Europe's top central banks are expected to cut borrowing costs on Thursday as market focus shifts back to the economic crisis from the excitement of Barack Obama's historic election victory. Both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are expected to cut interest rates. Many economists are forecasting the ECB to cut rates by at least half a percentage point, while others are anticipating a cut by as much as 75 basis points. For the ECB, it is facing the first euro zone-wide recession since its inception in 1999, and a rate cut by 75 basis points would be its largest ever. Click Here to Subscribe to My Blog. Gina Burgio, Mortgage Agent VERICO Designer Mortgages Inc. Toll Free: 1-877-345-6265 Fax: 1-877-345-6256 Email: gina@ginaburgio.comwww.ginaburgio.com Each VERICO Broker is... 11/05/2008

It has been said in the past, that for Canada, being next to the United States, is like being in bed with an elephant. This statement was in specific reference to the close proximity between Canada and the United States... and the fact that the Canadian economy will most likely always eventually feel the impact of the effects felt by the US economy. Well the present economic crisis has become no exception to this analogy. Now, with the election of a new President for the United States, and the shift from republican to democratic party policy in the Oval Office, how will this all come to affect not only the United States, but also Canada? Well for starters, anything that boosts US consumer confidence is good for the US economy and in turn, good for the Canadian economy. Furthermore, anyt... 11/05/2008

Here is the complete formula for making sure you make profitable purchases for fixer properties in Oakville or anywhere for that matter. These 8 simple steps will ensure you never pay too much for an investment property in Oakville again. 8 Steps to Making Huge Profits on Oakville Investment Properties. Buying properties that are in need of repair is one of the quickest ways to make money in real estate in the shortest period of time. These properties are known in the industry as "fixers," "ugly properties," or "junkers." But beware!... I know many stories of new investors too anxious to get into a deal and paid way too much for a property. The last thing you want to do is overpay for a property and create a massive hemorrhage in your cashflow. You need to understand you actually determ... 10/31/2008

I am proud to announce that I was named the fifth top producer (out of 70 agents in my office), for both number of units sold and dollar volume transacted for the month of September. This is an honour I do not take lightly. I work hard to ensure that my clients are satisfied and it is extremely rewarding to me when I receive an honour like this. It tells me that I am gaining people's trust and their confidence. I would like to presonally thank my clients for choosing me and I look forward to the possibility of expanding my client base in Oakville and Burlington. If you are looking for exceptional client service and guaranteed results contact me. You'll be glad you did. 10/26/2008

worth..... Friday, October 24, 2008 How to Sell Your Home In a Buyers' Market   You read it in the paper and hear it on the t.v. everyday lately. The bottom is falling out of the real estate market. Doom and gloom. Prices are way down. Nothing is selling.While there are areas in Canada that are feeling the big pinch, here in Oakville and the GTA we have a very resilient market. Yes, sales are down. Statistics from the Oakville, Milton & District Real Estate Board show that sales from January - September 2008 are down 15% over the same time period in 2007. That figure is the number of sales, not the sales prices.Prices in Oakville for the same time period are actually up over 8% compared to 2007.The other good news is that the average days on market for this time period is 34 days, down ... 10/24/2008

    1. Don't Get "Pre-Qualified"!   Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money? Then make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one. Often other terms, such as the strength of the buyer, are critical to a seller. In years past, I've always recommended buyers get "pre-qualified" by a lender. This means that you spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a few questions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you "pre-qualified" and issues a certificate that you can show to a seller. Sellers are aware that such certificates are WORTHLESS and here's why! None of the information has been verified! Often, unknown problems sur... 10/24/2008

Thursday, October 16, 2008 Colour Trends for 2009 --- Peach & Pink --- Been There - Done That   I have had the opportunity to view and show many homes during the last 19 years of selling real estate. It never fails to amaze me how differently first time buyers furnish their homes today compared to the early 1980's when my husband and I and many of our friends were setting up house for the first time.Although home prices were much lower in 1981, mortgage rates were 18% and a $50,000. mortgage carried for almost $750. a month. We were delighted to receive hand me down sofas and chairs from our parents basements, mismatched lamps, homemade afghans, macrame plant hangers and embroidered doilies, all the rage at the time These photos are my attempts at home decorating in the 1980's.A popular... 10/23/2008

The Canadian Central Bank cut rates today by a quarter point to 2.25%. This rate cut today by the Bank of Canada was left than the half point cut expected by some economists.  The reaction to this was also seen by the Canadian Dollar... falling to a three-year low following today's announcement. It will be interesting to see how various Canadian financial institutions react today to the news... in terms of their prime rates and mortgage rates. The Central Bank commented however that it would likely have to lower rates further to combat the effects of the global financial crisis.  "In line with the new outlook, some further monetary stimulus will likely be required to achieve the 2 percent inflation target over the medium term," the central bank said in a statement announcing the lowest ... 10/21/2008

The Bank of Canada is expected to lower its overnight lending rate by as much as a 0.50% tomorrow.  If so, this will be the second time in two weeks that the Bank of Canada has taken action to lower rates as part of its efforts to help tame the global financial crisis. Their overnight rate influences the prime lending rates charged by the chartered banks in Canada.  It can affect borrowing costs on variable-rate mortgages and lines of credit. It will be interesting to see how the Banks react.  The last time the Bank of Canada announced a half-point cut on Oct8, not all the chartered banks passed on the full effect to customers.     Gina Burgio, Mortgage Agent VERICO Designer Mortgages Inc. Toll Free: 1-877-345-6265 Fax: 1-877-345-6256 Email: gina@ginaburgio.com Each VERICO Broker is an ... 10/20/2008

Many people were wondering last week why the Canadian Dollar started to lose value against the US Dollar, when it appears that the USA was in greater crisis mode in comparison to Canada. Well here is why.... Canada is one of the world's largest producers of oil and holds oil reserves second only to Saudi Arabia, which makes Canada very reliant on its most prized commodity.  It is also the largest supplier to the world's biggest oil consumer - the United States.  Therfore, rising oil prices tend to be good for Canada/bad for the U.S., while falling oil prices tend to be bad for Canada/good for the U.S. As you can see from the chart above, price movements USD/CAD and Oil are inversely correlated from each other - meaning as oil trends higher, USD/CAD tends to trend lower and vice versa. S... 10/16/2008

Making a mistake in selling a home can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost profit. Often home sellers make the same mistakes over and over. Avoiding these mistakes is easy and takes little time and effort on your part. Take the time with your home sale and follow the guidelines in this report. Distress Selling: At times, selling quickly is unavoidable. That's when knowing the right techniques to sell your home without looking desperate and making yourself a target for low bidders really pays off. Know all there is to know about the market before listing and work hand in hand with the right real estate professional. Ensure that you are not settling for the first offer through the door. This is where your realtor will guide you in pricing the home properly in the beginning. ... 10/11/2008

It's Not All Bad News North O' The Border! CANBERRA (Reuters) - Canada has the world's soundest banking system, closely followed by Sweden, Luxembourg and Australia, a survey by the World Economic Forum has found as financial crisis and bank failures shake world markets. But Britain, which once ranked in the top five, has slipped to 44th place behind El Salvador and Peru, after a 50 billion pound ($86.5 billion) pledge this week by the government to bolster bank balance sheets. The United States, where some of Wall Street's biggest financial names have collapsed in recent weeks, rated only 40, just behind Germany at 39, and smaller states such as Barbados, Estonia and even Namibia, in southern Africa. The United States was on Thursday considering buying a slice of debt-laden banks to in... 10/09/2008

Oakville Ontario (Westoak Trails) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Westoak Trails as a whole are up 8.33% over this time last year. The average sold price in Westoak Trails was $420,744 for the month, up 5.4%  from Sept. 2007 at $398,025. On an average, sellers in Westoak Trails are getting 97% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Westoak Trails is 34, and 56 homes sold this month in Westoak Trails, down 22.2% from Sept 2007 at 72 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a monthly report of the Westoak Trails Real Estate Market Report. Barry Quine www.BarryQuine.comwww.OakvilleRealEstateToday.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Southwest Oakville) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Southwest Oakville as a whole are up 9.63% over this time last year. The average sold price in Southwest Oakville was $854,133  for the month, up 9.3%  from Sept. 2007 at $774,580. On an average, sellers in Southwest Oakville are getting 97% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Southwest Oakville is 57, and 6 homes sold this month in Southwest Oakville, down 16.7% from Sept 2007 at 5 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a monthly report of the Southwest Oakville Real Estate Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Sherwood Heights) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Sherwood Heights as a whole are up 7.42% over this time last year. The average sold price in Sherwood Heights was $478,666  for the month, up 1.2%  from Sept. 2007 at $473,000. On an average, sellers in Sherwood Heights are getting 96% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Sherwood Heights is 17, and 6 homes sold this month in Sherwood Heights, on par with Sept 2007 at 6 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a monthly report of the Sherwood Heights Real Estate Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (River Oaks) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in River Oaks as a whole are down 7.97% over this time last year. The average sold price in River Oaks was $403,111 for the month, down 11.1%  from Sept. 2007 at $429,537. On an average, sellers in River Oaks are getting 97% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in River Oaks is 45, and 48 homes sold this month in River Oaks, down 20.8% from Sept 2007 at 38 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a monthly report of the River Oaks Real Estate Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Old Oakville) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Old Oakville as a whole are up 18.29% over this time last year. The average sold price in Old Oakville was $630,200  for the month, down 11.1%  from Sept. 2007 at $708,741. On an average, sellers in Old Oakville are getting 97% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Old Oakville is 60, and 5 homes sold this month in Old Oakville, down 58.3% from Sept 2007 at 12 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a monthly report of the Old Oakville Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Morrison) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Morrison rose as a whole in the month of September 2008. The average sold price in Morrison was $1,177,000  for the month, up 9.3%  from Sept. 2007 at $1,067,900. On an average, sellers in Morrison are getting 94% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Morrison is 44, and 5 homes sold this month in Morrison, on par with Sept 2007 at 5 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a montly report of the Morrison Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Glen Abbey) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Glen Abbey rose as a whole in the month of September 2008. The average sold price in Glen Abbey was $472,825  for the month, up 11.4%  from Sept. 2007 at $418,696. On an average, sellers in Glen Abbey are getting 97% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Glen Abbey is 32, and 20 homes sold this month in Glen Abbey, down 28.6% from Sept 2007 at 28 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a montly report of the Glen Abbey Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/07/2008

Oakville Ontario (Falgarwood) for the month of September 2008 - Year To Date home prices in Falgarwood rose as a whole in the month of September 2008. The average sold price in Falgarwood was $364,772  for the month, up 13.9%  from Sept. 2007 at $314,153. On an average, sellers in Falgarwood are getting 96% of their asking price. The average days on the market for homes in Falgarwood is 28, and 11 homes sold this month in Falgarwood, down 15.4% from Sept 2007 at 13 homes sold. Please feel free to email me to receive a montly report of the Falgarwood Market Report. Barry Quine www.barryquine.com 10/06/2008