Are You Ready for Home Ownership?

So, you’ve finally decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and buy your own home… how exciting! You are ready to fulfill your dream of having a place to call your own.

Buying a home is one of the biggest emotional and financial decisions you'll ever make. Let Tony Marino and his team of professionals help you.  We will prepare you by teaching you about the process of home buying and the responsibilities of home ownership.

The differences between renting and buying a home are vast, and there's a long list of pros and cons for both options. And, remember — there is no one best decision for everyone. Before moving forward, though, here are some questions to consider.

• Do you have the necessary financial management skills?
• How financially stable are you?
• Are you ready to take on the responsibility of all the costs involved in home ownership, including mortgage payments, repairs, and maintenance?
• Are you able to devote the time required for home maintenance?

There are pros and cons for both renting and buying. Everyone must make his or her own best decision. Buying a home is not for everyone. Take a moment to think through the advantages and disadvantages of both owning and renting. We at The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage have developed a work sheet to help you make the decision that is right for you.

Once we have helped you complete your worksheet, you then must think about everything very carefully, because it has to be your decision and please remember this, we at The Tony Marino Team will never push you into making a decision.

• Are the advantages of owning your home really bigger than the advantages of renting?
• Are the disadvantages of owning your own home really smaller than the disadvantages of renting?

If home ownership is for you, you must be both financially and emotionally ready. Buying a home isn't only about money. You should listen to your heart… and take an honest look at your lifestyle.

Let us at help you! Contact us today either by email at houses@mts.net or visit our website at www.TonyMarino.ca.

Regards,

Hope to hear from you soon.  

 

New Building Lot in Countryside Crossing!!!!

Build your new home of your dreams in prestigious East St Paul's Country Crossing, with Sytko Homes. With years of experience and innovative building techniques, Sytko Homes is truly a "Builder of Distinctive Homes". 

This amazing lot backs onto Countryside Creek and is 79.5' x 140' in size. Located inside the Perimeter, minutes from Downtown and fully serviced. This is all about location and prestige. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so don't delay act today, this lot won't last long! Call The Tony Marino Team at 204 792 8525 or visit us at www.TonyMarino.ca.

Let Sytko Homes and The Tony Marino Team help you design and build the home of you dreams!

Christmas Contest

MANY THANKS from Tony Marino and his team of professionals, for entering our "Christmas is Coming" contest.  

Stay tuned for our "Spring is Springing" contest where there will be great prizes and lots of chances to win!
Make sure you are "subscribed" to our website to not only enter our contest, but to receive informative Real Estate news and advice!!

Merry Christmas and all the best to you and your family in 2012!!!

Be careful when you Shovel Snow!

With the white stuff coming down today, we at The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate thought we take a couple minutes and tell everybody to be careful when you shovel snow.

In the 18 years in real estate I have had to shovel out a few sidewalks, driveways, and  front steps to get homes ready to be shown. Let me tell you, it's not always fun.

When you stop and think about it, you can be pushing a couple hundred pounds of snow sometimes depending how large the driveway, front walk and steps are.  The simple way of moving all that snow safely is to take small manageable sized shovel fulls of snow and pace yourself.  Take your time, don't rush!  Every year you hear the stories on the news of someone having a heart attack from shovelling snow.

Pick a shovel that is light, plastic is the best, and one with a scoop.  You want to push the snow if you can, as mentioned above in small manageable loads, if you have to lift, bend at the knees and lift with your legs and not your back.

If the time has come that you can't shovel your own snow,  hire a service to do it for you,  there is nothing wrong with doing that.

Enjoy yourselves this winter and be safe!



      

What to do.... To Renovate or Not?

 The other day while I was just about to step out to an appointment my phone rang and a very polite lady was on the other end of the line.  She had phoned to ask if her and her husband should update their electrical in their 100 year old home.  The cost would be roughly $17,000.  They knew they wouldn't get that money back, but wanted to know what to do!? 

The answer was simple. Do it.  The fact of the matter is, it is getting harder for buyers to get insurance on homes that have tube and knob wiring. The $17,000 dollar touch is painful and the simple truth is you are not going to get your money back on that, but can offset some of the cost by adding renos or updates that look rich but are inexpensive!

I suggest you go to www.TonyMarino.ca and click on the "Selling" link, in there is a chart that points out to you which updates to pick that will give you a good bang for the buck.

Redoing older hardwood floors is much less expensive then replacing them but the impact could be priceless, paint your wall some nice warm earth tones that give richness, declutter your home,  especially the closets, kitchen cabinets, counters and such.  The list when you look at it is mostly costs a lot of elbow grease.

If you don't know where to start, call or email The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate, we would be glad to sit down and go over a marketing plan that has a easy to follow chart.  Please remember "Helping you is what we do".  We can be reached at 942-2583 or houses@mts.net.          

Fall Yard Clean Up Tips

We here at The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate had a phone call the other day asking a good question.  The age old question " Why do I need to rake up my leaves?"

I stopped and thought about it for a minute my answer was because of two reasons;  one reason, was simple enough because if you live in the city your neighbours might not be to pleased with you if your yard looks unkept and leaves from your yard are blowing into their neatly raked yard.  The second reason is the more important one to you, if you don't get those leaves of the lawn, what will happen is that the leaves coupled with snow will actually smother your lawn.   

The leaves that you rake up can be put to good use.  You can cover perennials after they are cut back in the flower beds to protect them from frost over the winter.  The best use for raked up leaves though (apart from the kids jumping in the pile)  is composting.  Every year people run to the garden centers to buy peat moss and top soil and such, well if you start composting you can save yourself some money.  You can get the composting bins from the city at a low price or go to a gardening centre or home improvement store for some fancier ones that make it easier to turn the pile.  You can even build your own if you want. It's easy all it takes is some chicken wire and a few stakes. 

Step 1)  Found a spot in your yard away from everything.

Step 2) With a hammer pound four- 4 foot stakes into ground about 12-16 inches into the ground should be fine. Position the stakes into a square with each stake being 24 inches apart. from the other.
NOTE: CALL MANITOBA HYDRO "CALL BEFORE YOU DIG" LINE BEFORE YOU PUT STAKES INTO GROUND.

Step 3) Wrap chicken wire around your stakes attaching wire to stakes using cable ties.

Step 4) Put leaves into bin. Try to flip piles every so often. 

Before you know it you will your own organic rich fertilizer.

Please email us if you have an questions about this or if you have any ideas to share with us.

   

    

      

House Fall Maintenance Part 1

We here at The Tony Marino Team of Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate have always said you need to maintain your home to help keep its market value, with that being said here is the first in a series of inexpensive ways to maintain your home.  Enjoy, and if you have any questions or any ideas please send them to us houses@mts.net.


The Eavetroughs on your house are a very important part of your home but unfortunately they are always forgotten until there is a huge rain storm.

Living were you have large trees is going to mean leaves in the eaves and the key thing you always want to make sure that the eaves are clean and downspouts are not clogged up.

A good rule of thumb is to give your eaves a good cleaning when all the leaves have fallen from the tress that are close and surround your home.  You tend to want to do this before the end of October, if possible (any later and there is always the chance of snow).

You will need a good quality ladder.  You can purchase them at any home improvement stores.  Look at the load rating of the ladder it is important,  less expensive ladders are rated for lighter loads, ask for help, if you have any questions.  Always be careful when using a ladder!!! Follow the safety warnings and the instructions!!!

Now before you get started you are going to want to have small pail or bag to put the leaves and other debris from the eaves into.  A eave shovel will help you with your task, pair of work gloves so you don't cut yourself on any anything sharp round off your list.

Start cleaning from one end and work your way along the eaves, making sure to re-position your ladder as you go, you NEVER want to work out of a safe reach zone.  Once you have cleaned out the eaves it is always a good idea to flush the downspouts with water. The best way of doing this is snake the hose into the downspouts (not deep that you can't get it out) The screws that hold the downspouts together are short and shouldn't damage your hose, but you will need to judge that yourself. Turn the water on, any debris should come out at the bottom. 

It is important to note if you are not comfortable on ladders or heights, phone around to find a company that can provide this service for you.

You should always clean your eaves and downspouts a couple to a few times a years depending the amount of trees around your home.

Stay tuned for more helpful hints and remember be safe.