'Real Estate Rob' Burland

If you are contemplating some home improvements in the near future, you are well advised to check with the town office before you spend any time or money on the planned project. Failing to get the proper permits and/or inspections as required, could end up costing you much more in the long run.

The finishing or renovating of a basement is a common improvement undertaken by many homeowners in our area. After all, most new homes do not include a finished basement, unless you have negotiated and specified such with the builder at the time of purchase and construction. These projects often involve the addition of electrical, plumbing, drywall and other features such as, a gas fireplace or wood stove, which may call for inspections at different stages of completion. In many cases, you will also require a final inspection and occupation permit when the job is done.

Safety aside, when you buy your next home, wouldn’t you feel more comfortable knowing the improvements were done to code and have been inspected by the appropriate experts, and not done in a hap-hazard manner by someone flying by the seat of their pants?

The potential cost of not getting your permits and inspections could present itself at any time, and you could be forced to disassemble the project for inspections or, in some cases, remove the improvement completely. Even if the renovation goes unnoticed by the town, the lack of permits and inspections could return to haunt you later when you try and sell your home. Often you will be asked for proof of the required building permits, occupancy permits, and inspection documents as a condition of sale.

Fences, decks, asphalt driveways, pools and other improvements also require permits and blessings of the town before you proceed.

Check out the article from the Globe and Mail on this subject:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/home-cents/renovating-without-a-permit-a-costly-mistake/article1711957/

Here are some helpful links and numbers:

Wasaga Beach Planning Department: (705) 429-3847 planning@wasagabeach.com

Wasaga Beach Building Department: (705) 429-1120 building@wasagabeach.com

Over two million people visit the Town every summer to stroll the shores of the Wasaga’s freshwater beach (stretching 14 kilometres / 8.7 miles), swim in warm clean waters and enjoy the panoramic mountain views across the Bay. There are endless recreational trails that are used for hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The Nottawasaga River offers game fishing and great canoe routes to explore.

The beach is divided into smaller beaches with the public beaches numbered 1 to 6 sequentially from east to west. Its position on the waters of Nottawasaga Bay means its summer temperatures are moderated somewhat by the water, so summer days are much more comfortable than Toronto’s scorching days, but the same winds off the water trigger very heavy and intense snow squalls in the winter. As such, snowmobiling, skiing, and other winter sports are extremely popular along the beach.

The 2006 Canadian census indicated a population of 15,029 residents. When compared to its 2001 population of 12,419, Wasaga Beach is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada based on population growth percentage (21.0% over 5 years).^[1] Wasaga Beach is currently in the midst of a building boom including a major development for the beach planned with the goal of making Wasaga Beach a year-round tourist destination.^[10] Because of its proximity to Toronto, there is a heavy outflow of money from Toronto and surrounding towns and cities into cottage or weekend properties located in the Beach.

Also located in the town of Wasaga Beach is Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.^[2] In the summer months it is a very popular place for beach volleyball and sunbathing. A boardwalk runs most of the way along Beach 1 and 2. Beach 1 draws the largest crowds, with the popularity quality of the beaches decreasing the further west. East of the main beaches are another large beach (New Wasaga) and Allenwood Beach that abuts up to many houses and cottages.

In the winter, there are many miles of fresh groomed trails for snowmobiling thanks to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs and in part to the purchasers of the trail passes. There are a variety of elementary schools, but no high schools in Wasaga Beach. There are bus services that transport students to surrounding high schools of their choice (either Collingwood Collegiate Institute, Stayner Collegiate Institute, Jean Vanier Catholic High School or Elmvale District High School). The town recently built an addition to the community center known locally as the Rec-Plex, which added an auditorium, an amphitheater and a YMCA.

The Town of Wasaga Beach covers an area of 61.13 square kilometres (23.60 sq mi) comprised predominately of sand and loamy sand that exhibit excessive to good drainage and irregular to moderately sloping topography. The Canada Land Inventory for Agriculture rates the lands as predominately Class Six and Seven with primary restrictions of adverse topography, erosion damage and low natural fertility.^[11]

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasaga_Beach,_Ontario)

Join me at 2 – 48th Street South for an open house on this spectacular property. See more pictures and learn all the details at http://www.realestate-rob.com/2-48thStS/index.html

Wasaga Beach (variant: Wasaga) is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is a popular four-season tourist destination situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern end of Georgian Bay approximately two hours north of Toronto, and abuts, to the west, the town of Collingwood. Wasaga Beach is nestled in and around 14 kilometres (8.7 mi)^[2] of white sandy beach on Nottawasaga Bay and the winding Nottawasaga River.

History

The town of Wasaga Beach has the largest fresh water beach in the world^{[citation needed]} as well as history dating back to the fur trade days when it was the main route to the Great North West. The Town evolved into a strategic location in the War of 1812 when the schooner HMS Nancy was sunk at her moorings in an effort by the Americans to cut the supply line to Fort Michilimackinac and points to the north and west.^[3] Lumbering was the main industry for the remainder of the 19^th century. Logs crowded the river and the bay floating down to feed local saw mills.^[4]

Wasaga’s unsuitable sandy soil contributed to the late settlement of the area. The lack of suitable farming land made it unattractive to settlers. In the 1820s the first sign of settlement in the area began as John Goessman surveyed Flos Township. In 1826, land was being sold for four shillings an acre. The 1830s had officially surveyed most of the land in this area. Though unsuitable for farming, the Wasaga area had an abundance of trees. In the late 1830s and throughout the rest of the century the logging industry would play an important role in the development of the area.^[5]

Wasaga Beach entered history’s headlines in 1934 when the first overseas flight from mainland Canada, across the Atlantic to England and in a plane called the “Trail of the Caribou”, used Wasaga’s long flat sandy beach as a take off strip.^[6]

Little by little, in the 1900s, families began to discover the beauty of the area. Gradually it became a place for family picnics and holidays. During the 1940s, while stationed at a nearby military base, servicemen from across Canada visited Wasaga’s amusement park. They made Wasaga Beach known across the country. After the war, Wasaga Beach continued to be a popular place for cottages and day trips. A century old tradition of city dwellers coming to the Beach in the summer had begun.

The town was originally referred to as “the northern border of Flos Sunnidale and Nottawasaga Townships”. The first municipal reference occurred when a designation of Local Improvement District emerged in 1947. In 1949, Wasaga Beach progressed to the status of a Police Village in the Township of Sunnidale, and the Police Village graduated to Incorporated Village status in 1951.

The incorporation of the Town of Wasaga Beach became effective January 1, 1974. The permanent population stood at 4,034, a dramatic increase from 1965, when only 500 people called Wasaga Beach home. Today, 17,000 full time residents and 16,000 seasonal and part time residents reside at Wasaga Beach.^[4]

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasaga_Beach,_Ontario)

A must see! This beautifully cared for and updated bungalow is located only a short walk to beach area 5. An open concept kitchen/dining/family area, complete with custom built cabinets, spacious wrap around deck with natural gas for your BBQ, 20’ x 8’ shed/workshop with power o/h door. Gorgeous gardens, a pond water feature and more. Pride of ownership and care evident around every corner! Nothing to do but move in and enjoy! Property has drilled well which was disconnected when municipal Services installed. Could possibly be reactivated for garden use.

You would be hard pressed to find a more tastefully decorated, “neat-as-a-pin” home or cottage than this fantastic property. Better Homes & Gardens should check this place out!

Enjoy the sounds of the waterfall as you sip your morning coffee on the patio surrounded with lush greenery and fragrant flowers. Convenient location close to shopping, schools, parks and recreation.

Click to learn all the details.

Wasaga Beach real estate, while a bit slower, still continues to move along steadily. There are many terrific properties on the market and ready for you to make Wasaga Beach your new home or cottage playground.

Here is an overview of the real estate market in Wasaga Beach and the entire Georgian Triangle over the first six months of 2010:

• Number of units sold in June: 197
• Average price range for units sold in June was $150,000 – $249,999 (66 sales), and $250,000 – 349,999 represented 67% of residential sales.
• Properties sold above $500,000 are up dramatically so far in 2010, with 90 sales compared to 41 in the same period in 2009.
• And 7 sales of properties above $1.5 million, compared to just 1 in the first half of last year.

More and more, properties along the river are being bought and bulldozed to allow for spectacular new homes to be built. It’s certainly adding to the overall look and feel of our wonderful area. Make Wasaga Beach your destination for fabulous four season living.

The Ontario Government recently enacted legislation which will implement the much-dreaded HST Tax. This new tax will take effect on July 1, 2010.

The HST tax will effectively combine the Provincial Sales Tax of 8% percent with the Federal GST Tax of 5% percent, to create a new “harmonized” total tax of 13% percent. This new tax will be applicable to many real estate services which hitherto only had one or the other tax applied.

The HST will result in a 13% tax on new home construction, but my post today will concern those ancillary costs pertaining to the buying and selling of resale residential real estate properties in Ontario…

First, the good news….there is no HST tax payable on the sale of a resale home (residential). So the single largest dollar amount exchanged is not taxable under HST.

However, under the harmonized sales tax (HST), home buyers and sellers will have to pay extra tax on a range of services associated with the real estate transaction: services such as legal fees, moving costs, real estate commissions and home inspection fees. Currently, consumers only pay the 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on these services.

In a nutshell, after July 1, 2010, if you are a seller, there will be a 13% percent tax payable on the real estate commission you pay – currently there is only the 5% percent GST payable on this fee. Your lawyer’s fee will also be subject to the 13% percent HST. One bit of good news – the cost of a Condominium Status Certificate will remain the same; while there will be HST at 13% instead of GST at 5%, there cannot be an increase in the legislated maximum total amount of $100.

If you are a buyer, any Home Inspection you pay for will be subject to the 13% percent HST. And so will the cost of movers hired. In addition, the cost of the CMHC premium for “high-ratio” mortgages has traditionally been taxable for PST – this amount will now be taxable for the full 13% percent HST.

So one can see that, with the introduction of the HST, whether you are buying or selling a Resale Home in Ontario, costs will be going up.

A press release from the Ontario Real Estate Association earlier this year summarized some of these changes which will take place – the example that they used was for a resale house priced at $360,000, and it was determined that the HST would add over two thousand dollars in new taxes to closing costs. Please note, these taxes are in addition to the Land Transfer Taxes which exist for both the Province and the City of Toronto. OREA calculated that, in total, the HST would add $313 million annually in new taxes to resale home transactions.

CURRENT TAXES PAID, VERSUS THE NEW COMBINED HST TAX PAYABLE, ON A HYPOTHETICAL $360,000 REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION:

Current Tax | New Tax | Total HST Payable

Mortgage Insurance Premiums(1) $752.40 | $470.25(2) | $1222.65

Legal Costs $50.00 | $80.00 | $130.00

Real Estate Commission(3) $900.00 | $1,440.00 | $2,340.00

Home Inpection $20.00 | $32.00 | $52.00

Title Insurance $24.00 | $15.00 | $39.00

Total New Tax: $2,037.25

(1) CMHC premium of 2.75% for mortgage with a 5% down payment on a $300,000+ home.

(2) Consumers currently pay the 8% PST on mortgage insurance premiums.

(3) Real estate commissions are negotiable – 5% used in this example.

(4) Ministry of Finance, Public Accounts, 2007/2008.

(5) Altus Group, “Economic Impact of MLS(R) Home Sales,” June 12, 2007.

The HST Ontario Tax will add to the cost of buying and selling a resale home. Many market watchers are predicting a flurry of activity leading up to the July 1, 2010 implementation date, as buyers and sellers both try to avoid paying the tax.

Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful organization that makes it possible for families who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity, to own a home. Better yet, they participate in building the home along with the generousity of volunteers, which promotes tremendous pride in ownership and “sweat equity”.

“What is Habitat for Humanity Canada?

Best said by the Habitat for Humanity Canada website itself (located at http://habitat.ca/faqp1.php#question2) :

Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit, faith-based organization working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. Our mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Habitat for Humanity has a solid presence in South Georgian Bay and can provide volunteers with a wonderfully rewarding experience.

Interested in volunteering? Contact the national office today through http://habitat.ca/contactusp930.php

I’m excited to jump into the social media arena with my new blog!

I have a lot of information and ideas to share with you and felt this would be a great place to do so. Information on the home buying procedure, getting the biggest bang for your buck, home improvements, lawn care, area market updates and so much more. I’m also an avid amateur photographer and nature enthusiast so I’m sure there will be some posts that sneak onto these pages in those areas as well.

I’d love to hear from you – whether I’ve struck a cord, you have additional information to share on a particular topic or you just love (or didn’t love) one of my posts, I look forward to your comments!