If we compare the expense of an inspection to the cost of buying a home, it really isn’t that expensive after all! But too often, we still skip this step. 

“You would never purchase a used car without hiring a knowledgeable mechanic to inspect it first. So why wouldn’t you do the same thing before making one of the most important investments of our life?” asks Jean-Claude Fillion, an architect who specializes in pre-purchase inspections.

“It’s important to know where you stand before buying a home,” he continues.

Before you sign on the dotted line, here are five good reasons to get a home inspection before you buy a house.[……]

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Take it or toss it? Six ways to decide what goes or stays before you move

Packing is a great opportunity to purge.

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Squeezing all your belongings into boxes may not be a fun way to spend your free time before you move. But, packing can provide the perfect chance to weed out any extra belongings, and start fresh.

Before you wrap up a single cereal bowl or framed photo, try the following tips to avoid moving a ton of unnecessary items into your new home.[……]

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“The faster you pay off a mortgage, the more you save in interest,” says Louis-François Éthier, product manager at National Bank.

The truth is, paying off a $100,000 mortgage in a short period of time is extremely difficult without both a sizable and stable income, and relatively few expenses. A small regular payment stretched out over a longer amortization period (the total time required to pay off the mortgage) is usually considered an expensive strategy. This is because mortgage payments mostly cover interest and little of the principal until the interest is paid, so it can take decades to pay off the balance.

“The amount of your mortgage payments should be based on your overall budget,” says Louis-François Éthier.

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How much of your budget should go toward mortgage payments?
Most financial institutions recommend that no more than 30% of your total budget go towards mortgage payments, municipal taxes, and heating. “It’s the classic ratio in the industry: mortgage to total debt,” says Mr. Éthier. “It’s crucial to also consider other debts, such as car loans and balances on credit cards. Mortgage counsellors can help you make the right choice.”

Of course, the expected time if would take to pay off the mortgage directly influences the amount that we spend on our regular payments.[……]

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Is buying a vacation property right for me?

6 questions to ask before making a move.

As the weather warms up, a cottage by the lake may sound appealing ― but is owning a second home right for you? If you’re looking to purchase a place, prices will vary greatly depending on where you’re searching.

There are several important factors to consider before purchasing a vacation home, so don’t let the allure of a lake breeze or the excitement of water sports keep you from thinking it through. First, ask yourself these six questions:[……]

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When you see how home insurance has gone up in recent years, it can be tempting to downgrade your coverage or shop around for a better deal. There may be good reasons for premiums going up, but who doesn’t want to spend less on insurance? The good news is you can! Here are a few reasons why home insurance rates are on the rise, and 13 tips to help you pay less.

Why home insurance premiums are going up

There are several reasons why your premiums go up when you renew your home insurance.

  • Your insurance amount generally increases by a certain percentage at each renewal to cover inflation (the cost of materials and labour) as well as new purchases you’re likely to have made.
  • Payouts on home insurance claims are increasing at an alarming rate (up 20% between 2009 and 2013, and 300% since 1990).
  • Payouts for natural disasters have increased six-fold since the 1990s.

So the two main reasons are that there are more claims, and those claims are more and more costly.

“But I haven’t made a claim!” That’s true, but remember that home insurance is like group insurance. You pay to protect other people’s property as well as your own. The premiums that you and other policyholders pay are pooled to pay for any losses incurred, which tend to cost a lot more than your monthly premium.

As a result, the more claims there are, the more you have to pay.

If you have made a claim yourself, there’s a good chance that your insurance will go up at your next renewal. Insurance is there to cover you in case of a loss, but making a low-value claim is not always in your best interest.[……]

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ADVICE FROM DESJARDINS

Relocating for work or school? If you are moving to start a new job, run a business or study full-time at a post-secondary level, you may be eligible to deduct some of your moving expenses from your income taxes.

Eligibility rules are the same for both the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec. If you want to deduct moving expenses, your new home must put you at least 40 km closer to your workplace or school.

Expenses you can deduct:

  • moving company fees
  • rental fees for a truck or trailer
  • storage costs for your household belongings
  • food and lodging expenses for you and your family during the trip to your new home
  • the cost of selling your old home or cancelling your lease
  • the cost of upkeep for your old home if it remains vacant for a time despite reasonable efforts to sell (maximum $5,000)

[……]

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