Why Are Condo Fee So High? In this article we will look at why are condo fees so high. The amount to be paid for monthly condo fees can range anywhere from $200 for a studio unit in the brand new condominium building to many thousands of dollars for a large penthouse in older building with many amenities, in most cases the fees will be anywhere between $300 to $1,000 per month, sometimes they seem reasonable, in other cases quite excessive, they only go up, and we often ask ourselves... [read more]

The below write up concentrates on Ontario rules but some elements and principals can be applied anywhere. What is a Status Certificate. Status certificate is a document that provides essential information regarding the financial status of the unit and the condo corporation. What’s included in the Status Certificate. Financial statements, budgets, special assessments, liens, arrears, lawsuits, condo declaration, by-laws, reserve fund study, insurance policy and claims,... [read more]

Real estate around GTA has been a great investment for many decades, the prices have appreciated over time, if anyone was unlucky and purchased at the peak prior to a correction, given enough time they were able to recover and show significant gains, most people who invested in rental properties have accumulated significant wealth, in reality owning real estate in GTA equals wealth. Why GTA? Why invest in GTA? The answer is actually very simple: the populations is growing, it attracts... [read more]

In our previous blogs we have explained step by step process of buying resale condominiums, and deeper into the most important document associated with the purchase, the status certificate, in this blog we would like to take it even further and explain one of the most important aspects of the status certificate, the reserve fund study, in more details. What is a reserve fund. In the nutshell the reserve fund are money put aside every month for future repairs and replacements, it is... [read more]

Selling a condo in GTA. If you want to sell a condo in GTA our first question would be if you must do so, as we have already pointed out in another blog we think the real estate in GTA will do very well over the long period of time, hence if you are able to financially, and want to be a landlord (many people buy a condo as their first property and then move into a freehold as their lifestyle changes) consider keeping your condo as long as it’s a good condo in a good building. If we... [read more]