Raised Bed Gardening

Do you long for some color around your house, but need a garden without a lot of maintenance? Consider creating a raised - bed garden against the house or near a property line. You will add three seasons of color and some low maintenance landscaping.

You can start small by spreading 12 inches of dirt, holding it in place with rocks. Start by planting from low to high so the bed rises in tiers and every plant shows well. Annuals can be mixed with perennials to keep the bed in flowers. Set the plants fairly close together at the start so the bed fills in fast.

You may need to divide the plants as they grow, but you will have a lot less weeding. You can also reduce weeds by spreading mulch on the new bed. Now just water, fertilize, and pick off the dead flowers and you will have a garden looking its best in no time!

Carefree Perennial Gardens

Designing a perennial garden to accent your home and bring a bloom of color to the garden is well worth the investment of time and money. A well designed perennial garden can eventually be almost maintenance-free after it is established. What a wonderful reward to have those shoots of green peeking out of the ground after a long cold winter.

Choose perennials that will guarantee a season-long show of color by laying out a design on paper before planting. Consider the size of the garden, taking into account factors such as lawn size, shrubbery, the formal or informal look, and where the garden will be viewed.

You might want to consider a bed which stands alone in a large open area. Most people prefer to plant a border along a house, fence or walkway. The border will soften the lines between building and lawn and lend a dash of color and interest as well.





Choosing which plants to buy can be an overwhelming task if you arrive at the nursery unprepared. The primary requirements of the plants must match the soil, light and climate conditions of your garden. Ask for assistance if you are unfamiliar with the best plants for your area.

If you are a beginner you may want to start with the “cottage garden” look, which is essentially for people who don’t want something highly organized. Plants are added to suit the taste of the gardener.

The most important thing is to choose the plants that you love without regard to right and wrong. The effect will be a kaleidescope of color as the true cottage garden has a casual but charming appearance.

The nice thing is if you plant something and want to change it, you can even move perrenials to a new location the next year. So just get started and begin seeing the rewards in a blooming way!

How Useful Are Open HousesÉ

Across the country, every Sunday afternoon, open houses are being held. The question is why? Statistics show that less than 3% of buyers who bought property in the last three years bought the property because they saw it at an open house.

Then why are so many open houses still being held? One reason is that sellers still think that agents should hold an open house. Most sellers see open houses as a way to find a buyer for their home. The truth is, open houses do find buyers, but most of the time not for the homeowner that is holding the open house. Buyers meet an agent, and over time, the better agents match the buyers particular needs to exactly the right home.




When a buyer comes through an open house, he may have simply dropped in to take a look without knowing anything about the homes price range or features. Most of the time the house does not fulfill the particular needs of the buyer.

It would be like going to a car dealer and deciding to buy the first car you see, without knowing it’s price, features, or financing options. What’s the chance that you would qualify or that the car would suit your needs? About the same chance that your home would perfectly suit a “drop-in” buyer.

So what’s the other reason open houses are still being held? Open houses are great ways for newer agents to get their feet wet. By holding an open house they meet buyers who might be interested in another property on the market. So don’t be surprised if a more experienced agent refuses to hold an open house on your property. Seasoned agents know what types of advertising and marketing work best, and won’t use your home as an avenue for finding buyers for other agent’s listings.

Garden Beauties

Have you been wondering what’s new? Or, what plants are tried and true? There are many recommendations advised by the experts. Here’s just a few that came in on the top of their list.

Two new roses come in ahead of the rest: ‘Carefree Delight,’ a relaxed 5-foot shrub rose, that covers itself with dainty 1-inch single pink flowers. Also, ‘Liven Easy,’ a four foot tall floribunda, blooms in clusters of two to five salmon-pink flowers, each up to 4 inches across.

Both roses flower steadily from late spring through fall and grow well without any spraying to control leaf diseases.

Also recommended is the ‘Oakleaf Hydrangea,’ a two season shrub. It’s one of the few deciduous shrubs that flower well in the shade. If you’d like more great flower and plant picks, talk to your garden center.

Financial Checkup

Look at Money Magazine or other financial publications to get their list of low cost credit cards. Some lower fee and lower interest rate alternatives are available. They’ll help you cut your costs of credit until you can pay off those cards. Some cards carry interest rates in excess of 21%, and require a minimum payment so low that it could take more than 10 years to repay the balance in full. Begin to double your monthly payments on the credit cards with the highest balances.

Open an RRSP or other retirement account to allow you to build your retirement nest egg. If you already have an account, analyze your investments to be sure you’re in the right place for your risk preference, and your goals. An annual checkup is in order.

If only someone had given us a thousand dollars at birth, and we had kept it invested at 12% (high) for 65 years (long time), we could retire a millionaire. It’s true, and it’s not too late. Pick some of these ideas and take action now!

Sell Your Home or Become a Landlord

Renting your home out may seem like a great alternative to selling at a lower price than expected, but make sure you consider the financial implications.

If the main idea in renting the house is to move now and sell later, be sure to factor in the costs which may occur when reconditioning the rental home for sale as a residence. Chances are the aggravation of converting your home to a rental will exceed any contribution to costs or profits.

Most importantly, keep in mind that being a landlord can be difficult. Tenants will demand that repairs and home maintenance be kept up with in a timely manner. Expenses can be quite substantial, so be prepared with funds to cover them. Feel free to ask me for more information on sales or rental, anytime!

Controling Your Finances with a Plan

For most of us the first step to a bright future is to get control of our finances, and to use a plan to achieve our key objectives. As we get busier, and more transactions are electronic, by mail, by phone, or by ATM, we can lose track of where we are on the financial road map.

This list of suggested activities can help you get back in the seat on the way to your financial destination.

Like a diet requires you keep track of what you eat, in order to cut the fat, you must also track your spending for a month to see where it all goes. This will highlight areas to be targeted for savings.

Create a plan to save 10% off the top of your earnings. “Pay yourself first,” and “part of all I earn is mine to keep,” are key phrases to remind you that you’re entitled to save now for your future.

Put together all your insurance statements and policies and offer them to one or two reputable agents in order to either update coverage, or reduce your costs. Many of us carry too much insurance, in some areas, while we’re dangerously underinsured in others.

Driving a car that is getting older and less valuable, without adjusting your coverage could be an expensive mistake.

Top Fixes Recomended By Home Inspectors

Buyers today are more educated and demanding than they were in the past. It should not be surprising to a seller that a buyer would ask for a home inspection before signing a hefty purchase agreement. Therefore, it would be wise for homeowners to look at the areas where most home inspections fail. Start by fixing those areas up in advance, before you’re ready to place your house on the market.

The most frequently found problem area is water in the crawl space or basement. Poor drainage can result in water damage that will be more than apparent to an inspector. This can be an expensive problem to fix.

Start by re-grading the soil around the foundation of the home where water seems to be entering, or invest in waterproofing. It’s also a good idea to invest in a dehumidifier to remove moisture on an ongoing basis.

There are some areas that are more prone to water in the basement than others. Most buyers know if a little water is to be expected or not. If you’re unsure how prevalent the problem is in your area, feel free to call me anytime for advice.

The second most common problem found by inspectors is poor wiring. The wiring in your home needs to be up to code, and has to have sufficient overload protection.





Sometimes the best way to be sure the wiring in your home is in good shape is to hire a home inspector, or electrical contractor to check it out for you. Even if you’re not selling your home right now, you would want to make sure your family is living in a house that is safe from fire hazards.

Another major problem found in certain areas, is termite damage. If you begin to suspect at any time that your home may have termites, it’s urgent that you call a pest control service right away. This particular problem needs to be taken care of quickly.



More Important Home Fixes



Other areas that should be looked at as potential problems are the heating systems of your home, structural damage, such as extensive cracks in the walls or ceiling, or leaky roofs.

When deciding what is important to fix, put yourself in the place of the buyer. If you were considering buying the home you live in now, what would you consider important that the seller fix?

Handle problems in condition or construction with estimates and repair by a reputable contractor. Sooner is better than later, especially when the demands of moving and evaluation of the buyer run high. Do it now!

Anything you can do to make your home more saleable in advance may mean more money and less hassle when you’re actually ready to sell.

Rewards of a Rose Garden

Roses have the reputation of being difficult, fussy plants that require a great deal of attention and time. Although it takes some effort on your part to maintain the beauty and health of a rose garden, the reward of numerous blossoms in wonderful vibrant colors is sufficient reward for most gardeners. A little water, fertilizer, and spray, on a weekly basis, can be a pleasant excuse to spend time in your fragrant garden.

Your rose bed should be planted where it receives full or partial sunshine at least six hours a day. There are varieties of roses that thrive in more shade but they will not be as fragrant as the others. Good drainage is also critical for roses. They like a lot of water, but do not like wet feet, so a raised bed of at least ten to fifteen inches high is a solution. It also makes gardening chores easier. Roses do best in loamy soil with high humus content. Amend the soil with organic matter such as compost, peat moss or cow manure and be sure to test the soil to determine the acidity.

Check with a nursery in your area for tips on when to transplant roses, but generally, any time from spring to fall, or when the plant is dormant and the ground is workable. Water every 3 or 4 days, soaking the soil to 8 inches; and fertilize depending on your type of soil, but usually about once every 4-6 weeks.



Lots of varieties of roses are available. The choices include climbing roses, tree roses, miniature roses, hybrid perpetual roses, grandiflora roses, and antique roses to name a few. Look at your space and the view from the house to determine how you want to define the space for planting. The rose can serve many functions including becoming a fragrant hedge, which provides bouquets of fresh cut flowers to decorate the inside of your home.

Give roses a try. The rewards are many and the satisfaction of seeing a perfect rose that you have grown makes it well worth the effort.

Add Fragrance to Your Home

Potpourri is a great way to add fragrance indoors. Most potpourri is made of lavender and rose petals. Combining different herbs makes a distinct change in fragrance. Here is a recipe for Rose Petal Potpourri.

3 cups dried rose petals
2 cups dried lavender flowers
1 cup dried lemon verbena leaves
1 tablespoon powdered allspice
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1/4 oz. essential oil of rose

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight jar for several weeks before using.

Using “Conditional Offers” To Your Best Advantage

You find a home that you’re interested in buying. But you have concerns. Is it in a good state or repair? Will you be able to secure the right financing? Can you sell your current home in time?

Any of these issues can prevent you from making a prompt offer and as a result, cause you to lose the opportunity.

The solution? Make a conditional offer.

A conditional offer means just that. You offer to purchase the home so long as certain conditions, which you specify, are satisfied. Here are the most common examples:

• “Subject to financing”. You will buy the home if you’re able to arrange for a suitable mortgage.
  
• “Subject to inspection”. You will buy the home if it passes inspection by a qualified home inspector of your choice. If he or she finds that substantial repairs are required, you can either walk away from the deal or renegotiate.
  
• “Subject to selling my current home”. You will buy the home if you can sell your own home within a set period of time. For example: 45 days. A seller might agree to this if your home competitively priced.
  
• “Subject to the repair of ___.” You will buy the home if the seller makes certain repairs, at his or her own expense. This can range from something relatively minor, such as fixing a crack in the foundation, to major repair like replacing the roof shingles.
  

A Conditional offer will protect you. However, there is always the risk that the seller will say “No.” If you’re in a competitive situation, for example, and another buyer’s offer is unconditional. You may lose the deal-even if your offer price is higher!

So you really need to use conditional offers strategically, in just the right way, under just the right circumstances.

Get It In Writing

As you tour a potential new home, you notice that the carpeting in the living room is stained. “Don’t worry about that,” says the homeowner, who senses your disapproval. “We’re going to get the carpeting professionally cleaned before we move.”

Should you take their word for it?

Regardless of how honest a seller may seem, never rely on a verbal promise.
Will they move that abandoned car in the back yard? Will they fix the crack in the front steps? Is that expensive-looking ceiling fan included with the house?

Don’t assume. Get it written into the offer.

Making a Wish List... And using it Wisely

Depending on how you use it, a “wish list” can either be an advantage or a disadvantage when shopping for a new home. If you use it wisely, a wish list can narrow your search, so you don’t waste time looking at houses you don’t like. This saves you time and stress. However, if your wish list is too long or overly specific, you risk missing the opportunity to view homes that might otherwise be ideal.

So how do you use a wish list wisely?

That’s easy. Simply use your wish list as a guide to point you in the right direction. But build in flexibility so you don’t miss out on homes that are a close fit.

Here are some ideas for your new home wish list:

• In which part of town do you what to live? List your favourite neighbourhoods. Sometimes it’s easier to write down where you don’t want to live.
  
• What price range will you consider? Be realistic here. You might hope for a maximum of $200,000, but be willing to pay an extra $10,000 if the ideal home presents itself.
  
• What amenities do you want nearby? Think about the needs and hobbies of everyone in the family. These may include health clubs, jogging trails, parks, public transit, daycare centers.
  
• What about schools? If you have kids, this is an important question. Distance, quality of education, reputation, and programs will all be important considerations for you.
  
• What type of house do you prefer? How large? How many bedrooms? Size of backyard? A two-car garage? Big kitchen?
  
• How much renovation are you willing to do? Will you consider a house that has a lot of potential, but needs extra work? Or do you want one that is in move-in condition?
  

Of course, there are many other items you may want to put on your wish list. Just be sure to make them realistic and flexible. If you need help matching your wish list to home available on the market, call today!

Consider Buying A Home With Some “Undesirable” Features

When you’re looking for a home, chances are, you have a checklist of things you want. Two bathrooms...a finished basement... a great looking kitchen... an expansive deck...

But what happens when a home you see has a feature that doesn’t quite measure up? Perhaps the basement is poorly renovated. Or the kitchen is small. Or there’s only one bathroom. Should you say “NO”?

Here’s something to consider: A home that has a few undesirable features will probably cost less. And, those savings may more than cover the costs of any needed upgrades or renovations.

So don’t pass up on a house simply because it doesn’t meet all your criteria. It may be worth buying a home for less and then making improvements.

Pre-approved Mortgage

A pre-approved mortgage certificate is a written commitment, by a lender, that you will get a mortgage for a set amount of money, at a specific rate of interest that is guaranteed for a set period of days. The commitment is made subject to a property assessment. The service is free and without obligation.

A pre-approved mortgage gives you an edge. Before you even go house hunting, you will know the size of your mortgage, the interest rate, and the size of your monthly mortgage payments. With your financing already mapped out, you can concentrate on finding the right home in your price range. A pre-approved mortgage also puts you in a strong bargaining position when you make an Offer to Purchase. If the seller wants to make a quick sale, you may be able to negotiate a price lower than the list price, because the seller knows that you are a serious buyer. On the other hand, if several people are bidding on the home you want, you may decide to offer to purchase at the list price, to beat out earlier offers.

This also lets the realtor no that you are a serious buyer. There is no point for the realtor showing you homes out of your price range.

Shopping for a Home

You are ready to go shopping if you have:

Set aside money for your down payment and additional costs
Determined the price of home you can afford
Investigated your mortgage options
Your pre-approved mortgage certificate










http://www.expertmortgages.ca/
Allyson Foulis, Laura Reaney, Maureen Haslehurst, AMP Brokers
Jennifer Robinson, Cheryl Leukefeld, Katharine Creery
office 250-727-7746
fax 250-721-5924