New Listing! In Barrhaven

This trendy urban flat is a perfect spot for any first time buyers, or any young couple looking to take advantage of these low mortgage rates! This 2006 Tartan built Cappuccino model, features 9' Ceilings, 902 sq/ft of relaxed living space, a 20' x 8' Covered terrace with gas hookups for bbq, and better yet, the stainless steel bbq is incld. The kitchen boasts upgraded oak cabinets and has a breakfast bar. There is also gleaming dark hardwood flooring, in unit laundry and storage space, a very spacious bathroom with seperate tub and shower, and to top it all off included in the price is not one but TWO parking spots! This extra parking space is worth over $4000 and can be rented for a min of $40 a month!

Don't waste your time searching for a property any longer, it has finally arrived! Give me a call or shoot me an email, day or night!

Andrew Miller
Sales Representative

Keller Williams Ottawa Realty, Ltd.

Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated

610 Bronson Ave.

Ottawa, Ont.

K1S 4E6

Office:(613)-236-5959

Cell: (613)-447-7669

Fax: (613)236-1515

Email: amiller@kwottawa.ca

web: http://amiller.oreb.mlxchange.com/

Blog: http://www.dreamhomeottawa.blogspot.com/

Getting colder, time to think about your Pipes!

It's time to Pipe Up

During the winter season we usually prefer to entertain family and friends instead of worrying about tedious home maintenance chores like plumbing—and for good reason! Now is an ideal time to relax and enjoy your home.

Nevertheless, homeowners and renters alike tend to take their pipes for granted. Being prepared for problems makes them more manageable if they should occur—so here are a few basic tips for dealing with a pipe leak:

Know where your main water shutoff is. You may not need to use it—if the leak coming from a faucet knob, for example, you can simply shut off the water at the sink. But when in doubt, go to the main valve.

If you know what’s causing the problem and can tell the difference between a slip joint and a saddle valve, feel free to fix it yourself. However, many plumbers make a good living off fixing botched home repair jobs—so feel free to get it done right the first time.

If you ever encounter a frozen pipe, you can often thaw it with a hair dryer. If you’re going on vacation when there’s a cold snap in the forecast, you can help prevent frozen pipes by opening cabinet doors below your sink to let your home’s warm air circulate. You may also try turning the faucet on to a slow drip to keep the water moving and prevent freezing.

It’s smart to take care of plumbing repairs well in advance of putting your home on the market. Buyers can have more confidence in the value of a well-maintained home—and many signs are pointing to acceleration in the real estate market in 2010.

If you’d like more information about how a remodel can affect the value of your home, please don’t hesitate to call or email.

Winterizing Your Home

Well its getting near that time of the year. Many of us are cutting the lawns for the last time. Thinking of putting on the winter tires. Putting away all of the summer things, and preparing for another wonderful winter in Ottawa. Well here are a few tips to prepare your home for the coming winter months.

Lawn and gardens: Be sure to apply some winterguard to your lawn now. I'm sure you have all seen the commercials, well they don't lie! The best time to nurture that lawn of yours to ensure its up to par next year, is to apply some nutrients now to last it through the winter and grow some deep roots. Within your gardens, pull out any excessive weeds that you forgot about in the last few months, save the hassel in the spring, so you can get right to planting.

Furnace and A/C: Air conditioners! Why should I even be mentioning that you ask. Well it is important to cover up that A/C unit outside to shield it from the elements. No don't use that crappy vinyl cover that they gave you when you purchased it. That is great for more southern climates, but here in Canada it will trap in moisture, and it is also a hotel for mice! Simply place a sheet of plywood over top of the unit and stabilize it with a brick on top. Next I want you to head to your electrical panel, and flip the breaker so that no one accidentally trys to turn it on in the dead of winter, as this will pretty much destroy your unit.
As for the Furnace, change that filter if you haven't done so already. This should be done every 3 months, especially if you have pets or allergies, not expensive to do, and will ensure that your furnace can breath a bit better and it will be more efficient. Perhaps get the duct work cleaned as well if you haven't done so in over a year.

Exterior hoses - When you are brining in your hoses from outside, be sure to also turn off the exterior water source from the interior of the home. This will prevent water from staying in the pipes to close to the outside and freezing over during the winter.

Windows - Some people like to put plastic wraps over the windows to help with heat loss during the cold winters. Be sure to do this properly though, otherwise you are wasting your time. Ensure that you cover over the trim of the window a few inches at least on each side. Its not just through the cracks of the window frame that the cold can come through but also the wooden trim around the window as well. Use a blow dryer to heat and tighten the plastic after application to ensure that it gets a nice smooth finish.

Fireplaces: Be sure to get your chimney swept clean before use each year. Also shovel out all of last years soot and ashes, better now then when its -30 and you want to build your fire. For gas fireplaces, ensure that the flame is burning a nice blue flame. The bluer the flame, then cleaner it is burning.

Calibrate your home for consistent temperature: everyones comfort level is different and playing with that thermostat will really crank up the costs of heating your home. Be sure to get a programable thermostat, and use its features. Next you are going to close off all of the vents on the upper level of your home, and open all of the vents on the lower levels. (hopefully the opposite of what you did before the summer) Hot air rises, and in about 24 hours or so, the whole house should be at the same temperature. If you don't have a ceiling fan at the top of your stairway, not a bad idea to get one installed to assist in the process of pulling up some of the warmer air from downstairs.(vise versa in summer, reverse the setting to have it blow down the cooler air.)

Follow these tips and you should save yourself a bit of cash and headaches. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful fall colours.


Andrew

Insulation

Everyone knows that home insulation provides tremendous energy savings, but most homeowners have questions about it. How do you know if you need more insulation? What can you do to improve it—without tearing your home apart?

The first thing to know is that for homes built before the 1970s, insulation was not a high priority in construction. These homes may benefit from adding insulation as well as filling the window and door gaps that naturally occur as the house settles over time. The good news is it’s easy to improve your home’s energy efficiency, no matter what its age.

Start at the TopOne of the first places to insulate is the attic. You can add loose-fill or batt insulation easily and cost-effectively. Just remember that if you think you may have vermiculite insulation, don’t disturb it—it may contain asbestos, so call a professional.

Fill the Spaces in the Walls

For your walls, you can choose to blow loose insulation directly into the wall. It’s fast and you’ll only have to patch the wall afterwards, rather than replace the entire surface. On the other hand, if you’re remodeling, you may have open walls and an opportunity to choose from many insulation options including blankets, rolls, rigid insulation and others.

Go Beyond the Walls

Many homeowners see savings from insulating electrical outlets, crawlspaces and doors. A rule of thumb is: a 1/8" space between a standard exterior door and the threshold is equivalent to a two square inch hole in the wall. Realigning your doors and replacing the door sweep are easy fixes.

Consider Replacing Windows

Weather-stripping your windows can reduce energy loss. However, up to 50% of a home’s heating and cooling needs results from heat gain and loss through windows, so actually replacing your old windows may provide the most savings.

Insulation Adds Up to Big Savings

When you insulate, not only do you start saving money on your energy bills, the government also provides financial benefits to homeowners who make their home more energy efficient. Be sure to save your receipts.

Improvements like adding insulation can often add to the resale value: potential buyers will want to know all about them. And even if you’re not quite ready to move yet, you can still enjoy a cost savings and a comfortable home.

Summer coming to an end, but the market is HOT!

Well the summer may be almost over, but the housing market here in Ottawa is hotter than ever. Homes that are priced properly are selling as though it were spring time. I myself sold my last listing in only 3 days for 99% of the asking price!

If you are thinking of buying or selling now is the time to do it. My advice to friends has been to get it done before the winter hits. The mortgage rates are still at all time lows but won't last for long.

Don't waste time waiting for the best deal in town, there is just too much competition out there right now. Let me find a place that has all of your NEEDS covered, and we can work on the WANTS after that. No house is perfect for everyone, and it is important to distiguish that fact.

If you are thinking about buying, or you know of someone who is, please don't miss the boat on these low mortgage rates, contact me as soon as you can. Alternatively, if you or someone you know is looking to sell your home, with all these buyers out there, it is a no brainer that a well priced home, that is marketed properly and shows well, will sell quickly.

Sincerely,

Andrew Miller
Sales Representative
Keller Williams Ottawa Realty Ltd.
Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated
610 Bronson Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 4E6
Office: (613) 236-5959
Direct: (613) 447-7669
Fax: (613) 235-1515
Email: amiller@kwottawa.ca

Pricing Strategy

According to a recent report, about 75% of homebuyers surf the Web to begin their home search. That means home buyers are well aware of what properties are available on the market and the prices they are selling for. Therefore, now more than ever, pricing is the key to selling your home.

Some sellers think that a higher price will give them some negotiating room. But in fact many buyers don't even look at a property that is overpriced, much less make an offer on it.

This can lead to the property’s becoming “shop-worn.” Buyers often inquire about the length of time a property has been on the market. If it has been on the market a long time, they wonder if there is something wrong with it. The sellers then have to drop the price, taking less than they might have if they had priced it correctly to begin with.

Homes that are well-priced attract the buyers in their price range. The buyer's perception is that the home is a good buy, and then the seller is positioned to receive the listing price or close to it.

Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions. I would be happy to provide you with a market evaluation on your home to make sure it is competitively priced in the marketplace so you will receive the best offer.

Small fixes, Big results.

Imagine you are a buyer looking at your home. What do you think needs repair? The most common areas of concern are the roof, gutters, and downspouts. In addition, repair of missing or peeling exterior paint is often a condition of the loan.

Money spent on repairs can make a difference in the final sale price because buyers tend to overestimate the cost of performing repairs. Then they reduce their offer by an amount higher than necessary to compensate. If the lender requires the repairs to be performed before closing, the seller can, in effect, end up paying for repairs twice: first in a lower sale price and second in the out-of-pocket cost of the repairs themselves.

A better strategy is to perform the repairs before putting your house on the market. Simple repairs that make a huge difference in marketability and offer price are:
* Replace cracked windows and torn screens.
* Fix or replace any broken stairs or handrails.
* Fix plumbing fixtures, leaking faucets, and so on.
* Replace exterior lock sets and garage door openers if damaged.
* Repair worn or damaged flooring.
* Replace broken or leaking gutters and downspouts.
* Remove any soil or landscape mulch from contact with wood.
* Clean, repair, or replace the roof.
* Repair or replace any worn boards on decks or porches.
* Have your heater and air conditioning units serviced and filters replaced.

First impressions are key. Taking care of the necessary repairs before putting your home on the market is important to yielding top dollar and ensuring a quick, hassle-free sale. I'd be happy to come by and make some recommendations on how to create an inviting atmosphere. Homes that convey pride of ownership often receive the best offers.

Please call or email me if I can answer any questions or be of any assistance in helping you get top dollar when you are ready to sell.