Recent content by SannaCedar

I agree ownership matters, but I wouldn’t let long-term inheritance planning delay the basic closing work on a 25-day schedule. First get counsel to confirm exactly what cash must be available and what assumptions the estimate uses. Then have the tax adviser compare ownership options before...

Ask for two separate estimates: the amount needed on closing day and the recurring or future obligations. The first should show transfer tax, registration, professional fees, adjustments, and any tax treatment tied to the transaction. The second should cover annual property charges and...

I’d structure it as: C$425,250, evidence supporting your ability to complete, flexible completion dates, and only the conditions you actually need. Inspection should remain meaningful, not so compressed that it is useless. Financing wording should account for valuation, and the deposit terms...

Use a reasonable response deadline that allows the seller to consider the whole package, rather than an unusually short one that looks tactical. On the deposit, the amount is less important than understanding exactly when it becomes exposed and under what circumstances it remains refundable...

Don’t combine routine maintenance and major replacements into one comfortable-looking percentage. List the expensive components separately, note their present condition, and model when each might need work. If the villa has any association charges or shared-building obligations, obtain the...

I agree about clear responsibility, but I wouldn’t treat rejected offers as reliable pricing data without context. One may fail because of conditions, timing or the seller’s priorities rather than price. Did the inspection reveal anything that changed how much cash you kept back? That seems more...

Also, what exactly does the 59 days measure: an average or median, and time until pending or until closing? A few very old listings can move an average substantially. Check whether relisted homes have had their days reset, because otherwise two apparently different listings may represent one...

Yes, active listings alone will skew the picture. The attractive or correctly priced homes leave that group first, while stale listings accumulate. Recent completed sales should help, but they also look backward. I would compare closed, pending and active properties of similar condition within...

I wouldn’t assume insurance is the main danger. Rent and turnover may matter more because one vacant month removes C$5,142 before cleaning, repairs or leasing costs. A full month every year might be too blunt, but it is a useful downside case alongside a lower-vacancy base case. I’d also run...

My personal hurdle would be around a 5% net yield on the full amount invested before financing. Below that, I would want a particularly strong reason to accept the concentration, repairs and tenant risk. Others may accept less for Toronto, but I would not use expected appreciation to rescue thin...

I’d actually start with the transaction-cost side. Asking members to map every cost from an advertised figure to the final amount paid can expose differences that headline price comparisons miss. A simple template—price basis, taxes or fees, financing, renovation, and ongoing management—would...

I think that is still too close to asking. C$1,180,000, based on 540 sq ft and the average condition. “New build” does not automatically overcome those limitations. The missing local-supply detail matters too: a long listing period means something different if buyers have plenty of alternatives.

Are you comparing duplexes as rentals, renovation projects, or possible owner-occupied purchases? That changes what is worth reading first. For rentals, I’d move property management and legal checklists near the top; for renovation projects, the completed price alone can hide important...

I would push back on the idea that little monthly surplus automatically means the property should be sold. Cash flow is only one side of the decision; selling also gives up the asset and converts your position into whatever remains after the transaction. But I also would not keep it merely in...

One qualification to my own point: don’t postpone every purchase indefinitely while chasing perfect finishes. Separate functional concerns—water movement, insulation gaps or items that do not operate—from minor cosmetic observations. Record both, but preserve the emergency fund for defects that...