How to Prevent Bugs (yuck) in Your Houseplants

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Houseplants can add color and beauty to your home and are relatively low-maintenance comparing to outdoor gardening, which makes them ideal for apartment dwellers. However, you still need to care for them by preventing insects and disease from destroying them.

Gnats, aphids, fruit flies, and spider mites are all common insects that can attack your plants. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to prevent bugs in your houseplants, which will work best when used in conjunction.

1. Choose the right plants. When selecting houseplants, make certain that you pick species that are suited for the amount of light they are going to experience. Plants in improper lighting conditions suffer from stress, which makes them more susceptible to bug infestations.

2- Make sure your houseplants are potted in sterile soil. While bacteria, fungus, and insects are a vital component of outdoor soil health, houseplants are better planted in store bought potting mix, which will generally be sterile. Using outdoor garden soil can introduce insect larvae into your houseplants.

•Make sure to include a drainage layer of gravel at the bottom of each houseplant pot. Poorly drained soil can saturate the roots, leaving them more susceptible to insect attack.

3- Clean your houseplants regularly. Dust buildup on your houseplants leaves often contains organic compounds (like skin cells or pet hair) that insects can feed on. Furthermore, insects like mites thrive in thick layers of dust and will be less likely to infest a clean plant.

•Large houseplant leaves can be gently wiped with a moistened rag. Use as nonabrasive a cloth as you can find; microfiber cloths work well for this task.

•Plants with many small leaves can be picked up and submerged into a sink full of lukewarm, slightly soapy water. Swish the leaves around a bit and then turn the plant right side up to dry.

4. Monitor your plants for insect damage. Most infestations can be mitigated if you inspect your plants regularly so you can catch the early signs and do something quickly to combat it. Leaves that are discolored, display speckles, mottle, and chewing can be a sign that insects are present.

5. Control existing insect infestations. Prune any discolored leaves away and throw them away. Small insects like aphids and mealybugs can be removed by rubbing the plant's leaves with a cloth moistened with soapy water.

6. Know when to give up on a plant. Unfortunately, houseplants that are badly infested with insects cannot be helped. In this case, it would be best if you throw the plant away before the insects spread to other plants in the house.

Tips for Hiring a Remodeling Contractor

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Finding a qualified contractor for your home remodeling project can be daunting and confusing but it's not a difficult task. You can easily search the web or look in the yellow pages and find many home remodeling contractors listed in your area. But the questions are: Which one do you hire for your home remodeling project? Which one will perform quality work, charge a fair price, and get the job done on time?

By following these tips you will make the selection process easier and be better prepared to make an informed decision that best suites your needs.

1. To reduce the risk of hiring the wrong home contractor you should first do a little preparation yourself for the home remodeling project. Sketch out and write down what you want to get done. Provide a copy of this information to the prospective home remodeling contractor as this will help to minimize misunderstandings of requirements.

2. Visit home improvement centres such as The Home Depot, and look at materials expected to be used on your project. Make note of their costs for you to compare material costs proposed by prospective contractors.

3. When you start to call prospective contractors ask for references and previous work that you can visit.

4. Employ a contractor with an established business in your area. Local firms can be checked through references from past customers in your community. Local contractors are compelled to perform satisfactory work for their business to survive.

5. Contact your local licensing agencies to ensure the contractor meets all requirements.

6. Check the contractor with the government's Consumer Affairs Office and the Better Business Bureau to ensure there is no adverse file on record.

7. Ask to see a copy of the contractor's certificate of insurance to ensure the contractor meets all specifications.

8. Make sure the contractor's insurance coverage meets all the minimum requirements.

9. Be sure that the contract between you and the contractor states exactly what is to be done and how change orders will be handled.

10. Make as small a down payment as possible so you won’t lose a large sum of money if the contractor fails to complete the job.

11. Be sure that the contract states when the work will be finished and what action you can take if it isn’t. Also remember that in many instances you can cancel a contract within three business days of signing it.

12. Ask if the contractor’s workers will do the entire job or whether subcontractors will be hired.

13. Be sure that the contract specifies that the contractor will clean up after the job and be responsible for any damage.

14. Guarantee that materials used meet your specifications.

15. Don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied with the finished job.

Whether you’re planning an addition to your home for a growing family or simply getting new storm windows, finding a reliable contractor is the first step to a successful and satisfying home improvement project. Finding a good contractor, someone you can trust to do a good job for a fair price and stand behind his or her work could be hard. If you do your homework and follow these tips, you will improve the odds of getting a contractor you will be happy with.

Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

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Being debt free is the ultimate financial goal for most people. There are many articles advising us how to get out of debt, that we may automatically assume that debt is a bad thing. However, not all borrowing is bad.

There are many occasions when debt can actually be a good thing, here are a few examples.

1. Buying a homeMany people cannot afford to buy a house without borrowing.  A mortgage is a big debt, but it is a better financial proposition than renting. Getting a mortgage is like having an investment for the future. It offers the prospective of living debt free in 25-30 years. Furthermore, because it is secured against the value of your house, the interest rate is likely to be relatively low.

Carefully consider how much you can afford to put down and how much of a loan you can carry. The more you put down, the less you'll owe and the less you'll pay in interest over time.

2. Student loansIt is unfortunate that taking a student loan is almost an essential aspect of going to University or College, however, the gain is a good long term investment. A good degree or diploma creates the potential for higher earning power and this extra income is greater than the debt incurred.

It is unwise to borrow against your home to cover for your children’s tuition. If you run into financial difficulties down the road, you may risk losing your home. Your best bet is to save what you can for your kids' educations without compromising your own financial health. Then let your kids borrow what you can't provide, especially if they are eligible for a government-backed student loans. Such loans have guaranteed low rates; no interest payments are due until after graduation; and interest paid is tax-deductible under certain circumstances.

3. Building your credit historyBorrowing through loans or credit cards helps you build your credit history. However, in such cases, you should arrange to pay the credit card balance on monthly basis and avoid paying high interest on the purchasers made on your credit card.

4. Loans for investmentsSome of your debt might be considered an investment. If you took on the debt to purchase something that will increase in value and can contribute to your overall financial health, then it’s very possible that debt is a good one.

Avoiding debt at any cost is not wise if it means depleting your cash reserves for emergencies. If the debt is used to purchase an asset, make sure that the utility or financial return from the asset is higher than the cost of debt. It is also important to ensure that you are not overleveraged where your borrowings exceed your assets or where you have trouble servicing the loans. Any debt which is taken after you are overleveraged is not advisable, regardless of its purpose.

Decorating With Books

 

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Books are entertaining and enlightening and can be a beautiful decorative element in a room if you learn how to display them in an effective way.

Here are a few tips for incorporating books as part of your décor!

Sort your books following any criteria you want. If decorating is your main concern, focus on sorting by age, binding or colour, or  you can sort based on the content of your books.

Decide on the best place in your home to decorate with books. Look for spaces that aren't cluttered and can use some visual interest. Also look for wall space where you can place a bookcase.

Use bookcases as decorating tools by focusing on the theme of your books. If you have a large number of beautifully bound older books, place these books together to create dramatic interest. Shelving books according to their height can add a pleasing order on the bookshelves and compliment your décor. Create interest with the bookcases themselves by using a floor-to-ceiling bookcase or shelf to add drama to any room, regardless of the books it houses.

Display individual books on tables and other surfaces. You can use the classic coffee table display as you decorate and set one or more especially attractive books on the table. However, if you think more broadly, you can find more surfaces to decorate. A small shelf may be a perfect display for a book with an unusual cover or you might find that a small book fits perfectly in your pantry, bringing you a smile each time you see it.

Hardcover books look much better and more decorative without the dust jacket. The bindings are usually printed with nice script, and the colours give the book more of a classical look.

Books are great for elevating lamps that aren't quite tall enough or for bases used for staggering pictures or candlesticks on a dresser or table. Varying heights create more visual interest, and the combination of books and pictures and candles or a lamp is always a great vignette!

Need an end table? Stack sturdy books to the height you need. You can even place a tray or basket on top to hold a snack, phone or remote!

Place a square woven bamboo basket with books on a hearth, or to break up a bookshelf. Use cookbooks on a kitchen counter or in a corner display paired with platters, pitchers or a serving bowl. Using an easel, rotate cookbooks and show off the covers if they are pretty and work with seasons—Christmas baking, soups, etc.

Place books around your home to draw attention to the function of a room or a corner. If you have a large book collection and to want make a statement in a room, build or purchase enough narrow bookshelves to fill one wall of a room, or one side of a wide hallway. You'll get lots of storage in only 12” to 15" of floor space.

Remember that you'll want to read the books from time to time, so make sure they are easily accessible.

Dining Room Decorationg tips

                                                   
The ideal dining room design must be dynamic enough to satisfy the role of a functional feasting ground in addition to providing an intimate setting for a social gathering among friends and family.

 One of the great benefits a dining room offers is being able to implement themes into the dining room. Restaurants are great examples of this technique as most restaurants typically develop a design to match the foods that they prepare. A dining room design has no real limitations so long as its two functional roles remain intact.

The dining room should be a calm and peaceful place. If you don't have a formal dining room, do what you can to make the area where you have your meals as separate and quiet as possible.

Work with your space: ne of the most important rules for designing a dining area is to work with the layout and architecture of your home. Don't try to cram an elegant and long rectangular area into a circular breakfast nook. This concept may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how often people try to use furniture that just doesn't fit. They fall in love with a dining set and they just have to have it without putting thought into how the set will fit into the space.

Make a wide access point directly into the dining room to build a more open look and feel. Use a lighter window finishing, and place mirrors to reflect light and achieve the impression of larger space
.
Dining room table and chairs: it is important to select a table that really fits inside the dining space. Ensure that the table you choose will provide plenty of room for family and friends to navigate all sides of the table while simultaneously offering adequate amounts of table space for each dining participant.

Simple square shaped dining tables offer elegant dining arrangements and are a best fit for an intimate couple and small families, keeping the dining occasions personal and sometimes intimate. Lighting candles atop a square table reaches an intimacy level that is unmatched by any other shape.
Tables of rectangular design are generally larger than most square tables and provide six or more seats. Rectangles are not as elegant by nature as circles and oval shapes, and therefore a rectangular table may not reach the same level of formalities as an elliptical table setting.
Rectangular tables are ideal in casual dining surroundings such as combination kitchen and dining rooms.

Flooring and area rugs: When it comes to flooring consider a wood, ceramic or stone type of product. These materials look the nicest, and they are easier to keep clean in the event of food spills.
Use an area rug under the dining table to help define and soften the dining space and bring the colours of the dining room together.  Area rugs should be large enough so that the back legs of chairs do not drop off the rug when someone is dining.

Lighting: Lighting is an important element in creating a nice dining environment. The flow of energy through the dining room should be gentle but not stagnant. Use candles, lower wattage bulbs, or a dimmer switch to bring the energy level down a little, especially at the end of a hectic day. Soft candlelight provides the ultimate setting for a romantic experience.

Pictures and paintings: Wall colour should remain fairly neutral and fade into the background of the room. Save darker tones to compliment brighter shades, and splash lighter colours onto the walls themselves.

Let the colours of tablecloths, picture frames, window sheers, furniture, and other decorations contrast wall colours and implement your bolder tones through decor rather than wall paint or trim. A typical colour scheme might include two complimenting colours for the dining room walls and trim, and then matching two to three more shades of decoration with the wall and trim colours.

Accessories: Built-in cabinetry with some open or glass fronts in the dining area can provide a dramatic place to display a collection of your china, serving dishes, etc.

Your beautiful table linens and good silverware should be used from time to time, so you can enjoy them in the present instead of waiting for some future date to use them. Plan a special

 sit-down-together dinner with your partner or family one night a month (or more often, if you can). Making this a regular event reinforces how special your loved ones are to you. Using a tablecloth, rather than individual placemats, encourages closeness among family members.

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Pricing Strategies to Help Your Home Sell

Getting your home sold quickly and for a fair price is challenging in any market. While there are real estate agents who focus on such things as staging and making small repairs, strategic pricing is even more important. Buyers who begin their home search on the Internet often filter their choices by price first, so listing your home at a competitive value will get more eyes on your property.
Many homes are discarded by prospective buyers as not being in the appropriate price range before they even have a chance of a showing.

Your asking price is often your home's "first impression", and if you want to receive the most money you can for your home, it's imperative that you make a good first impression.
Setting the asking price of your property is as much about knowing how buyers think as it is about how much the property is worth.

1. Price it rightIn order to set the right price, check out your competition first. A little real-estate research can be handy. Take a look at homes sold in your neighbourhood. Ask yourself: what are they selling for? How long have they been on the market? Study the supply and demand within your neighbourhood to consider whether to price your home above or below the market value.

Pricing your home lower than your competitors can essentially generate more offers, thereby driving the price higher. On the other hand, price it too high and you risk buyers going into “sticker shock”.

2. The missing penny trickTo grab the attention of potential buyers, Take a pricing tip from discount retailers like Wal-Mart. Take, for example, $19.99 vs. $20.00. While it is only a penny difference between the two, the $19.99 price seems like a better deal! Why? Because when people see a price, they make judgements in a fraction of a second whether it is a good or bad deal. And, since we read from left to right, the first number receives the most focus. Therefore, a home listing for $199,999 will generate more attention then $200,000 because people will perceive $199,999 to be a better deal. Retailers have been using this proven strategy for a long time; make it work for you.

3. Raise the reference pointYou can raise people’s reference point by asking for a higher price. People use that information in setting their reference price. In addition, you can affect the reference price of buyers by telling them the price of competing properties in the neighbourhood. However, pass along this information only if the comparisons are in your favour.

On the other hand, if you set a price that is implausibly higher, the impact will be less than if you set a price that's more reasonable.

4. Send the right messagePeople associate precise numbers with bargains. If a house should sell for around $300,000, then offering a round number like $295,000 will convey quality and willingness to negotiate, and choosing a higher but precise number like $295,485 would indicate a bargain.

A precise number may also signal that you have given careful consideration to the price and you aren't inclined to negotiate, however, you may want to use this trick with caution.

5. Setting the asking price. If your home is in a new development and you want to give the impression of prestige, go for a nicely rounded (up) price. But if you're going for a quick sale and you want to give the impression of a bargain, go for a precise number.

6. Make the price cuts easy-to-understandWe perceive easily computable discounts as better than larger discounts. A discount from $395,485 to $385,485 might seem better than from $395,485 to $378,495.

When a home has been on the market too long and very few offers have been made, the logical option is to reduce the asking price. But by how much? The trick here is to reduce the price by a nice, easy-to-calculate number so buyers can easily calculate their savings.

The longer your house sits on the market, the less cash it commands. Use these expert tricks to sell your house fast and maximize your profit.

Contact me at www.kimlouie.net for a free Home Value Report or to chat about the current real estate market.

November 2017 Kitchener-Waterloo Home Sales Stats and Average Prices

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Last month a total of 425 residential properties sold in Kitchener-Waterloo and area through the Multiple Listing System (MLS® System) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® (KWAR). Home sales in November were down 20.1 per cent compared to the same month last year, but on par with the previous 5-year November average of 424 sales.


November’s sales included 246 detached homes (down 30.9 per cent), and 99 condominium units (down 15.4 per cent) which includes any property regardless of style (i.e. semis, townhomes, apartment, detached etc.). Sales also included 52 semi-detached homes (up 67.7 per cent) and 27 freehold townhouses (down 3.6 per cent).

"Last month’s sales levels were typical for November," says James Craig, President of KWAR. "The twenty percent drop compared to last year is relative to November 2016’s record breaking month".

The average price of all residential properties sold last month increased 8 per cent to $445,363 compared to November 2016. Detached homes sold for an average price of $515,721, an increase of 8.9 per cent compared to November 2016. During this same period, the average sale price for an apartment style condominium was $277,660 for an increase of 30.7 per cent. Townhomes and semis sold for an average of $369,678 (up 19.3 per cent) and $376,677 (up 15.1 per cent) respectively.

The median price of all residential properties sold in November increased 9.7 per cent to $415,000, and the median price of a detached home during the same period increased 12.1 per cent to $476,500.

REALTORS® listed 601 residential properties in K-W and area last month, a 22.6 per cent increase compared to November of 2016. The number of active residential listings on the KWAR’s MLS® System to the end of November totalled 740, which is 50 per cent more than November of last year, but still well below the previous five-year average of 1,318 listings for November.

"Kitchener-Waterloo’s housing market continues to be in favour of sellers, however with listings trending higher, we are seeing more balance," says Craig.

"While the majority of MLS® System activity is properties for sale, we are noticing more residential properties for lease," commented Craig. "In fact, last month there were 42 residential properties leased, which is an increase of 83% compared to November of 2016."