Thanksgiving Home Features | Piktochart Infographic Editor

Thanksgiving Home Features | Piktochart Infographic Editor

Wind turbines don't lower property values | Today's Farmer

Wind turbines don't lower property values | Today's Farmer

15 Ways to Update your Kitchen on a Dime

Give your kitchen a dashing revamp without putting a big hole in your wallet

As Per a Houzz Article by Laura Gaskill

Houzz Contributor

 Whether you are planning to invest your own sweat equity in a complete kitchen remodel or simply hope to make a few quick changes over the weekend, when every penny counts it's important to choose projects that will make a big impact for the lowest price possible. Stay focused on the results you are after (put on blinders when you walk past those $1,000 light fixtures) and be willing to get your hands a bit paint splattered, and you can certainly achieve beautiful results on any budget.

From paint and hardware to DIY projects and sources for budget materials, these 15 ideas will help you plan your kitchen update.

Boor Bridges Architecture

1. Swap out lighting. Stylish new pendant lights can easily become the new focal point of the room. The hand-blown glass pendants shown here are a beautiful, versatile choice, and at less than $200, they won't break the bank.

Restoration Hardware

Antique Brass Aubrey Pull - $10 

2. Add new hardware. Classic hardware is a worthwhile upgrade, subtly enhancing the look and feel of the entire space. Just keep an eye on the price per piece when shopping, because it adds up fast — especially if you have a large kitchen with lots of cabinets.

Count the number of pulls and knobs in your kitchen so you can quickly determine if the hardware you have your eye on will fit your budget — with plenty of beautiful pieces available for $10 and under (like the brass pulls shown here) there is no need to blow the budget.

Jennifer Grey Interiors

3. Upgrade accessories. With limited opportunities for decoration, it's important to make the most of the little things. Corral frequently used items on awoven tray, prop up a few wooden boards on your counter and display pantry items with pretty packaging.

Maple & Gray

4. Repaint cabinets. If your kitchen cabinets have a dated finish or you want a more personal touch than standard-issue white cabinets, think about adding color. Try pale sage green, as shown here, duck egg blue or warm putty — all versatile choices that go with many different materials and finishes.

From the Pros: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

5. Paint half the cabinets for a high-contrast look. A palette of black and white with wood and metal accents looks sleek and modern in the kitchen. Get the look by painting only the bottom cabinets and the base of your kitchen island black, leaving the upper cabinets white.

Justine Hand

6. Add sconces. Swing-arm sconces above open shelving provide lovely ambient light and offer more personality than standard recessed or track lighting. Ideally an electrician would install them with the cords hidden, though it may be possible to use plug-in versions with cord covers concealing the dangling cords.

Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

7. Work in rustic elements. Farmhouse accents instantly add warmth and character to a bland kitchen. Replace the kitchen or pantry door with a sliding barn door, hang copper pots from a ceiling rack or bring in a timeworn antique wooden stool.

Jennifer Ashton, Allied ASID

8. Add storage with simple shelves. Lacking upper cabinets? Rustic wood shelves on metal brackets are easily (and cheaply) installed, and provide functional display space for everyday dishes.

Titan & Co.

9. Use Roman shades for a finished look. Roman shades add an elegant note to any room and look especially at home in the kitchen, where any softness is most welcome. Have matching shades made for any glass doors in the same room for a cohesive look.

Jenn Hannotte / Hannotte Interiors

10. Paint the floor. If your wood floors are not in the best shape and you want to avoid professionalrefinishing, try painting them instead. White is chic but will show every dropped crumb; pale gray and blue are also classic choices. If you want to get creative, try stenciling a design onto the painted floors.

Cre8tive Interior Designs

11. Search Craigslist for budget-friendly building materials. If you've been using Craigslistonly to search for furniture, you are missing out. San Diego designer Stephanie Norris and her daughter tapped their local Craigslist to source materials (like the tile backsplash and travertine flooring shown here) for this budget kitchen remodel.

See more of this kitchen

Heather Freeman Design Co.

12. Remove upper cabinet doors. If glass door fronts are out of the budget but you want to open up a bit of space, try simply removing the doors to your upper kitchen cabinets. It's an easy change to make (just unscrew the doors and fill and paint the holes) that can add a sense of spaciousness to a small kitchen.

Heather Freeman Design Co.

13. Treat yourself to new dishes. Open shelving and counters are a great opportunity to practice the art of display. You can't go wrong with classic white dishes and clear glass, but fun mismatched flea market finds would work equally well if that's your style.

Lauren Liess Interiors

14. Spice up an outdated fridge with chalkboard paint. No cash to trade in that old beige fridge? Try covering it in chalkboard paint instead for a fun, creative look. The chalkboard surface will keepkids busy while you cook, or use it to keep a running grocery list, menu ideas or inspiring quotes and doodles.

Jennifer Grey Interiors

15. Make your own beadboard fridge cover. Homeowner Jennifer Grey has undertaken some amazing DIY projects while transforming her fixer-upper cottage, which had been vacant for seven months and was desperately in need of some TLC. One project that turned out especially well was the DIY fridge cover she made from beadboard paneling, barn hinges and hot glue — you can read the full DIY on Grey's blog, The Old Painted Cottage.

Home for sale in a divorce will get best price with united front

Consider buyer optics when selling your house

By: Joseph Richer Registrar Real Estate Council of Ontario, Published on Fri Oct 17 2014

My spouse and I are getting divorced and I want to sell the family home. I owned it before we got married, so why does my spouse need to be involved?

Splitting assets during a divorce can be a complicated matter — and selling the family home is no exception. While your question revolves around selling your home because of divorce, the answers could also be useful for a failed business partnership that involves the sale of real estate.

One of the first steps you may want to take is hiring a lawyer to help you through the process. Having expert advice will help inform you of your options and rights, and guide you towards choices that are appropriate for you.

If your spouse does not agree to sell the home, you’ll need the guidance and advice of your lawyer to understand what options are available to you.

If selling the family home is the chosen path for you both, there are a few factors you should consider before you decide which approach to take.

Is the divorce amicable or contentious? Are you and your spouse committed to working together to get the home sold? Or is it a contested divorce where communication is strained or conflicted?

The first option is for both you and your spouse to be represented by a single brokerage. As far as optics go with buyers, this will look like a typical sale and not one that could be taken advantage of. Doing so may help showcase your home in the best way possible to attract buyers and negotiate a favourable selling price.

If working together comes with challenges, you can ask to work with two representatives from the same brokerage — with each of you working with a different real estate agent.

Alternatively, you can each be represented by separate brokerages that would have to agree to work together to co-list your property.

Regardless of which option you choose, it’s important to remember the basics of selling a home. Take the time to meet with several real estate professionals and ask them about their experience and proposed strategy for selling your home. Remember, this is going to be that objective person you both have to be able to work with for a positive result. Just don’t expect them to be the peace keeper.

It’s also a good idea to be upfront about your situation. You’ll want to establish clear expectations about how the sale will be handled and the involvement levels of both you and your spouse.

When it comes time to sign the listing agreement, be sure that all the details you discussed verbally are put into writing. Ask your agent to include in the agreement a detailed breakdown of services they’ll provide; be sure it covers your needs.

You’ll also want to ensure that you understand all of the clauses included in the agreement, before signing. If something is unclear, ask questions and take the time to properly understand the entire agreement. If you have two brokerages involved with the sale, you’ll want to clearly define the responsibilities of each brokerage. For example, which one will be responsible for conducting showings to prospective buyers?

There are many moving pieces and emotions involved when selling a home, and that will likely be amplified when selling during a divorce — even an amicable one. Having knowledgeable professionals guiding you through the process will help you navigate a difficult situation.

Joseph Richer is registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO). He oversees and enforces all rules governing real estate professionals in Ontario.

If you have any question about selling while going through a divorce, contact me at: www.theamigo.ca

Wine Guide

BASIC WINE GUIDE

pplanning to get together with friends and family over the holidays but are clueless as to what wine to serve? Here is your guide to wow everyone!

Home Buyers Plan for first time buyers

http://youtu.be/Z5JDUSbfMqE

Great information to purchase a home with government programs

Adding a little value to your kitchen

Thinking of selling, and just want to add a little value, with a small investment. I just saw this at the hardware store. About $100 for every size kitchen cabinet. I also know some great contractors that will install it.

Durham Region Hot Hot Hot

Multiple offers & fast sales continue throughout Durham Region #AjaxRealEstate #WhitbyRealEstate #PickeringRealEstate #OshawaRealEstate. Trying to book homes to show today and a least 1/2 are already sold conditionally. Wow. This is when I tell my clients that they have to prepare ahead of time for what is coming, it does not mean everyone pays more than what a property is worth, it just means that you now need to be much more informed and prepared. Now there are many more things to consider ahead of time, such as:  offer conditions (length and removal) , price, deposits, appraisals, closing dates (costs involved for changing), fixtures, and much more when it comes to the actual negotiating. But no worries this is when a professional and experience Realtor will shine.

Old Style Sliding closet doors- NEW LOOK

This is one of the simplest and easiest updates to the old sliding closet doors. Makes a huge difference.
or,

1. Home Buying: Defining The Financial Terms

The FEEL of the house

I tell clients the FEEL of the property is the most important part of the home buying experience. Over the years I have seen how often the right home seems to carry the right atmosphere for the owners. Many times when things are not going right, for some strange reason many times changing the home and giving everything a shake up, seems to put new positive life and energy into everything. There are lots of superstitions out there that at first seemed to be very odd, but after reviewing a bit further at the history of properties it makes you wonder. Feeling happy in the house is the most important thing.

Tattoo Parlor: turn key operation

Great opportunity to continue with an existing Tattoo Parlor, for only $1550/month, you can lease this turn key operation located in Toronto at Weston and Finch.