Every home is imbued with unique stories of the past lives that were  lived there, but finding out the legal history of your land, such as the  boundaries, possible easements and rights of way, is essential if you want to renovate or rebuild. Here are some tips and tricks to help you out.

Why should you have a survey done?

Anyone who has lived in the same house for a number of years inevitably gets the reno itch. While a gut job is expensive, home renovations are still an affordable way to upgrade without moving.

“It's natural that after a certain point, homeowners start to notice the flaws in their homes,” said Farhaneh Haque, director of mortgage advice at TD Canada Trust. “It could be that the layout is no longer practical, the bathrooms are outdated or the exterior needs some curb appeal. Each of these areas can increase the property value of a house while making it more suitable to the homeowner's needs.”

Before picking up the hammer and hardwood...

Many Lenders use credit bureau scores as a key part of the approval process. Credit scores are a statistical method of predicting a consumer's financial risk over a period of time. Your previous credit behavior is used to determine your credit score which is primarily derived by payment history, outstanding debt, credit account history, recent inquiries and types of credit on your credit bureau record. The two credit reporting agencies in Canada—Equifax and TransUnion—determine your credit score on a scale from 300 to 900 – the higher your score, the better.

The five main factors looked at by lenders are...