Real Estate Info

As the Canadian population ages families seeking intergenerational dwellings are becoming more common in Toronto and elsewhere in the country. As most single family homes are just that – meant for only one family, it can be a challenge finding a dwelling that can comfortably accommodate in-laws as well. However, it is possible to create your own intergenerational home. Although it will require a sizeable investment, it can be done and it can mean the difference between having to find a senior home for your elderly parents and having them retain as much of their independence as possible while having the comfort and support of knowing you close by.
 
If you do decide to add an in-law suite or a complete intergenerational section to your home, you will need the proper permits to do so. Make sure you find out what the by-laws are in your municipality for such an addition as most communities have strict rules governing what can be done. There are rules covering every aspect of building additions ranging from how the facade should look to the thickness of the insulation and sound-proofing placed between the dwellings to increase privacy.
 
The other things to keep in mind when building an in-law suite is to keep it on the main level so that elderly parents won’t have to negotiate any stairs. Be sure to include railings in all hallways, the bathrooms and even the bedroom. Be sure that cupboards and counters are all placed at comfortable reaching heights so that aching joints won’t get stressed when performing mundane, everyday tasks.
 
Some things to keep in mind when planning on either purchasing a home with an intergenerational suite or adding one to your existing home is that you will have to clearly set out house rules and boundaries for both families. Small things like whether just walking in and out of each other’s spaces is okay can cause a rift if it isn’t clearly defined early on. However, having your in-laws close by can bring immense rewards and be a source of bonding between grandparents and grandchildren.

Larger numbers of Toronto seniors are opting to stay in their own homes as they age. Whereas in the past, elderly parents might have moved in with their grown children or moved into a senior’s residence, a large majority will opt to retain as much of their independence as possible by remaining in their own home. However, as parents age, they will need to have their homes retrofitted to better accommodate their changing needs. From negotiating staircases to safely using the bathroom, there are certain consideration that will have to be taken into account in order to help them retain their independence and dignity for as long as possible.
 
Falls are one of the major reasons seniors are forced out of their homes. Stairs, bathrooms, kitchens and even bedrooms can be hazardous if not proper set-up. The first thing to remember when it comes to retrofitting your home for a senior is to get rid of all loose carpeting and/or throw rugs. If there is any carpeting in the house, make sure that it is securely nailed down and be sure to get rid of any throw rugs.
 
Install secure railings along stairwells. If you have the funds, it is worth investing in an electric chair lift to get up and down stairs. If stairs have become too much of a problem, then consider moving your seniors bedroom to the same level as the kitchen and living room – as long as there is also a bathroom available on the same floor. Keeping all living quarters on the same level reduces one hazard in the form of steps.
 
To secure a bathroom make sure that the toilet bowl has an adaptive seat, so that a senior will not get stuck sitting on the bowl until help arrives to assist them up. A higher, adapted seat with railings will reduce the need for outside assistance. Be sure to install secure bars inside the bathtub as well as grips for the feet to prevent slipping. Adding a seat in the tub that allows someone to sit is also a very good idea.
 
In the kitchen be sure to keep the most used utensils including pots, pans and dinnerware in easy to reach places that eliminates the need to lift to take down from a high place. Ensure that there are rubber gloves available to help open stubborn cans. Just make sure everything is accessible.
 
Another small fix that can definitely help a senior remain in their home is to change round doorknobs for lever style knobs, which are easier to use. Lastly, make sure that they are able to use whatever telephone they have – sometimes this means getting a model with extra big numbers or where all of the important numbers are programmed in.
 
Helping a senior stay in their home for as long as possible is wonderful, if you can manage it. However, safety is the first concern and if your senior is still falling, forgetting or unable to function in their home even after the retrofitting has been done, then you will likely have to consider a safer option for them – whether it is moving in with you or going into a senior’s facility.

Toronto winters, while not as cold as elsewhere in the country, can be cold enough. Without the proper insulation a home can bleed cold air, which will in turn raise energy consumption resulting in higher heating bills. The best way to reduce your heating bill this winter is to make sure that your house is as energy efficient as possible. Sealing your windows and doors against leaks and adding insulation to cold areas are some of the best ways to get handle on those energy costs.
 
Another great way to cut down on your energy consumption is to invest is the right tools – digital thermostats are your best friend in keeping accurate track of your heating. They allow you to program your heating and cooling times so that you are not heating your home unnecessarily. When combined with an energy monitoring device that can calculate your energy consumption to help you visualize and calculate the amount of energy you are using, you will be able to greatly increase your energy efficiency.
 
Investing in an eco-power bar is a great way to ensure that electronics are unplugged and not consuming energy when not in use. Think of it this way – if window was open and letting out heat you would close it – unplugging electronics is the same idea. When plugged in they are still consuming power even if they aren’t in use.
 
Another excellent way of cutting down on your energy consumption is switching out all of your regular light bulbs for LED bulbs. Although oft-repeated in the media, many people have hung on to the higher consuming halogen and incandescent bulbs. As many people are not partial to the white light version of LED bulbs, there are many bulbs now on the market offering soft white or sunlight coloured bulbs.
 
If all else fails and your heating bill is still too high in the winter, go the old fashioned way and dress for the weather! Bundle up with sweaters and warm clothing while at home so that you can keep your thermostat lower.

Winter winds in Toronto can wreck havoc with the energy efficiency of your home. Ensuring that your bill doesn’t spike due to a loss of heat from leaky windows is easily done. There are several ways of insulating your windows from the cold air and preventing heat loss. Here we will explore the pros and cons of several of the most common methods. Naturally the best way to ensure that you have energy efficient windows is to change any old windows for the new, low-e gas filled ones that are super efficient. However, if you don’t have the means for such drastic measures, read on for other solutions.
 
Rubber weather sealing: Easy to use and very convenient, rubber weather sealing is one of the simplest ways of securing your windows for the winter. All you need to do is buy a role at your local hardware store. Cut to the appropriate lengths for your windows, peel the backing tape and then fill in the gaps. The only drawback to rubber weather sealing is that it could leave a sticky residue when you remove it and occasionally it can remove the paint as well.
 
Window insulation film: window insulation film is a plastic shrink wrap product that you apply around the windows with two-sided tape. A hair dryer is then used to shrink the wrap around the windows sealing out the cold. Easy and effective, these kits are readily available any Toronto hardware store. The only drawback with this, would be the plastic look and blurriness that it gives to your windows.
 
Cellular shades: the cellular shades are another clever option for keeping out the cold during the winter months. They let in light, keep out the cold and are attractive. The drawback with these is that they can be tricky to install and don’t go with all room decors.
 
Draft snakes: draft snakes are are some of the most unique draft stoppers around. Whimsical, fun and colour they can be made or purchased. They can be tailored to fit any decor and are easily applied and removed. The only problem with these draft snakes is that they are only applied to the bottom of the window sills and cannot stop gaps found elsewhere along the window edge.
 
Lastly, layered curtains are another way of keeping out the cold. Heavy fabrics or those with insulated backings can be just as effective at keeping our winter’s chill as any of the other methods discussed over here. However, they could be expensive to purchase and do block out the light.
 
No matter what method you choose of insulated your windows against the cold, just remember that you must choose one if you would keep your home warm and cosy and your heating expenses down.

Winter in Toronto means deicing driveways and walkways. However, knowing what the best products for this job are is not always clear. Let’s look at the options.
 
Currently there are three commonly used items for deicing – rock salt, sand and acetate based deicers.
 
Rock salt is the most commonly used form of deicer – readily available at any store. While rock salt is perfectly fine for use on asphalt it is probably the worst thing to use on concrete. Since concrete is a porous compound water is quickly absorbed by it. If it then encounters a sudden freeze, concrete can crack and break apart. Since salt is meant to thaw ice, the resulting water will likely be absorbed by the concrete on which it is sitting and should a freeze come along, then your driveway/walkway is in trouble. However, using rock salt on asphalt is perfectly fine.
 
Sand is your best bet if you are wanting to deice your concrete Toronto driveway or walkway. Sand will not melt the ice but it will create traction so that you are better able to walk on it.
 
Acetate based deicers are slowly gaining more ground in the market, but they are not very good for the water supply and should be used with caution – although they are the better choice if you have concrete on your property.
 
If you have the means, then installing a heated driveway and walkway will solve your deicing woes and provide you with a slip-free path all winter long. However, if such a costly option is not something you can entertain, then and if you are really concerned about preserving your concrete or asphalt then your best bet is to simply clean snow and ice off your property as it falls. If you don’t let the snow accumulate, you won’t have to worry about deicing.

Temporary car shelters in Toronto are interesting structures that are certainly very convenient, but not always considered aesthetically pleasing. While they might know of the value of having a carport, many homeowner’s are not sure whether it is a sound investment to make. The answer will really depend on several factors.
 
Regardless of whether a home has a garage or not, many people opt to purchase a temporary car shelter to erect in the winter. Temporary car shelters are quick fixes to the problem of snow removal. Those who prefer not to hire a snow removal company to deal with the snow that inevitably piles up during a typical Toronto winter, might consider a temporary car shelter as the best alternative to constantly shoveling out.
 
The pros of having a temporary car shelter include:
Protecting your car from snow and ice
Reducing the need to shovel out after snowfalls
Protecting your driveway from the salt you would strew to melt ice
Once it is paid off, you don’t have to pay for yearly snow removal
 
The cons of having a temporary car shelter include:
Not aesthetically pleasing
Can be restricting
Might not be allowed by your municipality
 
Overall, owning a temporary car shelter is certainly worth the price you pay for them. Not only will they create a snow-free zone for your vehicle, they will save you from having to spend hours of back-breaking labour shovelling out after a snowfall and they will last a long time.

It’s autumn in Toronto and whether we want to accept it or not, winter is just around the corner. As we all know winter brings with it mountains of snow that can be really irksome for homeowners who are stuck having to shovel it all away. One of the best investments a homeowner can make is paying for snow removal. Now, most people would rather shovel their drive or walkway themselves instead of paying for snow removal, however, there are certain advantages to having a removal service that make the outlay of funds worth every penny.
 
1 – You don’t have to wake up early on heavy snowfall days to shovel out your driveway – a Toronto-based snow removal service will usually have your drive cleared long before you wake up so that you simply have to wake-up, warm up your car and leave for work as per usual.
 
2 – What would take you an hour or more, depending on the size of your driveway, will take a service just minutes to clear.
 
3 – A service will pile the snow up easily in the most convenient place – you won’t have to figure out where to put the snow.
 
4 – If a street cleaner comes by and blocks up your driveway after it’s been cleared, you just have to call up your service to have them clear it again. If you don’t have a service, all your hard work will be for naught and you would have to start shovelling again.
 
Naturally, if you do consider hiring a snow removal service it is worth investigating any company you are considering as they all provide different services and price will vary. The best way to get a sense of a company’s service is to talk to their clients. Ask your friends and neighbours for recommendations and always ask for referrals before signing on the dotted line.
 
A snow removal service can be a homeowner’s best friend during the harshest winter months.

Owning a cottage in Ontario is a dream larger numbers of people are achieving. Given the current high values of properties in Toronto, more people are opting to live in smaller homes in the city and splurge on their cottage. While the thought of having a tranquil lake or country garden to gaze upon from your porch, the reality is that deer are drawn to most cottage gardens – and for the very same reasons that attract us into planting them! Deer tend to have the same taste in natural habitat as humans – they prefer grassy meadows dotted with trees and full of colour shrubs and flowers; chances are that I’ve just described your Ontario cottage garden.
 
There are measures you can take to ward deer away. You can start off small with repellents and can increase the potency of the measures taken given how persistent and damaging the deer interest in your garden becomes. Keep in mind that the more freely deer can access and munch in your garden the greater the damage will become as they will associate your land with a free buffet filled with variety and easy access. The trick is to take measures to withstand any deer interest from the moment you see deer start hanging around.
 
The first thing to do would be to try deer repellents. Deer are not partial to either rotten eggs or garlic. If you’re not fond of the notion of smelling rotten eggs each time you step outside, you can always purchase repellents specifically designed with the smells that repel deer. You can hang these products outside around the perimeter of your garden to keep deer at bay.
 
You can also try to avoid planting a deer’s favorite food. Some of those plants that deer are especially attracted to include cedar, yew, fruit trees, lilies and hostas. They don’t much care for thorny plants and those with rubbery leaves, but if there is a lack of food in your area, then they really won’t be too picky.
 
Another good deterrent is fright. Deer startle easily so setting up some kind of noise maker system around your property that is triggered when a deer crosses it would help tremendously. However, deer are also quite bright and if the noise is always coming from the same spot, they will learn to grow accustomed to it and not bother with it anymore. Owning a dog is a fantastic deterrent but, obviously, not everyone can or wants to own a dog.
 
Lastly you can always put up fencing. Make sure that any fence is at least seven feet high as deer are very good jumpers. As they will try to go through the fence, make sure that it is secure fixed to wood or metal posts and that it goes all the way to the ground. Double fencing is another good deterrent. Deer tend to get messed up with double fencing and tend to not even try accessing those gardens that are double fenced.
 
Deer are beautiful and part of the natural landscape that we all crave when we are in the country – except when they are destroying our beloved gardens.

You have a cottage you want to sell in Ontario? You are among a rare lot. There is currently a lack of cottage sellers in the most sought-after regions of cottage country. However, just because you have a cottage, want to sell and there are more buyers than properties, doesn’t mean that you are automatically guaranteed a lucrative offer and quick sale. You have to prepare your cottage for the market. After all, while you might have an emotional attachment to your place, no one else does. You’ll have to convince potential sellers that yours is the place for building their future memories.
 
We gathered together a few tips for getting the most from your cottage sale from some cottage realty experts. Their advice is a lot of common sense and much of what you would do if you were selling in the city.
 
1. Declutter! Get rid of your knick-knacks, the mismatched bedding and the junk yard finds. Today’s cottage buyers are looking for a more contemporary cottage experience and you have to show them the potential of what your place has to offer.
2. Fix it up! If there are any repairs that need to be done, take care of them immediately. Patch any holes, fix up the roof and caulk the windows. Make sure that the place is more-or-less move-in-ready. Although any buyer will want to put their own stamp on a resale property, the major work should be done.
3. Clean the grounds! If you have a yard, make sure that it has been raked, the flower beds are trimmed and any wood pile is neatly stored. Get rid of toys and make put out a few flower pots if necessary to up the curbside appeal.
4. Get rid of dead or diseased trees. Walk around your property and check to see whether there are any tree hazards – trees that could potentially fall during the next storm and cause damage to any part of the property. If there are questionable trees near the home, be sure to trim the offending branches or cut down the risky tree.
5. Stage it! If at all possible, consider staging your cottage to attract the right kind of buyer. Although it might not seem like a necessity, staging a property can mean the difference between getting your asking price or choosing from the next highest offer.
 
Lastly, unless you are selling in order to move to another cottage, you can always sweeten the deal by throwing in whatever seasonal gear you have, such as skiis, canoes, jet skis, etc…
 
Selling your cottage can be very lucrative in the current resale cottage market in Ontario where so many buyers are eschewing the purchase of a primary residence in the city due to prohibitive costs. Instead, cottage country where the lots are bigger and the lifestyle more relaxed has become the big draw.
 
Finally, engaging the services of a realtor specialized in cottages is probably the best thing you can do.