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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday January 1, 2003 - C3 Appraisinq VOlir own home J Have you ever wondered how much your cosmetic surface or problems by identifying property has appreciated in value since it was areas that prospective buyers might notice. For purchased? Whether it's avid curiosity or if example, cracked walkways, floor tiles and old you're thinking of selling, there are ways to or broken windows might slightly decrease the estimate your home's market value. value of your home. Worn carpel, moldy or rusty Employing a professional appraiser is always areas in bathrooms or kitchens, or broken cup an option, however, by knowing a few basics, board doors w ill also make negative impres you can make a fairly accurate estimate of your sions. The more cosmetic imperfections there r z home's selling price. In order to do this on are, the greater chance prospective buyers w ill your own, you must research market condi expect the asking price to be reduced. tions influential variables, such as the location The next important step is to examine the of your home, its condition and its upgrades. functioning of your home. The condition of your Real estate market conditions are impacted roof and heating or cooling system w ill impact by many factors and can fluctuate regularly. your property's worth. Examine the basement For example, interest rates, the local economy for signs of flooding or musty odors. Check and the supply of homes on the market all play About Your Home your windowsills for signs of rot or termites; to a role in the state of the market. Essentially, _________ do so. probe the wood beams at the top of the the market value of your home is defined sim foundation walls with a knife to check its ply as what potential buyers are willing to pay. strength. Also , look for signs of dampness of the underside A quick way to check the value of your home is to refer of floors around pipes. If leaks have gone undetected, there to organizations and publications that report onsale prices. could be substantial wood rot. You should also note whether This information is available (usually for free) from your your water pipes are in good condition. Record all the items local real estate board. Royal LePage's Survey of Canadian that require work and tabulate the costs required to fix the House Prices is a quarterly publication that reports on the problems. This can easily be done by calling relevant sup average prices, estimated property taxes and rental figures pliers for quotes. for seven housing types in more than 250 communities The last factor that affects the value of your home is its across Canada. This information is also available on the added features. When appraising your home, remember that Royal LePage Web site at www.royallepage.ca. features such as sunrooms. decks and landscaped backyards Another way to establish a fair asking price is to exam are appealing to most buyers, as are Jacuzzis and spacious ine current listings and recent sales of comparable proper family rooms and w ill add value. ties in your neighborhood. Compare your own home to sim By following the suggestions outlined above, you should ilarly listed or for sale properties, and try to objectively rate arrive at realistic value of what your home could sell for your property. under healthy market conditions. Regular home mainte Location is a key factor in determining the worth of a nance is important and w ill add to the value of your home. propeny. For many home buyers, desirable locales are in Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy o f this close proximity to schools and parks, and have easy acces article. However, the information provided is general in sibility to public transportation. In addition, a neighborhood nature and those with specific questions should gel profes surrounded by greenery and clean walkways and roads, w ill sional advice that meets their particular requirements. positively impact the value of the home. Frances Wedlake is a sales representative with Royal Once you have assessed the location of your home, the Lepage Rea! Estate Sendees Ltd. She can he reached at 905next step is to critically evaluate its condition. Start with 845-4267. FRANCES WEDLAKE t (W M S ) - Bathroom renovations have topped the list of home remod eling projects for the past decade. As families grow, bathrooms need to keep up with the times. And. as new products are introduced to the market, consumers need to keep up with options that enhance bathroom remodeling projects. Don Zeman. host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Homefront, focuses on new products and home improvement construction tips for his 3.5 m illion weekly listeners. "W hen it comes to a bathroom remodel, it's best to start from the ground up." says Zeman, a former contractor. "Moisture is the biggest challenge in bathrooms. Homeowners need to do their research and use moisture and mildew-resistant products in their remodeling efforts to stay ahead of the game." To resist bathroom mildew on the walls, Zeman recommends selecting paints especially made to combat the high moisture conditions found in bathrooms. M any bathroom projects need more than just paint for an upgrade. Along with replacing fixtures and plumbing. Zeman suggests home owners review the ventilation of the room. "Trapped moisture is a huge prob lem in many bathrooms, so I advise installing exhaust fans and operable windows," says Zeman. "These days, you can have your privacy protected Tips for remodelling a bathroom in the bathroom by installing acrylic acrylic block windows. I've seen casement and awning windows that open from Hy-Lite Products that do a good job of allowing in natural light and air while making it impossible for peo ple to see into the bathroom." For homeowners wishing to use clear glass windows in the bathroom to capture vievtfs, Zeman recom mends considering vinyl replacement windows. "Nothing beats the low-maintenance benefits of vinyl." says Zeman. "I've found that Simonton Windows offers a good value for energy effi cient, low maintenance vinyl replace ment windows. To personalize the windows, there are lots of options available, like laminate interiors, grid selections and unique sizes and shapes." Once the bathroom essentials are in place, don't forget the decorative touches. "Urethane m illwork is absolutely ideal for bathrooms because it resists moisture, humidity, warping and rot ting," says Zeman. "Wood mouldings become a bur den to maintain in a bathroom. There are decorative crown mouldings, wall niches and shower surrounds I've installed from Style Solutions that hold up extremely well in humid bathrooms." For more tips on bathroom remod elling and information on products ideally suited for the bathroom, visit www.homefront.com. Choosing paint colours (NC)-Often one of the most daunting tasks when embarking on a home reno vation project is choosing paint colours. Colours have a personality all their own. When decorating your home, choose colours that will reflect the mood you want to create. The paint and decorating experts at Home Hardware offer these ideas for choosing your colours: RED is ideal for any dining room, stimulating appetites and increasing brain activity. It is also excellent for child development. Surprise your child by adding colour to a hidden place * inside cab inets, closets, drawers and armoires. O RA N G E is extroverted with a contemporary outlook. Use shades of orange in a foyer, it helps in attracting peo ple. Y EL LO W is the brightest colour, stimulat ing memory and giving the room a warm sunny out look. If used properly, it lifts spirits. Popular in the kitchen, shades of yellow can also be per fect for a home office or study. G R EEN is a natural colour, lending a feeling of tranquility to a room. It is a dom inant colour that makes people feel secure. What bet ter place to feel tranquility than in the bedroom * sleep peacefully in a sea of green. B L U E is the most popular colour. It lowers blood pressure and inspires medi tation. For those long, relaxing baths, a soft shade of blue makes any bathroom a spa. - News Canada SOLD CONDITIONALLY ON SALE OF PURCHASER'S PROPERTY If you are in a position to buy firm you really should taka a look at this ona. 7.36 acras. paddocks galore. 10 box stall gorgeous bam. gorgeous cus tom built bungalow with full in-law suite with grade level walkout, next to the Bruce Trail, try your offer and it quite possibly could become yours! * 5 6 5 ,0 0 0 Designer gorgeous Monarch semi done up to the 'nine's! Granite countertops, cathedral ceilings, ama/ing family rm. luxurious master with magnificent ensuite. professionally landscaped oversUed back yard. over $60,000 in upgrades. Exquisite touches throughout, hardwood, ceramics California shutters It's all hete for you! BACKS O N TO I6 TH TE E M ILLCROFT GOLF COURSE! ' , \ u . / \ \ f , ' % '.£isU dal U 70M K DALTON S A N D Y Sates Representative «, 845-4267 IH;iekltvrr> I.-m ail: Top I0°b Royal L tV a p in ( tinnda Wool J429.900 a i » v ;! · m- I ADD THIS TO YOUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO! These one acre severances do not come up often, especially at this price. Highway 6 and 401 area, two minutes from the village, you will find a marvellous opportunity to build your dream home. Beautiful countryside setting, and a lovely neighbourhood of estate homes is Ju st around the comer, but not on your back doorstep! v'M ti A HOUSE FOR ALL SEASONS! i (XMJ) 7 326 LAKESHORE RD. EAST OAKVILLE *165,000 'm r - 1525 CIEARVIEW O R During the summer months the private yard with lofty trees will keep you busy gardening and swimming in the large pool when you are done. In the winter season there are two fire places to sit by while reading... a sauna and a hot tub will relax you at the end of the day. When you are entertaining, the gourmet kitchen open to the family room will provide space for all your friends and formal entertaining can be done in the living room and dining room. Your family will move in and enjoy the 5 bedrooms this home has to offer. There are 3 garages and a large driveway allows the kids to play basketball. All this located in O akville^outheasU jreM how M nfonl^couplM nw ^ CONTEMPLATING ungft m s p ii S iu m n A M o ve Ik 2003? C a ll A w a d £ K o lb f t yV Ii* v i * I Sl300/m th Awad Wrv UrpnffeHtiitive S/kictou.i e > ' liriifltl! $ 346,000 . .. f o r Y o u r C o m p lim e n t a r y H om e E v a l u a t i o n ! G oing Above e3 B ey o n d ... to provide yo u w ith E x c e p tio n a l R e a l lu ita te Service* A n ita K olb M W IL w,f K < 1<<'"""'"'* anitakolb@royallepage.ca 905845-4267 If TV jyallepage.ca )j338-3737 v {0 U w/ty ^ · Four bedroom s, 2-1/2 baths · Marble ensuite w ith soaker tub · Main floor den I office · Form al dining room w ith French doors For Your Coni/tlinu'tilan/ HmmrEmtuaUm CallA mu) Kolb! ,0 ® Prudential s a le s r e p r e s e n t a t iv e TOWN CENTRE REALTY TOP 3% IN NORTH AMERICA + O ffice D ire c t 90 582 5 -506 3 9 0 5 33 8 -65 5 0 mg in the ew Year! T here's no better location on earth, than am ong friends and neighbours like you! W ith best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2003! FABULOUS SEMI IN WEST OAK TRAILS A lm ost new w ith lots o f im provem ents, hardwoods, ceramics, fla t ceilings and more. Oversized lot a n d very quiet child friendly street. Call B rad today for more inform ation. I jj