Archive for October, 2011

Is a Condo Right For Me?

October 15th, 2011

What’s the difference between a Toronto condo as well as an apartment?

Condo refers to a kind of ownership not a kind of building. A Toronto condo typically takes the form of a high or low rise apartment style building. However, some condos might be as a factory loft or town house.

Whenever you buy a Toronto Condo what exactly are you really buying?

1) The physical unit which has a title to the space.
2) Some of the common elements in the building. This portion is a percentage in accordance with the size of your unit, the bigger your unit the higher percentage ownership you’ll have of the common elements. Common elements often include: elevators, hallways, the lobby and any other communal spaces i.e. gym, pool.
3) The use of exclusive-use common elements. A few of these can include a parking spot, locker, balcony ect. The rights to exclusive use elements come with the system, so if a parking spot is sold separately in the unit than it is not considered an exclusive use common element.

What are maintenance fees?

These fees are paid to upkeep your building and also the common elements. A unit’s maintenance fee is proportionate towards the size of the unit as compared to others. The bigger your unit the more you have to pay. Every month part of the fees are positioned aside to develop the reserve fund for just about any major repairs.

Who is the apartment Corp?

The apartment corporation consists of all owners inside a building. As a member of the corporation you have the opportunity to vote for the board of directors. The board handles the company affairs of the corporation.

Is my prospective Condo Corp in a good position?

A standing report contains the pertinent information that will tell you if the building is within a good or bad situation. The creation of a standing report is a legal requirement in Ontario.

The status report outlines the following:
- All units percentage ownership of common elements
- All units rights to exclusive use common elements
- The condo corps rules and regulations
- Any special assessments that outlines planned major repairs
- Recent fiscal reports and budget

If you’re submitting a deal to buy a Toronto condominium, you need to range from the condition that the purchase is conditional on the review and approval of the status certificate. When the building isn’t in good standing it ought to be clear to your lawyer or Toronto realtor upon overview of the status certificate.

Is really a condo a great investment?

Just like any property, a condo might be a bad or good investment. It all depends upon the building and the market. There are some great condo investments in Toronto and there are also some terrible investments. Turn to the recommendation of your Toronto realtor whether the building you are looking at is a good investment.

Building inspection, should I have one done?

Everything depends. Many buyers of new buildings won’t make use of an inspection, but you may want to consider through an inspection done on older buildings. An inspection should include the overview of the main systems to guarantee the necessary repairs are anticipated and planned by the condo corp.

Is condo living right for you?

Condo living is not for everyone. It offers convenience, security, and amenities that would ‘t be available in a home in the same price. Very first time buyers find condos the best place as it is usually a good amount of space for the price. Baby boomers are also finding condos a great option as they are more convenient and less work to keep than the usual home. However in the end anyone may find some condos features that they like and perhaps some that they do not.

The Skinny on Real estate Buildings

October 15th, 2011

So let’s enter it and break down the various types of commercial real estate buildings.

Retail – Strip Malls, Store Fronts, Big Box Buildings

Retail commercial properties are investments using the primary purpose of supplying space for stores and businesses to sell their items or services. Anything from the mall to some standalone service station would be considered a retail commercial building.

Industrial – Warehouses, Manufacturing, Storage

These properties are designated for manufacturing businesses or other similar set ups. In most areas industrial property is strictly zoned as to limit noise, traffic and other elements that don’t mingle well with residential uses. Industrial property could be multi-tenant or stand-alone.

Office Centers, Medical Office and Sky Scrapers

When many people consider commercial real estate they think of office buildings as well as high rises. Offices provide non-industrial workspace for companies and businesses. They is often as large as a corporation’s headquarters campus or a small business building offering suites to small businesses and professionals.

Multifamily Homes

Simply because this group of buildings houses living space for individuals doesn’t mean it isn’t commercial real estate. Apartment buildings along with other multifamily dwellings are valued exactly the same way as other commercial real estate properties and may be considered a valuable addition for your real estate portfolio.

Mixed Use Buildings

There has to become an exception towards the rule, as well as in many markets the mixed use commercial building has become popular. These properties mix housing, commercial and retail spaces all in one and may be very popular.

Another Types Of Commercial Investment Properties

There is a wide range of properties that don’t fit nicely into any category. Retirement housing, hotels, motels, storage businesses and many others are still valued as commercial real estate.

The biggest difference in commercial propertiesis how they are valued instead of single-family homes. The latter are valued according to comparable sales while the former are valued on the income they produce. This allows the commercial investor to improve their property’s value by making improvements that increase the income.

Just like any investment, prospective investors may need to look at the ROI from the property in question, the monthly cash flows and the market as a whole. As you can observe from the above list the options in commercial investing are bountiful.