Friday, September 28, 2012

Why You Should Test Your Home for Radon Gas?

It’s easy to understand why people would be unaware of the potentialhealth hazard of radon gas in their home – after all, it is an odourless,tasteless and colourless gas. According to Health Canada, radon is a cancer-causing gas releasedfrom the ground that can enter your home anywhere there’s an opening where the house contacts the soil (e.g., cracks in foundation walls, gapsaround service pipes, support posts, floor drains, etc.). Some amount of radon is found in almost every home, but concentration levels will vary from one house to another, even if they are next to eachother. It’s when the gas accumulates to higher levels in indoor air that exposure poses an increased risk of developing lung cancer.


Health Canada says that a lifelong smoker with long-term exposure to ahigh level of radon has a 1-in-3 chance of developing lung cancer, while non-smokers at the same high radon level have a 1-in-20 chance. While Health Canada expects only a small percentage of homes will have radon levels above the guidelines, the only way to know the radon level in your home is to have it tested.


Testing

There are two options for testing a house for radon:

  • Hiring a radonmeasurement professional or 
  • Purchasing a do-it-yourself radon test kit from a home improvement store. The cost of the test kit ranges from $25to $75. 

Just as a home inspection is a wise investment before purchasing ahouse, so too is testing for radon. Like routine maintenance, if a high radon level is detected, fixing the problem will go a long way to protecting the value of yourhome.


Resolution

If a test shows that your radon level is above the Canadian guideline, Health Canada recommends the following steps to reduce it:

  • Increase mechanical ventilation to allow a more frequent exchangeof air.
  • Seal cracks and openings in foundation walls and floors, andaround pipes and drains.
  • Ventilate the basement sub-flooring by installing a small pump to draw the radon from below the concrete slab to the outside before it can enter your home.

For more information on radon and testing your home, visit theHealth Canada website (www.healthcanada.gc.ca/radon) or call1-800-662-6232.


Jagdeep Singh, B. Arch.

Real Estate Broker

Direct Tel: 647-287-4644

Direct Fax: 866-450-9199

www.JagdeepSingh.ca

 

Formally educated as an Architect, Jagdeep Singh is Toronto REALTOR™ consulting on both resale real estate and new developments. Powerful Local Focus on Real Estate with a Global Perspective™

This post is for information purposes only and was adapted, with permission, from Fall 2012 edition of RECOnnect. Though effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the reader is advised to verify the information independently. This post may contain contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. The reader is not allowed to reproduce it in any medium without the author’s prior written permission. Jagdeep Singh is a broker with Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd., brokerage (416) 798-7133 which is independently owned and operated. This message is not intended to solicit parties currently under contract.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Things Have Changed Since Our Last Time

Dear TTC

I was inside you today. Really deep inside. I made my entry from Finch Station on the Yonge-Union line, and boy you have changed!

Now, I apologize that it has been few years since our last time together. You must have been working out and taking care good care of yourself. Because you definitely looked prettier and in better shape than before. Toronto must be proud. The red (or cherry, or maroon - depending on who you ask) looked nice on you. After all, it is a colour of passion. You know, I also discovered that you are more caring than before. You kept me informed of where we were at any given moment, both visually and vocally, speaking to me in your soft, sweet voice. BTW thanks for warning me to "stay clear" of your dangerous areas. I really appreciated it. Since our relationship is not mutually exclusive, I understand that you had to leave me at some point. So no hard feelings. Embellished just the right way, my second first impression of you left me wanting to spend more time with you. Hopefully I'll see you soon.

Photo

Jagdeep Singh, B.Arch.
Real Estate Broker
Tel: 647-287-4644

Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd., Brkrg.
Tel: 416-798-7133,1339

Monday, September 17, 2012

Real Estate Investing for Low Income

Ever wanted to invest in real estate and thought you could not? It is generally perceived that real estate is only for the wealthy. I usually encounter concerns from people who want to invest in real estate but don't think they can. The concerns are typically around not having enough disposable income or not having the downpayment saved up. While mortgage rules in Canada have been tightened several times, there are still numerous ways to take advantage of low cost investment opportunities that yield in high net returns. 

 

Recently, the top investment minds in the industry and major financial insitutions have collaborated to bring opportunities to the general public. These are areas that did not exist before and are still fairly uncommon. These strategies are so effective, they are near perfectin helping create wealth via real estate.

 

The Best Part: You don't need a lot of money. My clients in the Greater Toronto Area have tremendously benefitted from these options already. Individuals with the following profiles can benefit. 

  1. Currently renting and don't own any real estate.
  2. Own primary residence and want to purchase an investment property.
  3. Own real estate and want to create wealth via real estate i.e.  as a business.
  4. Living at home and waiting to accumulate downpayment.

Individuals have used investing in real estate to actually create downpayments for their primary residences. 

 

See if you qualify by requesting a confidential consultation. Hurry, missing out on this would be like throwing thousands of dollars down the drain. Find out more by sending an email to jagdeepsingh@trebnet.com

 

Don't hand over cash that rightfully could be yours.

 

Jagdeep Singh, B. Arch.

Real Estate Broker

Direct Tel: 647-287-4644

Direct Fax: 866-450-9199

www.JagdeepSingh.ca

 

Formally educated as an Architect, Jagdeep Singh is Toronto REALTOR™ consulting on both resale real estate and new developments. Powerful Local Focus on Real Estate with a Global Perspective™

This post is for information purposes only. Though effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the reader is advised to verify the information independently. This post may contain contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. The reader is not allowed to reproduce it in any medium without the author’s prior written permission. Jagdeep Singh is a broker with Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd., brokerage (416) 798-7133 which is independently owned and operated. This message is not intended to solicit parties currently under contract.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Help! What colour should I paint my house exterior?


Before you start to colour the exterior of your home, what part of Toronto or Greater Toronto Area you live in should be considered. From a resale perspective you should base it on the target buyer market for your home or thedemographics in your neighbourhood. If you changing colours for your own pleasure or just revitalizing the exterior with a fresh coat of the same colours, then that is a different story. Here are some ideas.

Consider the style of your home: What sort of architectural style is your home? Is it very contemporary or Victorian? Certain house styles have corresponding colouring styles and to the very least should have certain architectural features stand out based on colour scheme. Some research into the architectural style will give you some painting ideas.

Consider your neighbours: Before you even begin looking at the endless array of being swatches at your local paint or home improvement store, look around the neighbourhood to see if there is a common palette. That is not to say you should paint your house the exact same colour as your neighbour. In fact, do not do that! Nothing looks more cookie cutter than row after row of houses painted the same colour. Though if you street is painted in neutral colours, stick with the general taste of the street and don’t paint your house purple. If you are surrounded by art-deco style, you can probably give a daring palette a shot.


Go bold: Rather be bold than boring. You should not feel obligated to look a certain way. If there are no architectural controls and you are not in a historic property or historic neighbourhood, then you are pretty much free to do what you want. Incorporating eye catching colours, something unusual, murals, accents or hues to your front door, optical illusions, fun with window & door trims, the ideas are endless.

Tip: If you are good with photoshop, why not try it on the computer before you colour the real thing. Take some pictures of your home and apply the colour scheme on the computer before hand. It will be much cheaper experimenting and you can do up some options and get opinions from family and friends. 

Want to find out what is popular these days? Email your address tojagdeepsingh@trebnet.com for colouring ideas.  Happy painting!

Jagdeep Singh, B. Arch.

Real Estate Broker

Direct Tel: 647-287-4644

Direct Fax: 866-450-9199

www.JagdeepSingh.ca

 

Formally educated as an Architect, Jagdeep Singh is Toronto REALTOR™ consulting on both resale real estate and new developments. Powerful Local Focus on Real Estate with a Global Perspective™

This post is for information purposes only. Though effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the reader is advised to verify the information independently. This post may contain contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. The reader is not allowed to reproduce it in any medium without the author’s prior written permission. Jagdeep Singh is a broker with Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd., brokerage (416) 798-7133 which is independently owned and operated. This message is not intended to solicit parties currently under contract.