Plus visit us at www.enrightandmolleson.com

When deciding to buy a home for the first time, it’s a good idea to take a look what whether home ownership is right for you. Our gut instinct is often filled with the excitement of buying your first home and making it your own place. Before jumping, I recommend that first time buyers consider both the advantages and disadvantages in respect to their personal lifestyle and future goals. Typically on the positive side, home ownership can give you choice and control over your home environment. So for example, as a buyer you get to pick where you want to live, the house to live in and how you want to decorate the home you purchase. For someone who has been renting a home, this can be very appealing.

On the flip side, a first time buyer should understand the commitment that home ownership brings with it. Often buyers tend to agree that the positive side is worth it but a thorough review of your current situation is well worth it. Buyers should consider their down payment, ability to make regular mortgage payments, the level of maintenance the home will need and any associated cost, as well as just being responsible for the much enjoyed home ownership.

If you’d like help determining whether home ownership is within reach for you, call me to set up an appointment. Or, if you’ve already determined you are ready to start your home search, give me a call and we’ll get started on finding you the perfect first home!

Real Estate ads are often filled with abbreviations. Here is a list of commonly used one’s to help you decode the Real Estate section of the paper:

• air conditioning – a/c
• apartment – apt
• appliances – appls
• balcony – balc
• basement – bsmt
• bathroom – bath, bth, bthrm
• bedroom – br, bed, bdrm
• building – bldg
• central air conditioning – c/, ac
• central vacuum – cvac, c/vac
• double – dbl
• family room – fam rm
• fenced – fncd
• finished basement – fin bsmt
• fireplace – fpl
• floor – fl hardwood floors – hrdwd flrs included – incl
• parking – prkg piece – pc
• room – rm
• solarium – sol
• storey – stry
• suite – st, ste
• townhouse – twnhse
• washer/dryer – w/d
• workshop – wkshp
• yard – yd, yrd

Want to see our print ads? Find us in the Kingston Whig Standard HOMES section that comes out every Friday. Most of the homes in Kingston receive this paper free! Or visit enrightandmolleson.com for more info on working with the Enright & Molleson team.

Effective December 14th 2007, the Ontario Government announced that an ammedment to the Land Transfer Tax Act was passed and now in place. The new legislation expands on the exisiting Land Transfer Tax Refund for First Time Home buyers to now include New Construction and Resale Homes. The maximum refund of $2000 remains the same.

This is great news for First Time Buyers who area already faced with a number of new costs when entering the market of home ownership – but this small token certainly helps! So regardless of whether you buy new or resale, the refund still applies as long as you meet the other criteria. The following eligibility requirements apply for resale homes, and continue to apply for newly constructed homes:

• The purchaser must be at least 18 years of age.
• Application for the refund must be made within 18 months after the date of the conveyance or disposition.
• The purchaser must occupy the home as his or her principal residence within 9 months of the date of closing.
• The purchaser cannot have owned a home or had any ownership interest in a home, anywhere in the world.
• A spouse of the purchaser cannot have owned a home or had any ownership interest in a home, anywhere in the world while he or she was the purchaser’s spouse.

Please visit the Ontario Ministry of Revenue’s website for complete details or call me and we can discuss what this new amended legislation means to you.

At Century 21 Champ Ltd here in Kingston, we offer our buyers & sellers the Century 21 Gold Standard in service. Century 21 has long been known for their high standards and this is true with us as well. As a representative from Century 21 Champ Ltd, I pride myself in providing exceptional, detailed & attentive service to my clients. Whether buying or selling, I am here to help.

Plus as a bonus to my clients, you can receive AIR MILES for buying and selling with me. Century 21 is the only company that offers this program, so why not take these extra points and turn them into something for your new home! Curious about how to take advantage of receiving AIR MILES when you work with me, well it’s easy! Whenever myself and my partner Greg Enright represent you for the purchase or sale of your home, we’ll provide you with AIR MILES upon the successful close. If you Buy & Sell with us, you’ll get even more points – points for buying and points for selling! Now that’s something to get excited about!

As your Kingston Area Real Estate Agents, we are looking forward to helping you with your real estate needs. Call us today!