Courtesy of Maureen Reed

Cell: 416.895.4883 Office: 416-383-9525 Email: MaureenReedRealtor@gmail.com www.maureenreed.ca

Volume 15 | Number 9

HOME INSPECTION: VITAL TOOL WHEN BUYING A HOME

A home is a complicated structure filled with wiring, pipes, equipment and systems of every kind. Buying a home is likely going to be the largest purchase you’ll make, so to ensure the purchase is a sound one, consider hiring the services of a trained and licenced home inspector. A home inspection is a limited, non-invasive examination of a homes condition prior to sale. A home inspector is trained and fully certified to seek out potential issues by carefully examining the home from basement to attic. Areas a home inspector will check include but are not limited to: • Electrical and plumbing • The roof and attic areas • The building envelope, such as windows, doors, exterior siding and others • The basement and / or crawlspace • Heating and cooling systems • The foundation Once they have completed their work, the inspector will provide a report, typically including photos, that you as the potential buyer, will keep as an aid when negotiating a purchase. Being informed beforehand is a sure way to avoid any unpleasant surprises that might creep up in the weeks and months after you close the deal.

JAMBALAYA – A CAJUN CLASSIC MADE SIMPLE Courtesy of https://bit.ly/2SVWvdh

1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 3–4 cups chicken stock 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain white rice 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 pound raw large shrimp, deveined 1 cup thinly-sliced okra 1 bay leaf

INGREDIENTS : 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 boneless chicken breasts, bite-sized 1 pound andouille sausage, thinly sliced 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced 2 ribs celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped 1 white onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sausage, sauté until chicken is cooked and sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to plate. 2. Add remaining oil, bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions are softened. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, Cajun seasoning, thyme, cayenne, bay leaf, and combine. Cook until simmering. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is nearly cooked. Add shrimp and okra, combine. Simmer, until shrimp is cooked. Stir in chicken and sausage. Remove from heat. Season with salt, pepper to taste. Enjoy!

" REAL ESTATE CANNOT BE LOST OR

The 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was at America’s helm during one of its most tumultuous periods; from the Great Depression and through most of the Second World War. Despite being crippled by polio, FDR’s leadership took the nation out of the doldrums of the Depression and turned it into the so-called ‘Arsenal of Democracy’ to help defeat the Axis powers. He tragically died only months from the conclusion of hostilities.

STOLEN, NOR CAN IT BE CARRIED AWAY. PURCHASED WITH COMMON SENSE, PAID FOR IN FULL, AND MANAGED WITH REASONABLE CARE, IT IS ABOUT THE SAFEST INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

GARDENING IN SEPTEMBER HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE APPEAL

For the avid gardener September can be a very busy month - the month harvest is underway. But there are many things you can do to keep your garden viable and healthy after the harvest. 1. General Garden Clean Up: Reduce the negative impact of bugs and blights on your garden. Take the time to pick up any rotting fruit, dead vines or diseased leaves. Don’t give insects a nice warm home over the winter, clean up that rotting debris now to head off issues next spring. 2. Improving The Soil Quality: A better growing medium will result in a better garden – September is the ideal time to make sure your soil is the best it can be. Spread your accumulated compost or rotted manure (two to three inches deep) over your garden. Turn it in to ensure it has a chance to mingle with the soil, adding to its richness. 3. Planting Flowering Bulbs for Spring: It ’s also a good time to plant hardy springtime flowering bulbs. Early blooming flowers, such as daffodils, crocus, and tulips can provide a burst of colour once the winter snow melts. It ’s even an easy job, dig a hole, drop in your bulb and cover with soil. Mother Nature will take care of the rest.

Every region of the country is different, so research a plan that works best for you. It ’s important to know the fiscal and physical health of the project you are buying into.

REAL ESTATE A MAJOR PLAYER IN CANADA’S ECONOMY

You may only interact with your REALTOR® when buying or selling your home, so you might not realize that they are part of a profession that has a dramatic and vital impact, not only to your local economy, but to that of the entire nation. Real estate is big business in Canada. But did you realize just how big? According to Statistics Canada nearly half of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product during the first quarter of 2022 was due to residential investment, or homebuilding. The international market research firm Research and Markets (researchandmarkets.com) states that the real estate market in Canada recorded revenues of more than $58 billion (US) in 2020, a total expected to climb to nearly $64 billion (US) by the year 2025 – representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly two percent. The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), Canada’s national real estate organization, reported in its literature that there

are currently more than 150,000 real estate brokers, agents and salespeople working through 74 real estate boards and associations across Canada. Of course, each of these individuals are only the most visible component of the profession. Like with any business staff must be hired, offices rented, equipment purchased and complimentary industries supported. Wherever there is a REALTOR ® there is also a webmaster, graphic designer, home inspector, sign maker, interior designer and many other crafts and tradespersons - the ripples fan out widely. Real estate is also an excellent career path for those just entering the profession. As the nation’s population ages (including REALTORS ® ) there will be a need to fill those vacant spots and to guide the industry forward into a future that promises to be as exciting as it is different.

BRAIN TEASERS Courtesy of https://bit.ly/3OXbly4 1. I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind. What am I? 2. You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy.

no fish. What am I? 4. What is seen in the middle of March and April that can’t be seen at the beginning or end of either month? 5. You see a boat filled with people. It has not sunk, but when you look again you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?

4. The letter “R.” 5. All the people were married.

1. An echo 2. A candle. 3. A map.

3. I have cities, but no houses. I have

mountains, but no trees. I have water, but

Answers:

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Take a break! Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards. Enjoy!

Calm Down Catnap Chill Out Comfort Cool Off Daydream Doze Ease Freedom Holiday Leave Leisure Loosen Up Luxuriate

Peace Picnic Quieten Recess

Simmer Down Sit Back Slacken Sleep Slumber Take A Break Take It Easy

Relax Relief Repose Reprieve Respite Rest Sabbatical Serenity Settle Down Siesta

Time Off Time Out Uncoil Unwind Vacation

Courtesy of www.puzzlechoice.com

A FEW IDEAS FOR SIMPLE HOME-BASED BUSINESSES

Now may be the best time and Canada the best place to launch a home-based business. Thanks to the Internet and modern technology anyone anywhere has the potential to reach a global market – all you need is the right product or service and an unwavering belief that you can make it work. Here are a few ideas for home-based businesses that have proven not merely possible, but downright successful! Selling Home-Made Items: If you’re artistic or a craftsperson, then launching a business makes perfect sense, as customers everywhere love the uniqueness and quality that handmade products provide. Things people are selling include jewellery and other forms of art, homemade food items (often at venues such as farmer’s markets), hand-made clothing and even wooden furniture and toys. A Drop Shipping Business: Drop shipping is a venture that usually works in concert with online stores or ecommerce enterprises. Essentially the customer, who could be located anywhere in the world, will make a purchase and send their purchase order to the drop shipper who in turn passes the order to the business owner. The drop shipper partners with the supplier who manages the inventory and ships the products to the end user on the seller’s behalf. No inventory need be held or stored by the seller. Freelance Writer / Educator: A very popular type of home-based business, and a type requiring very little in the way of infrastructure or equipment, is that of a freelance writer or other creative producer. Today a computer and an Internet connection is all that ’s required to reach an audience located anywhere on the globe. An offshoot of this is the production of online courses or other educational material. There are a wide range of ideas available for today’s entrepreneurs. Imagination and desire to do the job are keys to any success. Why not explore this exciting concept for yourself?

ENERGY SAVING TIPS TO HELP YOUR FAMILY BUDGET Running a household is never a simple or inexpensive thing, and energy costs are one of the largest bills a homeowner must contend with. Finding ways to stretch those energy dollars is important, so to help achieve that goal here are a few simple tips to help save both money and energy. Bundle Up: While it may seem like an obvious idea, energy and money can be saved by keeping a household thermostat below 20º Celsius and simply putting on a sweater to ward off the morning chill. Many say putting on extra clothing is healthier than cranking up the furnace, so why not give it a try? Ceiling Fans: Did you realize the direction a ceiling fan turns should reflect the time of year it ’s in operation? During summer the spinning blades should be used to draw the heat away from the living spaces, while in winter a reverse rotation will push the warmer air (as heat rises) into the room to aid with heating. Ongoing Maintenance: Like with any mechanical system a furnace needs to be properly maintained to work at it ’s peak efficiency. A furnace filter choked with dust will not work as well as a clear one. The best gift you can give is a referral to your friends and family.

Cell: 416.895.4883 Office: 416-383-9525 Email: MaureenReedRealtor@gmail.com www.maureenreed.ca

11 Capreol Court, Toronto, ON, M5V 3Z6

Privacy Disclosure: We respect your privacy. The sponsor indicated on the front panel provides a complimentary subscription of this publication to you, a valued client. If at any time or for any reason you do not want to receive this publication, please contact the sponsor using any of the contact info on the front panel, and your personal information will be removed from the mailing list immediately. Without response to this cancellation offer, we assume your implied consent and permission to continue provision. Disclaimer: This publication is distributed for the purpose of information only. It is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract by a real estate firm or under contract with another Broker or Mortgage Specialist, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed by: dmsmarketing.ca Copyright© 2022 All Rights Reserved / Printed on recyclable material. The trademarks REALTOR ® , REALTORS ® and the REALTOR ® logo are controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.