Tips for a real tree this Christmas

It's no surprise that if you are going to put up a real Christmas tree in your home, you'll need to plan on providing it with lots of water.  When a Christmas tree is cut, more than half its weight is water and once it's cut the most important family chore becomes filling the proper stand with water to keep it as fresh as possible until it's time to take it to the curb.

The National Christmas Tree Association provides these tips to care for your real tree this Christmas. 

• As a general rule, Christmas tree stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of stem diameter.
• Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed.
• Make a fresh cut to remove about a 1/2-inch thick disk of wood from the base of the trunk before putting the tree in the stand. Make the cut perpendicular to the stem axis. Don’t cut the trunk at an angle, or into a v-shape, which makes it far more difficult to hold the tree in the stand and also reduces the amount of water available to the tree.
• Drilling a hole in the base of the trunk does NOT improve water uptake.
• Once home, place the tree in water as soon as possible. Most species can go 6 to 8 hours after cutting the trunk and still take up water. Don’t bruise the cut surface or get it dirty. If needed, trees can be temporarily stored for several days in a cool location. Place the freshly cut trunk in a bucket that is kept full of water.
• The temperature of the water used to fill the stand is not important and does not affect water uptake.
• Check the stand daily to make sure that the level of water does not go below the base of the tree.
• Keep trees away from major sources of heat (fireplaces, heaters, heat vents, direct sunlight).
• Use of lights that produce low heat, such as miniature lights, will reduce drying of the tree.
• Always inspect light sets prior to placing them on the tree. If worn, replace with a new set.
• Do not overload electrical circuits.
• Always turn off the tree lights when leaving the house or when going to bed.
• Monitor the tree for freshness. After Christmas or if the tree is very dry, remove it from the house as soon as possible.
• Never burn any part of a Christmas tree in a wood stove or fireplace.

For many families cutting their own tree is a tradition and there are several tree farms in the area that provide the opportunity to get the freshest tree possible and experience a great time with the family in selecting and cutting that perfect tree.  Below are just a couple places to cut your own tree.

Orillia Fish and Game Conservation Club 510 Bass Lake Sideroad. E. (Between Lines 8 and 10)

Gillespies U Cut - 3807 12th Line, North of Horseshoe Valley Road

Huronia Landscaping, Rainbow Valley Rd. E. Just north of Barrie. Follow signs off of Hwy 27.

Explaining streets, avenues, boulevards, lanes & more.

As you drive around you’ll see streets, avenues, roads, lanes, courts, parkways, and more. There is a reason for those names being used and it's more than just that they sound better with whatever other name that has been attached to them.  

Here's by definition what all those names mean. 

• Road (Rd.): Can be anything that connects two points. The most basic of the naming conventions.

• Way: A small side street off a road.

• Street (St.): A public way that has buildings on both sides of it. They run perpendicular to avenues.

• Avenue (Ave.): Also a public way that has buildings or trees on either side of it. They run perpendicular to streets.

• Boulevard (Blvd.): A very wide city street that has trees and vegetation on both sides of it. There’s also usually a median in the middle of boulevards.

• Lane (Ln.): A narrow road often found in a rural area. Basically, the opposite of a boulevard.

• Drive (Dr.): A long, winding road that has its route shaped by its environment.  Often found near lakes, hills and mountains. 

• Terrace (Ter.): A street that follows the top of a slope.

• Place (Pl.): A road or street that has no throughway—or leads to a dead end.

• Court (Ct.): A road or street that ends in a circle or loop.

• Concession (Conc):  Usually one of sixteen divisions of a township, each division being 10 sq. mi. (26 sq. km) in area and containing thirty-two 200-acre lots.

If you have a question concerning your real estate needs (now or down the road) please connect with me here.

Labour costs for renovations and repairs

OntarioContractors.com is a nonbiased/nonaffiliated database directory of contractors, builders, construction suppliers all related to renovation, contracting, construction, building or the home building industry.

You can get a good idea of labour costs in the Province of Ontario associated with this comprehensive list of small to large renovation and construction projects.

I provide this link only as an information source to assist you in budgeting for work to be completed. It provides you with a general overview of what to expect when you get to the point of reaching out to local professionals, which I highly recommend.

Key Points To Consider

1) It's always best to get several quotes.

2) Cheapest isn't always your best option.  

3) Ask for references.

OntarioContractors.com  is designed to give you an estimate on a wide range of labour costs. Labour costs can vary according to region, but a low to high range is provided on the list found here.  

Drop me a line with your real estate questions.

First time buyers get a bigger tax break

To help Ontarians buy their first home, the Province of Ontario will double the maximum refund for first-time homebuyers from $2,000 to $4,000, effective January 1, 2017.  (Ontario Ministry of Finance-Land Transfer Tax)

Currently, no Land Transfer Tax is payable on the first $227,500 of the value of consideration for a first home. The value of consideration for residential properties is typically the purchase price of the property and is the amount used for calculating LTT payable.

The Ontario Real Estate Association had asked the government to expand the land-transfer tax rebate program for first-time buyers as one way to help more people accomplish their dream of getting into the housing market.
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Contact me for more information.

Reporting principal residence sales at tax time

Recent changes means  you must report any and all real estate sales at tax time.

Not only did the mortgage rules change this year, but now you are also required to report any and all real estate sales at tax time.  Yes, that includes a principal residence. 

Although the sale of your principal residence will be more of a compliance issue than an actual change in what you have to pay for your taxes, there could be implications if you fail to report a sale or misrepresent the sale and there is a great deal to consider if you have more than one property that you own.

To help you further understand the changes take a look at these 8 questions you might have about principal residence tax rules.

A woman's make-up pays the mortgage

Canadian females are better at fulfilling their mortgage obligations than males.  It has to do with their make-up.


A woman's psychological make-up actually makes them more likely to make sure the mortgage is paid. It boils down to risk aversion which women have more of than men.

Get the full story here.