Mortgage Helper

Tired of paying rent?   Have enough money saved for a down payment?  Why not buy a house and let someone else pay your mortgage?

Whether you are just starting out, want to pay your mortgage off faster, or would just like some extra cash in your pocket, creating a second apartment within your home is a great option.

The first step is ensuring that you have a proper space to rent out.  Many people spend a little extra money finishing their basements and once it is rented they get that money back quick, add value to the house, and then start to make extra money.

Keep in mind, being a landlord isn’t always as easy as it seems.  Finding the right tenant or tenants is key.  If you have a good tenant, your home will be kept in good shape, your rent cheques will be on time, and other than that you will barely even notice that they are there.  However, if you get a bad tenant, your home could endure severe damage, they could be noisy and annoy your neighbours, and getting your rent could be a hassle.  Sometimes it is hard to tell what type of tenants people are when you meet them.  Therefore it is important that you do your homework, or get a realtor® to do it for you.

Using a realtor® in renting out your home is a great option that keeps it simple for you.  They will market the rental to ensure it will be promptly filled, will prepare a detailed contract that protects you as a homeowner and landlord, and will screen any applicants for you.  Your realtor® will verify employment letters, credit checks, bank statements, references, and talk to their previous landlords to try and find you the best tenant possible.

If you would like to rent out your house or part of your house as a mortgage helper now, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

Sincerely,

Astra Mulawka
Sales Representative
Better Homes and Gardens
Real Estate Signature Service

Colours and Moods - What to consider when painting your home.

We all know that some colours make us feel some emotions while other colours make us feel others.  When thinking about painting your home, consider the studies on moods and colours.  Here is a quick overview on colours and the moods and emotions they often evoke in people.

 

 

Red:  Red is known to raise blood pressure, increase respiration, and speed up your heart rate.  For this reason it raises a room’s energy level.  It is good in dining rooms and living rooms to stimulate conversation but should be avoided in places like bedrooms.

Yellow: Yellow is great in small doses.  In small doses it makes people cheerful and offers a welcoming feeling.  However too much yellow has been known to make people lose their tempers and get frustrated easier.  In studies, babies cry more when in a yellow room.

Blue: Blue is known to lower blood pressure, slow respiration and slow heart rates.  Lighter shades offer a calming, relaxing, and serene sense, while darker shades of blue are linked to sad feelings. However, be warned that large area of blues can bring a chilly feeling effect.

Green: Green, being a mix of blue and yellow creates feelings of restfulness as well as happiness.  Green is suited for most rooms in the house as it relieves stress.  Some people believe green is great in the bedroom as it helps with fertility.

Purple: Purples such as eggplant offer feelings of luxury and create a rich and dramatic effect.  It is a good option for the bedroom as it has a restful effect.

Orange: Orange is a nice and bright colour that brings the feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and energy.

I hope this helped if you are trying to decide what colours to paint.  Have fun with it!

Sincerely,

Astra Mulawka
Sales Representative
Better Homes and Gardens
Real Estate Signature Service

Modern Versus Contemporary Design - What is the difference?

Since people often use the words modern and contemporary interchangeably, it fools people in to thinking that they mean the same thing; Even the thesaurus recognizes them as synonyms!  In this article I will explain the differences and some of the similarities between Modern and Contemporary Design.

When someone says modern, we think up to date.  However it is actually the opposite, modern design is quite old.  Modern design refers to “the modern style” from the modernism movement and mid-century modern.  This style of design offers simplicity and function.  It usually uses open floor plans, strong lines, and natural or neutral colours.  Modern design is a style that doesn’t change but stays the same as it is from a different time period.

Contemporary design style belongs to the present.  Therefore it is ever changing.  Contemporary designs blend many different design styles and mirror whatever is “new and in style”. In contemporary design, you will often see extreme colour schemes and “futuristic” designs that reflect the current and ever-changing times.

These two different design styles are often confused with one another because they both seem to reflect simple, uncluttered spaces that have clean lines.

I hope this helped clear up the confusion!  If you have any questions or still aren’t sure if your home is modern or contemporary, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Astra Mulawka
Sales Representative
Better Homes and Gardens
Real Estate Signature Service