All Blog Entries by Justin Havre

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Found 161 blog entries published by Justin Havre.

What Should You Know About Canadian Mortgage Insurance?Are you a prospective buyer looking to apply for a mortgage loan in Canada? One of the additional costs which may be obligatory for some approved candidates is the requirement of paying Private Mortgage Insurance of PMI. Many Canadians are obligated to paying PMI. Therefore, it makes sense to understand whether or not one may have to budget for the additional expense when looking to purchase a Lynx Ridge home. If it will be hard to make a large down payment, more than likely if approved for a mortgage loan, mortgage insurance will also be necessary.

Learn more about PMI, changes to PMI, the purpose of PMI and issues with the current system today.

Private Mortgage Insurance

PMI, or Private Mortgage Insurance, is a standard requirement for

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What to Look for in a Home WarrantyBuying a home warranty can be a great idea for many reasons but before a buyer a home warranty, they should want to make sure they understand what they are getting. There are a lot of different ways that buyers can protect their home and a home warranty is a great option as long as they get a good plan that will actually protect what you expect it to protect in your Roxboro home.

How a Home Warranty Differs From Home Insurance

A home insurance policy is different than a home warranty regarding what each one covers. This is important to understand so a buyer can know what they are getting with a home warranty. A home warranty covers any appliance repairs within the home. They can sometimes also cover electrical or plumbing problems within the

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How to Choose Flooring for the Many Rooms in Your HomeThe floors of a home are far more than a support for your feet and furniture. They're a canvas a homeowner can use to personalize a home and increase its value. Flooring is the literal foundation upon which the rest of the room is built, and there's a lot to consider about how you can use it to transition from one room to the next. With all the options out there, it helps to have a few references to turn to before deciding on the perfect material for each space. All flooring types have special considerations to remember when selecting them for a room, as does the installation process for each type.

Bathrooms

With so much splashing in a bathroom, homeowners need to beware of mildew and mold. Tiles are normally the most popular flooring choice

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Questions to Ask When Buying a New Construction HouseThere's a lot of information out there to help home buyers find an existing home, but what happens when you're looking for new construction? It's a totally different process, so you must approach it in a different way. Here's what to ask when looking to buy a home that's new construction.

1. How reputable is the builder?

Reputation matters when seeking a new construction home. If the builder has a poor reputation, they may be known for building subpar homes, not delivering the homes on time, or exhibiting another flaw that impacts your home ownership. Look for builders that have strong reputations and a track record of proven success with other communities, so you'll be able to rely on them to deliver your home on time.

2. How do home owners

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Energy Efficient Home Improvements With the Biggest SavingsMaking energy efficient changes in all aspects of our lives has become a primary concern for many people. One of the areas that people place a lot of focus on are their homes. There are several different home improvement projects that can be completed and can make the home more energy efficient. These are some of the most common ones that are completed as well as a little bit about the process.

Getting an Energy Efficiency Audit

Before homeowners complete any work on their home, it is important to get an energy efficiency audit completed. This is because it is important to know where you currently stand before any work is done, in places like Discovery Ridge or elsewhere. This will tell homeowners where their weak links are in their home and

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What's the Value of Residential Solar Panels?Adding solar panels to your home is a major undertaking in terms of expense and affect on your home's value. How much will going solar really change things for you? Find out the value of adding residential solar panels by weighing the pros against the cons.

What are the Advantages of Residential Solar Panels?

Once you add solar panels, they'll start to generate free, renewable energy. Whether you want to reduce your dependence on coal or oil or save money on utility bills, this is a net bonus.

Central Canada gets the most sun exposure, since the coasts experience greater cloud cover. No matter where in Canada you live, solar panels will produce energy if your house gets sufficient sun exposure. If your solar panels produce more energy than

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Should You Hire a Professional or Do DIY?When it's time to complete a home improvement project, some homeowners choose DIY and some hire a contractor. Picking who should complete a home improvement project can be a challenge, because many factors must be taken under consideration. Experience, budget issues, safety and the potential for damage are all serious issues that can influence the decision.

Experience and Expertise

Some home improvement projects require a certain level of experience and expertise, others do not. Basic home improvement projects like interior painting, installation of a new shower head, repairing a leaky faucet and fixing a running toilet are all relatively simple projects that do not require expertise to be completed.

Other home improvement projects are not

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How to Start DownsizingIt may seem like yesterday when you were looking for a home with more space to meet the demands of a growing family. Now you find that you would be happy living in a smaller home with much less “stuff.” The minimalist concept, tiny home movement and potential cost-savings may be part of the driving force causing homeowners to consider scaling down their home and possessions for a more stress-free lifestyle. How can homeowners get started on eliminating the unnecessary when selling their home and determining what they actually need to enjoy life on a smaller scale?

Learn how to get started on downsizing and what important considerations should be kept top-of-mind during the process.

How Quickly Should Homeowners Let Go?

According to Right at

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The Difference Between Preapproval and PrequalificationWhen you make an offer on a home, it's important to be as financially prepared as possible. Understanding the pre-approval process, how mortgage pre-approval can help you purchase a home and what you can do to get pre-approved can help you make a competitive offer when it's time to buy a home.

Difference Between Mortgage Pre-Qualification and Mortgage Pre-Approval

When you start working with a lender, one of the first things the lender may ask is whether or not you would like to be pre-qualified or pre-approved. Knowing the difference between these two statuses can help you make a smart decision.

Mortgage pre-qualification is a fast, easy process. To become pre-qualified, the buyer supplies the lender with financial information like income,

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What to Know About the Down PaymentMany home buyers who wish to buy a property will save their down payment for years in advance. Once some money has been collected, it's important to know how much is enough. Knowing when to stop saving and when to start buying is a multi-step process that takes research.

How much is needed for a down payment?

The minimum down payment for a house of $500,000 or less is 5 percent. For homes that cost over $500,000, the down payment must be 5 percent of 500,000, plus 15 percent of everything over $500,000.

How do you know if you have enough?

In addition to the amount that the home buyers have saved for their down payment, home buyers must also meet minimum debt to income qualifications. The best way for many home buyers to find out whether

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