial and Museum and park area. When completed, it will stand at 1,776 feet, representing the Independence Year of the United States. It will also be the tallest building in the United States, and will stand 100 feet above the Empire State Building.

The building will include 2.6 million sq. ft. of office space, an observation deck, a restaurant, parking, broadcast facilities, and several public spaces. There will be 69 tenant floors rising up to 1,120 feet, followed by the restaurants and observation decks. There will be a glass parapet at 1,362 and 1,368 feet, which marks the height of the original towers that stood on the site.

The tower will feature several safety features including three foot thick reinforced concrete walls on every stairwell, elevator shaft, sprinkler system and risers. The emergency stairs will be very wide and there will be stairwells that are for the exclusive use of firefighters. Windows will be equipped with blast-resistant plastic. The glass will also improve daylight within the building, and the tower will use rainwater collection and a recycling scheme that will give it a Gold Certification through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The rooftop level of the tower was expected to be finished between October and December of 2011, with the spire going in by 2012. However, the completion was pushed back to 2013. Overall, the building of the tower will cost $3.1 billion, and it will use 50,000 tons of steel.

An interesting note for the construction happened on July 14, 2010, when an 18th century sailing ship was found at the site as workers were excavating the site of an underground vehicle security center for the building. A 32-foot hull and 100 pound anchor were found, and archaeologists believe that the ship was used as landfill material during the 19th century as a way to expand the land of Manhattan.

One World Trade Center will probably become the most recognizable building in New York upon its completion and there will be many who will be happy to set up shop on one of its 105 floors. From a tragedy, a new building rises from the ashes, with safety systems in place that show designers have learned from the past.

Real Estate In Cape Verde

Buying Property In Cape Verde

First Published Date: February 18, 2016

Cape Verde is a unique place to live. Officially called the Republic of Cape Verde, the country is an island nation that covers 10 islands in the central Atlantic Ocean. It is the perfect location for individuals who want to get away from it all because the islands are 570 km away from Western Africa. The islands cover 4,000 sq. km., some of which are volcanic in origin. There is often very little rainfall so the island is not very green, despite the Portuguese word for green being Verde. The population of the country is 500,000, most of which are in the capital city. Roughly 45 percent of the population lives in a rural setting, and 20 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The literacy rate is a respectable 85 percent and the country does have a stable democracy with good economic grown and living conditions. It is currently a developing nation and that is good news for you if you want to move there. It means that the country is rising to the forefront and the property prices are going to be low.

If you are going to buy property within Cape Verde, then you should look at the following:

1.    First, you should consider that there is an immense amount of opportunity to buy property within the country. The people are friendly, it is always sunny, the sea is beautiful and the scenery is astounding. In addition, the country has a stable political and economic system, meaning you don’t have to worry about your peaceful home being turned into a military dictatorship. The country is aggressively pursing growth and tourism so that is good news if you are thinking of moving there. It means many good places to eat and many resorts to check out.

2.    There is a lot of development within the country building new homes and that is something many foreign investors are looking at. The Canary Islands are 240 km to the north and much more expensive but offer nearly the same type of living environment as you get in Cape Verde. The infrastructure is still catching up with the building but there are many places for you to buy a home within the country.

3.    The islands you should look at are Sal, Bao Vista, Santa Maria and Santiago. These are the islands with the most new developments. They offer low-density and environmentally-friendly buildings, and there are restrictions on how close to the beach buildings can be built here, meaning you will not lose your pristine views. There are also many amenities you can choose form on these islands including spas, tennis courts, gyms and more. The island of Sal has the international airport for the country and is the most developed of the islands. It is 30 km by 12 km and most of it is flat with the best beaches in the country. The island of Santa Maria has over eight km of wonderful beaches, plenty of restaurants and bars and a ferry service to the other islands. The island of Boa Vista is the easternmost island, and a place where a property boom is taking place. There is also a lot of infrastructure improvements being made there. The island is 31 km by 29 km and it has plenty of beaches, places for fiestas, a carnival and more. The island of Santiago is 75 km by 35 km and is it the largest island in the country. There are sandy beaches, mountains and it holds the capital of the country, as well as half the country’s population.

4.    If you are going to buy property on these islands, then understand that all the property in Cape Verde is sold freehold, much in the same way as is done in Portugal. A verbal agreement is done and the purchaser’s lawyer will then begin the legal search. The tax office then provides a fiscal number and a contract is signed. As the purchaser, you need to pay between a 10 and 30 percent down payment.

5.    There will be fees and costs for buying a home within the country. First, there is the transfer tax of three percent on all property purchases. You also have to pay about a 2.5 percent fee of the purchase price for notary and registration fees, plus a stamp duty. The property tax within the country is going to be three percent on 25 percent of the value of the property.

6.    You need to finance your mortgage within the country and that must be obtained on property that is already built. You cannot get a loan on a property not yet built. Often it is better to pay cash than to try and get a loan.

7.    There is no double taxation treaty between Cape Verde and most western countries. However, you will pay a tax on some other things like renter’s insurance.

8.    You need to meet residency requirements within the country to live there as well. A visa will only be good for a stay of 90 days. Foreigners can obtain residency within the country if they work for a local business, have a business that employs a minimum number of Cape Verde citizens, invest a certain amount in a new business, or have sufficient income outside of the country.

Cape Verde is a stunning country that is full of wonderful and friendly people. However, it is important that you remember it is a developing country so it might not have the same amount of amenities you are used to. That being said, it is catching up fast and with the country possibly joining the European Union, there is the chance that it will then gain plenty of benefits that will make it even easier for those within Europe to live in the country. You are not living in the third world when you move to Cape Verde, but you are living in a beautiful place that you will absolutely love.