Something has just spilled on your favourite rug or carpet. There's a stain forming. You're worried. Will you be able to remove it? Will the stain set and stay forever?

Luckily, there's a good chance you can completely lift just about any kind of stain – if you follow a few guidelines.

The first rule of stain removal is: act fast. The fresher the stain, the easier it is to lift. So when you notice a stain of any kind, start to work on it right away. Don't wait.

Begin by trying to dry blot the stain. Avoid the temptation of using a wet cloth or detergent, at least at this stage of the game. Blot the stain gently with a clean, dry cloth or absorbent paper towel. Be patient. It may take several minutes before you see any results.

If dry blotting doesn't completely lift the stain, mix up a combination of one glass of water with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Again, take a clean cloth or paper towel, wet it with the water/lemon mixture, and gently blot the area (test on an inconspicuous area first). Wait five minutes, then try dry blotting again.

You may have to repeat the above process a few times.

Using a vacuum cleaner directly over the affected area can also help lift more of the stain.

If, after all your efforts, some of the stain is still there, place a couple of sheets of paper towel over the stain, with a few books on top to maintain pressure. Leave those there for 24 hours. Check every hour or so. If you see stain on the paper towels, you know it's working.

If all else fails, consider calling in a professional cleaner. They know all the tricks and can often perform a miracle for you!

When you’re shopping for a new home, it’s a good idea to create a checklist of what you want and what you need. It keeps you on track to ultimately find the property that best fits your requirements — and those of your family. 

However, there’s a big difference between want and need that is important to understand when house hunting. A ‘need’ refers to a feature that is an absolute must in a new home. A ‘want’, by contrast, is a ‘nice-to-have’. 

Some home buyers make the mistake of choosing a ‘want’ at the expense of a ‘need’.

For example, say you ‘need’ four bedrooms in your new home but ‘want’ a golf course located nearby. It can be tempting to fall in love with a property that has a beautiful golf green just a couple of blocks away, even if it has only three bedrooms. You may find yourself signing the offer while dreaming of Saturday morning tee-offs, only to awake to the realization months later that the lack of an extra bedroom has become a serious inconvenience to you and your family.

Of course it is possible to get most, if not all, of what you need and want in a new home. Especially if you work with a good REALTOR®. But if it comes down to a choice, it’s usually a good idea not to sacrifice something you really need in order to get something you want. 

So when you’re making your house hunting checklist, be clear about what is a need-to-have and what is a nice-to-have.

Don’t forget that some features you want — like a wraparound backyard deck, for example — can potentially be added to your new home later.

Want more tips for getting what you need and want in a new home? Call the Dion-Ivans Group today!!

1.     Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines.  Pack away   

        most of your small decorative items. Store out-of-season clothing to make closets

        seem roomier. Clean out the garage.

2.     Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.

3.     Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates.  Mop and wax

        floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. A clean house makes a better first impression

        and convinces buyers that the home has been well  cared for.

4.     Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and  

        pet smells. Open the windows.

5.     Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially

        basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.

6.     Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems such as sticky

        doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may  seem trivial, but they'll

        give buyers the impression that the house isn't well maintained.

7.     Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks.  

        Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.

8.      Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9.      Clean your gutters.

10.    Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.

If you're thinking of making a move within the next few months, there are two important things you need to know.

The first is the market value of your current property. That's the amount your home will likely sell for on today's market. When you know its market value, you'll have a better idea of how much money will be available to invest in a new home.

The second is an overview of what's available on the market. Which of the homes currently available for sale meet your criteria with respect to type of home, special features (such as a big kitchen or pool), neighbourhood, etc? How much are these homes selling for?

With those two pieces of information, you'll be able to make a better decision.

A good REALTOR^® can get that information for you. Call the Dion-Ivans Real Estate Group today!!

You could get upgraded insulation installed in all the walls of your home, or buy a new high-efficiency furnace and air conditioner. These improvements would certainly reduce your energy costs – but they each require a significant investment.

What if you don't have the budget?

There are a lot of little things you can do to make a big difference in your heating or cooling bill. Here are just a few examples:

• Turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees in winter. (And turn it up a few notches in summer.) Chances are, you'll hardly notice the difference in comfort, and you'll cut your heating/cooling costs by about 5%.
• Do you need the air conditioner on all the time during the summer months? Consider turning it way up, or completely off, at night when it's cooler outside.
• Invest in a programmable thermostat. That way, you'll be able to set up a schedule that uses less heating/cooling energy while you’re out of the house.
• Let the sunshine in through windows in the winter (and block the sun where possible in the summer.) "Passive heat gain" can contribute to up to 20% of the heat in your home. Best of all, the sun is free.
• Use energy efficient lights throughout your home. These can cut the cost of lighting by up to 40%!
• Be careful with outside lights, which can use a lot of energy! Turn them off before you go to bed or, better still, use programmable outside lighting that can be set to turn off automatically.
• These are just a few ideas for reducing your energy bill. If you do some research, you can probably discover many other ways to cut your costs. It's worth the effort!

Thinking of buying or selling? Call the Dion-Ivans Real Estate Group today!!

While the purchase of smaller homes is becoming more popular, large-scale master bedrooms continue to remain the-trend, as they offer a retreat from the real world. With these tips, you will be dreaming in your bedroom both day
and night.

Atmosphere- Leave the world and the items that remind you of it outside. The master bedroom should be clutter-free; offering a place to de-stress and find solace. Replace cell phones and computers, better suited to a home office, with candles and photos of loved ones.

Furniture- Keeping with the streamlined look, furnish the room with essentials only. An oversized bed with lots of pillows offers a comfortable escape and focal point. Additional furnishings such as “his and hers” bedside tables provide a place for personal items and an armoire can host 
a television, decorative books and photographs.

Window Treatments- The right window treatments can soften harsh light and provide privacy for a restful environment and maybe even a touch of romance. Silhouette window shades diffuse light through two fabric layers for a warm glow and calming effect.

Decorative Accents-Brighter, airy colors such as yellows and warm blues invoke a sense of warmth and happiness. Using a fresh coat of paint in these colors can dramatically alter the look of a room. Add an inspirational element using paintings from places around the world where you have travelled or hope to travel.

En-suite Bathroom- Luxury still resonates with the en-suite bath. “His and Hers” vanities remain popular as well as relaxing soaking tubs. Aromatherapy candles and oversized, fluffy towels add both a functional and decorative element.

Information provided by Craig Hostland of Pillar To Post - 250-765-4134

Defining the limits of your property is important for a variety of reasons, including privacy, security and safety.

“Ultimately, the fence has to fit with how you use your yard,” says Margie Spence, a broker with Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate, in St. Catharines, Ontario. “The challenge comes in finding something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing,” she adds. Spence recommends reviewing these three scenarios to determine where your fencing needs may fit:

1. Privacy. If you are looking to create more privacy for your home, solid wood fences are a good option. Most fences built for privacy stand about six feet high. They are available in varieties of wood types, with cedar and spruce being the most popular. Lattice-tops can add aesthetic appeal, and a myriad of building designs are available. Ask your local building centre for wood fence and gate design ideas or do some research online.

2. Safety. For backyards with pools, a fence with limited horizontal rails is recommended. This will ward off trespassers from using the fence as a ladder to get into the pool area. Also, a gate with a spring latch is a bylaw requirement in most municipalities. Black aluminum fencing is typically produced with vertical spindles, often emulating wrought iron design, and provides good sight lines for pool areas.

3. Security. Keeping children or pets safe in the yard is paramount for any family. Chain-link fencing is strong, reliable, and affordable. Whether you have a dog that jumps or one that digs, chain-link fences can be built to suit the needs of your pet. Although it is one of the less aesthetically appealing options, chain-link fencing lends to safety and won't break your budget.

Whether you are looking to create your own private oasis or add more security and safety to your home, there is a fence for you.

More information, including homeowner tips, is available online at www.royallepage.ca or www.kelownahomefinders.ca

www.newscanada.com

Make your home more appealing for yourself and for potential buyers with these quick and easy tips:

1. Trim bushes so they don't block windows and cut down on light.

2. Buy a new doormat.

3. Put a pot of bright flowers (or a small evergreen in winter) on your porch.

4. Put new doorknobs on your front door.

5. Put a fresh coating on your driveway.

6. Edge the grass around walks and trees.

7. Keep your garden tools out of site.

8. Be sure kids put away their toys.

9. Buy a new mailbox.

10. Upgrade your outside lighting.

11. Use warm, incandescent light bulbs for a homey feel.

12. Polish or replace your house numbers.

13. Clean your gutters.

14. Put out potpourri or burn scented candles.

15. Buy new pillows for the sofa.

16. Buy a flowering plant and put in a window you pass by frequently.

17. Make a centerpiece for your table with fruit or artificial flowers.

18. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones

      that let in more light.

19. Buy new towels.

20. Put a seasonal wreath on your door.

Want more tips?? Call the Dion-Ivans Real Estate Group today!!

Townhouses straddle the gap between family homes and condos. 

While townhouses have always been a third category of residential real estate, their scarcity has meant few opportunities for buyers to compare them to condos.

The main difference between a single-family detached house and a townhouse are the shared walls between units. The attached units are necessary because, as the name implies, most townhouses are found closer to town, where land values are typically higher than in the suburbs.

But what they give up in property size, they make up by being close to amenities.

"We chose our townhouse because of its proximity to downtown and the Cook Street Village," says Larry Sims, a real estate agent with Royal LePage Coast Capital - Oak Bay. "We had always talked about downsizing and this [property] is just a half-hour walk to downtown."

He and his wife, Sharen Warde, who is also a real estate agent, found out about the townhouse by chance while looking for a property for a client. "We went to get brochures and ended up buying one."

Townhouses are scarce because most developers can build more condos on a given piece of property, maximizing their profitability. In the case of Sims' development, the developer went for a "less is more" philosophy.

"When we looked at the property, we immediately saw that a low-rise, twostorey project would be ideal," says Mike Miller, president of Abstract Developments. "It had a more human scale from the street."

The low-rise scale also benefited the project's neighbours, since elimination of an extra storey meant their properties would receive more sunlight. "The design was sensitive to their concerns," said Miller.

"When the site was rezoned, we received overwhelming support from the community."

The property, named Terra Verde (Green Earth), has also won praise from the building community. It recently won a SAM award from the Canadian Home Builders Association and was a finalist in last year's CHBA Vancouver Island CARE Awards. The project is similar to Terra Rose, another townhouse project by Miller, which received a Gold Georgie Award for Best Townhouse Development in 2006.

The project is classified as executive West Coast Contemporary. The 16 units are each approximately 1,555 square feet, with three bedrooms and three baths.

Sims and Warde's townhouse features an open-concept living area on the main floor with two patios. The front patio is entertainment-sized and the rear is large enough for a bistro set and a small garden with space to grow herbs.

The master, second bedroom and laundry are on the upper floor, while a third bedroom or den is below. A skylight in the stairwell provides ideal lighting for paintings, creating an unexpected mini-gallery of the couple's art collection. Glass panels instead of balusters on the stairs allow occupants in the dining room a clear line of sight into the living room.

According to Sims, the only feature that might concern a potential buyer when they decide to sell would be the two flights of stairs. The property has a secured underground double garage, which is unusual. While desirable, it requires occupants to make a trek up and down to get to their vehicles.

But there are few properties offering parking for two vehicles downtown.

"There are plenty of condos in town, but none with parking for more than one vehicle," says Tony Joe, a real estate agent with Re/Max Camosun. "If that is an important factor for somebody considering downsizing with two vehicles, there are few options."

He estimates townhouses account for only 20 per cent of his business. One of the reasons may be because of cost.

A townhouse is more expensive to build because land is more expensive to procure downtown. An executive townhouse, with its higher-end features, even more so. For $800,000 - about the selling price of Warde and Sims' townhouse - a buyer can get a much larger house on the West Shore.

Joe says that $800,00 is at "the high end of the price range." But the former president of the Victoria Real Estate Board adds, "That's not to say it is overpriced. If this property was a single-family house in the same area, I estimate it would sell for about $1.2 million."

Due to the success of Terra Verde, Miller is planning another project in the area.

"Townhouses fill the need of the downsizer," says Miller. "They may be smaller than what they have been used to, but people seem to react positively to doing more with less - as long as it is in the heart of downtown."

Article provided by : The Victoria Times Colonist
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/business/Houses+city+living/6611503/story.html#ixzz1us9aBi4V