"Real estate"

Real estate / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Lifestyle, location and commuting

Moving to the countryside? Here's how that can work...

...reality that more people will want to live away from cities, so the key to that is creating well-designed communities with access to transportation and low carbon housing. This of course begs the question, what is low carbon housing? Well…for new homes being built that would mean conducting a full carbon lifecycle an...

Real estate

Downsizing your home: buying tips for seniors

...real estate agents and moving companies, older buyers can turn to senior moving services for convenient start-to-finish help during the moving process. Shopping for houses probably isn't what you imagined you’d be doing in retirement, but for many seniors, buying a new home is the first step toward increased financial ...

Real estate

Are you selling a house? Here are the top 10 things homebuyers look for

A market study by AVID Ratings Canada for the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) surveyed 12,000 homebuyers across Canada to see what Canadians are looking for when they go house shopping. We were pleased but not at all surprised by the results - here they are: The top 10 assets that homebuyers value: 1. Walk-i...

Excavation

Things to look for when purchasing land for building a house

It is not illegal to sell an unbuildable lot, so buyers beware. Any number of roadblocks can prevent you from building the house you want, or any house at all, so before you make a purchase make sure you can proceed with your plans. Issues to consider before making an offer: Zoning: First check that you are allowed to ...

Real estate

Evaluating a home before purchase: how to recognize value and potential problems

...real bonus, and another indication of a conscientious builder. Insulation: It's hard to tell how well insulated a house is without ripping open a wall, but it's not a bad idea to ask the agent for details about the construction; with luck there may be some info at your disposal. Attics are easier to check; look for pro...

Real estate

Shopping for a home? Some tips for finding the right house and neighbourhood

For most of us, purchasing or building a home will be the biggest investment of our lives. This section is about knowing what to look for in new homes to get the best value for your dollar, or what to look for in a building lot for the same reasons. What to look for in a home location: Being close to where you work an...

Lifestyle, location and commuting

Home-buying tips for seniors looking to downsize

...realize just how much stuff you have until you think about packing each item into boxes for your move; then, you’ll be more than ready to start sorting and deciding what to keep and what to sell, donate, give to loved ones, or throw away. Although hanging onto future collectibles like that Game of Thrones Box set may l...

Off-grid and Net-Zero Housing

Net Zero Energy Community in Calgary, Alberta

Landmark Homes Inc. In Calgary Alberta, In partnership with Brookfield Residential Properties, has just started construction on a community of 27 prefabricated net zero energy homes, the first of its kind in Alberta. A ‘Net Zero Energy’ home on an annual basis generates as much or more power than it consumes, and each ...

Lifestyle and environment

Green buildings are better situated to handle climate extremes

The U.S. Green Building Council and the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning released a landmark report Feb. 29 that describes how green buildings advance resiliency in disasters. “Green Building and Climate Resilience: Understanding Impacts and Preparing for Changing Conditions” ...

Lifestyle and environment

Resources and getting started

Choosing between buying, building or renting 1. Building a new home. Building a sustainable and energy efficient house is not necessarily more expensive than building a house simply to meet provincial building codes. Many new home starts have achieved far superior performance while still coming in the same or lower in...

Choosing where to live

Moving to the country - living a rural lifestyle

...realizing the benefits of allowing people to work from home, such as worker satisfaction and savings on office space. 2. Eat local and grow a garden. One great advantage to having a bit of property is the ability to grow your own food. If you have the space, there is little that tastes better than food you grew yoursel...