Alton Village - Update - Starbucks, Yogurtys and Shoppers Drug Mart - NOW OPEN

The new Starbucks, Yogurty’s and Shoppers Drug Mart located in the North East corner of Walkers Line and Dundas, in Burlington are now open. Get out with a friend, and walk-over for a visit!  There are a few more commercial units in that building that are not completed yet, and space beside that building where they will be constructing additional commercial buildings. We are interested to see what other stores come to that location, and will keep you informed! Being able to walk to them is great for our community!

It's hard to believe that the city OK'd another Shoppers Drug Mart, after we already have a new one 1 minute away at Appleby Line and Dundas, and another one at Appleby and Upper Middle.  We need diversity in our stores and local shops.  From what I hear the residents in Alton Village aren't happy with the shoppers or the Starbucks being chosen for there.  We'll see what other stores they add in, as there is still more open commercial space inside Alton Village, but also another building to be built at Walkers and Dundas.

To keep up to date with Alton Village, visit and LIKE our Facebook page www.facebook.com/altonvillagenews 

Halton District School Board Boundaries

Looking to see what the boundaries for schools are in Burlington, Oakville, Milton or Halton Hills area? Here is a look to the maps that show all the different schools and their boundaries.

http://www.hdsb.ca/aboutus/Planning/Pages/School%20Boundary%20Maps%20On-line/BurlingtonBoundaryMaps.aspx

If you have any questions about the boundaries, or real estate please contact me directly and I will assist you with any of your questions.

Thanks

Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

 

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca
www.randyharthomes.com

 

Alton Village High School Update

 

Frank J. Hayden Secondary School – Home of the Hayden Huskies!!

This September, the new Frank J Hayden Secondary School, opened its doors to the Alton Village, Millcroft, Orchard and surrounding neighbourhoods. For this year it will be Grade 9 and 10 students only at the school, and it will grow to Grade 11 in 2014, and Grade 12 in 2015. Visit http://dfh.hdsb.ca/home for more info on the school, registration and catchments areas.

New Transit to Frank Hayden Secondary School

Students in the Millcroft and Orchard neighbourhoods can use the new Route 48 and Route 11 to get to the new high school. Route 48 will operate on school days only, and will link the Millcroft neighbourhood directly to the school.  Trips are timed to drop off students before the morning bell and pick-up following the afternoon bell.  Route 11 does not require a transfer as it continues as Route 15 directly to Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School.  For more info visit www.burlington.ca/transit.


Thanks

Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

 

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca
www.randyharthomes.com

 

New Recreation Centre in Burlington - Alton Village...The Haber Recreation Centre

 

This facility is equipped with amenities to support regional and provincial tournament play for basketball, volleyball, badminton and disabled sports with four 40-metre-high competitive-size gymnasiums, change rooms, two multi-purpose rooms, a meeting room and an indoor sports square. This unique facility is fully accessible for athletes & spectators with disabilities and is the only facility with eight competition-sized double gyms west of Toronto in the GTA.

The Rec Centre/High School and Library project is the city’s largest community construction project, and was made possible through a unique, three-way partnership between the City of Burlington, Halton District School Board and Burlington Public Library. The shared facility is on time and on budget and is set to open in the Fall of 2013.

Across from the Recreation Centre is Norton Community Park, that features 2 lit artificial turf sports fields; a splash park; outdoor sports court; playground; skate park and an open air pavilion with washroom facilities.

If you would like more information on Alton Village, Burlington, or have questions about moving here. Please feel free to contact me directly, and I would be happy to answer your questions.

Thanks

Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

 

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca
www.randyharthomes.com

 

 

 

First Time Home Buyer Tips

This month I am providing you with some helpful tips when it comes to buying your first home. Including a Tax Credit, RRSP Home Buyer Plan, the Top 5 mistakes for new buyers, and some tips.     If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me anytime. Enjoy!

TAX CREDIT

The Government wants to help first time home buyers with a tax credit. The credit works out to a maximum of $750 for qualifying home purchasers.  To qualify, the home must be in Canada, and can be new or already built. It can be a detached, semi, town, condo, or apartment, and must be registered in both names. A buyer who has not owned a home in the last 4 years also qualifies. This can be found on line 369 of your income tax return.  If you want me to send you the quick video, let me know.  www.cra.gc.ca/hbtc

RRSP Home Buyers Plan
The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) is a program that allows you to withdraw funds from your RRSP at no cost or penalty to buy/build a home for yourself or for a related person with disability. You can withdraw up to $25,000 in a calendar year.  Your RRSP contributions must remain in the RRSP for at least 90 days. You will be required to repay back the entire amount to your RRSPs over a 15 year period, that starts 2 years after funds are withdrawn. You will not be able to withdraw the funds from your RRSP without a completed purchase agreement, so funds cannot be used from RRSP as your OFFER deposit at the time of offer, as no deal will be completed yet.  They will be withdrawn on closing and applied towards house, or give to you as a cheque.  So make sure you have funds to cover the deposit at time of offer.

 

TOP 5 MISTAKES FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS

1.     They buy at the wrong time

2.     They are ambushed by hidden closing costs

3.     They don’t get the agreement reviewed by lawyer

4.     They don’t bother with an inspection

5.     They don’t the know process and timelines

#1 TIP FOR NEW HOME BUYERS = Do Your Homework

You will want to lay the groundwork for a successful home purchase, by figuring out how much house you can afford and how much we want to borrow. This means meeting with a mortgage broker or your bank, reviewing your family finances, and thinking about the needs and wants you have in a home. For the rest of my tips for New Home Buyers, email me at randyhart@royallepage.ca

Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca

www.randyharthomes.com

Buying or Selling…The Benefits of Using a Realtor

Buying or selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make. Before you do, doesn’t it make sense to contact a professional?  A Realtor’s experience can guide you through the process that can be more complicated than you think.

Their knowledge of the housing market can assist you in making the best possible choice. A real estate professional’s role is to understand their client’s needs, provide them with advice that will help guide them in the right direction and protect them from any home buying pitfalls.

With intimate knowledge of the real estate and legal terminology, a Realtor offers you the best opportunity to buy or sell your home quickly and for the best price. During a home evaluation they provide history on current homes for sale, and actual recent sale prices. This can be invaluable when pricing your home and negotiating. During a sale, the Realtor acts as a mediator between you and the other parties negotiations.  They are there to protect your best interests and can help reduce stress during this difficult process.

Another valuable aspect of the Realtor relationship is the network of lenders, lawyers, mortgage brokers, home stagers, painters, and contractors that can assist you in completing your real estate transaction.

I am a licensed Professional Realtor, and part of the Realtors Association of Hamilton & Burlington also known as RAHB, as well as the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), and the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).  While working with me, the national code of ethics and strict provincial laws ensure that you will be provided with a high level of service, confidentiality, integrity and honesty during your interaction. 

I primarily work in Burlington, Hamilton Oakville and Mississauga helping people buy and sell homes.  It is great working with so many good people, whether its a Burlington Detached home, an Oakville Condo, a Hamilton Investment property, or a Mississauga Townhouse.  Every home sale or purchase is different. I have a great team of professionals that I work with in financing, law, and home staging, to help answer any questions you may have, and provide you with quick and friendly service you need for your home.

If you have any questions or would like more information on recent trends in your area, if you would like a home evaluation to know your home value, or just need some real estate advice, please feel free to contact me with any questions. I’m available to discuss!

 

 Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca

www.randyharthomes.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing to Buy a Home

Are you thinking that a home purchase may be in the future plans for you? Here is some information to get you on your way to a successful home purchase.

CREDIT - Review and Build Your Credit
 Your credit standing will be one of the indicators that the bank uses to determine how much money they can approve you for in a mortgage.

Order your credit report. I recommend using Equifax, where you can get a credit report for free. If you visit their website, www.equifax.ca , print and complete their form, and mail/fax it in with required documents. Review your report and check for any mistakes, accounts or debts that are not yours. If there is a problem, dispute any errors and report it to Equifax/Creditor.

Paying your bills on-time is VERY important. Pay before the due date, never late. When you pay late, your credit score is affected. If there is a problem with your credit, you need to work on it.

MORTGAGE – Be a Preapproved Buyer
After the credit report review, visit your local bank and meet with a mortgage specialist or contact a mortgage broker. They will go over your credit, review your salary, and determine what amount of mortgage they can offer you and at what interest rate. This process will tell you what is the maximum house price you can afford.

A down payment for the home purchase is also important. Most banks will require 5% down on your home purchase. Along with the down payment, you can expect another 1-2% of the purchase price in closing costs. Save your money!

HOMES - Start Looking and Educate Yourself
Make a list of the things you NEED in a house, and also a list of the WANTS. Needs are things like minimum number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Wants are things that are nice to have such as hardwood floors and granite counter tops.

Go online to www.mls.ca and search for homes that meet your needs, and see what homes are like in that area and price range.

Next meet with a Real Estate professional. They will go over the above mortgage approval, your needs and wants in a home, and be able to discuss homes and areas that you are thinking about purchasing. I am happy to answer any of your questions over the phone, or meetup with you to discuss your needs and help make the home buying or selling process easier.

There are some other things to think about such as mortgage insurance, buying homes with the best resale value, and more that I can discuss with you further. I’m available anytime to review any of the above information, or answer any real estate questions.

Contact me anytime.

Randy Hart  |  Sales Representative
Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

3060 Mainway, Suite #200, Burlington

Direct 905-808-3863    randyhart@royallepage.ca

www.randyharthomes.com