Keeping up with the times

Ongoing renovation helps reap top dollar when it's time to sell

When you buy a home, it pays to start with the end-game in mind. That means the moment you sign on the dotted line to make the home your own, you need to keep the big picture in mind: Chances are, . . .

Posted: 2009-12-05

SOLUTIONS: How well do you know your germs?

Take this quiz and find out

Today, more and more cleaning products are advertised as exceptionally effective, while requiring very little elbow grease. Just aim, gently pull the trigger, and that’s it — the soap scum, mould and germs disappear. But many people don’t realize cleaners often . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

What's that stirring in the house? A mouse?

Tips for getting rid of rodents coming in from the cold

Ah, the pitter-patter of little feet overhead. Wait a minute, the kids aren’t home. And haven’t been for years. But somebody’s kids are, and not just their kids, but grandkids and great-grandkids. Rats and mice are an amorous lot, producing multiple . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

Personal renovations make for harder-to-sell homes

Consider lifestyle, cost

Planning a renovation? You’re in good company. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., two out of five homeowner households renovated their homes last year. Homeowners spent almost $21.3 billion on home renovations in 2008. More than a quarter of the . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

MIKE HOLMES: The myth of decorating perfection

You probably know that my slogan is “Make It Right”. I’d like to point out that it isn’t “Make It Perfect”. It needs to be said that perfection, generally speaking, can’t be attained in the contracting world — so we’d . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

DEBBIE TRAVIS: Stressed out? Roll on a nice shade of blue

The colour blue has a power all its own. It is the most familiar and most favoured colour in the spectrum, not surprising as we are surrounded by the many blue hues seen in the sky and oceans. Pastel blues are . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

CONNIE OLIVER: Christmas décor can be elegant, affordable

Dressing your home for the holidays doesn't have to be an expensive endeavour. Nor does it necessarily have to encompass Santa Claus motif dinnerware and over-the-top seasonal decorations. A Christmas décor can be elegant, understated and affordable if you know . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

Praise the cloth and pass the food

Non-paper napkins eco-friendly, give meals that special feeling

Today, I had lunch with an old friend at a trendy Italian bistro in Calgary. Sparkling water and a remarkable bowl of minestrone were served on a slick white tabletop. The table was simply set with a gleaming soup spoon . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

ASK THE INSPECTOR: You can make your habitat more humane

QUESTION: I am a single mother and live in a Habitat for Humanity house constructed in 2005. It is a bi-level, about 800 square feet on the main floor with the lower floor being a fully finished basement with two . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28

The time is right to buy a new home

Numerous people are expressing interest in buying a new home. Attendance at the Fall Parade of Homes had never been higher. However, as frugal Manitobans, we want to make sure that the timing is right and that we are optimizing . . .

Posted: 2009-11-28