When your home is listed and you’re out-of-town, there are plenty of kennels and other facilities that will mind your dog or cat. In fact, the pet-care business is booming! However, the same options aren’t available for your houseplants. So what do you do?

First, keep in mind that plants can go for several days or even a couple of weeks without water. This frequently happens in their natural habitats. So if you’re gone for just a few days, your flora will probably be fine.

Flowering plants tend to need the most water. Give them an extra dose just before you leave. Also, make sure they are in indirect, rather than direct sunlight. That will help them conserve water.

If you’re going to be away for a week or more, consider one of the several products on the market that water plants automatically. Many of these allow you to adjust how much water each plant gets — and when.

You’ll find plenty of do-it-yourself instructions for making your own automatic waterer on the internet, from plastic cups with tiny holes in the bottom to upside-down bottles with wicks. These might work, but you’ll want to test them first.

Of course, your best option might be to have a friend or trusted neighbour take care of the plants for you. Just be sure to give them clear instructions.

Your houseplants will thank you.

When making an offer on a home, we always recommend our clients get a professional home inspector check to it out from top to bottom. This inspection will ensure that the buyer is aware of any unexpected “issues” with the property. After all, you don’t want to buy a home only to discover that the roof needs to be replaced, immediately, or the septic system is failing, resulting in thousands of dollars of expenses.

That being said, you might question whether you really need to invest the few hundred dollars it costs for a professional home inspection. “The home we want to buy looks like it’s in very good shape,” you might be thinking. “I can’t see anything wrong with it.”

However, a professional home inspector can see things you can’t. When you view a property that’s on the market, you might be able to notice obvious issues, like a crack in the foundation or a dripping faucet. If you’re experienced with home maintenance, you might even notice roofing tiles that look like they’re overdue for replacement.

But you won’t pick up all the issues a home inspector can.

A home inspector will, for example, use a special device to check for moisture build-up in the washrooms – which can be an indication of mould. He or she will also inspect wiring to make sure everything is safe and compliant with the building code.

That’s not all.

Like a determined detective, a home inspector will investigate the property’s structure, electrical and plumbing systems, insulation, and other components — and then report the findings to you.

In the end, a professional home inspection gives you peace-of-mind and protects your investment. So getting one is highly recommended — even for recently built homes.

A good REALTOR® can recommend a trusted home inspector for you.

Looking for more ideas on making smart decisions when buying a home? Call the Linda Maguire Team today. 905-220-7993

Looking for ways to increase the value of your house without a big investment?
This is a common question from our clients. We decided to go straight to the experts!

In our work we meet many home improvement professionals, and we have built a network of trusted partners that help us get the best value for our client’s houses.

We asked them a simple question: “If you only had $500 to spend to increase the value of your house, what would you spend it on?” We created a Resource Guide from their contributions.

Below is a brief overview of their recommendations.
Click Here to Download the Complete Resource Guide

Painting, by Jimmy McLean, Painter

Assess the condition of "first impression" areas such as:

• The exterior side of the front door, and the doorframes.
• Exterior wooden painted railings and posts,
• House number plaques and even mailboxes
• Front hallway trim work (baseboard and door frames)

Remove old wallpaper and stick to lighter, neutral tones to give rooms a larger, cleaner look.
Jimmy McLean is a painter who can be reached on his cell at (905) 630-5227, or via email at jimmclean66@yahoo.ca

Electrical, by John Almeida, Master Electrician

Home sellers should ensure compliance with ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) standards before listing their home for sale.
Common minor issues could be related to:

• wires that are connected outside of, or without, a junction box
• non-GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) outlets near a source of water.
• unclear status of knob & tube wiring, aluminum wiring or ungrounded circuits.

A simple review and report from a certified Master Electrician that states that the house is free of these issues goes a long way.
John Almeida is certified Master Electrician. He can be reached at his cell (905) 818-4359, or via email atjaelectical@sourcecable.net.

Interior stone surfaces by Luke Lombardini of Aussie Stone Marble & Granite

Believe it or not, you can create a real impact on home value with just $500 of stone repair. We can simply rejuvenate your existing marble, granite or quartz by repairing and polishing the surface.
Another great idea is to update a backsplash or replace an old sink. We can also quickly clean the grout work around tiled surfaces, so the whole surface looks brand new again.
Luke Lombardini runs Aussie Stone Marble & Granite. He can be reached at his cell (647) 532-4959, or via email at aussiestone@outlook.com.

Landscaping by Peter Joyce of Cudmore’s Garden Centre

A one-shot clean up blitz in your garden: weed, prune, edge and mulch, remove dead or suffering plants, grass cut and trimmed.

Others things that are overlooked include: ? Eaves troughs, cleared and cleaned; ? Window wells, cleared of leaf debris and clean stone mulch applied; ? Strategic pruning to clear site line to front door; ? Power wash decks and patios, etc.
Focus on the most visible stuff, especially between the curb and the front door., and invest in attractive urns and plants with seasonal colour for the front walkway.
Peter Joyce, of Cudmores Garden Center, can be reached at 905-827-1872 or through email at info@cudmores.ca.

Staging by Lynda O’Hagan of The Staging House

One of the least expensive ways to spruce up your home for selling is paint. Repaint any areas that are currently painted in bold colors with warm neutral colors
Clean, clean, clean! Cleaning products are cheap and a little elbow grease can go a long way.
Clear out clutter, old books, collections and other items that are not used regularly. You don’t want a buyer to remember your house for your collections and memorabilia.
For under $500 you could buy some accent pillows, new lampshades and a new piece of art or rug to bring the room together.
Lynda O’Hagan is certified staging consultant, and owner of The Staging House. She can be reached at 905.510.2865 or via email at lynda@thestaginghouse.ca.

Tiling by Dan Degroot of D&D Tile

You can reinvigorate floor tiles, shower floors and kitchen back splashes. If tiles are broken, loose or damaged, the individual tiles can be removed and replaced.

For discoloured grout, an epoxy grout colour solution is used, and is applied right over the existing grout, making the floors look brand new. Silicone calking in showers and kitchen sinks also are good targets. Just remove the old, stained or even blackened calking and freshen it up with new material.
Dan Degroot provides tiling and tile repair services through his company, D&D Tile. He can be reached on his cell at (905) 462-2892 or via email at ddtilesdan@gmail.com.

Hardwood Floors by Emile Zmenak of Urbania Canada

One of the fastest and cheapest ways to add value to a home that has older hardwood floors is to apply a product called Bona Hardwood Floor Refresher. It restores the original shine of hardwood floors, but without the need to sand and refinish!

Fixing damaged hardwood boards/strips and transition pieces will also help restore the look of the flooring, and the repairs can be accomplished quickly, and very cost effectively.
Emile Zmenak is President of Urbania Canada, a local hardwood flooring manufacturer. Emile can be reached at ezmenak@gmail.com or via his cell at (613) 818-1100.

Click Here to Download the Complete Resource Guide

You may love animals, but with the exception of your family pets, you don’t want them in your home. Here are some tips for keeping the wildlife around your property where it belongs: outside.

• Don’t place bird feeders too close to your windows. Doing so may cause birds to associate a window with food and therefore try to peck their way inside.
• Make sure window screens are secure. If you can push a screen loose with your hand, so can a bird or other animal.
• Check screens on dryer vents and chimneys. If they are damaged, fix or replace them.
• To determine how animals are entering your home, stuff wadded paper in the suspected entry point. If the paper is disturbed the next day, you’ll know where they got in.
• Never leave food outside, unattended. After a barbeque, for example, take all remaining food inside. If you do find an animal in your home, never try to pick it up. It may bite or have rabies. In this case, call a professional.

When would you talk to a car salesperson? Probably only once you’re ready to buy a new car. You would do some initial research (perhaps on the internet), get an idea of what you want, and then go to the dealership to meet a salesperson, test drive the car and make the purchase. Although that approach may work when you’re buying a car, it’s not the best approach when it comes to real estate.

You see, successfully buying or selling a home requires a lot of planning and legwork. You want the process to go smoothly, the right decisions to be made, and the best possible deal to be negotiated. After all, this is the purchase and/or sale of your home! So, the best time to talk to a REALTOR® is as early in the process as possible. In fact, even if you’re just thinking of buying or selling — and simply want to explore the possibility of making a move sometime this year — you should have a conversation with a good REALTOR®.

A REALTOR® will answer your questions, provide you with the information and insights you need, help you avoid costly mistakes, and make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

When you are ready to buy or sell, having worked with a REALTOR® early in the process will help ensure you get what you want.

So talk to a good REALTOR® when:

• You have a question about the local market.
• You want to know what your home might sell for today.
• You’re interested in checking out homes currently available on the market.
• You’re in the midst of deciding whether or not to make a move.
• You’ve decided to buy or sell.