Proper maintenance protects the value of your home, keeps it in great condition and means less work and fewer costly repairs in the long term.

- On the pre-possession inspection tour, the builder will explain how to operate and maintain heating, cooling and electrical water systems. You will want to know basic procedures – how to turn the systems on and off and change the settings if required, when to schedule maintenance and who to contact.

- Before establishing a regular housekeeping routine, take a few minutes to read through the product literature provided by your builder. Follow the directions from the manufacturers to preserve the beauty of your home.

- Place furniture away from heating and cooling vents. Keep non-carpeted floors in great shape by using easy-to-apply protectors on legs of chairs, tables and sofas.

- Clean the eaves troughs each fall to prevent build-up of leaves and again in the spring to ensure proper waterflow. Rinsing the siding with water or washing gently with soap once a year will keep it looking great and in tiptop shape.

Ask your builder for more great tips on preserving the beauty and quality of your brand new home.

Canadians may soon be seeing the first signs of a shift in the resale market, bringing the current seller’s market into more balanced territory.

According to statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA),  the number of homes sold through the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards edged lower in February. In recent months, national sales activity has slowed while new listings continue to rise, resulting in a more balanced national resale housing market.  Since a year will soon have elapsed following the recessionary decline and subsequent rebound for the Canadian resale market, year-over-year comparisons are expected to continue shrinking.

The average price of all homes in Canada sold through Boards’ MLS® Systems in February 2010 was $335,655, up 18.2 per cent from just one year ago.  As with sales activity, this gain was smaller than in the past four months, and year-over-year gains are expected to become further subdued going forward.

CREA reports that the seasonally adjusted number of new listings on Boards’ MLS® Systems across Canada climbed another 2.4 per cent on a month-over-month basis in February.  Listings reached 73,849 units, the highest level seen since October 2008.  Five consecutive monthly increases have lifted new listings 16.3 per cent above where they stood last September, when they had fallen to the lowest level since late 2005.  As with sales activity, new listings in February 2010 were up most in Ontario and down most in British Columbia.

Strong resale housing demand continues to draw down inventories, but supply is shrinking at a decreasing rate because of slightly softer sales activity and an increase in new listings in recent months. The number of months of inventory  (i.e. the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales) in February 2010 stood at 5.2 months. This is still well below where it stood one year ago (8.8 months), but on par with February 2008.

According to CREA, national housing markets are becoming more balanced.  While there are still a number of major markets where negotiations favour the seller due to a shortage of inventory, the supply has begun rising.  If further  supply increases materialize as expected, this will continue to take the steam out of housing markets as the year progresses.

Of course, while these national trends are a good indication of where the market

is headed overall, real estate remains a global business that is transacted locally.  For more information on listing inventory in your local market, contact your local Coldwell Banker® real estate representative.

When it comes to staging a home for sale, it’s important that sellers create an inviting atmosphere that will appeal to as many potential buyers as possible. Today, due to historically low interest rates and government incentives such as raising the Home Buyer Plan maximum to $25,000, first-time buyers account for a substantial portion of Canada’s home buying prospects.  The good news is, sellers looking to attract this coveted demographic group don’t need to do a complete design overhaul. Staging a home for first-time homebuyers is easier than you may think.

Below are seven simple staging tips from Coldwell Banker to help boost a home’s appeal and give owners the competitive edge necessary when selling a home.

• Stage rooms with one purpose. Extra rooms that have a jumble of mixed uses can confuse and even deter first-time homebuyers.  Staging rooms with one purpose is vital. Keep in mind that these buyers are generally young couples with few or no children, so rooms should be presented as areas well equipped to meet their current needs. So turn those playrooms into dens, storage rooms into a home office or the second kids’ bedroom into a guest room.

• Tackle the easy “do-it-yourself” projects. In a recent Coldwell Banker survey, 81 percent of brokers said today’s first-time home buyers consider move-in conditions to be very important when searching for homes. To ensure that a home is in tip top shape, make sure to replace outdated kitchen and bathroom fixtures, apply a fresh coat of paint to a worn wall and refinish the kitchen cabinets. Providing a sleek and modern look wherever possible can make a huge difference in the eyes of first-time homebuyers.

• Be informed about current style trends: Ask your local Coldwell Banker sales representative about the styles seen in homes that are selling in the area, and purchase a current interior design magazine for ideas.

• Focus on the living areas. A living room is an area in which potential first-time buyers should be able to envision themselves entertaining friends or gathering with their family. With that in mind, homeowners should make the area appear as large and functional as possible by removing any unnecessary furniture and decorations.

• Make sure the master bedroom appeals to both sexes. The master bedroom of a couple’s first home is often the first bedroom they will share. When staging this room, make sure that it appeals to buyers of both sexes.  Remove any feature that seems too gender-specific and paint the walls a neutral colour.

• Clear the room of family portraits. First-time homebuyers are looking for a home they can picture their family living in, not the previous owners. Coldwell Banker recommends taking down family portraits, personal collections and knickknacks. Removing these items will also eliminate clutter and ensure that people are looking at the house for sale, not at the photos from the last family vacation.

Don’t forget to spruce up the yard. First impressions often play a role in a consumer’s decision-making process. In fact, 21 percent of participants in a recent Coldwell Banker survey knew their home was the one for them before even walking inside. Make sure the home’s exterior is inviting by trimming the bushes, mowing the lawn and painting faded window trim. Couples looking for their first home often have less yard work under their belts and will appreciate the seller’s attention to detail.

Did you know Ontario boasts over 88,000 km in trails? Whether you’re in the Hamilton-Burlington area or located in our outlying areas*, there’s a trail for everyone. You’ll find something for every enthusiast: gentle walking, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, hiking, rock faces for climbing and water routes to fish, canoe and kayak.  Many of the trails along rivers will take you through picturesque and charming towns. Whatever calls you to the trail, it’s good for the soul.

Chippawa Trail
When completed, this 15-kilometre abandoned rail corridor will link Hamilton with Caledonia and will become part of the Niagara branch of the Trans Canada Trail.  It will also be connected to the Caledonia-to-Dunnville rail trail. Approximately 12 kilometres have been completed and work is proceeding as funding permits.

Cootes Drive Trail
The Cootes Drive Trail is a multi-use asphalt trail extending between Sanders Blvd.(Hamilton) and Dundas/Thorpe Street (Dundas). The trail is 2.5 kilometres long and can be accessed from Sanders Blvd. (where there is a signed level crossing of Cootes Drive to McMaster University), just south of the McMaster University bridge across Cootes Drive, Olympic Drive, King/East Street and Dundas/Thorpe.

Dundas Valley Trail
A 40-km multi-use trail network extends through this 1,200-hectare natural area that comes complete with Carolinian forests, fields, cold-water streams, stunning geological structures, and an array of rare plants, birds and wildlife.

Dofasco 2000 Trail
The second Millennium project of the Hamilton Conservation Authority, this 11.5-kilometre trail will link the 1812 Battlefield House Museum, Devil’s Punch Bowl Conservation Area, Vinemount South Swamp and Bruce Trail. The Dofasco 2000 Trail will eventually continue on road to link with the Waterfront Trail at the Fifty Point Conservation Area and Marina on Lake Ontario.

Desjardins  Recreational Trail
The Desjardins Recreational Trail is a 1 kilometre long trail extending from Kay Drage Park access road, along the Chedoke Creek to Cootes Paradise, across the creek then on to the Desjardins Canal.

Woodlot Nature Trail – Rock Point
This trail travels through a variety of different environments within the park, along the top of a lakeside bluff, through old fields and into a Carolinian Woodlot. Stairs lead down the side of the bluff to the beach or limestone shelf with many fossils. Viewing platforms overlook Lake Erie and nearby Mohawk Island and lighthouse.

If you’re thinking about wading into vegetable or herb gardening for the first time, take courage. With a little reading and research, you can be successful. If you’re ready to start, remember this: It’s better to be proud of a small garden, than frustrated by a big one.

The Very Basics

Here are some very basic concepts on topics you’ll want to explore further as you become a vegetable gardener extraordinaire:

• Vegetables love the sun. They require six hours (continuous, if possible) of sunlight each day, at least.
• Vegetables must have good, loamy, well-drained soil. Most backyard soil is not perfect and needs a helping hand. Check with your local nursery about soil testing, soil types, and soil enrichments.
• Placement is everything. Vegetables need proper nutrition. A vegetable garden too near a tree will lose its nutrients to the tree’s greedy root system. On the other hand, a garden close to the house will help discourage rabbits, raccoons, deer, mice, and opossums from nibbling away your potential harvest.
• Vegetables need lots of water. At least 1 inch of water a week. In the early spring, walk around your property to see where the snow melts first, when the sun catches in warm pockets. This will make a difference in how well your vegetables grow.
• Study those seed catalogs and order early.

Deciding on the Size of Your Garden

A good-sized beginner vegetable garden is 10 x 16 feet, and features crops that are easy to grow. A plot this size, planted as suggested below, can feed a family of four for one summer. For the plan below, your rows should run north and south to take full advantage of the sun. Make your garden eleven rows of 10-feet of each of the following:

• Tomatoes – 5 plants staked
• Zucchini squash – 4 plants
• Peppers – 6 plants
• Cabbage, Bush Beans, Lettuce, Beets, Carrots, Chard, Radish
• Marigolds to discourage rabbits!

Leave 2ft. between bush beans, one half foot between bush beans and lettuce, and one foot between all the rest.

Spring can’t come soon enough for a gardener. After months of deprivation, it’s finally time to get back out there. Your garden has gone through a tough few months; this is your chance to help its transition out of dormancy go as smoothly as possible. Get your garden growing again with these handy tips.

Be Well Equipped

Review your gardening tools. Clean off any debris from last year and check hinges on pruners to ensure they are properly lubricated and that the cutting action is still smooth. Also check out your tools for any rust and remove it wherever possible.

Also check your lawnmower. Blades should be clean. Rotary mowers should have a smooth spinning action. Electric and gas mowers should be given a thorough servicing.

Once the ground has started to dry out, get out in your garden for a garbage pick up. Strong winter winds can blow all sorts of papers and other debris into the garden. Get rid of any dead plants you didn’t get around to removing last year; spring is the time to replace them.

Coldwell Banker can show you how to make sure that your home sells at the right price!

Establishing a reasonable and profitable listing price for a home is perhaps the biggest challenge for every home seller. Before coming to a final figure, many sellers ask themselves: “That home down the block went for a lot; can I just price my home in the same ballpark?” “Can I jack the price up in a hot market?” These and many other factors must be considered before settling on a listing price. The professionals at Coldwell Banker (insert Company DBA Name) recommend taking the following steps before setting an asking figure.

Choose the Right Sales Associate: While many people use a friend or relative’s referral to select a sales associate, it is smart to interview many prospective agents. Invite several sales associates to show their listings presentations. Pay attention to how they plan to market the home, and find out the reach of their company’s Web site. Also, make certain they plan to list the home on the multiple listing service (MLS) and inquire about how broad their real estate contact network is.

Do The Homework. Ask a real estate sales associate for a written comparative market analysis (CMA). This will provide a list of recent sales prices of similar homes in the area (with comparable numbers of bedrooms, baths, square footage and lot size), the asking prices of homes currently for sale nearby and other important information. Then a sales associate will provide a professional estimation of a legitimate selling price.

Take the Emotion Out of It. While the seller likely has great affection for the home, the sales associate will not set the price based on the seller’s emotion. Instead, he or she will evaluate the location, condition and size of the home. A house in a secluded, exclusive area may appeal to some, while others will want to be closer to schools, shopping and health care facilities. What is the physical condition of the home? Is it a fixer-upper? Does it make a good first impression (the ever important curb appeal)? Will it appeal to a growing family, or is it better suited to empty nesters?

Determine If It Is a Buyers/Sellers Market. Home inventory, mortgage interest rates and the economy play a role in determining whether the buyer or seller has a negotiating advantage. Interest rates remain at historically low levels even as the economy shows signs of improving, putting buyers in a good position to shoulder “good” debt of homeownership.

Do the Math. Do not forget to figure in closing costs, legal fees and other selling expenses when determining the selling price. The sales associate should be able to provide cost estimates, and negotiate with a potential buyer to ensure a good sale price.

Give It the Once Over. There is one more step to ensure that the house sells for your price, or more. Do as much as possible to improve the home’s appearance: touch up the paint, fix leaks, seal any cracks, clean up the clutter, and eliminate pet odors. The house has only one chance to make a first impression.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Internet first came onto the real estate scene. Back then, few of us could have ever imagined the dominant role that the Internet would take in day-to-day communications. Now, the vast majority of prospective homebuyers start their property search online. If you’re a seller, you understand that a strong online presence is necessary to effectively reach today’s buyers. That’s why I wanted to let you know about an exciting new innovation from Coldwell Banker®.

Coldwell Bankerhas partnered with YouTube to createColdwell Banker On Location, a new concept in real estate marketing that has quickly become the most visited real estate brand channel on YouTube. On Location offers consumers access to thousands of videos of home listings, local community features, local market conditions and trends, and much more. Our YouTube real estate channel has already exceeded half a million hits from viewers all across North America, and around the world.

For home sellers, Coldwell Banker On Location offers an opportunity to showcase your property in a compelling way, and differentiate your listing from all the rest. Our YouTube channel also contains videos that offer helpful hints for sellers and homeowner tips as well. And of course, if you’re also looking to buy, On Location is a great place to start looking.

Want to know more about how innovative online marketing can help me sell your home?  Why not give me a call, and let’s talk. You’ll be glad you called me first.

When the time comes to make an offer on a property, every transaction is different. However, as your local Coldwell Banker sales professional, I can tell you that whether it’s a hot market or a challenging one, there are some tips to keep in mind that will help your offer appeal to the seller.

Your first step is advance preparation. When you’re ready to buy a home, get your finances in order first. Make sure all your credit card and loan payments are up to date, and your credit rating is spotless. Then, get pre-approved for your mortgage loan, so you’ll know in advance how much you can afford, and what your monthly payments will be. If you need help, I can assist you in this process.

Putting in an offer that does not have a condition of extra time to arrange financing means the seller has one less thing to worry about if they accept your offer. And going into negotiations with a pre-approved mortgage shows you’re a stable, prepared, dependable buyer. That makes your offer appealing too — especially if your competition isn’t so well prepared!

Another way to make your offer appealing is by accommodating the seller’s terms as much as possible. Remember, there are many things that may have value to the seller aside from the price. For example, if the seller wants a different closing date than you’d prefer, consider its importance against the value of presenting a clean offer, with little in it for the seller to object to. You may be surprised to learn that what may be a minor consideration to you has great importance to the seller. It’s particularly important when you remember that if any aspect of an offer is rejected or revised, then the whole offer is refused. That means everything can come back up for negotiation again, including the price.

There’s a lot to consider when buying a home. I’d like to be there for you to guide you through what can be a very complex process. Why not give me a call, and let’s talk about how I can help make your dream of home ownership a reality.

The Canadian housing market fortunately avoided the deep U.S. downturn, but financial service advisors at Edward Jones indicate that the current market conditions resemble those that preceded the American mortgage crisis.

A 19.3 per cent increase in home resale prices combined with all-time lows in one-year and five-year mortgage rates makes conditions ripe for a bust.

Consumer borrowing is one of the most glaring statistics correlating with the U.S. downturn. Steps are underway to curb runaway borrowing. Effective April 19, 2010, new federal rules decrease homeowner’s equity withdrawal when refinancing; borrows must qualify at a minimum, for a five-year fix-rate mortgage and an increase from five per cent to 20 per cent on a required down payment.

The sky isn’t falling just yet.

Read more at: http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/news/housing-downturn/canada-housing-market-headed-bubble-bust