http://www.perryquinn.com/index.php en perry@homesniagara.com Copyright 2013 20:18:49Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/fix-up-your-home-for-sale http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/fix-up-your-home-for-sale#When:20:18:49Z These improvements may help you sell sooner, and for more money too!Did you know you may enhance the appeal of your home by making some simple choices? Keep appliances in white, stainless steel or black. New man-made or stone countertop is going to pay you back. Consider subway tile for the backsplash. If they are dated, replace sinks and faucets. New knobs on the cabinets provide an easy update. Window coverings add a finished look. They don’t have to be completely custom made, but ensure they are suited to the home. Allow a few weeks to a month to get the work complete and the draperies hung. It is important to make sure that all of the windows are clean and in good repair. The same can be said of anything in the house. Small things can mean the difference between an offer and no offer. If needed, paint the entire house to make it look fresh. Select neutral colours to ensure that the house is calm and flows well from one area to the other. If the hardwood is worn then refinish or replace it. Deep clean all carpets. Buying & Selling Tips, 20:18:49Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/time-to-move-outdoors http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/time-to-move-outdoors#When:21:37:38Z Outdoor living rooms increasingly take on indoor characteristicsDid you know the “outdoor living room” concept continues to grow in popularity?  Outdoor carpets include Korhani’s Canadian-made reversible rug, which is fashioned out of 100% UV-defying polypropylene and sports an elegant black-and-white pattern on one side and its inverse on the other. Stainless steel is very popular this season, seen in new furniture lines that are uniquely elegant. Electropolished finishes provide added protection against corrosion, discolouration, salt water and chlorine. The grill is typically at the center of any outdoor kitchen, and you could also add a refrigerator, sink, food prep area, or even a wood-fired pizza oven. Lighting is important. Solar-powered accent lights are easy to install along the edge of a patio and don’t require wiring. Metal torches stand up well to the elements and set a romantic mood with their flickering light. Paper lanterns can be hung from large tree branches or a sturdy awning. Wall-mounted lights provide brighter lighting than torches, which is useful if you prefer to read outside at night. Outdoor Design, 21:37:38Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/home-searching-starts-online http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/home-searching-starts-online#When:21:23:32Z Real estate searches on Google have grown by 253%Did you know a recent study by the National Association of Realtors entitled “The Digital House Hunt” found that 90% of home buyers searched online during their home buying process
? Real estate related searches on Google grew 253% over the past four years. Buyers will perform an average of 11 searches prior to taking an action on a real estate site. On websites, buyers want to see lots of photos and obtain detailed information about a property. And 89% of those who search online also use a real estate agent to guide their live, offline search and conduct transactions. Mobile devices are growing in popularity with 68% of buyers using a mobile application when searching for a home. Buying & Selling Tips, 21:23:32Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/wealthy-buyers-are-coming-to-canada http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/wealthy-buyers-are-coming-to-canada#When:18:00:44Z Foreign buyers are attracted to the safety and stability of CanadaDid you know there has been a surge in demand for Canadian real estate from wealthy Syrians, Egyptians and Europeans looking for a safe and relatively stable place to park their millions? Europeans, many with young families who originally had planned to settle in the U.S. but fell in love with Canada instead, are attracted to Toronto. At the same time, Montreal’s exclusive Westmount area has become top of the real estate wish list for high-net worth Syrians and Egyptians looking for a safe haven for their money and families. These wealthy high-net worth individuals see the Canadian real estate market as undervalued in their world. They see this as a stable country. And they see cities that have changed dramatically in the last 20 years and are much more appealing to an international buyer. Wealthy Canadians, of course, remain the dominant players in the luxury market, but in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal they’ve been facing more competition, particularly in the last five years, from would-be Chinese, Russian, British and American buyers. Carriage Trade, 18:00:44Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/new-wall-coverings-make-change-easy http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/new-wall-coverings-make-change-easy#When:12:26:28Z Old materials, applied to flexible backings, become easy-to-install tiles that go almost anywhereDid you know there is a fascinating array of new wall covering materials? One is barnwood, where the old wood is recycled and fashioned into tiles with a fabric backing. They come in a variety of designs and lock together for easy installation. The tiles have a rich variety of natural colours and textures that combine to make a more refined rustic backdrop for relaxed living. Another innovation is a line of stone veneers. The stone is cut very thin, applied to a flexible backing, and cut into tiles or panels that can be applied over most existing surfaces. Not just for walls, these flexible stone veneers can be applied to tables, columns, counters and lighting. More new products from Surface Innovation: Natureflex tiles are made from two interesting sources: Pearlamina and Prisma are made from hand-laid capiz shells. Their sparkle is beautiful in a bathroom. Natura tiles and panels are made from water-hyacinth plants, an organic design for headboards, lamp shades, as well as wall features. The combination of flexibility and natural sourcing of the base materials makes these tiles and panels an exciting addition to the decorating market. With flexibility comes a host of new ways to show off and live with nature’s beautiful stones, woods and grasses. Design & Decorating, 12:26:28Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/2013-housing-market-off-to-a-positive-start http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/2013-housing-market-off-to-a-positive-start#When:21:47:54Z A combination of low interest rates, flattening house prices and a strengthening economy supported the housing market in Q1Did you know Canada’s housing market began 2013 with slightly positive price trends? According to the Royal LePage House Price Survey, an unprecedented combination of low interest rates, flattening house prices and strengthening economy provided support to Canada’s housing market. The report, released April 4, showed that house prices remained relatively flat in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the first quarter of 2012, recording that the average price of a home in Canada increased between 1.2 per cent and 2.4 per cent. An unprecedented combination of flat or in some regions decreasing house prices, inexpensive mortgages and the confidence brought on by an improving economy has resulted in a unique residential real estate environment. In the first quarter of 2013, the national average price of a standard two-storey home increased 2.2 per cent, compared to the previous year. Over the same period, the national average price of a detached bungalow increased 2.4 per cent and the average price of a standard condominium increased 1.2 per cent. “2013 finds the Canadian housing industry in a highly unusual place. The combination of very low mortgage rates and flat home prices, against a background of general economic improvement across the nation, is not something we’ve seen before,” said Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage. “Typically one of these variables is moving hard in an opposite direction. While some have spoken loudly about impending market volatility and dramatic downward pressure on home prices, we are simply not seeing evidence of this. The current environment is very supportive for housing. Those waiting for big declines in home prices will likely be disappointed.” The Canadian economy stabilized during the first quarter of 2013 and the country surpassed expectations with the addition of 51,000 jobs1 during the month of February. Domestic economic strength is buttressed by an improving U.S. economy and the expectations of a growth in resource consumption driven by China. At the same time, despite the improving economy, the Bank of Canada has been clear about its intention to keep interest rates low for the near- and mid-term. “There is some degree of uncertainty regarding the of length time these factors will remain in place,” said Soper. “Of the three variables we identified, economic strength is the most likely to persist based upon the upswing in employment, our well-educated workforce, a solid financial sector and the influence of our natural resource sector. Given recent and repeated signals from the Bank of Canada, we can expect interest rates to remain low for some time to come. The continued stability of house prices is much harder to gauge.” “Timing house prices to trends in a given neighbourhood is very difficult,” said Soper. “And it is important to remember that Canada is a collection of regional markets. Case in point, we see renewed strength in the Alberta and Saskatchewan markets in early 2013, based on the health of the energy sector. Across the mountains in Vancouver, affordability concerns dampened demand significantly. The resultant correction in home prices there may attract a new round of buyers before year end.” Real Estate Market Performance, 21:47:54Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/top-five-gardening-trends-for-2013 http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/top-five-gardening-trends-for-2013#When:13:36:46Z The 2013 ‘Canada Blooms’ show had lots of fresh ideas for gardenersDid you know this year’s “Canada Blooms” show featured five new gardening trends? As summarized in the Globe & Mail on March 30, here they are: Bright ideas: High-drama colour – and how it’s being used – was the big story at the show this year. According to Paul Zammit, director of horticulture at the Toronto Botanical Garden, bold colour cropped up not only in blooms but in “arbours and architectural pieces,” too, from the vivid hit of acid yellow-green in a painted fence to a wall of brightly coloured sap buckets in the Via Rail wall garden created by Quebec’s Jardins de Métis. The look is easy to re-create at home: You can coordinate the colours in the cushions of an outdoor sofa with matching nearby tulips, as landscape architect Ron Holbrook did. Or you can get out your paintbrush and a bucket of enamel paint and liven up anything from a trellis to a pair of Adirondacks. Right as rain: Water was everywhere in the demonstration gardens this year, particularly in the form of dramatic, architectural water walls. They showed water sliding down slick plastic screens, over metal fences and suspended in midair in the arresting garden called Hope Springs Eternal designed by landscape architect Kent Ford. Such walls add texture and movement to a static outdoor space, and the technology is relatively simple. All that is required is a well-anchored fence or other sturdy structure, outfitted with a recirculating pump, a pipe with holes for the dripping water and a basin to catch it in. The best part? They are more effective than any other water feature at blocking out city noise and they look sensational lit up at night. Reduce, reuse, redesign?: Recycled metal and wood provided designers with plenty of inspiration for using old materials in new ways. Giant planks became edging borders, old timbers were reinvented as pillars in an arbour, as plinths for garden art and even as the base for an outdoor table. I especially loved the installation by Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, which incorporated the wood from a 300-year-old oak tree. Going native According to Zammit, there’s a shift afoot in the way that gardeners are shopping for plants:“[They] want to know if a plant is native, what it will do for pollinators and if it is drought-tolerant,” Zammit says of the questions that more and more consumers are asking him. He chalks this up to an increase in “eco-sensitivity” and a growing awareness of the multiple uses of plants. After all, “gardening isn’t just a way of expressing yourself or showing off how much money you have,” Zammit says. “There’s more emphasis now on making good choices for the environment.” The home stretch: Gardens have always been a locus of “relaxation and spiritual renewal,” says Charlie Dobbin, head of horticulture at Canada Blooms. Now, however, gardens are inspiring people to get up and go. Enter the trend for “active areas” in outdoor spaces, where, Dobbin says, “yoga and tai chi can be done in a beautiful setting.” At the show, this translated into yoga platforms as focal points in several of the gardens on display. Landscape architect Shawn Gallaugher went so far as to feature ‘bootcamp zones’ in his Otium garden, leaving no room for excuses about shlepping to the gym. Outdoor Design, 13:36:46Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/demographics-impact-the-housing-market http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/demographics-impact-the-housing-market#When:14:42:22Z Baby boomers will stay home longer and population growth may slow, creating a more tempered housing marketDid you know demographics are expected to have a profound effect on Canada’s housing market in the coming years, resulting in less housing turnover as well as fewer sales and listings, according to a new report by Scotiabank Economics? But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “Contrary to some dire predictions, population aging will not fuel a demographically-induced sell-off in Canadian real estate,” Scotiabank economist Adrienne Warren told a conference on global housing trends Monday. “Today’s seniors are healthier, wealthier and living longer than prior generations. They are increasingly likely to own their own home and to live in their homes for longer. “Many will not need to tap into their principal home to finance retirement,” she said. Home ownership rates are only likely to decline as the massive wave of baby boomers, the first of whom are now in their late 60s, start to hit age 75. But even at that later stage of life, close to 70 per cent of Canadians still tend to own and live in their own homes, said Warren. And they’re usually too comfortable and attached to their communities, to move, Warren says in her report. Over a five-year period, just 20 per cent of homeowners over 65 tend to move, about half the rate of the rest of the population. When they do, it tends to be into retirement communities or rental accommodation, which bodes well for rental demand down the road, she noted. Housing demand is also likely to be tempered in the next few decades, she said, by slowing population growth. While the United States is outpacing the rest of the world in recovering from the devastating downturn of its housing market, “the long-anticipated slowdown in Canadian housing activity is well underway” but not likely to result in drastic dips in prices. Sales are down about 10 per cent since last spring, housing starts have dropped from 220,000 to 180,000 year-over-year, first-time buyers and even investors are taking a breather, said Warren. All of that is likely to continue with job growth expected to slow, she added. (From Toronto Star March 18, 2013) Real Estate Market Performance, 14:42:22Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/canadian-housing-markets-underlying-stability http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/canadian-housing-markets-underlying-stability#When:12:56:00Z Our sensible banking system gets most of the credit for keeping price swings at bayDid you know home prices in the U.S. doubled between 2000-2006 and then suffered a 30% correction in 2008 – whereas Canadian home prices doubled between 2000-2010 and then continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate? Why the difference? One expert at the America Enterprise Institute credits our banking system, which is run by “very sensible people.” In fact, Canada’s sound and stable financial systems were relatively unaffected by all of the major financial and banking crises over the last 100 years that devastated the U.S. While the fragile U.S. banking system led to 9,000 bank failures during the Great Depression, about 3,000 bank failures during the S&L crisis and 427 bank failures from the 2008-2011 Great recession, Canada experienced almost no bank failures during any of those periods. Because our stable banking system and prudent lending practices are tied to our housing market, some pundits say we might see moderate home price correction, but nothing like the U.S. Real Estate Market Performance, 12:56:00Z http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/bone-systems-seeks-to-revolutionize-home-construction http://www.perryquinn.com/blog/entry/bone-systems-seeks-to-revolutionize-home-construction#When:22:40:03Z Houses are more durable and very cost-effectiveDid you know there is a new way of building residential structures? The system is based on light gauge steel, which is used to manufacture precise building pieces, that are attached together much in the same way as Lego. The company is called BONE Structure and its founder Marc-André Bovet believes that it has the opportunity to revolutionize the residential building industry. Homes go up faster than traditionally built homes; they are incredibly flexible in terms of interior layout and design; they are more durable; mold and mildew resistant, seismically rated; and come in at around $200 per sq ft. For more information read the full blog at www.perryquinn.com or go to www.bonestructure.ca Further benefits of BONE houses include: Indoor Air Quality: No rot, no mold, no mildew. Because the structure is made out of steel and not wood, and because it is sealed with an envelope of spray foam insulation, there is no chance for mold or mildew to occur due to the structure of the building. There are also no glues or adhesives used in construction of the envelope so no chance of off-gassing. Transportability: the structure is shipped as struts, which are assembled on-site. Because the truck is an ordinary flat-bed, most remote areas can be accessed. Design: Because of the way the structural struts work, architects have a vast amount of freedom of design. Living spaces can be as large as 25×25 feet without needing load bearing walls or bulkheads. BONE residences tend to have a smaller overall footprint because so much can be done with a 25×25 foot living space and high ceilings. Cabinetry: Kitchens and built-ins can be designed and built at the same time as the house because wall measurements will be exactly as specified in the plans. Environmental features: The main features of this home are its durability, tight building envelope and lack of waste during construction.  Because its bones are made of steel, its life expectancy is predicted to stretch far into the future. Cost: Generally, a BONE Structure house with high quality interior finishes would come in around $200 per square foot. Lifestyle & Trends, 22:40:03Z