• Yet, almost a million and a half properties get burglarized in North America each year. So how can you prevent that from happening to your home? Here are a few less known home security basics:
• Actually, never hide a key outside. Thieves know all the hiding places. Instead, make sure all family members have a key.
• Two-thirds of home burglaries occur during the day. So be extra vigilant about making sure doors and windows are locked while you’re away during the day.
• Surprisingly, most thieves are not daring. They are 2.7 times more likely to target a home without an alarm system.
• Thieves will attempt to force entry through sliding-style doors and windows first. So make sure these have a locking bar or extra bolt lock.
• Surprising, 40% of household burglaries do not involve forced entry. The thief is able to slip in through an unlocked window or door.
• Don’t show off possessions! An imported racing bike parked next to the garage, or expensive audio equipment clearly seen through a window, is an invitation to burglars.
• Take a look at the lighting and landscaping around your property. Are there spots where a thief could easily hide? If so, make some changes.
• When planning a trip, have a trusted neighbour pick up newspapers, flyers and anything else that may accumulate at your door.

Your local police department may have more tips and special programs for keeping your home secure. Give them a call.

property will likely sell for a higher price.

That may be true. However, there are other factors to consider in your decision to list.

For example, will you be buying a new home as well? If so, then the higher selling price will probably be offset by the higher cost of the new property.

In addition, there may be characteristics of your home that will help sell it quickly and for a good price – today – regardless of the market conditions.

A good REALTOR® will help you make the right decision. Call today.

So does that mean you should replace your windows?

That depends on a number of factors. Window replacement can be an expensive renovation. Here are a few things to consider before making your decision.

• Do your windows get frost or condensation build-up on the interior side? This could be a sign that the windows are not keeping out the cold as well as they should.
• Do you see water infiltration or mildew on the interior sides of any of the window sills? This means that moisture is creeping in from the outside, and you need to get those windows repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
• If your windows are double-paned – (two panes of glass) – check for any signs of moisture in between the glass panes. Moisture indicates that the thermal seal is broken and at a minimum, the glass will need to be replaced.
• Take a look at your windows from the outside. Is the trim rotted or cracked anywhere? Are there dark spots or any signs of rotting on the wood frames? Repairs or replacement may be required.
• Check the operation of your windows. Do they open and close easily? This is important because some windows, such as those in bedrooms, are often designed to be big enough to use as an exit in case of a fire.
• Finally, are you happy with how your windows look? Do you feel that your property will look significantly better with new windows?

Although they are expensive, replacing windows has a lot of advantages. Depending on the efficiency of your current windows, replacing them could cut your energy costs by 10-20%. In addition, new windows block out more exterior noise, making your home quieter.

Want more tips on increasing the value, and enjoyment, of your property? Call today.

The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – Construction on new homes should hold steady for the rest of 2011 and into next year, as a robust housing market is expected to remain supported by strong employment and low mortgage rates, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. said Wednesday.

The agency forecasts that an average 183,200 units will be built in 2011, with about 183,900 new homes built next year.

“Housing starts have been strong in the last few months, but are forecast to moderate closer in line with demographic fundamentals,” said Mathieu Laberge, deputy chief economist for CMHC.

“Despite recent financial uncertainty, factors such as employment, immigration and mortgage rates remain supportive of the Canadian housing sector.”

Wednesday’s prediction was an upward revision from its second-quarter outlook, which suggested 179,500 housing starts would go up this year, but revised next year’s units lower from the 185,300 originally expected.

The new home market tends to follow trends in the resale market — with about a six-month lag — and the strong demand will help prop up the home building industry.

The revised forecast comes a week after the Canadian Real Estate Association, which tracks the sales of previously-owned homes, revised its forecast for national home resales up for the rest of the year, citing stronger than expected sales and higher prices in the second quarter.

CREA said sales should grow less than one per cent this year to 450,800, up from an earlier forecast that called for a one per cent dip in sales. Housing demand has been more robust than expected as interest rates remain low, enticing more buyers to take on mortgages at historically low carrying costs.

CMHC’s prediction for sales of resale homes Wednesday was slightly lower, forecasting an average of 446,700 homes, essentially the same number as in 2010. In 2012, it believes sales will rise to 458,000 units.

Both organizations say an unexpected increase in sales of high-end homes, especially in the Vancouver area, pushed average prices higher than expected in the first half of the year and expect prices to moderate slightly for the rest of 2011.

Still, both predict that prices will end the year higher than in 2010. But as the existing home market moves into a more balanced territory as the number of new listings increases, growth in the average home price on CREA’s multiple listing service is expected to be more modest in 2012, CMHC said.

Economists have said they expect home prices to fall between five and ten per cent as the real estate market cools off in 2012 once mortgage interest rates rise again.

But CMHC has revised average prices in the hot British Columbia real estate market higher for this year, due to a surge in the sale of multimillion dollar homes in the Vancouver area.

Meanwhile, Ontario will see existing home sales slow before growing modestly next year, due to economic uncertainty. http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/Housing-starts-hold-steady-capress-2273077208.html?x=0

Water damage can come from a variety of sources: storms, flooding, broken water pipes and lines, leaking washing machines, and more. This can lead to mold and odor problems, and worse. If left unmitigated, water damage can eventually cause structural damage, which can entail significant costs to repair and can even affect a home’s value.

Prevention is the first defense against water damage. Here are some basics on preventing water damage and its effects:

• Water supply lines to and from washing machines and dishwashers should be regularly checked for leaks. Both the hoses themselves and the connections should be examined. Even a small leak can cause water damage over time, so any leaks should be repaired immediately. If the laundry room is located on the main floor or above, damage to the floor and ceiling below can be especially problematic.

• Tank-style water heaters are prone to leaking, especially after several years of use. Over time, the bottom of the tank can rust out, causing a serious leak. Ideally, an overflow valve should be installed that will conduct leaking water to a pipe that will drain either outside or to an appropriate interior drain.

• Another common source of water leaks is the icemaker supply line; this should be checked as well.

• Be aware that pipe leakage can occur inside the walls or ceiling and may be impossible to detect visually before damage has already occurred.

• Gutters and downspouts should be checked to ensure that water is flowing away from the home’s foundation. Make any adjustments, and check the flow again using water from a garden hose.

• Water leak detectors can be installed at floor level near water heaters and interior air conditioning units. Simple, inexpensive wireless models are widely available and will sound an alarm when water is detected on the floor near these appliances.

“There are 3 kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics”

- Mark Twain

There’s no doubt that real estate is an interesting topic of conversation for the public. The media, in an attempt to feed this appetite for real estate news,often publishes interesting pieces of real estate information that help sell papers. Due to this heavy dose of constant real estate news, it’s important to understand how the data is collected and how to interpret the information.

Below are the 3 most commonly misunderstood statistics in the media:

1) Housing starts rise 1.9%!

(http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Housing+starts+cent+June/5083165/story.html)

This shouldn’t really matter to buyers or sellers out there. While this is related to the real estate market, it is more relevant for the construction industry

than it is to the resale housing market. Remember, these are new home construction figures: not sales or pricing numbers. Unless you’re a construction

worker or materials’ supplier, this type of information is largely irrelevant to your real estate decision-making process.

2) Home sales drop 42%!

(http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/10/02/bc-real-estate-values-vancouver-september.html)

This kind of information is important for buyers and sellers to know and also helpful for realtors to use. A drop in home sales is sometimes a precursor to lower prices down the road. That said, there are a multitude of reasons that home sales could slow that wouldn’t also result in a corresponding drop in prices.

It is therefore important to remember that these are unit sale figures, not price figures. These statistics are generally also seasonally adjusted to reflect the fact that sales tend

to be slower in the winter and summer as opposed to the spring and fall. You should talk to a professional to see whether a drop in sales velocity is because of a slowing market or because of some other extraneous event.

3) Average House Prices Expected to Rise 13% this year!

(http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Home+prices+rise+cent+this+year+report/5030251/story.html)

This is the most misunderstood of the media reports that come out. Yes, it is true that Average Canadian Home Prices in 2011 will likely show a significant increase over 2010;

however, as we’re already half way through the year, much of the increase has already occurred.

Many real estate boards also release data that shows the Benchmark price of a home. This is a much more accurate look at the current state of the real estate market than the

average price. The Benchmark price is the current price of an average home in a given market area rather than the average price of all of the homes in a given market area.

The difference is subtle, but substantive. The average price simply takes the price of all units sold in a given market area and divides it by the number of units sold.

It therefore can be skewed by a strong luxury market, like the one currently being experienced in many Metro Vancouver markets.

Remember to always read real estate statistics with an eye to these issues and you’ll become a more accurate analyst of the market.

For a more complete analysis of these statistics, please feel free to contact me at the email address or phone number below.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 604-530-4111 or rosemary@homesinlangley.ca .

Regards,

Rosemary Papp

*Thank you to our friend Lori Watson from Dominion Lending Centres for providing the above information!

Let’s start with kitchen cabinets. There is a lot of options to update those tired cabinets. A few simple coats of paint will do wonders. Don’t believe me?

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/repainting-kitchen-cabinets/index.html

If your cabinets are stock size you may also want to consider purchasing some new cabinet fronts or mixing in a few glass fronted cabinets with the ones that you already have.

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/rooms_ideas/kitchen_howto/NA/renew_your_kitchen.html#lnk-2-2

Now for countertops. If a new one isn’t in your budget consider painting the one you have. Now this is no ordinary paint. This will wear well, be inexpensive and look like granite! too good to be true? nope!. Giani Granite paint for countertops really is that good. Check it out

http://www.gianigranite.com/photogallery.html

On to flooring. If you love the look of wood but don’t want to worry about spilling water (which always happens in a kitchen, at least it does in mine!) check out some Vinyl flooring that looks like wood

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/allure-plank-mellow-wood/915967

It’s easy to install and extremely cost effective.

Paint is one of the easiest ways to update and personalize a space. When shopping for paint I really believe in going with a good quality paint. Although the price per gallon may be higher, a quality paint will go on in one to two coats which will save you time and energy. One paint that works every time is Benjamin Moore.

www.benjaminmoore.ca

Check out their site for some really great tips on how to change the look of your space with colour.

Of course what really makes a house a home is the people in it. Give them each a paintbrush and put them to work!

Happy July!

Welcome Summer! Here is some great ideas for keeping your home in top shape during the hot months.

• Inspect siding for cracks and make any needed repairs.
• If paint is peeling, cracking, or chipped, repair and repaint now to limit damage to the underlying materials.
• Repair any damaged caulking around windows and doors.
• Remove window screens and clean with a soft brush and soapy water. Repair any holes or tears before reinstalling.
• Have air conditioning units serviced to ensure good operation. Promote good air circulation around the unit by keeping shrubs and plants trimmed.
• Clear debris from gutters and eaves to allow rainwater to drain properly
• Seal cracks in the driveway and keep walkways clear of debris and overgrown plants
• Test irrigation/sprinkler systems and replace any broken sprinkler heads or emitters. Check for proper water coverage and adjust if necessary.
• Power wash decks and patios and seal surfaces as appropriate.

• Vacuum refrigerator coils to help maintain energy efficiency.
• Empty dehumidifier pans and clean hoses according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If possible, take area rugs outside and hang them over a deck or porch rail to air out.
• Adjust ceiling fans for proper balance.
• Change filters in window-mounted air conditioning units.
• Switch heavy bedding out for lightweight summer fabrics. Have the winter bedding cleaned before storing.
• Close the chimney flue to prevent insects from entering and to help keep cool air in.
• Repot houseplants to give their roots a fresh start for the summer.
• Check door and cabinet hinges and lubricate any that stick or squeak.
• Open windows on cooler days to keep fresh air flowing throughout the home.

For more ideas on how to keep your home in tip top shape visit me on Facebook www.facebook/homesinlangley.com

-Rosemary