One of the biggest benefits to purchasing your own home is the ability to build equity in your property. This equity can come in handy down the line for refinancing, renovations, or taking out additional loans - such as a second mortgage.

In today’s newsletter I’m going to cover an area where I am personally deficient. That comes under the heading of repair and renovation, and specifically asks, what degree of quality should be used to rectify problems as they occur.

There is a trend we have been seeing in the real estate market post covid. During the first half of the year the market builds both in terms of sales activity and also in average sale price. And then it’s like a watershed with the market cresting in around June and them sliding to the end of the year. That’s what happened in 2023, and again in 2024, and that’s what seems to be happening in 2025 based on the first 6 months. Let’s begin with average sale prices.

Thinking of taking your business to the next level? Incorporating offers a range of advantages that can set your company up for long term success.

Shakespeare might have thought ‘to be or not to be’ was the ultimate question, but he wasn’t living in 2025 trying to minimize bank fees and interest charges while maximizing financial returns—and having to pay $9 for a clamshell of raspberries. This month, we’re tackling a modern dilemma: ‘Should I get a variable or fixed rate on my mortgage?’ Not as poetic, but way more practical. Let’s dive in.

Square footage. It’s an important parameter in real estate. Both in residential and in commercial. In residential, square footage is an important factor when it comes to computing value. You see two properties on the market. Both 3 bedroom bungalows. All things being equal: location, condition, amenities.