My Wife Quit

I guess she can only take so much of me.

Actually, we've gotten so busy that I've hired a new full-time assistant. We're excited to welcome Jenny Simon to the team!

She is a perfect fit... a qualified designer with strong project management skills and staging expertise, especially as we are getting more involved in helping clients get their homes ready for sale.

Jenny graduated from the Academy of Design and designed condominium lobbies, common areas as well as the model and private suites. She also worked as an in-house design consultant for Latitude for Living for Beach residents.

My Wife Quit

I guess she can only take so much of me.

Actually, we've gotten so busy that I've hired a new full-time assistant. We're excited to welcome Jenny Simon to the team!

She is a perfect fit... a qualified designer with strong project management skills and staging expertise, especially as we are getting more involved in helping clients get their homes ready for sale.

Jenny graduated from the Academy of Design and designed condominium lobbies, common areas as well as the model and private suites. She also worked as an in-house design consultant for Latitude for Living for Beach residents.

Creating a Healthy Home

We spend an average 90% of our time indoors and 1/2 of our lives sleeping. What we don't know about our homes is harming us.

This month I'm sharing the potential hazards and how you can take some easy steps to creating a healthy home. There are also a few tips on how you can go green and help your health at the same time.

How You Live

Allergens

Allergens can include dust mites, mold, pollen and pet dander, all of which cause allergy triggers. Use HEPA filters for your air ducts and vacuum.

Electomagnetic Fields

These can lead to sleep disorders, headaches and cancer. Move power strips away from your bed or work space wherever possible.

Forced Air Ducts

This is a part of the house you don't really think about but it can be a bad source of allergens and even mould. Have them cleaned once a year by a certified technician

Refridgerator Drip Pans

This is nasty...how often do we all think to clean this part of the fridge? The pans are a breeding ground for mold spores. Clean this monthly.

Power Strips

Even after turning off a computer, power continues to flow to computer peripherals like printers and scanners. Your tv's and stereos can ofter be using 40% of the power even they are turned off, called 'standby' power. BITS Ltd. has a power strip ($32.99 USD) that stops the energy from being wasted. For more information visit http://www.bitsltd.net/.

Smart Lightbulbs

Smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than incandescent lightbulbs and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. For example, by using a 26-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb—equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent lightbulb—users can save up to $59 on energy costs over the life of the bulb.

How You Clean

If you've ever sprayed you bathtub with Tilex, you know this stuff can't be good for you. We've been taught that 'clean' has a smell, but it doesn't! You can always use products that have natural scents like lavender and lemon if you really want that effect but artificial scents are just adding more toxins.

Out of anything you do, this is one of the most effective ways to improve your home's health. Parents who's children have had respiratory problems such as asthma have reported significant improvements to their condition once they changed to all-natural cleaning products.

Use non-toxic, all natural cleaning products such as Seventh Generation - available at most health food grocers and Home Depot.

You can easily switch the following items:

- general household cleaner
- laundry detergent
- dishwasher detergent
- non-chlorinated cleaning cloths
- recycled bags, toilet paper, paper towel etc.

If you have cleaners who provide their own products, make sure they are using green, non-toxic products and cloths instead of paper towel. Many cleaning companies are now catering to clients who are interested in all-natural environmentally sensitive cleaning.


How You Eat & Drink

Plastic Containers

Many bottles and containers are made from polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. They leach a chemicals such as antimony which is a toxic element with a similar composition to lead.

You can switch to stainless steel bottles, which are also better for the environment. The best price and brand, Kleen Kanteen in Canada is available at http://www.momknowsbest.ca/. They offer a great selection of sizes and even offer a sippy cup version as well as Born Free glass and safe plastic baby bottles.

It's a challenge but try to eliminate plastic from your kitchen. Organic milk in bottles tastes so much better and by the time you get refund on the bottle the cost is actually less than standard milk. Cook and serve with glass, especially for children and babies.

Organic Foods

The word "organic" refers to farming practices that encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. They also don't give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications and give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors.

Even with purchasing organic foods, wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with running water to reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria. If appropriate, use a small scrub brush — for example, before eating apples, potatoes, cucumbers or other produce in which you eat the outer skin.

Even better, start a garden. It's a great way to get outside, get kids involved in something healthy, you never have to worry about having to run to the store for fresh produce and the taste is so much better.

Even if you splurge on the cost to buy organic, we've found the difference in taste and quality is unbelievable. Next time you're at the store, buy one organic and one non-organic banana and do a taste test!

Other Impactful Changes

Plastic Bags

Switch to reusable grocery bags. They hold a lot more and are easier to carry. They are also great for hauling extra stuff up to the cottage.

Minimized Packaging

Buy products in bulk or that don't have a ton of excessive packaging. You'll usually save money this way too.

Recycling

The City of Toronto is finally recognizing that we are doing a great job of trying to recycle but there just isn't enough room in those small silly boxes. Keep your eyes out in the mail for a form to order a super-size blue box or click here to order online and learn more.

Composting

The green bin is fine but why give the city all the good stuff for your garden? Composting sounds 'yucky' but you can get great composters from the Home Depot, from a trendy, low-cost bamboo style from NatureMill for $69.99 to their fully automatic system for $449.00.

How You Build

This is a huge topic, so if you are considering a renovation or building, check out the Built Green Society of Canada.

There are also massive incentives from the government for improving the energy efficiency of your home. On our own renovation we will be getting about $10,000 in grants and refunds! Check out this EcoENERGY Retrofit link for more info.

When You Move

When you buy a new home, do not assume it's healthy! Have the ducts cleaned, change all air filters (upgrade to HEPA filters), change any water or vacuum filters and clean all appliances. It is well worth hiring a professional cleaning company to get in every nook and cranny before you move your things in.

Don't forget to change the batteries in all smoke detectors and updgrade carbon minoxide detectors if needed.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, it may seem like a bit of extra effort and expense but the payoff to your health and the environment are huge. And aren't you and your family worth it?

Who do you know who is looking to buy or sell? I'm happy to help - (416) 690-2181 or info@markrichards.ca.

Creating a Healthy Home

We spend an average 90% of our time indoors and 1/2 of our lives sleeping. What we don't know about our homes is harming us.

This month I'm sharing the potential hazards and how you can take some easy steps to creating a healthy home. There are also a few tips on how you can go green and help your health at the same time.

How You Live

Allergens

Allergens can include dust mites, mold, pollen and pet dander, all of which cause allergy triggers. Use HEPA filters for your air ducts and vacuum.

Electomagnetic Fields

These can lead to sleep disorders, headaches and cancer. Move power strips away from your bed or work space wherever possible.

Forced Air Ducts

This is a part of the house you don't really think about but it can be a bad source of allergens and even mould. Have them cleaned once a year by a certified technician

Refridgerator Drip Pans

This is nasty...how often do we all think to clean this part of the fridge? The pans are a breeding ground for mold spores. Clean this monthly.

Power Strips

Even after turning off a computer, power continues to flow to computer peripherals like printers and scanners. Your tv's and stereos can ofter be using 40% of the power even they are turned off, called 'standby' power. BITS Ltd. has a power strip ($32.99 USD) that stops the energy from being wasted. For more information visit http://www.bitsltd.net/.

Smart Lightbulbs

Smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than incandescent lightbulbs and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. For example, by using a 26-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb—equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent lightbulb—users can save up to $59 on energy costs over the life of the bulb.

How You Clean

If you've ever sprayed you bathtub with Tilex, you know this stuff can't be good for you. We've been taught that 'clean' has a smell, but it doesn't! You can always use products that have natural scents like lavender and lemon if you really want that effect but artificial scents are just adding more toxins.

Out of anything you do, this is one of the most effective ways to improve your home's health. Parents who's children have had respiratory problems such as asthma have reported significant improvements to their condition once they changed to all-natural cleaning products.

Use non-toxic, all natural cleaning products such as Seventh Generation - available at most health food grocers and Home Depot.

You can easily switch the following items:

- general household cleaner
- laundry detergent
- dishwasher detergent
- non-chlorinated cleaning cloths
- recycled bags, toilet paper, paper towel etc.

If you have cleaners who provide their own products, make sure they are using green, non-toxic products and cloths instead of paper towel. Many cleaning companies are now catering to clients who are interested in all-natural environmentally sensitive cleaning.


How You Eat & Drink

Plastic Containers

Many bottles and containers are made from polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. They leach a chemicals such as antimony which is a toxic element with a similar composition to lead.

You can switch to stainless steel bottles, which are also better for the environment. The best price and brand, Kleen Kanteen in Canada is available at http://www.momknowsbest.ca/. They offer a great selection of sizes and even offer a sippy cup version as well as Born Free glass and safe plastic baby bottles.

It's a challenge but try to eliminate plastic from your kitchen. Organic milk in bottles tastes so much better and by the time you get refund on the bottle the cost is actually less than standard milk. Cook and serve with glass, especially for children and babies.

Organic Foods

The word "organic" refers to farming practices that encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. They also don't give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications and give animals organic feed and allow them access to the outdoors.

Even with purchasing organic foods, wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with running water to reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria. If appropriate, use a small scrub brush — for example, before eating apples, potatoes, cucumbers or other produce in which you eat the outer skin.

Even better, start a garden. It's a great way to get outside, get kids involved in something healthy, you never have to worry about having to run to the store for fresh produce and the taste is so much better.

Even if you splurge on the cost to buy organic, we've found the difference in taste and quality is unbelievable. Next time you're at the store, buy one organic and one non-organic banana and do a taste test!

Other Impactful Changes

Plastic Bags

Switch to reusable grocery bags. They hold a lot more and are easier to carry. They are also great for hauling extra stuff up to the cottage.

Minimized Packaging

Buy products in bulk or that don't have a ton of excessive packaging. You'll usually save money this way too.

Recycling

The City of Toronto is finally recognizing that we are doing a great job of trying to recycle but there just isn't enough room in those small silly boxes. Keep your eyes out in the mail for a form to order a super-size blue box or click here to order online and learn more.

Composting

The green bin is fine but why give the city all the good stuff for your garden? Composting sounds 'yucky' but you can get great composters from the Home Depot, from a trendy, low-cost bamboo style from NatureMill for $69.99 to their fully automatic system for $449.00.

How You Build

This is a huge topic, so if you are considering a renovation or building, check out the Built Green Society of Canada.

There are also massive incentives from the government for improving the energy efficiency of your home. On our own renovation we will be getting about $10,000 in grants and refunds! Check out this EcoENERGY Retrofit link for more info.

When You Move

When you buy a new home, do not assume it's healthy! Have the ducts cleaned, change all air filters (upgrade to HEPA filters), change any water or vacuum filters and clean all appliances. It is well worth hiring a professional cleaning company to get in every nook and cranny before you move your things in.

Don't forget to change the batteries in all smoke detectors and updgrade carbon minoxide detectors if needed.

In Conclusion

At the end of the day, it may seem like a bit of extra effort and expense but the payoff to your health and the environment are huge. And aren't you and your family worth it?

Who do you know who is looking to buy or sell? I'm happy to help - (416) 690-2181 or info@markrichards.ca.

Year-End 2007 Market Watch

2007 was a busy year...there is no doubt about it. Activity increased a whopping 12 percent over last year for a record setting 93,193 sales.

Prices rose seven percent to $376,326 compared to last year's $351,941 and it has taken barely a month on average for homes to sell.

It's obvious that concerns over the U.S. economy have not had an impact on the past year but it will be interesting to see what impact the new land transfer tax (coming into effect February 1st. ) will have on buyers in 2008.

On another note, our financial advisor Shawn Rutledge of BMO Nesbitt Burns, sent an interesting commentary on the capital markets.

Fears over the economy always have an interesting effect on the real estate market but he shared a statement from Peter Lynch of Fidelity Investments who pointed out an interesting difference...

"Lynch suggests investors should emulate homeowners. "Your own home is a great investment, Lynch says, because of the key psychological reason that most of us aren't tempted to sell our home to satisfy a whim or to escape a feared bear market. "

"'There is no ticker tape for real estate or TV commentators mentioning that the house next to you on Lawrence Avenue declined 10% in active trading today, or that one on Roselawn Avenue went down 15%. Daily prices would drive homeowners crazy and be counterproductive.'"

The point? Invest wisely for the long term for maximum benefit and don't let the media hype scare you out of making an investment that makes sense for you, whether in capital markets or real estate.

Check out the prices in neighbourhoods around the GTA below for their average 2007 price overall!


Neighbourhood Watch - 2007

E02 -The Beach (coxwell, danforth, victoria park)
Average Price: $494,797

E03 - Danforth North (DVP, victoria park, danforth)
Average Price: $356,759

E01 - Danforth South & Riverdale (DVP, danforth, coxwell)
Average Price: $409,611

C04 - Bedford West & Lytton Park (allen, 401, yonge, eglinton)
Average Price: $715,065

C09 - Rosedale (yonge, st.clair, bayview, bloor)
Average Price: $1,085,223

C03 - Forest Hill (allen, eglinton, yonge, st.clair)
Average Price: $823,917

C12- Lawrence Park/Bedford East (yonge, 401, leslie, eglinton)
Average Price: $1,265,707

Source: Toronto Real Estate Board 2007 MarketWatch - for the full report, click here.

Who do you know who is interested in buying or selling? Please forward my blog or pass on my info...
(416) 690-2181
info@markrichards.ca