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Proper seating for a home office

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If you have been forced to work from your Toronto home because of the Covid 19 situation, you have likely realized that having a proper work space is crucial to your productivity. And, one of the main factors when setting up a home office is having a good work chair. When you consider that you will be sitting for about 8 hours every day on your chair, it becomes clear that having the right support and proper cushioning for your needs is necessary for maintaining a healthy body while you work.

First off, what should you look for in a chair? Simple, your chair should have:

Adjustability: you should be able to adjust every part of the chair from the arm rests to the recline tension to get the optimal settings for your physique.
Lumbar support: get a chair that provides adequate support for your lower back. If you are able to adjust the amount of support you get, even better!
Base: get wheels! Unless you want to scratch up your floor, wheels are very important in an office chair. And, if your floor is carpeted, wheels will also make it easier to move around.
Swivel feature: being able to swivel at your desk will give you a greater range of motion and will make reaching for various items on your desk that much easier.
Breathability: sure leather chairs look great – but having a breathable fabric will be more comfortable over the long run and over long periods of time.

Now let’s look at what your posture should be while you are sitting. Your chair should allow your feet to be planted flat on the floor so that your knees and hips are in line. Your hips should be as far back on the seat as possible and the back of the chair should be slighting reclined, so that you are not sitting at a ninety degree angle. Your keyboard and monitor should both be directly in front of you. Your monitor should be slightly higher than eye level, as this will relieve pressure in your neck. Your shoulders should be relaxed. If you catch yourself rounding them or raising them, get up and shake them out before sitting down again. Rounding or raising your shoulders can result in injury.

Now you can go out and get yourself the perfect chair for your Toronto home office.

Image by Alexander Stein from Pixabay

CMHC tightens mortgage rules

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The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced last week that as of July 1 they would be tightening the lending criteria for anyone wishing to purchase a property. The government-backed agency made the move amid growing concern that housing price continue to increase rapidly despite many Canadians being out of work due to the Covid 19 crisis.

As of July 1st, the CMHC plans to increase the minimum credit score required from the current 600 to 680. It will also strictly enforce the 35% of annual income limit of gross debt servicing ratio as well as the total debt servicing ratio of 42%. Right now those ratios can go as high as 39% and 44% respectively.

The biggest surprise about the announcement last week was that the minimum downpayment required for homebuyers has remained at 5% of total home cost as many analysts believed that it would be increased to 10%.

They are also disallowing any non-traditional sources of down payment that, in their words, “increase indebtedness”.

The housing market has continued to see price growth despite the levelling off of buying/selling activity, driven mainly by a lack of inventory making available homes worth more than ever. However, the CMHC does not believe that this growth is sustainable and is introducing these new measures to dampen price increases despite the on-going Covid pandemic.

Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cmhc-rules-1.5599987
https://www.canadianmortgagetrends.com/2020/06/reaction-cmhcs-new-restrictions-insured-mortgages/

How to be productive while working from home

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Since Toronto was locked down in March, many people have been asked to work from home. Working from home comes naturally to some people, and can be a real struggle for others. The way to ensure efficient and productive time in your home office requires just a little effort. With the right structure in place, you can get just as much done while working at home as you could in an office. Here are a few guidelines that will help you maximize your time and get the most out of your work-at-home experience.

Create routine
Just because you don’t have to get dressed in the morning, doesn’t mean you should indulge in wearing pyjamas all day. Getting up at your usual time and getting ready just as you would if you were leaving the house will get you mentally prepared to work. It will also make your home feel more like an office. Make sure to schedule in your breaks, including a lunch hour, and stick to them. Don’t let housework, kids, and friends distract you.

Set boundaries
It is very easy for family members to see you working from home and assume that you are free to make them lunch, do laundry, drive them to a friend’s house, mail a letter, etc… A good way to prevent these interruptions – especially if you have important calls or meetings to attend is to alert everyone to your schedule. Let your family know that between XX time and XX time you are “at work” and should not be disturbed. You can also create a system that signals when you can be interrupted (emergencies) and when you can’t. It can be as simple as hanging a “do not disturb” sign outside your office.

Prioritize your work
Having a schedule of what needs to get done each day, will give you a clear goal to reach and will help you focus. Without a good schedule, it is very easy to lose track of important deadlines and priorities.

Have a dedicated workstation
Designating one spot in your home as your office is the best way to ensure success while working from home. Make sure you have a large enough desk or table, plenty of light and a comfortable, supportive work chair.

Keep in touch with boss and coworkers
Working from home can be isolating, so it is good to keep in touch with your boss and your coworkers daily. Touch base with them frequently during the day.

Working from home definitely has its advantages. As long as you are able to create that workspace that helps you concentrate and you stick to a routine, you’ll find that you can be just as productive – if not moreso, from the comfort of home.

Creating a functional home office

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The corona virus has forced many Toronto employers to modify how they operate. Social distancing has required greater numbers of people to work from home. However we are not all set up for efficient and productive working from home. If you find yourself in this situation, we will cover a few ideas to help you create a comfortable and functional workspace until you are able to return to an office full-time.

Your needs
Write down exactly what you need from your office space. Do you need a large surface for reference material or files? Do you need quiet? Do you require a window or would that distract you? How susceptible are you to distraction? Do you need to elevate your feet? What kind of lumbar support do you require? Knowing what the functional needs of your office space are will help you decide on where and how to set your space up.
Find inspiration
The internet is a great place for finding ideas for your own home. However, bear in mind that sometimes what works well in a photo might not be the most functional when it comes to actually working. For instance, if you work with a lot of files, documents or reference material, then opting for a small but attractive antique desk might not be your best option. Colour is another essential component to any successful office space. Unless you work well with a lot of stimulation, then opting for a tranquil and subdued palette is a better option than a bright, primary hue. No matter what designs you find that inspire you, it is best to adapt them to suit your personality and needs.
Lighting
Lighting is a very important element of any office space. While natural light is crucial to your well-being, having some form of table lamp is necessary to supplement the darker hours of the day or to brighten up regular household lighting, which tends to be designed for ambiance instead of work.
Comfort
It is impossible to work if you are uncomfortable. If you don’t already have a good office chair, then you might want to invest in one. Being well supported is necessary if you are going to spend long hours of the day sitting down. If you need to elevate your feet, then having a good foot rest is crucial to acquire as well.
Storage
Find good ways of storing your work implements. If you are a messy worker, then you might want to invest in a desk that can be closed up at the end of the day to hide your mess. Otherwise you can get colour coordinated boxes that can be stored away neatly until you need them again. Whatever you choose, find a solution that matches your work habits.

If you have to share a workspace with someone else in your home, it might be a good idea to find alternate space in your home to work. If that is not possible, you can create an easy room divider to help delineate your respective spaces. Another idea is to try working at different times of the day so that you don’t interrupt each other.

Remember that creating a routine is also very important to successfully working from home. Getting up, getting dressed and following the same schedule you would if you were leaving the house for work, will help you be more productive and keep you happier over the long run.

You can be productive and efficient while working from home – as long as you plan your space properly and follow a routine.

What will a post-pandemic real estate industry look like

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The Toronto real estate market has seen sales drop by 69% in the last four weeks according to
Canadian Mortgage Trends. The impact of social distancing and self-isolation have clearly taken their toll on the once vibrant property game. In fact, at the beginning of 2020, it was poised to have a stellar year with prices heating up to levels not seen since 2016. What, given the current situation and possible future of continued social distancing, will the Toronto real estate market look like once we turn the corner on this pandemic?

Should directives for social distancing remain in place, it is evident the technologies that facilitate virtual home visits will see an uptick in popularity. Virtual home tours and 3D tours are one of the best ways to showcase a property so that potential buyers get a real sense of what the home has to offer and what it is like to walk through it. The advantage of these “virtual” open houses tours is that buyers can ask questions about what they are seeing and get immediate feedback. Agents can also give commentary and point out highlights as they go along.

Another technological innovation that has come into use recently is the virtual open-house using platforms such as Zoom or Messenger. Buyer’s either join a scheduled open house and can “walk-through” the property with the agent in real-time along with other buyers or they can request a private walk-through just for themselves.

With the start of social distancing, many brokerages and agents have also ceased accepting checks as payment – moving forward, you can expect these measures to remain in place and for all monetary transactions to be done electronically.

After the pandemic, agents who wish to go back to conducting open-houses will likely have to schedule time slots for their buyers so that listing agents can minimize the number of visitors to the home at a time.

It is clear that things will have to change following the pandemic, however, there will always be a way around whatever safeguards are in place for our health. Agents and brokers will find the tools necessary to assist buyers in finding the right home for their families.

Rules for hosting an open house during a pandemic

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Toronto residents are being asked to social distance, to avoid gathering in groups and, if possible, to find alternatives to open houses when showcasing a new property on the market. While agents are being encouraged to use virtual tours and online galleries to display the homes they have listed, if your agent does want to hold an open house for a limited number of very select and serious buyers, then finding a way to to make the situation work for you is imperative at this time.

Here a few guidelines to follow if your agent insists on an open house:

1. Provide gloves and masks at the door that anyone who enters has to wear before setting foot in your home. Don’t forget to put a bag-lined garbage bin outside your home so that prospective buyers can discard the gloves and masks on their way out. And, have a pump bottle of hand sanitizer available as well so that people can disinfectant their hands before leaving.
2. Have a welcome mat at the foyer where people can remove their shoes so that they don’t track any potential germs around your home.
3. Insist that only one couple at a time be allowed into your home – it would be best to set-up meeting times at 20-minute intervals so that people don’t all come at once.
4. Ask your realtor to minimize the number of people touching your fixtures and handles by pre-empting and opening closets and doors for prospective buyers and closing things after they have looked inside.
5. Allow only those buyers who have a serious interest and/or intent on your home to visit. They should be prequalified for a loan and ready to make an offer if they want to attend the open-house. By insisting on intent, you will weed out the serious buyers from those who just want to look around.

After the open house:

– Wear gloves and a mask to dispose of the garbage containing used gloves and masks.
– Spray the hand sanitizer with disinfectant spray if you want to keep it or discard entirely.
– Roll up the welcome mat and store outside for a few days to kill any germs before bringing it back inside.
– Disinfect all door/cabinet handles, light switches and any other surfaces that would have been touched during a visit.
– Mop floors with a disinfectant.
– Open windows to air out rooms.

If you follow these simple precautions, you should be able to protect your home from any unwanted germs being tracked in during an open house. However, the first and best alternative is a virtual tour of your home. When done properly a virtual tour can be as realistic as being there in person. Contact Imaginahome for more information on how a virtual tour of your properties can work for you.

How the covid 19 pandemic is affecting the Toronto real estate market

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Toronto is currently under orders to distance socially and to self-isolate. Naturally, such measures will impact the hottest home buying season of the year. In fact, although real estate agents and brokers have been deemed essential services and can continue working, authorities have asked them to cancel any planned open houses and to prioritize virtual showings and meetings. But, will buyers and sellers actually want to venture into the market at this time?

According to a recent Global News report February home sales were up nearly 27% from a year ago and the average home price had risen by 15%. However, recently agents and brokers are witnessing a lack of enthusiasm from buyers and sellers who are not keen on either listing their homes or visiting homes at this time. Even with measures in place requiring agencies to disinfect doorknobs, railings and other often touched surfaces, and, despite measures asking agents to stand at least 6 feet away from sellers or buyers, there is a lack of motivation right now.

The only people who are likely on the market are those who had already bought a house and desperately need to sell theirs in order for the financing to fall into place or those who have sold their house and need to find another one before being forced to vacate. Those who don’t need to buy or sell right away are putting their plans on hold – especially now with the uncertainty of where the economy is headed and whether all those who have been temporarily laid off will be rehired or will have to look for new work.

There are too many uncertainties currently to truly understand the long-term impact of this situation on the housing market. We can only hope that it will be minimal and that once the self-isolation requirements have been lifted that we will be able to get back to a normal sales season.

Keeping your home mold-free

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Mold is that insidious substance that is found in every home and which thrives on moisture and dark spaces. Molds can be detrimental to a person’s health and can be serious for people with underlying pulmonary conditions such as asthma or COPD. Mold can also trigger allergies that resemble other, more common allergies. It can manifest in:

A stuffy nose
Eye irritation
Coughing
Sore throats

Some forms of mold can also cause a bacterial form of pneumonia.

Understanding this, it is crucial to ensure that mold is stopped in its tracks anywhere it might start forming in your home. It is important to check those areas that mold tends to favor including under sinks, behind toilets, in bathrooms and around dishwashers and washing machines – in short anywhere there is a regular source of running water. Mold can also form around outside windows and door frames where leaks might go undetected until the water source is stopped.

The best way to prevent mold from forming is to keep all of these areas as dry as possible. Don’t let water stand and wipe down wet surfaces whenever you see them. When showering, turn on the fan before you shower and let it run for at least twenty minutes after your shower to properly clear the air of moisture.

If you do spot mold, you should deal with it immediately. Both bleach and vinegar are very effective at killing mold, but vinegar is better at doing so on porous surfaces where it can seep into the surface and kill the mold deep down. To clean mold be sure to wear rubber gloves and a face mask as when mold is disturbed it will rise into the air and can very easily be breathed in.

Use a solution of 1liter water to ½ a cup of either bleach or vinegar and scrub at the mold spots until they are gone. Once the spots are gone, let the solution dry on the surface to fully penetrate it and kill whatever is beneath the surface. Repeat as often as necessary to kill all of the spores.

As long as you prevent the conditions for mold forming, are proactively about cleaning any that you see right away and are vigilant about keeping moisture away from hot spots, you can live mold-free.

Spring cleaning: kitchen cabinets

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Toronto is still in the icy grip of winter, but February is drawing to a close and spring is just around the corner – no better time than now to get a head start on your spring cleaning. Over the winter our homes are generally closed up and tend to gather in all of the dust, pet dander, cobwebs and clutter than we don’t have the wherewithal to tackle when the sun sets at 4pm. However, with the days getting longer and the promise of warmer weather tantalisingly close, it makes sense to start getting your home in order for the summer.

The best place to start your Toronto home spring cleaning is in your kitchen. One of the most heavily used areas of any home is the kitchen and with high traffic, cooking and baking, it is no wonder that after a season of use it can stand a good cleaning.

Start by emptying your cupboards – one at a time, and triaging the contents. Keep only those items that you use on a daily/weekly or monthly basis. The one-off items that you use occasionally when making special dishes should be put away in a store room or garage. Before putting away the contents of the cupboard make sure to clean them first using a grease cutting soap and hot water and dry with a clean cloth. Repeat with each cupboard and then move on to the drawers.

Once the interior of the kitchen is washed, it is time to tackle the exterior of your cabinets. Again, use a good greasing cutting detergent (even citrus essential oils are excellent at grease-cutting) with hot water. Clean each cabinet and wipe dry. For the hardware and fixtures it is best to mix 1 part vinegar to 1 part hot water as it will leave them sparkling and shiny without a film. If you have any glass, you can use the vinegar/water solution and dry with a newspaper for a streak-free finish – but be careful around the edges of the cabinets as the ink from the newsprint can transfer onto the cabinets themselves. Be sure to only use the newsprint to dry glass.

After your cabinets are sparkling, it is time to tackle your appliances. Unless they are built-in to your decor it is best to pull your appliances out of their resting places and clean behind them before next washing their exterior surfaces and then moving to the inside. If your stove doesn’t have a self-cleaning function, you can use commercially available over cleaners. The same holds true with refrigerators and microwaves – although these appliances can also simply be washed using soap and water.

When you have spruced up your kitchen, it will give you the boost you need to tackle every other room in your home – and make cooking that much more enjoyable.

Safeguarding your house before and after a storm

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Winter weather can wreak havoc on your Toronto home. It is very important to prepare for any storms before and after. Before the weather event you need to seal any cracks and make sure water pathways are clear. Afterwards, check your structure to make sure there are no dangers lurking from accumulated snow and/or water. So, after any big storm, it is very important to check for the following:

Snow accumulation
Any accumulated snow should be removed immediately from roofs and eaves. Snow is very heavy and if too much sits on your roof it can put stress on joints. Telltale signs that your roof is under too much strain:
Sudden cracks above door frames that weren’t there before
Doors that won’t close properly

If you see either of these two signs, definitely go out and remove the snow from your roof – and if you aren’t able to do so yourself, then you should hire a professional to get it done.

Water accumulation
If there is snow on your roof or in your eaves and the weather warms and it starts to melt it can also damage your roof. A give-away that water is accumulating on your roof is water damage on your ceilings. Again it would be crucial to get the snow off your roof and then to call in a roofer to have it assessed and to check for weak points at which the water was able to get in.

Other things that you need to watch for when there is a storm is water seepage caused by burst pipes or infiltrating your home through cracks. Should you spot any water infiltration, you need to act immediately because mold can set in within 24-48 hours. Another big risk with water is electrical damage. Water can cause your wiring to spark – which would result in a fire inside your walls.

For all of these reasons, it is important to safeguard your home before and after a storm. For more interesting blogs on Toronto real estate, try https://blog.feedspot.com/toronto_real_estate_blogs/.