All The Single Ladies

What do women want in regards to the housing market? More often than not, a gargantuan walk-in closet and endless interior design possibilities would satisfy most women. 

An article titled How single women- and what they want - are shaping the new housing market in The 
Globe and Mail outline this trend in more detail. What is particularly interesting to note is that on the whole, single women are expecting more features and amenities for their home and approximately one-third of all condo sales in Canadian cities have been made by women in their 20s.

What used to be a niche market is one that is the fastest growing, and according to a Royal Bank of Canada poll that was released last May, women are 49% more likely to purchase their first home home in the next two years compared to men at 35%. According to that same study performed by The Globe and Mail, here is a quick list of what women are looking for in their new home:

• A better location will trump square footage: Neighbourhoods that are more established generally have more amenities, have a great walkability and feel safer. Gyms in particular are of high interest.
• Security present: Closely related to the last point, having a place that is well-lit with a concierge add to the wanted need to feel safer.
• Closet space: An unspoken given. Bigger is better!
• Design options: The home must have a unified theme that looks great over all but does not overlook the finer details.

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How to Get a Sparkling Clean Bathroom

Nestperts Jerri Farris and Donna Smallin

Tackling bathroom grit and grime may not be how you like to spend your weekend, but hey, it must be done. Here's how to do it fast:

The Routine:

• Shower: Spray shower/tub with a scrub-free cleanser. Let it stand 10 minutes. 
• Mirrors: Use glass cleaner and wipe with newsprint. 
• Countertops: Wipe down the vanity and counters with an all-purpose disinfectant.  
• Toilet: Spray all outside surfaces and lid with a disinfectant spray; then squeeze in bowl cleaner and let it sit 10 minutes. Flush.
• Sink: The faucet and fixture can be polished with a microfiber cloth. For the basin, a cloth dampened with white vinegar will do the trick. 
• Floors: Mop with 1 gallon of plain water mixed with a squirt of dishwashing soap. 
  
• Medicine chest: Toss what's old or expired and wipe down the shelves.
• Showerhead: Fill a zip-top bag with white vinegar and attach it to the showerhead with a rubber band. The next morning, clean it with a toothbrush.

Tricks of the Trade:

• Before you go to bed, pour 1 cup of vinegar into the toilet bowl. When you wake up the next day, brush and flush.  
• Let the hot water run in your shower for a couple of minutes before you dive in with your scrub brush. The steam will loosen dirt and grime. 
• Mix 1 part chlorine bleach with 10 parts water, brush it onto moldy grout with an old soft-bristled toothbrush, let it sit for 10 minutes, then scour with the brush. 
• Prevent stubborn water spots on your shower door by coating the glass with Rain-X. The water will bead up and roll off. 
• Got ring-around-the-bowl? Rub a pumice stick around the porcelain.  
• Throw moldy shower liners into the wash along with an old towel to loosen soap scum; run with hot water. Hang to air dry.

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How do you know when you are ready to buy?

Courtesy The Hamilton Spectator

How do you know if you're ready to own a home? Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you consider buying your first home.

Can you pay for it?
You might think this question is self-evident, but deciding whether you can pay for a home involves more than being able to afford the sticker price. For an idea on what your monthly mortgage payments would be on homes in different price ranges, use an online mortgage payment calculator like the one offered at www.canadamortgage.com Keep in mind that such programs only give an estimate of what you can expect to pay and don’t include all homeowner expenses.

Can you get a favourable loan?
If you have a good credit history chances are you can qualify for a loan with a lower interest rate and more favourable repayment structure. If you are considering buying a home, review your credit report and make sure there aren't any undeserved blemishes. Work to bring your credit to the highest rating possible before applying for a home loan. Take the time to educate yourself about the different types of loans available and beware of any mortgage that carries an adjustable rate, as this could cause your payments to balloon where you don't expect it.

Are you ready to maintain a home?
When you're renting, any problem with your property ideally is taken care of with a call to the landlord. When you own your home, that burden falls on you. Make sure you have the time and money to deal with household fixes, as letting you house deteriorate can severely affect the value of your property, not to mention your standard of living.

What’s the market like in your neighbourhood?
Compare what you would pay renting to what you would pay on a mortgage for a similar space, If mortgage payments would be considerably less than monthly payments on a lease, chances are the market is good for home buyers.

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First time homebuyers refund eligibility

ATTENTION FIRST-TIME BUYERS...

First time homebuyers may be eligible for a refund of Provincial land transfer tax, up to a maximum of $2,000.00. To qualify, you (or your spouse) must: 

1) be at least 18 years of age; 
2) occupy the home as your principal residence within 9 months of the date of transfer; and 3) never have owned a home, or an interest in a home, anywhere in the world. If you are a “spouse”, and have owned a home, your partner may claim a refund up to the maximum if they meet the above requirements, as long as you did not own a home while you were each other’s “spouse”. “Spouse” includes 2 persons married to each other or 2 persons who have cohabited continuously for a period of more than 3 years or in a relationship of some permanence, if they are natural or adoptive parents of a child. 

The refund is usually claimed at the time of registration. If not, a refund claim may be made directly to the Ministry of Finance within 18 months after the date of transfer. 

...It’s The Law! 

Shaping Up for Selling

Courtesy The Hamilton Spectator 

First impressions are important and the same holds true when you are showcasing your home for a potential sale. While larger home improvement projects are often necessary to catch the eye of someone in the market for a new home, they require a great deal of time and money. Sometimes simple cleaning and organization is all that is needed for your home to become more appealing to potential buyers.

Home staging expert and TLC host Lisa Lynch says giving the perception of clean home is of utmost importance for people looking to sell or rent their homes.

"Presenting a sparkling clean property gives the impression that it was well maintained," says Lynch.

"This gives potential buyers and renters a feeling of security. Often they will pay a premium for a place that has been well-maintained and has a clean appearance."

LYNCH OFFERS THESE TIPS TO IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS AND CONVINCE POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT YOU TOOK OUTSTANDING CARE OF YOUR HOME:

Simplify

Begin by de-cluttering your home. By removing personal items that might distract prospective buyers, you’ll help them focus on how they think the home might look when they move in. You don't want buyers to focus on possessions that you’ll be taking with you when you move. 

Neutralize

When showing your home to others, it's best to set your personal tastes aside by decorating in a way that will appeal to a broad range of people. Think about replacing strong patterns with solid colours on items like bedding, carpets and. drapes. It might also be a good call to store that dramatic piece of art somewhere out of sight. You can show it off again when you move into your new house.

A Photogenic Home

Many potential buyers will make decisions on which homes they would like to look at by looking at photos posted online. Do whatever you can to make your home sparkle in the images you and your real estate agent select for your listing. Focus on glass and metal surfaces that will add shine to your photos.

Areas That Must Sparkle

While it’s important to keep the entire home spotless, there are two rooms in particular that require special attention: the kitchen and the bathroom. In a recent survey, Mr. Clean asked consumers which room they would clean first if moving into a new home. Of more than 

1, 000 participants an impressive 41 per cent responded the kitchen and 38 per cent said the bathroom. When selling your home, it is important to make the extra effort in these two rooms; you’ll never know if it will make or break a deal.

Scent

Whether they know it or not, people entering home will notice more than just appearances. Attractive scents can create good feelings. Candles, diffusers, potpourri and cookies all offer inviting and fan aromas. Use a cleaner with a pleasant scent to keep home smelling fresh.

Details Matter

Eliminate any small imperfections that might cause uneasiness with potential buyers by replacing broken light bulbs, fixing loose doorknobs or getting your closet door moving smoothly on it tracks. Even something as minor as a little mess in the microwave could turn off a prospective renter or buyer, so make sure every place you can think of is squeaky clean. Since first impressions are  so important, having your home properly cleaned and staged will help you make a sale or rental more quickly and net the price you deserve.

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4 Myths about Common-Law Relationships

Common-law relationships typically refer to couples that live together in an arrangement akin to marriage, but without an actual ceremony or legal documents.

However, the notion of living “common law” is a complicated one, and its meaning varies greatly across Canada.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest misconceptions about common-law partnerships.

1. Common-law unions are the same across the country.

Legally, common-law relationships fall under provincial jurisdiction, and so what constitutes such a relationship and how it is viewed legally differs greatly from province to province.

In order for a couple to have common-law standing in Ontario and Manitoba, they must be living together in a conjugal relationship for three years or more, or one year with a child. 

Ontario Justice Harvey Brownstone said there is no registration in his home province. In fact, as he points out, in Ontario, “common law” is more of a vernacular term.

“There is no such thing as ‘common law’ in Ontario law — that term doesn’t exist,” he said.

Quebec is the only province that does not recognize common-law relationships. 

2. In the event of a break-up, assets are divvied up.

Living together in a relationship similar to marriage may make you “common law” in most provinces, but it does nothing with regards to the division of property acquired during the relationship unless a cohabitation agreement or some other form of legal agreement was made between the couple.

In Ontario, “There’s no such thing as matrimonial property in these relationships,” said Justice Brownstone. “We use the law of constructed trust to protect people’s property rights, so if you’ve been living common law and you’ve been contributing to a home that the other party owns – either because you paid for renovations or because you were the one maintaining it – you can make a claim for property.”

Brownstone added that this is not in any way based on the same kind of principles as being married. Rather, he said, “It’s based on the law of resulting trust. We use trust law to protect common law property rights.”

3. Unless you were married, you are not entitled to spousal support in the event of a break-up.

It’s unlikely that a common-law couple that decides to split will deal with spousal support, but it is possible, depending upon other factors.

Much like in marriage, spousal support is not automatic, but is given only when one party is seen as entitled to it.

According to Justice Brownstone, spousal support for Ontario common-law couples is possible if there were “economic consequences” to the break-up. If one person in the relationship supported the other person regularly – or, for example, one person had to give up their career in order to care for a child — then they could be entitled to spousal support.

“If you live together three years and don’t have kids, you are treated as a spouse for support purposes,” said Brownstone, but stressed that “spousal support is not that common.”

4. Children do not change or affect the common-law standing.

The presence of children can significantly affect the way a common-law relationship is viewed in the eyes of the law. When a cohabiting couple has a child, they are often viewed as common law years before a childless couple would be.

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Spring into Action - Protect your Home

Courtesy The Hamilton Spectator

The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and our homes have a bad case of the winter blues.

But before you tackle those dirty chores, remember that spring cleaning is a tradition that serves a very useful purpose – to rid the home and exterior property of the build up that has occurred during the winter months.

“The winter season brings a lot more headaches than cold weather and snow” says Wayne Ross, insurance expert at Aviva Canada. “Many of the effects of winter are noticed in the spring and it’s important to take care of those problems before they lead to serious property damage.”

ROSS OFFERS FOUR SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP MAKE EXTERIOR SPRING CLEANING A BREEZE THISYEAR:

Inspect your property

Frozen ground can cause shifts in your landscaping and patios which, if left unattended, can result in costly repairs and injuries. Be sure to inspect your walkways and driveways for cracks.

Remove debris from your gutters

Ensure that leaves and dirt are removed to prevent water blockage.

Repair damage to your roof

Replace missing or damaged shingles to prevent leaking roofs.

Examine fences around your property and pool

Ensure fences are still sturdy and lock properly to prevent injury and intruders from entering your yard.

By following these helpful tips, you can prevent injury and ensure that your propeily is in shape and ready for the warm weather. For more information visit www.avivacanada.com

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