real-estate / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Real estate

Real estate

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 location: Being close to where you work and pla...

Choosing a home and neighbourhood
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...

Moving to the Countryside - How to make it Work
Lifestyle, location and commuting

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

With so many of us being forced to work from home, this has brought many changes to our economy, our priorities and our lifestyles. Not only is there a sudden interest in how to set up a home office, but other green lifestyle choices are popping up; like growing food at home, and safe transportation in terms of commuti...

Buying a Fixer-Upper vs. Move-In Ready or New Home, Which is Best?
Real estate

Buying a Home: Is a Fixer-upper, New, or Move-in-Ready Renovated Property the Best Choice?

The classic dilemma when buying a property is whether to buy new, to buy something older but move-in-ready, or to buy a complete fixer-upper? For a first-time homebuyer seeking an eco-friendly home it's even more complicated! This puzzle can feel as baffling as choosing between chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry ice cre...

Top Ten Home Renovation Shows on TV
Real estate

North America's Top Ten Home Renovation TV Shows

Are you considering buying a first home, a fan of home renovation shows on TV, and so perhaps pondering embarking on your own fixer-upper adventure? If so, you're somewhat in luck! North American television is currently brimming with entertaining and educational programs that showcase the highs and lows of older home r...

Real estate

Downsizing your home: buying tips for seniors

Buying a house in retirement Are you planning to downsize, move closer to family, or relocate to your dream retirement destination? While changing homes is typically associated with younger adults, many seniors are making the decision to buy a home in retirement. However, buying at 65 isn’t quite the same as buying at ...

Lockeport Beach House
Real estate

Lockeport Beach House wins Canadian Green Building award

Originally published by our print affiliate SAB Magazine Jury comments: This house has a light environmental footprint that derives from the philosophical approach taken by both the client and the architect. It combines responsible siting and construction strategies with low-energy consumption and net zero water use. A...

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...

Real estate

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

The following are some things to think about while evaluating a home before making an offer. If you're a driver: Check the route from the house to your place of work on Google traffic maps to estimate how much time you will spend in a car every day. If you're a cyclist: Check maps for bike lanes, bike paths and general...

Skygarden House home renovation in Toronto, Canadian Green Building winner
Real estate

This beautiful Renovation in Toronto is a Canadian Green Building Award Winner

The Skygarden House is a winner of the Canadian Green Building Awards and is a great example of the kind of transformation and performance enhancement that is possible with dilapidated houses in urban cores. *** The renewal of this beautiful century old, 225 m2 single family residence on a small urban lot in Toronto tr...

The LEED Platinum infill house in Toronto
Real estate

Farnham Avenue House

This article was originally published in ecoHouse Canada, Winter 2014/15 issue. Kyle England is an architect with William Dewson Architects, www.dewson.com. Farnham Avenue House is a single-family detached residential infill project. Some of the eco-friendly design aspects are time honoured such as, vertical venti...