Selling your home? Then a fresh coat of paint may be the best investment you can make. Before you head out to the paint store, though, there are some things to think about. For example:

1. Don’t think you can cover up water damage, a bad renovation or crumbling concrete stairs with a coat of paint.

2. Do play up interesting architectural features of your house with paint.

3. Do take the time to do it properly. Prepare the walls and tape off windows and baseboards with painter’s tape.

4. Do consider having the outside painted. It can add to your home’s curb appeal.

5. Do pick colours that are compatible. If you can see the kitchen from the living room, pick complementary shades.

6. Don’t be afraid of colour. For 2011, light lemon yellows, greens, soft blues and paler pinks are popular, as is light gray – the new neutral. Just avoid anything too strong.

7. If your baseboards, doors and windowsills are painted, you probably should repaint them as well. Freshly painted walls won’t show well with scuffed, chipped trim.

8. Some designers suggest you paint natural wood trim to make the rooms look larger. It’s not an easy decision. Some buyers still want the warmth of wood trim, especially if natural wood is part of your home’s charm.

9. Don’t put latex paint over oil-based paint without a primer. It might start chipping before the first open house.

Quick Action is Very Important

Recent floods in Quebec and Manitoba remind us of the damage and the financial hardships homeowners experience after natural disasters.

Dealing With the Impact of Flooding

If your home has been flooded, the best way to protect your property, your belongings and the health of your family is by getting rid of the water and drying your house as quickly as possible.

Prior to starting the clean-up, it is essential to keep safety a priority and take all precautions to avoid electrical shock. It is also recommended that you document the damage and contact your insurance agent as soon as possible.

During the clean-up, it is important to establish a step-by-step action plan to remove all remaining water, mud and other debris from your house. Work from the top down, removing materials at least 50 cm above the high-water line and replacing any flooring that has been deeply penetrated by flood water or sewage. Next, wash and wipe down all surfaces wetted by the flood water with an unscented detergent and water, repeating as necessary until clean. Finally, ventilate or dehumidify the house until it is completely dry.

More detailed information on coping with flood damage can be found in CMHC`s publication After the Flood — A Homeowner’s Checklist.

Dealing with Mortgage Payment Difficulties as a Result of Flooding

Should you find yourself in this situation and are unable to make your mortgage payments, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) wishes to remind Canadians that there are options available to you.

It is important to take quick action and contact your lender at the first sign of any financial difficulty. Ask your lender about the options available to you and keep them informed of your situation.

For CMHC-insured mortgages, CMHC provides lenders with the tools and the flexibility they need to achieve a solution to your unique financial situation including:

• Temporary short-term payment deferral. Your lender may be prepared to offer greater payment flexibilities by allowing you to defer up to four monthly mortgage payments;
• Extending your repayment period (amortization) to lower your monthly payments up to the maximum allowable period;
• Adding any missed payments to your outstanding balance and spreading them out over the lifetime of your mortgage;
• Arranging special payments unique to your particular financial situation; or
• A combination of the above.

Clarify your financial picture by preparing a list of your income, financial obligations, savings and investments before meeting with your lender. This will help paint a more detailed picture of your financial situation and make it easier to find a viable solution.

Source: CMHC.com

Protect Your Home — And Your Investment!

If you’re like most Canadians, your home is probably your most important investment. It’s also the place where you and your family tend to spend a great deal of time. A regular schedule of seasonal maintenance can help you protect that investment for years to come, and help keep your home — and most importantly, your family — healthy, safe and sound all year round.

This spring, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has a short checklist of simple inspections and repairs that can help you put a stop to some of the most common and costly problems before they occur, in as little as a few minutes a week, including:

• Check and clean your range hood filters on a monthly basis.
• Make sure all outdoor air vents (intake, exhaust and forced air) are clear of snow and debris.
• Test ground fault circuit interrupter(s) on electrical outlets each month by pushing the test button, which should cause the reset button to pop up. Press the reset button again to restore power.
• Check your furnace and air-exchanger filters, and clean or replace them if needed.
• Have your fireplace or wood stove and chimney inspected, cleaned and serviced as needed.
• Shut down, drain and clean furnace-mounted humidifiers, and close the furnace humidifier damper on units with central air conditioning.
• Switch on power to air conditioning, check system and clean or replace air-conditioning filter, if applicable. Have it serviced every two or three years.
• Have well water tested for quality, and test for bacteria every six months or as required by local regulatory authorities.
• Check smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms, and replace their batteries.
• Clean all windows, screens and window hardware. Repair any holes in screens or replace them if necessary.
• Open the valve to the outside hose connection once any danger of frost has passed.
• Examine the foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture, and repair them if required.
• Make sure your sump pump is operating properly before the spring thaw sets in, and ensure the discharge pipe allows water to drain away from the foundation.
• Re-level any exterior steps or decks which may have moved due to frost or settling.
• Check for and seal off any holes in exterior cladding that could be an entry point for rain or small pests, such as bats and squirrels.
• Check eavestroughs and downspouts for loose joints and secure attachment to your home, clear any obstructions, and ensure water flows away from your foundation.
• Clear all drainage ditches and culverts of debris.
• Repair and paint fences as needed — allow wood to dry adequately before tackling this task.
• Carry out any spring landscaping and, if necessary, fertilize young trees.

Source: CMHC.com

So, you’re planning a renovation. Congratulations. But while you’re checking the Yellow Pages for architects and thinking about digging out the basement, don’t forget about your neighbours.

After all, they’re the ones you’ll be competing with when it comes time to sell.

Look at it this way. If a major renovation will make yours the most expensive house on the block, you may never recoup your costs when you sell.

But if your house is the neighbourhood embarrassment and you want to bring it in line with its fellows, then a major renovation is the way to go.

Scope out the neighbourhood before beginning the work. Talk about the kinds of changes happening in the area. Visit open houses.

Even better, take the dog for a long walk and check what other people are doing to their houses.

Have recently purchased properties been razed to make way for monster houses?

Are your neighbours making tasteful additions that expand their living space? Follow their lead.

That goes for fixtures as well. Homeowners are often dismayed to learn that the fixtures, hardwood floors and soaring ceilings are just too rich for their neighbourhood.

When it comes time to sell, you won’t recover the cost of granite countertops and maple floors, because the buyers who want this quality won’t be looking in your neighbourhood.

A wise man once suggested that if you buy a poor house on a good street, you’re making a great investment.

But if you buy a great house in a poor neighbourhood, well, not so much.

Keep the neighbours in mind when you’re planning your renovation and you’ll make the right decision not only for now, but also for the future.

It’s that time of year again.

The weather started chilling a few weeks ago, frost is beginning to appear on windshields in the morning, and coats, hats, and mittens are making their way out of the cupboard.

As leaves fall, gather them neatly (which your kids or dogs soon dive into and disperse again) at your curbside, to be picked up by the Town of Oakville.

The 2010 fall loose leaf collection runs from October 18 to December 3.
(Please check their website at http://www.oakville.ca/looseleaf-fall.htm for updates)

New! Fall loose leaf collection will now include expanded zone areas A, B and C. Please review the information below for dates, locations and guidelines.  Loose leaves from designated areas in Oakville will be collected as follows:

Here are their tips, straight from their website at http://www.oakville.ca/looseleaf-fall.htm

• Please ensure:
  • All loose leaves are placed on the boulevard or on the shoulder, not over catch basins or in the ditches in front of your house.
  • Leaves are free of debris and other foreign matter.
  • Leaves are put out no earlier than seven days before the first day of your pickup and no later than 7 a.m. on the first day of collection in your zone.
• Please note:
  • Homeowners are responsible for removing contaminated piles of leaves or leaves that have been put out after the collection dates.
  • Bagged leaves will be picked up with your yard waste on the same day as your garbage. Visit the waste web page on the Halton Region website to view your garbage collection schedule.
  • Only use paper yard waste bags or open, reusable, rigid containers labelled "yard waste." Yard waste in cardboard boxes, Blue Boxes, GreenCarts or plastic bags will not be collected.