Lee Morof's Real Estate Blog

If you’re looking to lengthen the life span of your clothing without always needing to purchase something new to wear, consider the following five easy steps every time you do a load of laundry.

It’s a little bit of effort that goes a very long way; and who knows, you might just enjoy doing laundry again after seeing such great results!

Button, Zip, Turn Inside Out, And Separate

Spend a little bit of extra time making sure your buttons are buttoned, your zippers are zipped, and clothes are turned inside out.

Doing so will ensure that your garments are less likely to snag one another in the wash, prevent pilling, and keeping your colors from fading. It’s an extra step, but completely worth your time. Wash your colors in cold water, and separate from your whites when you can. 

While it’s tempting to wash everything together, a little separation can go a long way – especially when you’re dealing with delicates as they should always be in a separate load (or hand washed and laid flat to dry).

Hang Those Clothes Out To Dry

Stop in the name of shrinking, pilling, fading, and unraveling! Is the garment in your hand made of a delicate fabric? Is that sweater made with mainly wool or cotton? Is that t-shirt your favorite? Better hang them all to dry.

Consider purchasing a clothes drying rack, as they fold beautifully and can be tucked away in the corner when not in use, and generally range between 10 and 50 dollars. If you’re concerned over the softness of your hang to dry clothing, there are always detergents you can buy with built in softeners, but often, the quality of the water in your area may be enough.

Shorten Your Cycle

If you are washing regularly, and your clothing isn’t heavily soiled, then there is no need to set the washer to a longer cycle. The longer your clothes wash for, the more damage is done. A quick wash, believe it or not, is more than you need if you are just looking to wash out the general scent and small stains of everyday wear.

Whiten And Brighten Naturally

Stop bleaching if you don’t need to! Bleach, while it may be useful for extremely soiled clothing (do you work and play in the mud regularly?) is not needed for your everyday garments. Bleach is harsh on your clothing, and using something as simple as baking soda can have the same effect as bleach on your clothes in the wash.

A spoonful of baking soda naturally brightens your clothing by boosting the effects of your detergent. For treating specific stains, try sprinkling and rubbing some baking soda into the stain and let it sit for a bit before your wash to maximize the stain lifting action.

Soften And Scent Naturally, Too

Softening with fabric softener is great, but often fades your clothing at a faster rate than you’d like. So when it comes to softening, a dryer sheet or two will do the trick. If you’re not a fan of/ have sensitivities to strong fabric softeners or detergents, a spoonful of fresh squeezed lemon juice is a beautiful natural option for giving your laundry a fresh, pleasant scent.

Keep your laundry looking like new, and spend some time filling your laundry room with some essentials that you feel would help you become more efficient with some of the steps above. After a few loads, you’ll quickly begin to see the difference.

So on your next laundry day, don’t forget to congratulate yourself for a job well done on extending the life of your garments!

One of the most exciting times in a parent’s life is the time before a baby’s arrival. Between anticipation and preparation time passes in an instant, and before you know it you will be holding your little one in your arms.

Although newborns are too small to get into too much trouble, in only a few short months your child will be looking to explore the world around them. Make sure your home is ready for the adventure, and baby proofing is done in advance.

Over the course of a single weekend you can transform your home into a baby friendly safe zone, ready for discovery.

Getting Down To Have Look Around

Cupboards and corners are potential hazards, but are not the only places baby can run into trouble. Cracks and crevices can trap and scratch little fingers, and an exposed baseboard nail could lead to unneeded tears and medical attention.

These problems can be avoided with minimal time and a little filler. By bringing yourself down to baby level, you can easily get the low down on your home’s toddler readiness. Another down and dirty danger is electrical outlets. If you have lots of cords in the home, consider using power strips to keep the number of plugs needed to a minimum.

These are easy to unplug and replace with a cover when not needed, or when baby is at play. Not only will this make things easy at the outlet, but it will also save you money by minimizing wasted energy.

Switch To Greener Cleaners And Keep It Up

Of course keeping chemical cleaners and cleaning supplies out of reach is an important part of baby proofing your home, but what about the freshly mopped kitchen floor? Baby’s soft skin can easily pick up the chemical cocktail that is most traditional cleaning solutions.

Switching to natural cleaners is a safe choice for both your home and your family. With green cleaning products, you won’t have to wait until baby is away or napping before chipping away at the daily chores.

Keep Baby In Bounds And Block Danger Out

There is a contraption for every possible danger, but regardless of the measures taken, accidents can always happen. Once you have baby proofed hazardous zones like bathrooms and offices, you can add extra assurance by placing baby locks or latches on the outside of doors.

Baby gates can block off areas of the home beyond the staircase. You can use these safety gates to section off nearly any area, and portable gates are easily moved throughout the home.

Babies grow quickly, and sometimes we as parents feel unprepared for the phases and milestones that lay ahead. Knowing your home is ready to go from newborn to toddler will give the peace of mind needed to enjoy each moment that you share with baby in your home.

If there are structural challenges that simple baby proofing cannot overcome, call your local real estate professional today. Connecting buyers with just the right place is both our pleasure and priority. Finding the perfect home for you and your growing family can be a great way to transition into a new normal.

When people purchase their home, one of their common requests is “plenty of light.” And for good reason! This is a critical factor for enjoying your home, and when designing your interior, you should pay special attention to just that: your sources of light.

See them not only as a way to brighten up your room, but also as an opportunity to infuse your home with a fashionable design and aesthetic appeal. You’d be surprised at how much lighting can dramatically enhance any given room in your home.

Here are our six favorite lighting installations that are bound to give you and your home that “wow” factor.

The Chandelier For Pretty Places

Chandeliers provide arguably the prettiest and most classic fixtures possible, and they are a growing trend right now in interior design.

Acting as the “centerpiece” if you will to any room, chandeliers offer the perfect amount of brilliance and light, while instantly multiplying the room’s feeling of warmth and appeal. Create a pretty place you won’t be able to resist; hang a modern crystal chandelier above your dining room table or a bright pendant chandelier in your master bedroom.

Quirky and Contemporary Ceiling Lights

To achieve the same sense of fashion-forward style for your home’s decor but in a more practical way for the tall folks, consider a close-to-ceiling light fixture in its many different quirky and contemporary styles. You can also opt for the bright, patterned pendant style, or get a wide crystal embellished highlight for your ceiling lights.

The Demure Brilliance: Recessed Spot Lighting

For the most demure, nearly hidden brilliance, opt for recessed spot lighting. These light installations typically offer dimmer switches and provide the perfect ambiance for any space, especially kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms.

Perfect Pendants For Closer Lighting

Perfect hanging pendants come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors, and can be hung in a row for horizontal spaces like your kitchen’s eating bar. They can also be hung at varying lengths to achieve a tasteful fashion statement.

Instant Modernity: Arc Floor Lamp

The arc floor lamp, which typically rests in one corner of the room and reaches over in an arch for center lighting in a sitting area, is a growing trend in home décor. You can find these floor lamps in virtually any style, ranging from textured, retro versions to sleek, contemporary styles.

Matching Shades: Table Lamps

To tie your room together in its design aesthetic, the most perfect – and most simple – option may be matching table lamps. Perfect for your side tables in your living room, or the nightstands on either side of your bed in your master bedroom, matching shades can be a quick fix to a room that needs more brilliance and a more cohesive look.

Whether you already have plenty of natural light flooding your home, you can never have enough brilliance to rely on when the sun goes down. So take a look at these six light installations that will instantly enhance your living space, and infuse your home with the light it deserves.

And if you could use a trip through a show home for further design inspiration, call your trusted real estate advisor today for a few pointers.  

Though it can be an entirely different story for a trend shift in the opposite direction, which then requires you to get out the soaking bucket and scraping tool, wallpaper coming back into style is a home décor blessing for many.

Wallpaper is back in – in a big way! – and it’s making your dreams of accomplishing a fashionable living space come true much faster and easier than you could have imagined.

Quite frankly, wallpaper can do the “fashionable home” trick to virtually any room in your house, adding that touch of warmth and personality you’ve so far only seen in show homes. It’s time to get with the trends, and give your home a quick and easy facelift!

A World Of Design With Wallpaper

Let’s face it: wallpaper can achieve a world of options that paint simply never could! Now that wallpaper has come back in to style, we are seeing plenty of homes being “glammed” and “dolled” up accordingly.

With many patterns and styles available, suddenly your home’s imperfections can easily be hidden. You can give the small room in your home a facelift with a wallpaper pattern with vertical stripes, instantly making the room feel larger.

Or you can suddenly have the accent wall you’ve always dreamed of but have been to afraid to commit to, creating a focal point behind the bed in your master bedroom, or behind the sofa in the living room. Or if you’re an artsy person, you can add more art to your walls without lifting a nail – instead just install some patterned, decorative wallpaper.

Modern Innovations: Digitally Printed Wallpaper

Wallpaper is certainly back in style, but not without new and creative innovations since its last time around. Now, homeowners can get ultra creative and get personalized wallpapers for their homes with the technical innovation that allows for digitally printed wallpaper designs.

Do you have a specific wall or room in your house that you want to transform for a particular theme? Do you have a photograph that you’d like to use as the inspiration for a one-wall mural in your living room? Well, with customized digital printed wallpaper, you’re in luck.

Vinyl Wallpaper: Easy Installation And Removal

Now that wallpaper is back in style, more innovations have been made in terms of how it is installed and removed. Luckily, for us wallpaper fans, we will no longer have to struggle when we choose to put it up or when we decide to take it down! Now there are many vinyl wallpapers that are self-adhesive and very simple to install.

They are also available in a range of textures and finishes, and make use of eco-solvent inks. Easy to install, easy to remove, and cleanable with simply a damp cloth, a vinyl wallpaper print might be just the key to your home’s quick and easy facelift.

Whether you opt for the vinyl or digitally printed innovation of wallpaper or choose to stick with the good old paper version, you’ll have your home beautified in no time. There’s no need to worry about changing trends either; regardless of what you choose, advancements in the modern return of wallpaper mean that less rigorous activity will be required should the wallpaper trend go back “out.”

So take advantage of this practical design trend, and give your home the facelift it deserves! And of course you can always contact your trusted real estate advisor for design tips or places where you can get your show home inspiration. 

Spring has arrived! The flowers are blossoming, the greyness of the sky is clearing, and the air is warming. The best season to sell your home is here, and with the added natural light and blossoming colors, you can easily take advantage of the benefits of spring when it comes to selling your home.

Make sure to show it for all it’s worth, and follow these simple tips for staging your home in spring that will make your home the one listing that buyers can’t resist.

Fresh Flowers: Put Mother Nature To Work

Nothing says spring like fresh-cut flowers. Bring the beauty of nature inside your home and brighten up your space with fresh flowers. You can get colorful tulips, lilies, and other flowers for use in your kitchen table centerpiece, as well as smaller arrangements for around the house.

There’s no reason why a bouquet can’t brighten up your master bedroom or entryway, either. Orchids also make for lovely decorative pieces, and are best for bathrooms or anywhere that’s suitable to a smaller flower.

Add that extra intrigue to your entryway with colorful flowers in hanging baskets, and tidy up your front garden with some new colors, all while making the prospective buyers much more enthusiastic about entering your home.

Get That Spring Feel With A Light And Airy Home

To make the most of the spring season, make sure you use the added light and the warmth of the air. Open up the windows and lift all the blinds in your home, and consider scheduling showing times during the time of day when the sun shines brightest.

Decorative Colors: Brighten Up Your Home

You can also further take advantage with the colors of spring by adding pops of color to your living room, dining room, and kitchen. Consider hanging colorful drapes or adding a decorative throw and couch pillows.

Some new and inexpensive artwork for the walls can also be an inventive way to bring color into your home, while creating a warm and inviting space that the buyer will love.

It’s Time For Spring Cleaning

Just because you’re selling your house this year, doesn’t mean you get to excuse yourself from spring cleaning. Actually, partaking in this annual event can be a great way to sell your home faster. A clean home tells buyers that you have taken great care of the property and helps them to envision themselves living in the space.

Get out the pressure washer and rid your front steps and driveway of the remnants of winter, clean out the gutters, and give the floors and bathrooms a scrub. Consider an early packing job, and box up your winter clothes to help create the appearance of well-organized and spacious closet space throughout the home.

Spring is a great season in which to sell your home. You can easily take advantage of the warmer weather and bright colors to make your house more attractive to potential buyers, which will help you sell faster and get a higher price.

With an airy, clean and flower-filled home that bursts with color, you’ll be able to persuade buyers that your home is the perfect place for them – and you’ll be glad you put in the extra effort. For more great advice about selling your home in the spring, or to list your home for sale, call your trusted real estate professional today. 

Water is the planet’s most precious resource. Access to clean water is a privilege that, unfortunately, many people still take for granted.

By utilizing new water efficiency technologies and age-old conservation methods, we can help preserve the water supply for future generations. Cutting down on consumption whenever possible is something that everyone can do to live a little greener.

Making Sure Your Home Holds Water

The first stop on your journey to save water is to ensure your home is free of water leaks. Make your way through your home, and properly shut off the water at all fixtures and faucets. Air-cooling systems and other devices that use water should also be shut off.

Read your water meter, wait two hours (without using any water), and check it again. If your water meter gives you two different readings, you are losing water somewhere, and the problem needs farther investigating.

If you find yourself flooded with problems, it may be time to call your local real estate professional. Most issues are easily repaired or upgraded, but sometimes a fresh efficient start may be a simpler solution.

Air It Out And Get In the Flow

Installing aerators on faucets and shower heads reduce their usage by half. These contraptions are inexpensive and easy to install. By injecting air into the water flow, you keep the same water pressure, but use less water.

If you are in the market for a new toilet, complete your water saving bathroom makeover with a low flow, water efficient model. These toilets can save about 9,000 gallons of water a year.

If a new toilet is not in your near future, a simple homemade contraption can cut down on water being flushed away. Fill a water bottle with some pebbles so it sinks, and fill the rest with water. Place the bottle in the cistern of your toilet. By displacing some of the water in the tank, you can save around 500 gallons of water a year.

Obtain A Lush Lawn With Less Water

Over-watering your grass is wasteful and counterproductive. Watering your lawn two times a week is better for grass than daily sprinklings. Giving your lawn a good soaking with an inch of water every few days will keep it lush and save water. You should also avoid over-mowing.

Grass is happiest at two to three inches tall. Over-mowed grass tends to have weak roots, and requires more water to keep it growing strong. Let Mother Nature take care of the watering on occasion, especially during the spring.

Mulch Landscape To Lock In Moisture

Mulch around the trees and shrubs in your yard. Mulch holds in moisture, and will keep the water in the ground longer. There are also water bags on the market that do a great job of keeping young trees hydrated.

Make sure your sprinklers are putting water where it is needed, and not unnecessarily watering the sidewalk. When the sidewalks and patios need a sweeping, make sure you reach for the broom and leave the hose on standby.

By making a few informed decisions to cut down on water consumption, you can feel good knowing you are doing your part to conserve. When water flows freely, it is easy to forget how precious it is.

Remind yourself that water is a resource that needs to be saved, and should not be wasted. Access to clean water is something no one wants to see lost. Keep looking for solutions, and find answers to your water-saving questions by calling your local real estate professional today.

Some people love living in condos, while others swear by detached homes. When it comes to deciding between the two, however, you can’t always rely on someone else’s word.

Sometimes it’s as simple as understanding and assessing your lifestyle to make the best choice, since condo living and home ownership are two radically different experiences, and thereby serve two very different types of lifestyles and personalities.

Here are a few considerations if you’re trying to decide whether you should invest in a house or a condo.

House: Best If You Have A Furry Friend

Do you have a furry friend or two that are an integral part of your family? Depending on their size and species, you may want to consider a detached house over a condo, simply for the amount of space available.

If you have dogs, you should consider that many condominiums don’t allow certain numbers, sizes, or breeds, and this could be just another reason you opt for a house. Having a backyard for your dogs to play in, and being able to avoid the daily elevator rides, are just more reasons to add to the list.

Condo: Best If You’re A Busy Business Person

If you’re a busy businessperson who’s rarely ever home, you may want to consider condo-style living. Firstly, you will be able to save on mortgage costs, which will certainly help you reach your financial goals, and you will have fewer worries involved than you would if you owned a detached home.

Full size houses require significant upkeep, which is a major time investment. In contrast, a condo is a turnkey living space that gives you the amenities you need without the responsibilities of home ownership. If you hardly entertain and would like a space to enjoy yourself during your off time, living in a condo might be just the perfect setup for you, the busy business-minded individual.

House: Best If You Like Privacy And Control

If you’re someone who adores your privacy and likes to be in complete control of the maintenance and care of your home, a detached house is certainly the best option for you. Having your own detached house means living with added privacy, as you won’t have neighbors as close by as would be the case if you were living in a condominium.

You’ll also be pleased to be the sole decision maker when it comes to the upkeep and maintenance schedule of the various aspects of your home. Rather than ask a strata manager for permission to, say, paint your front door, you can simply paint your front door.

Condo: If You’re A Single Minimalist

Condo living can be great for single people and minimalists. If you prefer to live on the lighter side, with fewer responsibilities and chores, a condo setup can be extremely rewarding. All of the big stuff will likely be taken care of, and all you’ll have to worry about is the minimal space inside of your four walls.

If you decide to travel for an extended period, it’s much easier to find short-term tenants for condos than for houses.

It can be difficult to decide whether a house or a condo is best suited to your lifestyle. Don’t be shy to ask your friends and family what they think of your personality, and do your due diligence to discover which home is best to accommodate your daily life. Once you’ve made your decision, contact a real estate professional and find the home that fits your lifestyle.

When it comes to choosing a fence for your home, you should always consider the style of your home itself. If you end up choosing a fence that compliments your home and works cohesively with the style, you can easily skyrocket the value of your home by adding to its curb appeal.

So whether you’re selling your home or just in search of ways to add to its aesthetic, here are some fencing options for various styles of homes.

For the Contemporary Home: Horizontal Wood Fence

If you have a contemporary, ultra-modern home, you certainly want to be careful when choosing the type of fence to install. Be sure that the fence you go with is just as modern as the home itself.

A wise choice might be to go with the classic stained wooden fence, but opt for the more modern, contemporary version with horizontal wood instead of vertical. The right stain can provide an attractive contrast to the white siding or glass that makes up the exterior of your modern home.

Commonly these kinds of fences provide added privacy for the modern glass that likely encompasses your contemporary abode.

For The Colonial Home: White Picket Fence

If you have a colonial home that is representative of the classic American residence, a classic white picket fence might be just the right choice. These modest and low-laying fences can offer just the contrast needed to make your house “pop” against its neighbors, instantly skyrocketing your home’s appeal.

Typically these types of fences are made of wood and painted white, with a charming gate and walkway that leads to the front entrance of the home. This acts to highlight the home’s entrance as the focal point as well, giving your home an added visual aesthetic.

For practicality, however, you can opt for vinyl fencing that is virtually identical to the wooden white picket fence, but does not require painting or repainting. Vinyl may initially cost more than wood, but being much easier to maintain, would likely be more cost-effective over time.

For The Bungalow: Ornamental Metal Fence

If you have a single or two-story bungalow house, you want to ensure that you don’t install a fence that will take away from the home’s visual appeal or be too overwhelming for the home’s stature to handle. Often the perfect addition to this kind of humble abode is a simple, ornamental metal fence.

This low-maintenance fencing was traditionally made of cast iron metal, but commonly today the same design in fencing is composed of powder-coated, galvanized steel or aluminum, or sometimes a combination of both. This can be the perfect solution for you bungalow, and one that requires little upkeep too.

Bringing up your home’s appeal while adding to the feeling of privacy when you are enjoying your home itself is certainly a project worth taking on. With the various options and styles available to you, you are sure to find a fence that is perfectly suitable for your house, creating a higher appeal for potential buyers and drawing more admiring glances from your neighbors.

For more information on fence styles that are perfect for your home, contact your trusted real estate professional today.

While the traditional method of trawling for sale listings, making bids, and negotiating with the seller has been a popular rite of passage for many home buyers, buying a house at auction is swiftly becoming a favored way to purchase property.

Buying a home through auction can be tricky, so it’s best to do your research and keep your cool on auction day, lest you find yourself stuck with a less-than-ideal place to live for a price you didn’t expect to pay. If you’re in the market to buy through auction for the first time, here are some things you need to know.

How To Find Houses Up for Auction

Real estate agents will often use the same methods to sell a house by auction as they do in a traditional sale: adverts in newspapers and online, posters in their office windows, and signs outside the property.

Depending on the reason for the sale, a home auction may be held at a local courthouse, an auction house, or, in some cases, online.

Viewing A House Before Auction

It’s always best to try before you buy, so make sure you are able to view the house prior to the auction. Some real estate agents will insist on exterior views of the home only, but, if you’re a new buyer, this may not be enough.

Seasoned home buyers can often pick a house by looking at the exterior and reading a description; buyers new to the game should bank on seeing inside first.

Checking The Price Of An Auction

Look into the price that is offered for the home you seek to buy; sometimes, if a house is in foreclosure, the starting price of the home may be the balance of the mortgage, or a lower price to get people to begin bidding. Lenders, such as banks, are not permitted to make a profit from selling a foreclosure and may often sell homes at a loss; look out for these bargains when checking house prices in your local area.

Bidding At An Auction

On auction day, make sure you enter the auction knowing the general value of the house and the maximum amount you are willing to pay; having these parameters set out will help prevent you from getting swept up in the auction process and bidding more than what you have or what the house is worth.

On the day, bring a cashier’s check – auction holders ask winners to pay for auction fees, bidding fees, and a deposit on the purchase. If you are successful on auction day, you will then have to close the deal with the seller just like any other property purchase.

If you need financing, you may wish to be pre-cleared by your lending company before the auction. Also, be aware that your winning bid may not be accepted. Many homes have a reserve price, and if the reserve is not met, the house will not be sold on the day.

If you are interested in buying a home through auction, go into the process knowing that auctions can be riskier than buying a home via traditional means. Also remember that just because a house is up for auction doesn’t mean you are guaranteed a good price. Some houses sell for a lot of money, and others sell cheaply but have hidden costs, such as urgent maintenance.

When you’re ready to find your new home by auction, call your local trusted real estate professional for information, answers, and the best deals in town.

Something that the Europeans have been doing for decades has finally made its way over the Atlantic Ocean to North America: the trend is called micro housing, and it’s turned into an entirely new way of living.

With micro housing, we’re beginning to do away with oversize condos and even detached homes, learning to live in a more minimalistic manner and curbing our hoarding habits for good.

The affordability of micro housing is making it possible even for young adults and students to purchase their homes in the city centers across North America. But one must ask, is the micro housing trend good for the globe too?

Sustainability Of Micro Condominiums

Being able to pack a higher number of salable units into one building and lowering the prices to widen the market and encourage young buyers to purchase instead of rent is certainly economically beneficial; but is this trend sustainable and beneficial for the planet too?

As it turns out, the cost of building a micro-apartment structure over a regular sized one has a much lighter footprint on our earth. Micro-housing is a sustainable part of urban design because it is made to be a contributing asset to compact cities across North America, requiring less infrastructure cost, fewer resources, and a smaller environmental impact from shipping to construction to ongoing management and maintenance.

Some micro-buildings even have shared areas like kitchens and lounges; this helps to cut back on building costs even further and lessens air pollution from shipping.

Micro Homes: Are They Green?

Though micro detached homes are also on the rise, they have run into problems with bylaws in certain cities across North America. They may just be the way of the future, though, with the real estate prices in many areas growing out of control.

These micro homes are similar to the micro condominium units in their petite sizes, however they typically do not have a standard foundation, instead resting on screw piles that are attached to the ground. These easy-to-assemble micro homes, though perhaps battling with particular municipalities and their bylaws, offer practical housing that is sustainable too.

Green features of these micro homes include the additional options of a composting toilet, solar power energy systems, grey water treatment system and a rainwater collection system.

The Lifestyle Of The Micro-Housing Trend

Another factor that should be taken into consideration when looking at the sustainability of the micro-housing trend in the kind of lifestyle it is promoting. Generally situated in the dense city centers, micro housing encourages a lifestyle that is affordable, thereby attracting residents who will take public transit or be within walking distance to work or school, and lessening the need for the daily use of a vehicle.

Perhaps we’re looking a little too enthusiastically at the future, but as it seems, the micro housing trend is bringing with it all kinds of benefits, both economically and sustainably. A lifestyle and housing solution that finally benefits the planet is always accepted among our modern cities across North America, and soon it may just be the reason to purchase instead of rent, allowing us to walk instead of drive.

For more information on the micro housing trend in your area, call your trusted real estate advisor today, and get in the know!