In addition to those traditional wallpaper patterns that were popular in the 70s, more impressive ones from digital printing technologies have made their appearance. The good old tacky wallpaper is faced with so much competition now. Fantasy abounds. Choosing your wallpaper has become a pleasing dilemma. There are so many colours, textures, and patterns to choose from. Wallpaper is no longer just a decorative accessory. It has become artwork.

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Over the past few years, new digital printing technologies have challenged artists to create spectacular patterns. Wallpaper has regained its popularity with unique, highly customized designs. Not only can you find flowers from the Victorian era, but you can also find numbers, letters, equations, math problems, houses, cats, Legos, fractions, beach accessories, TVs and just about anything you can imagine.[……]

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If you’re ready to purchase your first home but you need a bit more money for the down payment, the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) allows you to withdraw money from your RRSP to finance the purchase of your first home.

Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of the HBP.[……]

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This happens quite often enough. Some homeowners start off by being very happy with their new purchase, but they end up being disappointed. Is it because the property no longer suits their needs? On the contrary! The problem is the area, the neighbours, the public services. Before buying the property, these homeowners thought it was unnecessary to explore the neighbourhood. Bad idea!

You are so excited to have found the property of your dreams that you immediately sign the papers because you are afraid someone else will buy it. The seller, on the other hand, is happy the house is selling quickly, especially if he gets the price he asked for. With no bad intentions in mind, he exaggerates the advantages that come with buying the home. “How far from downtown Montréal?” “Thirty minutes” (when it actually takes an hour) “Where is the nearest subway station?” “A ten-minute walk, at most!” (by bus, maybe) And so on.

The buyer and the seller are both feeling anxious. They’re in a hurry to close the deal. They create illusions. We believe what we want to believe. It’s normal.[……]

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You’re willing to accept the inconveniences that come with living in a co-ownership property and you are now ready to start looking for units. Be careful! Buying a condominium is not the same as buying a house.

Are you looking for a divided or undivided condo unit? A new condo or an older one? These are two contrasting realities. A new condominium will be more modern. You might even be able to look at the blueprints of the unit under construction and offer a few of your own ideas. In addition, maintenance costs will be lower since the building is brand new. Keep in mind, however, that you will have to deal with a promoter. Sometimes, he or she tends to make last-minute changes without advising the future owners. Proceed with caution. Here is a question you should ask: Will you have to pay a monthly housing charge? If you are the Eco-friendly type, new housing is more likely to meet your criteria than older buildings, since the materials used are more current.[……]

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Some believe this design is too cold. Yet, it seems the contemporary style offers continuous appeal since so many people choose to adopt it. Even after so many years, these elements are still sought after: clean lines, open spaces, plenty of natural light and decorative furniture.

What’s astonishing when we enter a contemporary-style room is the illusion of a never-ending space. The furniture is often built into the walls and partition walls, the lights are mounted in the ceilings, and the room is bare. Everything is clean, fresh and unadorned.

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Huge windows or even walls made entirely of glass, allow the indoors to expand into the outdoors while flooding the room with natural light. Since the living space is bare and there are windows everywhere, the natural light brightens up the room.

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At some point, we all find ourselves with a shortage of storage space, even when our homes aren’t crammed with furniture and decor. Before taking on huge renovations, why not first recreate your living space?

  1. Create illusion

There’s nothing like a strategically placed mirror to make a room look bigger. Don’t go too heavy on the decor; remove something you already have and replace it with the mirror. If you don’t have a mirror, visit flea markets or garage sales to snag a bargain.

Choosing a light colour for the walls and ceiling will help make the room feel larger while increasing light. Opening up the windows and letting light in also helps.[……]

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What do you think is the ultimate goal when negotiating a property purchase? Is it that the buyer does everything in his or her power to get the lowest possible price? Or, is it that the seller gives his or her maximum effort to get the highest possible price? Or, is it none of these answers?

One day, a retired multimillionaire businessman told us what he missed the most about negotiating. His greatest satisfaction was to conclude an agreement where both parties were content. That is exactly what property buyers and sellers should aim for: closing a win-win negotiation.

It is useless for buyers to push sellers against the wall and force them to give up their property for an unsuitable price. This attitude rarely leads to good results. Conscientious buyers not only think about their own interests, but they also think about the sellers’ satisfaction.[……]

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