the Realty Post - Canadian Real Estate Newsletter

'No renovation required' bathroom update (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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Feed your lawn - starting now (NC)

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.”

Stress-test your budget (NC)

In February, the federal government introduced new measures to strengthen housing financing. The new requirements for government-backed insured mortgages include:

• All borrowers are required to meet the standards for a five-year fixed rate mortgage even if they choose a mortgage with a lower interest rate and shorter term.

• The maximum amount Canadians can withdraw in refinancing their mortgages has been lowered to 90 per cent from 95 per cent of the value of their homes.

• A minimum down payment of 20 per cent is required for government-backed mortgage insurance on non-owner-occupied properties purchased for speculation.

“While we do not believe that Canada faces a housing bubble, we fully support the Minister's actions,” said Jane Yuen, Senior Mortgages, Bank of Montreal. "BMO has mortgage specialists that will help you stress test your budget using a mortgage payment based on a higher interest rate."

Yuen recommends these tips for homeowners and prospective homeowners:

- The shorter the amortization, the less you pay in interest.

- If you can provide a bigger down payment, it's a great way to help you pay less interest over the life of your mortgage. Consider a minimum 10 per cent down payment

- Stress test your financial budget using a mortgage payment based on a higher interest rate.

- Pay weekly or bi-weekly instead of monthly and take advantage prepayment privileges.

- If you're up to your maximum in debt, you may not be well prepared for the leaky roof along the way

- While variable rates mortgages have been a winning strategy over the long-term, fixed rate mortgages come with the peace of mind from being insulated against rate increases and knowing how much of your mortgage you will have paid down at the end of your term

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Create a patio oasis on a budget (NC)

Turn your patio into a summer oasis without breaking the bank with these five simple steps from Hilary Farr, designer and host of W Network's Love It or List It.

You can transform your garden into a romantic or festive summer oasis inexpensively and easily. String up outdoor lights: use your soft white LED outdoor Christmas lights or try eco-conscious solar powered or paper lanterns. For a more exotic look, invest in a few standing torches. If you have a permanent shade structure or patio roof, install a chandelier to create an elegant outdoor extension of your home.

An easy and inexpensive way to bring the warmth and intimacy of an interior room outdoors is with a patio rug. Choose a vibrant or earthy shade to accent the colour palette of your outdoor space. Look for a sturdy stain-resistant material that can withstand weather damage, mildew and direct sunlight.

Instead of replacing your white plastic patio chairs, make them look new again by using Vim Cream to remove dirt and tough stains. Add a finishing touch with new chair covers or colourful throw pillows.

To create a secluded getaway feel on your patio, add “green” walls with potted outdoor plants. Use large decorative containers or plant flowers and bushes at the edge of the concrete slab or terrace. By adding stones or a pathway from the garden you create depth and the illusion of more space.

It's not as hard as you think to get your barbeque ready for grilling season by giving it a good cleaning. Use Vim Cream to easily remove tough grime on the grill and grease tray. Apply oil to cast iron cooking grills to protect the coating and to decrease sticking.

Vegetable gardens put the family in touch with nature (NC)

Vegetables straight from your own garden – or terrace containers – are likely to taste better than any other source.

The convenience, cost savings, and the connection to nature are equally compelling reasons to do it, even if you only have a small space. Nurturing a vegetable patch together as a family can also be fun, rewarding, and vigorous exercise. To do it with ease, here's a handy little checklist from Scotts Canada, a leader in this field:

• Plan: Choose an area that gets at least six hours of full sunlight daily with a source of water nearby. The soil must have good drainage too, so consider building a raised bed, or opt for a few terrace pots first for the experience.

• Prepare: Clear the area by removing grass, rocks, or other debris. Loosen the soil and with a tiller and work in a minimum of 5 to 8 centimetres of soil. A good choice is Miracle-Gro Garden Soil Plus . This plantfood enriched gardening soil helps support strong root growth, holds nutrients, improves drainage, and promotes beneficial micro–organism activity to produce healthier plant growth with an abundant harvest.

• Plant: Timing is everything. Broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and spinach like cooler weather so they can be planted after the last frost. Warm-weather vegetables like corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers should be planted in late May.

• Prevent Weeds: To keep them out, add a layer of mulch around the plants. A popular choice for maintaining its colour is Nature Scapes Mulch.

• Feed and Water: At the seedling stage, your plants should be kept moist and when watering, aim at the base of the plant. Add nutrition with products like All-Purpose Organic Plant Food in the Miracle-Gro line. With your garden hose, you can also feed and water at the same time with LiquaFeed.

• Nurture and Care: You may be surprised how quickly vegetables develop. Most grow from a tiny transplant to a full harvest in 30 to 90 days. Because of this check it regularly for water, pest control—and for the picking!

Canadians are ignoring potential fire hazards at home (NC)

Have you created a spring cleaning “to do” list this year to improve the comfort and safety of your home? Which items are the top of your list? And how does your own list compare to that of most other Canadians?

A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Duracell certainly offers both a revealing glimpse into how Canadians are approaching this year's annual spring cleanup and where there is definitely room for improvement in setting their priorities.

Topping the list of spring-cleaning tasks that Canadians say they are tackling at this time of year is 'sorting through seasonal clothing and donating unwanted items,' which was cited by 72% of respondents in the Ipsos Reid poll.

More than half of the poll respondents (55%) also said that this year they will be preparing the garden or yard for spring planting, while about half also noted that they will be washing garden or patio furniture (48%) and getting a fresh start in the kitchen by cleaning out expired food or condiments from refrigerators or freezers (46%).

Cleaning draperies, curtains or blinds to wash them was on the list for 44% of Canadians polled, with an equal number saying they will also be organizing their home garage or storage shed.

Surprisingly, however, some tasks that can contribute to home safety at this time of year and beyond appeared to be a low priority for those participating in the survey. In fact, among spring-cleaning chores performed by many Canadians, the two that most directly impact home fire safety received the lowest response in the survey.

About one in four (26%) Canadians polled said they will be removing potential fire hazards from their home such as unused paints or solvents as well as unused fire wood. And just over one in three (37%) said they will replace smoke alarm batteries in their home as part of their annual spring cleaning campaign.

“It is great to see Canadians taking the initiative this year to get spring cleaning done but our advice is to also consider home safety as a top priority during the work being done in homes across the country,” said Victoria Maybee, external relations manager for Duracell Canada. “To maximize home fire safety, we recommended that home smoke alarm batteries be changed at least once a year, and the spring clean-up is a perfect time to make sure this important task is completed.”

More information on making homes more fire safe can be found online at www.duracellfiresafety.com.

Maintain your landscape without synthetic pesticides

Lawn & Garden Tips: (NC)

Are you looking to have a backyard free from the traditional synthetic lawn andd garden products? Many people desire to have a thick healthy lawn and lush beautiful garden and want to be able to do this in an ecofriendly way. It's easy to do, you just need to know which products to choose.

“People are looking for proactive lawn care ideas as well as taking immediate care of any pest problems in a more environmentally friendly way,” says Betsy Gallacher a marketing director at Scotts. Gallacher also indicated that “weeds in the lawn and insects in the garden” are the two most common problems people experience during the summer.

Corn Gluten is an excellent product that if applied in early spring will prevent both crab grass and weed seeds from germinating – helping people kick off the season with less lawn problems and maintenance. To help prevent weeds from establishing a foothold in your lawn, be proactive and keep a thick healthy lawn throughout the season to help crowd them out. And there are many good natural fertilizers on the market available at all major retailers.

For the garden there are several eco products available for use on and around plants. Look for ingredients like pyrethrins combined with canola oil for the best results against insects on plants. And keeping your pets safe while controlling slugs is easy with iron phosphate based products. Scotts EcoSense offers a wide range of high quality, effective products for both lawn and garden care. Creating your “eco” friendly backyard has never been so easy.

An important thing to know about using these types of products is how to apply them. Since these are alternative products, a more frequent application is necessary for optimum results. Be sure to read and follow label instructions.

When it comes to environmental responsibility, homeowners seem to agree that a little more time and persistence is a small price to pay for healthier surroundings. Many Canadians try to manage their lawns and gardens in a way that will “make a difference” to the environment. “Scotts EcoSense provides a full line of products with alternatives to conventional lawn and garden care products, Gallacher said.

The Scotts EcoSense line up of products includes a natural lawn fertilizer, ready-to-use and concentrate weed and insect control products, slug and snail baits and yellow jacket pheromone traps.

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