How to Repurpose Your Old Garden Shed

It doesn’t take long for a garden shed to show signs of damage and wear, owing to its position outside. Even if you haven’t used your garden shed for some time, you will be surprised at just how easy and low cost it can be to bring it back to life. Many are guilty of looking at worn sheds and thinking that it would be easier to replace it, but garden sheds are far more robust than many give them credit for, and a makeover is often a much smarter option.

Replacing The Roof

It is the roof of the shed which so often gets damaged from rain & debris. Leaks occur, tears can happen and the seal of the shed weakens over time, allowing access into the shed for insects. Whilst you could add a new layer of protection to the roof, the smarter solution is to replace it with a new roof, such as a metal roof seen on Colorbond sheds. This metal roof can be easily attached and sealed. This is a much easier and more efficient option than replacing the felt, resealing and re-insulating.

Replacing Windows

Many custom sheds in particular have more windows than conventional sheds, and over time these can look dirty, they can lose their seal and provide more of a problem. However, these windows can either be resealed and cleaned, or replaced entirely with new panes both of which will make a huge impact on the overall look of your shed.

Clean and Paint

A poorly looked after shed can very quickly appear like it has gone to wreck and ruin, but giving it a new lease of life is often achieved through the simplicity of cleaning and painting. If the timber is of good quality then moss and grime can be scraped off, the timber can be resealed and then painted. Look to paint the shed a different colour from what it was originally, as this will also make you feel that it is a much newer addition to your garden.

Door Care

If the door of the shed is damaged then it is well worth replacing it entirely, if however the door is in good condition, change the hinges so that it opens and closes with ease. But keep in mind as the weather changes and the timber warps and bends, the strength of hinges and brackets in the shed could have been loosened. For this reason in many cases it makes much more sense to replace them altogether, drill new holes to ensure that the door is fully operational.

A high quality shed will last for many years and even if you have been guilty of ignoring it, or storing products away and forgetting about them, there is still much that you can do. In fact, many individuals will be surprised at just how great garden sheds look after they have been given some TLC. Make sure to begin planning and figure out which ideas will work best for your time and budget.

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Go Green: How to Choose the Best Solar Panel Installer for Your Home

Have you been putting off getting solar panels because of how much it cost in the past? The good news is that cost is no longer as big of a concern. The cost of solar is at an all-time low and is expected to keep going down in the future.

If you’re trying to find a solar panel installer, this post will help you with your search. Keep reading to learn what to look for when researching companies for solar panels installation.

Find a Certified Provider

A solar installation is a complex build that people can’t just pick up and do without training. You don’t only have to install brackets and solar panels on the roof, either. You have to design a system that will meet the needs of an individual home.

Your solar installers will need employees who can handle every step of the process. Each state has different licensing requirements, so look into your state’s regulations to familiarize yourself with what’s needed.

After you do this, ask your solar providers to provide documentation showing they fulfill your area’s licensing requirements. Since every location is different, don’t settle for someone licensed in another place. If your county has varying building restrictions and your provider doesn’t know about them, you might get stuck with an illegal solar installation.

Verify Insurance

There’s always a chance that an accident happens when someone is working on your solar installation. The problem comes when the contractors you use don’t have any insurance for their employees.

Contract companies are required to hold insurance for employees when they’re on work sites. This insurance covers any damages that occur to your property and for injuries that happen to workers.

It’s bad enough if your property is damaged during the installation process and you need to repair it. However, this isn’t the big problem. It’s when someone injures themself without insurance that you run into real issues.

If someone is injured on your property and isn’t insured, you might be on the hook for damages. If you want to avoid this, make sure anyone you work with has the proper insurance for any issue that comes up.

Ask About Subcontractor Use

You won’t only need to verify the primary company’s credentials you contract to do your solar installation. If your solar installer uses subcontractors to handle their work, you’ll need to confirm their credentials as well.

Credentials aren’t the only thing you need to worry about, either. Your solar provider might not provide the necessary insurance for people they subcontract work to. You’ll need to make sure that every person on your property has the right insurance in this scenario.

If you want to keep things simple, make sure that your solar installation provider employs all their workers themself.

Verify Warranty Information

Even a great installer won’t always perform a flawless installation. Whether it’s because of a worker’s mistake or faulty equipment, there’s still the chance that something will go wrong after your installer finishes the job.

The question is, will the solar firm you work with stand by their work?

There should be a warranty for any work done on your roof that lasts many years. Some warranties last up to 10 years, so try to get as many years as you can.

The other warranty you need to watch for is for equipment. These warranties will likely come from the product manufacturers. Your provider will know what kind of warranty your equipment manufacturer provides, so check with them to see what you can expect.

Ask About Financing

It isn’t always easy to get finances for a home improvement project. Some mortgage companies limit what you can do with refinancing, so you may be looking for other options. The good news is that some solar installation providers can give you the loan you need.

Many solar providers also offer you options if you don’t want to buy your panels outright. They work on a lease structure and will loan you solar panels. It will provide you a way to take advantage of green living without a lot of financial risks.

The leases that providers offer will vary on price and duration. Check your options to see if any make sense for you.

Look for Testimonials

Your solar installer search isn’t complete once you find a company you think can handle the job. Their job is to impress you with their services, so they likely won’t tell you about any problems they’ve had in the past. That’s why you need to find past customers and learn about their past experiences.

Ask your providers for testimonials before you commit to working with them. If they do great work, it shouldn’t be hard to find a satisfied customer to confirm their skill.

Of course, don’t just rely on the testimonials they provide. See if you can find any previous customers yourself. Looking at websites that let you talk to people in your community is a great way to find other customers.

Find Someone Local

Building codes vary a lot between different regions. A contractor experienced in one part of the country might not know what to expect if they come to your location. That makes it beneficial to look for solar companies in your area to handle the job.

If you want to find solar companies near you, start your search on Google. If you type “solar companies” in the search engine, you’ll get a list of local companies.

Your options will show on Google Maps. You can see the distance to your location, their address, and their customer ratings. Doing this is an excellent way of finding a reliable solar panels installation company quickly.

Start Your Search for a Solar Panel Installer Today

There’s never been a better time than now to install solar panels on your home. Now that you know what to look for in a solar panel installer, you can start your search. The sooner the process is complete, the sooner you can stop relying on the grid.

Are you interested in learning about more home improvement projects? Head back to our blog to discover our best improvement tips.

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I Need to Sell My House Fast, What Are My Options?

Suddenly you need to move to a new home — whether it’s for work reasons, an expanding family, or another major life event — and that means you need to sell your current home fast. How can you get your house ready to sell as soon as possible and what are the options for getting the job done? Here are some tips to keep in mind with guidance from the real estate experts at HomeLight. 

Update your home with what buyers want

Getting your home in shape to appeal to buyers is one way to ensure that you can sell your home ASAP. A recent survey of insights from top agents across the country reveals the areas of your home to update that will best reflect what buyers are looking for. Some of the updates to consider are outdated home features to fix up before selling, such as carpet in the bathroom, popcorn ceilings, shag carpet, wood wall panels, linoleum, vinyl flooring, and bold paint color schemes. Going for neutral tones for paint, carpets, and other flooring can be the best way to get on track to sell fast. 

Work with an expert

This might seem obvious, but working with an agent who has experience selling homes quickly is one of the best tips for a quick home sale. In this situation not just any agent will do. When trying to find the right match, ask potential candidates about their history with sales and their average timelines, as well as their knowledge about selling in your specific neighborhood. Having facts can help you pick the best person to get the job done quickly. 

Auction sale

If you want to sell your home fast, an auction may be the way to go, while keeping a few considerations in mind. According to Forbes, auctioned homes take an average of 45 to 60 days from listing to close. But this type of sale could be risky because you have limited control over the final sale price — it’s possible that your home could sell around 10 to 15 percent lower than the market value. It’s best to consult with an agent to consider all options.

Cash offers

Some agents recommend that the best way to sell a house quickly is to accept a cash offer. Not all cash buyers are the same: You might be working with buy-and-hold investors that purchase rental properties; fix-and-flippers; or high-tech, venture capital-backed companies called iBuyers that purchase homes in good to fair condition, make light repairs, and typically turn over a high volume of homes with thin profit margins. Accepting a cash offer can take time as you work with a professional — such as using HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform — to request a cash offer and find the highest bidder.

If you need to sell you home fast, there are many options and ways to get the job done. The strategy you pick will depend on many factors, such as your home’s condition, your neighborhood, and just how fast you need to sell. Working with a professional to guide you will ensure that you are on track to success. 

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How to Pick the Perfect Art Piece for Your Home

Have you been staring at blank white walls for too long? Is your creative vision stunted and your decor unappealing? Do you know how to choose art for your home?

Don’t be nervous, because you’re the only judge that matters. There is no such thing as good or bad art. The art that matters is the art that appeals to whatever is burning inside you.

Read on to learn how to select art for your home!

Match Art to the Mood

Do you like bright, eye-popping colors in your bathroom? If you do, you should keep it in mind when choosing art for your home. It can influence the feel of a space.

There’s no wrong answer for how to use your space. For example, bedroom art should be soothing according to some stylists, but that’s someone else’s definition. If dynamic scenes make you smile in your bedroom, you should seek out art that highlights that!

Think About Where and How Your Eye Travels

When you enter your space, where is your eye drawn? Art can help accentuate our natural tendency to choose a focal point. Putting specific art pieces in your line of sight will make them pop and help others admire their full beauty.

If you put art on a wall that people don’t see immediately, it’s not going to be as noticed. But that’s not always a bad thing!

When deciding how to choose art for your home, put your big guns out on the front lines. Save your quieter art for someone who looks for and appreciates it.

Mix and Match Mediums

We’ve been speaking of 2D art on the wall, but other forms of art like sculptures and pottery has a significant place in the home. Selecting art for your home requires a balance of mediums.

If you’re looking at landscape photography, choose a scene that matches the vibe of your furniture as well as the room as a whole. Trust your eye. You’ll know the difference when art creates harmony instead of chaos.

Size Matters

When choosing art for decorating your home, we recommend measuring the space or looking at sizing samples to determine how big the prints or statues should be. There’s nothing worse than a totally oversized piece of art that bullies too much of the space.

If you want art to be the focal point, this doesn’t matter as much. However, consider the harmony of your future room. Big art means less room for other pieces.

Now You Know How to Choose Art for Your Home

The most important note to remember is only you know how to choose art for your home. The best stylists and curators in the world have their unique tastes and can help you get the room looking its best, but you must trust your creative process.

Be sure to check out other articles on our website if you want inspiration to improve your life. Add art (and even rent art for your home) and watch your space transform!

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4 Jobs You Can Do Full Time From Home

Are you bored of your 9-5 job and want to make a change? Many people start to work from home full time. This will bring them a stable income while reducing the costs for commuting to work. Some people have it like a side hustle first, but then quit their initial job to work from home.

According to Overheard on Conference Calls, you need to stay organized and plan your time when working from home. Especially when you are working full time. But, which are the jobs that you can go for? Be sure there are lots of jobs that offer you the possibility to work from your home.these are the top jobs that you can do full time!

 

Proofreading

Proofreading includes checking for any errors connected to grammar, syntax, and spelling. Or some jobs, you aren’t required to have a college degree. All you need are excellent grammar skills. Your client will send you a text, and you need to make sure that it is completely error-free. This work gives you flexibility and freedom, so you can work from home easily. Another good thing is that the job is strictly defined, so you won’t lose time on video calls.

Transcription

Working as a transcriptionist means that you will turn all sorts of video and audio material into text. It can be legal, medical, or technical materials that you should type in after listening. You will be listening to reports, interviews, conferences, phone conversations, and create a document file. It is a fun job to do, but you need to make sure that you have a quiet space in your home. You should determine your rate per minute for this work.

Flipping

This is a perfect job for all the passionate DIYers. If you don’t want to work on the computer for the whole day, a flipper is a perfect job for you. It means that you should find good pieces of furniture or other items in thrift shops, auctions, or flea markets. Then, you restore the items and make them look like new. It allows you to express your creativity and skills in a whole new way. Then, you can sell the items for a higher price. You have the freedom to choose your sales methods and strategies.

Blogging

Nowadays, blogging has become an important part of our lives. We all follow our favorite bloggers and read their useful tips. If you think that it is time to give up your 9-5 job but don’t feel so confident, then try with blogging as a side hustle first. Many bloggers started like this and then continued to work full time. You can earn money from google ads, sponsored posts, or even join affiliate programs. Keep in mind that blogging can be a complex job, as you need to produce good content for your readers. You will also need to invest in photographing equipment, props, and other things according to your specific niche.

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How to Properly Dispose of Common Household Junk

It is a harsh truth that every person produces more trash than is reasonable these days. While around 34% of ordinary garbage goes through recycling, the same cannot be said about trickier items like appliances, old furniture, and electronics. What do you do if you have piles of junk at home that you need to get rid of but cannot bring to the recycling center? The tips outlined below may help in proper disposal next time you are faced with the same problem.

Bulky items like old furniture and appliances

You cannot simply leave them out on the sidewalk, hoping someone will pick them up. Instead of worrying, why not call Evergreen Junk Removal? These companies typically maintain a sorting and recycling center. There is a good chance that your junk will get sorted and recycled first before the rest gets dumped.

Another option is to consider donating these items. If your appliance is still in working condition, you can try calling a local Salvation Army or Goodwill center. You may also try listing it for sale online. Some people might buy used furniture and restore it, while others purchase old appliances for scrap and other recyclable parts.

Household cleaning chemicals

You need to be careful whenever you need to dispose of household cleaning chemicals. If the product label indicates that it is water-soluble, you can flush it down the drain. Soaps, cleaning pads, and scouring brushes ordinarily go into the trash bin.

Expired medication and health supplements

It is essential to take an inventory of every medication you have at home so that you can get rid of any expired products as soon as possible. When dealing with prescription medication, the government assigns disposal sites, which may include local pharmacies. It is also possible to dispose of old medicines in the trash, as long as you follow the method suggested by the FDA.

Electronics and similar products

Before disposing of any electronic device such as a cellular phone, make sure that you delete all your personal information, remove the SIM card and memory card. You can either trade in the old device for a new one, or donate it to a local charity.

When it comes to old computers, televisions, and laptops, you cannot throw these in the trash. There are harmful chemicals such as lead, which are hazardous to health and the environment. Some manufacturers and distributors offer recycling programs. You can also call the municipal sanitation department and ask for assistance on how you can properly dispose of these items.

Old mattresses

Depending on local regulations, your municipal sanitation department may collect a used mattress provided it is sealed in plastic. When you buy a new mattress, the store may also handle the removal and disposal of the old mattress. If it is still in good condition, you can consider donating to a charitable organization, or a local homeless shelter. However, check with the health department if you are allowed to do so; otherwise, the best solution is to contact a junk removal company to haul away the old mattress.

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Solar Panel Placement Gold Coast QLD

There are special rules when it comes to having your solar panels and switching to green energy. You have to think about where the sun is going to be, and depending on your location, this also depends on where you’re going to want your solar panels placed, as well as what direction to face them in. In this guide, we’re going to talk about proper solar panel placement in order to maximize the efficiency of your solar power system, and what you can do to get the most out of your solar energy.

Yields Depend on Direction

You want your panels to face towards the sun. Of course, we all know that sun rises in the east and sets in the west, but did you know that the tilt of the third rock’s axis actually affects the efficiency of solar panels too? For example, if you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’ll want your solar panels to always point towards the south, so you can maintain the proper efficiency.

For Australia, especially in the Gold Coast, Queensland area, you’ll want your panels to face north, as with any other location in the southern hemisphere. Think of the equator as the guiding line of where you’ll want your panels to face. This will help you to create the most yields from your solar panels for your energy storage and usage.

What If My Home Faces North-East or North-West?

Believe it or not, you can still use solar panels in this regard on your roof if your roof’s pitch faces to the north in any way shape or form. You may sacrifice up to twenty percent of the effective yields, but you will still be able to generate plenty of power. If your roof doesn’t point to the north at all however, then you may want to consider having a different mounting system, such as ground mounts in order to place your solar panels in the right direction.

What About the Shade?

You need to consider trees that may get into the way if they are on the east or west of your property. The sun will generally cast shadows in the southeast or west, and depending on where the shade actually resides throughout most of the day, then you’ll want to put your solar panels on the opposite direction side. If you have shade in both directions that may affect your home, then you’ll want to choose an optimal location to have your solar panels mounted, so they’ll be out of the shade.

Final Thoughts

One of the great things about solar energy in the QLD area is that if you have the right installer, then you don’t have to worry much about the placement of your solar panels yourself, since your installer will have the knowledge and can offer numerous solutions for you. Enter Green Spark Electric and Solar, where you can get a quality service guarantee that you can get the sun’s energy free and provide you with the best solar panels Gold Coast that meet Australian standards, along with solutions to power your home no matter what.

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Benefits of Duct Cleaning

Every so often, your air ducts in your home become dirty, and will need to be cleaned. Why? Because they’re a very crucial part of your heating and cooling system, as well as offing fresh air. Most of your air conditioning and heating travels through your air ducts numerous times every single day, and because of this, they’re susceptible to moisture buildup, mold build up, dust, and more problems. 

Therefore, you’ll want to ensure that you have them inspected frequently (at least once or twice a year) in order to maintain truly fresh air in your home, as well as provide an additional bit of safety to your family. In this guide, we’re going to tell you about some of the benefits of duct cleaning, and why you should make sure you have them professionally cleaned often.

 

  • Clean is Healthy
    By having your ducts cleaned as we briefly described above, you can get truly healthy air, as well as the fact that it creates a cleaner home as well. Over time, as dust accumulates in your air vents and duct work, it is dispersed throughout your home, which means that dust will collect on things in your house more frequently, such as countertops, cabinets, furniture, and more. 
  • Allergens Be Gone
    By removing dust, one of the world’s most popular allergens, there are many other things that can get sucked up through your ducts. Bacteria, mildew, mold (as we said earlier), toxic chemicals, bugs, and more can cause problems in those who suffer from allergies, as well as those with problems like asthma. 
  • Unpleasant Odors Can Disappear
    When you have pets, use cleaners, have paint fumes, and even tobacco use, it can actually all cause odors to get put into, and be dispersed out of your air ducts. Therefore, when you haven’t cleaned your air ducts in a long time, you may notice a musty smell coming from them. By having them professionally cleaned, you’ll notice that the odors in your home will be erased quickly. You can even have your ducts clean and have special scents inserted into them so you can enjoy some good quality aromatherapy along with clean air.
  • Air Flow and HVAC Efficiency
    When you have your air ducts cleaned, you will find that it helps your equipment to not have to work as hard to maintain heat and cool air in your home. With that being said, you may even notice some changes and decreases in your energy bills so your HVAC equipment will last longer as well.

 

Conclusion

When you regularly clean your air ducts, you can avoid all types of health problems that may occur by just leaving them unattended. Not only that, but you can get better cleaning than you would get if you simply tried to vacuum them out yourself. You can also extend the life of your HVAC unit to the fullest, and even possibly lower your electricity bills, so that’s a huge plus! You can save more money by hiring a private contractor that specializes in cleaning air ducts and thus enjoy saving more in the long run as well.

To find out more, please visit https://www.ductwise.com/contact-us.

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Simple Designs offer an Acoustic Ambience

The Fade Acoustic Plaster is a premium material offered to both commercial and residential clients; by a team of skilled professionals delivering reliable and consistent services. The material is such that it can absorb the sound waves to make the conversation even clearer in difficult situations where a lot of noise is being let out. The acoustic plasterwork has a smooth finish with an acoustic transparent plaster layer. It is efficient in breaking down sound energy and can create a pleasant climate. The acoustics can improve speech intelligibility and is suitable for a wide range of substrates. It can be applied to the walls and ceilings to increase overall productivity. It can save up to 10% on energy consumption and applied quite effortlessly. Fadeceilings offers you a range of acoustic plaster solutions you can incorporate to design your interior and ensure a pleasant work environment.

The Acoustic solutions offered can be applied to the new constructions, renovated or revamped sites and work well on the existing situations also. We work with the architects and designers to make optimum utilization of the acoustics. The cost of the acoustic plaster may differ from one building to the other depending on the size of the room, the height of the ceiling and the personal wishes of the client. Looking at the maintenance issue Acoustic plaster is easy to clean using a brush or a vacuum cleaner. We are pleased to offer you the maintenance support ensuring the walls and ceilings are not damaged. If you need to see how the Acoustic plaster system looks like we can show you the sample. The acoustic plaster is available in different colors which can be selected matching your requirements. The sound-absorbing plaster layer is available to the clients in any ACCS, NCS and RAL color.

We provide acoustic solutions to a wide range of clients across the world. Due to our innovative product developments, we are having several clients who regularly consult us for acoustic solutions.The appropriate solutions are offered after understanding the requirements and acoustic plaster is the best way to improve your building design. Good acoustics can make your room more pleasant while it may be your home, office, restaurant or any other retail space. We have expertise in the wide range of products that require sound absorption and sound insulation. Depending on your requirement we have an indoor or outdoor sound barrier.

Some of the technical specifications are the thickness, thermal conductivity, sound absorption and color when you select the acoustic plaster solution. Our acoustic experts offer you the right advice and make the whole installation process hassle-free. An acoustic plaster will absorb the sound and reduce the reverberation in the room. The acoustic plaster can be applied to both flat and curved spaces as easily as it can be applied to clean flat surfaces. The acoustic plaster system makes the place nice and cozy to work with both at home and work. Feel free to call us and discuss with us your requirements and know the products ideal for you.

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Montreal Real Estate Trends to Expect in 2019

montreal real estate

The Montreal real estate market is one of the major markets in the entire country, alongside that of Toronto and Vancouver. Right now the market for Montreal is on a hot streak, and that predicted by experts to continue well into 2019 and beyond. In fact, many see the Montreal real estate price growth to exceed to that of other cities in the whole of Canada.

montreal real estate

Here are some trends to look forward to in the real estate market of Montreal in 2019:

Home Prices Will Still Rise

This is also predicted for many other cities, but the confidence that experts have for the Montreal market is quite strong. In fact, the median prices for homes in the Greater Montreal Area are expected to go up by 3%. In contrast, the increase in the median prices for homes in the Greater Toronto Area is only expected at 1.3%, while it’s only 0.6% for the Greater Vancouver Area. Nationally, median prices in Canada as a whole are expected to rise by 1.2%.

It does seem like the growth rate is decreasing all around, even with the prices climbing up. That is due to certain factors, such as regulatory real estate intervention, the consistently low price of Canadian export oil, rising interest rates, and the inherent risks of global trade.

Demand Will Remain Strong

What’s fuelling the rise in prices is the constant demand for homes from potential buyers with the budget to afford them. The demand is partly due to increasing population growth along with the strong migration, and so these new immigrants to Montreal will certainly need new homes.

The huge peak millennial group consists of the 25 to 31-years old buying a home for the first time, and most of them plan to own their homes instead of just renting. Baby boomers are also planning to sell their empty nest oversized family homes for more suitable smaller houses.

The unemployment rate has also reached historically low numbers. This means more people in the city have jobs and are saving money to buy a home, while new professionals come in to meet the demands for more workers.

There is still high consumer confidence, and economic growth in Montreal is steady. The new Canada-US-Mexico Agreement has also renewed confidence in trade south of the Canadian border.

Finally, it helps that prices on the whole in Montreal are comparatively more affordable than the homes in Toronto and Vancouver. The median prices for the Greater Toronto area are expected to rise to $854,552 in 2019. For the Greater Vancouver area, these prices will be even higher, with forecasts predicting median prices of up to $1,291,144 in 2019.

In contrast, the median prices for homes on Montreal are downright cheap even with the largest jump in prices. Experts say that these median home prices in the greater Montreal area will still be only $421,306 in 2019. That’s less than half the price in Toronto, and less than a third the price in Vancouver!

Continuing Interest from Foreign Investors

When Montreal real estate professionals talk about “foreign investors”, they’re actually referring to Chinese investors. The Chinese economy is still booming, and it’s predicted that the upper-middle and affluent class in China will reach 220 million by 2022. So far, the number of individuals with high net worth has increased by a factor of 9 over the last 10 years.

About two-thirds of these affluent Chinese have international real estate investments. In 2010, Chinese investment in international property was only $5 billion. By 2017, this has increased to almost $120 billion.

Canada has been one of their favourite real estate targets, but lately this interest has been waning. Chinese investment in Canadian residential real estate decreased by 55% in 2017, while interest for commercial property it went down by 61%.

Montreal is the most notable exception to this trend. More Chinese investors are becoming interested in the Montreal real estate market. Experts attribute this to the lower prices of homes in the area, and the taxes imposed by Vancouver and Toronto on foreign buyers surely didn’t help.

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