Jason & Bernie Gavadza On Real Estate

Halloween Fire Safety Tips

This Halloween many families will be decorating both inside and outside with decorations that require electricity. It is important for homeowners to treat decorative items in the same manner as all other appliances in the home.

Being Halloween falls into Fire Safety month, the Fire Safety team at Canadian Tire has put together the following tips for a safe and enjoyable Halloween. 

• Use a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle in the jack-o-lantern to safely achieve an illuminating glow. 
  

• Keep exits clear of decorations, ensuring nothing blocks escape routes 

• Choose Halloween costumes and decorations made of fire resistant materials only

• Ensure children stay away from open flames or other heat sources and teach them to stop, drop and roll in the event their costume or clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground, covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames.) Cool the burn.

October is Fire Safety Month

Being prepared is the first line of defense in fire prevention. The fire safety team at Canadian Tire has put together a home and fire safety tip list to help keep your family safe.

Fire Extinguisher Safety Tip

Ensure that every member of the family knows the location of the fire extinguishers in your home as well as how to use the unit.

Fight fires with the PASS system: Pull the pin Aim low – point the unit at the base of the fire Squeeze the lever Sweep from side to side Make sure your unit is fully charged by regularly checking the gauge

Smoke Detector Safety Tip

There should be a smoke detector on every level of your home. Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years. Even with proper maintenance (cleaning, battery changes etc) smoke alarms are not guaranteed to function properly after 10 years. Replace your old smoke alarm today and never remove the batteries to silence an alarm. New at Canadian Tire is the Remote Hush Smoke Alarm that allows nuisance alarms to be silenced wirelessly from a distance. Also, the remote control can also be used to test the smoke alarm.

Carbon Monoxide Safety Tip

Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, making it a silent threat. Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm and CO alarm every year. As an easy reminder, replace your batteries when you turn back your clocks for daylight savings.

Dryer Safety Tip

Dryer fires are more common than you think, making it important to remove lint and debris from your dryer duct on a regular basis. Often birds and mice find comfort by nesting in these sheltered areas, causing obstruction.  When dryer ducts are clogged, the risk of dryer fire is increased and the dryer can require as much as 60% more drying time and can use almost 80% more energy.

Be Safe, Be Healthy, For You and Your Family

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Is It Real Or Just Laminate? Only You Know For Sure



When internationally famed Scottish design gurus Colin Ryan and Justin McAllister of the TV show Home Heist accept laminate flooring, you know it has come a long way.  But that's precisely what they did in a recent column in the Toronto Star, wherein they noted that Buckingham Palace boasts laminate flooring. And if it's good enough for the Queen (and Keller Williams Real estate agents), they admitted, it's good enough for the discerning duo's global projects.

Today's laminates are indeed light worlds away from their predecessors. Now quality laminates are of high durability and high style. Many are virtually indistinguishable from the 'real' thing such as hardwood or ceramic, but laminate is still affordable and accessible to savvy homeowners who are updating or refreshing their living spaces.

Laminate companies take exacting measures to replicate the texture and grain found in materials that are harder to clean and maintain, such as hardwood. Precision eco-engineering, computing and design have resulted in beautiful bevels, perfectly natural-looking markings, perfect registration and glowing, light-refracting finishes.

In response to growing consumer demand for lovely, long-wearing laminates, TORLYS, a Canadian company, has recently launched a vast new collection of eco-friendly designs featuring various plank widths, and capturing the beauty of woods ranging from oak, maple and cherry to rosewood, hickory and walnut. . And with all TORLYS Smart Floors, the laminate floors actually improve indoor air quality.

Not all laminates are alike, so consumers are wise to shop around and go with a respected manufacturer. Hardwood doesn't come with the 35-year fade, stain and water warranties that accompany reputable laminate flooring. Maybe that's why so many home owners today are turning to the new generation of laminates, and giving their floors the royal treatment.

For more info visit www.torlys.com . - News Canada Quality laminate floors look like hardwood floors, but they're far easier to care for, and do not require waxing, oiling or staining.

What are your thoughts, Hardwood or Laminate?

Top 10 Best 905 City Streets To Live On

What are your thoughts on these 905 streets?  Can you share your thoughts (and pics too!) if you live or have driven down any of these streets.......

1. King St., Port Hope

with 19th-century brick houses and wooden cottages, this quiet tree-lined street pretty much sums up small-town life at its best. All in all, it's a pretty street in a pretty town.

2. North Shore Blvd., Burlington

Close to Lake Ontario and ever-changing, this is one of those long and winding roads that for a lucky few leads to their door.

3. Martin St., Milton

This is one of Milton's main drags, but at the bottom end, just before it comes to a mill pond, there's a stretch of heritage houses from the 1800s, mainly brick with big porches and beautiful gardens and trees.

4. Lake Ave., Acton

I know this is 519 territory but it's so nice I had to include it. This dead-end street that runs along the edge of Fairy Lake, it is an out-of-the-way kind of place that feels like a street where real people live. Best of all, there's a variety of housing styles ranging across the 19th and 20th centuries.

5. Cherryhill Rd., Oakville

This short and leafy street, five minutes from Bronte Harbour, takes us back to a time when the suburban dream didn't mean endless hectares of tract housing. It's amazing the small one- and two-storey bungalows have survived the invasion of the monster home.

6. Main St., Unionville

Though more retail than residential, here's a street that retains much of a character formed at a time when proximity was a necessity and good building materials the only option.

7. Mineola Rd., Mississauga

Low-density and old enough to boast a forest of mature trees, this is the kind of place where early 20th-century builders went crazy with mock-Tudor and Arts and Crafts houses.

8. Prideaux St., Niagara-on-the-Lake

Almost any street in this lovely though heavily gentrified town would do, but this one, with its elegant Georgian houses and magnificent gardens, is one of the best.

9. Caledon Mountain Dr., Belfountain

Okay, so technically it may not be a mountain, but the views over the Credit Valley are spectacular. Houses can be hard to see from the road, but that's another reason this would be such a nice place to live.

10. Main St., Jordan

This is the main drag of Jordan, which despite its short length boasts several historic 19th-century houses and an old winery converted into shops. Quiet, comfortable and lived in, it feels like home.

Source: Christopher Hume Toronto Star Article

How Can I Help YOU?

Jason Gavadza

Former "Pro"fessional Athlete, Current "Pro"fessional Family Realtor,

www.YourRealEstatePros.CA

Keller Williams Referred Realty Inc, Brokerage 416-445-8855

Top 10 Best Toronto City Streets To Live On

I thought that this would be an interesting topic to dive right into.  Best streets in Toronto!  This article taken from the Toronto Star begs the question, "What is YOUR favourite street in Toronto?"

As you ponder your answer and before you post your comment below, take a look at a few streets that made the Top 10 list!

1. Yonge St. anywhere south of Eglinton Ave.

How great would it be to live above a store, restaurant or bar on Toronto's main street? Imagine walking out your front door and going to your favourite eatery. And of course the subway would never be far away.

2. Palmerston Blvd.

The houses are impressive, but more than that there are those wonderful street lights. They make Palmerston one of our most memorable streets.

3. Any street in Cabbagetown, east of Parliament St.

Narrow tree-lined roads, with beautiful 19th-century houses – not too big – make this one of the city's most desirable neighbourhoods.

4. Fallingbrook Cres.

Situated at the top of the Scarborough Bluffs, the houses here aren't wildly interesting but enjoy extraordinary views across Lake Ontario.

5. King St. E. between Church and Parliament Sts.

Bit by bit, the architecture in this historic area of town is disappearing beneath a layer of new construction. But there's just enough left that even today the past is alive if not entirely well.

6. Ellis Park Rd.

Shady and winding, this is a street on the west side of High Park that feels more a part of a small town than a big city. Obviously built long before the planning department got its hands on things, it oozes character.

7. Montcrest Blvd.

Running west from Broadview Ave. at the north end, this short dead-end street boasts what's arguably the best view of the downtown.

8. Tranby Ave.

The houses are small, close together and thoroughly urban. Extending from Avenue Rd. to Bedford Rd., it's close to practically everything but quiet, almost serene.

9. Sheffley Cres.

Dating from Etobicoke's post-war heyday – maybe a little later – this is family lifestyle territory. Leafy and lively, it's the sort of place where kids really do play hockey in the streets.

10. Queens Quay

It's not up to much now, but in the decades ahead, once the four-lane artery has been reduced to two and trees have been planted, this could be the city's grand waterfront street.

View the streets MAPPED!

How Can I Help YOU?

Jason Gavadza

Former "Pro"fessional Athlete, Current "Pro"fessional Family Realtor,

www.YourRealEstatePros.CA

Keller Williams Referred Realty Inc, Brokerage 416-445-8855

Source: Christopher Hume Toronto Star Article

Organizing 101 ~ The Bathroom

Yes, we all cringe at the word, organizing – and I know you would rather do other things than to organize your home. If you’re anything like me, you find yourself surrounded by things you don’t need or use or worst yet...want to get rid of. This can lead clutter. It can take away the beauty of your home and well, you don’t want to end up on Oprah’s show about people with clutter problems. (But then again, it can lead to meeting Oprah and she can just give you a new house with.........okay no) let’s just organize our homes!

So today I am going to focus on the bathroom.  Here is a list of things you can do to keep your bathroom looking clutter free.

 

• - If you store your towels in the bathroom, buy a little caddy with drawers from Walmart or Business Depot.  Space savers and they look great!
  

• - Or Cabinets that go over the toilet, these are a lifesaver especially if you are tight on space! Some of these now come in sleek dark wood finish designs and look really beautiful. It’s a great way to store away makeup, medicine, first aid etc. For additional storage, you can place a basket on top of the cabinet.  

• - If you are lucky enough to have a cabinet under the sink, you can maximize your storage inside these cabinets with plastic caddies you can stack up. Or store your laundry basket there until laundry day.

• - If you tend to have things like razors, shaving creams or makeup, store them away in a mini drawer caddy that you can place on top of the counter.
  

• - If there are hygiene products that you know you will never use again, throw them out OR recycle. Depending on the product, if they are new – you can donate them to your local shelters .
  

The key is basically utilizing your space as much possible. Everything should have its own place.  Adding shelves can also make great storage places. Out of sight is a clear mind and a clutter free bathroom. 

Until then, keep your home looking fabulous!

Next article: Organizing 101: The Bedroom

Anuja Sharma is a freelance writer based in Toronto