Record-low borrowing costs combined with the growing realization that the economic storm is passing have fuelled the remarkable recovery of the real estate market in Canada. However, it is important to understand some of the issues that have surfaced with these exceptionally low interest rates.

If you are obtaining a mortgage, you are fortunate to be obtaining some truly historically low interest rates. The decision between taking a variable rate mortgage versus a fixed rate mortgage should be evaluated with your mortgage consultant and/or your realtor to assess the pros and cons of each option. Although rates are exceptionally low, lenders are definitely exercising more caution with their lending policies.

If you are thinking of refinancing your current mortgage, you need to consider the cost of breaking your existing mortgage compared to how much you will save in interest payments.

If you break an existing mortgage you will have to pay the greater of three month’s interest or the interest rate differential (IRD). An IRD is a penalty for early prepayment of all or part of a mortgage outside of its normal prepayment terms. Usually this is calculated as the difference between the existing rate and the rate for the term remaining, multiplied by the principal outstanding and the balance of the term.

For example, a borrower who is currently paying 6.0% interest on their home mortgage and the current rate is 3.5% the difference (6.0% – 3.5%) is 2.5%. This 2.5% will be charged for the months remaining on your mortgage. If you are carrying a $400,000 mortgage at 6.0% your monthly payment is approximately $2,559. If the current rates are 3.5% the payments would be $1,997, the difference being $562.00/month. If you have 48 months remaining on your mortgage, the penalty would be $26,976 ($562 x 48).

These numbers are astonishing and the lenders unfortunately are not easing up on these charges. It may only make sense to refinance your mortgage if the interest rate savings over the remaining life of your mortgage exceed the value of the IRD.

If you are selling your home make sure to know what your mortgage discharge penalty will be for breaking your mortgage prematurely (assuming you are not porting your mortgage).

Of course, if you port (transfer) your mortgage to another property, you will only be penalized on the portion of the mortgage you discharged. For example, if you had a $400,000 mortgage and were carrying a $300,000 mortgage over to your new home, the penalty would only be assessed on the $100,000 mortgage you discharged.

Although the market is changing and will continue to do so, this represents opportunities for buyers and sellers alike. It is extremely important to be informed as a consumer so that you can make good, sound educated choices during these most interesting of times. Make sure you know in advance what all your closing/transactional costs will be before you enter into any agreement of purchase or sale.

When it comes to preparing your home for sale, some home sellers make it their objective to get the most return on their homes. Before starting any home improvement, you should evaluate the return on investment (ROI). Ask yourself what renovations will boost the resale value of the house.

Here are a few renovations ideas that pay off.

1. Floors
Replacing dated, scuffed floors can give your house a new sheen and make small spaces seem larger. Flooring can generate a payback as high as 75% on investment. If you have carpet in the family, dining and living rooms, it is recommended to change to hardwood and/or tiles. Not only will it make your home more elegant, but you will also enjoy the benefits of a healthier indoor environment, with less allergens.

According to the Appraisal Institute of Canada, the ROI on floor upgrades ranges from 50% to 75%. That means if you spend $5,000 redoing your floors, you can expect to recoup anywhere from $2,500 to $3,800 of your costs. If you’re a handy person, you can save yourself a few hundred dollars by installing the floors yourself.

2. Interior and exterior paint
Painting is an inexpensive and very profitable renovation project. Rolling on a new interior or exterior paint colour can generate a 50% to 100% return on investment. If you are planning on selling your house, choose neutral shades over trendy colours that may not appeal to all buyers.

3. Kitchen
Instead of spending a bundle gutting this essential room, think smaller. Counters, sinks, plumbing and lighting fixtures and appliances can change their look and cost far less than a major renovation. From an investment standpoint, the kitchen may be the best place to sink your money: Kitchen facelifts pay back about 80% of their cost.

Granite is the standard high-end finish for kitchen counters, but high-end synthetic stone materials look just as good, wear better, and cost about the same. Installing a granite or solid-surface counter, along with a stainless-steel sink and faucet, will probably run $5,000 to $8,000.

Your contractor might suggest that, while you’re replacing the counter, get a new backsplash, too. Save your money, as backsplashes don’t get the wear and tear counters do and can add $2,000 or more to the cost of your modest upgrade.

3. Bathrooms
You can expect to recapture about 75% of the cost of a minor bathroom remodel. Most bathtubs already have showers built in, so the plumbing infrastructure is likely there. Replace a dated, little-used tub with a spacious shower and multiple showerheads. Similarly, adding a decent-sized shower to a half-bath makes it a whole bath — and much more marketable.

You can purchase a big “rainfall” showerhead for about $200, or spring for a fancier handheld and other gadgets for $500 and up. Don’t bother building a niche into the shower wall to hold shampoo bottles and such (typical cost: about $300).

4. Closets
Large and organized closets are a big draw for prospective buyers, though it’s impossible to put an exact payback percentage on them. Fitting a walk-in master closet with drawers, shelves, shoe racks, hooks and poles can cost $500 to $2,500 or more, depending on the quality of the materials and the complexity of the design. Wood is the most expensive material, but typically delivers the best return on investment.

This is a job where it’s easy to overspend. So decide exactly what you want and need before you either buy the supplies or bring in a professional closet organizer, who will charge $50 to $150 an hour. Make sure you square reality with the many options: Will you really sort your socks into separate drawer dividers?

5. Energy Upgrades
Real estate agents say energy-saving amenities make a house more attractive to buyers. New windows, for example, return 77% of the project cost, according to Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report. But there’s another good reason to upgrade now; you can, in some cases, let the government help shoulder the cost of projects to make your house more energy efficient and more attractive to prospective buyers.

You may need to wait years to recoup some energy conservation moves. So if you’re more worried about money than your carbon footprint, run the numbers to ensure you’ll be there by the time the cost gets covered. When you’re ready to sell, spell out your energy improvements for prospective buyers. Create a worksheet showing what you spent, plus the before-and-after utility bills.

Remember to keep receipts and careful records for all your energy-saving expenses. This will keep you square with the Canada Revenue Agency and let you prove to potential buyers that you have lowered their future energy bills.

A home theatre has quickly become a must-have for practically every family. From the simple family room setup to a much more elaborate theatre-seating wonder, today’s home theatres aren’t just for the wealthy anymore.

The décor of a home theatre will eventually influence how well the room functions as an entertainment space as well as how it shows when the lights are turned on. Creating a functional and beautiful home theatre is easy to do on any budget. Here are some ideas for creating a home theatre for all to enjoy.

Start by arranging the space. Choose an easy-to-clean surface or a dark colour carpet for the flooring, and select a dark colour for the walls and ceiling.

A home theatre would not be complete without its supporting cast, the furniture. If you plan on having a couch in your home theatre, get a curved sectional. Since the optimal viewing in a movie theatre is the centre seat, a curved sectional will simulate that effect for everyone viewing your television.

If you have a smaller space or prefer a more intimate area, purchase two recliners in dark leather or other fabric. A simple end table can serve as a shared table between the two chairs. Select comfortable and soft furniture which give luxury while absorbing sound waves to improve audio quality within the room.

Arrange the furniture for best viewing for everyone. If you have an HD television, your seats should be as far back as 3 to 4 times the width of the screen. This provides optimum picture quality and your guests won’t be straining their neck or eye sight to watch the screen.

Secondly, consider the lighting. You never want to be in a completely dark room when watching a movie as this can be a hard strain on your eyes. Use wall sconces or other dim background lighting at a very low level while watching the TV.

Another typical visual task in the home theatre is entertaining. So you need to have a layered lighting approach. Add some accent lighting in the room, some general lighting and some decorative lighting. Remember to use separate controls for each of these layers so that you can change the look and the aesthetic feel of the space based on function.

No home theatre is complete without refreshments. If space allows, install a built-in or freestanding bar. A complete home theatre bar should include a microwave and mini refrigerator stocked with water, juices and your preferred drinks.

If your budget allows, consider adding acoustic wall treatments to balance the acoustic properties of a room. You want to be able to crank up the volume while watching your favourite movie without disturbing other people in your home. There are many commercial products available and you can even buy ready to install treatments.

Most wall or ceiling mounted treatments are really just a wooden frame filled with sound absorbing or diffusing material. The material is then wrapped in an attractive sound absorbing fabric of your choice. You can also hang wall treatments from your ceiling to help control floor to ceiling reflections.

Finally, when selecting the focal point of your home theatre — the equipment, keep in mind that you can easily find speakers that are installed into the walls for a clean, less cumbersome appearance. The exteriors of these in-wall speakers can be painted and treated to blend seamlessly. If a drop-down projection screen isn’t in your budget, a large standard television with surround sound will do nicely. Add a tuner and some speakers for maximum sound quality.

A home theatre is a fun, relaxing place for families to spend time together as well as to entertain. The décor of the room should be about comfort and subtly allow you to enjoy favourite movies or programs in the welcoming retreat of your own home.

Open houses can be of a great help for buyers to see what is available for sale in a particular neighbourhood and compare price and features of those houses. However to make the most out of your open house tour, you need to be prepared. Here are some things you should think about before attending an open house.

Be represented – The seller has someone working for them and so should you. Establish a relationship with your real estate agent early to assist you as you move forward with the home buying process. You could find yourself in a difficult situation at the open house if you don’t sign in under your buyer broker’s name. Listing brokers often act as dual agents, and if you sign in under your own name, the listing broker may be able to claim you as a client if you decide to make an offer for the home.

Prepare ahead of time – Your agent can help you prepare and know the market before you explore it. If you have interest in a particular neighbourhood, your agent can provide you information on what to expect in terms of average price, amenities, taxes and more.

Make a list – Having a list of priorities will help you evaluate the homes you visit during open house events in terms how it meets your needs and expectations. Some homes might “wow” you into overlooking your priorities; this list will give you focus.

Plan your route – Open houses tend to be scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Having a route planned of your top picks to view (and arriving early) will ensure you won’t feel rushed while previewing your prospective dream home.

Spend time – Some aspects of the home may truly impress you, but don’t let necessity be overlooked. Your need for a home office or spare bedroom shouldn’t be overshadowed by a kitchen that dazzles you. You should really try and imagine your family using and living in the spaces you visit.

Collect details – Scoop up the detailed property information sheets when you visit an open house. This offers some public record and will be helpful when you review and reflect on the open houses you attended.

Leave no stone unturned – Carefully inspect all areas of the home inside and out. Don’t overlook the basement or other storage areas as this can give an indication of how well the owners have cared for the property.

No obligation – You should feel free to explore a home during an open house without obligation to buy. Don’t be shy to ask questions of your host.

While the agent listing the property is obliged to protect the best interest of their client, they will have knowledge and information to share, such as incentives or prospective offers; you just have to be sure and ask.

While seeing as many as a dozen homes in a single day can be overwhelming and exhausting, it gives buyers an opportunity to see if the house is worth going back for a second more formal showing. If nothing is appealing, you don’t have to waste valuable time during the week.

Finally, if an open house you attend leads you to believe you may have found your perfect home, don’t tell the seller or listing agent. Calmly leave and have your agent phone for a formal second showing. If there is tremendous interest in the home and you feel you must make an immediate offer, walk with your spouse or partner in the garden for a few minutes. You should be able to talk there privately.

2. Declutter – start your pre-pack as soon as possible. You need to decide what you are going to keep, give away, sell or throw away.  You may rent storage lockers so you can start to clear out what is not going to make the house look good.

3. Clean – you would think this one is common sense but let me assure you, I wish it was so! A clean home translates into “They must have really cared for their home.” Use environmentally friendly cleaners where you can and for hard cleaning areas, tsp is a good product. Bathrooms and kitchens must be sparkling clean at the very least.

4. Depersonalize – we know you love your family photos and your personal treasures and for living they are perfect. However, when it comes to selling your home, you want buyers to focus on the best features of the house and not your personal collection.  Pack personal items and photos carefully and store them away so you can showcase them in your new home.

5. A neutral colour scheme is the way to go for selling. Choose only three colours or less to paint your house for selling. If you have an open floor plan then paint the main floor all the same colour.  Bedrooms look good in light sage greens or warm blues like the new aqua.

6. Highlight your home’s best architectural features – place your furniture in each room so that you have very obvious focal points that show off the home’s best selling features. For example, if you have a beautiful fireplace then place the furniture in a parallel grouping so that the eye is drawn to the fireplace.

7. Decide on the function in each room – if you were using your guest bedroom as your den for living, for selling turn it back into a bedroom with bedroom furniture in it. If you do not have the right furniture for each room consider renting it. There are more and more rental furnishing companies opening up every day. If you don’t want to rent then borrow.

8. Lighting your home to its best advantage – spend money on new light fixtures in brushed nickel or stainless steel. Brass is out so don’t fight it. There are many low-cost lighting stores to select from so no excuses for having dated light fixtures.

9. Use window treatments that sell your home – the most popular on the market are the 2” faux woods in a white tone to go with your trim. Decorative side panels will do the trick if you need to add warmth and colour.

10. Flooring needs special attention and is a good investment for updating the look of your home – tile or linoleum is great for entranceways, bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms; a good quality laminate or hardwood is perfect for living rooms and family rooms; bedrooms are attractive in a neutral carpet.

By planning and budgeting you can get yourself to the “OPEN HOUSE READY” stage.

Remember that over 79% of prospective buyers have already checked you out through the MLS listings.   Will they like what they see?

Happy Selling!

Home Staging is a proven system for preparing properties for sale. Your aim is to present your home in the best possible light to win the hearts of prospective buyers. With Staging, the focus is shifted from the furnishings to the home itself, the views, the space and the unique features of the property.

In preparing your house for selling you need to take a step back and have the mind set that this is no longer your home but your investment. You want your home to stand out from the crowd and have a broad buyer appeal. Following these 10 tips will help you sell your house sooner and possibly for more money.

Here are some things to consider when looking at a home:

1. First impression
First appearances do count. Is the home dirty and cluttered? Are the lawns uncut? Are the walls chipped and in need of paint? If the owner hasn’t bothered to keep the house looking clean and attractive, what problems are lurking below the surface?

2. Kitchens and bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in the house to renovate so pay close attention to the age and quality of cupboards, benches, plumbing fittings and tiling. Turn the taps on in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry to check the water pressure, performance and drainage. Check for dirty water. You might like to leave the tap running for a minute and it can’t hurt to drink the water for a taste test.

3. Rooms and furnishings
If you are not planning to replace all of your furniture, make sure it will fit into the rooms of the new house. Bring a measuring tape as rooms can be deceptive. Are there any rooms unusually shaped that might be difficult to furnish?

4. Doors and windows
Check that doors and windows fit snugly and operate smoothly. Look for flaked paint and loose caulking. Check for drafts. Do windows open and slide easily? Do they have cracked paint? This could be a sign of rot. Press your finger into the wood. If it’s soft, it is rotten.

5. Floors
Floors should be smooth, even, and solid. Soft springy sections, excessive squeaking, and unevenness are all indications that expensive repairs may be needed. If you intend on renovating, check to see if there are floorboards under old carpets and their condition.

6. Storage space
Check the size of the closets, the attic, the basement, and the garage. Make sure the new house has enough storage space for all your belongings.

7. Basement
Use all of your senses. Sight, smell, and touch. Does the basement smell musty? If the basement is finished, are the walls and floor covering dry? Look for cracks in the walls and floors. Look for any large cracks and look for water leakage or stains from past flooding.

8. Water leaks
Water can do a lot of damage to a home. It rots wood, undermines foundations, and leads to mould and mildew. It takes an expert eye to find most water leaks. If you spot stains, bulges and other signs of water damage on ceilings or walls, make a special note that there could be a problem.

9. Appliances and fixtures
Test the lights, faucets, toilets, furnace, air conditioning, and all major appliances that will be included with the home. Make sure everything is in good working order.

10. The outside of the house
Walk around the house and yard looking for areas where water might collect. Soggy areas near the foundation indicate poor drainage. Look at the condition of the roof and external walls. Are there any shingles/tiles missing or deep cracks in the walls or foundation? These can be very expensive to fix and is usually not covered by house insurance.

11. Services
Make sure that all the services you need, such as power, water, phone and gas, are available and in working order. There should be at least two power circuits and one light circuit. Safety switches are compulsory in houses built after 1992. If you find exposed wiring in easy reach that is not protected by conduit, it could be a sign of illegal wiring and should be looked into.

12. Inspection
Once you narrow your search down, you should hire a certified Home Inspector to perform a Professional Home Inspection. Inspectors can spot problems that the average person would never find and they can usually advise you on how much it will cost to make the repairs. A home inspection can help you determine whether or not you are going to make an offer on a house, and if you decide to go ahead, just how much that offer is going to be.

When you apply for a mortgage, lenders carefully analyse the details of your application before agreeing to proceed with financing. Many lenders determine how likely borrowers will be to repay a loan by making use of five basic components of credit analysis (so-called the Five Cs of Credit). They are described here to help you understand what a lender looks for.

Character
Character is the general impression you make on the potential lender. The lender will form a subjective opinion as to whether or not you are sufficiently trustworthy to repay the loan. Your educational background and experience in your field of work will be included. The length of time at your current employment and your current residence will be considered. The longer you have been at both, the higher you will score on the character scale.

Collateral
In a real estate transaction, the lender needs the assurance that, should the borrower be unable to repay the mortgage, the property that is mortgaged is marketable and can be resold. This is why lenders require an appraisal of the value of the property.

Capital
This is your down payment. From a lender’s perspective, the higher the down payment, the more likely it is that you will do all you can to keep up with the mortgage payments. Capital may also reflect your ability and willingness to save money and accumulate assets.

Credit
This is an estimation of how well you meet your credit obligations, as measured by a national credit agency. The credit agency takes information on payments on major credit cards, auto loans, leases, etc. for the last six years and produces a credit score.

Some individuals make the mistake of not paying the minimum monthly obligations on loans and credit cards with the expectation of making a larger payment the following month. These missed payments appear on their credit report branding them as chronic “late-payers”, and therefore reduce their credit score.

Capacity
Based on your financial situation, how capable are you of repaying the mortgage? Lenders will review your income level and monthly financial obligations – mortgage payments typically should be no more than 32% of your gross income. In today’s market every source of income is scrutinized as whether it is feasible that it will continue.

It is important to understand that these measures can change greatly depending on what the future economy is predicted to do. In a rising economy where property values are increasing, there is a little fear of people losing their jobs. Even if they do, the value of their property has risen so they can sell and get out of trouble. This may not be the case in a declining economy where the risk of job loss is high and property prices are decreasing. In this case the bank will have a more restricted formula to measure your ability to pay back your loan.

Here are a few quick tips to guide you through improving the security of your basement windows.

Use good outside lighting
Make sure your basement windows are always well-lit during the evenings and at night. A dark place is always more likely to be broken into.

Keep basement windows visible from the outside
A basement window that is concealed by plants or shrubs is attractive to burglars because it provides them a cover under which they can easily operate.

Install security bars and good locks
Heavy security bars made of iron or steel offer sufficient protection against intruders. However, you must install these bars in such a way that firefighters can still use the window as an exit point, in case of an emergency. Most of these bars can be manipulated from the inside so that the window can provide an escape route.

Use a reliable set of locks and keys for the basement windows, if they do not have secure latches or other locking mechanisms. However, you must be able to open at least one window in the basement without the use of keys, in an emergency situation.

Advertise your home security system
A monitored home security system is one of the most effective ways of preventing break-ins. Make sure any passers-by can clearly see your home security stickers. Your basement windows must be secure and set up in alliance with the security system.

Use shatter-proof glass
To improve the security of your basement windows, it can also be beneficial to have shatter-proof glass installed as a replacement for regular glass. Since basement windows are usually fairly small in size, installing shatter-proof glass can be relatively affordable. Unless you have experience in glass installation, it’s highly recommended that you hire a professional to upgrade the glass in your basement windows. Research professional glass installation services in your area, and choose a highly rated service provider that has positive customer reviews.

Block the view into the basement
Use glass block for your windows, so that any outsider cannot peek in and see what is going on inside your basement. The intruder will not be able to tell if the basement is empty or occupied. Glass block is also extremely strong and difficult to shatter.

Plant tactical landscaping
To help limit access to your basement windows, you can also use tactical landscaping methods. Plant low, thorny bushes around your basement windows, making them difficult or nearly impossible for an intruder to access. If you are worried about the appearance of your home, you can use Hawthorne, Rosebushes or Barberry bushes to create a visually pleasing “barrier” around your basement window area. If you need to have access to your basement windows, you can also use thick, thorn-free shrubbery that still provides limited access.

The most effective home security strategies are those devised with your home’s particular layout and weaknesses in mind. Always remember to protect every potential entry into your home, not just the ones you use every day.

Home Staging is a proven system for preparing properties for sale. It helps to make your house seem bigger, brighter, cleaner and an ideal dwelling for almost any prospect that inspects your home. Staging helps prospects visualize themselves in the house and allows them to mentally make it their home.

Staging is not designed to make your house more liveable for you and your family. In fact, it is a bit of hardship to live in a staged house during the selling process. You and your family will literally be out of your comfort zone. Everything that makes your house your home will for the most part be gone. But remember: this is only temporary.

Having your house on the market can make things challenging for you and your family. At times, your agent will give you short notice that a “hot prospect” wants to see your home right away impacting you and your family. So anything that can shorten the time on the market, like Home Staging, will be well worth it, even if it means a little more temporary discomfort.

Staging is more than just cleaning, painting, and making repairs. Your aim is to present your home in the best possible light to win the hearts of prospective buyers. With Staging, the focus is shifted from the furnishings to the home itself, the views, the space and the unique features of the property. Staging is about getting your house sold.

Home Staging involves de-personalizing your house, reducing the furnishings to bare minimums and creating vignettes inside each room. It may also include the use of the accessories to highlight your home’s best architectural features. Common accessories might include:

• Mirrors
• Cut flowers in attractive vases
• Fresh fruit
• Up lights, table lamps and floor lights
• Ottomans
• Pillows and baskets
• Scented soap bars
• Fresh towels
• Ironed crisp bed sheets

You might be tempted to feel that since you’re selling your house and moving to a new one, you don’t want to invest any more money into your existing property and save that money for your new home. Do not make this mistake!

If your house doesn’t have that certain appeal and lacks attention to detail, real estate agents will be less inclined to show the property, simply because they know what your competition is doing and their time and their buyer’s time is valuable—why waste it on a property they know most buyers will pass on?

Many big home repairs start out small but, left unattended, become more costly problems. By taking care of little issues now, you can save yourself a lot of money and stress in the long run. Keeping a list of what needs to be done, and when, can help you to avoid and prevent the most common household problems.

Many of the necessary task are probably easy enough for you to take care of yourself. However, if you don’t feel comfortable or don’t have the proper equipment, consider hiring a qualified contractor to help you.

Inspect the roof. Shingles that curl (turn up) and claw (turn down) can make your roof inefficient and susceptible to leaking. Check around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks and repair as necessary.

Don’t forget to check your roof from the inside too. Look in the attic for any signs of moisture or surface discolouration on the underside of the roof that may point to leakage from above or air leaks coming from your house.

Repair leaks. Before rainy spring weather hits, check to make sure you don’t have any leaks, especially in a basement or attic. Double-check your door and window seals, too, in case they might need a fresh coat of caulk or new weather-stripping.

Clean gutters and drain pipes so leaves won’t clog them and be sure they drain away from the house. Drain outside faucets.

Chimneys. If you have a masonry chimney, check the joints between bricks or stones. Have any fallen out? Is there vegetation growing out of them? Each signals water infiltration. Also, look for efflorescence which is a white calcium-like deposit that indicates your masonry joints are no longer repelling water but absorbing it. Consider re-sealing masonry with a clear, impermeable or water-resistant barrier material (like Thoroseal products). Brush it on, small areas at a time; let it absorb for 15 minutes, then reapply—it may need a couple of applications.

Clean sidingwith a pressure washer to keep mold from growing. Check all wood surfaces

for weathering and paint failure. If wood is showing through, sand the immediate area and apply a primer coat before painting. If paint is peeling, scrape loose paint and sand smooth before painting. Replace rotted siding or trim.

Check foundation walls, floors, concrete and masonry for cracking, heaving, or deterioration. If you see large cracks or a significant number of bricks losing their mortar, call a professional.
Inspect trees for broken branches. If the broken limb is high up, hire a licensed arborist. If you can reach it from the ground, take it down using the three-cut technique, which prevents bark from tearing and creating an open wound on the trunk.

Seal cracks on the driveway and paths before weeds take up residence. Home centres sell patching materials and fillers designed for asphalt and concrete surfaces.

Spring is also a great time to clean your windows, screens and hardware and replace storm windows with screens. Check your screens for holes or tears first and repair or replace them if needed. Examine putty/caulk lines around exterior windows and doors and ensure weather stripping creates a good seal.

Check all decks, patios, porches, stairs and railings for loose members and deterioration. Open decks and wood fences need to be treated every four to six years, depending on how much exposure they get to sun and rain. If the stain doesn’t look like it should, or water has turned some of the wood a dark gray, hire a professional to treat your deck and fence.

Prune landscaping and create good drainage. Shrubs and landscaping help against soil erosion, but should be planted to form a negative grade, which means water will flow away from the house. You don’t want growth up against the foundation of the home itself.

Inside the house:
When it’s warm enough outside, turn off your gas fireplace pilot lights where possible.

Carry out the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance for your air conditioning system and ventilation equipment. Be sure to consult your owner’s manual for cleaning instructions or hire a qualified contractor.

Check your smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms and replace the batteries.
Reopen any valves for outside hose bibs that were shut off last fall.