Planting Your First Vegetable Garden

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Growing vegetables at home can be fun. It's a great way to spend time with children or have a place to get away and spend time outdoors in the sun and it can save you some money as well.

Vegetables from the home garden in most cases are fresher and have better nutrient values, and are often less costly than those sold in stores.

Growing vegetables is easier than you think. If you plan it right, you can enjoy a beautiful garden full of the fruits of your labour —without having to spend hours and hours tending to it. Vegetables and flowers are natural companions, and the combination can turn a potential eyesore into an attractive landscape feature.

Deciding what to grow
It's best to start small with your first garden. Many gardeners get a little too excited at the beginning of the season and plant more than they need — and end up wasting food and feeling overwhelmed by their garden.

So first, take a look at how much your family will eat. Keep in mind that vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash keep providing throughout the season — so you may not need many plants to serve your needs. Other vegetables, such as carrots, radishes, and corn, produce only once. You may need to plant more of these.

Determining how much space you need
Once you know what you want to plant, you can figure out how much space your garden will need. Keep in mind that you don't need a large space to begin a vegetable garden. If you choose to grow in containers, you don't even need a yard — a deck or balcony may provide plenty of space.

Picking the perfect spot
 No matter how big your vegetable garden is, there are three basic requirements for success:

1. Full sun. Most vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of direct sun. If they don't get enough light, they won't bear as much and they'll be more susceptible to attack from insects or diseases. If you don't have a spot in full sun, you can still grow many leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. And if you are in a hot-summer climate, cool-season varieties such as peas may do better in part shade.

2. Plenty of water. Because most vegetables aren't very drought tolerant, you'll need to give them a drink during dry spells. The closer your garden is to a source of water, the easier it will be for you.

3. Good soil. As with any kind of garden, success usually starts with the soil. Most vegetables do best in moist, well-drained soil that's rich in organic matter (such as compost or peat moss).

Many gardeners like to have their vegetable gardens close to the house. This makes it easier to harvest fresh produce while you are cooking. It can also be handy to keep a few favourite potted vegetables next to your grill.

Home Theatre Decorating Ideas

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A home theatre has quickly become a must-have for practically every family. From the simple family room setup to a much more elaborate theatre-seating wonder, today’s home theatres aren’t just for the wealthy anymore.

The décor of a home theatre will eventually influence how well the room functions as an entertainment space as well as how it shows when the lights are turned on. Creating a functional and beautiful home theatre is easy to do on any budget.  Here are some ideas for creating a home theatre for all to enjoy.

Start by arranging the space. Choose an easy-to-clean surface or a dark colour carpet for the flooring, and select a dark colour for the walls and ceiling.

A home theatre would not be complete without its supporting cast, the furniture. If you plan on having a couch in your home theatre, get a curved sectional. Since the optimal viewing in a movie theatre is the centre seat, a curved sectional will simulate that effect for everyone viewing your television.

If you have a smaller space or prefer a more intimate area, purchase two recliners in dark leather or other fabric. A simple end table can serve as a shared table between the two chairs. Select comfortable and soft furniture which gives luxury while absorbing sound waves to improve audio quality within the room.

Arrange the furniture for the best viewing for everyone. If you have an HD television, your seats should be as far back as 3 to 4 times the width of the screen. This provides optimum picture quality and your guests won’t be straining their neck or eyesight to watch the screen.

Secondly, consider the lighting. You never want to be in a completely dark room when watching a movie as this can be a hard strain on your eyes. Use wall sconces or another dim background lighting at a very low level while watching the TV.

Another typical visual task in the home theatre is entertaining. So you need to have a layered lighting approach. Add some accent lighting in the room, some general lighting, and some decorative lighting.  Remember to use separate controls for each of these layers so that you can change the look and the aesthetic feel of the space-based on function.

No home theatre is complete without refreshments. If space allows, install a built-in or freestanding bar. A complete home theatre bar should include a microwave and mini-refrigerator stocked with water, juices, and your preferred drinks.

If your budget allows, consider adding acoustic wall treatments to balance the acoustic properties of a room. You want to be able to crank up the volume while watching your favourite movie without disturbing other people in your home. There are many commercial products available and you can even buy ready to install treatments.

Most wall or ceiling mounted treatments are really just a wooden frame filled with sound-absorbing or diffusing material. The material is then wrapped in an attractive sound absorbing fabric of your choice. You can also hang wall treatments from your ceiling to help control floor to ceiling reflections.

Finally, when selecting the focal point of your home theatre — the equipment, keep in mind that you can easily find speakers that are installed into the walls for a clean, less cumbersome appearance. The exteriors of these in-wall speakers can be painted and treated to blend seamlessly. If a drop-down projection screen isn’t in your budget, large standard television with surround sound will do nicely. Add a tuner and some speakers for maximum sound quality.

A home theatre is a fun, relaxing place for families to spend time together as well as to entertain. The décor of the room should be about comfort and subtly allow you to enjoy favourite movies or programs in the welcoming retreat of your own home.

Commonly Used Real Estate Terms

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Buying or selling real estate can be a tricky process. There are hundreds of commonly used terms that could make up its own language. Below are some home-buying terms that you will most likely encounter when you purchase your home.

Amenities
Features that enhance and add to the value or desirability of real estate. Common amenities include swimming pools, professional landscaping, gourmet kitchen, and so on.

Amortization
This is a schedule that outlines your loan payments for the duration of the home buying loan. It details how much of each monthly payment goes toward the principal and how much goes toward the loan interest. Initially, the bulk of your payments will be applied toward the interest.

Appraisal
An estimate of the value of the property, made by a qualified professional called an “appraiser”.

Bungalow
A one-story house, cottage, or cabin.

BreachViolation of an obligation in a contract.

Broker
A real estate professional who has acquired a higher level of training and experience than a sales agent. A minimum number of classes must be taken along with passing an exam to acquire a broker’s license. Generally, they are a legal representative or a proprietor of the office. Brokers usually charge a fee or receive a commission for their services.

Building Code
A set of stringent laws that control the construction of buildings, design, materials, and other similar factors.

Condominium
A large property complex that is divided into individual units and sold. Ownership usually includes a non-exclusive interest in certain "common properties" controlled by the condominium management.

Close
The final procedure in a home sale in which documents are signed and recorded. This is the time when the ownership of the property is transferred.

Closing Costs
Expenses in addition to the purchase price for buying and selling a property.

CMA (Comparative Market Analysis.)
A CMA is a report that shows prices of properties that are comparable to a subject property and that were recently sold, are currently on the market or were on the market, but not sold within the listing period.

Conventional Mortgage A first mortgage issued for up to 75% of the property’s appraised value or purchase price, whichever is lower.

Counter Offer
An offer made by the seller back to the buyer altering one or several terms and/or conditions of the offer as originally written.

Deed
A legal document that conveys (transfers) ownership of a property to a buyer.

Earnest Money
Along with an offer, buyers can make a deposit on the home to demonstrate the seriousness of the offer. When an earnest money deposit is made, it is held by an escrow until closing. It is then added to the down payment.

Escrow
Funds held before closing by a third party, usually including the earnest money deposit. Future taxes and homeowner's insurance, held by the mortgage company after closing, are also considered escrow.

FSBO (For Sale By Owner)
This term refers to property that is being sold without a real estate agent. FSBO is also used to refer to the homeowner who is selling the property.

ForeclosureThe process after home buying is complete by which a lender repossesses and resells a property after the owner has defaulted.

Investment Real Estate
Real estate that generates income or is otherwise intended for investment purposes rather than as a primary residence. It is common for investors to own multiple pieces of real estate, one of which serves as a primary residence, while others are used to generate rental income and profits through price appreciation. The tax implications for investment real estate are often different than those for residential real estate.

Land
Property or real estate, not including buildings or equipment that does not occur naturally. Depending on the title, land ownership may also give the holder the rights to all natural resources on the land. These may include water, plants, animal life, fossils, soil, minerals, electromagnetic features, geographical location, and geophysical occurrences.

Land Value
The total value of the land, including any upgrades or improvements to the land.

Land Transfer Tax
Payment to the provincial government for transferring property from the seller to the buyer.

Lien
This is a legal claim that keeps the property from being sold until the lien is paid off.

MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
An organization that collects, compiles, and distributes information about properties listed for sale by its members, who are real estate brokers. Membership isn’t open to the general public, although selected MLS data may be sold to real estate listing websites. An MLS can be local or regional.

Real Estate Agent
A person with a state/provincial license to represent a buyer or a seller in a real estate transaction in exchange for a commission. Most agents work for a real estate broker or realtor.

Title Insurance
An insurance policy that protects a lender’s or owner’s interest in real estate property from assorted types of unexpected or fraudulent claims of ownership. It’s customary for the buyer to pay for the lender’s title insurance policy.

Zoning
Government (usually municipal) laws that control the use of land within a jurisdiction.

Dealing with Lockdown Anxiety

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Youngsters facing relationship issues and losing patience with their partners. Employees worried about when (if at all) their next paycheck will come in. Students with hazy academic futures. People living alone who just want someone to talk to. 

There's no doubt many people are finding being stuck indoors for a long time very stressful and is putting families under huge amounts of stress. Maintaining one’s mental wellbeing during a pandemic is as important as containing the viruses. One should not lose sight of mental health. We are in unprecedented times, and it is natural to need help in coping with our situation.

If you're struggling to keep going and are finding it all depressing, We have a few tips to help you to cope.

1- Stick to healthy eating and sleeping habitsStay close to your normal routine, families should plan their daily schedules together, so that everyone knows what the other is doing, and individual preferences can be accommodated. Seemingly harmless changes to a schedule can cause discomfort to others.

2- Be mindful of each other
Living through a lockdown is a new experience for everyone. Staying in can feel like a  loss of independence for many of us. For those whose work has come to a halt, it can feel like a loss of purpose; even for those older adults who have been home-bound, staying indoors isn’t an issue — but if they live with family, having people around all the time can be quite an adjustment. Be mindful of this and find ways to listen to or accommodate each other’s concerns.

Being confined to a small shared space is also bound to cause friction between family members. We are responsible for setting our own personal boundaries. Pick the right time and have a conversation about it with loved ones — it could be something as simple as asking those around you to knock before entering your room. Keep the conversation tone relaxed and quite. 

3- Minimise Corona TimeFreeing up your day from work or social obligations gives you plenty of time to obsess, and if you have a tendency to consult Google for every itch and sneeze, you may be over-researching the pandemic as well.

Choose a couple of credible news sources and follow them for a limited amount of time each day (30 to 60 min). Dedicate the rest of the day to yourself and to your relationships. Do not get obsessed with the news coverage. 

4- Stay connectedStay connected with your social network, make phone and video calls on a daily basis to others. Staying in touch has never been easier. Promote enthusiasm and hope. 

For those who live away from their elderly parents or relatives, do not panic. Instead, show cautious concern. Although, you may have good intentions, repeatedly calling one’s parents to issue instructions could have negative consequences, after all, those at the receiving end might bristle at the idea of their life suddenly being managed by their children, when they have run it themselves all this while.

6- Seek help when you need itIf you begin to feel stress, anxiety, or depression and need someone to talk to, do not hesitate to seek help. Use telehealth as an option to talk to a professional if your anxiety becomes unmanageable. 

Many licensed psychologists are offering telehealth options over video chat platforms. Remember to reach out for help if your anxiety is reaching proportions that are unmanageable without professional help.

Finding peace in the fact that you are doing your part to “flatten the curve” will certainly build mental strength to combat the stressful situation the whole globe is experiencing.

This pandemic will eventually pass, and life will move on. The return to normality can be an overwhelming experience, and we need to pace ourselves gradually into the new reality.

The same can be said of organizations too. For many people, the home ecosystem has slowly become the new normal. So returning to work at an office could require a major adjustment. It is important for employers to recognize this and demonstrate empathy by giving their employees time to adapt.

April Home Sales Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic - Home Prices Remain Strong

Contact me for a Free Home Value Report at www.kimlouie.net KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON (May 4, 2020) ––There were 227 residential homes sold through the Multiple Listing System (MLS® System) of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS® in April, a decrease of 63.6 per cent compared to the same month last year, and the lowest number of sales in a single month since December 2008. “It goes without saying the current pandemic has had a major impact on the number of sales we would normally see in April,” says Colleen Koehler, President of KWAR. “With everyone doing their part to flatten the curve and doing their best to self-isolate, the buying and selling of homes have been greatly reduced.” Total residential sales in April included 145 detached homes (down 63.3 per cent), and 22 condominium apartments (down 71.1 per cent). Sales also included 44 townhouses (down 61.1 per cent) and 16 semi-detached homes (down 60 per cent).    The average sale price of all residential properties sold in April increased 7.3 per cent to $568,738 compared to the same month last year, while detached homes sold for an average price of $657,042 an increase of 7.3 per cent. During this same period, the average sale price for an apartment-style condominium was $367,230 for an increase of 8.1 per cent. Townhomes and semis sold for an average of $406,463 (up 0.4 per cent) and $491,816 (up 13.3 per cent) respectively. The median price of all residential properties sold in April increased by 7.1 per cent to $525,000 and the median price of a detached home during the same period increased 6.3 per cent to $605,000. While still deemed an essential service, REALTORS® listed considerably fewer homes in April due to the current state of emergency. There were 417 new listings added to the MLS® System in KW and area last month, a decrease of 54.8 per cent compared to April of 2019, far fewer than the previous 10-year average of 937 listings in April. The total number of homes available for sale in active status at the end of April was 571, a decrease of 36.6 per cent compared to April of last year. The number of Months Supply (also known as absorption rate) continues to be very low at just 1.2 months for the month of April, 36.8 per cent below the same period last year. The previous ten-year average supply of homes for April was 2.95 months, and in the past 5 years, the average supply for April was 2.12 months. Koehler says most REALTORS® are advising sellers to hold off on listing their properties until after the state of emergency has been lifted. However, not every seller or buyer has that option which is why real estate was deemed an essential service. Realtors who have been working with buyers and sellers through this unprecedented time have been carefully following the guidelines of health Canada and taking all the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their clients. “In addition to health safety measures, our members are quickly adapting to new ways of showing property by conducting virtual showings for their clients, and other innovative practices,” says Koehler. The president of KWAR is confident that despite the current pandemic, the slowdown in housing sales will be temporary.  “It has been a strong sellers’ market for the past few years with buyers competing for a scare number of listings.” Now for the first time in a long time, April saw some balance with a sales-to-new-listings ratio of 54 percent – well within the balanced threshold. “We have witnessed some buyers expecting homes to sell at greatly reduced amounts, and frankly, that’s simply not the case. Home values have remained stable which we expect will continue,” says Koehler.  The average days to sell in April was 19 days, compared to 21 days in April 2019.   Historical Sales By Property Type   Months Supply of Homes for Sale  Historical Median Sales Price – By Property Type  Historical Average Sales Price – By Property Type  Historical Sales – By Price Range  Average Days on Market KWAR cautions that average sale price information can be useful in establishing long term trends but should not be used as an indicator that specific properties have increased or decreased in value. The average sale price is calculated based on the total dollar volume of all properties sold. Months Supply is the inventory of homes for sale at the end of a given month, divided by the average monthly closed sales from the last 12 months Those requiring specific information on property values should contact a local REALTOR®. REALTORS® have their fingers on the pulse of the market. They know the questions to ask, the areas to probe and what to look for so that you get a complete picture of the property and community you’re considering.