(NC)—Buying a home is the single biggest purchase most of us will ever make and, as with most important purchases, it is vital to do your homework to ensure your new home fits your lifestyle and meets your expectations.

An important part of this preparation process is to learn more about all the benefits and resources available through Tarion Warranty Corporation, a private company established in 1976 to provide protection for all consumers who purchase a new home or condominium in Ontario. Tarion does this by licensing and regulating Ontario's home builders and managing a guarantee fund to ensure that consumers receive the new home warranty coverage they are entitled to. Tarion has provided the following tips to help guide new home buyers through the purchasing process.

1. Choose the type of home that meets your lifestyle

Read the real estate section of your local paper for information about new developments. Also, check out builders' websites for photos and floor plans.

2. Determine what you can afford

Once you've chosen the location and type of home that fits your needs, meet with a financial representative to determine a mortgage amount that you can comfortably afford. This ensures that you spend your time wisely on homes within your price range. You should also consider getting a pre-approved mortgage, which will allow you to shop with added confidence.

3. Research your builder

A simple call to 1-877-9TARION or a visit to www.tarion.com will give you access to information about all registered home builders in Ontario, including their customer service record with Tarion. When you find a builder you like, talk to them about previous developments, and go straight to the source by asking current homeowners questions about their homes and neighbourhoods.

4. View our Online Education Seminars

Tarion's online seminars are designed to help you understand your statutory warranty coverage, the process for addressing warranty related matters, and the Tarion inspection process. You can view them at your convenience and quickly move through the presentations to topics that interest you most. Visit the Tarion website for more information.

5. Talk with a real estate lawyer

It's important that you meet with a real estate or condominium lawyer before signing an Agreement of Purchase and Sale to make sure you understand exactly what is and is not included in the price of your new home.

6. Read our Homeowner Information Package

Take the time to review Tarion's Homeowner Information Package, which your builder will give to you before or during the pre-delivery inspection for your new home. This brochure, which is also available at www.tarion.com, explains your new home's statutory warranty, and the responsibilities of both you and your builder.

7. Prepare for your Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI)

Be prepared for the pre-delivery inspection. It's your chance to do a thorough inspection of your new home to identify any items that are incomplete, damaged, missing or not operating properly, and have them taken care of before you move in. This is also a prime opportunity to ensure that everything has been built according to your Agreement of Purchase and Sale.

8. Become familiar with the new home statutory warranty and submit forms on time

You can familiarize yourself with the statutory warranty by visiting www.tarion.com. Here, you'll find out more about what is and what isn't covered by the warranty as well as the timelines and procedures to follow should a warranty-related item need attention in your new home. You can also register for MyHome, a web-based service that will allow you to manage your warranty online.

9. Maintain your home through the seasons

You've made a big investment in your home, so you should take care of it year-round. It's important to remember that ongoing maintenance helps to ensure that your statutory warranty is protected. So, after you've moved in, follow an annual maintenance routine and help keep your new home in top shape.

10. Enjoy all your new home has to offer!

You've done a lot of research, decision-making and waiting by the time your reach this point. Now it's time to enjoy all the wonderful things your new home has to offer.

Tarion has a wealth of resources available for new home buyers and homeowners. Check out www.tarion.com for more information.

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provided courtesy of Leo and Angelika Rosato 613-720-4888

Homebuyers: How to Save Thousands of Dollars When You Buy

If you're like most homebuyers, you have two primary considerations in mind when you start looking for a home. First, you want to find the home that perfectly meets your needs and desires, and secondly, you want to purchase this home for the lowest possible price.

When you analyse those successful home buyers who have the experience to purchase the home they want for thousands of dollars below a seller's asking price, some common denominators emerge. Negotiating skills are important, but there are three additional key factors that must come into play long before you ever submit an offer.

This topic has been the subject of extensive analysis by industry experts, and a summary of their findings, and a specific step-by-step purchase plan for homebuyers, can be found in a new special report called "Homebuyers: How to Save Thousands of Dollars When You Buy".

This FREE report outlines the psychology of how a seller sets their asking price, and gives you 3 simple steps to follow, before you even set foot in a seller's home, which will ensure you are able to successfully slash thousands of dollars off the price of the home you want.

Order this report NOW to find out how you can save thousands of dollars when you buy a home.     www.BuyerTipsOnline.com

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 Leo and Angelika Rosato 613-720-4888

Prices, Rates Climb

Gary Marr, National Post

Bidding wars and higher interest costs have led to the inevitable -- an increase in the cost of owning a home for the first time in five quarters, says a new index produced by Royal Bank of Canada.

The bank says home-ownership costs are up, something that has not happened since the spring of 2008. Despite the increase, costs are still off the peak of this housing cycle.

Royal Bank says 45.8% of pre-tax household income was needed to service the cost of owning a standard detached home in the third quarter of this year. That was up 1.2 percentage points from a quarter ago but well off the high of 52.3% hit in spring 2008. The record high was 57.1%, reached in the second quarter of 1990.

"Home affordability has deteriorated in all provinces and major markets in Canada due to a slight rise in key mortgage rates and appreciation in property values," said Robert Hogue, senior economist at Royal Bank.

Figures released this month from the Canadian Real Estate Association, which represents 100 boards across the country, show the trend of escalating prices is not slowing down. The Ottawa-based group said existing home prices were up 20.7% last month from October, 2008, the largest year-over-year increase in 20 years.

Those price increases have come as interest rates have also started to rise. Mr. Hogue said the 5.4% posted rate for a five-year closed mortgage, reached in the second quarter, was the lowest since Royal Bank started doing the study in 1985. Rates climbed to 5.73% in the third quarter for a five-year closed mortgage. The posted rate is generally at least one percentage point higher than what consumers can get on a discounted basis.

Prices have also been hit by supply shortages. New listings last month in the country's 25 largest markets were off 16% from a year ago. New-home construction is on the rise but has not been able to respond fast enough to meet demand.

Phil Soper, chief executive of Royal LePage Real Estate Services, expects the supply-side problem to improve in the spring, a time more families consider selling to coincide with the end of the school year. "It's a much more common time for people to list their homes than this time of year," said Mr. Soper. "I suspect the supply-side of this problem will ease considerably."

 Home Buyers: Free list of Hot New Listings www.IdealPropertySearch.com

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Leo and Angelika Rosato 613-720-4888

Buying Real Estate

Beat Other Buyers to HOT NEW LISTINGS  www.IdealPropertySearch.com

(NC)—Developed in partnership with Canada's residential construction industry, R-2000 is an initiative of Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency. It aims to promote the use of cost-effective, energy-efficient building practices and technologies.

Since being introduced more than 25 years ago, the R-2000 standard has set the benchmark for homebuilding in Canada. The standard is currently being upgraded to include new technologies as they become established in the marketplace.

Some of the benefits of an R-2000 home include:

Quality – An R-2000 home delivers quality you can trust. It is a system for building and certifying new homes to a higher energy efficiency standard, well beyond what building codes require. With R-2000, energy efficiency and construction quality go hand in hand.

Comfort and Health - R-2000 homes are great to live in. Fresh indoor air, even temperatures, few moisture problems and the use of environmentally-responsible materials mean year-round comfort.

Peace of mind - R-2000 homes go through the most demanding quality assurance process in the industry. Only trained and licensed builders can build them. And every R-2000 home is subject to independent inspections and tests that conventional homes don't receive. The R-2000 certificate is your proof.

Energy savings – An R-2000 home stretches your heating dollars. The secret? – energy efficiency that's "designed in," not "added on."

State-of-the-art technology - R-2000 homes are the result of 25 years of intensive research and development by the Government of Canada and its industry partners. Home buyers get tried and tested technology, a higher-quality new home and lasting value for the future.

Protecting the environment – Homes such as R-2000 homes lead the way in environmental responsibility. Using a wide range of environmentally-improved materials and building techniques helps keep Canada's environment healthy. And it reduces demands on our natural resources. R-2000 homeowners get a better new home and help protect our environment for future generations.

Check out the whole R-2000 story at www.r-2000.nrcan.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-2000 to order publications.

*R-2000 is an official mark of Natural Resources Canada

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How much is your Home Worth?  www.OttawaSouthHomeEvaluation.com

 ANYONE CONTEMPLATING BUYING A HOME SOON SHOULD VIEW A FREE SEMINAR OFFERING UNIQUE ADVICE FOR SAVING MONEY AND FINDING THE RIGHT HOME AT THE RIGHT PRICE, TERMS AND FINANCING.  THE 30 MINUTE PRESENTATION BY LEO AND ANGELIKA ROSATO, WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERTISE IN REAL ESTATE.

LEO AND ANGELIKA ROSATO WILL COVER SUCH TOPICS AS: HOW TO BUY MORE HOME THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE USING LITTLE KNOWN HOME SEARCH AND FINANCING TECHNIQUES, HOW TO PUT A PROFESSIONAL REALTOR TO WORK FOR YOU AT ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU, HOW TO AVOID BUYER TRAPS AND NEGOTIATE THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE, HOW TO LOWER CLOSING COSTS AND MUCH MORE.  HE EVEN SHOWS HOW RENTERS CAN OWN A HOME, EVEN WITH “MARGINAL” CREDIT.

LEO AND ANGELIKA ROSATO ARE PROVIDING THESE SEMINAR ONLINE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK TO ACCESS AT THE CONVENIENCE OF TODAY’S BUSY CONSUMER.  “WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE TO OBTAIN VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS”.  YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THIS BUYER SEMINAR BY VISITING WWW.SMARTHOMEBUYER.INFO .