PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR WINTER

    

Don't let the winter catch you unprepared. Here are a few tips that you can do to get your home winter ready. 

Have the Furnace Inspected

Call an HVAC professional to check the fan belt that runs the blower, vacuum out dust and debris, and oil the bearings if necessary. Buy enough filters to see you through the winter months and change them monthly--when filters become clogged with dust, the furnace doesn't operate efficiently and your energy bill goes up. Set the thermostat at 68 to save on energy costs, and consider replacing a manually controlled thermostat with a programmable one. This allows you to set the temperature at a comfortable level when you're in the house and cut it back to a cooler level when you're at work. Used properly, programmable thermostats can save up to $180 a year on heating and cooling costs.

Wash the Windows

Yes, it's a tedious job, but washing the windows inside and out twice a year--spring and fall--rewards you with sparkling views, unobstructed light, and the opportunity to check for cracks and damaged caulking. Use a commercial window cleaner or make your own by mixing ¼ cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. Newspaper makes the best "cleaning rag" because it's absorbent and won't leave lint, but wear gloves to protect your hands from the newsprint.

 

 Make your windows air tight

According to experts, 10 percent of the air that leaks out of a house exits through the windows. Caulk around window frames and apply weatherstripping between the sash and window frame to eliminate air leakage. Tension seal and magnetic types of weatherstripping are durable and effective for double-hung windows. For casement and sliding windows, apply self-adhesive V-strip weatherstripping to the side of a clean, dry sash or window jamb. Measure the length you need, cut the V-strip to fit, then peel off the paper backing while pressing the strip in place.

   

   Install Storm Windows

Install storm windows to reduce air leakage year-round. You can find storm windows with vinyl, wood, or aluminum frames and glass or plastic panes. Glass is heavier but longer lasting and clearer than plastic, which scratches easily and yellows over time. Interior storm windows are generally mounted inside the window jambs or flush with the molding. They're easy to install but must be removed when you want to open the windows to let in fresh air. An exterior double-track or triple-track storm window is permanently installed on the outside of the window, and the lower half of the window moves in a separate track from the screen so you can lower or raise it to control air flow.

    

     Put the Ceiling Fan in Reverse

Check your ceiling fan for a switch that allows you to reverse the direction of blade movement to turn clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. Warm air rises, and the clockwise rotation of the blades forces the warm air down to where people benefit from it.

     

Clean the Eves troughs

Whether your eves troughs have become roof-line planters like this one or have simply accumulated a season's worth of fallen leaves, get them cleaned out before winter rains and snows arrive. After scooping out leaves and debris, flush the gutters and downspouts with a strong stream of water from a hose. Make sure the eves troughs fit snugly against the house and repair any cracks or damage. Many companies offer leaf guards that claim to prevent leaves from collecting in the eves troughs, but most don't keep out dirt, debris, and seeds, so you'll still have to flush them out.

  

  Check Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Experts recommend replacing the batteries in smoke alarms twice a year, and if your smoke alarm is between 5 and 10 years old, replace it with a new one. There should be at least one smoke alarm on every level of your house and one in or near each bedroom. Safety experts recommend similar placement for carbon monoxide detectors--high on the wall, one on every level of the home, and near bedrooms. Where NOT to put them: within 15 feet of gas appliances furnace, or  fireplace because these give off small amounts of carbon monoxide when they're first turned on and would trigger false alarms.

Protect Pipes from Freezing

To minimize the possibility of water freezing in your plumbing pipes causing them to burst, wrap each pipe in a blanket of foam insulation. Check hardware stores for these foam tubes, which have a slit on one side. Just cut the tube to the length you need, pull the slit open, and push the tube onto the pipe. If the slit doesn't have self-adhesive edges, use duct tape to secure it.

Getting ready to sell your home or curious about it's current market value? Call Wafa & Jalila your Toronto Realtors  for a Complimentary home evaluation.

Secrets to a Stress Free Thanksgiving

Stay Connected To the Meaning of Giving Thanks   

Make a point to use the entire week of Thanksgiving to focus on who and what you are grateful for in your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal or starting a new tradition on Thanksgiving Day for everyone to talk about what they are grateful for. If the prospect of seeing a member of your family or an in-law makes you tense, take a few minutes during the week to write down at least three reasons you have to be thankful for having that person in your life. Read over your gratitude points on Thanksgiving morning to help you reconnect with the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Give Your Thanksgiving Day a New Twist

 If hosting Thanksgiving doesn't appeal to you or if your family’s tradition is more stressful than fun, find a new way to share this day together. Volunteer at a homeless shelter as a group or invite friends or colleagues to spend the day with your family. Share a simple meal together either at a restaurant or someone's home and then go do something fun together such as see a movie or go bowling or for a hike. Create a new ritual that everyone can enjoy.

Don't Do It All Yourself

If you have already committed to hosting Thanksgiving this year, make it as easy as possible by asking all your guests to bring at least one item or be responsible for a specific course such as appetizers or desserts. By spreading out the responsibility for the meal, you will not only cut down on food preparation time, but you'll also shorten the amount of time spent grocery shopping and help everyone take ownership of the holiday. 

Make Time to Relax and Rejuvenate

Ensure this is your Thanksgiving ever by giving yourself the gift of self-care. Talk to your friends and family about steps you can take as a group to lower stress, make your time together the most meaningful, and incorporate more healthy food and movement into the day’s celebrations. 

Thanksgiving is great day to practice Forgiveness

Just decide ahead of time that everyone and everything is forgiven.  It sounds crazy, but will make the day much easier. 


From our family to yours, we would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!


Call us today to buy, sell or invest in Toronto Real Estate.

Five Renovations that don’t add value to your home

Every homeowner must pay for routine home maintenance, such as replacing old wiring or plumbing, staining the deck, but some choose to make improvements with the intention of increasing the home's value. Certain projects, such as adding a well thought-out family room - or other functional space - can be a wise investment, as they do add to the value of the home. Other projects, however, allow little opportunity to recover the costs when it's time to sell.

Even though you may greatly appreciate the improvement, a buyer could be unimpressed and unwilling to factor the upgrade into the purchase price. As a homeowner you need to be careful with how you choose to spend your money if they are expecting the investment to pay off. Here are six things you may think add value to your home, but really don't.

Swimming Pools

Swimming pools are one of those things that may be nice to enjoy at your friend's or neighbor’s house, but that can be a hassle to have at your own home. Many potential home buyers view swimming pools as dangerous, expensive to maintain and a lawsuit waiting to happen. Families with young children in particular may turn down an otherwise perfect house because of the pool (and the fear of a child going in the pool unsupervised). In fact, a would-be buyer's offer may be contingent on the home seller dismantling an above-ground pool or filling in an in-ground pool.

An in-ground pool costs anywhere from $10,000 to more than $100,000, and additional yearly maintenance expenses need to be considered. That's a significant amount of money that might never be recouped if and when the house is sold.

Overbuilding for the Neighborhood

Homeowners may, in an attempt to increase the value of a home, make improvements to the property that unintentionally make the home fall outside of the norm for the neighbourhood. While a large, expensive remodel, such as adding a second story with two bedrooms and a full bath, might make the home more appealing, it will not add significant

ly to the resale value if the house is in the midst of a neighbourhood of small, one-story homes.

In general, home buyers do not want to pay $250,000 for a house that sits in a neighbourhood with an average sales price of $150,000; the house will seem overpriced even if it is more desirable than the surrounding properties. The buyer will instead look to spend the $250,000 in a $250,000 neighbourhood. The house might be beautiful, but any money spent on overbuilding might be difficult to recover unless the other homes in the neighbourhood follow suit.

Extensive Landscaping

Home buyers may appreciate well-maintained or mature landscaping, but don't expect the home's value to increase because of it. A beautiful yard may encourage potential buyers to take a closer look at the property, but will probably not add to the selling price. If a buyer is unable or unwilling to put in the effort to maintain a garden, it will quickly become an eyesore, or the new homeowner might need to pay a qualified gardener to take charge. Either way, many buyers view elaborate landscaping as a burden (even though it might be attractive) and, as a result, are not likely to consider it when placing value on the home.

High-End Upgrades

Putting stainless steel appliances in your kitchen or imported tiles in your entryway may do little to increase the value of your home if the bathrooms are still vinyl-floored and the shag carpeting in the bedrooms is leftover from the '60s. Upgrades should be consistent to maintain a similar style and quality throughout the home. A home that has a beautifully remodeled and modern kitchen can be viewed as a work in project if the bathrooms remain functionally obsolete. The remodel, therefore, might not fetch as high a return as if the rest of the home were brought up to the same level. High-quality upgrades generally increase the value of high-end homes, but not necessarily mid-range houses where the upgrade may be inconsistent with the rest of the home.

In addition, specific high-end features such as media rooms with specialized audio, visual or gaming equipment may be appealing to a few prospective buyers, but many potential home buyers would not consider paying more for the home simply because of this additional feature. Chances are that the room would be re-tasked to a more generic living space.

Invisible Improvements

Invisible improvements are those costly projects that you know make your house a better place to live in, but that nobody else would notice - or likely care about. A new roof or HVAC unit (heating, venting and air conditioning) might be necessary, but don't expect it to recover these costs when it comes time to sell. Many home buyers simply expect these systems to be in good working order and will not pay extra just because you recently installed a new heater. It may be better to think of these improvements in terms of regular maintenance, and not an investment in your home's value.

The Bottom Line

It is difficult to imagine spending thousands of dollars on a home-improvement project that will not be reflected in the home's value when it comes time to sell. There is no simple equation for determining which projects will garner the highest return, or the most bang for your buck. Some of this depends on the local market and even the age and style of the house. Homeowners frequently must choose between an improvement that they would really love to have (the in-ground swimming pool) and one that would prove to be a better investment.

Are you contemplating a renovation? Feel free to call me for advice. As a qualified Toronto real estate professional, I can help homeowners avoid costly projects that don't really add value to a home.