Cooler Cooking Tips

May 8th, 2010

Hot Tips for a Cooler Kitchen Click photo to watch video The warm kitchen that felt so snug when there was snow on the ground can quickly become a blast furnace in summer. The saving grace is that quite a few of the strategies for keeping a kitchen cooler in summer are also energy savers [...]

Filled Under: Green Tips and Healthy Housing

Here’s How To Cut Cooling Costs

May 7th, 2010

The Gadget Inspectors take a look at Dyson bladeless fanClick photo to watch video In moderate weather, there are several ways to conserve energy use and minimize cooling expenses. Perhaps the best is to use fans as greener options or complements for air conditioners. With the right type of fan and cooperative outdoor temperature, your [...]

Filled Under: Green Tips and Healthy Housing

Inaccurate Ontario Assessment Could Mean Tax Overpayment

May 6th, 2010

A Toronto tax consultant thinks MPAC – Ontario’s Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – may have over-assessed as many as one third of Ontario single family homes. This could result in paying hundreds of dollars of extra tax over the next few years. The assessment problems are caused by MPAC’s averaging system. They use municipal sources [...]

Filled Under: Real Estate

Should You Turn Part of Your Home Into a Rental Unit?

May 5th, 2010

Many homeowners have questioned if they might turn an area of their home into a rental unit. Of course the objective is to cut down your cost of housing by collecting rent from someone else. An arrangement like that can provide you with a bit of extra cash, or sometimes even make it feasible to [...]

Filled Under: Home Improvements

Luxury home sales rebound in first quarter across Canada

May 3rd, 2010

Luxury home sales hit new highs in 9 or 13 regions across Canada, according to a recent ReMax Canada report. The report was based on information from brokers. A luxury home is usually thought of as one falling within the top 1% to 5% of sales. The luxury price range varies across Canada from $400,000 [...]

Filled Under: Real Estate

Take a Close Look at Green Flooring Materials

May 2nd, 2010

Click photo to watch video Are you thinking about upgrading flooring materials in your home? If being eco-friendly is important to you you ought to consider using “green flooring”. Flooring is called “green” when it is manufactured from easily sourced and renewable components. Generally flooring made of petroleum-based materials is not thought of as green. [...]

Filled Under: Green Tips and Healthy Housing

Brighter Forecasts for Canadian Economy

May 1st, 2010

Short term economic forecasts from the economists used by the Canadian government to prepare the federal budget have been revised upwards. In December the average growth rate was projected at 2.6% for 2010. They now say it will be 3.1%. Growth in 2011 has been revised downward slightly from 3.2% to 3.1%. Unemployment is projected [...]

Filled Under: Real Estate