Great Home Staging Article

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE EXCERPT IS FROM STYLE AT HOME...

"The key to creating the right impression is being able to envisage what potential buyers will look for in your home. Can they see themselves living there and spending time with friends and family? Is this a space they’d love to entertain in?

Home staging is essential in helping you bring their vision to life and can make a big impact on the selling price and timeframe. Ideally, you’ll want to focus on the entire house, but depending on time and budget, your main selling rooms take priority" ...FULL ARTICLE

STOP THE HST

Stop the HST – Cost of buying, owning and selling a home to go up by 8%

Earlier this week, the Government of Ontario formally launched its latest assault on homeowners, purchasers and sellers with the introduction of legislation to harmonize the provincial sales tax and goods and services tax.

Homebuyers and sellers will pay 8 per cent more on legal fees, appraisals, real estate commissions, home inspection fees, and moving costs, adding about $1,500 in new taxes to the average residential real estate transaction in Ontario.

For homeowners the HST will also add hundreds of dollars in additional tax on utility bills (gas, electricity and home heating fuel), on home renovation labour, the cost of lawn upkeep or landscaping and the cost of snow removal.

Please help Ontario REALTORS® fight this tax. In less than 30 seconds you can send an email to your MPP asking them to vote against sales tax harmonization legislation, by clicking here:

http://bit.ly/stopthehst

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***PLEASE NOTE MAINTENANCE FEE (estimate $410.00) AND PROPERTY TAXES BEING ASSESSED***

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Oakville Property Taxes May Rise

Town eyes 2.1 per cent tax hike
Increase would translate to extra $21.48 per $100,000 of assessment

By David Lea, Oakville Beaver Staff
News
Nov 06, 2009

Oakville taxpayers could face a 2.1 per cent tax increase for 2010.

The tax hike, which is smaller than last year’s 3.88 per cent tax increase, was summed up by the Town of Oakville in its recommended figures for the 2010 capital and operating budgets, released to the budget committee Thursday.

For 2010, the Town is looking at an operating budget of $205.5 million and a capital budget totaling $118 million with $124.9 million required from the tax levy.

Spending for both budgets actually increased 4.3 per cent, but due to increased assessment growth, the impact on taxpayers is less.

This translates into a 2.1 per cent jump in property taxes or $21.48 per $100,000 of assessment.

This means a home assessed at $400,000 would pay an extra $86 a year or $1.65 a week.

This figure includes the anticipated increases in the Region’s tax budget (0.18 per cent) and education rates (0 per cent).

....MORE...

HST - Coming July 1, 2010

Realtors know how important the dream of homeownership is to Ontario families. Unfortunately, thanks to the forthcoming HST, that dream is going to become much more expensive.

After July 1, 2010, every residential real estate transaction in Ontario will face a significant tax increase. Specifically, home buyers and sellers can expect to pay 8% more on legal fees, appraisals, real estate commissions, condo fees, home inspection fees, moving costs and the provincial government's recently introduced system of mandatory home energy audits. According to the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) Ontarians will pay, on average, an additional $1,449 in new taxes on their next residential real estate transaction.

If the new taxes on real estate transactions are not bad enough, a HST will add 8% more tax on a series of home related costs. Specifically, a HST will add hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars in additional tax on utility bills, such as gas, electricity and home heating fuel, on home renovation labour, the cost of lawn upkeep or landscaping and the cost of snow removal. Moreover, a HST will increase the cost of living with 8% more tax on gasoline, personal and professional services, meals under $4, dry cleaning, cab fares, magazine subscriptions, plane tickets, vitamins and cell phone charges.

And, on newly built homes, expect to pay HST on the full purchase amount!

Oakville WILL Have a Power Plant

Oakville picked for power plant

TransCanada proposal selected over three Mississauga sites
By David Lea/Oakville Beaver

Oakville residents groups are vowing to fight on following a Wednesday announcement by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) that TransCanada Corporation has been selected to build a 900-megawatt gas-fired power plant in Oakville.

...MORE, click below:
http://www.oakvillebeaver.com/news/article/281117

Eleven Storeys Too Much For Neighbours

Allan Street condo plan gets chilly reception

By David Lea/Oakville Beaver
Sep 25, 2009

A plan to build an 11-storey condominium at the southwest corner of Allan and Randall Streets received a cold reception from area residents during a Thursday night open house at Town Hall.

Around a dozen residents turned out to look over the plans for the proposed building. Several voiced concerns about the harm they believe the development will do to their neighbourhood, if it is given the go ahead by council.

"We live in a townhouse right across (from the development) on Randall Street. This really impacts us," said Sonja Buckland."This is going to have a big impact if this goes forward on the sunlight and the amount of traffic on these narrow streets. There is no room to widen them."Susan Harrigan said she was worried about a nearby senior's centre noting that the proposed building would constantly place the seniors' garden in shade as well as block their view."

It's just totally inappropriate," she said.

...FULL ARTICLE FROM OAKVILLE BEAVER...