Purchasing a home?

Consider the condition of the home's electrical system...

here are some things you should know

Open House every Saturday at the

REEP House for Sustainable Living

at 20 Mill Street (near Queen) in Kitchener.

Visit this super-insulated, water-wise century brick home and education centre. See demonstrations of an in-floor heating system, ground-source heat pump, tankless water heater, grey-water system, insulation options and more.

Guided tours of REEP House are available every hour on the hour. Receive free advice from a Certified Energy Advisor to your home energy savings questions.

Currently you can win A FREE Evaluation! Visitors to our Saturday Open House may enter our monthly draw for a free ecoENERGY Evaluation, Solar Potential Assessment, or Electricity Savings Audit!

Date: Every Saturday
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Address: 20 Mill Street, Kitchener

More information: REEPgreen.ca

Parking: REEP House parking is limited. Please park at nearby Victoria Park.

Here is an interesting infographic from the website 'One Block Off the Grid' (1bog.org).

With energy prices rising every year, what's a homeowner to do? Many green improvements can pay for themselves and more...

Here are some items to consider to better winterize your home in this video from Lou Manfredini and Marvin.com

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In today's highly competitive real estate market, the key to selling your home is being able to attract buyers to your listing. When you're selling your home, it's important to remember that you're in competition with every other similarly priced listing in your area. To win buyers, you need your home to stand out from all the rest.

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Here is an interesting article from HouseLogic.com on the value of maintaining your home:

If you think home maintenance is an unavoidable series of weekend-eating chores, remember the age-old advice of Benjamin Franklin: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The fact is, proactive maintenance is essential to preserving the value of your home-without it, your home could lose 10% of its value. Regular, routine maintenance enhances curb appeal, ensures safety, and prevents neglected upkeep from turning into costly major repairs.

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Getting your home ready for sale can take anywhere from one to six months, depending on the condition, age of the house and how long you've lived there.

So before you list your house, go over the property to determine what needs to be repaired or possibly replaced. Make a list of both major and minor jobs. Tackle big projects first.

It's tempting to wait until the home inspection and offer to adjust the price in lieu of repairs, but doing so may put the entire sale in jeopardy and may ultimately cost more. Buyers generally tack on extra dollars to any estimate. Most importantly, a major repair left undone creates the impression that the house has not been maintained.

So here is a timeline to help you prepare your home for sale:

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Old House Web has information on many aspects of renovating and owning an old home (or a not so old home).

Some of the topics that are included on the site are: Product Reviews, How to Advice, a Green Guide, an "In the Garden" section and an Architecture and Design .

Featured articles include:

• Knob and Tube Wiring

• When to Turn to a Contractor

• Old Windows

Visit the Old House Web site.

Here are some great steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, lower your energy bills a bit and create a healthier home.

From the folks at This Old House.

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Remodelling a home starts with a dream...

A gourmet kitchen! Skylights! A gigantic walk-in closet! But, the dream may turn into a nightmare if you don't plan ahead.

Buying a home will arguably become your most important financial investment, as well as a major emotional investment. And, remodelling that home can make it better suited to your lifestyle and increase the house value. However, the remodelling process can seem overwhelming at times. If you're buying a home that you plan to remodel, here are some issues to consider.

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