2014 Sochi Olympics gives Burlington something extra to cheer for.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of the Olympics, I wish it took place every year! We have a lot of wonderful athletes to be proud of but I wanted to mention a couple of locals to keep watch for. Marianne Leeson is participating in snowboarding, Jesse Lumsden is attacking two events; the two-man and four-man bobsled, and Tim Randall is also participating in the four-man bobsled. The Leesons lived at the end of my street and were always avid skiers, I always used to see them up at Glen Eden our local ski bump and they were always packing or unpacking their van with gear. All those days on the slopes certainly paid off, it’s pretty cool to see one of them making the big show! Good Luck Marianne, Jesse, and Tim all of Burlington and Canada are rooting for you!

Phasing in a major renovation

If you’re thinking of renovating by degrees, a good starting point is research and planning.  First of all, what are your goals for this renovation, and what is your timeline?  Are you planning on creating a dream kitchen where your family will spend the majority of its time for many years to come?  Or are you just looking to freshen up the look, but plan to move within the next two or three years?  Defining your objectives and time frame can really help you to decide what’s worth doing now, what can be done in degrees, or what’s worth doing at all.  Your public library and city planning offices can be a wealth of information on the various stages and requirements for home renovations.

I will be happy to discuss how the resale potential for your home might be affected by any renovations you may be planning and what the future sale implications may be.  Your local financial institution can advise you on the most cost effective way to finance your renovation.  Usually a line of credit secured against the equity you’ve already built up in your property is one of the most cost efficient options available to you.  However, there has been a lot of change to the overall structure in lending over the past year so if you would like to discuss in further detail what some of your options may be please feel free to give me a call, I work with several highly reputable banks and mortgage brokers and will be able to assist with you with information for your financial needs.

Of course, your contractor is the most important person to include in the investigation and planning process.  Make sure that your contractor understands your goals not only for the immediate stage of your project, but also for any future enhancements you may be planning.  Your contractor is responsible for getting a building permit and ensuring that your long range plan conforms to the building code and regulations of your municipality.  Don’t assume you can simply add on later when the time is right.  Once you’re armed with the right information, you are better able to make an informed choice.

 

For more information on renovating or on any real estate related questions please feel free to contact me at:

james@coldwellbanker.ca
www.twitter.com/cbjamesmink
www.facebook.com/cbjamesmink
www.linkedin.com/cbjamesmink

Serving the Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, Waterdown, Milton and West Mississauga areas