[caption id="attachment_761" align="alignleft" width="225"] (Photo credit: Paul/Flickr)[/caption] When we buy a home, we hope that it'll be a great place to live. But we also hope to own a property that will see its value appreciate over time and become a nice retirement nest egg when the time comes. It's important to maintain your property so it'll help you achieve the retirement of your dreams. When you purchase a newly built home, you'll have done the pre-delivery inspection on the property's interior, exterior and systems. Once you've made note of any of the issues and notified the proper people, there are steps that can be taken to have your home look better longer. Since we're now in fall, you'll want to clean out your gutters and downspouts of any leaves and debris to avoid draining issues later on. If you have a hose, make sure it's removed and stored properly. Also, if you plan to use your chimney, check your roof and chimney for any damage. If your windows are leaking air, you'll want to check your sealing and either change them or install weather stripping before winter sets in. You'll also want to check your furnace and humidifier to ensure they're in good working order when it comes time to turn them on. During the winter, most of your home maintenance will happen indoors since people are less likely to want to get out in the cold. Make sure your central air conditioning unit is protected and while snow shovelling, check that any snow on your rooftop is cleared so it doesn't block your vents. Your furnace filter should be regularly changed and cleaned and your heat recovery ventilator should too. Regularly clean your humidifier and check your exhaust fans. This is also a good time to clean your drains, which can be done by flushing them with baking soda, vinegar and hot water. When spring comes around, your biggest issue is handling the melting snow, rain and wind. Make sure your furnace filter and heat recovery ventilator is regularly cleaned. You'll also need to clean your eavestrough and downspout and check for any damage to your roof, shingles, driveway and walkway. If you have a sump pump in your basement, check that it's working to handle the melting snow and rain. Inspect your fencing and caulking too. With the gorgeous summer weather back, it may be hard to convince yourself to regularly do housework, but tell yourself that it will pay off in the long run. Drain or flush your water heater and change or clean your HVAC. Air out your basement on dry days and inspect your roof, shed, garage, window and door sealing, septic systems, exhaust fans, driveways, walkways, doors and locks. In a condo, you have less home issues to worry about, but one problem that could cause a lot of damage in the long run is moisture, but if there are ways to prevent it from wrecking havoc on your property's value. Also, check and reset your ground fault circuit interrupter and test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors once a month. Whether you decide to buy a newly built home as a place to call home or to rent out, recover some of your money through an HST rebate with help from Rebate4U. Our priority is to provide our clients with the most professional and quality service in obtaining rebates for their new and renovated homes. We are proud to offer our clients the most personal and attentive service, and we make sure that all of our clients are 100% satisfied.

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Renovations

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Tips to Ensure Your Renovation is Substantial Enough for the HST Rebate on New Homes

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) Rebate on home renovations is a significant financial incentive for homeowners in Ontario, providing a golden opportunity to recoup a portion of the expenses involved in upgrading and enhancing their living spaces. This rebate is offered via Canada Revenue Agency, and it aims to encourage property owners to invest in their homes, not just for personal satisfaction...

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13 March 2024

How to Claim the HST Rebate on Rental Properties

The HST rebate on rental properties or the New Residential Rental Property Rebate is an excellent opportunity for new condos and homeowners who are not planning on occupying the property to get some money back that was invested in the purchase of the new home. Choosing to rent a property is an effective secondary passive income. When paired with the HST Rebate in Ontario, a rental property can be...

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Renting

26 February 2024

How to Find a Tenant Ahead of Your HST Rental Rebate Application

If you’re renting out a new residential property, the HST Rebate in Ontario is a great opportunity to get back some of the money you’ve invested into purchasing the condo. Available via Canada Revenue Agency, the New Residential Rental Rebate Program can mean thousands of dollars back. To qualify for this rebate program in Ontario, you must meet the criteria set out by Canada Revenue...

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Renovations

10 February 2024

3 Stand-Out Benefits of Applying for HST Rebate on Home Renovations

Home renovations are a great way to revitalize your existing property to transform it into your dream home. Working with the best contractors you can make large-scale upgrade plans that rebuild your home from the ground up. With programs like the New Home HST Rebate in Ontario, the cost of these significant upgrades can be mitigated. By working with the experts at Rebate4U you can assess your...

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Renovations

31 January 2024

Why Turn Repairs into Renovations with the Home Renovation HST Rebate

Whether you’ve recently purchased a new home that needs a lot of work or are ready to upgrade your existing home, renovations and remodels can rack up quite the bill. But for homeowners in Ontario, the HST rebate on home renovations is a viable option that can help you get more return from your investment. Read on for more information!

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HST housing rebate

18 January 2024

Which Part of Your Home Renovations Are Subject to HST in Ontario?

Like with the transaction of any good or service in the province, there is a 13% tax (Harmonized Sales Tax) added to every purchase, including the sale properties. When buying a home, this tax can add up to a substantial amount. In Ontario, the HST Rebate program is offered to residential property buyers as a way to offset the cost of new home purchases.

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Condos

15 December 2023

What to Do When You're Not Ready to Move Into Your New Condo

If you’ve bought a new condo and want more insight into your rebate options, from the HST Rebate on new homes to the New Residential Rental Property Rebate, contact the experts at Rebate4U for more insight and personal guidance.

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Newly built homes

27 November 2023

So You Built a New Home, Now What?

If you’ve recently finished building your new property in the last two years, you may be eligible for money back with the HST rebate in Ontario. The program allows homeowners to recover a portion of their HST spent on construction.

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Rebate Blog

17 October 2023

Signs You'll Benefit from the HST Rebate in Ontario

The HST Rebate in Ontario is a valuable and beneficial program available to homeowners in Ontario. Unfortunately, many new home buyers or even long-time homeowners are unaware of the program’s existence or their eligibility. The new home HST Rebate can be nuanced, but with the guidance of an experienced, trusted, and knowledgeable professional like the team at Rebate4U,...

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29 September 2023

Benefits of Renting Your Newly Purchased Home

It’s not uncommon for property owners to purchase a new home or condo with the intention of making it their primary residence but then later change their minds to use the newly acquired or built property as a rental unit. Whether you build the home from the ground up or determine that you no longer want to use a newly purchased property from the builder as a home for yourself, there are...

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