Cerna Real Estate Homes

05/17/2021

The city of Hamilton helps renters facing "renovictions"
to fight back against their landlords

Renters in Hamilton facing "renovictions" are now be able to get city money to push back against landlords, and that money could reach into the thousands of dollars.
The city's Tenant Defence Fund Pilot Program (TDFPP) is open to eligible groups of at least four tenant households whose landlords have applied to the Landlord Tenant Board for rent increases that surpass the provincial guideline.
As of April 23, 2021, the TDFPP program extended to tenants being displaced due to so-called "renovictions" — where renters being forced to leave their homes due to so-called renovations and rental prices are increased.
The TDFPP provides resources and knowledge to help tenant groups defend the application at the Landlord Tenant Board. The support includes help with completing the documents relating to the grant application and up to $2500 legal fees to hire a paralegal or lawyer Licensed with the Law Society of Ontario to help the tenants prepare for the case and represent them.

05/13/2021

If you can do something to your current home like a renovation, addition, etc. to pass the stay at home order and the pandemic in a better way what would it be?
I will put a swimming pool in the backyard.

What about you?

What would you do?

05/10/2021

How can your home make you happier?
Your home should be your sanctuary, a refuge from the stresses of everyday life, where you can relax, enjoy yourself and spend time with friends and family. If your home isn't bringing you the happiness it should, take a look at the following tips to help put a smile on your face whenever you walk in your front door.

Surround yourself with mood-boosting colours. Red, orange and yellow are most often associated with generating positive feelings. If those colours don't make you smile, surround yourself with the colours that you're most drawn to. Try using one of your favourite memories for inspiration. If you took a life-changing trip to Greece a few years ago, why not paint your bedroom the deep blue of the Aegean Sea?
Fill the air with blissful scents. Many scents, including jasmine, citrus and freshly baked bread, are reported to be linked to happiness. Scent is also closely linked with memory, so filling your home with a scent tied to happy memories will give your spirits a lift.
Create a dedicated space for your favourite hobbies. Spending time on activities that bring you joy is important to your overall happiness. Whether your passion is reading, painting or woodworking, having a space devoted to your favourite hobby will motivate you to spend more time doing what you love.
Bring the outdoors in. According to Psychology Today, there is a significant link between time spent enjoying nature and happiness. To bring Mother Nature indoors, fill your home with plants and fresh flowers or just open your curtains to enjoy the view of any nearby gardens or trees.

Simple tips like these can create a happier, healthier and more valuable home. Thank you for thinking of me for all of your real estate needs, and be sure to share my contact information with anyone you know of looking to buy, sell or invest in a home.
design element
personal photo
Richard Cerna

Keller Williams Realty Centres
Sales Representative
905-895-5972 ext.929

05/04/2021

04/24/2021

The Ontario government has launched

a new Residential Condominium Buyers' Guide.



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As of January 1, 2021, developers across Ontario must provide purchasers of new and pre-construction residential condos with a copy of the guide and the current disclosure statement.


Under the Condo Act, purchase agreements for new or pre-construction condos purchased from developers are not binding on purchasers until developers provide purchasers with a copy of the current disclosure statement containing vital information about the future or existing condo property and corporation (e.g., corporation's first-year budget, the proposed or actual declaration, by-laws, and rules).

As of January 1, 2021, in addition to the disclosure statement, developers must also provide a copy of Ontario’s Residential Condominium Buyers’ Guide (the applicable condominium guide) to the purchasers of new or pre-construction residential condos. The Guide was developed by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) and approved by the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. It includes up-to-date information on a variety of aspects of condo ownership, such as:
The condo purchasing process
Moving into a pre-construction residential condo unit
Condo living and governance
Resources for resolving issues with condo living




QUICK FACTS:

The Condo Act provides a buyer with a cooling-off period of 10 days to consider whether you want to proceed with the purchase. This 10-day period begins on the later of the date on which the purchaser receives the executed agreement of purchase and sale, the disclosure documents, and Condo Guide.

Additionally, the Condo Act provides a further rescission right where there is a material change in the disclosure statement. If there is a material change (i.e. an important change that would have caused a reasonable buyer to no longer want to proceed with the purchase, had that information been included in the disclosure received by the purchaser), then the purchaser may be able to rescind or cancel the purchase agreement during an additional 10-day cooling-off period. The additional 10-day cooling-off period starts from the later of:
the date that the declarant has delivered a revised disclosure statement or a notice to you confirming the material change;
the date that you otherwise become aware of the material change; or
the date that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has determined that a material change has occurred.

10/26/2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErUTLJrmWbY&feature=youtu.be

10/02/2020

COVID-19: Update on Canada’s Political Landscape

The House of Commons has returned for the second session of the 43rd Parliament, shrouded in the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and pending confidence votes that could trigger an election at any moment.

The session began with a stark reminder of COVID-19’s effects on day-to-day interactions, as House Leader Pablo Rodriguez introduced a motion setting the terms of the sitting agreement for a hybrid parliamentary model with electronic recorded votes permitted. The agreement is in place until December 11, though it could be extended.

The much-anticipated Speech from the Throne followed, with Governor General Julie Payette speaking for nearly an hour as she established the foundation of the government’s plan to stop the spread of COVID-19, support Canadians and Canadian businesses, prepare for any future crisis, and combat inequality.

CREA was pleased to see REALTOR® priorities reflected in the contents of the speech:

the role housing plays as a key driver of the economy and a job creator;
a need to support those in greatest housing need through investment in affordable housing;
a need to provide value for homeowners by committing to help retrofit homes; and
it has to be easier for Canadians to buy their first home.

“For the middle class, the government will also move forward with enhancements to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, including in Canada’s largest cities, so families can afford to buy their first home,” said the Governor General.

The speech is currently being debated and will then be subject to a confidence vote. The Liberals need support from at least one opposition party and appear to have secured backing from the NDP following a few concessions on Bill C-4, which will enact new financial support measures.

Specifically, the agreement increases minimum payments for the three new programs from $400 to $500, bringing them in line with the now-defunct Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), while expanding eligibility for the new Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB).

In addition to the CRSB, the other two programs introduced in Bill C-4 are the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) and the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB). Self-employed individuals should be eligible for all three recovery benefit programs, providing they meet the respective eligibility criteria. We will continue to monitor the progress of the legislation.

The government is expected to outline their economic and fiscal position later in the fall, potentially in the form of a Fall Economic Statement, providing fiscal projections and launching the new measures that were raised in the Throne Speech.

09/22/2020

09/21/2020

Enjoying the beautiful weather near the pond.

09/20/2020

Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Communication

Province Introduces Rent Freeze Legislation for 2021; Proposes Extension to Ban on Commercial Evictions

The Ontario government is also introducing a rent freeze for residential tenants and extending the eviction freeze for small businesses. If passed, Bill 204, Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act will freeze rent through 2021 for most rent-controlled and non-rent-controlled residential units.

The freeze would also apply in cases where landlords have already given their tenants notice of increased rent for 2021, and the proposed legislation would cap rents that are geared to a household's income at 2020 levels.

There are exemptions, including certain above-guideline increases approved by the Landlord and Tenant Board where a property owner is repairing or upgrading a building, or cases where a landlord and tenant agreed to a rent increase in exchange for extra services or facilities, such as added air conditioning or parking.

Above-guideline increases wouldn't be allowed due to increases in municipal property taxes unless they were approved by the Landlord and Tenant Board before the bill becomes law.

For 2021, the maximum increase would have been 1.5 percent. That will be reduced to zero for next year, although landlords can give notice of increases 90 days in advance, to take effect January 1, 2022.

Bill 204, Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act also proposes to change the Commercial Tenancies Act to extend the temporary ban on evictions for commercial tenants until October 30, 2020 to provide more support to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The ban was initially in place from May 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, to align with the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses. This temporary ban would continue to apply to businesses that are eligible for federal-provincial rent assistance through the CECRA for small businesses, but their landlord chose not to apply for the program.

This legislation is expected to become law in the fall. We will continue to monitor how Bill 204 moves through the legislative process, and will update our Members accordingly.

09/18/2020

The Ontario government has introduced legislation that would freeze residential rent prices next year.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Thursday saying that if passed fees would not increase for the province’s 1.7 million renters between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.

“This is a difficult period for everyone, especially for families who are struggling right now,” Ford said. “The last thing I want any family to worry about right now is whether or not they can afford to stay in their homes.”

As a result, landlords and building owners will not be permitted to increase rents to the maximum allowable increase of 1.5 per cent for the next calendar year.

The bill, dubbed the ‘Helping Tenants and Small Businesses Act,’ also proposes changes to the Commercial Tenancies Act to extend the temporary ban on evictions for commercial tenants.

Ford said that the ban on commercial evictions would extend as far as Oct. 30 to provide more support to small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

“We won’t rest until every person, every business, every community can get back on their feet,” Ford said.

The ban was initially in place from May 1, 2020 to Aug. 31, 2020.

Phil Tsekouras, CP24.com
Published Thursday, September 17, 2020 3:38PM EDT