Sam Levin

So you've found a house you love. Great backyard, gleaming hardwood, and the kitchen of your dreams. But what about the furnace? The wiring? Leaks in the basement? Before you buy, have the home inspected; no matter how experienced you are as a homeowner, it's the best way to make sure you really know what you're getting into.

First, decide how much you can afford for your down payment. The Home Buyers Plan lets you withdraw up to $25K per person (or up to $50K per couple) from your RRSPs - tax-free - to be repaid over 15 years. More on that here. The bigger your down payment, the less principal you will owe, and the less interest you will pay.

It creeps into crawl spaces, fills up cupboards and, when we least expect it, overflows into the garage. Whether you're trying to stage your home for an open house, want to reduce the number of items you'll have to pack, or you just want to live in a cleaner, more organized space, here are some steps to help you pare down those piles.

Doing it yourself is cheaper than hiring pros, but the time savings can be worth using movers. If you're doing a DIY move, you'll have to pack, rent a truck, load it, drive it to your new place, unload, feed your helpers, return the truck, unpack - then collapse in utter exhaustion. Movers can do it all for you with no pizza or beer required.

When you're selling your house or condo, you want to sell it fast and make as much money as possible. A good marketing plan can help you do that. Here's how I will work with you to market your property. 1. Advise you on getting your home sale-ready.

I will walk through your home with you and give you staging tips - everything from furniture placement to wall colour to clutter control - to help your place appeal to more potential buyers and maximize marketability.2. Give you a sense of the market. To help you decide on a fair price that's based on market value, I will provide you with information on how much other properties in your area have sold for.