Mississauga Real Estate BLOG

Add some instant curb appeal to your home this summer with Rust-Oleum's EPOXYSHIELD® driveway system. Easily repair, protect and beautify your driveway for years to come.

The home is the single largest investment most people will ever make, and many of us are looking for simple and inexpensive ways to protect and increase the value of that investment.

Whether you are replacing tiles in the bathroom, painting your walls or undertaking larger jobs such as replacing the roof or adding other desirable amenities, most people tend to focus their efforts on the inside of their homes. This year, why not think about your home’s curb appeal and increase the value of your home from the outside in?

Your driveway is the welcome mat to your home, and a cracked, faded and stained driveway doesn’t do much to make a good first impression when guests arrive. There are a number of products on the market you can use to repair, protect and beautify your driveway; however, not all products are created equally. Here are some points to consider when looking for a driveway sealant that is best suited for the average homeowner:

Ease of application

There is no need to waste your weekend pouring messy sealant from pails to trays or dragging a squeegee over your driveway, look for a product that you can easily roll-on and get back to enjoying your weekend.

Look for a product with a simple application. There is no need to waste time pouring product from cumbersome pails; look for products that you can simply and easily roll-on.

Curing time

Your time is important to you and you need a place to park your car, so look for a sealer that will dry in as short a time as possible. There are products available that will be drive-ready in 4 hours, so you can get back to enjoying your time off.

Clean up

Home renovations can be messy – look for a product that cleans up easily with soap and water so you can relax and move on to other activities.

Warranty

No one wants to do a job more than once; when looking for a driveway sealer look for a product that offers a minimum of a 5 year warranty. You take pride in the appearance of your home, so you should use a product that offers you a long lasting guarantee.

There are products available on the market, such as Rust-Oleum’s EPOXYSHIELD®, that offer home owners a simple do-it-yourself solution that will repair, protect and beautify your driveway for years to come. With simple roll-on application, soap and water cleanup and a 4 hour drying time, enhancing your home’s curb appeal and increasing your home’s value has never been easier.

Source: www.newscanada.com

We all struggle with home decorating and how to perk up our homes in the winter months. But it is not practical to paint your room every season. So you may want to decorate a bright yellow or orange room for winter. Accent the room with rich colors like eggplant, chocolate brown or burgundy. Bring these colors into accessories such as throw pillows and candles. Changing accessories easily and inexpensively transitions your home into the different seasons.

Also consider the colors of snow and ice for a modern winter room. White, silver and turquoise create a sleek winter design. Accent the room with mirrors, tree branches and crystals for an enchanted forest theme

To stimulate economic growth and encourage Canadians to invest in improvements to their principal residences. Budget 2009 has proposed a temporary
Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC).

Individuals will be able to claim a 15-per-cent non-refundable tax credit for eligible expenditures made in respect of eligible dwellings.
The credit will apply to expenditures in excess of $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum credit of $1,350 ($9,000 x 15%).

The credit will apply only to the 2009 taxation year. Expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired, after January 27, 2009 and before February 1, 2010, will be eligible for the credit.
Eligibility for the HRTC will be family-based. Family members will be subject to a single limit based on their pooled expenditures. Two or more families that share ownership of an eligible dwelling will each be eligible for their own credit. Each family’s credit will be determined by their
respective eligible expenditures in excess of $1,000, but not more than $10,000.

Eligible Expenditures

Expenditures will qualify for the HRTC if they are incurred in relation to a renovation or alteration of an eligible dwelling (including land that forms part of the eligible dwelling)
provided that the renovation or alteration is of an enduring nature and is integral to the eligible dwelling. Such expenditures would include the cost of labour and professional services,
building materials, fixtures, equipment rentals, and permits.

The following expenditures will not be eligible for the credit:

• The cost of routine repairs and maintenance normally performed on an annual or more frequent basis.
• Expenditures for appliances and audio-visual electronics.
• Financing costs associated with a renovation (e.g. mortgage interest costs).

Alterations or other items, such as furniture or draperies, and other indirect expenditures for items that retain a value independent of the renovation, such as the purchase of construction
equipment (e.g. tools) will not be considered integral to the dwelling and therefore will not qualify for the credit.

Remember, the money invested in improving your home will not always translate into an equivalent return in the selling price of your home.
Careful planning is important if you want to increase the salability of your home and make a profit from your renovations!
Please be sure to visit the selling tips section of my website to find out which renovations provide the most return on investment.