Buyers

Elementary School Rankings

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:03:20 +0100

Listed below are the rankings for Elementary Schools in the PEEL Region as reported by the FRASER Institute

Schools in Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon) & Oakville

Tue, 10 May 2011 23:54:11 +0100

Listed below are all schools under the PEEL District School board which includes Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon. Clicking on any of the links will take you to the PEEL District School Board website.
Schools in Oakville fall under the Halton District School Board. You will find below a list of all the Elementary and Secondary schools, without links. I would suggest to just google these if you need more information.
Take a look at the School Ranking Page to see rankings of Elementary and Secondary schools by the city of interest (Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville)

Mississauga
A. A. Martin Public School Applewood Heights Secondary Applewood School Artesian Drive P.S. Ashgrove Public School Barondale Public School Brandon Gate Public School Brian W. Fleming P.S. Briarwood Public School Bristol Road Middle School Britannia Public School Brookmede Public School Burnhamthorpe Public School Byngmount Beach Public School Camilla Rd. Snr. Public School Cashmere Ave. Public School Castlebridge P.S. Cawthra Park Secondary School Champlain Trail Public School Churchill Meadows P.S. Clarkson Public School Clarkson Secondary School Clifton Public School Cooksville Creek P.S. Corliss Public School Corsair Public School Credit Valley Public School Darcel Ave. Snr. Public School David Leeder Middle School Derry West Village P.S. Dixie Public School Dolphin Senior Public School Dunrankin Dr. Public School Edenrose Public School Edenwood Middle School Ellengale Public School Elmcrest Public School Erin Centre Middle School Erin Mills Middle School Erindale Secondary School Fairview Public School Fairwind Senior Public School Fallingbrook Middle School Floradale Public School Forest Ave. Public School Forest Glen Public School Garthwood Park Public School Glenforest Secondary School Glenhaven Snr. Public School Gordon Graydon Memorial S. S. Green Glade Snr. Public School Hartsdale Avenue Public School Hawthorn Public School Hazel McCallion Senior P. S. Hillcrest Middle School Hillside Snr. Public School Homelands Sr. Public School Huntington Ridge P. S. John Fraser Secondary School Kenollie Public School Kindree Public School Kings Masting Public School Lancaster Junior P.S. Levi Creek P.S. Lincoln M. Alexander S.S. Lisgar Middle School Lorne Park Public School Lorne Park Secondary School Maple Wood Public School Marvin Heights Public School McBride Public School McKinnon Public School Meadowvale Secondary School Meadowvale Village P. S. Middlebury P. S. Millers Grove P. S. Mineola Public School Mississauga Secondary School Morning Star Middle School Munden Park Public School Nahani Way Public School Neil C. Matheson Public School Oakridge Public School Oscar Peterson P.S. Osprey Woods P.S. Owenwood Public School Peel Alternative School South Peel Alternative School West Pheasant Run Public School Plowmans Park Public School Plum Tree Park P. S. Port Credit Secondary School Queen Elizabeth Snr. P.S. Queenston Dr. Public School Ray Underhill Public School Rick Hansen Secondary School Ridgewood Public School Riverside Public School Russell Langmaid Public School Ruth Thompson Middle School Sawmill Valley Public School Settlers Green P. S. Shelter Bay Public School Sheridan Park Public School Sherwood Mills P.S. Silver Creek P. S. Silverthorn Public School Springfield Public School Stephen Lewis SS Streetsville Secondary School T.L. Kennedy Secondary School Tecumseh Public School Thomas Street Middle School Thorn Lodge Public School Thornwood Public School Tomken Rd. Middle School Trelawny Public School Valleys Snr. Public School Vista Heights Public School West Credit Secondary School Westacres Public School Whitehorn P.S. Whiteoaks Public School Willow Glen Public School Willow Way Public School Woodlands Elementary Woodlands Secondary
Caledon
Allan Drive Middle School Alloa Public School Alton Public School Belfountain Public School Caledon Central Public School Caledon East Public School Credit View Public School Ellwood Memorial Public School Herb Campbell Public School Humberview Secondary School James Bolton Public School Macville Public School Mayfield Secondary School Palgrave Public School

Secondary School Rankings

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:55:32 +0100

Below you will find a list of rankings for different schools as according to research conducted by the Fraser Institute.

Making an Offer

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:55:30 +0100

When it comes time to make an offer you will require current market information and assistance in drafting your offer. You will need a Real Estate Professional.

A Real Estate Professional will communicate your Offer to Purchase to the seller, or the seller's representative, on your behalf. Sometimes there may be more than one offer on a property at the same time. A Real Estate Professional can guide you through this process.

Firm to Offer Purchase
Usually preferable to the seller because it means buyers are prepared to purchase the home without any conditions.

Conditional Offer to Purchase
Usually means there are one or more conditions on the purchase, such as "subject to home inspection", "subject to financing" or "subject to sale of buyer's existing home". The home is not sold until all the conditions have been met.

Acceptance of Offer
An Offer to Purchase is presented to a seller who may accept the offer, reject it, or submit a counter-offer. The counter-offer may be in reference to the price, closing date, or any number of variables. Offers can go back and forth until both parties have agreed to terms or either side ends the negotiations.

8 Common Buyer Mistakes

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:55:30 +0100

Here are the most common mistakes that real estate buyers make:
1. Failing to use the services of an experienced realtor
Some buyers avoid using a realtor falsely believing it costs them money. Some think they can negotiate a better deal directly with the seller or seller’s agent. An experienced realtor can use their information network sources to select from a wider pool of houses (especially those just listed) and also use their experience from many successful negotiations for your benefit – at no charge to you! The buyer’s agent can be paid out of the commission paid to the seller’s agent by the seller.
2. Not knowing who the agent represents
Buyers should understand for whom the agent helping with the house hunting is actually working. The agent may be representing the seller. If you are unsure, ask for clarification.
3. Failing to pre-qualify for financing before shopping
Knowing how much you can comfortably afford will ensure you are looking in the right price range and prevent later financial and emotional strain. If you got an interest rate guarantee, you are protected when rates fluctuate and know that your projected monthly payments do not suddenly jump.
4. Failing to assess the market before making an offer
Before you make an offer to purchase, you should review the market value for similar homes in similar neighbourhoods to ensure you do not overpay. Your agent should also explain recent trends in the differences between the asking and selling prices. This is the same information the seller uses when deciding on an asking price.
5. Failing to recognize different negotiating styles and strategies
Many buyers think that the way to achieve a fair purchase price is by offering low. This strategy may polarize negotiations, lead to seller inflexibility, even a failed negotiation.
6. Failing to use a competent home inspection company
Buying a home is a major purchase often made with under half an hour looking at the home. An inspection can save you later surprises that may cost you thousands? Ask your realtor for a recommendation.
7. Not knowing your rights and obligations in the Offer To Purchase
It is important to understand completely the terms of the Offer to Purchase. Wrong assumptions, poorly written or missing clauses can impact your purchase with increased costs or a void contract.
8. Letting your emotions affect reason
Buying a home is exciting, and often is an emotional decision. A realtor will help to remove the emotion from the negotiating process and provide you with balanced information and facts to help you make the right decisions.

10 Steps to Buying a Home

Mon, 9 May 2011 22:10:16 +0100

1.    Select Your Representation
Homebuyers need someone who is going to look out for their best interests. Before you engage in the services of a Realtor, have a very clear understanding of their allegiance to you. Agents who specifically work as a buyer representative have a sole responsibility to be loyal to homebuyers, and to help them make informed buying decisions. You should use your own buyer’s agent to represent you, and rely on that agent to point out the advantages and disadvantages of each home you inspect. A buyer’s agent is legally obligated to protect your best interests, especially during the negotiation phase.
2.    Get Financing Preapproval Shop for your mortgage loan before shopping for a home. Avoid the disappointment of finding a home you really love, then having to let it go because of insufficient financing. Get preapproved by at least one mortgage lender, so that you will know the maximum amount you can affordably spend. As well, be sure the lender makes a written loan commitment, not just a verbal one, and ask for a 90 day rate guarantee (120 day, if you can get it).
3.    Do a Specialized Search
Using a specialized search criteria, you can select the type of house you want to search for with all the features you prefer, quickly narrowing down the list of available homes to choose from. Your search criteria will be programmed into my database, and a list of homes matching your selections will be printed, with full details and addresses. As a Realtor, I can tell you that emotion, not logic, will govern your eventual choice. There are lots of considerations, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage needed, and special features you either want or must have. However, how you want to feel once you are in your next home is the real question. Approach your choices of both home and neighbourhood in terms of comfort, privacy, profit, prestige, pride, self-fulfillment, family considerations, security, social acceptance, and convenience.
4.    Drive-bys
Armed with your list of matching homes, you can begin to familiarize yourself with the neighbourhoods, styles of homes, and the price ranges. Doing this pre-search will also allow you to identify the pros and cons of each neighbourhood, in addition to determining if the area will meet your expectations and requirements, such as the local amenities, educational facilities, distance to work, etc. Be sure to visit the neighbourhoods at different times of the day, in order to get a true feel for the activity in the area; you may even want to talk to people who already live in the area for general feedback.
5.    Make Your Own Choices
Once you’ve decided on the neighbourhood, start looking at the homes for sale in that area. Inspect at least ten homes before making an offer. This way, you will be able to see what features are typically offered in the neighbouring homes, and for what price. When viewing homes, take careful notes about each house, even if you’re not interested in buying it. Pick up all sales literature you are offered, so that you can study it later and make proper comparisons.
6.    Analyze Past Sales Data
Before making an offer, request that your agent prepare a written comparative market analysis on the home you would like to buy. The best way to avoid offering too much for a home is to compare recent sales prices of comparable neighbourhood homes against those currently available for sale. Using this information, you can add or subtract value for the pros and cons of the home on which you want to make an offer. This analysis will also help your agent justify your offer, and show the seller why your offer is a reasonable one.
7.    Discuss Negotiation Strategies
There are a myriad of negotiating factors, including price, deposit monies, financing, possession date, inspections, tests, and often the inclusion or exclusion of equipment, appliances, or repairs. If you have chosen to have your position advocated by a true buyer’s agent, you can expect to receive any information about the seller or the home that might influence your decisions during the transaction. Insist that the seller disclose all defects associated with the home in a written vendor disclosure, prior to submitting an offer. Your Realtor will also need to know exactly what your financial limitations are, and how far you are prepared to go in order to purchase the home. If you have hired a buyer’s agent, you can also expect your Realtor to keep all information about you and your circumstances completely confidential.
8.    The Agreement of Purchase and Sale
Basically, the offer is a precisely worded document that sets out the terms and conditions between the buyer and the seller. A properly drafted offer should leave no room for interpretation, and should contain everything that is important to you about both the home and the transaction itself. An offer can be termed either as a firm offer or a conditional offer. A firm offer means that there are no restrictions placed on the purchase, and if accepted, means the deal is made. A conditional offer means that the buyer has placed one or more reservations on the purchase, and cannot be completed until all of the conditions have been removed. Conditions are generally inserted at your request and for your protection, and usually include a time allowance. These conditions may relate to the allowance of a home inspection, time to arrange suitable financing, results of well and water tests, etc. You should always include a professional home inspection clause in your offer, even for a new home; be sure of what you’re buying before you take the plunge.
9.    The Paper Trail
Once an offer has been accepted, you will need to satisfy all conditions stated in the offer within the time allotted. If a condition is not satisfied, your offer is no longer valid or binding. Should this happen, ensure your offer states that you have the right to get your deposit back. You will need to contact a lawyer to assist you in obtaining clear title to the property, arranging for the transfer of monies to the seller, and gathering all paperwork related to the transaction.
10.    The Final Details
Prior to closing, your banker will require you to sign various legal documents related to the mortgage loan on the property you are purchasing. Make sure you fully understand the paperwork before you sign, and question each and every fee being charged. Be aware of the fierce competition in the financial marketplace, and don’t be swayed by comments related to standard charges. On the day of closing, you will need to meet with your lawyer to sign all the documents and acquire the keys to your new home. In most cases, you will not receive the keys until 5:00 PM on the day of closing, in order that your lawyer is able to verify the clarity of title on the property, so book your movers accordingly.