• What Mortgage Lenders Are Looking For

    What Mortgage Lenders Are Looking For,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Applying for a mortgage can be an intimidating process. Not only do lenders look at your income, they examine your credit score, too—all to determine whether you’re a risky person to bank on. Securing a mortgage was easy in the old days, but lenders are notorious for scrutinizing in today’s less-than-reliable economy. If you’re planning […]

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  • 4 Red Flags to Look for When Buying a Home

    4 Red Flags to Look for When Buying a Home,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Buying your first home is always a tricky experience. There is a steep learning curve that comes with making probably the largest financial decision of your life. While it’s always best to rely on an expert to help you navigate these new waters, there are some tell-tale signs to look for when you are shopping […]

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  • 5 Benefits of Downsizing

    5 Benefits of Downsizing,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Considering moving to a smaller home? Perhaps you’re retiring, or your children have moved out and it’s time for a smaller space. While you might be worried about leaving behind the home you’ve grown attached to, there are many benefits to downsizing. Here are a few. An increase in finances. This is usually the big reason […]

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  • Newly-Built Homes: What No One Tells You

    Newly-Built Homes: What No One Tells You,Mike McCarthy Realty

    With Canada’s ongoing development boom, many purchasers consider buying a home or condo pre-construction, or one that’s just about to be finished. And while there are some amazing benefits to buying a home from plans or just as it’s being completed, there are a few things to take into consideration: You’re under warranty…for a while. If […]

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  • 3 Things Buyers Wish They Knew Before Buying

    3 Things Buyers Wish They Knew Before Buying,Mike McCarthy Realty

    It should come as no surprise that buying an upscale home is a major life event and brings with it all the emotions that major life events do: from anxiety, to a sense of overwhelm, to elation when everything goes through. The good news? Many have successfully gone through the process, and you can too! […]

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  • How to Save for a Down Payment Without Upending Your Lifestyle

    How to Save for a Down Payment Without Upending Your Lifestyle,Mike McCarthy Realty

    For most Canadian buyers, stockpiling money for a deposit means budgeting. And while living frugally can be a great way to save up some much-needed cash, not everybody is excited about the idea of cutting luxuries or splurges out of their day-to-day spending. Here’s how to stick to a saving-friendly regime while still enjoying life. […]

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  • What to Do if You Can't Get a Home Inspection

    What to Do if You Can't Get a Home Inspection,Mike McCarthy Realty

    While a home inspection is always ideal and recommended before buying a home, there are times—particularly in highly competitive markets like Vancouver and Toronto, where a conditional offer upon home inspection just isn’t possible due to bidding wars. In this case, what’s a buyer to do? You will have to rely on visual cues or […]

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  • 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy

    3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Purchasing a home might mean some lifestyle changes for you and your family. Before jumping in with both feet, ask yourself these questions or discuss them with your real estate agent. How might your family change in the next few years?When shopping for a property, it pays to think about your needs now, as well […]

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  • 5 Signs You're Ready to Buy a Home

    5 Signs You're Ready to Buy a Home,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Buying your first home is one of the largest financial decisions (and investments) you will ever make. It’s a smart move to get out of the rental world if you can and start putting that money toward your own property, but it’s also only smart if you are financially truly ready for it. Here’s how […]

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  • 5 Strategies to Buying Your Dream Home Sooner

    5 Strategies to Buying Your Dream Home Sooner,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Most Canadians dream of being able to afford the home of their dreams one day. With a bit of forethought and planning, you may be able to make that dream come true sooner than you think. Have a look at these wise money decisions that you can implement now so that you can get your […]

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  • New-Build Homes: 4 Potential Problems to Look For

    New-Build Homes: 4 Potential Problems to Look For,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Thanks to Canada’s housing boom, many new homeowners end up buying a new-build—a home or condo they’ve either bought from floorplans or after it has just been finished. And while a brand-new space with shiny floors and never-used appliances has a certain kind of appeal, there are certain shortcuts you should watch out for. Cheap […]

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  • 5 Signs You Need a New Real Estate Agent

    5 Signs You Need a New Real Estate Agent,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Picking a real estate agent in Canada can seem like an impossible task. Last year, the Canadian Real Estate Board counted 120,000 licensed agents, a figure that only continues to grow. With agents everywhere, how do you choose? How do you make sure you’re working with someone who will get you where you need to […]

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  • Buy vs. Rent? How to Decide

    Buy vs. Rent? How to Decide,Mike McCarthy Realty

    In decades past, some people opted to invest the money they had saved for a down payment and benefit from the hassle-free and lower-cost option of renting. Today, however, rental rates in some Canadian cities have risen so much that they’re almost as much as a mortgage payment itself. So how do you decide when […]

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  • Making the Decision to Downsize

    Making the Decision to Downsize,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Your family home is where you’ve made lifelong memories to cherish forever. The fact is, though, that when Canadians reach an age at which they’re set to retire and their kids have flown the coop, they may be thinking their home is just too much for them. Making the decision to move to a smaller […]

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  • How to Save for a Down Payment

    How to Save for a Down Payment,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Saving for a down payment is no easy feat—it’s likely the largest sum of money you will need to pay out at one time, and the largest investment you will ever buy. It may seem impossible to save enough for a down payment in any of Canada’s largest cities, but if you make it your […]

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  • What First-Time Buyers Should Never Compromise On

    What First-Time Buyers Should Never Compromise On,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Particularly for millennials, many of whom are renting or living with their parents far longer into adulthood than past generations, homeownership is a dream come true. For many young adults, it seems like an impossible goal—but more and more millennials are successfully securing mortgages. However, making the transition from renting to owning is not a […]

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  • 5 Warning Signs at an Open House

    5 Warning Signs at an Open House,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Browsing open houses can be a great way to see what’s on the market or to see a home up close and personal before you consider making an offer. That being said, it’s easy to get distracted by gorgeous staging or expensive furniture, or even just the excitement of being there. Make sure you watch […]

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  • Why You Should Buy Your Home During Winter

    Why You Should Buy Your Home During Winter,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Since the warmer months are the busy months when it comes to real estate in Canada, you might not think about starting the buying process in the dead of winter, but there are a few good reasons why you should, especially if you’re hoping for a good deal. More room to negotiate the price. Since there […]

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  • Don't Make These Classic Moving Mistakes

    Don't Make These Classic Moving Mistakes,Mike McCarthy Realty

    Moving can be exciting. Whether you’re downsizing, buying your first home, moving across Canada or just minutes away, a new start holds so much promise. Before you can finally enjoy the fruits of your labour, however, you’ll have to pack up your belongings, haul them to your new place, and unpack them all over again. […]

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  • Should You Buy a Home Near a School?

    Should You Buy a Home Near a School?,Mike McCarthy Realty

    When it comes to buying a home in Canada, the decision to move near a school might not be as black and white as you’d think. Here are a few factors you’ll have to consider before taking the plunge. Do you have or plan on having kids? It’s the obvious question, but one you should always […]

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