If it looks too good to be true… it probably is

There is a Latin phrase – caveat emptor – which essentially, in English, means “buyer beware”. The message intended in those two words is that anyone purchasing the item so labelled needs to be careful. The price may look like a steal, but ask yourself before you go any further… who is doing the stealing, and who is being stolen from? You may well find that if a deal looks too good to be true, the reason for that may be that it is far too good to be true.

What you need to be sure of before you sign off on any deal is that the money you have budgeted for the purchase, in addition to the money you have earmarked for any changes to the house, will be recoupable from the sale of the house. If you buy a house and then get inside the property to get a close look, the last thing you want is to see that there are problems which will cost a lot more to repair than you thought they might. Suddenly, your big profit is looking like a small profit, a break-even deal, or even a loss.

Before you buy a house as a “fixer-upper”, think about what needs to be fixed and do not just look on the surface. You may need to have a survey carried out on the property to make sure that it is not carrying other faults that could end up doubling what you have to pay to get the house up to scratch for the purposes of selling it.

Feed your lawn - starting now

Water is important for lawns, but that’s not enough. Gardening experts tell us the best plan is to apply a good fertilizer every other month from April to October.

“It’s really as easy as that, aroundthree or four times per growing season,” says Scott MacDonald at Scotts Canada, a leader in this field. “The objective is to establish a strong and deep root system. Early spring is the right time to begin, but not too early.”

Here’s a handy little checklist from Scotts Advantage:

• Early Spring: Wait until the sunshine has dried off the initial sogginess. Usually by late April or so, roots are strengthened sufficiently to benefit the most from a feeding. This would also be the right time to consider repairing damaged patches and overseeding your entire lawn to improve overall health.

• Late Spring: Fertilizing again 6-8 weeks later and before the heat of summer gets too intense is also vital. By now lawns are actively using up stored energy, so feeding helps to replace the much-needed nutrients and prepare it for the heat and drought of summer.

• Early Fall: As the days cool off towards the end of summer, lawns are ready to grow again, so fertilizing at this point provides the necessary nutrients to recover from summertime heat, insects, and foot traffic.

• Late Fall: Late autumn is probably the most important feeding of the year. The cool nights, plenty of rain and morning dew create ideal growing conditions, so the fertilizer will strengthen roots, improve winter hardiness, and protect it until spring.

“Be selective when you buy fertilizers as some contain fillers like sand, gravel or sawdust, as much as 30% or more,” MacDonald cautions. “Whereas others, like the Scotts Turf Builder line with the all-in-one particle, are pure food. Every granule is 100% nutrition so you get what you pay for.”

www.newscanada.com

Fence Me In

Good fences make good neighbours – and the right fence can really make your yard. These steps can help you find a style that works for your space.

Step 1: Determine your needs

First, figure out the purpose of your fence. Do you want it to…

• Provide privacy?
• Beautify your yard?
• Keep kids or pets in?
• Comply with pool safety standards?
• Define your property lines?
• Add to the value of your home?

Determining your needs can help you choose the right fence for you.

Step 2: Choose your style

Private:  A solid-board fence blocks an unattractive view completely, but it also cuts out light and breezes and can make you feel boxed in.

Semi-private:  This style, which can have subtle spacing, louvers or lattice to let in light, is friendly, comfortable, and makes your yard feel bigger.

Open:  Great if you want to enclose your property but don’t want to block it off visually.

Step 3: Select your material

Your options are limited only by your imagination and, of course, your budget.

Chain-link:  Definitely the most cost-effective choice, but not necessarily the most aesthetically pleasing. It’s good for defining boundaries, keeping kids and pets in, and maintaining a sense of openness. If you’ve got a big yard and a small budget, this is the way to go.

Wood:  Styles range from split rail and picket fences to board-on-board styles that look great on both sides and offer privacy, yet let in air and light. The downside to wood? It needs regular maintenance to look good over time.

PVC/vinyl:  Vinyl fencing looks just like painted wood, but you’ll never need to paint it – all you have to do is clean it once a year.

Iron, aluminum or steel:  Use it if you want an open, formal look. Aluminum, which looks like wrought iron but is less expensive, is the most budget-friendly choice. If cost isn’t an issue, custom ironwork is an excellent way to incorporate a fence or gate that’s completely unique.

Natural “fencing”:  Hedges and shrubs reduce noise and dust better than a fence, are less expensive, and look lush and beautiful. You’ll just have to be patient while your “fence” grows in.

A great-looking fence adds tremendous value to your home – whether it’s resale value or your own enjoyment of it over the years. Think carefully about your needs and your personal style, then go ahead and build a fence you’ll love.

Be nice to your neighbours

Talk to them before you do anything. Choose a design that looks good from both sides, and make sure you know exactly where your property lines are.

Think outside the box

You may not need to surround your whole yard to get the privacy you want. Consider using a fence to screen in a sitting area or create an outdoor room.

Four simple tips to upgrade the look and feel of your bathroom

(NC)—You can give your bathroom a fresh update without blowing the budget on renovations. Consider these four simple tips from Hilary Farr, designer and host of W Network’s Love It or List It.

Paint or Wallpaper

A fresh coat of paint will instantly uplift your bathroom and can be the inspiration for designing around a new colour palette. You can also change the ambiance of the room by wallpapering one wall in bright or ornate wallpaper.

Accessorize

Buy new bathroom accessories in a classic stainless steel and elegant design. Hide toiletries in pretty bottles and storage containers. Complete the new look with scented candles, large wicker baskets and luxurious looking bath products.

The Bathtub

Help your tub look like new again with Vim Cream, which contains a powerful formula for removing soap scum, lime scale and bathroom grime. An old toothbrush to scrub faucets and grimy grout will make them sparkle like new.

Linens

Instantly brighten and refresh the bathroom space with a spring-inspired shower curtain. Add new textures to the room with fluffy hand and bath towels in a neutral palette mixed with a few bright colours. Stack them in large baskets with pretty soaps and lotions.

www.newscanada.com

If you’re considering the sale of your Vaughan Home in 2010 the coming weeks are critical.

Of course, you want to get the very most money for your home and you want to do so in the least amount of time possible.  Unfortunately this can be easier said then done especially if you don’t have access to the right tools and the help of experienced professionals.  To complicate matters, there are other homeowners in Vaughan just like you, with similar homes, who also want top dollar for their home in the shortest time.

So what to do?

For starters you should establish the reason WHY you are selling.  In many cases there is an obvious reason but you would be surprised at how often this step is overlooked.  The first question to ask yourself is whether you are selling because you NEED to or because you WANT to?

If you bought a new construction home or are relocating for work then you probably need to sell.

If you would like a bigger home, added features that your current home doesn’t have, or are downsizing then you probably want to sell.

Establishing why you are selling is very important as it will help keep you motivated and on track whenever you hit a rough patch in the selling process.

Once you have established the reason why you are planning to sell you want to determine a time frame.  In many cases, if you need to sell, your time frame will be dictated by your circumstances.  However if you are selling because you want to, you will have a lot more flexibility when it comes to determining a time frame.

As a basic guideline you want to work with a 45-60 day time frame assuming that your home doesn’t need any major repairs.  That will allow a little over 2 weeks for preparation of the home prior to listing it for sale and just under a month to show it to potential buyers and negotiate an acceptable offer.  Keep in mind that a properly priced home based on current market values will almost always sell within 30 days.

How to determine market value

Now that you know why and when you are planning to sell, you want to determine the value of your home.  House values are affected by a number of factors including the overall economic climate, the time of year and the local real estate market conditions in your city or neighbourhood.

The overall economic climate includes things like employment figures, interest rates, consumer confidence and general economic conditions.  Don’t be afraid if the overall economic climate isn’t perfect – it rarely is.

When it comes to the time of year, remember that in many regards the real estate market is seasonal.  Typically, real estate activity is highest in the Spring months and again in the early part of the Fall months.  As a seller, you generally want to expose your home to as many buyers as possible so capitalizing on the increased activity is advised where ever possible.

While the overall economic climate and the time of year affects the value of your home, nothing is as important as the current local real estate market conditions in your city or neighbourhood.  Local real estate market conditions are the driving factor behind the current value of your home. 

If you’re curious about the current real estate market conditions in Vaughan or would like a detailed comparative market analysis to determine the value of your Vaughan home, there’s a fast and easy way to find out for free! 

The Vaughan Real Estate Report is a detailed report that looks at specific neighbourhoods in Vaughan and provides important facts about the current Real Estate market.  It also includes an over the net evaluation of your home plus a list of similar homes for sale or sold in your neighbourhood in the last 30 days.

Establishing the value of your home is a critical step in the home selling process.  Get free and easy valuation reports from VaughanRealEstateReport.com and arm yourself with current and accurate real estate information so when it comes time to sell your Vaughan home you can do so with confidence!