Should I hire a qualified home inspector when purchasing a new or resale home?

Newsletter : ezhomefinder.ca

Inside This Issue:

10 Flower Arranging Tips.

Home exchanges.

Should I Hire A Home Inspector?

Flooring Facts.

Increase Your Closet Space.

10 Flower Arranging Tips

1 - if a rose head starts to droop, submerge the whole rose in warm water for 1/2 hour.

2 - to make an arrangement look fresh again, completely submerge in cold water for 1 hour, then remove and shake off excess water. Rearrange.

3 - change water in a vase every 2-3 days, with luke warm water.

4 - add flower food to your flowers. If you don't have any, then substitute one drop of bleach with 1 teaspoon of sugar.

5 - keep flowers away from vents, heaters, cigarettes, fireplaces and from tops of TV's and Fridges.

6 - keep vases very clean-use a product like polident or efferdent. Denture cleansers remove the water lines from vases.

7 - several small flowers can have the same look as one large flower.

8 - warm colors move toward you and cool colors recede.

9 - arrange flowers in odd numbers -3, 5, 7..... has more design impact.

10 -stronger, more bold colors should be in the center of the vase and lighter ones on the outside.

Home Exchanges

A Closer Look at Home Exchanges:

While vacations provide an excellent way to relax, rejuvenate, and have time with your family, it can be costly. Staying for a week in a hotel room can cost about $1,500 or more. Add in the expenses for your food and the cost becomes higher. Home exchange is a new trend that does not only free you from the hassle of worrying about your lodging, but also provides the opportunity to visit new and exciting places.

The basics of a home exchange is simple: you swap your property with another family. The Internet has made finding a property for swapping very convenient. By accessing a home trade website, you can find a list of available properties for swapping. Once you find a property, work out the details with the owners of the home.

While working out the dates and times when the swap will take place, you need to be flexible, in order to make the trade convenient for all parties. It is recommended that both parties sign an informal agreement laying down the terms and conditions. Most home trade/exchange companies can provide a template.

There are benefits to home trading compared to a vacation at a resort or hotel. As mentioned earlier the major benefit of swapping your home is that you will save a substantial amount of money on accommodation costs. Likewise, you do not have to worry about eating out and it's associated expenses because you can do the cooking at your vacation property. Your major costs are simply airfare or gas. Often "swappers" will leave their car for you to use, as well as a computer. If you reciprocate as well, make sure your insurance company knows who will be in your home and driving your car.

In addition, you can be sure that your home is secured for the time you are away as it will be lived in. If you like the place you visited you can arrange swaps in the future with the same people as you would have developed an element of trust. Often people who join home exchanges can live in exotic, out of the way places. This can provide a truly unique and memorable vacation.

When listing your property for a home trade, it is very important to make potential "swappers" see the desirability of your property as a vacation home. You do not need to own a luxury home, but it should be clean and inviting. It would be in your best interest to provide quality photos of the internal and external surroundings of your home as well as a thorough description. Moreover, when describing your property to a prospective partner, do not forget to provide information about your city and community.

Privacy issues are the primary concerns why some homeowners are hesitant to offer their property for swapping. If you are concerned, look for a business that would not reveal your name, address, contact number, or e-mail address and instead opt for a company with an online form that hides your personal details. Once you decide who you will swap with, these details can then be provided. If you do swap your home hide personal and valuable items as a precaution.

Indicate who will be with you during the trip and their relationship to you when engaging with the swap partner. Iron out all the details before reaching a final agreement. As a courtesy you should leave a map of the city, a telephone book and emergency numbers for the family you have swapped with. Some companies ask that you leave some basic food items as well, in your fridge. Successful deals are based on being accomodating and helpful so everyone feels comfortable with the trade.

There are some home trade companies that use a point system. You give up your home for a week and earn a certain amount of points. You would then use these earned points for your next vacation.

Home exchange is still a matter of personal choice. You need to be adventurous. You can google home exchange companies to find a list and check them all out. Ask for references. Most home exchange businesses have strict rules everyone must abide by. Read any contracts thoroughly. Many people have been very happy with this affordable way to travel.

Should I Hire A Home Inspector?

As a realtor it is highly recommended when you buy a new or resale property, that you hire a qualified home inspector. You may wonder why a home inspector is needed for a brand new home - well let me tell you, it is necessary. There has been major issues for some buyers when purchasing a new home. Now, in Ontario you are covered by the new home warranty (Tarion), for a period of time. You have certain time periods where you need to let the insurer know about any problems. If those deadlines are not met you could lose out. The customer service rep who does your pre move in inspection with you, should tell you about the time periods for getting repairs done on deficiencies and provide you with forms to fill out if need be. You can also go to the Tarion web site (www.tarion.com) for help as well. This pre inspection would be a good time to bring your inspector with you, as they will notice things you will not. It can be very inconvenient if problems are found.

Most builders try their best to provide quality work, but they are working with many different contractors during the construction of the home. It can be difficult to always monitor every move a contractor makes. Therefore, for peace of mind hire an inspector for new homes, as well. I know of an incident where someone had a beautiful new home built for them and had major issues after they moved in. Apparently, when the home's roof was not yet built, there was a heavy rain and the home was not allowed to try out. As a result there was mold in the walls. The builder did not take ownership for this as it was not noticed right away. The purchaser went to "Holmes on Holmes" for help. The builder sure cooperated after publicity was threatened. An inspection could have alerted the home owner to this problem sooner, which may have made a difference to the builders response.

An inspectors job is to go through the home and visually inspect the condition of the property and the various systems in the home, ie: plumbing, heating, electrical, ventilation, insulation, flooring, windows and doors, interior walls, etc. They also check the exterior of the property including the roof, flashing, chimneys, gutters, downspouts, exterior wall surfaces, foundation and grading. This helps you decide if this home is in a condition that you will accept, helping you make an informed decision as to whether you will proceed with the purchase. Always make the home conditional on inspection for a resale property!

The inspector you hire should be certified with the local provincial or regional home inspection associations and preferably be an engineer or have extensive experience in construction. Your agent can provide you with a list of inspectors for your convenience. You can also check the local yellow pages. Number of years doing inspections is important as the inspector will have come across many more situations.

You should ask to see proof of the inspectors credentials and get three references if possible. A qualified inspector should not hesitate to provide this to you.

You may also want to pay for additional inspections for termite detection, carpenter ants, mold, lead, etc., if you are suspicious of the latter and are buying a much older home or are buying in a known termite area, for example.

Make sure the home inspection is done in day light so that all components of the exterior of the home can be seen.

If you are selling a home, it is a good idea to get a pre-inspection done, so you know what you may be up against. You can also show this report to the potential buyer.

Inspections on average cost about $500.00 and take about three hours to do. The home inspector should provide an extensive report of all the systems in the home with a forecasted dollar amount of all repairs that may be required. This should be done within twenty four hours of the inspection. All the best! Linda

For a list of qualified home inspectors email me at ( Lin@rogers.com) and I'd be happy to provide this to you.

Flooring Facts

There are so many choices for flooring today and they just keep getting better and better! Basic flooring choices will be discussed in this article only. Always give thought to the type and amount of wear and tear a particular area in the house will receive when deciding on the type of flooring.

Will the area under consideration be subject to heavy traffic? Is a sound barrier required (as in a condo)? How easy will it be to clean? Will the area be subjected to moisture as in a kitchen or basement? Does anyone in the home have allergy or asthma issues (carpeting is not the best choice)? Does the floor need to be slip resistant? What is the warranty period, cost, and durability of the material? Is the new floor suitable for the type of subfloor?

Check out the type of glues and sealers used as they can off gas chemicals that can affect some one who is sensitive. There are now materials available that have less off gassing of these harmful chemicals. Ask questions! Research is paramount here!

The main categories of flooring available are:

1 - resilient flooring, which is sheet or tile flooring. Common types are cushion, vinyl, linoleum, rubber and cork.
This flooring product is fairly inexpensive, is easy to maintain, comfortable to stand on, and easy to install. Sheet flooring is installed using adhesives. Try to get adhesives that have the lowest amount of VOC's as possible. The negatives about tile flooring are the tiles can curl, minor scratches, holes or tears are quite visible, needing to be replaced before it gets worse.

2 - carpeting is not a good choice for bathrooms, kitchens or basements (moisture areas). It is great for bedrooms because it is warm, soft on the feet and is good for absorbing sound. People with allergies should not have carpeting in their bedrooms because they spend eight hours of their day in this room. Carpets can trap dirt, dust mites, mold and bacteria. The harder the floor surface, the better for allergy sufferers. There are also carpets on the market today that off gas less harmful compounds, than in the past. A shorter pile (eg. Berber), is more durable and harbors less pollutants. Cost depends on the quality of carpet and underpad. It is important to get a very good quality underpad, as this will increase the longevity of the carpet.

3 - wood flooring comes in many widths, colors, thicknesses and grades. Some hardwoods are birch, maple, beech, and oak. Softer woods include pine, fir and hemlock. They come in strip flooring, plank, parquet, and laminates. Most new hardwood today is pre-finished and has UV-cured polyurethane layers to protect the finish. Pre-finished flooring prevents off gassing of chemicals into the atmosphere versus unfinished flooring that can have strong chemical smells lurking in the home for months, after they are stained and varnished. Laminates are usually cheaper than real wood, but wear very well. They are a good alternative to hardwood. Hardwood will increase the value of the home. It is easy to care for, looks beautiful and lasts a long time.

4 - ceramic tiles come in many sizes. They can be glazed or unglazed. Glazed tiles are more slippery when wet and are not recommended for bathrooms. Ceramics are very cold and hard and can be less comfortable to stand on for long periods. Ceramics wear very well and are easy to clean. White or very light colored ceramics are not practical, as they always look dirty. They can crack easily if a hard object is dropped on them and can be noisy for anyone living below. This type of floor is an excellent choice for people with allergies. Water based sealers and grout are better as they have fewer emissions. Ceramics tiles can last a very long time resulting in cost savings.

Most people have a mixture of the above flooring types in their homes. It is worth putting a little extra money into good quality flooring as this can help prevent problems down the road.

Increase Your Closet Space:

For most people the ideal closet is the size of a room with ample space to hang clothing, lots of shelves to tuck and stash away things -- a place where you can walk around and assess all your personal belongings.

In reality, most people's closets fall well short of this ideal. Few of us stop to consider the full potential of the closets we do have -- tiny as they may be. To understand their true potential, take a good objective look inside the closets you already have -- and the empty spaces that could be turned into closets or cupboards.

Closets are not the sort of thing most of us like to face. By their very nature, they invite us to avoid them. As long as the living space looks good, what's inside the closets doesn't really matter. It is said that both home and self improvement often start with your closets. The more effective and organized your closets are, the more effective and organized you feel.

The main things to consider when organizing your closets are budget, space and lifestyle. Even the tiniest closet can be maximized, and not necessarily at a high price.

Also, the contents of a closet don't necessarily have to fit the contents of a room. A hall broom closet can be turned into a pantry; a kitchen nook can be turned into a place to hang a wardrobe.

And you don't have to just hang things in closets. You can add shelf units, baskets, bins, or whatever fits, to store things in. Consider an air plane, a boat or a mobile home, where space is at a premium. Storage spaces are found above, below and to all sides of furnishings.

Here are a few more ideas to consider:

Make your closets serve a variety of purposes. Try adding a shelving unit to a clothes closet where you can store pantry goods and other items.
Always try to incorporate a variety of shelving units in a closet. These give you space to store small items such as shoes, scarves, handbags and even books.
The ceiling space in closets is seldom used. Consider adding a shelve or a compartment to store bulkier items such as luggage or blankets.
Before re-organizing a closet, take everything out. Set aside anything you haven't worn or used in a year. Consider donating these items to charity. Those you no longer use but want to keep should be stored separately in the attic or some place out of the way. Clearing out a closet is the first step in creating more space.
Invest in a shoe rack that can be incorporated into your closet. Whether it sits on the floor or hangs from the door or is part of a shelve unit, a rack will not only keep your shoes together it will give the whole closet a more organized appearance.
Plan to store your out-of-season clothes out of the way in boxes or elsewhere. Use the closet only to keep those items you wear regularly during a season.
If you dislike the smell of mothballs but want to ensure your closets smell nice and don't attract moths, try hanging a sachet of dried rosemary flowers or a mixture of cinnamon and cloves. There are many fresh-smelling deodorizers and perfumed papers to choose from on the market as well.
If closet space is still tight and there are few open spaces in your home that can be turned into closets, try adding an armoire or wardrobe. This was the furniture piece used for storing clothes back when there weren't built-in closets. It's still a popular and practical item in many homes today.
Try turning an entire wall in a room into a storage area. There are many systems available that can be easily installed. You can close them up by adding doors, or keep them open and airy.
Kitchens are where you can be most creative in finding extra storage space. To get the best use of kitchen closet space, store as much as possible outside the closets. That means hanging anything that can hang from the ceilings and the walls. Custom-design closets and cupboards for the specific goods each will hold. This may include drawers for knives, shelves for different size cans, jars, etc.
Adding a shelving rack to the inside of a closet door can make even the shallowest closet seem deeper. Use lots of bins and shelving units in a child's room to store and toss items in.

CALL FOR ASSISTANCE IN FINDING YOUR HOME 416-450-2001

Linda Gutoskie- Realtor

PMA Brethour Realty

www.ezhomefinder.ca

Lin@rogers.com

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