My Montreal real estate blog which I call “One Good Earth” was created in honor of mother earth, this glorious earth which so generously and unconditionally nourishes and sustains us on this planet. When I think about the earth, I can’t help but reflect upon the beauty inherent in nature’s design. Nature’s bounty and abundance is evident everywhere we look…..
There’s so much wisdom and knowledge in the perfection of natural systems of which we still have little understanding……All I do know is that the time has come for us to rethink our relationship with nature and our place within the scheme of things. Modern civilization has progressed to the point where our constant expansion is having dire consequences on the planet’s ecosystems. Everything exists in relationship to the other and with the extinction of many species, we don’t yet understand that which we are breaking.
Real Estate makes up a huge portion of the built environment all across the world and sustainability is being discussed from countries to corporations to inspired individuals taking action to implement more sustainable choices. While this is all positive there seems to be this disconnect between our cityscape and the sense of nature that exists all around us. We’ve built our cities on an infrastructural base of concrete and asphalt, both of which are the worst materials in terms of their heat effect. How insane will the weather disruptions have to get before change is forced upon us. Can we be more proactive in our choices, finding solutions to some of the most plaguing problems on the planet like waste, energy efficiency and food production, conservation, etc….
My intention with this blog is to feature ideas, discussions and thoughts around companies, concepts and people that are attempting to tackle these issues. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed sharing this with you.
To quote Albert Einstein on insanity, “To keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result is a form of insanity.” So if we’re not happy with the status quo of our planet and climate, it’s time to take action and figure out some solutions.
Latent Defects: What you need to know before purchasing your new home
Purchasing a new home is a big step, whether it’s your first home or your tenth, and being aware of latent defects and how to prevent any unwanted surprises from them is an important step to protecting yourself and your investment.
What is a latent defect?
A defect is defined as “a flaw in the quality of a building”. To be a latent, or otherwise known as a ‘hidden’ defect, the flaw has to meet three requirements:
It is not obvious, just by a simple look you can’t see the problem,
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Montreal Mortgage Lending Questions And Answers
Montreal mortgage lending questions and answers features a post by Michael Bolanakis, a mortgage specialist with Scotiabank. Many of my clients are searching for information about the mortgage process here in Montreal. Michael wrote this post below, to share some of his knowledge and information on this process.
Q&A: The Mortgage Process
Many first time home buyers have not really thought about what the mortgage process entails. You may have lots of questions about the products, rates and fees but there is also more to it. Here are answers to some common questions:
How is a loan application...
Montreal Home Buyers Program
Montreal mayor Valerie Plante just introduced a new Montreal home buyers Program with refunds up to $15000.00. The mayor is trying to encourage more people to stay on the island by providing some financial support. The downtown Montreal core has not had much to offer for families, especially when it comes to affordability.
The new program has strict and defined criteria:
A single buyer purchasing a new development for a maximum price of $225,000 will receive $5,000 from the city.
A family buying a new development for a maximum price of $400,000 will receive $10,000.
A family purchasing...
