CENTURY 21 Heritage Group Ltd. - Blog

WAYS TO GO GREEN

Lydia Ingles — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In a discussion with a friend about greening our home and property, he said, "I don't do that stuff." However, once we got talking I asked him, "Did you not put in new windows in the last year?" to which he replied, "Yes." Then I asked him, "Did you not just put in Energy Saver Appliances?" to which he also answered, "Yes." Then I asked him why, and his answer was that he wanted to lower his costs and save energy.

Myself.. I have been doing similar things. A couple of years ago when energy audits were just starting, I had one done on my home, and came in at 78, which is not bad for a 25 year old home. But I found out where I was losing energy. It started out with the electrical outlets and checking the caulking. This audit got me thinking, and so whenever I do any retrofitting I think if it will cut down on using energy.

This was the start.....from increasing my insulation to R50, insulating my hot tub, putting in a new front door, changing my gas fireplace to a more efficient model. I had dripping taps in my bathroom, now new taps; a toilet that was forever getting fixed was changed to a dual flush toilet; changing light bulbs to CFLs.

Just with these few changes I have found huge savings in my hydro and gas bills.

I have a lot more to do on my enviro bucket list, like replacing two more toilets, getting some rain barrels, getting some plants local to the area to place near my downspouts and making gardens, replacing a few windows with low-e glass or getting California shutters, possibly installing bamboo flooring or local wood floors in bedrooms.

I am getting on in life and have seen many changes along the way, and my fear is that of my grandchildren. If we each do a little bit, hopefully this earth will be sustainable for them.

I have a list below of Low Cost, Medium Cost and High Cost items that one can do in their home. This list was from a course that I took through NAR (National Association of Realtors) on Greening.

I would love to hear your input on this subject and you can contact me at Lydia.Ingles@century21.ca

LOW COST

use CFL or LED light bulbs
install low flow shower heads and faucet aerators
start a compost pile
plant trees
insulate hot water heater
install a programmable thermostat
plant a rain garden
plant native plants
place appliances or office equipment on power strips to reduce "phantom" load
install motion sensors in office and other common areas to turn off lights when not in use
weather strip and caulk doors and windows
collect rainwater to water plants
paint with low or no VOC paint
replace filters
install water efficient bathroom fixtures
take advantage of day lighting
provide recycling bins

MEDIUM COSTS

conduct an energy audit
tune up HVAC
replace carpet with no VOC style
replace hardwood flooring with bamboo or cork floors
install a tankless hot water heater
consider drought resistant landscaping
buy recycled office products and equipment
hire a consultant to conduct an assessment of lighting and heating and cooling systems for potential building upgrades and retrofits
insulate attic and other areas
install engineered window shading to manage heat loss or gain in commercial buildings
provide a bike room to encourage environmentally friendly commuting

HIGH COSTS

buy ENERGY STAR appliances
replace windows with double pane, low e models
replace roof with reusable/recyclable materials
install solar photovoltaic panels
install a solar hot water heater
install a green roof
implement super energy efficient transformers
use wind turbine systems to supplement common area electricity
remodel kitchen or bathroom with sustainable materials and features
replace cabinets with sustainably harvested wood and low VOC finishes
implement a water reclamation system
consider anaerobic digesters that use food waste and soil human waste to produce methane and generate power

Will Canada's New Mortgage Rules Affect You?

John Siarkas — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The new mortgage rules are set to take place on April 19, 2010. Let's examinie what impact these new rules will have on the consumer.

Firstly, In order to qualify for an insured mortgagage, borrowers will now need to qualify for a five year fixed rate. This means that the borrower must now be able to afford payments and interest of a 5 year term mortgage product, in order to qualify for a the lower payment which is generally associated with a Shorter Term or a Variable Rate Mortgage. Variable Rate Mortgages will still be available on a term of 5 Years or less.

Secondly, the refinance ratio will now increase to 90% of a property's value as opposed to 95%. This means that consumers will not be able to refinance more than 90% of the value of their properties. Many would argue that this will assist homeowners in better financial planning.

And lastly, for all the Real Estate Investors out there, the minimum down payment that will be required for Residential Investment Properties will be increased to 20% for government-backed insurance, on properties not lived in by their owner, which is up from 5%. This is a brief overview of how these changes will impact your business.

March 2010 Newsletter

Kassim Karawalli — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Strong Start to 2010 Real Estate Market

No matter where your travels take you throughout the Greater Toronto Area these days, you’ll find that real estate is on many people’s minds. From office lobbies to restaurants to subway trains, snippets of conversations about the market can be heard. This is a reflection of how profoundly our city’s real estate market affects all of us. Indeed, the quick rebound in the real estate market (GTA and Canadian) contributed greatly to the recovery experienced in the economy to date. The Canadian Real Estate Association estimates that each resale home transaction in Canada results in over $46,000 in additional spending across many different sectors of the economy. Obviously, this spending also helps with keeping people employed and creating new jobs as we continue to recover from the recession.

Regardless of whether you’re planning a move in the near future, it’s important to keep up to date on the GTA real estate market as it has such a tremendous impact on the broader economy.

In January, 4,986 homes changed hands throughout the Greater Toronto Area. This figure far exceeds last January’s 2,670 sales, which took place in the depths of our short-lived recession. Most significantly, it is comparable to January 2008’s 5,075 transactions and the 5,173 sales that took place in January 2007, the latter of which was the strongest year on record. Breaking down the numbers, there were 1,973 sales in the 416 Area and 3,013 transactions in the 905 Region last month.

Condominium apartments comprised 47 per cent of all sales in the 416 and nearly 13 per cent of all 905 transactions last month. By contrast, at this time a year ago condominiums comprised 43 per cent of 416 sales and 11 per cent of 905 transactions, despite the fact that in last year’s struggling economy, a condominium purchase may have been a more affordable option for many homebuyers. Condominium living is becoming an increasingly popular option for a broader array of households in the GTA.

With respect to prices, there is more encouraging news. Currently, the average price of a home in the GTA is $409,058, which represents a 19 per cent increase over the January 2009 average price of $343,632. The increase was even more significant in the 905 Region, where last January’s average price of $328,935 rose more than 20 per cent to $396,556 last month. In the 416 Area the average price rose 17 per cent from $364,416 a year ago to $428,151 in January.

There are currently 12,052 resale homes available for sale throughout the GTA as compared to 20,450 a year ago. As we move toward the spring market though, we can expect more listings as homeowners react favourably to recent months’ activity. The average home price will continue to grow in the GTA, but at a more moderate pace. - February 12, 2010

Flavourful Oriental Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 skinned, boned chicken breasts, cut in strips

4 tablespoons oil

2 (10oz) packages Japanese style vegetables

4 tablespoons salted peanuts

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

Directions:

Combine water and cornstarch; set aside. Sauté chicken in oil in skillet stirring until meat just turns white, approximately 5 minutes. Add vegetables, peanuts, soy sauce, ginger and cornstarch mixture. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, separating vegetables with a fork and stirring. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 4 minutes.

This chicken recipe makes 6 servings.

How to create inviting rooms

One of the joys of owning your own home is having the freedom to decorate a room to please yourself. The only problem is most of us don’t even know where to start! Here are some simple tips on re-arranging a room that can make the difference between “okay” and “wow!”

1. Before you start your room re-arrangement, first empty the room completely. Take down all the wall décor and remove any rugs. Now, look at the room as if you are seeing it for the first time. Consider what activities you want to take place in the room. Let form follow function.

2. The number one mistake people make is to push all the furniture back against the walls of a den or living room. This makes conversation difficult and creates a walkway through the middle of the conversation area. Try pulling your furniture into cozy groupings for conversation. Experiment with placing the seating group at an angle instead of neatly lined up with the walls. A rug and a coffee table can anchor the seating group so that it looks like it “belongs” in the centre of the room.

3. Instead of spreading out your wall hangings along the walls, try grouping several pieces together for stronger impact. Also, it is easier to create “random” groupings than symmetrical designs which require careful measuring and spacing.

4. Now that your furniture isn’t lining the walls you can add depth to your wall décor by creating three dimensional groupings. If you have a grouping of pictures or accessories on the wall, try placing a small table or chest below them. Dress the table top with 2 or 3 favourite objects of varying heights to add dimension.

5. Make a dramatic impact by slip-covering your old furniture. At a fraction of the cost of new furniture you can extend the life of your old sofa and add a new colour and texture to your room.

6. Sell or donate accessories you really don’t like - that old lamp, the dried flower arrangement that is years past its prime and the afghan that is picked, balled and knotted. Less can be more!

I Couldn't Sell That House

Randy Corcoran — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It seems that of all the properties that I have listed over the years, the houses I couldn't sell are the ones I remember the most.

Early on I tried to sell the "cat" house. For 20 years the owners had 5 cats that really owned the house. Neither the cats nor the owners had ever heard of a litter box. The home smelled so badly that my dad's eyes burned after he conducted an agent's open house for me. Even industrial strength cleaner by the gallon had no lasting effect. I think it was here that I learned to breathe through my mouth.

Or, perhaps, it was at the home that sheltered 3 rottweilers that I learned this trick. I don't know if it was because of the marriage split or the fact that the owner was a slob, but I always wondered why he couldn't clean up more than 10 fresh mounds of feces in the basement everyday.

An odour of a different origin always greeted agents showing the damp, dark, scary home next to the river. Not only did a garter snake slither by me on the basement floor one day, but I learned what the dark, splotchy stuff covering the damp walls was. This "House that Jack Built", fortunately, provided me with many laughable tales that I amused other agents with. And, I did complete 8 other transactions that came directly from this listing.

Close behind these precious gems was the "Link" home. Not only did the owner swear that her home was detached, but she and her boyfriend did their own house tours with every agent that was showing the home. I wanted to put on the "Remarks" section on the listing..."Tours conducted by Dumb and Dumber", but, of course, I couldn't.

These homes are always in my mind, but usually, only for laughter's sake. Not even a good home stager would have helped them. But despite these learning experiences, the real treat for me over the years has been all of the home owners that actually listened to me. They were the ones that ended up with successful sales.