Toronto Condos

A Home Needs To Smell Good

What is the first thing that catches your attention when you go inside someone's house? Often times you feel,pay attention to its smell before you see the decor. Actually, the smell of a place is more important than it might seem. Make sure your home smells good - it will certainly help make a great first impression. 

When guests come into your home, you certainly want them to feel comfortable. No one is going to feel completely fine in a malodourous home. Of course, they most likely wouldn't tell you that they don't find your house the nicest place to be, but chances are you wouldn't have many guests, no matter how stylish or cool,trendy your home is. Simply put, in case you want your friends to enjoy hanging out at your place, you have to make it smell good.

The way a house smells is extremely important when you're trying to sell it, too. I have a personal experience with this - a client of mine did not buy a wonderful house just because they felt cigarettes very intensively. No matter how fabulous a place looks or how great its price is, it may be tough to sell if its smell is not really nice. 

Here's a few ideas that might make your place nicely scented. Most importantly, your windows ought to be open as much as possible. It's great to get some fresh air and even more so if the weather is nice, you can feel flowers everywhere and the sun is shining. 

You can also make use of what you probably already have at home; try using cinnamon, orange peels, flowers, or pine cones for instance. Candles, scented ones, of course, might be helpful, too. When done with a bit of an artistic flair, they can both fabulously decorate and freshen up your home.

Many times only one thing smells really bad . It's the carpet, quite often. Often it is necessary to just throw it out, if it's very old. It may be for the best to simply replace wall-to-wall carpeting with wood or vinyl flooring and get a few tiny throw rugs for decoration.

Most problematic, in my opinion, is the smell of cigarettes. The easiest solution would be to smoke outside if you don't want to quit, but not everyone is willing to. I have heard a number of helpful tips for alleviating cigarette odour from your house. The most common is to leave a bowl of vinegar in the affected room for some time - this ought to eliminate the smell very effectively, apparently.

Do you have any other ideas that might help? Tell me please in case you do. We all should live in a home that smells good.

How Can You Integrate Two Homes In To A Single Home?

You are moving in to one house; how can you do it without creating issues between the two of you? And I don't mean the actual selling of your present houses or ending of a rental agreement. This time I am going to be looking at your items and how you can integrate them in a single home. 

Don't forget, planning everything in advance is the best way. Look at what you both own and then discuss what you want your new home to look like. Come to an agreement about what you want to take and what you want to dispose of, after all there is no way both sets of possessions will fit into the home. Be practical, don't just dispose of your furniture and start again, try and save yourselves some money and use what you already have without it looking mismatched. If you have a lovely old fashioned four poster bed and your partner has a modern dressing table, then they are unlikely to look good in the same room.

Be courteous, it is not nice or a good start if one of you has to give in the other each time. I mean, you might hate your partner‘s favourite chair or pillows, but that is no excuse to just throw out. You may be used to having your own way, after all you lived by yourself; but now there is two of you to think about, so ask them what they want. When you are living with someone, your home will never be furnished to only your own individual tastes. 

Look at how many weeks you have before the move and break the jobs down into manageable portions. Dispose of items that are not moving with you in advance, I know it is difficult to throw out or sell personal items that belong to you. Just think of the the time saved, it is going to be hard enough packing, moving and unpacking your things, without moving items that you don't need. At the end of the day, sorting this in advance is going to save you time and may actually save you money as you don't have to pay out for items moving. You certainly cannot keep everything you have, it‘s as simple as that.

As a Toronto realtor, I have a proposal for you. Make a list of everything you own. It‘s logical that even though you have two microwaves, two washing machines and basically two of each item, you wont want it. Often just looking at the items makes the decision for you, but write down next to the item if it is going to be kept or going to be sold. Then think about what you can do with the items you don‘t want in your new household - having them unused in the garage might not be the best solution, you could perhaps sell them and get some extra money together. 

Personally this is not a job I would look forward too, I can imagine it is extremely difficult to make decisions that are fair to both of you. Discussion really is the most important thing here, talk about it calmly and I‘m sure you will not have any big problems you can’t work through.

Real Estate Guide for Newlyweds

There is something quite magical about 2011. Wouldn't it be nice to get married to on 11/11/11? I guess there are many couples who agree and will indeed say I DO to each other that day. Nowadays many couples move in together before their wedding, but here is some real estate advice for newlyweds, specifically those who are just looking for their first home together. 

Firstly, you both need to make clear what exactly you want in a home. Your dreams and wishes are probably different. You should talk about them and compromise. It is much better to sit down and clarify want both of you want before starting the process of house hunting. You can overcome a number of arguments this way. 

Know what you can afford! Be honest to each other about your financial issues. Before you decide to buy a home, you should have all your debt paid off, or at a manageable level. Most of us cannot afford to buy a home without a loan. If you want to qualify for one, you need to have your finances in a pretty good shape, really.

Getting a real estate agent is smart, too. That is especially true if you have no experience with purchasing a home. You can save a lot of money with the help of an agent. They will help you negotiate the best possible price. You should pick one according to your specific wishes, so research a little and choose wisely. 

Once you have a home, you are probably wondering how to move all of your belongings, as well as everything your partner owns, into one place. Moving is always tough and in cases like this, it's twice as difficult. Just have a talk again and plan the way your new place will be furnished. Some of your furniture might fit together well, but it will probably be impossible to combine everything. Consider what you need and then get rid of what you will not use. 

If you have decided to get married, congratulations! Buying a home together? Best of luck to you! You should certainly put your wedding picture into a very visible place in your new home, too!

Contemplating New Year's Resolutions? - Don't Forget About Your Home

It only feels like 2 minutes ago that we were welcoming the beginning of 2010 and now we have celebrated the end of it! Along with the fireworks, the parties and the cold weather, now is a prime time to seriously contemplate what , if any, New Year's resolutions you are going to do. Lots of people make resolutions related to themselves directly, such as: I will give up smoking/ I will be nicer/ I will start exercising and so on. What most of us don't think about is the place we live and making the resolutions concerning it. So along with the individual resolutions, how about considering some resolutions about the house you live in.

Here I have put together some resolutions which may be beneficial to you:

Think about the environment and come up with strategies to make your home more ecologically friendly Cut down on rubbish, re-use products such as bottles for storing items and separate rubbish and dispose of it properly. This is definitely a simple resolution to think about and do and helps look after our planet.

Smoke alarms and carbon detectors are important! Lots of us still do not have fire and CO2 alarms in our house; therefore this is a good time to purchase and install some. If you already have them, make sure they all contain new batteries and are functioning just fine. This resolutions is probably the most important resolution you could make, detectors have saved many lives, the next life it saves could be yours and your families.

Instead of being someone who decides at the last minute, plan for those house renovations. Think about all those improvements you would like to complete in your home and write a list. Next to each job, write down the materials you need then keep it handy when you are at the shops; this way you can buy items in the sales or you may find them cheaper at a different shop. It would without a doubt cost you much more if you purchased everything at once, at full price. If you make plans, you have time to browse around and find the best solution.

When paying for an appliance for your house think about what you want, the price you want to spend before researching thoroughly your options; avoid buying the first one you come across. Many appliances, even if more expensive, could save you a lot of energy; try to think your purchase though!

Look at energy saving tips you can do in the home. There are many ways you can save money and energy in the house. It's straightforward, here are few tips - don't leave the light on when it isn't essential, don't leave the windows open for too long (it take ages to heat the room in such a case) and turn off the TV/computer when you aren't using it.

'Your house is your castle'; pay attention to it! Keep on top of those little jobs that you may keep putting off, each house needs routine care. To keep your house in fantastic shape and avoid massive repair bills, make sure any repairs or redecoration is completed regularly.

As Toronto realtor, I understand resolutions related to home are difficult. As with any resolution, only you can choose what is best for you and what is practical based on your personal circumstances. Putting in a new kitchen may be one individual's choice, it doesn't have to be yours, but maybe repainting the master bedroom is. Set yourself a chore, a date you want to end it and do it! What resolution do YOU want to do?

Decorate Your Place Inexpensively

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year and it passed so quickly again. There still is a holiday atmosphere and festive mood in our homes, fortunately. The same decor every year starts to be boring after a while. Having brand new and trendy decor all the time is not the best solution either, it might be too expensive. How do you decorate your place? Try doing it not-too-expensively but originally. Here's a few tips for that. 

It's important to choose the right colors! The top Christmas colors are certainly green, red, gold and white. No matter how much the decor costs, these colours will stand the test of time, never forget that. Get some helpers! If you have kids, they will be over the moon if you ask them to help you with some Christmas decorating. They love this activity very much. You will love their help, too. 

Regarding specific pieces of decor, do you use bows? They can create a pretty Christmassy atmosphere. Oh yes, they can be. It is unbelievably easy to make some and hang or pin them somewhere. Bows can make curtains, for instance, look very nice. A glass with a ribbon is pretty, too. It's only up to your imagination. 

What also reminds many of us of Christmas are stockings, definitely. They aren't expensive and they can create a great festive atmosphere. You can see some stockings in pretty much every Christmas movie. They can be empty or filled with paper, it doesn't matter. You can just hang them somewhere and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere. 

Furthermore, putting some Christmas candy into a nice, glass bowl helps the atmosphere as well. It looks fabulous and everyone is going to love it, too! Similarly, you can bake a few gingerbread men and place them on a nice plate. In case you like baking, you can make a whole gingerbread house. It takes some time, but the outcome surely is worth it. 

Mistletoe is one of the nicest decorations for people in love! Hang some around your home! It doesn't matter if it's fresh, really. Speaking of plants, try to arrange some white and red flowers in a nice vase. They add color to your home and they also smell good.

There are many little, very inexpensive things you can do in your home in order to create a Christmas look/atmosphere. Try to be innovative! And don't forget to tell me how you decorated your home this year.

Selling A Property At Xmas - Valuable Advice

The long expected holiday season seems to be advancing pretty fast. The public are starting to panic that they don't have presents yet, so the stores are filling up with consumers. Honestly, the pre-holiday season madness has commenced. Would you even think about selling your home at this time of year? You may not, but there are home owners that want to sell regardless of what time of year it is. Selling your home at this time of year does not actually have to be a poor decision.

Only determined home buyers are out looking for a new home at this time of year, which is a big plus in your favour. With everything there is to do getting sorted for the holidays, people just do not have the stamina, so would be a waste of what little time they do have spare. Those who are searching for a home in this period, are perhaps more inclined and indeed do want to find something.

Many home owners will take their property off the market in the run up to Xmas, so real estate agents have less properties on their books. So if buyers want a new house then they have less accessible to them, which in turn means less competition to sway them away from buying yours. Therefore it is often swifter process to buy and sell a home at this time of year and for a good price. With all the good will and feelings of family surrounding the holiday people could fall in love with your home easier than at any other time of year; in fact they may even be willing to pay a higher price for a quicker sale.

What most homes have at this time of year, that is not normal for other times is decorations; use decor to your advantage. Decorations make a home look homely, lived in and extremely pretty. Use the decorations to fluff your home, fluffing is quite normal at any time of year but more so at Xmas. Decorations both inside and outside make a home look fantastic. Don't forget though, do not over decorate as this can make the place look overcrowded and cramped. Try to be tasteful when you decorate, don't squash the maximum amount of decorations in the minuscule amount of space; less is more.

With the many advantages of Xmas time selling, don't put off putting your Condos in Toronto on the market, use the holiday season to your advantage. There are no ifs and buts about selling your property if there is a buyer for your home then you will sell it, regardless of the fact it is the holidays Some are extremely fortunate and happen upon a person who will want to buy their place as a Christmas gift. It may sound far fetched, but it has been known to take place in fact I know of a case where that happened. 

Easy Home Fixes

Nothing can function flawlessly for too long. It is the same with all the machines, furniture and basically everything in your home. If something stops working, many people immediately call professional help. But that isn't always really necessary. You can save quite a lot of money, if you are skilful enough, especially if you at least try to do the easiest of fixes yourself. On the other hand, professionals save you time, patience and energy. 

What can you do alone and when is the help of specialists necessary? Let's take a look at couple of activities:

Changing the light bulbs - okay, I do not think anyone calls a repairman to change a light bulb, but many people will not do it themselves. They would rather survive long hours with no light until someone perhaps taller and handier comes along. It is an easy task, but be careful. Never forget to turn off the power switch when changing a bulb. 

Painting - it can be considered as some sort of repair, too, as it improves the way your home looks. I think I have already said this before, but paiting sure is an activity anyone could do themselves. It is not expensive. You only have to pay for the paint. On the other hand, though, it takes a lot of time and energy. 

Clogged drain - everyone has to deal with it sometimes, especially due to minerals in the water or hair. You certainly shouldn't call specialists to repair the drain immediately. They would probably only give you some chemicals to use. Those can be found in many specialist or DIY shops, try to visit them! 

Roof - yes, you can possibly try to repair the roof but I don't think it would be very smart. It is not the safest activity, first of all. Secondly, as you know, the roof is one of the most essential parts of the house. If the roof is not repaired correctly and it rains, water can get inside your home. It is therefore smart to leave the repairing of this vital part of the house, to professionals. 

Electricity - repairing anything electrical is something only professionals should be allowed to do. There is probably no need to tell you that working with electricity, especially if you are not an expert can have devastating effects. 

If this article has at least partly inspired you and you have decided to save a little money by doing the easiest fixes at home yourself, good luck wit it! Search the web a little, there are so many book, articles or videos which could serve you as a guide online. Many are very helful indeed, try to find some. Not to offend anyone, I am not a professional at home repairs either, but when searching for some guides on the internet, I found a book, the title of which I think is worth mentioning: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Simple Home Repair, written by Judy Ostrow. It really sounds amusing.

Toronto Real Estate - Some Vital Advice

• Just because the tenants were already resident when I bought my property, does that mean I'm stuck with them or can I evict them?

The easy answer is no - according to the Tenant Protection Act, the tenant must agree to go upon the agreed notice given to them. If they do not wish to move out, they do not have to, though a homeowner facing this problem should certainly seek legal advice. One anomaly: If the homeowner's immediate family is to use the currently tenanted rooms, a homeowner may give proper legal notice to vacate to the tenants, which must be complied with. • My property has a completed basement, is there anything I need to think about before renting it out?

As with hiring out any type of real estate there are things that must be complied with. There are many regulations covering rented space, such as Fire Codes, Zoning By-laws to name a couple, so it is in your interest to check on whether the space complies with all relevant legislations before advertising it. The finished basement, to be used as a secondary unit would need a second exit to name one regulations, so by finding out about these regulations you will be in a position to know what upgrades, if any, needed to be completed.

• There is a difference between my occupancy date and the registration date, I'm unsure why is this?

If you are buying a newly built condo or Lofts in Toronto, then occupancy fees become your responsibility from the occupancy date, even if you haven't moved in yet. It is the time at which the home is said to be completed, though all your finishes may not yet be complete. When the whole building is fully registered and has closed, the suite is legally completely yours to live in or dispose of as you please.

• Please explain what is a reserve fund and what is it set up for?

Repairs have to be completed to shared areas of a condo building from time to time, the reserve fund which is legally set aside, is for this purpose. You may see that you pay a monthly maintenance charge this fee from all the unit owners builds and is called the reserve fund, this is a requirement by law.

• Does the condo corporation or the reserve fund for the block take care of things that are broken inside my condo?

The apartment and all items inside of it belongs to you once you have purchased it. As a result if something breaks, then it is up to you to fix it. The shared parts of the condo building are the responsibility of the condo corporation and they will deal with any problems and maintenance of these areas.

Painting Your House

We all have that yearning from time to time to change how our property looks. As the owner you have probably lived with the same designs for many years and while it still looks great to others, to you its ready for a change. A swift way to transform the look of your property is by painting it, it doesn't cost a lot of money and the results are quickly seen.

So now you have determined you are going to repaint, there are one or two choices that need to be made. By far the most major decision is whether this redecoration is going to be on the interior, exterior and for the more adventurous, both! It's not just you who will observe the results of your hard work, if you paint the outside, individuals passing by will see that fresh new look. Painting the outside is not an option if you live in a building that is not owned by you, such as a flat Therefore if you live a flat, any redecorating will have to be done on the internal walls. It often is, and should be, painted more regularly, too.

Moreover, it is essential to choose who will do the painting itself. The cheaper option is to complete the painting yourself, with hopefully the help of family and friends. The only outlay will be the new paint colour, some tools and maybe a couple of beers and pizzas for your assistants. There is a negative side to completing the work yourself and that is the amount of time it will take and the disruption involved over a longer period of time. You could always pay a decorator to do the work for you, so you can go only with your daily life with little or no hassle to yourself.

Now you have decided what you are going to redecorated and what part of your property is to be painted, you need to decide on the colour. A small or dark area can be easily changed by painting the walls with either a pale light colour or a bright colour such as yellow. Take into consideration the existing furniture and flooring when you make your selection, you don't need the paint to be the same colour, but you definitely don't want it to clash either. When choosing a paint the external walls, you probably don't want it to look exactly the same as next door. Although, it is probably not a good idea to paint the outside of the property with overly bright colours, a colour that blends in with the neighbourhood is probably the best idea.

These are all decisions that only you can make, after all you know your property and you know what you want. In case you are arranging to paint your property anytime soon, good luck with it!

Delivered by Elli Davis and her team, awarded Toronto Condos real estate agents

picture by Barjack

Give Your Home an Autumn Look

Days and weeks are passing by so fast and before we know it, summer will be gone and people will walk around parks with fallen yellow leaves and relax listening to raindrops. All of the season have some specific characteristics. Autumn does too. These features should also be shown in your home. 

Many homeowners redecorate their homes many times during the year, in accordance to the current season. Fall seems to be the most colorful one, hence the redecorating might be pretty interesting. The most visible colors of the season are red, yellow and orange. These can give your home a very comfortable and warm look. There is no need to repaint all the rooms and change the furniture completely but accessories are absolutely fabulous and can make your house completely different. 

Pillows, candles, pictures or paintings could easily change the way rooms look. They are not overly expensive and you can create specific themes for different times of the year. It is easy to buy a little painting depicting, for instance, autumn nature. Of course, it does not have to be painted by a well known artist. You can basically buy them everywhere. It is also very stylish to combine yellow, orange and red - many people do it and it looks very nice indeed. There are cases when the colors in your home do not match the mentioned ones, though, and it is smart not to use them then. 

Leaves are pretty much what come to our mind first, when we say autumn. Go and pick up a couple of nice ones from outside. This is where a vase comes in handy, use it to show the wonderful leaves you found. Are you creative? Then you surely can turn the leaves into something very nice. Red apples in a bowl have an autumn athmosphere too. 

Autumn is also the time of the year when it is starting to get cold outside, so we have to prepare for the cold winter. This is also a very good time to get your roof and heating system checked, chimney cleaned and purchase a supply of wood, if necessary. It is much more comfortable during cold autumn and winter night if you are well prepared for them.