Pam Daniels

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Types of Mortgages

The CalumRoss Team has been ranked number one mortgage consulting team in Canada for years. Take a moment to review these different types of Mortgages before deciding which is the type for you:

http://calumross.com/mortgages-canada/mortgages-101/types-of-mortgages/#preapprovedmortgage

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The CalumRoss Team has been ranked number one mortgage consulting team in Canada for years. Take a moment to review these different types of Mortgages before deciding which is the type for you:

http://calumross.com/mortgages-canada/mortgages-101/types-of-mortgages/#preapprovedmortgage

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Fire Safety Tips

It is important to prevent and prepare for the worst and here are a couple of ways to do so:

- Install smoke detectors and change batteries regularly

- Post emergency numbers near the telephone

- Plan a family meeting spot in case of a fire

- Make sure you have a safe fire escape method for all situations

- Space heaters need at least 3 feet from anything that can burn

- Store matches and lighters away from the reach of children

- Replace frayed or cracked electrical cords and don't overload extension cords. They should not be run under rugs.

- Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles and wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Keep the handles of your pots turned inward so they do not over-hang the stove.

- Have a fire extinguisher and make sure every family member knows where it is and how to use it.

- Set up a designated smoking area outside with large, deep ashtrays, and soak the butts with water before dumping them in the trash.

- Crawl low under smoke

- Stop, Drop, and Roll, if your clothes catch fire don’t run.

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Friday, January 27, 2012

99 Ways to Save In Your Home – Conserve Energy

Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
Unplug seldom used appliances.
Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refrigerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
Only use electric appliances when you need them.
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away
Insulate your home as best as you can.
Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
Plant trees to shade your home.
Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
Buy green electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.

In Your Home – Reduce Toxicity

29. Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).

30. Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.

31. Buy the right amount of paint for the job.

32. Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease.

33. When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result.

34. If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off.

35. Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.

36. Have your home tested for radon.

37. Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.

In Your Yard

Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion.
Use only the required amount of fertilizer.
Minimize pesticide use.
Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
Water grass early in the morning.
Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used.
Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.

In Your Office

Copy and print on both sides of paper.
Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee.
Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence.
Use recycled paper.
Use discarded paper for scrap paper.
Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic.
Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.
Ways To Protect Our Air
Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
Recycle printer cartridges.
Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.
Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
Use solar power for home and water heating.
Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid.
If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning.
Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.

Ways to Use Less Water

Check and fix any water leaks.
Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.
Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
Install a low-flow shower head.
Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.

80. Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.

Ways to Protect Our Water

Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
Never dump anything down a storm drain.
Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
Learn about your watershed.
Create Less Trash
Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
Buy products that you can reuse.
Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap.
Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material.
Compost your vegetable scraps.

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Tips on how to donate your old electronics

Many non-profit organizations accept donations of electronic devices, especially computers and office equiptment. Organizations such as reBOOT Canada (www.rebootcanada.ca) and Computers for Schools (www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cfs-open.nsf/eng/home) provide refurbished computers to charities and schools across the country.

Things to Remeber Before Donating

- Be sure to erase any private information from the hard dirve.

- Call the receiving organization to make sure they will accept the type and condition of electronics you wish to donate.

- Write down what you donated; you may be eligible to write off a portion of the value of the items at tax time. Contact the Canada Revenue Agency for details.

For more information please give me call 905-456-1000!

Follow me on twitter @thepamdaniels and on Facebook/CallPamD

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Five Signs Your Home is Overpriced

According to Forbes here are five reasons why your home may not be selling:

1. Your home is priced well above your neighbouring properties

- The first thing brokers do before they recommend a price to a seller, is they look at the sales prices of the last three sales of comparable-sized homes in the your neighborhood. You can conduct your own research to determine a reasonable price before you hear estimates from brokers.

2. After a couple months you still haven’t received an offer

- (it's not uncommon for high high-end homes, for example, to stay on the market for years) but there should be a flurry of showings and interest in the first four to six weeks the home is on the market if it's priced properly.

3. Your spoke to several realtors before you hired the one who recommended the highest price for your home

- Realtors seldom want to take a property that is overpriced, simply for the fact that the chances of selling it are slim

4. There aren’t any scheduled showings

- Immediately after the home hits the market, there should be at least a few appointments for showings.

5. The home is priced for expensive, unique amenities that may not hold broad appeal.

-Your family may have enjoyed endless hours of fun in your indoor badminton court, but not everyone loves badminton as much as your family does.

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

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TIPS ON HOW TO SELL YOUR OLD ELECTRONICS

....To a Buy-back website. Online resellers such as SellyourElectronics.ca allow you to to sell your old electronics for cash,or recycle them if they aren't worth anything. Once you receive a free quote online, print a prepaid shipping label and mail your gadgets to the reseller.

....On eBay or Craigslist. Many people turn to these popular websites to sell a variety of items. eBay has partnered with the Rethink Initiative to help you sell ,donate or recycle your old technology.

....Back to the manufacturer. Many manufacturers, including Apple, Sony, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard offer trade-in programs that will pay market value for your computers and equippment, depending on the condition of these items.Visit the manufacturers websites for more information.

Email Pam at pdaniels11@sympatico.ca for more information.

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