Our homes are our largest investment. We spend so much time at home, in our homes, we really should have the comfort, style and toys we deserve, shouldn’t we?

Here are some of the newest and hottest items out there:

A water fountain with fire shooting out of the middle is a great family and friend backyard gathering place and an instant conversation piece.

When it’s above the fireplace, it can be a framed mirror or piece of art. Designers are increasingly choosing to hide gigantic televisions in the wall and cover them with a mirror or artwork so when they’re not in use, you don’t even know they’re there.

No one wants the lingering smell of smoke and cooking fumes in the kitchen, yet oven hoods, no matter what high-end materials you use, can be clunky, not to mention they get greasy and dirty.

With the pop-up hood vent, you can sink it into an island or other countertop and with an underground vent to the outside press the button, it comes up, sucks all the smoke and fumes out and then press the button again and – poof! – it vanishes again.

Here is the perfect thing for your man cave. It’s a floor-to-ceiling golf simulator with a massive screen to let you “play” on some of the coolest courses in the world.

Here’s something a little more practical -  a glass room on the patio. Glass structures, out at the end of the patio can be everything from outdoor dining areas and zen gardens to man caves and music studios.

How about a cooling drawer for your kitchen, bedroom or rec room? The drawers come with several different temperature settings, so you can store soda, wine, snacks for the kids – even ice cream.

Filed under: just for fun by Keith Marshall
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Anyone who’s shopped in a large furniture store has seen cardboard TVs and computers. The faux items help buyers see how the shelving unit or work station will look when they get it home.

Now, home shoppers are finding cardboard living room sets and bedroom furniture appearing in vacant homes for sale.

There have been numerous reports showing that vacant houses take longer to sell and sell for less than lived-in homes.

Furthermore, a recent study on home staging recently found that while the average home was on the market for nearly 31 days, the typical staged home sold in just less than 14 days. And while the average home sold for a mere 1.6% over the seller’s asking price, the staged homes went for a hefty 6.3% more.

There are several companies making specialized furniture that can be folded flat and tucked under a person’s arm and carried into a home, set up in minutes. A small house full of furniture can fit in the back a minivan.

Furniture made of reinforced cardboard that can hold up to 1,000 pounds of weight. The furniture is quickly assembled on location; fashionable slipcovers are put over the loveseats and sofas so nobody can tell what the product is made of. It helps prospective homebuyers imagine what it would be like if they lived in the home.

Pretty slick!

Sell your home with Keith Marshall of Prudential Grand Valley Realty and I’ll send in my home staging team. Staging will help us sell your home faster and for more money. (Sorry, they don’t have cardboard furniture.)

Filed under: Buying Real Estate, general news, home, real estate trends by Keith Marshall
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About six years ago when Fischer-Hallman Road North was widened between Erb and Columbia, neighbors complained to Waterloo Region Council that the noise levels would rise. They demanded sound barrier walls.

Waterloo Regional Council resisted, partly due to the cost – $2million of local taxpayers money and partly because it did not want to set a precedent. The noise levels were not high enough under the regional policy to warrant sound barrier walls.

A recent study shows that the noise levels have actually dropped from what they were in 2004 when Fischer-Hallman was two lanes between Erb and Columbia. Noise levels are down by 4 decibels, and traffic volume down between 5% and 18% along this stretch of Fischer-Hallman.

The reason? Drivers have diverted to Ira Needles Boulevard, which opened in 2007, and to Westmount Road, extended from Columbia to Northfield Drive in 2004. Traffic volume along Westmount is noticeably up and most people feel that Ira Needles could already be expanded to four lanes wide.

Filed under: Around Kitchener Waterloo, general news, Uncategorized by Keith Marshall
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This townhouse is in a super desirable location. It’s walking distance to Conestoga College, close to 401.

The home backs onto a treed area, has a full walkout basement. Only three years old, the open concept home has lots of upgrades; balcony off master bedroom, oak railing, central vacuum…

Who: Keith Marshall, Prudential Grand Valley Realty

Where: 105 Pinnacle, Unit 12

When: Open House — Sunday, January 23, 2011

Time: 2-4pm

Feature sheet with more details here.

Filed under: for sale, open house by Keith Marshall
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The Gross Debt Service Ratio (GDS) is a ratio based on income in relation to mortgage payments. It is used by lenders to qualify prospective buyers for mortgages.

The GDS ratio refers to the relationship between the borrower’s income and the sum of principal, interest, and property tax payments during the year. Normally, the acceptable ratio is between 27% and 30% depending on the lender. In other words a borrower would be allowed between 27% and 30% of gross income to satisfy mortgage principal, interest, and tax payments during a particular year.

GDS = (Principal & Interest + taxes)/Gross Income

In condominium purchases, this ratio is altered to include a portion of the common expenses (normally 50% of those expenses).

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Keith Marshall is a realtor with Prudential Grand Valley Realty, serving Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. If you’re thinking of buying or selling your home, please give me a call. I aim to take the stress and mystery out of the home buying and selling process.

Filed under: mortgage, real estate vocabualry by Keith Marshall
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