Ottawa Real Estate - Homes & Land

Conspicuous Consumption to Consciencious Consumerism. Need a moment? Ok, we'll call it the 4Cs. Back in the day when Baby Boomers were calling the shots, real estate had a much different perspective. Rising land costs somehow translated to requiring larger homes. It also was a measure of success; take that Mr. Jones! The average size of ...

Happy to announce the error to cancel the program last year has been corrected in this week's federal budget; As soon as the details are published I will re-enter them onto my Green Living page. There are some serious rebates available for pretty much all a home needs to improve its energy efficiency. I have a geo-thermal system at home that ...

Up to one third of the heat generated in a house is lost through the roof, walls and ceiling. Add insulation to R-values of 32 or more. Ceiling fans, up in the summer. down in the winter. New windows and doors can be expensive; as an alternative caulk and weatherstrip leaky windows and doors. On the sunny side of the house, open the window ...

Electrical appliances use a whopping 30% of energy in a typical home, with the fridge taking up 8% of that. New appliances are up to 3 times more efficient. Only run the dishwasher when it is full. Now that summer is here fire up the BBQ whenever you can to give the stovetop/oven a rest. Microwave the side dishes. Tomorrow - Bedrooms and ...

Let's start at the bottom and work our way up. The basement - don't wait until your furnace ceases to operate; if it's more than 15 years old consider replacing it. Newer models typically run at 90% efficiency compared with older ones at around 60%. Then keep it maintained yearly. Turn down the heat on the hot water tank, it's a ...

And then you won't move. Kitchens are the centerpiece of a good home, which is why many feel it is necessary to spend a gazillion dollars, the alternative being to let them age not so gracefully. It doesn't have to be that way. Read on:The kitchen sink and hood fan are two fixtures that tend to stay, well, fixed. A stainless steel sink ...

There are lots of ways to give your home appeal when getting ready to put it on the market. The easiest is to pay someone a million dollars to do it, great if you have a 20 million dollar palace! Or upgrade kitchens, baths, flooring, etc. for a mere two million dollars! Or.... do the following at no cost !!Turn plants inward from windows for ...

Preparing a home for sale has become a business unto itself, and can get pricey when having it done professionally. For higher end homes there is an efficiency of scale so it can be worthwhile the cost. For homes under $500k, and for those so inclined, here are some inexpensive ways to attract Buyers through curb appeal:Power wash the exterior, ...

With Spring approaching in Ottawa, many homeowners are beginning the process of making their properties available for sale. Decluttering is, and should be, the first order of the day; you're moving anyway so get all that stuff in boxes now! Thoughts then turn to how buyers see your home, and this is where it can get expensive. New flooring, ...

I see a lot of online variations of this old classic but few for home sellers which must make them feel, well, out in the cold. So in the spirit of the Holidays here is my rendition. The fact I'm a Realtor is purely coincidental. On the first day of Christmas my Agent gave to me - a promise of a really fast sale. On the second day of ...