Like it or not, winter is coming and now is the time to get your home ready for it. A few hours looking after some preventative home maintenance items may save you from dealing with costly emergency repairs when everyone else is looking to have something fixed and service people are stretched thin.

Here is a list of things we should all be looking after over the next couple of weeks to keep our Saskatoon homes in tip-top shape, and our families safe living in them.

If I’ve missed something that you feel should be added to my list please leave a comment below.

On the inside

• Consider having your home heating system professionally serviced to ensure reliability and efficient operation through the long winter.
• Change the furnace filter, ensure that the furnace chimney is sound and free from obstructions and that the furnace has an adequate source of fresh air.
• If you don’t already have one, consider a humidity control system for your home to keep air comfortable.
• Consider a programmable thermostat to save on energy costs and maintain maximum comfort.
• Tune up the hot water system, perhaps even draining and refilling the tank to remove sediment build up from the bottom of the tank.
• Have a professional inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys for safety and efficiency.
• Test and service your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that they are operational. Replace the batteries, whether they need it or not.
• Add weather-stripping as required on the inside of doors and windows.
• Purchase and install window insulation kits to cover inefficient windows from the inside to prevent heat loss and ice build up on windows.
• Give ceiling fans a quick cleaning, oil the motors, and reverse the direction in which they turn to push warm air back down into the room.
• Remove window-mounted air conditioners and cover central air conditioning units to keep the snow off of them.
• Clean your clothes dryer vent from the inside and the outside of the house to remove potential obstructions.
• With several additional hours of daily darkness just around the corner consider installing night lighting in hallways especially around staircases and hallways.

On the outside

• Have a walk around the roof of your home to look for loose, damaged or missing roofing material. Inspect for cracks in the flashing seals around skylights, chimneys and vent stacks.
• While you’re up there, give the gutters a quick cleaning to make sure that water can run freely in the spring. Clogged gutters can allow water to back up against the house causing damage to roofing material and siding. Worse, excess water will fall over the outside edge of the gutter reaching the ground near your foundation wall. Finally, excess build-up in gutters produces stress to the systems supporting the gutter and can reduce life.
• Make sure that the extensions on your downspouts are carrying water four to five feet from the foundation wall and that the grading of soil surrounding the house is diverting the flow of water away from the foundation wall, and not towards it.
• Terminate the water source to all exterior taps and sprinklers and open all exterior valves to ensure proper and complete drainage.
• Underground sprinkler systems should be blown out to prevent water lingering below ground in the system’s pipes from freezing.
• Tidy up your landscaping by pruning shrubs and tree branches away from the house, particularly those that might encroach on the roof, gable venting or overhead utility lines.
• Clear the areas around foundation walls to prevent build up of debris and leafy material, which can trap moisture at the foundation wall.
• Inspect foundation walls and exterior vents to ensure that you’re not providing easy access to rodents seeking a warm place to stay over the winter.
• Apply exterior caulking around windows and doors as needed. Even a small opening can allow a lot of heat to escape from your home. Homes with wood siding and windows that protrude past the siding material should only be caulked on the sides and at the top. Some opening beneath the sill provides an area through which moisture can escape from exterior walls.
• Seal cracks in the exterior finish of buildings and cracks in flat concrete surfaces to prevent water penetration that can freeze and expand causing further damage.
• Lubricate hinges including those on overhead garage doors.
• Tune up electric garage door openers.
• It’s time to put the summer toys away and crack out the winter goodies. You know, ice scrapers, shovels, snow blowers, etc.
• Remove fuel from gas powered yard care equipment and run the equipment continuously until all remaining fuel has been burned.
• If you do the Christmas lights thing, they’ll be a lot more fun to install in October than December.

Wishing you all a wonderful and short winter.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Real estate geeks can follow our daily updates on Twitter @Norm_Fisher.

Our Saskatoon home search tool offers MLS listings represented by all real estate brands, presented with more detail than you’ll find anywhere else. Check it out here.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

With summer’s kickoff on the way, it’s time to get your home in top shape for the months ahead. Whatever your weather, taking some time to take care of your home will help to ensure a worry-free, comfortable summer.

• Inspect siding for cracks and make any needed repairs.
• If paint is peeling, cracking, or chipped, repair and repaint now to limit damage to the underlying materials.
• Repair any damaged caulking around windows and doors.
• Remove window screens and clean with a soft brush and soapy water. Repair any holes or tears before reinstalling.
• Have air conditioning units serviced to ensure good operation. Promote good air circulation around the unit by keeping shrubs and plants trimmed.
• Clear debris from gutters and eaves to allow rainwater to drain properly
• Seal cracks in the driveway and keep walkways clear of debris and overgrown plants
• Test irrigation/sprinkler systems and replace any broken sprinkler heads or emitters. Check for proper water coverage and adjust if necessary.
• Power wash decks and patios and seal surfaces as appropriate.

• Vacuum refrigerator coils to help maintain energy efficiency.
• Empty dehumidifier pans and clean hoses according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If possible, take area rugs outside and hang them over a deck or porch rail to air out.
• Adjust ceiling fans for proper balance.
• Change filters in window-mounted air conditioning units.
• Switch heavy bedding out for lightweight summer fabrics. Have the winter bedding cleaned before storing.
• Close the chimney flue to prevent insects from entering and to help keep cool air in.
• Repot houseplants to give their roots a fresh start for the summer.
• Check door and cabinet hinges and lubricate any that stick or squeak.
• Open windows on cooler days to keep fresh air flowing throughout the home.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Click the image for a larger view

This fine piece of bathroom technology is built for those with more money than brains they know what to do with. However, if you’re looking to raise the level of comfort in the loo and you’ve got some bucks to throw around this toilet may be worth a look.

First of all, it sees you coming. As you approach the toilet, the lid begins to lift automatically and the seat warmer comes to life practically begging you to take a seat. Nighttime use brings additional surprises as the exterior of the bowl softly illuminates itself when you head its way. The interior is lit as well, a perfect feature for light duty deposits contributed by those who prefer to stand. He who stands misses at least half of the fun that this amazing toilet has to offer. Take a seat and it begins to make beautiful music eliminating all of the awkwardness that a silent bathroom brings at times like these. Odors are no problem either. The scented double deodorizer kicks into high gear to cover up that which cannot be masked by song. Finish your business and activate the hygienic cleaning device that treats the posterior to a warm water wash providing a “feeling of cleanliness like never before.” The warm air dryer leaves you feeling, well, dry. As you might expect of a unit of this caliber, the toilet completes its operation by flushing automatically and lowering the lid as you leave. This lid can’t be left up on purpose.

If you have $5900 U.S. that you can spare for a toilet, check it out here.

Read also: An aquarium in your toilet?

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

In recent years, the failure to obtain proper permits has become a much bigger deal, and in fact, a point of contention that has caused many residential sale transactions to collapse at the last minute. In instances where the transaction can be salvaged (the seller agrees to obtain and close the required permits and the buyer agrees to complete the purchase), it often involves lots of “jumping through hoops” for homeowners and real estate agents. Occasionally, these hoops are hard, if not impossible to clear in a short period of time.

Let’s not debate whether the government has a place in regulating what we do with our private property. As a real estate agent, I’m likely at least as geeked up about your property rights as you are. Insisting that the government has no place to tell you what to do and refusing to play by the rules may be an example of “cutting off your nose to spite your face” when it comes to the resale value of your home.

Building codes are intended to ensure safe construction standards are met to protect occupants from structural failures, potential fire hazards and electrical shock. When a Saskatoon home owner, or a contractor acting on behalf of a home owner obtains a permit for home improvements they commit to completing the work in accordance with current building codes. Ultimately, they allow access to a qualified inspector who inspects the work and verifies that the improvements meet the code. Where deficiencies exist, the inspector will require adequate repairs before the permit can be closed.

When a potential home buyer discovers that improvements were completed in your home without the required permits, they lose the assurances that the work was done correctly and safely. Even if the buyer is comfortable moving forward on that basis, a lender may refuse to provide financing, or an insurer may refuse to insure the home. On the other hand, if the proper permits were obtained everyone who has an interest in the purchase can have some reasonable measure of confidence that the improvements are durable, valuable, and most importantly, safe. Simply put, your home improvements add more value to your property when they are completed with a permit.

More and more, home buyers who discover missing permits after entering into a conditional purchase agreement are insisting that the proper permits be obtained and closed by the seller before the purchase is completed. In most cases, this is completely possible but it is almost always far more difficult and costly to do after the fact. It’s not something that you want to be doing when you’re trying to coordinate a move.

In a short series of future posts we’ll talk about which home improvements require a permit and how home buyers might discover that your home improvements were completed without one.

Mean time, here’s some building permit information from the City of Saskatoon and some electrical/gas permit information from SaskPower.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

More info here.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Real estate geeks can follow our daily updates on Twitter @norm_fisher.

Our Saskatoon home search tool offers MLS listings represented by all real estate brands, presented with more detail than you’ll find anywhere else. Check it out here.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

The chart below demonstrates potential savings derived from the installation of a high-efficiency furnace, based on average home owner’s use of natural gas and electricity in Saskatchewan. Electrical costs are based on continuous operation of the furnace motor during the winter months and utility rates that were effective on June 1, 2009. Actual savings may vary based on a number of variables.

In addition to the energy savings that you’ll see through the use of a more efficient heating appliance there are several other opportunities for savings when you upgrade.

•    There is no provincial sales tax payable on “ENERGY STAR” qualified furnaces and boilers.
•    You could qualify for an upgrade grant of up to $1,420 through the Saskatchewan EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Grant Program.
•    According to ENERGY STAR, a programmable thermostat can further reduce energy consumption costs by as much as $180 a year, plus you can qualify for an additional $15 rebate with the Programmable Thermostat Rebate from SaskEnergy.
•    The ENERGY STAR Loan Program provides financing at prime plus 2% on approved credit. *
•    The cost of your new high-efficiency furnace qualifies for the Federal Home Renovation Tax Credit and could increase your saving by hundreds of dollars.

If all of that isn’t enough to convince you, here’s an added bonus; a high-efficiency heating system will increase the resale value of your home and make it more attractive to a growing number of energy conscious home buyers.

* Visit the SaskEnergy website for full details including terms and conditions.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

If you live in Saskatoon we’d sure appreciate hearing your comments about your neighbourhood. Please visit our “Saskatoon Neighbourhoods” page and let us know what you love about your community.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Other considerations

• Improvements that are commonly found in the area the home is located in will almost always deliver the highest returns.
• Renovations in homes that have a lower market value when compared to other homes in the area generally see a higher return from home improvements.
• Poorly done renovations have a smaller upward impact on the home’s value, and can actually have a negative affect on property value.
• Renovations done on a home that is generally in poor repair overall have a minimal impact on its market value.
• It’s rare that renovations recover their full cost in added value. Home owners should understand that there is some value associated with enjoyment of the improvement.
• Not all improvements are created equal, even those that might fit in the same category. For instance, in a bathroom renovation a “spa type shower will add roughly 36% of it’s cost, while a Jacuzzi or whirlpool type tub recovers approximately 65% of its cost.

If you are a potential homeowner or are seeking to remodel an older home, exposure can cause many health concerns for you and your family. If you are interested in living in a safe, healthy environment, free of health damaging materials, here is some information to get you on that track.

Asbestos exposure can cause a debilitating lung ailment known as mesothelioma. This asbestos-related illness is one of the hardest for physicians to diagnose for a variety of reasons. The disease typically has a latency period lasting anywhere from 20 to 50 years when it has already reached its later stage of development. Its symptoms also resemble many of other less serious conditions. Mesothelioma treatment is usually limited to a handful of procedures and results vary from patient to patient. If your home or jobsite has had asbestos removed, exposure may have occurred previously and receiving a medical checkup is of the upmost importance.

Health Canada offers assistance and information in the prevention, disposal and removal of asbestos. They are federally responsible for helping citizens maintain and improve health at home and the work place. Homeowners should not disturb any suspected asbestos themselves as this makes its fibers airborne. The inspection and removal of toxic substances must be performed by licensed abatement contractors who are trained in handling dangerous materials. They work under provincial and federal regulations to ensure no health concerns arise from improper removal.

Once the area is asbestos free, environmentally sustainable materials should be considered including cotton fiber, cellulose and lcynene, water based spray polyurethane foam that can reduce energy costs annually. With the constant growth in technology, there is absolutely no need for health damaging materials such as asbestos.

Click for a larger image displaying potential problem areas for asbestos in the home.

A qualified home inspector can often detect the presence of asbestos and other potentially dangerous products that may have been used in home construction over the years. Put “healthy living environment” for your family at the top of your “wants and needs” list when shopping for a new home.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

This is not exactly important real estate news but I couldn’t resist writing a small snip about this story.

It seems that the popular A&E reality program, “Flip This House” has run a number of episodes which amount to nothing more than a sham. Featuring self proclaimed “real estate developer” Sam Leccima, the episodes represent his renovation projects as having been sold for huge profits. As it turns out, most of them haven’t actually sold and at least one of them wasn’t actually renovated.

To make matters worse, it’s clear that Sam Leccima is the target of a number of civil suits from prospective investors who trusted him to invest their money wisely. One gentleman claims to have lost $100,000 to the smooth talking television celebrity.

A&E claims to have no knowledge of the sham and they have pulled all episodes which feature Leccima from their re-run schedule.

Thanks to Doug Quance for the heads up on this bit. Doug is an Atlanta based agent who has been on top of this home town story since October of last year when he noticed some of Sam’s sold properties were still listed for sale.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Follow our daily updates on Twitter @SaskatoonHomes.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

The “2007 Royal LePage Female Buyers Report” was released this morning.   The report which marries findings from a national consumer poll with anecdotal research examines buying habits of Canadian women.  Among some of the findings, the report found that women are playing an increasingly significant role in the real estate market.  In fact, of single women who are not yet homeowners, 31 per cent say they will potentially purchase their next home within three years and 30 per cent already own.

With a cheque book firmly in one hand and a hammer confidently in the other single female homebuyers of all ages continue to knock down barriers by purchasing real estate and tackling home repairs. Currently, 30 per cent of single, never-before married women own their own home, while 45 per cent of divorced or separated women and 64 per cent of widowed women are homeowners, according to the Royal LePage Female Buyers Report released today.

Click here for the media release and access to the entire report.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Follow our daily updates on Twitter @SaskatoonHomes.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

It’s starting to look like spring has arrived. Following a winter with precipitation levels which were 40% above the average, and with plus zero temperatures predicted for most days over the next couple of weeks, it’s about to get wet. The City of Saskatoon has issued a warning that a little preventative maintenance is in order if you’d like to keep the spring melt off from ending up in your basement.

Here are the tips they’ve provided to prevent a basement flood.

• Remove snow from around your foundation and window wells.
• Most lots drain along the outside edges. Remove snow from these areas.
• Keep the snow in your yard because shoveling it onto streets or lanes could block drainage.
• Clear snow and ice from around the bottom of your downspouts and extend downspouts at least two metres so water drains away from your foundation.
• Where possible and safe, help clear snow, ice, and debris from the catch basins in your area.
• Check your roof and eaves troughs for excessive snow.
• Consider hiring a professional to clear snow from your roof.
• A roof rake may help you to clear snow and debris from the edge of your roof.
• Consider using sandbags to block water from entering low lying areas beside your foundation.
• If water is getting close to your foundation, use an appropriate pump to drain it to the gutter or back lane.
• Please use all equipment properly and follow safety guidelines.

Best wishes for a dry spring.

We’ve known for a number of years that many buyers are going for larger homes, so perhaps these top trends shouldn’t come as any real surprise.

CNN credits Mark Nash, author of Real Estate A-Z for Buying and Selling a Home who gathered this information in a recent survey which involved 923 real estate brokers, agents and industry experts were interviewed.

Here’s what Mr. Nash sees coming:

• Upscale garages – “Today’s owners want their garages decked out with cabinet and storage systems, matching refrigerators, air conditioning and residential looking flooring.”
• Personal Space – Nash calls it “caving” but the bottom line is personal space where people can find a little privacy to work or relax.
• Rejuvenation rooms – Spaces set up for exercise, meditation, yoga, saunas and steam showers.
• Heated patios – Expanding your living space to outdoor areas makes sense and there’s nothing like an outdoor fireplace or a natural gas heater to add a few weeks to both ends of the season.
• Snoring rooms – A “snoring room” is simply an additional bedroom off of the master bedroom.

My wife asked me what a snoring room is and I described at as a comfortable room which she could use to escape my snoring. She said she thought it is more likely to become a comfortable room which I could use to escape her elbows.

Topping the list of features which we can expect to see less of? Spiral staircases, bamboo and laminate flooring.

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Follow our daily updates on Twitter @SaskatoonHomes.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

I’m hearing that more people are considering renovating their Saskatoon homes as a result of the limited selection of properties available in our new and resale real estate market so this seemed like a timely post.

An interesting video clip appears on New York broker Barbara Corcoran’s blog. “Dump to Dream House” features Barbara on ABC’s Good Morning America and chronicles one home owner’s quest to turn their dump into a dream home and it provides some good tips on how to hire a contractor for home renovation projects.

Barbara had a new tip I hadn’t heard before which I thought was an excellent idea. She suggests that you walk the contactor back to his truck as he leaves your home and take note of its condition. “If it’s a mess, the job he’s going to run will be a total mess. You have to appreciate that the truck is that contractor’s office and how he manages his truck is exactly how he’s going to manage your job.” Good one Barbara!

Barbara also points to the importance of asking good questions. You might want to check out CMHC’s tips as well which provides a list of questions and other items you should be thinking about when you hire a contractor.

Check Barbara’s appearance on Good Morning America here. (no longer available)

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Follow our daily updates on Twitter @SaskatoonHomes.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate

Perhaps the stupidest idea that I’ve come across in a good long while, the Fish-n-Flush is an aquarium for your toilet. Yes, it true. You can now combine your love of aquatic life with your daily bathroom duties. For only $400 Canadian dollars you can purchase this “striking” piece of bathroom technology which is a fully functioning toilet tank, sporting a fully functional aquarium.

As far as I can tell you would actually replace the tank of your existing toilet with the stylish aquarium tank. The Fish-n-Flush is not yet available in Saskatoon retail stores but can be ordered online at this website.

I have to wonder if this one has a future. I will almost certainly recommend that you take yours with you if I’m called to market your home. Since it’s a fixture it might be best if we replace it before the home goes on the market.

You can probably appreciate how much fun this kind of situation is for a home seller. You have a number of buyers drooling over your home, knocking themselves out to try to beat the next ones offer. How delightful. However, it’s not so much fun for the buyers is it? Been there? Yuck!

If you’re having trouble finding a house and you’re tired of participating in these kinds of bidding wars, perhaps it’s time to set your sites a little lower, to see ugliness as the beautiful thing that it is, or at least can be. Homes which have been neglected still attract very little attention. Buyers view them with indifference at best and total disdain at worst. They tend to linger on the market and fail to attract offers. Why is that? Most buyers are really unable to visualize and imagine what an ugly house could become. The truth is, there’s really only one thing that can’t be fixed if it’s bad, and that’s the location. Poor floor plans, ugly decors and even structural defects can all be addressed, at a price.

The same home which I discussed above may have lingered on the market at $165,000 if the seller had not been so diligent in keeping the place up. A couple of weeks into the listing period, a savvy buyer could likely have bought it for $160,000 leaving them with $100,000 in potential renovation room. The buyer would have actually had as much leverage as the seller in this negotiation, because in all likelihood they would be the only interested party. In all likelihood, an awesome renovation on a house of this size would be far less than the difference which was saved by buying a home which was not attracting much interest. Most mortgage lenders will allow you to work these kinds of renovations into the mortgage amount provided that the “as improved” value of the property doesn’t exceed the total purchase price and the renovation cost. So, you get to pick the new kitchen, the bathroom, the paint and flooring colours. Sounds like a winning move to me.

Try it! Have your agent show you some of the ugly stuff. Look at some properties that have been on the market for a week or two. Start by using location and size as the primary criteria and really think about how some of those dogs could look with a little bit of attention. Have fun! I’d love to hear how your agent responds the first time you say, “We really have our sights set a little lower than this. Have you got anything ugly that you could show us?”

I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions.  All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.

Follow our daily updates on Twitter @SaskatoonHomes.

Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate