Bathroom décor blues?

All it takes is a little creativity to go from drab to fabulous

 

By: Ian Ponting

 

Are you getting that same drab feeling every time you enter your bathroom? Perhaps it's time to make some changes. Redecorating a bathroom does not always require extensive work or money. In fact, significant changes can be accomplished with just a few accessories and a creative touch. So stop researching contractors, worrying over expensive renovations and fretting about what you'll do without your bathroom while it is under repair – and consider implementing these quick, inexpensive and imaginative redecoration techniques.         

A good place to begin is with your bathroom lighting. Adding more light to a room can actually give the illusion that the room is larger than it actually is. One simple way to do this is by increasing the size of the light fixtures. For example, if you have a three light fixture, make your room brighter with a five light fixture, or increase your light bulb size to achieve the desired brightening effect. If there is ample counter space or room for furniture, lighting can be greatly improved with a small table lamp, which also adds elegance and warmth.

Furniture usually only works in bathrooms that are large enough to not appear cramped. But if you are blessed with a big bathroom, try moving an old cupboard or chest into an empty corner. It can add style and storage at the same time. A chair or bench also adds panache and functionality to large bathrooms, as it provides the perfect place to sit while manicuring your nails or waiting for a bath to draw.

If you have a smaller bathroom, limit the amount of accessories lying around. Storage space is likely a premium, so finding room for a cabinet or a bin is probably impossible. In this case, consider installing a shelf or two on the wall behind your toilet where you can store extra toilet paper and towels, as well as smaller toiletries, like shampoo and hairbrushes. To keep these items organized use display containers, which can often be found in a kitchen. For example, a ceramic jar can hold cotton balls while mugs can be used for holding makeup brushes. Baskets are also great for hiding miscellaneous items.

If your bathroom can benefit from a new colour, why not spend a weekend painting. Before you begin, decide if you'll be matching the wall colour with the rugs and fabrics already in your bathroom, or if you'll be purchasing new materials. An easy and imaginative alternative to painting is stencilling, which can be done around the ceilings, window areas and mirrors. Artwork can also do wonders to spice up bare bathroom walls. Try some inexpensive framed prints, which can be used to complement any decorating theme.

There are an assortment of affordable but luxurious touches that can be added to your bathroom. Radio or compact disc players can be used to play soothing sounds and add tranquility while scented candles can provide a relaxed and refreshing aroma. A built-in hair dryer may at first seem lavish, but think about how much you appreciate it in a hotel restroom and you might find that it is worth the money.

So if you feel it is time to give your bathroom a new and improved look, remember that it doesn't have to include bulldozers and bricks, just a bit of creative thinking.

 

 

 

Canadian Housing Market to Remain Steady

OTTAWA, February 13, 2012 — Housing markets are expected to remain steady in 2012 and 2013, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) first quarter 2012 Housing Market Outlook, Canada Edition¹.

"With the Canadian economy set to expand at a moderate pace and mortgage rates expected to remain low, activity levels in 2012 in both new home construction and sales of existing homes will stay close to levels seen in 2011," said Mathieu Laberge, Deputy Chief Economist for CMHC.

Housing starts will be in the range of 164,000 to 212,700 units in 2012, with a point forecast of 190,000 units. In 2013, housing starts will be in the range of 168,900 to 219,300 units, with a point forecast of 193,800 units.

Existing home sales will be in the range of 406,000 to 504,500 units in 2012, with a point forecast of 457,300 units. In 2013, MLS^®2 sales are expected to move up in the range of 417,600 to 517,400 units, with a point forecast of 468,200 units.

The average MLS^® price is forecast to be between $330,000 and $410,000 in 2012 and between $335,000 and $430,000 in 2013. CMHC's point forecast for the average MLS^® price is $368,900 for 2012 and $379,000 for 2013. The moderate increases in the average MLS^® price are consistent with the balanced market conditions that occurred in 2011, and that are expected to continue in 2012 and 2013.

As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing solutions. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed decisions.

CMHC Market Analysis standard reports are also available free for download at http://www.cmhc.ca/housingmarketinformation.

¹ The forecasts included in the Housing Market Outlook reflect information available as of January 18, 2012. Where applicable, forecast ranges are also presented in order to reflect financial and economic uncertainty.

² Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) is a registered trademark owned by the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Information on this release:

Charles Sauriol, Media Relations
613-748-2799
csauriol@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Better Tasting Beer-

Here's an example from a brewery booklet from the 1950's:

"CLEANLINESS OF GLASSES Keep special glasses for beer alone and *nothing else*. Never wash beer glasses with plain soap - use a simple liquid household detergent, rinse and allow to drain without drying. Do not dry beer glasses with a towel as the laundering chemicals (such as soaps and starches) which are left in them will leave a harmful film on the glasses and this will break down the head very rapidly.

"When serving beer, always use fresh glasses which have been dipped in cold water."

 

A perfectly poured beer requires a properly cleaned glass. As a starting point, glassware must be free of visible soil and marks. A beer-clean glass is also free of foam-killing residues and lingering aromatics such as sanitizer.

A freshly cleaned glass should be used for every pour. We recommend that accounts never refill a used glass.

Two systems deliver effective beer glass cleaning:

1. Manual cleaning in the three-tub sink, or

2. Dedicated automatic glass washers.

Manual or Hand Cleaning in the Three-Tub Sink

1. Clean sinks and work area prior to starting to remove any chemicals, oils or grease from other cleaning activities.

2. Empty residual liquid from the glass to a drain. Glasses should NOT be emptied into the cleaning water as it will dilute the cleaning solutions.

3. Clean the glass in hot water and suitable detergent. Detergent must not be fat- or oil-based. Detergents suitable for beer glass cleaning are available through restaurant and bar suppliers.

4. Scrub the glass with cleaning brushes to remove film, lipstick and other residue. Rotate the glass on the brushes to scrub all interior and exterior surfaces. Be sure to clean the bottom of the glass.

5. Rinse glass bottom/butt down in cold water. Water for the rinse should not be stagnant but should be continually refreshed via an overflow tube. If time permits, a double dunk is recommended and preferred.

6. Sanitize in third sink filled with hot water and an appropriate sanitizer.
Sanitizers typically contain chlorine so check the pH and chlorine content of the sanitizing bath periodically to maintain proper conditions. Water temperature should be at a minimum 90ºF. Chlorine concentration should be 100 ppm or at the required local health department concentration.

Automatic glass washing machines

1. Dedicate this machine to cleaning bar and beer glassware only. Do not subject it to food or dairy product residue.
   
2. Use correct detergent, sanitizer and rinse agents in properly metered amounts.
   
3. Check concentrations once each day using kits or follow detergent and sanitizer supplier recommendations.
   
4. Use water temperatures of 130º to 140ºF. High temperature machines designed to operate at 180ºF can be used without additional chemical sanitizers. Please check your health department for local requirements.
   
5. Maintain the machine to assure good water flow through the system including free flow through each nozzle and washer arm.
   
6. Regularly service the machine based on the manufacturer's or installer's guidelines.
   

Handling Clean Glassware

1. Keep glassware clean and odor free after washing:
   
2. Air-dry glassware. Drying glasses with a towel can leave lint and may transmit germs and odors.
   
3. Dry and store glasses in a stainless-steel wire basket to provide maximum air circulation. Similar deeply corrugated baskets or surfaces also work.
   
4. Do not dry or store glassware on a towel, a rubber drain pad or other smooth surface, as they can transfer odors to the glass and slow the drying process.
   
5. Store glassware in an area free of odors, smoke, grease or dust.
   
6. Store chilled glasses in a separate refrigerator away from food products such as meat, fish, cheese or onions as they can impart an odor to the glasses.
   
7. Store beer glasses dry in a chiller. Never use a freezer. Chill glasses at 36° – 40ºF.
   

January News Release - Resale Housing Off to a Typical Start

Courtesy of The Ottawa Real Estate Board February 2012

Members of the Ottawa Real Estate Board sold 684 residential properties in January through the Board's Multiple Listing Service#&174 system compared with 677 in January 2011, an increase of one per cent. The five-year average for January sales is 652.

Of those sales, 138 were in the condominium property class, while 546 were in the residential property class. The condominium property class includes any property, regardless of style (i.e. detached, semi-detached, apartment, stacked etc.), which is registered as a condominium, as well as properties which are co-operatives, life leases and timeshares. The residential property class includes all other residential properties.

"The results indicate it's been a typical month of January for the Ottawa and area resale housing market" said Board President Ansel Clarke. "It is interesting to note that the inventory of properties for sale is considerably higher than a year ago, offering a lot of choice to buyers."

The average sale price of residential properties, including condominiums, sold in January in the Ottawa area was $349,415, an increase of 5.6 per cent over January 2011. The average sale price for a condominium-class property was $253,210, an increase of 6.8 per cent over January 2011. The average sale price of a residential-class property was $373,731, an increase of 5.5 per cent over January 2011. The Board cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing trends over time but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold.

The Informed Buyer and seller-

“Success doesn’t come to you. You go to it.”

Marva Collins

“Success is a journey, not a destination.”

Ben Sweetland

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are

doing, you will be successful.”

Herman Cain

Like most things in life, shopping for a new home can either be time-consuming and stressful, or fun and satisfying. It just depends on how you go about it.

There are many things you can do to make the home shopping process go smoothly and accomplish what you want: finding the home of your dreams at a price you can afford.

Here are some ideas:

•Get pre-approved.

Find out from your bank or lender how

much you qualify to borrow. That will give you confidence

when home shopping, because you’ll know that, should you

find the right property, financing won‘t be a problem.

• Make a list. 

Write down everything you want in a new home.

 The obvious items include the number of bedrooms,
 size of backyard, location, etc. But also list not-so-obvious features,
such as walking distance to public transit and the potential
for a large recreation room in the basement.

• Take a camera.

After seeing a few homes, you may not

 remember every important feature and characteristic. So be

sure to take pictures (where allowed) of the properties you

view as well as the neighbourhoods. They’ll be invaluable

when shortlisting potential properties later on.

• Keep an open mind.

 

There’s probably an ideal home available 

for you on the market. But it might not be exactly what you

had originally envisioned. So try to be flexible when

considering potential homes. If, for example, a property

doesn’t have a big deck for entertaining, you can always have

one built.

• Take care of yourself and your family.

When you’re viewing

 properties, bring some healthy snacks and water with you.

Take regular breaks, especially when you’re seeing multiple

homes. And don’t see too many properties at a time

especially if you’re bringing young children with you.

Also, find a good REALTOR

to help you. He or she can make the

 home shopping process go smoothly.

Family pictures on the fireplace mantle.
 A friendly dog lying on a mat in the foyer.
 Dinner cooking on the stove.
Kid’s toys scattered in thehallway.
Closets stuffed with clothes.

Those are the unmistakable signs that a family is living in the house.

But does that “lived in” look appeal to home buyers?

In most cases, no.

Home buyers know, of course, that a family still

lives in the home. But if you have constant

reminders of that throughout your property,

some buyers will feel like intruding strangers.

So when preparing your home for sale,

remember: buyers want to visualize themselves

living in the home, not you.

Not intended to cause or induce the breach of, cancellation of, assignment of, or to interfere in any way with the existing agency agreement of another Realtor.

Canadian home sales stable in May

Published June 15, 2011 by the Canadian Real Estate Association
OTTAWA – June 15th, 2011 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national resale housing activity remained stable in May compared to April.

Highlights:
• Sales activity held steady from April to May, but posted the first year-over-year gain in over a year due to falling demand in May 2010.
• Year-to-date sales are in line with the ten-year average.
• New listings also remained stable from April to May.
• National housing market remains firmly entrenched in balanced territory.
• National average price is still being skewed upward by historically high sales activity in certain Vancouver
neighbourhoods.

Seasonally adjusted national home sales activityedged down by less than one per cent in May 2011 compared to the previous month. Among major markets were activity declines in Vancouver and Ottawa, offsetting gains in Edmonton and Toronto, where sales reached the second highest level on record for the month of May.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity came in 2.7 per cent above levels reported last May. This was the first year-over-year increase in more than a year, reflecting falling sales activity in May 2010. Activityfell sharply last year between April and July, with May marking the mid-point of that slide. Although activity has been more stable this year, last year’s sales volatility is expected to continue to affect yearover-year comparisons in the months ahead.

A total of 196,749 homes have traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems so far this year. This is in line with the ten-year average for year-to-date activity in May.

“The Canadian housing market has seen some big ups and downs in recent years, making national sales activity so far this year look like something of a Goldilocks story by comparison – not too hot, not too cold,” said Gary Morse, CREA’s President. “Since local housing market trends often differ from national trends, buyers and sellers should consult their local REALTOR® to understand how the housing market is shaping up where they live.”

Seasonally adjusted new residential listings were little changed from April to May, edging up one tenth of a percentage point. The number of newly listed homes fell in Vancouver, Fraser Valley and the Okanagan region in May, offsetting small gains in Toronto and Montreal.

With sales and new listings holding steady on a national basis in May, the resale housing market remained firmly planted in balanced territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 52.1 per cent in May, little changed from 52.5 per cent in April.

Based on a sales-to-new listings ratio of between 40 and 60 per cent, housing markets were balanced in 62 of 101 real estate boards in Canada. Less than half of the rest can be characterized as sellers’ markets, based on a ratio above 60 per cent. “For the most part, sellers’ markets became slightly more balanced than the previous month,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “Toronto stood out as an exception, with sales activity there growing faster than new supply.”

The seasonally adjusted number of months of inventory stood at 6.1 months at the end of May on a national basis. This is little changed compared to the six months of inventory at the end of April 2011. The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand.

The national average price for homes sold in May 2011 was $376,817, up 8.6 per cent from the same month last year.

A number of compositional factors skewed the national average price upward in May. These factors include historically high sales activity in selected pricey Vancouver neighbourhoods and broadly based price gains in Toronto, where supply remains tight relative to demand. If Vancouver sales are excluded from the calculation, the year-over-year change in the national average price amounts to 5.6 per cent; excluding Toronto and Vancouver shrinks the increase to 3.7 per cent.

“Changes in the national average home price reflect variations in home sales activity across and within local markets,” said Klump. “Failure to recognize changes in the mix of sales activity can lead to misinterpretation of average price fluctuations. It can also give rise to faulty predictions of broadly based home price deflation by way of price correction.”

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS® sales information from the previous month.

CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighbourhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.

MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Capital region in a comfort zone

Capital region in a comfort zone