Your Home

Although most home improvement projects will increase the value of your home, some projects offer more payback than others. More than 38 per cent of Canadian homeowners are planning a renovation, and of those, 75 per cent are sprucing up their home to sell. Here are some outdoor renovations that offer payback in resale value…

By Lorne Shuman: The process of buying a home can be intimidating and overwhelming. Homebuyers must face a multitude of major decisions, many of which are made more difficult by the use of complex legal terms. The term “easement” is common and is found in many Agreements of Purchase and Sale.  This column will explain…

Finally it seems like the warmer weather and sunshine are really here to stay. After a long winter indoors, gardening is a restorative therapy embraced by many Canadian homeowners. When you’ve finished planning your garden and are ready to get your hands dirty, here are a few tips to make those gardening chores easier: Before…

By Lorne Shuman: Once you have decided to purchase a home, you will be faced with important decisions that will have an impact on your estate for a long time. Understanding the importance of how to take “title” (or ownership) to your property is one important aspect of estate planning.  In the event of your…

These tricks of the trade from HGTV.com will help you get top dollar when selling your home… Selling Secret #10: Pricing it right A properly priced home will sell quickly. However, in the current market, Sellers are often tempted to underprice their property and then be stampeded by buyers with multiple bids. More often than…

Conventional wisdom holds that in order to achieve a custom look in your home decor you either have to spend a bundle hiring professionals, or invest countless hours of hard work doing it yourself. In the Internet age, however, it’s easier than ever to achieve the look of custom home decor without the expense or…

By Lorne Shuman: For many people, buying a home is the largest financial investment decision you will ever make.  Seeing that most of your savings will go towards the deposit, that may not leave much money for the closing costs.  Being unaware of some of the more common closing costs will create a problem at…

With memories of last July’s flood still fresh in their minds, many Toronto homeowners are keeping their fingers crossed that their basements don’t flood again when spring rains arrive. Damp basements are a plague for homeowners and the first step towards a cure is to pinpoint the source of the moisture. Some of the more…

Although it might not quite feel like spring yet, there are a few chores that can be crossed off your spring checklist this month, in the hope that warmer weather is just around the corner. 1. Take advantage of any warm days this month to inspect your yard. Check trees for storm damage and book…

One item that ranks high on purchasers’ lists of concerns is damage from a previous fire, whether they voice it or not.  The damage from a fire can be severe enough to render the structure unsafe if not properly repaired – a surprise no one needs! There are some signs we watch for since unfortunately not…