Marta Oliveira's blog

Home appraisers know what they’re talking about when it comes to the upgrades that actually increase your home’s value. After all, they’re the ones who decide what your home’s fair market value is!

You're sure to see a high return on investment with these strategic upgrades recommended by home appraisers:

• Curb Appeal: First impressions matter to buyers and to home appraisers. Enhance your home's exterior with clean landscaping, fresh paint, and eye-catching details. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about upgrading your curb appeal for the summer!
• Creating a Polished Foundation:...

Our real estate market has been changing for some time now due to rising interest rates, shifting home values, and buyer demand. As a result, many sellers have been asking how these changes, especially higher interest rates, are affecting negotiations and real estate deals.

Back in 2022, the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates to stabilize inflation and decrease the amount of borrowing and loans. As a result, we’ve seen rising interest rates for over a year, which has cooled buyer demand in many markets. This was the desired and expected result from an economical...

Buying a home is one of the largest investments you’ll make–so it’s important to make sure that it remains a high-value investment! Keeping your property value high is one way to protect your investment and ensure that, when you decide to sell your home down the road, you’ll make the maximum profit.

But to keep your property protected, you have to stay vigilant about home maintenance. There are several issues that pop up with homes that are huge threats to your investment. Let’s go through the most major ones that you need to keep an eye on as a homeowner.

Systems: Your home’s...

Going through the homebuying journey with your partner can be a relationship-building experience, but it can also be a challenge! Buying a home, especially for the first time, is a complex process with different moving parts and a lot of money–this can be a recipe for a stressful situation for many people.

The secret to smooth out some of those bumps in the road before they happen? A money date! Going on a money date is a great way to get on the same page when it comes to buying a home.

To go on a money date, set aside a specific time that’s just for talking real estate. You may...

If you’re looking at buying a house right now, chances are good that you’re concerned about the high interest rates that are currently the norm. But you don’t have to get stuck with a high interest rate. There are several strategies that you can use to maximize your purchasing power as a buyer. Let’s go through the top four strategies!

1. Focus on Improving Your Credit Score: Lenders base your interest rate in part on your credit score. Since your score reflects how likely you are to repay the mortgage, a higher score will get you a lower interest rate. Before you start your...

At some point during the home buying process, most buyers will feel stressed about their down payment. They wonder if it’s enough or if it’s too much, or how it will impact their interest rates, mortgage payment, and interest owed. Let’s go through some of the math so you can see how different down payment amounts stack up.

For this example, we’ll be looking at a home that costs $300,000 and has a 5% interest rate for the mortgage. If you put 5% down on the home, which comes out to a $15,000 down payment, you’ll pay $1,724 per month on your mortgage.

But let’s say that you did a...

If you want to buy a home in the near future (think 1-2 years out from now), then these 7 things will help you have a great home-buying experience and end up with a home and financial situation that you love!

1. Research closing costs in your area: Closing costs differ from area to area, so it’s important to research the specific area you’re planning to buy in. Learning about closing costs will help ensure that you’re financially prepared and will make smart decisions when it’s closing time.

2. Decrease your credit utilization ratio: Your credit score impacts your interest rate,...

For many first-time home buyers, the idea of saving up tens of thousands of dollars for a down payment can be overwhelming. If you’re in this boat, you’re definitely not alone!

But saving up for a down payment doesn’t have to be a difficult process that takes several years. The sooner you can get into your first home, the faster you can start building equity, which is a key to financial success. Try out these 5 creative down payment strategies so you can buy a home sooner!

1. Low down payment mortgages: You already know that your down payment doesn’t have to be 20% (that’s a...

When it comes to selling a house, one of the most exciting parts is when the offers start rolling in. But then you’re faced with a problem. How do you choose the best offer?

Hint: the answer isn’t the offer with the highest purchase price.

To choose the best offer, keep these 4 factors in mind in addition to the purchase price.

1. Preferred financing method.

For many buyers, mortgages can seem intimidating, confusing, and even a bit scary. Even if you’ve dealt with a mortgage before, it can be hard to know which mortgage type is the best for your situation. And that’s where I can help! Here’s your handy cheat sheet with several of the most popular loan types available to Canadians.