When Karen Somerville and her husband Alan Greenberg showed up for the pre-delivery inspection of their brand new luxury home in Ottawa they were horrified. Electricians, drywallers, plumbers and a variety of other tradespeople were still busy constructing their home and, despite assurances from the builder, the couple seriously doubted their $443,000 new build would be ready for possession in... 

Want to build a real estate empire or grow a business from scratch, but you don’t have the cash? Try a little leverage. Borrow to buy real estate It was the mid-1980s and D.G. Southen was only 24 years old when he bought his first investment — a house near the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. He borrowed $20,000 from his parents to put a down payment on an $80,000 house. To pay the... 

Many jewellers allow you to ‘upgrade’ your diamond for a new and bigger one. But make sure you get a fair price. When your fiancé first proposed, you were happy to take what you could get. After all, the poor guy was just starting out. So you squinted at the speck of diamond in your ring and told him it was the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. But now that he’s got a decent job,... 

Finding out is easier (and cheaper) than you might think. Ever wondered if your neighbour’s house is worth more than yours? Curious about what the house across the street fetched when it last went up for sale? Wonder no more. You might be surprised to hear that you likely have easy access to not just the last sale price and assessment value for your house, but for any other house you’re...